Kane District Superintendent Ben Dalton, at the February 14 meeting of the Kane School District, announced that the Permanent School Fund (from State Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA)) projected distribution for 2023 for Kane District will be $411, 902.63. This will be distributed by student population at each school as follows: $22,273 (Big Water School), $151,571 (Kanab Elementary School (KES)), $91,116 (Kanab High School (KHS)), $50,620 (Kanab Middle School (KMS)), $3,760 (Lake Powell School), $48,306 (Valley Elementary School) and $ 44,256 (Valley High School (VHS)).
In 1894, the United States Congress granted parcels of land to Utah from which revenue could be generated to support specific state institutions, including education. Today, 3.3 million acres of these SITLA lands are held in trust by the State as trustee. Revenue from management and development of these lands is held in the Permanent State School Fund. Interest and dividends from said Fund are distributed annually to public schools.
The school board heard Teacher Student Success Act (TSSA) improvement plans from three secondary school principals. Superintendent Dalton updated the board on Utah State Board of Education activities, the 2023 legislative session and education related bills, concurrent enrollment and the cosmetology program. It also heard an update on the progress of the new elementary school.
During the work meeting portion of the meeting, Career & Technical Education (CTE) Director Mary Flanagan did a PowerPoint presentation, providing a detailed overview all CTE programs in the Kane School District.
The board reviewed a proposed fee schedule for Valley and Kanab High Schools during the public input portion of the meeting. No one commented. The fee schedule is available for review on the district website.
The Board approved curriculum for a new Law Enforcement Class at KHS. The Kane County Sherriff’s Office will be assisting in providing this class, in which 25 students have enrolled. It also approved elementary school curriculum for Math, Science and Character Education; as well as Life Launch Curriculum for middle and high school students.
Additionally, the Board authorized LEA (local education agency, or school district) Specific Licenses for Rebecca Osterhout as the VHS Art Teacher and Brent Smith as the Law Enforcement Instructor. An LEA-Specific educator license, including areas of concentration and endorsements, is issued by the state board at the request of an LEA’s governing body (school board) that is valid for an employee to fill a position in the LEA if other licensing routes for the applicant are untenable or unreasonable.
The Board approved the KHS Track, Baseball and Softball schedules, including 150-mile exceptions for KHS Softball and VHS Track.
The board accepted the resignation of Jill Luce as the KES Music Teacher. The board approved the hiring, subject to a successful background check, of the following persons: Michael Barca (KMS Special Education paraeducator and food service worker, Sherri Crofts, Angie Osborn and Kristina Kohler as substitute teachers, and Brian Goulding and Derrick Sample as substitute custodians. Jeanette Esplin (VHS secretary) and Jana Maxwell (VHS Teacher), are retiring after many years of service to the district. Congratulations to all.
