There are 86,400 seconds in one day.

But somehow, Ben Horsley can fit more into a single day than most people.

That was before he was appointed Granite School District superintendent on July 9. He replaced former Supt. Rich Nye who was named senior education adviser in Gov. Spencer Cox’s administration.

Horsley has worked 15 years with Granite District, including becoming the first chief of staff, serving to Nye the past three years. Previously, he worked under two other superintendents as the District’s director of communications and community outreach; he was responsible for media relations, marketing and community engagement.

Horsley was one of the top candidates in the nationwide superintendent search three years ago. The school board decided to forego a new search to name him to the position.

“In all sincerity, I wasn’t expecting this,” he said shortly after the appointment. “I expected Dr. Nye would be around several years more. I was honored to serve as his chief of staff and learn; he is an amazing educator. The (school) board came to me and expressed they felt that one person who could carry forth the vision Dr. Nye outlined and build on the foundation he had laid was me. They (school board members) asked if I would be willing to do that. After some consideration and conversations back and forth, I agreed. This wasn’t what I was looking for when I came to Granite School District, but I’m happy to be here. I love kids and what we do here.”

He plans to carry forth Granite’s strategic plan.

“Until he (Nye) came in, we had no formal plan or direction. We had initiatives and we had state accountability. We had several things we were trying to jump through, but there was no overarching vision that had been outlined since 2012 when the previous strategic plan was put into place. It was overdue,” Horsley said. “Dr. Nye and I built it and now we need feedback from our teachers and our administrators who are implementing this plan to ensure we’re moving in the right direction in providing quality instruction and improving student outcomes. Every child deserves an opportunity to have a quality education. We have a great foundation, and I’d like to keep that going.”

Granger High Principal Tyler Howe is excited about the direction Granite
 is heading. 

“It’s been student-centered, trying to meet the individual needs of students and Ben is able to carry that shared vision forward,” he said. “He knows Granite. A comment he made in the meeting last week was, ‘I was here for that discussion 15 years ago; I remember how that started.’ There’s some power in having a superintendent who knows the district.”

Howe remembers when he was a new principal and Horsley, then communications director, helped him set up a Twitter account for the school when the platform
was launched.

“Ben has been a support to principals all these years. I’ve been in meetings with him and he’s able to prioritize everything to be in a lot of places at once. He has a lot on his plate yet he’s able to manage everything,”
he said.

Howe said not only can Horsley manage to do a 48-hour job in 24 hours, but he’s someone he can trust and feels he’s on his level at the same time. 

“Ben comes to this position not just as a communications director or someone in the superintendent’s cabinet, but also as a parent who is present for his five kids and cares for all kids,” Howe said.

In true Horsley fashion, he didn’t wait until his term began to work on his goals. Three days before he officially became superintendent, he had met with most of the District’s 120 administrators and principals, getting to know each of them personally, not just talking “shop.” 

“I’ve worked with many of them, but I haven’t always talked about them, their families, their vacations, their dogs’ names,” he said. “I’m about relationships. I love to get to know people and understand how they work. This develops our relationships and bonds us in our common goal in providing quality education for our students.”

The Viewmont High graduate who performed in some school plays and ran cross country also shares about himself.

Horsley is willing to take a pie in the face or do whatever to motivate students’ learning, but he draws the line at jumping out of a plane as he’s “tremendously afraid of heights.”

He loves barbecue and peaches; Abraham Lincoln is one of his favorite historical figures; and he would love to go see U2
in concert. 

“When I was in high school, ‘Joshua Tree’ was my very first cassette tape” that Horsley paid for from mowing lawns. “It’s one of my all-time favorite albums,” and said if there was a superintendent playlist, U2 would be included. He also regularly walks his terrier-pug mix, Pablo.

During Horsley’s first 100 days as superintendent, his aim is to improve the culture Districtwide.

“We’ve been working on a few initiatives in how we support our schools,” he said. “Oftentimes, there’s a top-down mentality and we need to collaborate better with our schools.”

Horsley also is seeking a chief of staff who will serve as a key instructional leader for the District.

“The position will change from what I was doing to fill the needs I have,” he said. “At that point, we will have a strong foundation so the next 90 days are about what kind of house do we want to build and what color is it going to be? A lot of that has to do with improving our professional learning communities, giving adequate supports to our administrators and other small things that can make a world of difference. That’s why I’m going to go out and be in our schools for much of my time each day. I’m going to listen to what people have to say.”

Besides, he said, “As chief of staff, a lot of my time entailed spending it in the classroom and oftentimes reading to kids or doing other activities; that’s the reward of the job so I would not want to miss out on that.”

He believes having those relationships and knowing what is needed in schools, along with his extensive knowledge of the District, will position him to be influential on capitol hill.

“I am the one who has to understand all the intricacies of their responsibilities and the impacts of the decisions we make at the District and at the state level on them so I can go appropriately advocate for them,” he said. “The relationships I have in place up there (in the Utah legislature) and the understanding of the process puts me in a distinct advantage in being able to advocate for our students.”

He said “most legislators are working toward the same goal most educators are and that is improving outcomes for kids.”

His recent conversations focus on student attendance as some skip school and parents can excuse students from school for
any reason.

“Chronic absenteeism has grown since the (COVID-19) pandemic. So, how do we honor and respect parental rights, but at the same time, also address parental responsibilities? Part of that has to do with how we address this huge gap in attendance,” he said, saying lawmakers are working with educators to find an answer. 

When retired principal Terri Roylance learned about Horsley’s appointment, she knew, “The District is in good hands. As superintendent, he has the opportunity to influence on an even bigger stage. Ben has been right there alongside several superintendents. He knows people. He knows education. He knows the legislature. He knows the District. He can relate to all levels of employees and all levels of kids.”

She remembers Horsley helping make plans from when her school’s baseball team won the state championship on graduation day to tweaking something she’s wrote since “he’s an amazing wordsmith.” 

Through her years being an elementary, junior high and high school principal, Horsley, in his calm demeanor, was “right there, answering questions. I’ve called him late at night when I’ve been concerned about something, and he answers his phone or texts an answer immediately. He must live with his phone under his pillow. He’s always been very responsive.” 

Horsley intends to communicate with patrons and taxpayers alike.

“I hope those who pay the bill feel they can reach out and know we’re listening,” he said. “People know I’m good at listening, and they can share questions, concerns and suggestions. That skill set will serve me well advocating for our board’s vision, but at the same time, building collaboration, not just within our District, but within the entire
community.”

He said those strong relationships and partnerships will be key in collaborating to support District families.

“Schools have traditionally been community centers, but with school choice, that has become more disparate and challenging. We need to make sure people know their schools are still the center of their communities and they’re a welcome place to come together and support each other,” he said. “At the same time, schools can’t do it alone. We have the highest amount of diversity and many of our students live in poverty. We need to continue engaging with community partners to provide necessary supports to our students and families. We have strong relationships with our city partners, who are supporting and providing resources to those families who are experiencing change, maybe they’re refugees, in poverty, multi-language learners right here within our communities.”

Granite has about 58,000 students. A report five years ago predicted the school district would level out at 55,000 students largely in part to declining birth rates, so Horsley anticipates another dip of 3,000 students even though about “2,000 new multi-language learners come through our doors every year, with about 200 every year who need intensive support to learn the language.” 

Horsley said not everyone is aware of the career and technical programs Granite offers, such as its successful CEO program, now in its third year. Through a partnership between the school and the local business community, about 20 students each year gain real-world experience each week by meeting with business owners, tour local companies, and are paired with industry leaders as mentors to learn entrepreneurial skills.

“High school looks different today than it did when I graduated in 1995,” he said. “We have 55-plus career pathways available to students. That includes certifications, undergrad work in a variety of diverse fields from robotics to biomanufacturing. We need to continue to expand those opportunities for our kids.”

GTI program facilitator Erin Paulsen said Horsley was helpful with the creation of the CEO program.

“Ben is a real go-getter,” she said. “He ensures the best results for students and gives them access to opportunities. He gives the time to help students become successful even with his other administrative duties. He truly cares about the students and their education.”

Horsley said it’s important to identify students’ passions.

“Some students don’t engage in the same way in a traditional experience. So, we say, ‘Let’s help you meet the state requirements for graduation and at the same time, get you a skill and find you something you are interested in,’” he said. 

Horsley knows an ongoing challenge with shrinking population means closing schools within the District. Recently, three elementary schools were closed on the east side and realizes when a study along the 31st South corridor on the west side concludes in December, more school closures likely will be recommended.

“We have lost a lot of students because of a variety of factors including loss to charter schools. It’s time to bring those families back into our schools where they’ll be provided and supported with a myriad of individualized educational options and supports for their families,” he said.

That doesn’t include the agreement between Cottonwood High and AMES, Horsley added.

“That’s a great partnership,” he said. “AMES students use a portion of the facility at Cottonwood and that gives our students access to some of their coursework and their students benefit from Cottonwood’s elective offerings. It’s a unique hybrid. In the same vein, we created (Neil) Armstrong Academy, and we would look at more opportunities like this that provide students with individualized experiences.”

Parent Bruce Walton first met Horsley who was communicating school activities when his oldest son attended Neil
Armstrong Academy.

“Ben is a knowledgeable man, who is a great resource for the entire District,” Walton said. “I was at a District-level meeting about the book selection process required by the state legislature. He was clear and concise and provided an understanding of how the District was implementing the process. He was fully versed about the issue. He knows the law, the issues, the people and
our District.”

Cottonwood High teacher Adam Wilkins agrees.

“I don’t know anyone in the District who knows the nuts and bolts of the District better than Ben Horsley,” Wilkins said. “He lives and breathes Granite District and always has its best intention in mind. I’m optimistic about the future of our District with him leading the way.” λ