Hillcrest High School–School Community Council Meeting Notes
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 5:00 pm
ACR Conference Room (A129)
Attending
Ari Tavo
Atiya Nash
Brant Thomsen
Elena Foley
Gregory Leavitt
Jenny Olson
Jessica Dalton
Rebecca Martin
Stacey Kratz
Stacey Timmerman
Not attending
Steve Brown
R.J. Graham
Debbie Johnson
John Olsen
Karina Park
Jeremy Wright
Jessica Dalton made a motion, seconded by Jenny Olsen, to approve the October 12, 2022 and November 9, 2022 meeting minutes; they were unanimously approved.
School Climate/Culture
Stacey Timmerman asked for an update on how our school climate and culture efforts are going and whether we are seeing changes. Gregory Leavitt said we are continuing to execute our plans and areas of focus Hillcrest has had for the past five to six years and that he thinks APP is still serving students very well. He said that, for moving around the school during classes, Hillcrest has instituted a hall pass policy, which the students are not liking too much, but it has had “some really good results” with keeping students in classrooms and out of the hallways when they shouldn’t be there.
Mr. Leavitt added that, on the bigger topic of attendance, we are going to move to a policy during the second semester/third quarter that, if you are significantly tardy (10-15 minutes), you have to come down to the attendance office and check in. We will be taking more active notes through our attendance office and make calls home based on any issues we see there. We are cleaning up issues with a lot of kids who feel like they can just walk the halls during class time.
He said administration is also doing a good job making sure the rules are posted around the school, and at the same time, school spirit seems to be returning and growing. He said the students are starting to feel the school spirit movement, getting involved in games, events, spirit bowl, fundraisers, etc.; we still have a lot of disenfranchised students, but it is starting to have a positive effect.
Graduation Requirements
Rebecca Martin asked if there were any follow-up questions or further comments to her solicitation during the last meeting of feedback on possible changes to state graduation requirements being considered currently. The SCC reiterated its position that the state not add any barriers to graduation, like a required service component to receive a diploma. SCC members seemed open to the possibility of a service component as an add-on certificate or cord students can wear at graduation. The SCC also had a discussion about various high school “pathways” and diplomas that could be offered and seemed interested in those ideas but wary of programs that would pigeonhole students or restrict their opportunities later. Jessica Dalton said that, if the state wants districts to offer these higher or different requirements, they need to provide support and resources to help districts and schools meet those requirements.
Equity Steering Committee
Elena Foley reported on the work of the equity steering committee. She said the committee has set a purpose and vision and is focusing on preparing to implement a larger committee that includes parents, some students, school employees, etc. Currently, the committee is studying possibilities for surveying various members of our school community to determine more specific areas of focus for the committee. Communities from which we hope to receive feedback include:
- General belonging
- Students of Color
- Socioeconomically disadvantaged students
- Gender identity
- Disabled students
- LGBTQIA+ students
- Parents
Specific steering committee members have been assigned to do research on ways to reach out to and solicit the best possible feedback from these various groups.
PTSA Update/Coordination
Rebecca Martin reported that we rewarded our December Husky Heroes winners and said the SCC could always use more nominations of students for Husky Heroes. She said the PTSA gave teachers and staff gifts in December as well.
She asked when information should be ready to be included in a packet for the Husky Fair for eighth graders that usually happens in January, and Ari Tavo said that Kimberly Walters is in charge of that, and that any information should be sent to her as soon after winter break as possible.
Ms. Martin also said that the PTSA has given out three teacher grants, but there is more money available to teachers who apply and who are PTSA members.
Southeast Parking Lot Pedestrian Concerns
Brant Thomsen presented some concerns regarding the crosswalk in front of the staff/faculty parking lot on 900 East. He said that, during pre- and after-school periods, students are having a hard time crossing safely at that crosswalk due to heavy traffic and no protected walking. He said he feels the crossing as it is now is dangerous and proposed that the district install a lighted access gate at the extreme southeast corner of the school grounds, along with an ADA-compliant pathway down to the southwest corner of that 900 East lot, so that students can cross the parking lot there, at a much less busy and traveled spot.
Mr. Leavitt said that UDOT owns 900 East, so it would be difficult to get them to change anything there, and that the suggestion of re-routing students to a less busy part of the parking lot through a new gate is a good one that we can do something about more quickly.
Jessica Dalton made a motion, seconded by Stacey Kratz, that the SCC agrees that the conditions at the 900 East crosswalk are currently an unsafe walking route, and that we would like the district to investigate putting in a lighted, ADA-compliant gate and walkway at the extreme southeast corner of the lot, leading to a crosswalk at the south access road. also very dark at the crosswalk. The motion passed unanimously; Brant Thomsen agreed to write a letter to send to Leon Wilcox at the school district, with the expectation of having the SCC approve that letter at our January meeting before sending it off.
Adjournment: Rebecca Martin made a motion, seconded by multiple people, to adjourn.
The next SCC meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2023.
