NEWS RELEASE
For additional information, contact: Lorie Pearce, Executive Assistant to BOE/Supt at lpearce@pcschools.us
March 17, 2021
Board of Education Update – March 2021
by Erin Grady, BOE President
In March, the school board held a work session as well as a regular meeting. At the work session, the topic of the meeting was a review of the options outlined by MHTN for the Kearns Campus, EHMS, and the elementary sites.
The school board also heard the initial findings from the Demographic Study. It does appear that PCSD is heading toward a period of slight declining enrollment — even as we include planned development in the planning process. This is, in part, due to overall Summit County birth rates as well as migration in and out of the district and state. We keep a close eye on enrollment numbers in order to adequately staff the district. Taking the time to plan now permits the Park City School District to successfully and strategically plan for the future.
At the regular monthly business meeting, the Park City School District Board of Education heard updates and reports from:
- PCEA Leadership shared the successes and challenges of this amazingly complex school year and urged ongoing collaboration to ensure student success.
- Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Amy Hunt, spoke to the good work of the school sites in a successful March 15 Professional Learning Day as well as provided a deeper look into the PCSD Instructional Framework.
- Chief Operations Officer, Mike Tanner, spoke about covid trends, safety and security and plans to continue the free lunch program throughout summer school at the McPolin School site.
- Superintendent Gildea thanked the educators, community and families for collaborative efforts in keeping our schools open and also outlined the history of the master planning efforts to date. Dr. Gildea stated that graduation is scheduled for June 3 and that next year Monday through Thursday will be full academic days, and Fridays will remain on this year’s schedule with early release Fridays.
The Park City School District Board of Education took the following actions:
- Approved the proposed Student Fee Schedule for the 21/22 school year.
- Approved and affirmed Master Planning Priorities as established by the Community in 2019:
- Full High School Experience – move 9th grade into the high school
- Full Middle School Experience – 6th, 7th, and 8th grade together
- Strengthen Community Services – Expand preschool capacity at all locations and add community wrap services at two elementary schools – Jeremy Ranch and McPolin
- Increase Sustainability – coordinate with Park City’s 2030 Vision and goals
Approved the following Policies
| Policy 7090 | Substitute Teachers | Inserts EduStaff where appropriate |
| Policy 7097 | Nepotism (New Policy) | Clarifies Supervisory roles of individuals who may be related |
| Policy 7160 | Orderly Termination | Personnel Policy was approved after edits and input were made by our stakeholders |
The School Board requested that MOCA return to a scheduled March 31, 2021 work session to present a concurrent build pricing timeline and cost analysis.
The Board of Education is narrowing down the Phase I Master Education/Facility Plan which will address EHMS and PCHS renovation and addition as well as additions to the elementary schools while incorporating clean and sustainable energy efficiencies at all sites.
This first phase realigns the district to maintain PK-5 elementary schools, merge to a 6th to 8th grade middle school education program, and provide a comprehensive 9th through 12th grade high school experience while expanding capacity for early learning at each elementary school.
The action planning related to design and timing of actual construction is going to take some time with estimates, pending funding, ranging from 2024 to 2026 for the moves to actually take place.
These proposals do not disrupt any of the athletic fields at either secondary site nor does it disrupt existing space for learning to occur during periods of renovation. It will be for a future school board to determine additional phases, but we have a long-term facility plan that can help guide the way for the future of PCSD.
The Board adjourned for a brief closed session and then returned to adjourn the meeting.
With regard to Public Comments, we wish to remind our public of the following:
-A school board meeting is a business meeting that is held in public; it is not a “public meeting.” Therefore, audience members should adhere to appropriate audience behavior – observe quietly so that others may hear the presenters. Presenters are facing and speaking with the Board Members to inform their decisions in their business meeting; it is not a presentation for or by the public.
-We, as an elected Board of Education, value and appreciate all statements from our constituents related to the work at hand. We do ask that public comment be directed to noticed topics on the agenda with a three-minute time limit per speaker or five-minute time limit per group.
-Public Comment is intended to provide stakeholder input to the school board on noticed topics after following appropriate communication channels within the school site and then within the district as we work to resolve issues closest to where an issue emerges. We do not hear comments on specific students, families, or personnel at the business meeting.
-Public Comment will not be addressed in the moment but will be assigned to an administrator for follow up. It is not a series of back and forth dialogue or a list of questions. Questions for the school district or school board may be directed to: communications@pcschools.us
Board of Education Update – March 2021 