Moving swiftly through a comprehensive agenda during its Thursday, Sept. 10 meeting, the Murray City School District (MCSD) Board of Education formally adopted new district-wide facility restrictions, expanded secondary literacy monitoring, and received major funding updates from its educational foundation.

Facility Access Policies Standardized

Following state legislative changes from the 2024 session, the board passed the second reading of Policy PS 456 regarding sex-designated privacy spaces.

Under the updated policy:

• Primary Mandate: Students may only enter restrooms, locker rooms, and privacy spaces corresponding to their biological sex assigned at birth.

• Accommodation Protocol: If a student requests alternative access due to gender identity or fear of bullying, school administrators must collaborate with parents to build a personalized privacy plan.

• Alternative Spaces: Plans prioritize access to single-occupant/unisex restrooms, staff restrooms, or staggered scheduling options.

Free Diagnostic Literacy Tool Adopted

Addressing historical gaps in middle school reading intervention, the board unanimously approved adopting the Rapid Online Assessment of Reading (ROAR). Developed by Stanford University, ROAR will roll out across MCSD junior highs at zero cost to the district.

"Secondary education has lacked an accessible, 3-times-a-year diagnostic literacy assessment for as long as I have been an educator," said Dr. Bruce Eschler, director of secondary curriculum. "ROAR allows teachers to identify specific reading struggles, like dyslexia, while contributing anonymized research data to Stanford."

Foundation Grants Hit Record Totals

The Murray Education Foundation reported historic fundraising and grant allocation figures following its annual golf tournament.

Initiative / Metric	Data Output
Golf Tournament Gross Revenue	$56,000 (Highest on record)
Golf Tournament Net Revenue	$43,500
Teacher Grant Applications	157 (Up 21 submissions from last year)
Grants Awarded	154 of 157 (Totaling ~$92,000)
Special Education Grant Funding	+$4,000 increase in requested funding

 

The foundation also announced its upcoming participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library initiative. Working with a 50% state legislative match, MCSD aims to mail one high-quality book per month to local children ages 0–5. National tracking data shows early childhood book delivery programs boost elementary literacy rates by 7% to 13%.

High School Construction Enters Final Phase

Chris Kartchner, BDK, provided progress reports on active capital projects:

• Murray High School: Construction crews completed exterior courtyard concrete, carpet installation, and teen center updates. Systems operators are replacing 25-year-old climate controls using remaining project budget.

• Riverview Junior High: Interior taping, texturing, classroom millwork, and bathroom tiling are nearing completion. Geothermal well-field testing is finished.

• Apex Center: Excavation and foundation footing work began this week, targeting an 11-month completion timeline.