• Category 1

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 8
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 907
    Student Enrollment: 131
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 79%
    Hispanic: 20%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 62%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 1912
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jody Heaps
  • CONTACT:
    136 W 2875 N Circle
    Cedar City, UT 84721
    435-386-2382
    jody.heaps@beaver.k12.ut.us
Minersville Elementary School
Cedar City, UT
We want the best for our students, and we work together as a team to ensure that each student gets the best education possible.
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
Even though we are small, Minersville School is mighty. We are a K-8 school. Our elementary school has 80 students and our middle school has 38 students. We are located in a very small farming community in a very small, rural county of central Utah. Our students know that expectations are high, curriculum is demanding, and that all success will be celebrated. Our students are nurtured by a caring staff who give so much of themselves to help wherever they can. Our ten teachers focus on data, and they effectively use whole class, small group, and individual interventions to meet the needs of our students. 89% of all students were reading at or above grade level at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Our Acadience math scores were even higher at 92%. We want the best for our students, and we work together as a team to ensure that each student gets the best education possible.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
Minersville School has one teacher for each grade with an average class size of 13. We have been through years when classes were combined because of the very small class sizes. This was difficult for the teachers and students. By having one teacher per grade level, teachers can focus on curriculum and student needs. Academics is very important, and we use data to inform teaching and what interventions will be used. Even though we are a pretty typical school, we know our students very well. We celebrate success whenever we can, and we like to have fun. We take pride in our school traditions and have the support of the community and county. Being a small school has a few limitations, but we have used that small size to give our students the best, individualized education we can.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
Minersville School has chosen to use as much ESEA funding to provide para-educators to assist with interventions. Reading, math, special education, and at risk student paras help with our small groups and one-on-one interventions based on the individual needs of students. Each teacher has access to multiple paras throughout the day to assist them with student learning. By using data, these small groups are really focused on closing the gap in student learning. Some of our funding is used on providing a take-home library for our lower grades and a leveled library for the entire school. Jenny Puffer, our school librarian, is responsible for choosing appropriate books, preparing the take-home library each day for our students, and leveling books so that students can choose appropriate reading material. She is amazing and students love to go to the library. She has different stations for children to work with Legos, art projects, puzzles, and games. The library is a happening place!
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Our teachers are outstanding. We all know that teachers make the biggest difference in the success of students, so we have focused on instruction and classroom management in our professional development. We use the Big 8 for student engagement. It is easy to do and it makes such a big difference in the classroom. We have also used our professional development time to unpack standards. We want to make sure that the core standards are being taught, that students are clear on the expectations for learning, and that the teachers have a way of knowing if the students are learning the standards. This has made a big impact on student learning in our school. Time isn't wasted. We are focused on students becoming proficient on the power standards.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
Minersville School has always been a high achieving school, and we were ready to move to a higher level. We chose to focus some of our funding on becoming a 7 Habits Leader in Me school. Our students had always had many opportunities to be leaders, but this was a push to help them be motivated instrinsically in their learning and success. The support of the school district and community has been overwhelming. We are seeing students really take pride in their growth. We are all using the 7 Habits in our conversation and interactions with each other. Our students are beginning to see the value of taking responsibility for their own learning and their own success. Their interactions with their peers and adults are becoming more positive and less confrontational. They are becoming problem-solvers.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
We are the community center for Minersville. Families, civic groups, and town events are held regularly in our building. People know our school, they love the school, they have attended the school, and they like to spend time in the school. They take pride in our success. The community helps when needed. Because of job losses in the area, we have asked the community to help us fill our food pantry to assist those in need. They stepped up and we always have full shelves to provide help to students and their families. The community values education. Parents and grandparents help students with their daily reading logs, they tutor children in math, and they volunteer in the building, The community is part of our team, and we value them.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 8
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 907
    Student Enrollment: 131
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 79%
    Hispanic: 20%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 62%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 1912
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jody Heaps
  • CONTACT:
    136 W 2875 N Circle
    Cedar City, UT 84721
    435-386-2382
    jody.heaps@beaver.k12.ut.us