New school board members make students number one priority

FARMINGTON—As 2023 began, four new Davis Education School Board members took their seats at the Jan. 17 meeting. Emily Price, Julie Powell, Kristen Hogan and Derek Lamb will fill the positions left by Julie Tanner, Marie Stevenson, Cheryl Phipps and Gordon Eckersley. The new board members were sworn in on Jan. 4.

Lamb is from Layton and will be representing District 5 that covers Layton, Clearfield, Sunset and a small part of Kaysville. “There’s a lot of diversity there,” he said. “I want to have more town hall meetings to find out what the issues are in the community and with parents. I want to hear everybody out and not just make decisions. I want to give back if I can.”

Lamb grew up in a small Utah town. “I had 15 kids in my graduating class,” he said. “My father was killed when I was six and school teachers made a big impact in my life. That perspective allows you to process things and keep your eye on the ball to make sure the students can be the best they can be in the school system.”

The ability to communicate, listen and be patient are the skills Lamb believes he brings to the table. “I like to look at the third side,” he said. “We (the board) might be disagreed with or not liked sometimes but they’ll know we did the best we could and worked through the challenges. I’m not the sharpest tool but I know where the sharpener is. We need to collaborate and mold everyone together to make decisions.”

“I’ve lived in Syracuse for 18 years,” said Hogan, who represents District 6 that encompasses Syracuse, west Layton and a little bit of Clearfield. “I was heavily involved in the PTA and a couple of times I was president. It was through that service I got to the point of running for school board.”

Last January and February it kept coming up in conversation with people that Marie wasn’t going to run, she said.

By Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

“I started the process of running because I had an interest in Davis schools because my kids are there. I’ve always had an interest in education and government. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up in this way.”

Hogan said there’s always a few things as a parent that she is concerned about. “Screen time and learning platforms that aren’t working for kids that we should be looking at closer. We should be making things easier for teachers and simplifying, really focusing on the education aspect of school so that things run smoothly.”

There needs to be a parental voice on the board as well, she said. “There should not be such a divide of parents versus teachers. Sometimes ideas between two groups are in opposition but we have the same goals.”

Hogan said she’s willing to listen to anybody. “I’ll hear all different sides. I want people to know that I’m accessible and they’re heard even if they don’t like the decision we make.”

Powell has been following the school board for many years. She will represent District 3 that covers Farmington, Kaysville and Fruit Heights. “I’ve been on community councils and served as a volunteer in schools. I’ve been super involved. I’m interested in the academic success of schools overall.”

Powell said she never planned to run for school board. “There was just something in me that made me decide to run. I’m an attorney and I think board legal issues intersect with the district and I hope my legal background will be helpful.”

Ironically, Powell wanted to be a teacher. “I wanted to teach math,” she said. “It was just a fluke that I ended up being an attorney. I love learning – period. I want students to achieve success and have the highest quality of education.”

The Davis School District is a large district, said Powell. “I want to improve the decision making process and make it more balanced, thorough and objective. We need to look at what’s being proposed and do outreach to get a perspective on how the community feels and take that into account in the decision making.”

“My Davis County roots run deep,” said Price, who will represent District 7. “I was raised in Davis County and went to Davis County schools. My children have all gone to school here. I’ve been a parent volunteer since my oldest was in kindergarten.”

Public education is important, she said. “We have to keep it. It’s good for our children so they can learn, grow and succeed. It’s wonderful that everybody gets a chance to participate.”

Price said she knew Cheryl’s (Phipps) spot was up. “I thought ‘we need to find somebody good.’ I didn’t even think about running. I talked to people in the community and the Syracuse High principal suggested it. I want what’s best for students and I want them to succeed and I’ve had a good experience with Davis School District.”

The board’s biggest responsibility is to make informed decisions, she said. “We need the information to find what’s best and most beneficial to students and understand teacher and parent perspectives. I want to work together to find what’s best for the district and make sure everybody has a seat at the table and their voices are heard.”

Price is very optimistic about the district. “I recognize things aren’t perfect but it’s important as board members to work together with unity and respect,” she said. “What’s best for the students is the bottom line. They’re the number one priority.” l