Safer entrance projects set for four local schools

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the San Juan School Board approved safe entrance conceptual plans at four schools, received reports from secondary schools in Blanding, and heard a request to change the land lease for USU Monument Valley at their latest meeting.
Members of the San Juan School Board approved conceptual plans for safety improvements at four district schools at their September 18 meeting. 
The approval includes an addition of two classrooms to Albert R Lyman (ARL) Middle School.
District Business Administrator Tyrel Pemberton presented the conceptual plans for the safety upgrades for the entrances to Montezuma Creek Elementary, Monticello High, San Juan High and ARL.
The end result will have the schools match newer schools in the district with visitors required to “buzz in” and walk through the office to access the school.
Upgrading safe entries at the older schools in the district varies depending on the current layout of the school. 
The current layout at ARL will be the most expensive, with a classroom and computer labbeing converted into a reception/administration area. Needed site work puts that project at $1.4 million, with additional work proposed for ARL in order to add a classroom at a school the district says is already at capacity.
Pemberton explained, “With the ARL plan, there wasn’t a real great way to accomplish what we wanted to with the entryway without removing a classroom.
“I think you saw on Mr. Palmer’s presentation today that one of their challenges is space. So removing a classroom and not giving a classroom back isn’t really something we’d be able to do to help the school continue to operate.”
District staff presented an estimated cost of $813,547 to add one classroom back and $1,915,993 to add two classrooms to ARL in addition to the security project.
The project was originally budgeted for $5 million. In 2023 the district was awarded $3.3 million from the state for the project.
Adding one classroom to ARL would keep the four school projects $774,803 under budget, while the second classroom would put the project $327,643 over the $5 million budget.
Pemberton asked the board to consider a preference of one or two classrooms.
“There’s no cheaper time to add the space than when you’re doing the construction initially,” said Pemberton. “I don’t know that we can take a classroom away without giving the one so do we look at doing the two?”
ARL Principal Ryan Palmer advocated for the second option that would give ARL the safety upgrade and the two-classroom project for a net gain of one classroom at the school.
Members of the board unanimously approved the conceptual projects with the selection of option two for the inclusion of building two classrooms at ARL.
At the meeting, members of the board also received updates on other capital projects. The Navajo Mountain High HVAC project is complete and the new Montezuma Creek playground equipment is scheduled to arrive and be installed in late October or early November.
Pemberton reports that everything for the new Blanding Elementary School is on schedule. However, the recent monsoon rains has MHTN and consultants redesigning the on-site retention pond, making it cover a larger area.
The redesign isn’t anticipated to impact any other aspects of the project.
Members of the board also heard a request from Utah State University to change the holder of the land lease for the USU Monument Valley building, which is being built on land owned by the district.
Members of the board asked for additional information with plans to bring the item back to the board at their next meeting.
Representatives from USU came to the board asking that the lease agreement change to Aggie Sandstone, a non-profit organization.
USU Blanding Vice President Kristian Olsen explained that the university is planning to use a new market tax credit to help fund the new building.
“It’s a government program that helps direct funds into areas that get overlooked in terms of investments in capital projects.”
Olsen explained that lending institutions, in this case Wells Fargo and MoFi, provide funds to projects for a certain dollar amount, in return the government provides a tax-break over a seven-year period.
For the banks, that tax break ends up being greater than the money given to an organization.
Olsen explained that Aggie Sandstone was used for the USU campus building recently built in Moab.
School board member Merri Shumway asked if the district would have increased liability for being the landowners leasing to a charitable foundation rather than Utah State. Shumway also had questions about how the payments would be structured. 
USU staff pledged to bring Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services Dave Cowley to answer questions in detail.
Members of the board also heard reports from the principals of ARL and San Juan High.
San Juan High Principal Ryan Nielson highlighted celebrations for the school, including full staffing, and increased Career and Technical Education offerings in the school, along with increased participation in clubs and extracurriculars across the board.
One highlight has been the implementation of a no-phone policy, with many classes having docking stations that the kids leave their phones in during the school day. 
“The kids have also made the commitment to stay engaged and interact better,” said Nielson. “That’s been a great thing.”
Nielson also noted challenges that the school is working to address including special education and individualized support for students, maintaining a safe and secure learning environment, and getting students at grade level reading. Another challenge is space, particularly indoors for extra-curricular facilities. 
ARL Principal Ryan Palmer highlighted celebrations for their school, including increased proficiency in language, math and science, as well as increased offerings for career and technical education courses including FBLA, FFA and SkillsUSA club opportunities.
Challenges at ARL included creating better schedules and structures for intervention, outdated camera surveillance systems, and lack of space as the school is at capacity.
Members of the board also approved Teacher and Student Success Act plans required annually, as well as license and endorsements for temporary licenses for teachers that may not be qualified with professional licenses and endorsements.
District staff explained the majority of those teachers are working through paperwork to transfer licenses from different states while others are working on alternative pathway programs to receive a license.
During public comment, the board heard from a parent asking the district to become a provider for the Utah Fits All Scholarship. The board will discuss the program at their next meeting.