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Show AN E D I T I O N O F P R I D E & P R O G R E S S PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID SPANISH FORK, UTAH PERMIT NO. 2 The Spanish Fork News M VOL. 2 / NO. 8 I. O C A L L Y O W N E D A N D OWEDNESDAY, P E R FEBRUARY A T E 21, D 2007 500 SPANISH FORK, UTAH Sense of SECURITY Steve Hardman / Spanish Fork News LANDMARK: Plans are under way to build a new structure to house Nebo's alternative high school. Nebo plans for new Landmark High School Steve Hardman EDITOR Hardman / Spanish Fork News ON DUTY: Salem City Police Officer Greg Gurney makes sure students get safely to the bus at Salem Elementary. Shooting threat averted by police, school district Christy Hardman STAFF WRITER didn't get it written down. It all happened so fast." Clark said she managed to Just before 9 a.m. on get the attention of the head Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007, the clerk, Jill Christensen, and phone rang at the Salem Post put the phone on speaker. Office. Cindy Clark, rural route All Christensen heard of the carrier, answered it. There was conversation was: "You'd better a man on the other end of the take me serious." line. Clark hung up and "I just answered the phone, immediately called the police. and the guy said, 'I have She said it was an emotional something to tell you and you'd experience that was magnified better listen,'" Clark said. "He by the shooting that had taken said there's a lunatic that was place the night before at Trolley going to shoot up the school, Square. and I better take him serious. "I felt a lot of pressure," she He rattled off a phone number said. "It hung over me the whole if I wanted to confirm it, but I day. I had to keep going down and talking to different officers. If it hadn't been the day after the Trolley Square shooting, it probably wouldn't have been so devastating." The Salem PoliceDepartment put the Salem schools on "heightened security." Foothills, Mt. Loafer and Salem had police officers present on site and patrolling the surrounding areas throughout the entire day. All the entrances were locked. The schools established regular routines, and the office personnel took on the awesome task of contacting all of the parents to tell them of the situation. They gave the parents the option to come and pick up their kids. Most of the parents opted to do so. Some just came to the school to check on their children. Lana Hiskey, Nebo School District, said there were one or two parents that had received misinformation. "They came in hysterical because they heard there had actually been a shooting," she said. According to Hiskey, there are between 380 and 400 students in each of the three schools. By the end of the day, See SCHOOLS • A8 Joint agreement set for Wahoo Arena Christy Hardman STAFF WRITER The Salem City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Payson City on a joint-use of the Wahoo Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Payson's arena was demolished last fall. They are building baseball and soccer fields in its place, but there is still a great deal of interest in steer roping and barrel racing in Payson. Payson has a 4H club, as well as a riding club and a high school rodeo organization. According to Salem Mayor Lane Henderson, Payson approached Salem about the possibility of the jointuse privileges six or seven months ago. "We've had committees set up to voice concerns on both sides," Henderson said, "and from the beginning they've been willing to work around whatever concerns came up. Whenever you have an inner-local agreement, there's always a question of who is going to take advantage of who, and you need to work through these concerns, to establish the rules from the beginning." Henderson said they've been looking for ways to rejuvenate the arena as it has been underutilized. In this case he sees the joint-use with Payson as a win-win situation for everyone. "They were really looking for a place for their youth, which really appealed to us," he said. "We build a lot of soccer fields and baseball fields, but we need to remember that not every one participates in those types of activities. There are still a lot of people who want to ride and rope, and we need to keep these facilities open and available for them." While Payson will benefit from use of the Chad Carter / Spanish Fork News READY TO RIDE: A young mutton buster sits atop his mount at the Wahoo Arena. Youth from Payson will now be able to use the facility as well. arena, they are willing to give back, and the Wahoo Arena will benefit from the agreement. 'They're putting a lot of initial money into upgrading it," Henderson said. "One of the first things they're doing is to re-sand it. That entails taking the old sand out, and bringing new sand in. It's quite an expense. Safety fencing will be added, and the clubs will be helping with painting and clean up." Henderson said that the city hopes that the high schools will be able to use the arena. "We want to make it rodeofriendlyfor whoever wants to use it," he said. Most people know about the two new high schools coming to the area: Salem Hills and Maple Mountain. Bui few realize that Nebo School District will actually be building three high schools simultaneously. In addition, the district will break ground on a new Landmark High School this spring. The authorization to start construction was given at the District Board Meeting, held on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. The Board voted unanimously to approve the bid by Westland Construction to build the new alternative high school. The cost of the project is $7.68 million, taken out of capital funds, and is anticipated to be completed in early 2008. The location of the new Landmark, 100 West 600 South in Spanish Fork, is only a few blocks south of the school's current address. Situated on 15 acres, the new facility will vastly increase the number of quality teaching stations, as well as provide a full-size gymnasium, playing fields, two computer labs and a full-size media center. Landmark High School, which serves the district's at-risk youth, currently has over 300 students. One hundred and forty attend day school, with the remainder taking classes in the evening or via independent study. Due to size constraints, there is a waiting list of students hoping to attend the day school. "With population growth, the demand for students to get extra help has increased," said Landmark principal Joe Kelly. "Right now, our biggest classroom is 450 square feet. We just don't have the space and facilities to keep up with that growth." In the new building, the average classroom will be 750 square feet and there will be 22 teaching stations compared to the eight in use today. "At-risk students especially need to learn to write and present," said Kelly. "They need better access and capabilities, especially with technology. This school will be built with the students in mind." "There is no doubt, this will be the nicest alternative high school in Utah," he added. Landmark High School has been serving students in the district since 1976. Its students are those who may be behind in academic credit, have problems with truancy or other concerns. "We have students here from all walks of life," Kelly said. The mission of the school is to "provide quality educational alternatives in a safe, caring environment of acceptance, understanding and respect, so that each student may achieve persona], academic and career goals leading to responsible citizenship." "That's what we do," said Kelly. "That's who we are." In addition to Landmark, the bid by Hogan Construction for Maple Mountain High School was also accepted Wednesday night. Maple Mountain, which will be funded by bond money approved in 2003, will open in the fall of 2009. It's cost is $38 million. The other Nebo high school, Salem Hills, is currently under construction and will be completed in March of 2008 and slated to open for students that fall. r i m { |