The Magna earthquake damaged this school beyond repair. What the school district has learned 5 years later
Mar 18, 2025, 1:00 PM
“Building closed” signs are posted on a door at West Lake STEM Junior High School in West Valley City on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The school was damaged by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that was centered near Magna on March 18.(Steve Griffin/Deseret News)
(Steve Griffin/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Magna earthquake that shook Utah five years ago left a junior high unusable, prompting a closer look at Granite School District’s aging schools.
Around 18 schools in the Granite School District were damaged in Utah’s earthquake, with one damaged beyond repair.
West Lake STEM Jr. High was deemed unusable after the earthquake. It left students having to bus to other schools for the next two years until a brand new school was built.
West Lake STEM Junior High School is pictured in West Valley City on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
Spokesperson for Granite School District, Andrea Stringham said today safety remains their priority.
“We’re constantly looking at our buildings, facility conditions and their safety. A lot of our buildings within Granite School District are older, more mature. So we know that these are issues that are going to be coming up.”
Since the earthquake, they’ve put older schools on a list for more modern renovations.
“So we do recognize that there are going to be some buildings in our future that we need to update seismic requirements on. And that’s just something that we’re working through as the budget allows.”
Stringham called it a “blessing in disguise,” allowing for smarter, more collaborative layouts in classrooms and workspaces.
Related: Utah is overdue for a big earthquake. Are we prepared?
