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Show 0 R E M TIMES Page S NEWS AND IDEAS FROM CLASSROOMS AND EDUCATORS Thursday, August 21, 2008 Suncrest Stallions welcome new principal MichaelJRigert NORTH COUNTY STAFF A self -described hard worker who enjoys working with students more than he does adults, Tom Freeman is the new principal at Suncrest Elementary School in Orem. Over the past 12 years Freeman Free-man was content teaching in grades 3 through 6 at Val-leyview Val-leyview Elementary in Pleasant Pleas-ant Grove and Cedar Ridge Elementary in Cedar Hills. But it wasn't until he was mentored and coached by then-Cedar Ridge Elementary principal and friend Steve Cherrington that Freeman realized re-alized the amount of good he could do as an administrator. "He was an example to me of someone who cared and he put kids first though he took a lot of heat for it." Freeman said. "He showed me it was possible to ... make a difference." differ-ence." Over a year ago, the Ridgecrest. Calif., native enrolled in Brigham Young University's Leadership Preparation Prepa-ration Program for educators seeking to earn a master's degree and get into school administration. ad-ministration. "It was a 14-month brain drain," Freeman joked, adding that the hands-on internship at Lone Peak High School. Lakeridge Junior High School, and Santaquin Elementary was truly an eye-opener. Since arriving at Suncrest Elementary. Freeman has been impressed with faculty members' teamwork, sense of family and their commitment to their students. "It's easy to get further and move to another school, but bruin Tiana Cole Hey Bruins, it's time. Whether or not we're ready to admit it. summer is over and school is back in session. There are mixed emotions HI END OF SUMMER SALE: NOW 33 OFF f Vinyl How X ArailableinC0l0Rs , red, grrm, bronzt, re whitt, almond, If a ' " ' j S A' fP'tS i WW! I ' - Windcnrj & J- Door. inc Utah toll free 888 201 7135 Showroom 505 N 1200 Wert, Orem in h2) n these teachers are dedicated to these little kids and driven by that," he said. "If you have to spend the day with a group of people, what better place than with dedicated people." He was also struck by the school's sense of community among parents and the idea that Suncrest parents want to help all children at the school succeed, not just their own kids. When Freeman attended his first student assembly at Suncrest Sun-crest last spring, he brought along several of his teenage daughters who thought they remembered attending the school when the family lived in Orem years ago. He corrected cor-rected their memory. "You never went there," he told them, "I brought the kids to play here. We kind of lived by Trafalga." Freeman plans to carry over many of the traditions and programs pro-grams of his predecessor, John Patten, who accepted a district position last spring with the Alpine School District. But that doesn't mean he won't add his own touches and insights including placing a greater emphasis on students who are getting left behind and providing more support to them. He would also like to welcome a wider cross-section of Suncrest parents and the nearby community, many of whom are Latino, to be more involved with school projects and activities. "It's not just a school," Freeman Free-man said. "It's kind of a community com-munity center." Enrollment at Suncrest Elementary El-ementary this fall is expected to be at approximately 470 students, he said. concerning coming back to school Personally. I was more or less bored with summer by the end of it. but I dreaded returning re-turning to school at the same time. In fact. 1 dreaded it so much that I got myself into a bit of a depressive funk. I was in denial. 1 think I can speak for almost al-most everyone when I say that summer went by a little bit too fast. Why is it that we start school w hile those of us Manu'aauren usr rrice Triple Coat Low E Glass for energy efficiency! Qualifies for Energy Rebates in ii his Easy Clean Glass Multiple Brands & Models to choose from Lifetime Warranties Licensed & Insured In-House Installers Free Estimates Wood-Steel-Fiberglass 223-7052 www.rockymountainwindows.com One Year No Interest O.A.C. f1 if I 1 r t 7 Z V Is 'f '' ; ' X 'x' i'" . '( A5n;' v l - : y,. . ' ? I'll?- Vi o v - ;? -? ; 111 ' 'r ?Q Tom Freeman is the new principal in the northern hemisphere (which should be just about everyone reading this article) are still experiencing summer? sum-mer? Astronomically, the first day of fall isn't until Monday. Sept. 22. this year. To be fair, though, we do get out of school before summer officially of-ficially starts, so I guess it's a reasonable trade-off. This past week has been a typical first week back, including finding classrooms. I M I l'J 1 3 . LI 3 l I Z II KJ'k wV ii Non-surgical ) f ; X - reduction of disc bulges, t I i .. 1'?? " disc herniation. f . "Vf ' If " "VC Back & Neck Pain II ' K Auto Accident IX jjtX. 5 Eua CMHulutkn 3 at Suncrest Elementary School reuniting with friends you haven't seen all summer (or in a few days), showing off new school clothes, and getting back into the swing of things. For those students who are new to the school, it's been an especially exciting week getting used to everything at Mountain View. The more I think about it, I guess 1 am a little excited to be back. As our theme this year says. 4 1 IJ I'l 1 1 o 1 1 1 1 1 i fi .-'im vHZT O MICHAEL RIGERTNorth County in Orem. "It's Time" time to make new friends, time for new classes, time to show off our school spirit, and for some, time for a new school. For me, it's also time for this new column, col-umn, and I'm excited. This year Ls going to be full of great memories and events, and I can't wait to be there for them. Welcome back, everyone. ev-eryone. ; GOING ON VACATION? 'DONATE YOUR PAPER J 375-5103- wtt-w.?;:.;; 2xtra.com " Aspen Mortgage Your Home Lam Sixxialiscs Reverse Rrlortages So payments So income, credit or employment requirements. Pay off debt Tax free Choke - monthly installments, lump sum or credit line Won't afTect SS or Medicare You continue to o n home. Call us toda to appl . Find out why our past clients think we are the best. f ' 'V ' - J I T ., rrmnrxzrTrvr notes All Schools Labor Day holiday There will be no classes held on Monday. Sept. 1. in observance obser-vance of f.abor Day. Mountain View High School Student YearbookID pictures pic-tures Will be taken today and Friday during English classes. School dress standards stan-dards apply. Shakespeare auditions Will run through Friday. Hi Week assembly and dance The assembly will be on Friday at 9 a.m. while the Back to School Dance will be Friday at 8:30 p.m. Musical auditions Will be held Monday through Thursday, Aug. 28. UHSAA Soccer clinic and rules clinic Will be on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 30, at 9 a.m., respectively. Utah County Academy of Sciences UVU classes begin On Wednesday, Aug. 27. Back to School Night Will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28. Lakeridge Jr. High School Ninth-grade Barbecue Will be held on Friday. Best of State student assembly Students, faculty fac-ulty and special guests will celebrate Lakeridge being named a Best in State School on Aug. 27. Time is still to be determined. Picture day Student school pictures will be taken on Thursday. Aug. 28, and Friday. Aug. 29. Cherry Hill Elementary Kindergarten First Day of School Will be on Monday. Back to School Night For all students and parents to meet teachers and administrators adminis-trators will be Tuesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Orem Elementary Kindergarten assessments Will be through Friday. Kindergarten first day of school Will be on Monday. Suncrest Elementary Kindergarten and preschool first day of school Will be on Monday. Vineyard Elementary First day of school for kindergarten kin-dergarten students Will be on Monday. A 0-er 50 years combined lending experience rl 756-7434 ' . ,.. , .ie, & 1'&M$J S iki -,. t.., PtarcluncRcfii! ,J I 5 ' "if |