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Show A8 Sanpete Messenger-Gunnison Valley Edition In the Interest of Children Finding the balance in education John Thomas Teaching Principal Spring City Elementary In addressing the many challenges that face public education today, too often our public officials focus on only John Thomas a few areas. Often, ironically, these areas are not even the most critical challenges facing education. As an educator, I believe that we need to find a specific balance in the curriculum and in the expectations placed on public schools. Public schools in our state and nation attempt something not undertaken in many places in the world, namely, to provide all students with a high quality education and a preparation for life as a productive individual citizen. As educators, we must find the time it takes to balance the many subject areas students are expected to learn without forgetting the essential life skills that help students become good citizens. Educators have sometimes been guilty of getting caught up in trends and programs rather than in what is really needed to have a balanced curriculum. Unfortunately, in the public view schools are rated as successful or failing based solely upon their performance in reading, math and science. This emphasis often leads to a flat curriculum: teaching only what is necessary to pass a test and leaving out learning for deeper understanding. Not everything is flat, however, because emphasis on learning has led to research on what works in school, which benefits students at all levels. For instance, in reading, if a student is only taught the skill of decoding or sounding out words, he may be a “reader” by that definition when he can read a sentence from beginning to end. He probably sounds like a robot with no expression and with little understanding. A more balanced approach to reading instruction emphasizes that the process of understanding print is to help a student get meaning from the words as he interacts with the text. The goal is to help reading become a lifelong love rather than a drudgery only done to get through school. What about math and science? Mathematics is usually thought of as a set of skills that students acquire by practicing basic facts and operations. Unfortunately, if a student lacks those skills, it often limits his or her ability to get into more complex classes later in school. In fact, most college freshmen are still struggling with the math they were taught but did not learn in the fourth and fifth grades. We must do better at getting beyond this limited view and help students learn strategies to think deeply about mathematics and apply their skills, discuss when and how they would use them, and why mathematics works. We need a balance between skills and problem-solving applications to real life. Science also requires critical thinking skills that enable students to go beyond just learning definitions and formulas. With balanced hands-on learning, students develop curiosity and love for finding out how things work and why. The biggest balancing act facing education is how to balance the expectation that all students must learn the basics while still teaching the other subjects we value as a society. Reading, math and science cannot be all we want students to learn. If all we ever had were the cold hard facts, life would be very cold, too. The arts, music and social sciences help us appreciate the aesthetic beauty of the world and who we are as humans. Legislators must balance their expectations of education on a more rounded education rather than simply on students memorizing facts to do well on tests. Wednesday, February 6, 2008 UHSAA proposes to put Manti in 3A Growth forces schools from 3A classification, activities association seeks to fill the holes By John Hales Managing editor SALT LAKE CITY—The good old days of the MantiNorth Sanpete high school rivalry could be on their way back, beginning in 2009, if the Utah High School Activities Association adopts a school-realignment plan currently under consideration. The rivalry between the two schools waned in recent years, ever since North Sanpete High School entered the ranks of 3A schools, leaving 2A Manti and Gunnison to form their own, bigger intra-county rivalry. But if a draft realignment proposal is accepted next year as it is in its current form, Manti High School would become 3A in 2009, and a potential rivalry with North Sanpete could resume. But that won’t be because Manti has grown enough to become 3A. Rather, the UHSAA is lowering the number of students used as the threshold between 2A and 3A. The draft proposal would classify schools having a student body of 400-999 students as 3A, whereas the current range is 450-1199. Manti’s current enrollment is 444, according to Principal Ralph Squire, which makes the school 2A now, but would put it in the 3A classification under the proposed numbers. Squire says lowering the number is an attempt to equalize the ranks of 3A, as current 3A schools are growing enough to move into 4A, but 2A schools aren’t growing at the same rate to replace them in 3A. Squire says he is opposed to the proposed classification, as are four other principals in Manti’s current region. “Five of the seven wanted to keep the region the same. I was in favor of keeping Region 12 the same. I put in a letter to the UHSAA and the realignment coordinator ... to keep the number at 450.” Squire’s reasoning, he said, was not because he felt Manti couldn’t do well in extracurricular competition against 3A schools, but because of the increased cost in terms of travel and time out of school for students. “It impacts the travel that we have to make. We’ll have more out-of-class time. Right now, the bulk of our region is within an hour; five of the seven schools currently are within an hour of here.” The proposed new region that Manti would move into would look much like the region it was in 20 years ago—Manti, North Sanpete, Juab, Delta and Emery. Manti would find itself competing again in athletics, drama, music, and speech and debate against schools such as Grantsville, Hurricane, Park City and the dreaded (in athletics, at least) Juan Diego. “It puts us back in a spot we’ve been before. I think we could be successful in the region we’re being placed in, if it comes to pass,” Squire said. “It will be a change for us, but we’re confident we have good programs run by good people, and we’ll be just fine.” The UHSAA Board of Trustees will hear comment from schools and districts in March, prior to developing a second draft of the realignment plan. “This is the first draft, and they are allowing schools and districts to say their piece. I don’t think in the alignment process they’ve ever gone with the first draft 100 percent. It’s not a done deal yet.” The final plan will be announced in June. Veterans announce oration winner By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer GUNNISON—District 6 of the American Legion, including Gunnison Post 104 and Centerfield Post 105, announced the winner of this year’s oratorical contest at the Gunnison Valley High School on Thursday, Jan. 31. Jonathan Warren, son of Randy and Marilyn Warren of Gunnison, was selected by the judges as this year’s winner. Jonathan was also a winner in last year’s competition. Also participating in the contest representing the Centerfield Post was Jessica Ward, daughter of Rory and Melynda Ward of Gunnison. The American Legion was founded in 1919 and is the world’s largest veterans organization, comprising 3 million ex-servicemen who served during armed conflict. The National High School Oratorical Contest was developed by the American Legion to instill a better knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States in high school students. Other objectives include the development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly, and the preparation for acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship. The contest involves two sections. The prepared oration must be on some phase of the Constitution of the United States KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Participants in this year’s American Legion oratory contest representing Gunnison Post 104 and Centerfield Post 105 are Newell Pickett, Jonathan Warren, Alan Peterson, Jessica Ward, Reed Roberts and Mark Pickett. and give emphasis to the attendant duties and obligations of a citizen to the government. It must be the original effort of each contestant and must not take up less than eight minutes or more than 10 minutes for delivery. A penalty is assessed if the participant does not stay within those time constraints. The second part of the contest is a three- to five-minute impromptu speech on a chosen amendment to the Constitution. In this particular contest, it was on Article 2 — the Power of Impeachment. Local judges for the event included Newell and Nola Pickett, Lorie Beck, Denise Hill, and Leisa Johnson. John Carter of Elsinore also represented District 6. Timers were Alan Peterson and Reed Roberts. Students who win at the local high school level move on to the district level, then the state level, which will be held at the Veterans Hospital, on Saturday, Feb. 16. Should Jonathan win at this level, he would advance to the national level. The first-place participant on the local level receives $100, and the second-place participant receives $50 from the Legion post that they are representing in the contest. In addition to scholarships given at the state level, first-round participants in the national contest receive $1,500 scholarships. The first-place winner in the national contest takes home an $18,000 scholarship. The next two finishers receive $16,000 and $14,000 scholarships respectively. Scholarships are given to assist winners in paying the cost of a college education. The national finals contest will be conducted April 5-6 at Indiana UniversityPurdue. Mark Pickett and members of Gunnison Post 104 and Centerfield Post 105 express their appreciation to all those who participated and helped in any way with this year’s contest. GIC donates 4-wheeler for fundraiser By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer Call from 1 to 20 numbers FREE! See store for details. PROUD SUPPORTER OF SANPETE EDUCATION GUNNISON—Someone will win a four-wheeler d u r i n g t h e G u n n i s o n Va l ley High School basketball game with South Sevier on Friday. The event will be the culmination of a fundraising/ service project that students began in November. S t u d e n t b o d y o ff i c e r s J o r d a n C a l d w e l l , Te s s a Christensen, Cari Garff, Jimmy West and Tilly Miller kicked off the fundraiser on Monday, Nov. 12, by spreading the spirit of service with the help of teacher Lars Johnson. All students made a circle around the middle hallway of the school, and when given a signal, linked their hands together. Johnson then sent an electrical charge through the group. The youth were charged with enthusiasm to sell raffle tickets for a four-wheeler that had been donated to the high school by Gunnison Implement Co. GIC had donated the four-wheeler to the school with the desire to see students figure out a way to raise money that would be used in some kind of service to others. The school decided that the students would sell raffle tickets and set a goal to collect $6,000. Students would then divide the funds b e t w e e n s e v e r a l d i ff e r e n t service projects. They determined that they would donate $1,500 to the Sub for Santa program, $1,500 to military families of the 145th, $1,200 for Easter baskets that would go to Primary Children’s Medical Center, $1,000 for Kick Back to the Community, $600 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and $200 for student activities. Raffle tickets are being sold at basketball games PHOTO COURTESY HIGH SCHOOL Gunnison Valley High School studentbody officers Jimmy West, Tilly Miller, Tessa Christensen, Cari Garff and Jordan Caldwell will raffle a four-wheeler this Friday to help raise funds for a service project. The four-wheeler was donated by Gunnison Implement. and wrestling matches, at Subway during lunchtime, and at the Gunnison Market. Tickets are $5 each. Area residents still have time to purchase their tickets prior to the game on Friday. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support the students of GVHS and help them reach their fundraising goal. |