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Show Volume 104 MT. PLEASANT, UTAH 84647 - January 24, 1996 Number Four Price $.50 Students address NS school board by Deanna Pate MT. PLEASAN- T- North Sanpete High Schools attendance and grading policies were among the concerns expressed by the schools student body officers at the Jan. 9 school board meeting. The students also expressed concern about having a voice on school policy matters and requested that a student be allowed to serve on the school board. Student input would help the board in their decision making involving policies that affect the students, they contended. Board members stated that they would appreciate having a member of the student body presidency serve on the board. Students requested that the grading policy return to the A, B, C, D, F instead of the current A, B, C, Incomplete system. They stated that die current policy takes away student responsibility and puts die emphisis on parents to keep their child from having to pay to make up classes. Principal Courtney Syme said that the grading system is to encourage students to not settle for a ''D"; instead they have to achieve at least a "C" or better. The students stated that some of the area colleges are considering not accepting GPAs that are done on the A, B, C, Incomplete system. The students stated that the schools attendance policy was "inefficient, poorly enforced and too lenient". They further stated that some of the youth serving on the committee were not enrolled at the high school or had poor attendance records. No actions were taken in response to the students request. In a later interview the students stated that they will continue to push for these changes. In other matters the board adopted a new policy for return ing students to their homes after school activites by a 3 to 2 vote. Two board members, President Allan Hall and Ron Ivory were opposed to the plan. Board members Bruce Irons, Elna McKay and Ann Deuel voted in favor of the new policy. Vice-Preside- nt Currently students being buses to and from activities are dropped off at their homes after the activity. Beginning with the 1996-199- 7 school year there will be mobile phones on the buses; the advisor will call a designated parent when the bus is a few minutes from a given town; parents will then be notified by the designated parent of the estimated time of arrival so they can met the bus at a given location to pick up their students. This change was made so students at the end of the route, advisors and bus drivers would return home earlier. At a prior meeting Hall stated the reason the students are currently taken to their homes was because of previous incidents involving student safety. He stated that it was worth the extra delivery time to ensure all students arrived home safely. The board approved organizing a formal school improvement council for each individual school. Superintendent Dennis Mower suggested that the councils consist of the principal (who would be the chairperson), five teachers, four parents, one district person (either staff or board member), and for the high school, one student. The councils would focus on student achievement and individual school profiles. The decision on whether the high school will have an athletic activity period during the day was tabled until the February meeting to allow board members the opportunity to consider the issue. If approved the seventh period would become a PEathle-ti- c period for those involved in sports activities. High School Principal Courtney Syme submitted a request for a high school ski club to be called s. the Teacher, Sharon Christensen, has agreed to be advisor. The board was in favor of the club providing parents would take the responsibility for transporting students. Syme stated he would get additional NSH revises attendance policy by Deanna Pate MT. PLEASANT Attendance workers and stronger consequences for truancy are in effect at the North Sanpete High School starting this week, according to an nterview held last week with Principal Courtney Syme. Ilene Frischknecht Craig Greenman and Darrel Bagley have been appointed by the North Sanpete School Board to work as part-tim- e attendance workers at the school. They will be responsible for patrolling the school, grounds and parking lots to make sure students are where they are supposed to be during school hours. Should a student be caught "sluffing" the following procedures will be followed: First incident: The student is assigned in the office and the parent is contacted. The school administration will determine when and under what conditions the student may return to classes. Second incident: A student, parent and administration conference is required to determine if the students educational needs are best served in the high school setting. Third incident: The student is excluded from school and a request is made to the Board of Education that the student be released from mandated school attendance. Ilene Frischknecht named as new Sanpete County Auditor Frischknecht was one of five by Bruce Jennings MANTI Mt. Pleasant native candidates for the position. The Ilene B. Frischknecht was recent- Republican Central Committee ly named as Sanpete County reduced that number to three and Auditor, following the resignation the commission, after reviewing of Ryan Anderson who left to fill qualifications and interviewing a position as manager of the each, made its decision. She is now doing business in an Manti office of Zions First National Bank. Anderson served less office a few steps from the one where she served as deputy counthan two years of his position. Frischknecht is the daughter of ty recorder for more than 17 Tom Brotherson and the late years. As deputy recorder, she Afton Brotherson. She graduated became well acquainted with from North Sanpete High School several facets of county business such as property sales and budwith state honors in bookkeeping and accounting. geting. One of her duties will be seeing "In appointing Ilene," commission chairman Bob Bessey said, that county department heads "we believe we chose the best dont overspend their allocation inperson for the job. She is well and keeping commissioners formed. with experience qualified both As the mother of four and and ability." grandmother of one, Ilene knows as other housewives know, that budgeting is a large part of family living. After graduating from high school, she later did accounting for a private business that involved her in payroll, accounts receivable and inventory. She was also employed at Zions Bank where she prepared daily balances and loan documents. Because of being appointed to fulfill the remainder of Andersons term, Frischknecht will have to run in next Novembers general election. So, this budget-minde- d woman is now putting money aside each month for the upcoming election. 1 believe in solid money management," she says. These procedures will be used in an effort to accomplish two main goals. The first is to increase student academic achievement by increasing the time students are in class, the second to increase responsible behaviors by students by holding them accountable for absences and truancy. Acceptable absents are illness, bereavement, medical and dental appointments, emergency work 'or educational travel. Parents are requested to call the school when a student is absent on or before. the day of the absence. Absences will only be excused upon receipt of a parent-writte- n note when the student returns to school. Syme states that he wants to change a "culture of truancy" to a "culture of responsibility and academic excellence" . Copies of the complete attendance policy are available at the school office. " .: j First Security Bank officers 0 to r) Alvin D. President Gerald J. Day. The money from the Kilmer and Monte K. Christensen present an Mt. Pleasant branch will benefit two students $800 check for scholarships to Snow College during the 1996-9- 7 school year. al al Spring City woman dies; husband critical following collision with snow plow FOUNTAIN GREE- N- A Spring City woman is dead and her husband remains in critical condition following a head on collision with a snow plow during blizzard conditions last Wednesday, Jan. 17, about one mile north of here on Highway 132. Ida Gay, 78, was a passenger in a 91 Chevrolet S10 Blazer driven by her husband Don Gay, 84. The couple were traveling northbound about 8 a.m. when the vehicle slid out of control directly into the path of an oncoming DOT snow plow, driven by Lewis Rasmussen, 43, Fountain Green, in the south bound lane. According to UHP Trooper Kevin Bradshaw who investigated the accident, the vehicle was travelling uphill and around a curve under very poor road conditions when it slid into the drivers side of the snow plow blade. Mr. Gay had to be extricated from the vehicle. Neither of the victims were wearing seat belts. According to Trooper Bradshaw, seat belts would probably have prevented serious injury. The victims were transported by ambulance to Sanpete Valley Hospital. They were later transferred by ambulance to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo where they were admitted in extreme critical condition in the hospitals intensive care unit. Ida succumbed to her injuries Saturday. Don remained in critical condition on Monday, according to a hospital spokesman. Trooper Bradshaw was assisted by Fountain Green Police County Sanpete Department; Sheriffs Office; and the Sanpete Search and Rescue. Ambulances from both Moroni and Mt. Pleasant responded. The accident scene was closed off and on for nearly two hours until the wreckage could be removed and normal traffic resumed. The. Blazer was totalled; the DOT plow sustained damage to the plow unit and one of the front dual wheels. Correction FOUNTAIN GREE- N- Mary Gilgren is not the first female Fountain Green councilwoman as was reported in the Jan. 17 issue of The Pyramid. That honor goes to Fern Robertson, sworn in on Nov. 8, 1977. She served a four-yeterm during Mayor Booth Cooks administration. ar Realignment issues still red hot MT. PLEASAN- T- The Utah High School Activities Associations (UHSAA) current proposal for classification realignment is still drawing fire from a number of school influenced by the pending decision. North Sanpete, along with several small schools (including Delta, Park City and Richfield), could be hurt by the proposal presently being considered by the board. A meeting to tentatively adopt this proposal was discussed and voted on Tuesday, Jan. 23, with results unavailable at press time. Evan Excell, USHAA executive director, reports that the proposal addresses and affects nearly all classifications, and has enrollment as its only consideration, but refused any further comment until the Jan. 23 meeting. He said he would not confirm the numbers within the proposal. In a telephone interview with Emery High School principal Brent Arnold, currently representing 3A interests on the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee for UHSAA, he confirmed the proposed division will be based on actual, rather than projected (1992 criteria) enrollment as follows: 1A classification would include schools with up to 149 students (less than the 175 required in the 1992 realignment). The 2A classification would include schools students. with between 150-49- 9 Arnold said this could require small schools to compete against schools up to times their size. 3A, with the largest student 9 discrepancy would include students and would see teams traveling from the extreme-nortto the extreme south and 500-1,14- - Hawk-Dogger- information from those wanting the club. Pay raises of over $1,700 a year were given to Reed Miller and Karen Kowalski because of their new district positions. Pre-fininspection of the new Fountain Green Elementary School was due to occur this for the week, with the pre-finnew high school gym and classrooms scheduled for Feb. 6. Occupancy is still a short time away. The next school board meeting will be held on Feb. 13. The public is welcome to attend. west of the state, more than any other classification. Schools with actual enrollments of 1,150 to 1,499 will be 4A and those with populations above 1,500 will be 5A. Arnold says no exceptions would be made as has been the case in previous years. When asked how he felt he personally represented the needs of 3 A schools, Arnold said that he felt that having only 15 schools within the current reclassification makes 3A a for media coverage and college scouting. The 3A classification will see schools including Ogden, Bear River, Ben Lomond, Judge (currently first in 4 A rankings), Granite and Tooele enter their ranks with only Uintah and Lehi moving to the 4 A classification. North Sanpete will be the smallest 3A school, within six students of Delta, Park City, and seven of Richfield, according to information released by the UHSAA. Booster Club George Lee expressed the concerns of many NSH supporters by saying that its representation on the USHAA governing bodies is not in North Sanpetes best interest. He explained that four main elements influence championship teams: coaching, tradition, size and schedule. While the first two factors are determined by the schools and communities, size and scheduling (which Lee says are the biggest influence) are determined by the UHSAA. Their votes actually determine state champions. Other disadvantages that could be incurred by 3A schools are excessive travel time and costs. In 1992, when North Sanpete nt moved to 3A, their average round trip went from 95 miles to 140 miles per games. That will increase with the distances of the six schools to be added. In contrast, 2A is divided into two divisions within a single region to save travel for the schools involved up until state competition. That is the only exception made in the current classifications. Manti High School travels to only Gunnison, Millard and Juab for region play, although other games can be scheduled at coaches discretion. When asked about the alleged discrimination against smaller schools to be classified 3A, Arnold stated, "The only school that is upset about the realignment is North Sanpete." when However, contacted, representatives from Delta and Park City expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the proposal, and have in fact, said they have taken action to make their views known to the board Arnold serves on. Even though the proposal is said to include no exceptions, schools still have the ability to manipulate enrollment numbers enough to stay within a certain classification, as one principal stated, "We will never move up in classification. We will just move the numbers around." Those wishing to give input to those voting on the proposals can contact Excell at 566-068- 1 or Arnold at Final decision will be made after each high school has the opportunity to review the proposal and give input. North Sanpete officials say they wont hold their breath. They dont expect to be heard. pre-seas- 381-268- 9. then-view- s |