Gearld Wright Community Council Meeting Minutes
Date: January 29, 2013
Time: 4:15 pm
Location: Gearld Wright Elementary
Members Attending: Principal Chad Christman, Parent Natalie Carlile, Parent Erin Leslie, Parent
Christina Searle, Parent LeeAnn Mason, PTA President Stephanie Scherzinger
Members Absent: Teacher Kim Best
Others Attending: Eric Brondum, Dale Ann Wright, Parent Terry Bustillo, District Architect Jim Day,
Parent Cindy Thompson
Votes and Motions:
1. None
Discussion:
1. New school safety procedures
 Parent volunteers are helping students go from the main hall back to classrooms in the
locked halls. Parents can volunteer on a regular or one time basis. Parents volunteering
more than one full day each week will need a background check. Background checks are
done at Granite School District offices for $45.
 With the classroom halls locked the question of fire safety was raised. District Architect
Jim Day said that in case of a fire those doors automatically lock themselves anyway and
that the school has sufficient exits in the main hall in case of fire.
 Two 4th grade teachers who send students to use the bathroom in the main hall will be
getting badges to use as hall passes.
 Copy rooms and Kivas are being kept locked at all times to ensure that students can not
enter without permission.
 Safety Patrol or other students are posted at doors to help students who arrive after
their teacher has taken the class in but before the second bell rings.
 Some teachers have chosen to lock classroom doors.
 Teachers have expressed that locking the halls has made it easier to start school on
time.
2. Traffic Flow Problems
 Cars come from three different directions into drop off zone. This creates a dangerous
situation.
 Mr. Christman asked West Valley City representative, Eric Brondum, for a traffic light.
He said that wasn’t possible.

Mr. Christman asked for a cement barrier on 3100 South to force cars to enter from only
one direction. West Valley representative, Eric Brondum, didn’t immediately answer.
 The suggestion was made to remove some of the lawn to make a better staging area or
additional parking.
 Parent, Cindy Thompson, asked that the city remove the No Parking on the north side of
Meadow Farm Dr.
 Mr. Christman suggested that removing a light post in the drop off zone would allow for
three lanes instead of two.
 The committee asked Officer Dale Ann Wright to work with our two new crossing guards
to help traffic flow coming out of the drop off zone. Specifically, to only cross when
several students are ready to cross and to not close both Hunter View Dr and 3100 S at
the same time. This will help cars exit the drop off zone more effectively.
3. Fine Arts Program
 The school will be getting money from the district to hire a fine arts specialist for 2 days
a week starting next year.
 The four focus areas are visual arts, music, dance and drama. As a committee we need
to decide on a focus area(s).
 Parent Cindy Thompson will send an email to Terry Bawden to see if we can share visual
arts teachers with other schools so that we can offer instruction in each of the four
areas, to each grade, each year.
4. Mrs. Best’s 3rd grade class wrote thank you notes to the Community Council for using Trust
Lands money to give each student a book.
5. All other agenda items were tabled for the day due to time constraints.