San Juan School Board approves spend plans and hears from Monument Valley administrators

The San Juan School board approved fee waivers and spend plans, received high marks on a compliance review and heard from Monument Valley administrators at their latest meeting.
Members of the board approved Fee Waiver Policies, and Spend Plans as part of their March 3 meeting.
The plans require extra-curricular programs at each school to outline costs for participation in their program. The plan not only outlines what parents can expect to pay for student participation but also outlines how much the district will be paying for low-income fee-waiver students to participate in programs.
In February the board agreed to raise the meal allocations from $14 to $15 per meal.
Some changes were made to the latest spend plans with a handful of programs reducing their overnight accommodations by a night or two and several programs also reducing the amount of meals planned by a few as well.
District staff also noted that schools have spend plans prepared for all potential activities even if an extracurricular isn’t currently offered at a school a spend plan in place allows the school to adopt the program if there is sufficient interest.
Members of the board approved the plans for the 2025-2026 school year.
Members of the board also received a capital projects update. Business Administrator Tyrel Pemberton shared images and videos provided by the general contractor on the new Blanding Elementary School which is progressing along on schedule.
Among achievements highlighted included the completion of the structural block, the structural steel being 95-percent complete, and roofing ongoing on the project.
Interior work will begin in earnest this month with a scheduled completion date for Spring 2026.
Members of the San Juan School Board also approved a request to pass a letter of support for a project through Utah State University. The board approved support of a community needs assessment in the county. The letter will go to the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board which approves research on the Navajo Nation to ensure ethical research for the Diné People.
The community needs assessment will support the Create Better Health SNAP-Ed program to understand and address community health needs.
While the surveys will not be administered directly to students during school hours SNAP-Ed may set up booths at community events held at the schools. The surveys and needs assessment should enhance the programs effectiveness. Members of the board approved the letter of support.
Members of the board also heard a report on an amendment to a school land trust plan.
Community councils approve measurable goals for schools with funds from the state trust lands used to try and achieve those goals. The board periodically hears reports for adjustments to those plans including at the March meeting where Blanding Elementary School proposed use of funds for a leadership training for teachers with funds covering substitute teacher costs with any remaining funds being used for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) enhancement activities.
At the meeting Assistant Superintendent Juile Holt also shared that the district was part of a statewide compliance review of the process to use state funds.
Holt explained the lowest risk rating for a district in the entire state was at 9-percent while San Juan School District was at 13-percent.
“which makes us the second highest in the state for the compliance review. So this was a very validating, very meaningful review process for our district and we are in great standing moving forward with school land trust and compliance.”
Members of the board also received reports from principals in Monument Valley.
Tse'Bii'nidzisgai Elementary School Principal Heather Amado shared a report with the board. Among the celebrations include implementation of strategies including implementing core knowledge language arts curriculum, working with coaches to strengthen observation and feedback cycles for teaches, and working with community resources to ensure students attendance and learning. Challenges the school is taking on included increasing parent involvement and strengthening Navajo language and culture by weaving it into daily curriculum and activities.
Monument Valley High Principal Don Gandy also shared celebrations for the school including several events held throughout the school year including a higher than average percentage of parents visiting teachers during career and college readiness day. Other highlights include growing participation in clubs and extracurriculars. Of particular note the highest number of career and technical education (CTE) users by the end of the year with programs including welding, greenhouse management and hydroponic labs. Other highlights include high numbers of concurrent enrollment students with 45-percent of seniors accepted for college.
Challenges include academic achievement with a particular challenge for students who struggle with reading and vocabulary. The school reports they are seeing growth in those categories. Another challenge for the school to increase attendance rate with the school addressing the issue with home visits, meetings and incentives for attendance.
Members of the board also approved a change to the district Teacher and Student Success Act to stop looking for an educational psychologist to hire and instead use funds for a Special Educational specialist and parent liaison. The hire will work out of the district office to support schools as an instructional coach in the district while also working as a liaison for parents as well.
Members of the board approved the change.
Members of the board also approved a change in their meeting schedule. With the April meeting moved from the 9th to the 8th and the June meeting moved from the 18th to the 17th.
Board members also approved provisional contract renewals.
At the meeting members of the board also recognized district employees Jennifer Johnson and Vernon Hatch with San Juan Sweet Job Awards.