At the February 9, 2021, meeting of the Kane School District Board of Education, Superintendent Ben Dalton reported that the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) distribution for Fiscal Year 2022 for Kane District will be $360,684. This will be distributed by student population at each school as follows: Big Water School (BWS) $18,777; Kanab High School (KHS) $87,719; Kanab Middle School (KMS) $43,719; Kanab Elementary School (KES) $128,355; Lake Powell School (LPS) $4,204; Valley High School (VHS) $39,235 and Valley Elementary School (VES) $38,675.
Dalton updated the board on upcoming legislative bills and those which will be supported by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). He presented new Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s “One Utah Roadmap,” for the first 500 days in office, in which education is the second of six priorities. He reported Utah State Public Health Order 2021-2 extends the mandatory face mask order to the end of the school year.
The Utah Legislature session began January 19 and will end on March 5. Due to recent concerns from the Utah Highway Patrol about possible protests at the Utah Capitol, public participation in legislative proceedings is now being conducted virtually. Legislative staff had been working to initiate and improve remote public participation for the last 10 months. Utah citizens may access all committee meetings and legislative floor debates at le.utah.gov.
Dalton announced that this coming summer, teacher training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) will be conducted instead of the usual Spalding Method training. LETRS is being instituted to supplement the current Spalding total language arts program that the district has used for years.
LETRS addresses the structures of the English language, the cognitive processes of learning to read and the teaching practices proven to be most effective in preventing and remediating reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
He reviewed Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) data with the board, provided by District Reading Director Robin Coleman. The report is positive, showing student reading proficiency progress at higher averages than the state.
The board received the monthly budget report and an update on the school construction timeline by District Business Manager Cary Reese.
The district has raised the amount of compensation paid to substitute teachers. Long term substitute teaching has become more common during the pandemic, as quarantine requirements have been instituted. Qualified substitute teachers are always needed and training is provided by the district.
Public comment was invited during both the work and regular meetings on the Proposed School Fee Schedule for 2021-2022. No comments were given. The fee schedule can be viewed on the district website. It will be up for approval at the March meeting.
The board discussed possibilities for future use of the current KES building, Memorial Policy FL and School Reunification plans that are currently being developed. It approved the Comprehensive Guidance plan presented by VHS Guidance Counselor Ashley Chamberlain.
The board approved the hiring of the following persons, pending a successful background check: Jessica Lear (KMS para-educator) and Dillan Rios (KES para-educator); and Hayden Gant and Jolyn Lee as substitute teachers.
It accepted the resignation of Adrienne Roundy (KES para-educator) and the retirement of Lisa Johnson, KHS and KMS Math teacher. Congratulations to Mrs. Johnson, who taught in the Kane District for 34 years.
