UTSVH01324-A Utah's Washington County School District agency history. Agency history written in English. UTAH STATE ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT (UTAH)

Agency History #1324

CREATION

Washington County's nineteen school districts were consolidated into the Washington County School District in June 1915. Shortly after hiring Superintendent Kolene F. Granger in 1996, the district adopted the following mission statement: "Together: Pioneering New Horizons in Teaching, Learning, and Leading." During the term of Superintendent Steve Peterson (1984-1996), the district's mission statement read: "Proceed on the premise of what's best for kids."

FUNCTIONS

Washington County School District provides public education for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Reported enrollment for the 2001-2002 school year is 18, 775. District offices are located in St. George, Utah. The district has 29 schools--18 elementaries, one sixth grade center, one sixth-seventh intermediate, four middle schools, and six high schools. The district includes the communities of St. George, Washington, Santa Clara, Ivins, Hurricane, LaVerkin, Dammeron Valley, Central, Veyo, Pine Valley, Leeds, Hildale, Virgin, Enterprise, Springdale, Toquerville, and Winchester Hills. It covers 2,425 square miles.

ADMINISTRATION

The district is governed by a five-member, elected Board of Education. Voters in each of the district's five precincts elect one member to serve as their representative on the Board of Education. School Board elections are held in November in conjunction with the general election. The board members elect a president and vice president at the time new members are sworn into office. The district is also subject to the general oversight of the Utah State Office of Education.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Superintendent of Schools, who administers day-to-day operations, is appointed by the Board of Education. Assistant superintendents oversee elementary and secondary education. Assessment and Student Services, Applied Technology Education, and Special Education are supervised by directors. A Business Manager heads an administrative division. Human Resources was added in 1998. At times the district uses an attorney to help with legal advice, the State Office of Education, architects, and engineers.

WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS, 1916-PRESENT W. O. Bentley, 1916-1929M. E. Moody, 1929-1958LaVoy Esplin, 1958-1979Jack Burr, 1979-1984Steve Peterson, 1984-1996Kolene F. Granger, 1996-present
BOARD OF EDUCATION, 1998-1999 Frances Christensen, presidentBrad Last, vice presidentCatherine MilesDr. Sheldon JohnsonWendell Gubler
SCHOOLS, 1915-PRESENT Leeds, established 1915Hurricane, established 1918Enterprise, established 1921Toquerville, established 1922Gunlock, established 1926Springdale, established 1930Rockville, established 1934Hurricane High, established 1936St. George Elementary, established 1936East Elementary, established 1955Hurricane Elementary, established 1955West Elementary, established 1955Enterprise Elementary, established 1957Hurricane Fine Arts Center, established 1958Dixie High, established 1965Hurricane High, established 1968Enterprise Library, established 1969Dixie Middle, established 1976Washington Elementary, established 1976Springdale Elementary, established 1977Santa Clara Elementary, established 1979LaVerkin, established 1983Pine View High, established 1983Bloomington, established 1985Sunset Elementary, established 1985Enterprise High, established 1986Panorama Elementary, established 1986Phelps, established 1986District Office (remodel), established 1986Pine View Middle, established 1987Dixie Downs, established 1990Hurricane Middle, established 1990Snow Canyon Middle, established 1992Snow Canyon High, established 1994Bloomington Hills, established 1995Three Falls Elementary, established 1996Coral Cliffs, established 1997Diamond Valley, established 1997Red Mountain, established 1998Desert Hills Intermediate, established 2000Sandstone Elementary, established 2000Millcreek, established 2001

W. Glen Fairclough, Jr., April 2002

SOURCES

Alder, Douglas D. and Karl F. Brooks. A History of Washington County. Utah Centennial County History Series. Utah State Historical Society and Washington County Commission, 1996.

Moffitt, John Clifton. A Century of Service, 1860-1960: A History of the Utah Education Association. Salt Lake City: Utah Education Association, 1960.

Washington County School District. Strategic Plan, Vision, Beliefs. Goals, 1998-1999.

Washington County School District. World Wide Web site, http://www.wash.k12.ut.us/

Series 83238 Utah. Legislature. Utah Code Annotated, 1851-ongoing. Title 53A, Sections 2-3.

Series 1052 Utah. Legislature. Utah Code Unannotated, 1982-ongoing. Title 53A, Sections 2-3.

Series 240; Utah. Secretary of State. Public Documents Serial Set, 1896-1956. 1915-1916, part 3, no. 24; Eleventh Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Utah for the biennial period ending June 30th, 1916, esp. pp. 7-12, 115-121.