Murray School Board proposes moving Liberty Elementary students, hearing Nov. 12

The Murray City School Board has proposed boundary changes that would take effect in the 2027-28 school year and move students out of Liberty Elementary, which the district is considering closing. Minutes posted on the state Public Notice Website show the board giving initial notice of the proposed changes on Aug. 13, planning for an Oct. 1 public hearing on the potential closure, and taking public comment at its Oct. 15 meeting. More public comment is scheduled for Nov. 12. The minutes reviewed for this report record no final vote on a closure or on the boundaries, and they do not report what was said at the Oct. 1 hearing. ^[1][2][3][5]

**Initial notice, Aug. 13.** The board unanimously approved separate motions giving initial notice of proposed boundary changes beginning with the 2027-28 school year. Among them, as recorded in the minutes: students living east of I-15 to State Street, between 5900 South and the district's southern boundary, who are now assigned to Liberty Elementary would be assigned to Longview Elementary. Students east of I-15 to State Street between 5300 South and 5900 South who attend Liberty would be assigned to McMillan Elementary. Students north of 4500 South, between Brick Oven Way and the district's northern and eastern boundaries, who attend Liberty would be assigned to Parkside Elementary. ^[1] The scan of the minutes also shows an additional motion assigning Longview Elementary students to Grant Elementary, whose full text is not legible in the copy reviewed.

The board also gave initial notice of changes at the middle school level. Students attending Longview, McMillan and Parkside elementary schools would attend Hillcrest Middle School in 2027-28, and students attending Grant, Horizon and Viewmont elementary schools would attend Riverview Middle School. Board President Kelly Taeoalii reminded the public of a public hearing on Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at Liberty Elementary and of comment periods at the Oct. 15 and Nov. 12 board meetings. ^[1]

**Planning for the hearing, Sept. 17.** At a Sept. 17 board meeting, Superintendent Jennifer Covington presented a draft outline for the Oct. 1 public hearing on the potential closure of Liberty Elementary. The minutes say the board discussed with Shana Ichimura of Liberty Elementary, how best to give parents information, and that information would be compiled and shared in conjunction with fall parent-teacher conferences at the school. ^[2]

On Sept. 10, the Murray PTA president, Ashley Maples, told the board the PTA was planning collaboratively around the closure of Liberty Elementary and helping to incorporate those families into their new schools. The Murray Education Association's president, Christy Vuyk, said there is some anxiousness surrounding the changes coming next school year. ^[3]

**Bonds.** At the Aug. 13 meeting, outgoing Business Administrator Richard Reese briefed the board on the sale of the second set of school building general obligation bonds, issued to continue projects at Murray High School and Riverview Middle School. Matt Dugdale of Stifel and Associates reviewed the bids, noting there were many bidders, and the total interest cost was under 4%. The board approved a fraud risk assessment on which the district scored as low risk, and a revision to the third-grade reading section of its strategic plan. Under that language, elementary schools below the statewide goal of 80% third-grade reading must use at least 50% of their Teacher and Student Success Act funding on evidence-based literacy strategies. ^[1]

**Oct. 15 meeting.** Draft minutes of the Oct. 15 meeting, posted with the meeting notice, say one patron commented on the potential closing of Liberty Elementary, said she found it difficult to find relevant information on the closure process and shared concerns for the school's Title I students. The Murray Education Association's representative, Jessica DeMann, said the association was grateful to have provided input on the potential closure. The draft records no vote on the closure or on boundaries. The meeting agenda also listed a bond projects update from Scott Taggart, the director of support services, and first readings of sex education instructional materials and positive behavior support plans. ^[4][5]