4 new Iron County School District board members sworn into office

Written by Jeff Richards
January 5, 2023

CEDAR CITY — The Iron County School District Board of Education had four new board members sworn in on Tuesday afternoon.

Judge Brent Dunlap swears in four new Iron County School District school board members, including Lauren Lewis, left, and Megen Ralphs, right, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 3, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The special board meeting marked the board’s official transition from five members to seven, a change mandated by state law once the district’s total enrollment had surpassed 10,000 students.

The board’s four new members, all women, were sworn in by Judge Brent A. Dunlap. They were Lauren Lewis, Stephanie Hill, Tiffany Christiansen and Megen Ralphs.

Lewis and Ralphs, who respectively represent the newly created Districts 6 and 7, each ran unopposed in the 2022 election. Meanwhile, Hill defeated incumbent Dale Brinkerhoff for the District 4 seat in November, while Tiffiney Christiansen defeated fellow challenger Billy Davis for the District 5 seat formerly held by outgoing board president Michelle Lambert, who didn’t run for reelection.

The newly formed seven-member school board’s first item of business on Tuesday was to select a board president and vice president. Two nominees for each position were advanced, with a split vote ultimately deciding both. Ben Johnson was named president after receiving four votes to Dave Staheli’s three votes, while Lewis was voted in as vice president over Hill by the same margin.

“I truly respect the other members of this board, and commit my support to whomever the board selects as board leadership,” Johnson said during his remarks shortly before the vote was taken.

Earlier, Johnson had emphasized the importance of staying focused on the district’s mission.

Iron County School District Superintendent Lance Hatch and other district officials greet school board members, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 3, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“With our focus on vision, accountability and policy, we can ensure that we are evaluating, reworking and creating policy that needs to be in place to support our vision and our strategic plan,” he said. “We focus on our responsibility as a board and work united as a team with the superintendent to ensure that the vision is implemented.”

Johnson said respect for differing opinions and one another’s perspectives was another key point of intended focus.

“We live in a world where there’s a lot of negativity, and some of that can be pushed towards public education and educators,” he added. “We are not driven by fear. In Iron County, we have very dedicated educators that put their heart and soul into the education of our students.”

Johnson also noted on the quality of the district and the importance of collaboration.

“I am truly impressed with the rigor, expertise and educational quality that is demonstrated in the expectation of their teachers,” he said. “I personally want to do my part to ensure that as we discuss policy, academic improvement opportunities and challenges as a board, that we do so in a manner that realistically respects our students, and parents, our community, and those who have dedicated their lives to education. Respect their insights and work together as we focus on vision, accountability and policy.”

Shortly before being elected as board vice president, Lewis told her fellow board members, “I’m not here with a specific agenda. I am here to be a person of leadership when needed, or somebody of support when needed.”

Lewis also said she’s looking forward to bringing her accounting experience to the table and assisting district business administrator Todd Hess in analyzing budgets and other financial documents.

“Todd is a rock star,” she said. “But I would love to, as his right-hand woman, to be able to look at things, see if there’s a way to be more fiscally responsible for all of our constituents. They deserve that from us.”

“I look forward to continuing my work with these awesome people,” Lewis added, referring to superintendent Lance Hatch and other district staff. “Listening to him, and listening to the teachers and the people that are on the frontlines is what we need.”

At 4 p.m., shortly after the voting process was completed, newly elected board president Johnson then adjourned the meeting.

The board’s next scheduled meeting is its regular monthly work meeting on Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m., with the action meeting to take place the following week, on Jan. 24 at 5:30 p.m. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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