Residents fear split would close Cottonwood High
So the community is poised to take a stand.
A group is organizing efforts to lobby the Salt Lake County Council to say no to an east-side school district proposal. That's because if the district splits, Cottonwood would become part of the Murray School District, which has no plans to operate a second high school.
Stan Hanks and Terry Palmer of Holladay and John Haglund of Millcreek have invited about 1,000 Cottonwood community members to an informational meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the high school. They'll urge participants to speak out at the County Council's Tuesday public hearing on whether to put the proposal to create a new east-side school district on the ballot.
"No one really understands, I believe, that Cottonwood is going to get closed and those that live in (parts of its boundaries) aren't going to have a say on it," Hanks said.
South Salt Lake, Millcreek township and Holladay are examining forming their own district. The South Salt Lake City Council voted this past week to put the idea to voters. The Holladay City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter Thursday. The Salt Lake County Council, which would determine whether Millcreek participates, is expected to vote Aug. 7, and is hosting a public hearing Tuesday.
County Mayor Peter Corroon says concerns about Cottonwood High also are pouring into his office. Some Taylorsville students are bused to Cottonwood, making an east-side-exclusive population too small to maintain an entire high school.
Adding to the mix: Millcreek residents supporting the split have started a petition urging the County Council to put the question to voters.
The Cottonwood community has several concerns about the split.
Murray city several years ago annexed part of the Granite District that included Woodstock and Twin Peaks elementaries and Cottonwood High School. State law at the time ensured those schools would remain in Granite.
But the Murray City Council has decided those parts of the city won't be part of a new school district. In doing so, if a new school district is formed, that area and the buildings would fold into Murray School District boundaries.
Murray Superintendent Richard Tranter has said his district would likely need those elementaries to accommodate enrollment. But Cottonwood High's enrollment would drop from 1,400 to 629 in the district split — including 323 students who attend on special permits — because the west-siders wouldn't be there, according to a Granite District analysis.
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