|

High schools name sites for CTE buildings

ByLloyd Call
Artist rendering of Apex/CTE buildings that will be built adjacent to Gunnison Valley and Manti High Schools, planning for opening August 2028.
Artist rendering of Apex/CTE buildings that will be built adjacent to Gunnison Valley and Manti High Schools, planning for opening August 2028.

MANTI—The South Sanpete School District has secured a $13,135,910 grant to build new Apex/CTE facilities at both Manti and Gunnison Valley high schools, officials announced during a school board meeting Sept. 9 at Manti High School.

Apex CTE refers to the Career and Technical Education courses and programs offered through Apex Learning, an online curriculum provider for middle and high school students.

The new facilities will host classes in agriculture, health science, business and entrepreneurship, design engineering, composite manufacturing, automation, electronics, accounting and emergency medical services.

At Manti High School, the building will be located adjacent to the seminary building, while the Gunnison Valley High School facility will be constructed on the north side of the school. Groundbreaking for both projects is set for next spring, with openings planned for August 2028.

In other district news, Gunnison Valley Middle School teacher Kyle Merchant was selected as an Outstanding Middle School Science Teacher by the Utah Science Teachers Association. Merchant will receive his award at 8 a.m. Oct. 23 during the association’s annual conference at the Davis Conference Center in Layton.

Principals from across the district also updated the board on their goals for the new school year. Manti Elementary Principal Dave Ipson said the school’s primary focus areas this year are knowledge, character, and confidence.

At Ephraim Elementary, Principal Gannon Jones emphasized increased reading intervention for struggling students.

“Reading is still our main focus,” Jones said. “We also have a strong focus on building positive relationships with students.”

Ephraim Middle School Principal John Gillett shared this year’s theme, “Team Up for Success,” and noted that while the school added new staff members, there are no first-year teachers on faculty this year.

Manti High School Principal Karen Soper thanked the board for recent campus improvements, including stadium upgrades and other construction projects.

“This year our teachers are going to keep journals, reflecting on why they became teachers, and each month, finding something they can improve in, and journal it,” Soper said.

Finally, district officials reviewed enrollment numbers, which showed an overall decline of 49 students districtwide. Gunnison Valley Middle School saw a small gain of four students, while the district’s alternative high school grew by 13 students. All other schools in the district experienced slight decreases.