This month’s Board of Education meeting included several important topics relevant to the District’s future, along with celebrating outstanding educators and programs, and highlighting multiple policy and administrative changes for the upcoming school year.  

In a 4-1 vote, Board Members initiated the process to provide notice of consideration for closure of Liberty Elementary School, effective the 2027-2028 school year. This was the culmination of many years of listening to parents, conducting studies, and discussing facts and data, because of declining enrollment driven by lower birth rates and housing costs.

Board Chair Kelly Taeoalii acknowledged the "human cost" of such a decision, noting that schools are cornerstones of neighborhoods. But board members have also long emphasized that decisions, while difficult, are a necessary part of public funding stewardship.

Now that the Board has provided notice of consideration, several key dates are in place to give the public opportunities to learn more and weigh in. Click here to see a graphic of the Board’s school closure and boundary realignment timeline.

A New Era for Hillcrest Junior High

The meeting began with the appointment of Sam Salinas as the new Principal of Hillcrest Junior High, effective July 1. Salinas, who currently serves as Assistant Principal, will succeed Dr. Claustina Reynolds who earlier this year was named the new principal of Murray High School for the 2026-2027 school year.

Salinas was praised for his "amazing wealth of knowledge" and his work with multi-language learners. He expressed his excitement for the upcoming school year and the school’s transition to a middle school model in the 2027-2028 school year.

2026 Educators of the Year

Superintendent Jennifer Covington and the Board honored the "high caliber" professionals who keep the district running:

• Teacher of the Year: Kayti Graham (5th Grade, Grant Elementary). Graham was described as a "beloved" innovator who has spent her entire 12-year career in the district.
• Licensed Professional of the Year: Carolyn Martinez-Ross (Librarian, Murray High). Martinez-Ross was celebrated for transforming the school library into a "vibrant hub" and creating the Murray High Student Book Club to break down social barriers.
• Education Support Professional of the Year: Lauri Aloi (Parkside Elementary). Aloi has served district students in small groups for 23 years, with colleagues noting her "dignity, respect, and high expectations."

Facility Planning Update

Director of Facilities Scott Taggart provided a comprehensive update on the district’s ongoing construction, noting significant progress at both the high school and Riverview Junior High. At Murray High School, crews are nearing completion on the first phase of tile work and are preparing the main hallway for concrete finishing. Mechanical and environmental upgrades are moving through the upper floors, and all windows have been successfully installed across all four levels.

Meanwhile, the Riverview Junior High project is also hitting critical milestones, with a major push this summer to complete the structural steel in the commons area and ensure the entire building is "dried in" (roofed and sealed) before the next school year.

Taggart also highlighted the strategic "buy-ahead" approach used by the district’s contractors to procure materials early, effectively shielding the projects from rising escalation costs and supply chain delays.

After-School Excellence

The meeting also included presentations on the district’s thriving after-school programs. Hillcrest Junior High reported over 350 students registered in clubs ranging from rock climbing to "Magic: The Gathering." Parkside Elementary highlighted its science partnership with Thanksgiving Point, serving their population where approximately 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Innovation and Sustainability in School Nutrition

Coordinator of Student Nutrition Gwen Haycock reported on the district's creative efforts to engage students and reduce environmental impact through the "Wasteless Month" initiative in February. Parkside Elementary emerged as the winner, wasting only 36.91 pounds of food during the challenge.

Haycock also detailed the success of the Leanpath program at Riverview Junior High, which uses specialized camera and scale technology to track and reduce vegetable waste from the salad bar, saving nearly $1,500 in food costs this year.

Looking ahead to the summer, the district will continue its commitment to student health by providing free breakfast and lunch at McMillan, Liberty, Parkside, and Hillcrest, as well as mobile meal services at the Hunter Woods and Fireclay apartment complexes to ensure students don't have to cross busy streets for a meal.

Administrative Business & Legislative Impacts

The Board addressed several policy updates necessitated by recent state legislative changes:

• Cell Phone Policy (PS 417.2): A first reading of a ban on AI and Smart Glasses was presented. Discussion ensued regarding "Bell-to-Bell" bans. Secondary administrators currently favor bans during instructional time only, rather than the whole day, citing the complexity of high school schedules.
• Attendance-Based Grading: New state law now allows teachers (grades 7-12) to base up to 10% of a final grade on attendance, provided it is stated in the course disclosure.
• Budget Highlights: Business Administrator Richard Reese reported a 4.2% increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU), though enrollment declines offset much of the potential funding gain.