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Boundaries / school closures

Cottonwood High School

Under the current law, if Cottonwood High were separated from Granite School District, it would likely not have the student body or school feeder system to remain a viable comprehensive high school.

A division of Granite School District is not on the ballot at this time and our desire is to keep Cottonwood High School as a thriving high school with a healthy feeder system.

Asked at Cottonwood High School community meeting, October 17, 2007

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Feeder schools and school boundary issues

Anyone may submit a request to have a boundary area studied.  Patrons, educators, administrators, and city and county officials may initiate a request for a study by contacting the Planning and Boundary Department and/or the Board of Education.  Each February the Board of Education reviews all requests annually to determine which issues to study and continue for further consideration.  Once an issue is placed on a board-approved study list, it goes through a process of committee study, local school input, and public review ending with final action on boundaries taken by the board in public meetings in November.  The details of this process are outlined in the “Annual Population Review Procedures.”  These procedures are available for review online on the Planning and Boundary departmental page found by going to: www.graniteschools.org.

Asked at Cottonwood High School community meeting, October 17, 2007

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Boundary changes and feeder school patterns

The Board of Education has made a significant effort in the past three years to align boundaries so that students move as cohorts from elementary school to junior high school and from junior high school to high school. Three years ago, the board adjusted many elementary, junior high and high school boundaries to help accomplish that. Mainly because of space issues at receiving schools, the board was not able to fully accomplish that. However, as boundaries are reviewed annually, we continue to pursue that as a goal and adjust boundaries as possible to accommodate keeping students together as they progress from elementary to secondary schools.

Asked at Hunter High School community meeting, November 7, 2007
Asked at Olympus High School community meeting, November 23, 2007

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Boundary concerns

Boundaries and population issues are reviewed annually. The Board of Education has adopted a procedure, the Annual Student Population Review, which establishes a process for reviewing boundaries as needed or requested by city or county officials, patrons, and school employees. Patrons may request the review of a boundary by contacting the Planning and Boundary Department or their Board of Education representative. The full text of the policy may be viewed by going to the Planning and Boundary department page at www.graniteschools.org and clicking on the Annual Student Population Review Procedures hyperlink.

The Board of Education approves a study list every February of issues they wish reviewed in that calendar year. The board will review the Hunter Junior High issue at that time and make a determination whether to further study and/or recommend boundary adjustments for Hunter Junior High School.

Once placed on a study list, boundary proposals are thoroughly examined over a 10-month period. The Board of Education and district officials meet in two study sessions, four public Board of Education meetings, and community open house meetings to gather information and hear public concerns. In addition, the Planning and Boundary Department meets with school committees multiple times prior to submitting any proposal in order to gather information and listen to concerns and recommendations about possible boundary proposals.

Asked at Hunter High School community meeting, November 7, 2007

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Feeder systems and boundaries (Olympus)

The Board of Education is committed to creating strong, vibrant school networks and feeder systems. They have made a significant effort in the past to align boundaries so that students move as cohorts from elementary school to junior high school and from junior high school to high school. Requests to change boundaries come from many different sources and on occasion the Board of Education receives conflicting requests from the community to consider. Feeder systems generally are one of these difficult issues that create tension within communities. Individuals desiring a change often propose change to a specific boundary that will also impact feeder systems. Other individuals wishing to preserve feeder systems will oppose these proposed changes. All of these requests are considered through a process called the Annual Population Review Procedure (see OLY 26 response). The Board of Education, through a process of study and public input, makes the final decision on how best to serve the needs of the students and patrons. There are no currently no requests to consider altering the Rosecrest Elementary - Evergreen Junior High - Olympus High School feeder. District administration and the Board of Education have no plans to do so. Such a request would have to come from a patron and then thoroughly reviewed, including full public scrutiny and input, using the Annual Population Review Procedure.

Asked at Olympus High School community meeting, November 23, 2007

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Planning and boundary process 

Boundaries and population issues are reviewed annually.  The Board of Education has adopted a procedure, the Annual Student Population Review, which establishes a process for reviewing boundaries as needed or requested by city or county officials, patrons, and school employees.  Patrons may request the review of a boundary by contacting the Planning and Boundary Department or their Board of Education representative.  The full text of the policy may be viewed by going to the Planning and Boundary department page and clicking on the Annual Student Population Review Procedures hyperlink. 

The Board of Education approves a study list every February of issues they wish reviewed in that calendar year.  Once placed on a study list, boundary proposals are thoroughly examined over a 10 month period.  The Board of Education and district officials meet in two study sessions, four public Board of Education meetings, and community open house meetings to gather information and hear public concerns.  In addition, the Planning and Boundary Department meets with school committees multiple times prior to submitting any proposal in order to gather information and listen to concerns and recommendations about possible boundary proposals.

There are no plans by the Board of Education or district administration to close Evergreen Junior High School or Olympus High School.   Such a request would have to come from the public and then thoroughly reviewed, with full public scrutiny and input, using the process outlined above.

Asked at Olympus High School community meeting, November 23, 2007

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Better coordination with Community Councils

The procedure for review of boundaries and student enrollment involving specific schools provides extensive public involvement in boundary and student enrollment issues. The school community council is involved formally and members may participate as members of the school community as well. If a school boundary or population is being studied by Granite School District, the Planning and Boundary director meets with the school principal and calls for the creation of a school committee to participate in the study process.

The principal provides information to the school community council regarding the reason for placement on the study list. A school committee is appointed by the principal in consultation with the school community council. Community council members may participate on the committee but are not required to do so. The committee is ad hoc and meets between February and August in the calendar year the school issue is being studied to provide input and feedback on boundary and population concerns.

There are other ways the school community council may participate in the process. The school community council may meet with the director of Planning of Boundaries as they desire. Community Council members may also contact members of the Board of Education and voice concerns, state positions, or ask questions. The council members may also attend and encourage attendance at open house meetings held in October to review boundary recommendations and provide input and feedback.

For a full description of the process involved in boundary and student enrollment review, please see the
Annual Population Review Procedures posted at the Granite District website.

Asked at Skyline High School community meeting, January 16, 2008

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Granite School District | 2500 South State | Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 | (801) 646-5000