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Understanding the Leadership and Community Role of Mona Elementary School

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Understanding the Leadership and Community Role of Mona Elementary School
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An explainer regarding the administration, community involvement, and recent educational milestones of Mona Elementary School.

Key takeaways

  • Mona Elementary is part of the Juab School District, which holds public budget hearings for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
  • The school emphasizes parental involvement through the Parent Advisory Committee and regular parent-teacher conferences.
  • Principal Brandi Webster leads a staff that includes specialized roles like learning coaches, counselors, and special education teachers.
  • Recent academic milestones include a large-scale literacy event held on March 2, 2026, and presentations to state leaders regarding literacy gains.

Mona Elementary School serves as a central hub for the community of Mona, a town with a population of 1,750 as of April 1, 2020. The school operates under the oversight of the Juab School District, which manages the revenues and expenditures for the region. According to a June 16, 2026, Juab School District budget hearing notice, the Juab School District Board of Education conducts public hearings to receive community input on district budgets, such as the revised budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Leadership at the school includes Principal Brandi Webster, who is listed as the principal in staff directories. The school's administrative and instructional staff includes various roles to support student development. As of the school's staff directory, the team includes Secretary Shawna Keyte, Secretary and Instructional Assistant JaNae Hopoate, and Learning Coach Natalie Darrington. The teaching staff includes several grade-level instructors, such as Jordan Jacobson and Kristi Drake for kindergarten, Morgan Underwood and Talysha Wickel for 1st Grade, Molly Davis and Michelle Feaman for 2nd Grade, Megan Montoya and Jennifer Schaugaard for 3rd Grade, Laci Topham for 4th Grade, and Sami Johnson for 5th Grade. Specialized support is provided by staff such as Counselor Chyenne Walters and Special Education Teachers Amanda Poulsen and Elisa Nielson.

Community and parental involvement is a cornerstone of the school's mission. The Mona Elementary School Parent Involvement Policy, which is adopted by teachers, instructional assistants, and the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), aims to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn successfully. The school seeks to involve parents in planning, reviewing, and improving school programs through monthly PAC meetings and other communications like student-parent-teacher conferences. According to the school's parent information page, parents are encouraged to participate in school decision-making through direct communication with the principal and staff.

Recent history highlights the school's academic successes and community engagement. On March 2, 2026, Mona Elementary School hosted a literacy event that welcomed more than 420 parents and students for reading activities, book clubs, and parent trainings. During this event, Laci Topham shared ways for parents to keep students engaged with reading at home. Furthermore, according to a school announcement from seven months prior to the current date, Mona Elementary School presented to over 250 Utah leaders, including the Governor, Senators, and other legislators, to discuss improvements in literacy and learning. Principal Webster noted in that announcement that the school had seen significant gains in early literacy over the previous five years.

Students also participate in leadership through the Student Leadership Council, a group designed to represent their peers and support school initiatives. The school also utilizes support staff such as skills coach Ms. Taylor and counselor Mrs. Walters to help build student confidence and academic growth, according to a school celebration post from seven months prior to the current date.

What this means for Mona

For Mona residents, the school serves as a vital community institution where parents can directly influence educational policy through the Parent Advisory Committee. With a staff dedicated to literacy and social growth, the school provides structured opportunities for families to engage with their children's learning and participate in the district's broader fiscal and educational decisions.

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CityMona
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