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Show Garret Seeks Reelection To State School Board Bi BPBBPBw " ' II Stephen Garrett Stephen L. Garrett of Cedar City, Incumbent member of the Utah State Board of Education from District 7, has announced that he will seek re-election this year District 7 includes Alpine, Beaver, Garfield, Kane, Iron, Juab, Millard, Piute, Provo City, Sevier, South Sanpete, North Sanpete, Tintic, Tooele, Wayne and Washington School Districts. A broad geographical area includes the above mentioned 16 districts in 13 counties. "The so-called 'failure' of the schools is a solvable problem. But, that solution will require the cooperation of all those Involved in education: parents, teachers, administrators and school boards. For one group to blame another for the problems In schools serves no useful function," Garrett said. "We cant continue with an It a i your fault' approach. We need members of the education family (especially including parents) to get together, say 'okay' it seems we have some problems. What are we going to do to solve them? And then get on with the solutions." he continued One area that needs attention Is that of reading, Garrett believes. "But, not all teachers, especially those on the secondary level, are not trained to teach reading. I have proposed that the State Board of Education requires changes in the teacher training programs of the colleges and universities so that all teachers can help children with their reading regardless of age or grade." "We also need to acknowledge that not every student is going on to a college or university. Those who aren't deserve the same quality of preparation for their life's work as those who choose a four year post secondary route of career preparation," Garrett said. "In recent years much has been learned about the way people learn in school. We should take advantage of the new methods, technologies, and research now available to us in building curricula for schools of today," he commented. Garrett has served on the certification committee, the student rights and responsibilities committee, and the Junior high school study committee of the State Board of Education. In addition he is currently first vice president for the Utah Council of Teachers of English and will become president In October of this year. He served for two years on the public relations committee of Utah Education Association and has also served on the nominations and resolutions committees for the National Associations of State Boards of Educatioa Most recently Garrett was one of 22 Utah educators selected to spend six weeks In Egypt preparing curriculum materials on that country for use in Utah schools. The candidate obtained his BA degree from Brigham Young University after graduation from Springvllle High School. He's currently working toward a Master of Education degree at Utah State University. Garrett is employed as an English teacher at Cedar Junior High School in Cedar City, Utah. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alma Garrett of Springville and married the former Cindy Hunt of Cedar City. |