The Granite School Board tried to solve the problem of 8,700 empty seats across the district, which is costing $3.4 million a year. With the restructuring and closures, the board saved a projected $2 million a year. Had no cuts been made, the district could have faced increasing class sizes or cutting programs.

Canyon Rim was on the block because it would have about 210 students attending a building with a capacity of 523.

"That's one teacher per grade, and that's just not acceptable," said board member Sarah Meier, who proposed the motion. Morningside Elementary, which Meier said wanted a higher enrollment, will get the students. Many Canyon Rim parents wiped away tears of anger after the decision that will close the school at the end of the school year.

"They've used us for 20 years to keep Morningside Elementary alive," said Cheri Jackson, referring to boundary changes of years past. "It's not fair. We were the easy solution, not the right one," added Jackson, who has two children attending Canyon Rim.

Carol Knight, who has a child attending Morningside, rejected claims that her children's school had any part in the closing of Canyon Rim. She said the school did not lobby for more students. During its Nov. 9 meeting, the Granite School Board realigned the boundaries for Driggs Elementary, which increased enrollment at Morningside.

"We aren't asking for this; we had nothing to do with it," Knight said.

Hank Bertoch, board vice president, moved to close Meadow Moor Elementary. While the board voted 4-3 to do so, some members were unsure of the school choice.

"I don't think it's the right school, but I really think we need to close two elementaries," said board member Julene Jolley.

Board member Judy Weeks, who called in from her honeymoon in New Zealand, echoed that sentiment.

Meadow Moor parent Christopher Jensen was in shock. Neither he nor any of his neighbors attended the meeting because Jensen said the board was looking at how to increase the school's enrollment, not close it. "I'm disappointed. This is completely out of left field," he said.

While Meadow Moor was on a closure list early in the process, the school had not been on the radar at the recent board meetings.

Closing the two schools will save a projected $600,000 a year in operating costs.

Restructuring Granite High will save a projected $1,416,000 a year in operating and personnel costs, which is $200,000 more than the projected savings from closing it.

The board unanimously voted to eliminate Granite High's boundaries, reassigning all students to the eight other district schools beginning next fall. The school will house 10th- through 12th-graders, and incoming ninth-graders will go to Granite Park Junior High. Granite will operate academies and small learning communities focusing on technical skills, arts and programs for struggling students.

Granite will have no individual sports teams, but students who want to stay at Granite can compete for other schools' athletic teams.

"South Salt Lake [residents] would always have first choice to go to Granite. With districtwide boundaries, we can address the special needs of special-student populations at all schools," said Bertoch, who, along with board members Meier and Carole Cannon, proposed restructuring Granite.

Granite Principal Stephen Hess said Monday that he was open to restructuring the high school, as he had looked into doing so about six years ago.

Jolley proposed not rebuilding Wasatch Junior High, which burned down last summer, and use the $12.7 million to $13.7 million in insurance money to build an elementary school in another area. The proposal lost 2-5, with only Meier supporting Jolley.

However, some board members predict keeping Wasatch open will result in Churchill Junior High closing.

"It may be in 10 years, it may be in five, but rebuilding Wasatch means that Churchill will close," Bertoch said.

Wasatch ninth-grader Kathleen Higginson was "ecstatic and shocked" at the decision. Hill View Elementary, which the board closed last meeting and then reopened after midnight during that same meeting, was up on the block again. However the board voted 4-3 to keep the school open.

smcfarland@sltrib.com

Schools closed

Canyon Rim Elementary

Meadow Moor Elementary

School restructured

Granite High School

Total savings

$2,016,000