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Show I UUBIWfei What do kids learn in school about growing up? t 6 3 G Davis dstriet has efferent programs In elementary schools no $0 wt 1&01 c i' ro 00 jfarjv ritual of maturation w Utah elcmeniary Ti'-whiHU begun uuh note iminng parent w school Mach to the embarranment of ihe kid, their toils usually show up, Itojs are LerJcd inw one room. giru i another. and ail are wurneJ agamet giggles tin . I ft to id i J!lj lilkUrv Puberty K after ail. serious bLincs. by, then. i ihere no cgrtpi for the nvht memorable leeture In all of grad Jnol? She annual eveni is r.want to prepare older elementary sehool-ag- c children, usually fifth- - and sivihgraJcrx, for pax agc into adulthood. IIji in Utah's 40 school districts, ihere i no uniform rrevrniauon about how young boJics change. One district might ue a commercial video proJuced by a tampon maker, another a pamphlet produced by health leathern. rrewntations in the Davit School District are varied. At Ada mi Llementaiy School, fifth-crateacher Mark Spicer tnei to make hit ditcuviioni ai comfortable at poi-H- e. :n hr r 41 ll hi iri e i n 1 n Jc rd a in gle. but ihai's more on the immaturity of ihe iu Jems undent jnding of the subject and not the way the icachert convey ihe topic." Spicer sayt. aj 91 W Usually a registered nurse comes in for a main talk once a year, and rcguljr sessions are scheduled with a nurse once i 1 ei K U e conservative Utah I agV Torum, says there vhould he state guidelines. And Ruicka home-Hlnmher Ii shildien, none of whom has ever sat through the U rublic-wboo- Teacher Mark Spicer Adam Elementary School a week. "I think that we need to understand it's a sensitive subject and that we do our best at leathers to let the viudcms know that and try to teach it with openness." Spicer said he also involves parents in the discussions, because they may have concerns about what they want their children to understand. "I believe that its valuable in upper elementary grades to touch upon areas - much l.ke discussion of drugs," Spicer said. "It's bcuer for them to become better aw are and better informed, so they're able to make a decision and follow their gut feelings and know the consequences - that there's good and had in all decisions." Spicer says. "There aren't any guidelines," said Bonnie Morgan, director of curriculum and instruction at the State Office of That doesn't mean anything goes. The "tv cry now and then, you'll get a gig- JO but that's morcon the immaturity of the students' understanding of the subject and not the wy the tcachas coimy the topic. "foetymumJ then.youll get a giggle, states core curriculum on human sexual- ity olTers a rough outline: Instructors can describe how sexual organs change as the body matures. Girls learn about menstruation and breast development; boys about nocturnal emissions and voice changes. All team (he basics of conception, but details about masturbation, intercourse and birth control are oiMimiis. 1 he program is not required and students must nave parental permission to attend. And make no mistake: This is not sex education. Davis district administrators stay dose to their guidelines, but say the much-neede- d subject is not an easy one to teach. "Kids are really mature nowadays, and they're having to deal with a lot more mature issues than people are used to dealing with," said Shannon Wootton, Whitesides Llcmcntury School assistant principal The textbook discussions on human desdopmcnl arc very general. "It doesn't get into moral issues or things like that," Wootton says. Still, some educators are troubled by the variety of ways sensitive information is presented. At a recent meeting of the curriculum committee of the Stale Board of Education. Margaret Rose, AIDS education and school health specialist, suggested the programs should be made uniform. lecture "They range from a r sesand a slap on the back to a sion of Let's sit down and talk, " she said. "We really ought to look at them. Even Gayle Ruzicka, president of the two-hou- l prccnuiion. In many public ehooU, responsibility for the maturation program falls to the local Parent-- 1 caehcrs AsstVMtion, which recruits volunteers - usually doctors. nurses and principals. State PIA health commissioner Robin Call said the organization Is willing, but would prefer to have a standard tor-mfrom the stale. "They're all done fairly well, hut there should he some consistency across the hoard. That would be very nice." said Call, who has accompanied her children to maturation presentations. Morgan agrees, hut acknowledges the issue is not a priority, primarily because she has yet to hear a single complaint about any district's program. "It may serve the district and schools better if we had some guidelines of what ought to be included." she said. "But it's not big on my list." In many districts, educators are happy to continue planning the rrogram just like they always have, without state intervention. "I don't think there's any need." said Anne Denny, a retired registered nurse who runs the programs for the Beaver County School District. I ler girls program uses v ideos produced by companies that make tampons and sanitary napkins and allows time for questions afterward. Usually. Denny is able to find a male nurse or physician to make the presentation to the boys. If she can't, she has to do it herself. at CcCie SJumun of the Salt lake Coy School District said the district slays clo-- e to the stale's core curriculum to make sure no one is ottended by the information, "If we do have a problem, its with the volunteers who come in and do it and aren't familiar wuh district policy." she said, A phvsician. for evample. may use clinical language that kids don't understand - or understand all too well Willow Canyon I Icmenury Principal Kirk Denison has the reputaiion of be- ing "the guy who will give the talk to the hoys." He speaks several times each spring at diiterent scIhhiIs. often tor male counterparts who don't fed comfortable themselves. After 20 years of research and more than a few trials and errors. Denison has developed a polished presentaiion. augmented by a film produced by Procter A Gamble Co, "I did get complaints once from parents about masturbation." Denison said. "The movie I show talks about it as a natural process and that' not really acceptable m our society here," He found it was easier to turn olTthe projector (saying ll was in the imcrcM of time) and lei the boys ask their parents, not him. if they had questions. More important. Denison said, are the lips on personal hygiene and free soap and shampoo he oilers the boys. "A lot of mothers and tcjchcrs thank me for that and wonder why we can't do it earlier in the year." he said. Military News in Marine CpI. David M. Walker. son of Sherry Lee of Clearfield. was recently meritoriously I r h n n a' promoted to his current rank while serving with Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Cl Toro, Santa Ana, Calif. in ir i In m ei A 1994 graduate of Tooele High School of Tooele, he joined y the Marine Corps in October 1995. rr n Marine Pvt James E. Murphy, son of Francis L. Murphy of Kaysvillc, recently graduated from the Marine Corps Basic COmbat Engineer course at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejcunc, N.C the art of demolition, land mine warfare and camouflage tech- niques. Murphy will accompany Ma- rine infantry forces to build roads, set up camp and fortify the living areas. k course, During the Murphy learned the fundamentals of engineering support for combat units, including the procedures for building and repairing bridges, roads and field fortifications. Murphy also learned graduate of High School of Bountiful The five-wee- 1992 View-mo- nt joined the Marine Corps in December 1996. Air Force Senior Airman Stacey A. Yeager has arrived for duty at Hill Air Force Base, Ogden. Yeager is a F-1- 6 dedicated crew chief wiih the 34th Fighter squadron. He is the son of Stephen L. And Geraldine T. Yeager of Richland, Ind. His wife, Catherine, is the daughter of Allan and Millie Evans of Clearfield. The airman is a 1992 graduate of South Spencer High School. Reo, Ind. o ii Home n From I mother of nine, has a son Tyler who has never been to a public school. He has been home schooled since he was five. "I feel like home schooling denies the child the adverse social skills that they learn in the traditional schooling system, she 'c T ernment regulation. Compared to the pioneers of home schooling. Voorheis is mild in her wish to teach religion. In the beginning, home schoolers were often called religious radicals. But not everyone from that era thought religion was a good excuse to pull their kids out of public school. Mack has been teaching her said. kids at home since the early 1 U80s. ; But he has no problem interacting peacefully with people of The main reason I chose all ages, Voorheis said. home school was because I wantI However, hanging out with all ed to spend quality time with my age groups doesnt make Tyler a kids, she said. I wanted to have Boy Dynamo, she said. He still a close-kn- it family. annoys adults who would prefer But that didnt stop outsiders him to go away, and he still gets from accusing Mack of being a shy when asked to perform in radical, she said. front of a crowd. Now, home schooling is more - He is no different from any accepted than ever. widely other boy his age; he is just takThe religious conservatism a different to route education, ing that helped spawn the revolution Voorheis said. is quickly fading. Increasing Twenty years ago, the majority numbers of middle-clas- s turned to home - who are the furthest parents thing for religious reasons. from radical - are teaching their '.chooling Separation of church and state kids at home. does not allow free thought and Their reason: to keep a tight discussion revolving around relirein on how their kids are taught, gious beliefs in the public classto know what they are learning room, Voorheis said. attento ensure and Although Voorheis is not tion. and church of against separation Some days its hard to get evMate, she thinks the concept erything done. needs its limitations. Theres no doubt that simulta"It seems like they teach evtheories being a teacher, parent scientific neously with Q erything and homemaker is a feat even nd they are theories - yet they cant admit that God had any- Superman might shun. But if a thing to do with the formation of parent is serious about it, anyour country, she said. thing can be accomplished, Voorheis said. But Voorheis doesnt blame the school administration or Its not easy at all, she said. But I expect the rewards to be teachers. She blames heavy' gov one-on-o- hat the juggling i$. Voorheis has an extremely busy life outside of Ty ler's education. But she finds the time and her son's education shows it, she said. The reason I think he has scored so well above his age level is that he has had teaching from day one, Voorheis said. Several national studies show that children traditionally score above their age group. In A Nationwide Study of equal to w one-on-o- home-school- Home Education," the largest study to date, Brian D. Ray d found students home-schoole- score at or above the 80th percentile in all subject areas on standardized achievement tests. e For those who find a teaching job hard to handle next e to a career and family, there is an alternative. In 1993, the Utah State Legislature made dual enrollment legal in every school district in the state. Alpine, Provo and Nebo school districts all allow the concept and welcome it with open arms. full-tim- full-tim- Simply put, dual enrollment means a student takes a few classes at the school and the rest either through independent study or home education. It gives parents the opportunity to have some control over their childs education while keeping a grasp on their own d life. It also offers the child the more diverse side of social skills, said David Cassani, founder of the Association of Home Education and School Partnerships. fast-pace- A good majority of home ucators end up using both systems," Cassani said. It also allows kids to participate in extracurricular activities that are hard to offer at home, he said. At one time, teachers and school administration criticized dual enrollment because kids who learn at home were utilizing extracurricular activities designed for people within the school system. Now, people like Roy Pehr-so- n, director of student services for the Alpine School District, are supporting the idea. Not a lot of people understand what the districts stance is, and our stance is to cooperate with the people, Pehrson said. Whatever is best for the kids, we support. National studies show that home schooling costs an average of $750 per year. But both Voorheis and Mack say thats on the high end. Both spend well under $500 a year, they said. Many of the books and materials they buy come from used bookstores. A lot of the books, however, are checked out from the library. There is no break on school taxes for home schoolers, but the issue is simmering where it was once nonexistent. Politicians like Sen. Craig Taylor, have come forward and publicly stated they support a tax break for parents. home-schooli- ACE tonal Cash Cxma. WE CASH CHECKS 3 3 O ALL TYPES Alante ouS) WE GIVE 0053) PAYDAY LOANS Money Orders 25t With This Coupon Expires Sept. 30, 1997 r07WIL(n)Rs I HILLS MALL LAYTON level close to (Lower JCPenneys OGDEN CITY MALL CALL CLASSIFIED COPY Wire Transfers IRfiJZQGD 625-430- 0 2984 North Hillfield Rd. Layton. Utah 84041 I ml ed- 728-324- Fax: 0 728-324- 2 Hardy From 3 people live here because they want to, not because they have to. We are a big small town. People know each other and care, he said. During last winter's heavy windstorms, for example, city crews removed tree branches and mulched them - all at no cost to residents. And if a resident forgets to get their garbage to the curb on time, crews will return. Or city employees will help clear snow if it's impossible for a resident to do. down to the police department providing free lock-oservice for motorists 1,000 times last year alone. ut The challenge is to maintain what we've been able to build and by stabilizing. Our growth will be ending in five to seven years: we'll be built out, he said. The city now has about 40.000 residents. We need to maintain the economic' vitality of our commercial areas with more superstores and malls competing against our local merchants, he said. Utility deregulation, including providing power, will have to be dealt with by the & Light. Bountiful City Power "I love Bountiful, will continue to live here, to serve where I can," the father of four said. |