For the third year in a row, the Granite School District may close elementary schools due to a decline in student enrollment.
The school board voted unanimously during its Nov. 12 meeting on an initial plan to close Douglas T. Orchard, Redwood and Valley Crest elementary schools. All are in West Valley City. The board will hold a second public hearing on the issue, as required by state law before taking a final vote on Dec. 10.
Westbrook and Carl Sandburg elementary schools were closed in 2019. In 2022, the board voted to close Twin Peaks, Spring Lane and Millcreek elementary schools. And in 2023, they voted to shutter Western Hills Elementary.
This October, the district had 55,546 students compared to 67,822 students a decade ago.
“You can see what we're familiar with now, and that's an unfortunate decline that we've had for several years now,” Steve Hogan, the district’s director of planning and boundaries, told the board.
The district, Hogan said, is also projecting the decline to continue over the next five years.
If the latest plan is approved, the three schools will close after the current school year. Students would be spread out between several different schools.
If Valley Crest closes, the district plans to turn it into a Spanish dual language immersion magnet school. The dual language immersion programs at Hillsdale and Monroe elementary schools would be discontinued.
During the public hearing before the Nov. 12 vote, several Orchard parents said they were afraid about their kids getting to school safely if their school closed.
Lindsey Moseley said she’s been “stressed beyond belief with all of this because I rely heavily on Orchard being in that area, my kids being able to walk to school safely because it’s in a neighborhood.”
Candice Feil said her kids would be too close to the school to ride the bus, and they would have to cross some busy streets.
“I am utterly terrified of that, I’ve had nightmares about it.”
West Valley resident Riley Ogden pointed out that some of the families at Redwood Elementary are also being affected by the rezoning of the Redwood Swap Meet and losing a spot for their businesses.
“So if they’re dealing with the school closure, that’s a whole lot of stress on those kids and one that I hope you guys have taken into consideration.”
