Parents push back on proposed boundary changes for Canyons School District

SANDY — Fewer kids and empty classrooms have prompted the Canyons School District to shutter schools. Through a boundary study, the Canyons School District is considering boundary changes involving seven schools: Bella Vista, Ridgecrest, East Midvale, Granite, Park Lane, Lone Peak and Willow Canyon elementary schools. This boundary study will consider closing and combining some schools. Since 2018, Canyons District elementary enrollment has dropped 16%, falling from 14,950 students to 12,523. Park Lane Elementary has served as a campus to educate kindergarteners up to 5th graders since 1979. “I was a Park Lane Panther in the 90s,” BriAnn Denoyer said.  “My children know this school is special.  Now, since we have moved back to the area, they get to go here.” Two elementary closures are planned. Under Recommendation No. 1, Bella Vista Elementary, in Cottonwood Heights, would be closed and combined with Ridgecrest Elementary in the Ridgecrest building. Under Recommendation No. 2, the southeastern portion of Granite Elementary’s boundary (about 40 students) would transition to Lone Peak Elementary to align with the topography of the Dimple Dell Park. The debate continues over which school will absorb the others.  Park Lane, Granite and Bella Vista are on the chopping block: expected to close or consolidate. In a proposal for the East Central Region, Park Lane Elementary would be combined with Granite Elementary in either the Park Lane or Granite building. This will result in the closure of one of the schools. Granite’s special education unit of 40 students would remain with the selected school. “It’s not just about parents,” Denoyer said. “It’s about all of us as Sandy citizens — closing schools in our growing community is concerning.” Park Lane parents indicated home prices are cheaper within their boundaries compared to Granite. “We believe more young families will move into this area in the coming years, solidifying the need for Park Lane to continue operating,” Denoyer said. Canyons District board members are closely looking at safety and traffic patterns. “This route is hazardous if a child chooses to walk in between two schools,” parent Shelley Christensen said. Under a third proposal, a portion of Granite Elementary (east of Highland Drive and north of 9800 S.) would feed into Eastmont Middle School to align with Jordan High School’s boundaries. School feeders for middle and high schools are proposed to shift. The maps shown here indicate recommended changes. “This is going to cause a lot of anxiety for my middle school students, if they are pulled out of a familiar environment midway through their junior high experience. Please consider how this transition will affect the emotional stability of our kids,” one parent said Tuesday night during the public comment period. Individuals were each given two minutes to make a public comment in front of district board members. Many neighborhoods are sitting in limbo. “To change this boundary pulls kids out of multiple schools in Raintree Village,” one Granite Elementary parent of a 2nd and 5th grader said. “We are asking for a special permit to protect our tight knit community so that our children are not separated by school feeders.” This is a 90 day reviewed process. If district board members make a decision by December 31, the new boundary changes would go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

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