San Juan School District ready for new year

Members of the San Juan School Board swore in the new district business administrator, received an update on Blanding Elementary and entryway projects and discussed start of year goals at their latest meeting.
At the August 5 meeting the new business administrator Jacob Swanson was officially sworn in.
Swanson was appointed to be the new district business administrator at a special meeting in May. While his two year contract began on July 1, Swanson was officially sworn in at the next available district board meeting in August.
Swanson provided an update on capital projects in the district.
Construction at the new Blanding Elementary school is ahead of schedule, with the exterior stone veneer 100-percent complete, carpet installation underway and progress being made on interior tile and concrete work.
The district is still exploring options for the design of the collection pool at the front of the school.
Staff tours are being planned to help the school determine what furniture can be moved from the old building to the new elementary school.
The district also reports that appraisal of the old elementary school is underway.
Other capital projects are underway in Blanding and Montezuma Creek.
The San Juan High School and Montezuma Creek Elementary entryway upgrades are underway with demolition at both schools. Estimations are that the Montezuma Creek entryway will be substantially complete by the end of October with the San Juan High project estimated to be substantially complete by mid January 2026.
Drafting is underway now for entryway redesigns at Albert R Lyman Middle School and Monticello High with construction planned for next summer.
At the meeting members of the board also presented a San Juan Sweet Job Award to Tyrell Pemberton. Pemberton is the outgoing business administrator for the district. The board expressed gratitude for his contributions to the district including his efforts to utilize state funds to help build the new Blanding Elementary School.
Members of the board also reviewed the district’s strategic plan which is guided by two pillars one being “Unite and Engage” and the other “Educate and Empower”.
Under “Unite and Engage” the district spoke of its primary initiative to streamline communication and access to information to increase transparency. Solutions for disseminating information included use of social media, newsletter features and standardized templates with a suggestion to improve ways the community can provide feedback as well as consider using local media including radio.
Also as part of the pillar is a focus on using culturally sustaining practices including recognizing Indigenous languages and promoting cultural events.
The “Educate and Empower” pillar focuses on district-wide academic goal settings, as well as students completing cross-curricular projects to emphasize the importance and usefulness of education.
Members of the board also heard from Superintendent Christine Fitzgerald regarding the new school year’s theme “Rock Solid”
Fitzgerald shared the districts focus this year on solid best practices and systems to improve efficiency and support student outcomes. District leadership days were held in Bluff connecting the theme to the “Twin Rocks” land feature.
Members of the board also approved the framework for the Teacher and Student Success Act (TSSA). This year the district will receive $1.3 million. The program priorities will pay up to 25-percent of teacher salaries at about $332,000. The next priority helping fund social emotional support by hiring counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists at the tune of $663,00.
The remaining $322,000 divided amongst the district schools based on populations with schools using the funds to help implement the San Juan Quest model implementation, giving principals flexibility to address school needs.
Members of the board also reviewed positive behavior plans. The plans are a state-legislative requirement focused on addressing peer pressure, mental health issues and creating meaningful relationships for students.
While the state did not provide a template or funding for the project the district has its own allowing schools to tailor the program to their needs. All but Monument Valley and Monticello High Schools have finalized their plans while the other two’s will be presented next month.
Common themes in the other school plans include a focus on parent involvement, attendance and prevention of vaping.
Members of the school board also reviewed an early learning plan including literacy goals.
Teaching & Learning/Assessment Director Jeff Winget and Assistant Superintendent Paul Murdock shared goals for the upcoming year including second grade increasing math composit scores by 28-percent from beginning to end of the year, while third grade will aim to increase math composite scores by 26-percent from beginning to middle of the year in preparation for end of year tests.
One crucial literacy goal identified was to decrease the gap between Native American students and their non-Native peers in third-grade reading composite scores by 10-percent from last school year to this year.
Winget explained that goal stems showing achievement gaps that begin in first grade across the district grows to 30-percent by third or fourth grade. The 10-percent target was deemed an “achievable goal” based on historical data.
On the ground efforts to reach these goals include students reading grade-level content often utilizing new curriculum to build contextual fluency and a love for reading.
Winget’s department plans to highlight strategies monthly to support teachers. Murdock also noted the department's development of a data dashboard has been helpful in identifying and achieving goals as the dashboard provides a comprehensive district-wide view of student data.