Provo School Board reviews travel requests for Los Angeles dance trip and national cheer competition

The Provo School District Board of Education reviewed two student travel requests during its study session on Oct. 14.

Tara, a high‑school dance instructor, outlined a proposed Los Angeles trip for about 22 students that would include classes at Millennium Dance Complex and other studios, a 90‑minute Disneyland master class, and attendance at a traveling Broadway show. She said the itinerary focuses on exposure to a wider range of dance genres than typically available locally — contemporary, hip‑hop, jazz and modern — and on networking and mentorship opportunities with professional choreographers and performers. Tara described several fundraising activities under way to reduce family cost, including student-led workshops, banner sales, restaurant fundraisers and sponsorship programs; she said fee waivers will be considered where needed. Trustees asked for a written itinerary and a clearer breakdown of per‑student cost and fee‑waiver procedures, and expressed concern about the financial pressure of annual trips on families.

Megan Galbraith, the competition cheer coach, described a plan to take the competition team to nationals, noting the team’s growth and a second‑place finish in a prior regional competition. She said the program expects to travel by charter bus to reduce the risk of lost equipment and to keep costs lower than air travel. Megan reported that roughly 25 percent of the team attended last year’s trip and that many families treat it as a multi‑family event; she said the team will use the same hotel and bus company as prior years. Trustees asked about participant counts, transportation, and equity of access.

No formal action was taken during the study session; both requests were presented for information and will be considered in the business meeting or at a later time after the district receives required documentation and cost estimates.