Jordan School District — Transcript
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
West Jordan High School Remodel Project Update
Social Studies Graduation Credits Adjustment
Boundary Adjustments for Undeveloped and Newly Developed Areas
Postpartum Recovery Parental Leave Policy Changes
Family Medical Leave Policy Changes
Facilities Committee Role in Boundary Changes
Votes (2)
Continued Discussion on Changes to Social Studies Graduation Credits
Dissent: Motion to increase social studies credits to four and reduce electives to 7.5 failed (Mr. Barnett, Mr. Denford, Ms. Barrow, Ms. Wood voted Nay).
Moved by Ms. Dean [0:00:48:38] · Seconded by Ms. Wood [0:00:48:47]
The board debated how to implement a new state law requiring a full year of civics instruction. Options included increasing total social studies credits from 3.5 to 4, or reconfiguring existing courses, potentially by splitting World History into ancient and modern semesters, to accommodate the new civics requirement without increasing overall credits. Concerns were raised about the impact on teacher workload, curriculum coverage, student choice for electives (especially AP courses), and state compliance if courses were condensed or split.
Boundary Discussion Regarding Undeveloped and Newly Developed Areas
Moved by Ms. Dean [0:01:07:37] · Seconded by Mr. Barnett [0:01:07:46]
Four potential boundary adjustments were reviewed to address misaligned feeder systems and new developments. Area 1 (airport) and Area 2 (southern Bluffdale/Camp Williams) involve no current students. Areas 3 (Bluffdale/Herriman development) and 4 (Homestead at Butterfield in Herriman) involve current students or imminent new housing, requiring boundary clarification. Discussions revolved around aligning feeder systems, the timing of changes, and mitigating community anxiety from repeated notifications.
Notable Quotes (12)
The reason behind the purpose behind this preview tonight is on the 26th, we'll be bringing back to the board what they call a maximum guaranteed price for the project.
In fact, my first project at MHTN was a plumbing upgrade to West Jordan High School. And there's there's a couple pipes that weren't touched causing that discoloration that will now be touched.
No, this is very recent and very angry teachers that have contacted me and said that we've decided not to do these upgrades and I tried to explain to them we haven't even approved the upgrades.
One of the things that I have really enjoyed about the Bingham remodel was that there is still a feeling of legacy there. Like you walk in and you see a blend of new and old and I think the community is asking for a lot of new. So I love what I'm seeing, but will efforts be made to preserve some of the history of this building?
How much of is that How much of a lift is it for teachers to go through the curriculum and say, "Okay, well, we're only going to spend 10 minutes on this and this." Like, how are they going to condense it if we decide to make it a semester, not a year. Does that make sense?
The question is do you require it because that gives them more of a chance to learn those than anything they could choose for themselves. That's the question, not the value of social studies.
I would need to be sure that that we were meeting state standards. Um if we were to cut uh a class into two parts, so to speak, as we were speaking of with the modern and the ancient civilization. That, I believe, is my hang-up point.
This area in the middle, this tan area, is currently within the Mountain Point Elementary School, which is By the way, you remember this is Mountain Point is up here...and Hidden Valley Middle School, but it goes to Mountain Ridge. So, we have a feeder system that's not aligned.
So my concern is we notified the people in this area already about a boundary change and then we tabled it. And now we're going to notify another. They're they're anxious.
The biggest changes they made to this was to add adoption and foster as a specific line out as as far as eligibility to take parental leave.
What we have now with the fixed calendar is they can stack their leave. So, we're talking about individuals that go for teachers in particular, individuals go on FMLA leave starting in March...they would have 9 months of leave outside of the classroom.
I felt I felt a little uncomfortable in in facilities committee discussing something that I thought should come to the whole board. Um I I I don't think the facilities committee in the past has been tasked with kind of previewing bound possible boundary changes. That that seems more like uh a topic that should be given to the to the full board.
Ordinances & Resolutions (4)
The type of contract price to be presented for the West Jordan High School remodel.
Legislation that prompted changes to the postpartum recovery parental leave policy.
Federal law governing employee leave, subject of a proposed policy change.
Federal law mentioned in context of FMLA, as leave can run concurrently for both.