The George Washington Academy Board of Directors scheduled its August 27, 2026, meeting to address significant expenditures and strategic updates, following a series of summer sessions focused on school governance and planning. The upcoming meeting, which includes an orientation for the Utah Open Meeting Practice Act, will evaluate items such as membership dues and engineering proposals.
August Meeting Agenda Items
The August 27, 2026, meeting, which is scheduled to convene at 7:30 p.m. at the George Washington Academy Learning Lab in St. George, will focus on several key financial and operational items. According to a public notice from the Utah government, the board is set to consider expenditures exceeding $5,000, specifically involving UAPCS membership dues totaling $8,248.00 and a fee proposal from Great Basin Engineering.
In addition to these financial matters, the board will receive an update from Shannon Greer regarding the Hughes Construction project. The meeting agenda also includes the presentation of the financial summary, budget detail report, and balance sheet as of July 31, 2026. The board will review minutes from the July 16, 2026, regular board meeting and the July 16, 2026, board retreat meeting.
Summer Board Sessions and Goals
The scheduled meeting follows a July 16, 2026, board meeting and retreat that addressed the school's annual goals. These goals for the 2025-2026 school year focused on three core pillars: academics, leadership, and community. The academic goal aimed for 85% of students to demonstrate growth in math fluency from the beginning to the end of the school year.
Leadership goals focused on teachers leading their own professional development through modeling best practices in instruction and behavior support. The community pillar aimed to foster a positive school culture through regular celebrations of student achievement and staff contributions. During the July session, the board also reviewed expenditures for security renewals, student monitoring services, and special education curriculum materials.
Board Leadership and Composition
The George Washington Academy board is composed of several members with diverse professional backgrounds. Shannon Greer, the current Board Chair, has served on the board since May 2010 and also serves as the Director of Training for the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools.
Other board members include Casey Unrein, an audit committee member and CPA who has served since July 2021; Brady Pearce, the Vice Chair and a real estate professional who joined in November 2023; and Laura Pressley, who joined in November 2023 and has a background in law and governance. The board also includes Laura Snelson, who joined in November 2023 and specializes in strategic planning, Sharna Rowe, who joined in July 2025, and Miguel D. Muñoz, who joined in March 2026.
Administration and Faculty Structure
The academy's administrative team is led by Executive Director Blake Clark. Other key administrators include Chance Manzanares, serving as Assistant Director for Student Support/Intervention and Title I Coordinator; Jaycee Rogers, Assistant Director for Curriculum/Assessment and 504 Coordinator; and Steven Erickson, Assistant Director for Safety/Technology and Title IX Coordinator.
Debra Kauvaka serves as the Administrative Services Director and Records Officer. The school's faculty is organized into grade-level teams ranging from Kindergarten through 7th grade, supported by specialty teams in art, computers, library, music, and physical education. The special education department is led by Director Mireille Dennis and includes a staff of several teachers specializing in various support levels.
Land Trust and Enrollment
The academy operates a Land Trust Committee to manage school land resources. The committee is currently chaired by parent Brady Pearce and includes Executive Director Blake Clark as a member. Other committee members include faculty member Sara Lamb and parents Kathleen Hunt, Seth Lancaster, and Miguel Munoz.
The school's land trust activities follow a structured schedule, with meetings held throughout the 2025-2026 school year. The academy also manages an enrollment process that includes a lottery system, which most recently took place on February 2, 2026, for the 2026-2027 school year.
Future Meetings and Location
The next regular board meeting following the August 27 session is scheduled for September 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. The academy's campus is located at 2277 South 3000 East, St. George, UT 84790. The board provides public opportunity for residents to address the board during meetings, though no action can be taken on items introduced during this period.
