OFFICIAL MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BOX ELDER SCHOOL DISTRICT
A work session was held at 5:30pm at the Independent Life Skills Center, 960 S. Main St., Brigham City, UT 84302. The Board heard an update from Keith Mecham, on the North Park Elementary water line break. Outhouses, hand washing stations, and water bottles were brought in for students and staff while the line was being fixed. AJ Gilmore and Ben Willey presented to the Board on the college and career readiness plan, along with the U Science program. The Board also heard from District leadership on parent communication strategies and improvement. Ben Willey also briefed the Board on the new agreement between Bridgerland and USU to allow the transfer of class credits earned at Bridgerland to USU towards the completion of an associate degree.
Official minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, Box Elder County School District, held Wednesday evening September 9, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Independent Life Skills Center, 960 S. Main St., Brigham City, UT 84302.
Those in attendance at the meeting included Board President Tiffani Summers, Board Vice President Danielle Wright, Karen Cronin, Julie Taylor, Wade Hyde, Stephanie DeFilippis, and Bryan Smith. Also, present were Superintendent Keith Mecham, Assistant Superintendent Heidi Jo West, Business Administrator Neil Stevens, District employees, representatives of the press, and interested citizens.
President Summers welcomed those in attendance and conducted the business of the meeting. After the reverence, which was offered by Danielle Wright, Wade Hyde led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.
Recognitions
Jamie Kent, Public Information Officer, presented the following recognitions.
Bear River High School Girls Lacrosse team. The team was recognized for winning their fifth consecutive 4A state championship in spring. Their season record was 21-0; last five seasons and finished undefeated. The team was the first girls' lacrosse team to win 100 sanctioned games since sanctioning. The team won six consecutive region titles.
Box Elder School District Teacher of the Year - Anthony Frenzel. He has taught sixth grade social studies since 2015; team leader for six years; he has prioritized strong PLC work aligning priority standards; supports school and District efforts. He is highly regarded by students and provides a welcoming environment. He has Initiated work completion celebrations expanding to math and ELA. Principal Lewis Whitaker praised his leadership and impact.
'Five Cs' Awards:
Connections: Robbie Gunter was recognized for building relationships, listening, and fostering a positive environment at Box Elder High School.
Communications: Kimberly McNeely was recognized for exceptional support to students, accountability, and positivity; administrative assistant at Sunrise High School.
Collaboration: Century Elementary Kindergarten PLC team (Whitley Ivy, Jenna Young, Karly Roberts) was recognized for data work, balanced classes, and student growth.
Contribution: Tremonton City Council was recognized for monthly 'Good Citizen' student recognitions in McKinley, North Park, and Harris Intermediate areas; representatives listed: Brent Jex, Beau Lewis, Blair Westergard, Sharri Oyler; Kristie Bowcutt, Mayor Rohde (absent).
Career Readiness: Nicole Fry was recognized for extensive PCCRs, job shadows, and field trips to Bridgerland and Utah State University to guide students' postsecondary paths.
Jeremy Hunsaker from Walmart presented the annual Walmart grant awards totaling $14,000. He was accompanied by Cristina Cruz, Dawn Devoe, Seth Salmond, Trevor O'Toole, and Eliseo Lopez.
The following awards were announced:
School Principal Person Submitting Grade Project Name Amount Requested Amount Approved
ACHI Jerry Jackman Tracy Hendrickson 6-7 STEM Education $422.67 $425.00
ACYI Lewis Whitaker Valerie Yates 6-7 Digital Microscopes $1,280.00 $1,280.00
BEHS AJ Gilmore Mike Robinson 10-12 Latinos in Action $5,100.00 $1,500.00
BEHS AJ Gilmore Andrew Larson 10-12 Patriotic Music for Choirs $1,224.00 $500.00
BEMS Jake Balls Leslie Garbanati 8-9 A Thinking Classroom. A Learning Classroom. $1,474.11 $1,475.00
BRHS David Lee Shengnan Hernandez 10-12 Writing Pads for Math Class Activities; KUTA $450.00 $450.00
BRHS David Lee Tiffany Burnhope 10/12 Mental Health Interventions $327.03 $350.00
BRHS David Lee Sarajan Marble 10/12 ELL Program Engaging Activities $300.00 $300.00
BRMS Chad Kirby Angela Walker 8-9 The Bears Care Closet: Sports Gear and Apparel for All $557.00 $575.00
Century Dallin Gittins Blythe Chournos K-5 Classroom Emergency Preparedness Kits $5,700.00 $700.00
Fielding Ryan Greene Rebecca Rhodes K-5 Decodable Books $513.00 $520.00
Garland Vanica Crane Nicole Nelson
Jodi Pedersen K-5 Non-fiction Decodable Take Home Library $1,094.98 $1,100.00
Golden Spike Shaylyn Ekins Shaylyn Ekins K-5 School-wide PBIS $750.00 $750.00
ILSC-SpEd Catherine Allen Jeremy Hammond Post Building Employment Skills for Students with Disabilities $534.74 $540.00
Lake View Austin Storey Wendy Dunham K-5 A Generation of Geniuses! $975.00 $975.00
McKinley Kristi Capener Ashley Anderson K-5 Dramatic Play the Kindergarten Way $365.03 $370.00
North Park Heather Godfrey Hollie Allen 3 Growing Readers and Growing Hearts in Third Grade $500.00 $500.00
Park Valley Melissa Morris Amy Pugsley K-10 Math in Motion: An Interactive Flexible Seating Math Center $534.93 $540.00
Sunrise Randy Rasmussen Hayley Anderson 10-12 Cultivating a Classroom of Readers: Student Book Clubs $500.00 $500.00
Three Mile Creek Teryl Jeffs Tammy Pedersen 3-5 Retro-Walking $199.99 $200.00
Willard Tawnie Bowcutt Annalese Kunz K-2 Growing Readers, One Book at a Time $450.00 $450.00
Total: $23,252.48 $14,000.00
Approval of Agenda
Danielle Wright made the motion to approve the agenda. Bryan Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Public Comment
No public comment was offered.
Action Items
Approval of Amendment to ACHI Land Trust Plan
AJ Gilmore, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Teaching and Learning presented the changes to the ACHI School Land Trust Plan. The plan revision provides stipends for teachers to work additional periods to reduce class sizes.
Karen Cronin motioned to recommend that the BESD Board of Education approve the ACHI School Land Trust Amendment as presented. Wade Hyde seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis -Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Approval of Amendment to Willard Elementary, Fielding Elementary and Golden Spike Elementary TSSA Plans
Heidi Jo West, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Teaching & Learning, presented the amendment to the TSSA plan for Willard Elementary, Fielding Elementary and Golden Spike Elementary Schools. The amendment proposes shifting funds from salaries and supplies to professional development. The professional development funds will be used to focus on the Science of Reading professional development opportunities. Funds will also be used to purchase supplies for teacher resources such as IT supplies, student engagement tools, and book study requests.
Danielle Wright motioned to recommend the Box Elder School District Board of Education
approve the revision to Willard Elementary, Fielding Elementary and Golden Spike Elementary Teacher and Student Success Plan as submitted. Julie Taylor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis -Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Approval of Naming of School in West Tremonton
Keith Mecham, Superintendent, presented the names submitted by the public for the new elementary school in West Tremonton. The Board discussed naming the new elementary school in West Tremonton, having narrowed a community survey list to four options: Salt Creek Elementary, Harvest Hills Elementary, Harvest Ridge Elementary, and Jupiter Elementary.
Stephanie DeFilippis motioned that the BESD Board of Education name the new elementary school located in west Tremonton Salt Creek Elementary. Julie Taylor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis -Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Information Items
AP and Acadience Results
Jeff Morris, Assessment Director presented the AP Test and Acadience Assessment results for the 2025-26 school year.
AP Results: The District's AP test pass rate remained stable at 69%. The number of students taking AP tests decreased from 555 to 421, believed to be due to students preferring concurrent enrollment. Several subjects showed improved pass rates, including U.S. History (96%) and Psychology (95%).
Acadience Reading Results:
The District has shown significant improvement over the past five years, outperforming the state average in grades K-3. Third-grade students reached an 81.1% proficiency rate, exceeding the state's 2030 goal of 80%.
Acadience Math Results: The District also exceeds state averages in Acadience Math for grades K-3. The third-grade math assessment will be discontinued.
District Ranking: Box Elder School District ranks fifth among state school districts for end-of-third grade reading scores.
The Board acknowledged that recent success requires collaboration among staff, parents, and students, noting increased parent support in elementary schools.
Construction and Improvements Update
Jerry Jackman, Facilities Director, presented an update on the many facilities projects and school construction projects across the District.
Capital Improvements and Summer Projects Update: Multiple roof replacements, gym floor refinishing, new bleachers, and parking lot asphalt projects were completed. Computer rooms at Three Mile Creek and Garland were reconfigured, and new kitchen dishwashers were added at several schools. Playground equipment installation is targeted for completion by the end of September 2026. Rigging and stage curtain work at Box Elder High is progressing slowly due to limited vendor availability. Significant progress was made across facilities, with some items constrained by long lead times.
Why Some Work Continues After School Starts: Projects continue into the school year due to the fiscal year (July 1-July 1) and long-lead material delays. A proposal was made to fund 10-15% of major projects in the prior fiscal year to enable earlier material ordering (January-February), avoiding summer delays.
Discovery Elementary Addition and Building Code Upgrades: The addition is well underway, with footings and wall pours progressing. Building-wide prep for fire sprinklers is being scheduled around non-instructional times to minimize disruption. The project is on track for a June 2027 completion.
Salt Creek Elementary New Build Status: Minimal site settlement allows work to begin faster, with an estimated completion around March 2028, well before the 2028-29 school year. Subcontractor bidding shows strong local participation.
General Materials, Lead Times, and Contractor Availability: Long-lead items like rebar and block are being managed through weekly construction meetings. Contractor and subcontractor availability is adequate.
Monthly Financial Report
Neil Stevens, Business Administrator, presented the monthly financial report. The annual audit is in progress. Revenue and expenditure trends are on target. For the current fiscal year, State revenue is estimated in May and trued-up in November. Federal funds are awarded after October 1. Local property taxes are received with a one-month delay after the November 30 deadline. A more precise financial update will be provided in November 2026 after the state true-up.
Board Committee Reports
The Foundation golf tournament is on September 17, 2026.
The Jubilee of Trees Gala and dinner has been moved to November 4-6, 2026, to avoid conflicting with Board Meetings.
Policy Review
First Reading
Policy 1071 Electronic Meetings
Policy 1072 Board Meetings: Notice Requirements
Policy 1074 Board Meetings: Closed Meetings
Policy 2031 Procurement of Construction: Construction Bonds and Security
Policy 2036 Procurement of Construction: Construction Management Methods
Policy 2181 District Emergency Response Plan
Policy 2182 School Safety
Policy 3007 Employment: Staff Code of Conduct
Policy 3010 Employee Bullying and Hazing
Policy 3038 High Needed Educator Salary Supplement
Policy 3047 Reemployment of Retirees
Policy 3070 Alcohol and Drug Abuse - Employees
Policy 3094 Reporting Student Drug Possession Offenses
Policy 4027 Special Programs: Dropout Prevention and Recovery
Policy 4028 Special Programs: Education of Youth in Care
Policy 4061 Curriculum: American Heritage
Policy 4066 Curriculum: Religious Neutrality
Policy 5005 Safe Schools: Student Discipline/Behavior
Policy 5010 Admissions and Attendance: Eligibility and Admissions Requirements
Policy 5085 Services for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Policy 5270 Student Rights and Responsibilities: Bullying, Cyberbullying, Hazing, and Abusive Conduct
Policy 6070 Electronic Submission of Information
Karen Cronin asked a clarifying question on Policy 2036 (Procurement of Construction Management Methods). Neil Stevens, Business Administrator, responded that these changes stemmed from a state law shifting oversight from USBE to DFCM for projects over $3 million.
This shift requires DFCM authorization for the CM/GC method and increases oversight.
Karen Cronin requested copies of state-submitted reports for policies 3010, 4027, and 5270.
Karen Cronin motioned to approve policies on first reading. Bryan Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Second Reading
Policy 1036 Board Member Conflict of Interest
Policy 1040 Board Member Elections and Redistricting
Policy 1070 Board Meeting Procedures
Policy 1210 School Closures and Boundary Changes
Policy 2010 Budget Planning/Development/Adoption
Policy 2032 Procurement of Construction: School Construction Requirements
Policy 2034 Procurement: Contracts and Contract Limitations
Policy 3006 Employee Conflict of Interest
Policy 3032 Employment: Student Support Scope of Practice
Policy 3035 Employee Criminal Background Checks and Personal Reporting of Arrests and Convictions
Policy 4060 High School Graduation Requirements
Policy 4062 Curriculum: College Course Work
Policy 4101 Grading: Credit Through Testing
Policy 4175 Student Data Protection
Policy 4178 Internet Use
Policy 4200 Term of Instruction: School Year & School Day
Policy 5035 Attendance Requirements and Procedures
Policy 6002 Government Data Privacy
Bryan Smith motioned to approve policies on second reading. Wade Hyde seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Consent Calendar
Karen Cronin noted that the minutes inaccurately reflected her comments in the prior Board Meeting. District staff will make corrections to the minutes.
Karen Cronin moved to accept the consent items. The motion was seconded by Bryan Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
The Consent Calendar included the following items:
Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of August 12, 2026
Approval of claims numbered: 57240 - 57574, 2081126, 5081026, 7083126, 8073126, 9080326, 3092026, 9083116, 8063126A, 8073226A, 11690 - 101699, 1108361 - 1108409, 596 - 598, 1080070 - 10800672, 30403329 - 30403334, 30804008, 40403600 - 40403602, 40805025 - 40805036, 70416654 - 70416743, 70816733 - 70816783 school activity checks for the month of August 2026.
Personnel Items
As detailed in the agenda.
150 Mile Trip
As detailed in the agenda
Suggestions for Future Board Meetings
A construction update will be presented at every future board meeting.
The Student Board Member was absent due to other commitments, but will attend the October meeting and be sworn into office at the time.
Upcoming Events
BESD Foundation Golf Tournament - Thursday, September 17, 2026, at Eagle Mountain Golf Course.
USBA Fall Regional Meeting - September 29, 2026, at 6:00 at Maddox Ranch House.
District Wide Read-A-Thon - Friday, October 2, 2026, 9:30-10:30 am
USBA Conference - January 7-9, 2026
Closed Session to Discuss Pending or Reasonably Imminent Litigation
Closed Session to Discuss the Character, Professional Competence, or Physical or Mental Health of an Individual
Julie Taylor motioned for the Board to move into closed session for the purposes of pending or reasonably imminent litigation and to discuss the character professional competence or physical or mental health of an individual. Wade Hyde seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes Danielle Wright - Yes Karen Cronin - Yes
Julie Taylor - Yes Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Karen Cronin motioned to end the closed session and return to the regular meeting. Julie Taylor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Tiffani Summers - Yes
Danielle Wright - Yes
Karen Cronin - Yes
Julie Taylor - Yes
Wade Hyde - Yes
Stephanie DeFilippis - Yes
Bryan Smith - Yes
Adjournment
With the announcement that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the Independent Life Skills Center, President Tiffani Summers adjourned the meeting at 9:29 p.m.
APPROVED: October 14, 2026
ATTESTED:
School Business Administrator President, Board of Education
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
Contact Mr. Neil Stevens, Business Administrator at 435-734-4800 eight or more hours before the scheduled starting time and efforts will be made to provide the needed assistance.