Four heads are better than one.
Superintendents have begun regular collaboration as they work toward building three strong school districts. Rob Smith, superintendent of Alpine School District, hosted the newly appointed leaders of the school districts that will take over next summer.
“We have the right people in place to maintain high levels of learning for Alpine students and to carry that excellence over into new districts,” said Smith.
In July, 2027, three new school districts will assume all operations of K-12 public education in northern Utah County. They are Aspen Peaks School District, Lake Mountain School District, and Timpanogos School District. Superintendents have been named for all three.
“I will do everything I can to set up Aspen Peaks to be successful,” said Dr. Joel Perkins, superintendent of Aspen Peaks. “I also want the other two districts to be successful as well.”
They are off to a good start. Smith and Perkins, along with Dr. Vicki Carter, superintendent of Lake Mountain School District, and Dr. Joe Jensen, superintendent of Timpanogos School District, are now in regular meetings together, collaborating on tough issues and solving problems jointly.
“I see my job primarily as facilitating this transition,” said Smith.
He noted that the work of transition is complex. Between now and July 1, 2027, new school districts will have to hire staff in dozens of departments. They will have to plan for transportation of students, set up technology systems, and determine how to deliver special education services, among other things.
“Alpine has done very well leveraging our scale,” he said. “New districts will have to decide if they want to continue sharing some services or doing things a different way from the ground up.”
Assuring people is another goal of regular collaboration.
“As we create three strong districts we have to do it together,” said Carter. “Meeting as three superintendents with the sitting superintendent, we have the opportunity to create consistent communications that will help unify both families and staff to kind of create a calmness that everybody needs right now.”
One area of alignment is on the timeline for job postings and announcements. Most Alpine School District employees know where they will be working when the split is complete, since school-based employees will generally stay at their assigned school. Others, like those who work for district departments, will be offered positions in new school districts.
All four superintendents agree that it boils down to what’s best for students.
“We have talked for years about how important it is that we develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions for each student because life is simply better if we can effectively put our knowledge and skills into practice,” said Jensen.
“Our goal is for this transition to be invisible to the classroom—a 'win' means students don’t feel a single disruption to their learning," added Smith.
All four leaders share roots in Alpine District. This shared history allows them to carry over the best of our current culture while finding new ways to innovate. Jensen served with Perkins as an administrator at Orem High School two decades ago and they’ve been colleagues since. Carter, after many years as a classroom teacher and principal in Alpine School District, has worked alongside Perkins as a co-associate superintendent. Before returning as superintendent in 2025, Smith served for more than 20 years as Alpine School District’s business administrator, working with all three during that time.
“I’m confident that Rob, Joel, Vicki and I can creatively problem solve, collaborate and communicate in ways that will make all three districts outstanding for students, teachers, and families,” said Jensen.
The plan is for the four to meet weekly.
“I feel like meeting together helps us to build each other's capacities," Carter explains. "We’re stronger when we work together and collaborate. It helps us to feel a sense of assurance that we're not in this alone.”