Provo board votes to build elementary school on former Dixon site to house Timpanogos students

Provo City School Board members voted on Oct. 14 to build an elementary school on the former Dixon Middle School site to house the Timpanogos Elementary School population.

The motion, offered by Board Member Lisa Boyce, read, “I move that we build an elementary school on the Dixon site to house the Timpanogos Elementary School population.” The substitute motion was seconded and passed unanimously, with the board recording the action as approved; a numerical tally was not specified in the meeting record.

Board members said the decision addresses space and safety concerns at the current Timpanogos site and gives the district an opportunity to place programs that need permanent space. “The Timpanogos site really is smaller than all the sites,” Board Member Meg Van Wagonen said during discussion, explaining that the move would give students more room for recess and instructional needs.

Vice President Gina Hales and other board members discussed terminology during deliberations — whether the action was a “relocation” or a plan to “rebuild Dixon as an elementary school” — before adopting language that the board would “build an elementary school on the Dixon site to house the Timpanogos Elementary School population.” Board members also said the motion does not finalize the new school’s name, timing, or exact funding method.

Board members acknowledged tradeoffs community members raised. Hales told residents the new plan likely will not preserve existing tennis courts on the Dixon property and that some features of the current sites will change. “In my opinion, an elementary school is more important than tennis courts,” she said, while noting other uses of outdoor fields after hours might remain possible.

District staff and trustees said further public engagement and planning are next steps. The board directed staff to continue design work, engage the community on timing and funding options, and explore ways to reduce tax impacts. Board President Jennifer Partridge and district staff said bonding and alternative funding strategies would be examined in the months ahead.

The board emphasized the vote was about the use of the Dixon site, not a commitment to immediate construction. “This was a decision on what we’re doing with the site. Now we will continue to have discussions on the timing and things,” Partridge said, noting design and budgeting work will follow and the district will invite public input.

Next steps listed by trustees include community design meetings, reviewing funding options and timelines, and developing a plan for programs that would move into the vacated Timpanogos site. The district said updates and details will be shared in future public meetings and posted online.

Provenance: The discussion and initial motion begin in the transcript where the board introduces the Dixon item and hears public comment background; final vote appears later in the same item.