Superintendent Davis reports enrollment up 20 students

The September meeting of the Emery County School District Board of Education was held in the library at Emery High School
Superintendent Davis recommended to the Board that the following individuals be approved for positions within the school district. Steffanee Bacon is an Educational Assistant in the Green River High counseling office. Kathleen Frederiksen is an educational assistant at Green River High. Judith Trejo is a facilitator ELL aide at Green River High. Tracy Wareham is an educational assistant Title I speech at Bookcliff Elementary. Rick Bird is the head cross country coach at Canyon View Middle School and Jodi Wilson is the head cross country coach at San Rafael Middle School. Shandy Magnuson is an educational assistant at Cottonwood Elementary. Kimberli Rasmussen is a kindergarten teacher at Cottonwood Elementary, Nanette Harrison is the lead preschool teacher at Cleveland Elementary Adrian Jensen is an educational assistant in the preschool at Cleveland Elementary. Anjanette Shipley is the lead preschool teacher at Cottonwood Elementary School, Natalie Baantjer is an educational assistant at the preschool in Ferron. Morgann Donaldson is an assistant volleyball coach at Emery High. Desiree Richardson is an educational assistant at Cleveland Elementary.
Jared Black, business administrator presented a policy update for consideration and approval. GEC-Leaves and Absences policy was updated to reflect changes to personal and sick leave that were agreed to in the recently completed employee negotiations.
Black presented an updated extracurricular pay schedule for consideration. The proposed changes include the addition of the cross country positions at Canyon View and San Rafael.
The proposed changes were tabled until further consideration is made concerning sports with variable participation.
Emery High Principal Steven Gordon gave the school update. He thanked the board of education for their continued support. He expressed gratitude to the counseling staff for balancing the schedule and making a tight staffing situation work. He introduced those members of the staff at the school. Emery High is adjusting the homework class schedule. Over the summer work was completed on an LED lighting upgrade to the Spartan Center. Lighting was also improved outside the auditorium.
Principal Gordon is scheduling professional development opportunities for the faculty and staff. There is extra focus on technology including, SchoolCity, Canvas, Google Docs and Smartboards. EHS has six Chromebook carts that are used throughout the school.
Darline DeBry and Dayna Terry gave a comprehensive guidance report. The counseling office at the school has been remodeled to be more welcoming and nice. Their focus this year is to demonstrate and promote kindness. Registration went smoothly and a ninth grade orientation was held. They will begin student CCRs next week and their goal is to complete them by December.
College Day will be held in the spring and will focus on the juniors. College application and FAFSA day will be Nov. 14. Social skill classes are being conducted throughout the fall.
Superintendent Larry Davis said they are collecting applications for a math/science teacher at Canyon View Middle School. School enrollment has increased by 20 students.
Ralph Worthen said the third grade DIBELS reading scores were recently released. The state target for growth is 47.83 percent. Emery County School District students achieved a growth score of 92.01 percent higher than all but 10 districts or charter schools in Utah. The state average for growth was 71.9 percent.
Superintendent Davis reported he is working to appoint highly effective teachers as curriculum specialists.
Those being contacted have been excited to participate. These teachers will serve as specialists and occasionally attend curriculum meetings at USBE. The Coal Country strike team through the University of Utah has targeted the Carbon and Emery Area for economic development assistance.
This team will work with state and local leaders to create a plan of action to improve the economy. State Superintendent Syd Dickson will visit the Emery District on Sept. 18. The juvenile justice committee will meet on Sept. 17.