School Board discusses junior high sports

By Patsy Stoddard

The Emery County School District met in their February meeting at Ferron Elementary.
Superintendent Kirk Sitterud said he didn’t have any names for approval, but to be aware Claron Durrant would be resigning from Huntington Elementary in the near future.
Superintendent Sitterud requested board approval for participation in UpStart I3 Waterford Study.
This is a preschool program where children go on the computer for 15 minutes of reading, math and science each day. This program starts the year before kindergarten. Sixty preschoolers from Emery County are currently enrolled in the program.
Waterford has been granted $11 million to study for a five year period the children involved in this early education program. Waterford would like the Emery School District to participate and they will pay the district $25,000 each year for a liaison to work with Waterford and the Emery County students.
Students that attend the preschool could be signed up to participate in the study.
The liaison will be trained the last part of March so this selection must be completed soon. Recruitment of the preschool children to participate in the program will also need to be done. The study will begin this summer. The child will be tested after each school year to see if participation in this early education program has positive results on test scores. It is hoped 70 percent of this age group will participate and the testing will weigh their results with the 30 percent that doesn’t participate.
Superintendent Sitterud said the district will sign a memorandum of understanding with Waterford. The board approved the district to participate in this study. There are current employees of the district that might like to be involved with this program.
Principal of Ferron Elementary Brian Dawes said their school had two first place finishes at the district science fair. Dallin Braun and Elyza Taylor. The students completed projects on their own and took them to the science fair. Jess Christiansen from Ferron Elementary is a fourth grader and he finished third in the district spelling bee.
Ferron Elementary was awarded as a high performing Title I school for the past several years they have been recognized by the state.
“This is a fantastic school and we have amazing teachers who give their heart and love to the kids in each class. Stephanie Roper is our Title I coordinator and she does a great job. We work hard at our school to help learners who struggle. We appreciate the school board and thank you for your support.”
Principal Dawes said he is serving as the president of the Principal’s Association. “This has been a unique and wonderful experience.”
With the president job, Principal Dawes has traveled throughout the country and met with principals. He is a voice for rural Utah schools.
Chairman Laurel Johansen said Principal Dawes has been a very good representative for local schools. She asked Principal Dawes to tell his staff how much the board appreciates the staff at Ferron Elementary.
The question was asked how the junior high athletics programs will function now that Carbon High is moving their ninth graders to their high school.
The athletic league will continue and will include seventh and eighth grade participants. The ninth grade students will participate in high school athletics. Ninth graders will continue to participate in quiz bowl and honor band and chorus. For those ninth graders not involved in high school athletics there will be intramural athletics in the junior highs. Emery High will include more of the ninth grade athletes. Most of the sports at Emery High do not involve cuts. The hope is that the ninth grade athletes will strengthen the Emery High teams.
Superintendent Sitterud said there won’t be a lot of change to the program just the ninth graders participating in athletics at the high school and the junior high teams will be seventh and eighth grade participants, both varsity and junior varsity teams.
In all music competitions the junior highs will continue to participate with the Carbon County Schools.
Superintendent Sitterud said there was a rumor floating around Emery County that said the ninth grade students were moving to the high school. That is just a rumor and the ninth graders will remain at the junior highs. It would be detrimental to the elementary schools to have sixth graders moved to middle schools.