School Community Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
Attending: Shelly Karren, Joe Olson, Tonya Rauch, Rochelle Griffin, Denise Avey, Patrick Latimer, Trina McGowan, Nicole Harmon, Amy Shaw, Zac Watne, Becca Van De Graaff, Cinnamin Morton, Mindy Cupello
Agenda:
Welcome and SCC Business (Rochelle Griffin)
- Roster Updates
- Need to add/update Denise Avey and Cinnamin Morton’s information to our roster
- Approve September’s Minutes: https://indianhills.canyonsdistrict.org/scc-docs/september-2-2025-minutes/
- Ms. Griffin moved to approve the September minutes
- Ms. Shaw seconded the motion
- All voted in favor of the approval of September minutes
- Address terms of service in by-laws
- Ms. Griffin explained that our terms of service need to clearly defined in by-laws
- We currently have people serve for 2 year term of service
- Ms. Karren explained that this was reviewed in this year’s SCC training
- Ms. Griffin moves to add 2 year terms of service to be added to our by-law
- Ms. Shaw seconded the motion
- All voted in favor of adding terms of service to by-laws
- School Update (Ms. Karren)
- Coming to the end of 1st quarter – ending on October 22nd
- Monday after fall break (October 27) is a Professional Learning Day for teachers – district has approved 4 professional learning days for this year
- Staff is continuing to align our practices with our new mission statement, working on getting better at teaming, working on collective commitments
- Continuing to work on improving our PLC process, teaming through scheduling, intentional learning aligned to standards
- Construction projects are nearing their end – band room is nearly done; waiting on acoustic panels for both the band room and the choir room – projects should be done by the end of the month, working on furniture for our new SPED conference room.
- Drama Squad has begun with 70 students; might need some assistance; Alta drama students will be coming over once a month to assist
- Continuing to promote fine arts programs – Mr. Abbott is considering taking students to an All-Star Choir program.
- Still waiting on our ELA RISE data; continuing to use MAP data to track growth
- Ms. Griffin asked for clarification on “teaming” – Ms. Karren explained our concept of data partner teaming as well as how our collaborative teams work
- PTSA Update (Nicole Harmon)
- Off and running!
- Membership is down about 15% from last year. About 178 members currently (50 club kids, 128 or so parents)
- Ms. Griffin asked how do you know if you have already joined her student’s PTSA – can look on the Givebacks website or ask Jenny Cook
- Please spread the word to join the PTSA
- One student club meeting – 55 students on the student board
- Fun, excited group of students on our PTSA board along with 2 great parents running that
- Student board still open for membership
- If there is a financial concern for a student not joining, please reach out to our PTSA
- PTSA fed the teachers for Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Held first Citizen of the Month ceremony last week – increased by 1 student per team
- Held our first Spirit day
- Costume contest on Halloween – teacher chosen students and then 3 judges will decide on winners
- Counseling Center Update (Ms. Van De Graff)
- Exciting time of year in the counseling center!
- Finished 7th grade check-ins
- Starting in October helping with attendance incentives – “On Time October” – working for 5 minute passing periods in December
- College and Career Week is next week
- Showcasing colleges but also careers that don’t require 2 or 4 year degrees
- Next Monday – Career Fair at lunch
- Rest of the week – representatives from UofU, USU, Weber State and UVU throughout the week
- Anyone interested in the career fair can still join!
- 8th grade: 2nd HS planning lesson begins tomorrow
- HS planning meetings will start the Tuesday after fall break – goal to complete before Christmas break
- Digital Citizenship Presentation (Ms. McGowan)
- Digital Citizenship: Ability to recognize the rights, responsibilities & opportunities of living in a digital world. (abridged)
- Watched a portions of the district’s Digital Citizenship video to explain how technology is utilized in the district as well as safety tools and digital citizenship
- Ms. McGowan is our digital citizenship coordinator
- No chromebooks at lunch (cafeteria and library)
- Teachers trained on LanSchool
- According to teacher coach, teachers are not using Chromebooks as much as in previous years
- Students using different types of devices, iPads, Windows computers, etc
- Reviews the 5 areas of Digital Citizenship (Inclusive, Informed, Engaged, Balanced & Alert)
- Digital Citizenship Week: moving this to January to not conflict with College & Career Week
- Students are given lessons during Thrive Time (Fridays) – 6 lessons are on Digital Citizenship
- Teachers received training on teacher moves on Digital Literacy and AI in the classroom
- Ms. Griffin asked a clarifying question about the usage of AI survey – survey asked teachers usage of AI
- Ms. Morton asked if teachers are being discouraged to use AI – Ms. McGowan explained that the district uses Magic School AI platform and teachers were given a day where district trainers were available to help teachers learn to use Magic School
- Weekly newsletter includes a Digital Citizenship Tip for parents
- We are a Common Sense Media school which is where Ms. McGowan gets many of her resources
- Ms. Griffin asked a clarifying question about how students will receive information on how students will be introduced to the 5 areas of digital citizenship
- Ms. McGowan explained that there would be daily assignments as well as PTSA would help with lunchtime activities
- Ms. Cupello asked clarifying questions about potential scams targeting students – explained her personal experience – does the school explain potential scams or should parents address that home?
- Ms. Karren explained that this is a partnership between the school and parents; continue to work together to keep students safe.
- Ms. Griffin thanked Ms. Cupello for sharing her experience; explained that Thrive Time lessons do address these issues
- Ms. McGowan explained that in addition to White Ribbon week, she will be sending out parent tips for discussion at home
- Ms. Griffin appreciates a separate sheet with ideas/tips to remind her to discuss with kids – Ms. McGowan offered to put those tips on the website that week as well
- Safe Walking Routes (Mr. Olson)
- Announced that Ms. Karren was named as Canyons’ Principal of the Year
- Mr. Olson explained our struggle to get cars through the carpool lane before 8:00am – discussed with SRO and district officials on what could be done
- Many ideas discussed; decided on blocking the entrance at the east end of the parking log (making it an exit only) – one entrance, one exit – to combat families from turning into the parking lot, blocking traffic on Sanders Road, make the pick-up/drop-off safe
- Data: prior to change we had 25-30 cars pulling into the parking lot; now we have only about 5 cars pulling into the parking lot – needed a few more cars to pull into west entrance and use the parking lot to speed the pick-up/drop-off process
- Encouraging carpooling, use of bus system
- Tracking feedback/data on change
- Planning to keep this in place for a while longer to track data; decide if it is working or needs change
- Working with district and city officials on if we need flashing lights at the cross walk
- Distributed copy of current Safe Walking Routes plan
- SCC received a request for crossing sign/light be placed at crosswalks at Sanders Road/Cherry Hill Dr. and Autumn Hill Dr/Sanders Rd
- Ms. Griffin shared that getting flashing lights at a previous school requests required a lot of community input to the city; might need to get parent support and writing letters to the city
- Discussion on pros and cons of adding flashing lights
- Mr. Olson solicited other ideas for solutions for these issues
- Reviewed our 2025-2026 Safe Walking Routes plan
- Ms. Griffin asked for discussions on our plan
- Ms. Griffin asked for a motion
- Mr. Watne motioned to approve our Safe Walking Routes
- Ms. Cupello seconded the motion
- All voted in favor of our current Safe Walking Routes plan
- Review School Climate Data, TSSP/Land Trust goals and RISE data (Ms. Karren)
- Ms. Griffin asked for a big picture preview of our school climate data, TSSP/Land Trust goals and RISE data
- Ms. Karren provided context for information on our school culture data – will discuss more at our next meeting, looking for feedback
- We want to work on peer-to-peer relationships
- Discussion of our school safety plan for next meeting
- Sharing about our Land Trust goals
- Ms. Griffin asked for a motion for us to table this portion until next meeting
- All voted in favor of tabling this agenda item until next meeting due to time constraints
November Meeting: Date is Election Day – everyone was good with meeting on Election Day – all in favor of keeping original date
- Meetings for SCC for this year:
- Sept. 2nd, 2025 x
- Oct. 7th
- Nov. 4th* (Election day—move?)
- Dec. 2nd
- Feb. 3rd
- March 3rd
- April 14th
- Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 4th