5 takeaways from Page Unified School District board meeting

District Launches New STEM Curriculum for Elementary Students

The school board unanimously approved the adoption of the Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) engineering curriculum for its elementary schools. The new program follows community feedback from redesign surveys, which showed strong support for adding a STEM program at the elementary level. Superintendent Dr. Bryce C. Anderson noted the curriculum has been publicly available for the required 60-day review and offers a wide range of materials that allow for differentiated instruction across grade levels, ensuring students receive new lessons each year to build upon their knowledge.

High School Faces Locker Shortage and Disrepair

A local parent addressed the Page Unified School District board on Tuesday to voice significant concerns about the state of lockers at the high school. A district parent described an ongoing issue where students, including his own daughters, are assigned lockers that are broken, already in use by other students, or simply unavailable. The situation, he said, has been intensified by increased demand on campus resources and the implementation of a new clear backpack policy. He questioned the district’s planning and maintenance, asking when an inventory was last conducted and why there aren’t enough functioning lockers for every student. The board did not respond to the comments, as is standard procedure for public comment periods.

District Accepts Over $7,000 in Community Donations

The Page Unified School District Governing Board officially accepted $7,127 in donations from local citizens and organizations during its Tuesday meeting. The board unanimously approved the contributions, which will benefit several school programs. The donations include $329 for the science department, $1,361 for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Auto program, and two separate donations for the culinary program: $2,437 from the Elks Lodge #2498 and $3,000 from the Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce. Board members expressed gratitude for the community’s financial support of its students and programs.

Board Member Highlights Low State School Ranking

During the governing board member reports, Chris Benally voiced his concern over recent news that placed Arizona schools 48th nationally. Benally noted the ranking was “kind of concerning” and stated he would like to discuss the issue more in-depth at a future study session to avoid violating open meeting laws.

Athletics Department Introduces New Program

A new initiative has been launched by the district’s athletic department to support student-athletes in areas beyond sports. The program is designed to develop “well-rounded scholars” by having students attend rotational sessions focused on critical topics such as student mental health, nutrition, sports medicine, sportsmanship, and academics. The first event recently hosted 260 high school athletes from 9th through 12th grade, with a similar event planned for junior high students.

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