Residents, teachers and students press board over plan to reuse district properties for CTE center and athletics

The Salt Lake City School Board held a time‑certain public comment session at 7:15 p.m. on May 6 focused on proposed district uses for several properties, including the former Riley Elementary site and athletic‑field needs. Dozens of residents, teachers, students and parents spoke, asking for clearer plans, protections for neighborhood schools and equitable access to career and technical education programs.

Several themes emerged from the comments:

Welding instruction, access and equity: Denise Hefner, who identified herself as the district’s welding teacher for 17 years, said the district historically placed welding at Highland High because the new tech center “didn’t want the dirty trades” when it was built. She told the board the Highland shop is undersized and fragmented and that “welding instruction would be far more effective if housed at a centralized purpose‑built location that ensures equitable access for all students.” She said welding demand has grown: “When I first began teaching in 2008, I had a total of 82 students. As of this school year, enrollment has grown to 314, making welding the largest CTE program offered by the tech center.”

Embedded CTE vs. standalone CTC: Russell Askren, a parent and current program supporter, argued against a standalone career and technical center (CTC). “CTE programs need to be embedded in comprehensive high schools,” he said, adding that a distributed model encourages students to “complete their entire education at one place” and avoids making CTE feel “second class.” Several students and parents said some CTE programs require specialized equipment and may be reasonable at a centralized site, but others — including robotics and some computer‑science courses — should remain or be established at comprehensive high schools.

Historic West High adaptive reuse idea: Public commenter Josh Stewart and others proposed adaptive reuse of the 1921 portion of West High as child‑friendly housing while building the new West High school facilities on other parts of the site. That idea drew both interest and questions about feasibility and next steps.

Neighborhood schools and facility investment: PTA leaders and neighborhood residents from Wasatch and Bryant pressed the district to commit to a timeline and plan for renovation and investment in the district’s oldest buildings, arguing that repeated investments in certain sites could leave nearby schools — “the oldest elementary and middle schools in the district” — without upgrades. “When will it be Wasatch’s turn? Will it ever be Wasatch’s turn?” Wasatch PTA President Julia Lyon asked.

Security, lighting and communication concerns: Aaron Torres, a neighbor of the abandoned Rozelle/Rawls Heights property, described long‑running crime and neglect at the site. He said he supported the proposed athletic improvements but criticized the district’s communication and asked for details on security plans. Torres said a late addition of about $3.4 million to install 60‑ to 70‑foot lights raised concerns among neighbors about light intrusion; he asked for clear policies and operational plans for the lights.

Students and program voices: Ella Fransen, a West High senior and robotics captain, argued that some programs are life‑and‑school‑defining and need to remain at West: “If we do not have a robotics shop at West High, the program will die,” she said, noting the team is one of the state’s top programs despite limited space and repeated fire‑inspection problems.

Calls for clearer public materials and timelines: Multiple speakers said district communications (including a QR code on a mailed flyer) lacked sufficient project detail. “If you tell me to scan to get more information and I go to your website and I see the exact same thing, where do I go to get the information?” one parent asked. Speakers requested timelines, cost breakdowns, maps that show which high schools would use which fields for which sports, and plans for bus logistics and accessibility.

District response and next steps: The board noted the comments and the need to provide more transparent project materials. Vice President Brian Jensen and staff acknowledged the request for clearer timelines and said district staff would work to update public information and provide opportunities for further community meetings.

Why it matters: The proposals touch on facility planning, program location and equity — who gains access to career and technical training and which neighborhoods receive capital investment. Multiple speakers urged the board to balance districtwide access to CTE, preserve strong programs located at comprehensive high schools, and provide neighborhood investment and protections for adjacent residents.