District recommends targeted boundary adjustments and two program consolidations after public feedback
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Summary
District staff summarized three studies: a Syracuse-area pocket will remain at Bluff Ridge after parent feedback; staff recommended closing the South Davis Junior French immersion program and consolidating it with Mueller Park with digital supports this year; and a phased boundary proposal was recommended for Eagle Bay and Canyon Creek in response to enrollment declines and public comment.
District staff presented three related proposals that would change boundaries or consolidate programs and explained the process and legal requirements the board must follow before final action.
Dr. Toon reviewed statutory requirements from recently passed legislation (referred to in the presentation as House Bill 341, passed in the 2024 general session) that set timing and notice requirements for boundary changes and program closures. He said the district must complete required notices, public hearings and comment periods and provide at least the minimum number of public-comment opportunities before a final board vote.
Syracuse-area boundary change: Tracy Robbins reported that, after walking the area and speaking with families, staff reversed a prior draft move of a small triangle east of Bluff Road and will keep that pocket in the Bluff Ridge attendance area. Robbins said roughly 70 students were associated with that pocket and staff judged the change unnecessary after community feedback.
South Davis Junior High French DLI: Chris Keim said the French dual language immersion program at South Davis has 7 students this year compared with 139 at neighboring Mueller Park Junior High. Staff recommended closing the South Davis DLI and consolidating the program at Mueller Park. Keim said staff will provide a half FTE this year to support South Davis while the study proceeded and will offer digital connections so current students can continue learning with Mueller Park teachers; the program at South Davis will continue through the remainder of the current year for enrolled students.
Eagle Bay and Canyon Creek boundary study: Doug Forsgren said public comments on the Eagle Bay/Canyon Creek study increased from roughly 80 to 119 responses and reflected varied community sentiment. Forsgren described enrollment declines in Farmington and a phased boundary-change proposal intended to let existing cohorts finish while addressing long-term declines; he said that after the phase-out there would be no traditional classrooms at Eagle Bay.
Board members asked clarifying questions about feeder patterns, high‑school impacts for immersion students and opportunities to study moving programs to alternative high schools. Staff said further study would be required to consider changes at the high‑school level and emphasized the board would have additional public-comment and hearing opportunities before any final decisions.
Next steps: staff will publish notices and follow the public hearing timeline required by statute; the board is scheduled to consider initiation of formal action in the business meeting and, if appropriate, take subsequent votes after the required public comment periods are complete.
