Show r cl ool fai I Notta I By Dr Wayne Reid Superintendent r I IThe The school age parent II I II I I Each year hundreds of thousands of teenagers become parents before they become adults They actually must support a child before they can even support themselves They must guide their childs child's emotional development before they truly understand their own feelings They must contribute to a childs child's ability to learn and prepare the child for school before they have finished their own education They must help the child develop Independence while they still are arc resolving matters related to in independence independence independence in- in dependence with their own parents For school school-a school age e parents the problems and responsibilities that accompany the birth of a baby can bring traumatic changes and adjustments in their own lives and In relationships with family members and friends TilE THE HOME and the school need to work hand in hand to help control these traumatic situations Under the extremely extremely extremely ex ex- ex- ex capable direction of Mrs Mrs' Rhoda DeVed the Uintah School District is attempting to reach this need It helps the young parent or the parent who hasn't completed high school to better understand and deal with the often confusing conditions and situations parenthood brings for them in addition to mastering academic skills This type of counseling and caring may help teenage parents deal with the changes in their lives and th the adjustments they are required to mak make While the vast majority of school-age school parents are considered considered con con- minors in the eyes of the law they still have certain legal rights which can open up opportunities opportunities opportunities op op- op- op for a better life for I themselves and their children One such right Is the right to a public education which our district Is happy to provide Tim THE YOUNG person needs however to carefully consider the options and problems of a teenage marriage Medically the problems mount with the lowering of marriage age for instance babies born to teenagers are almost three times as likely to die during the first year than babies born to mothers in their twenties Babies nabies born to teenagers are arc more likly to be born with or to develop childhood illnesses than infants born to mothers mother In their twenties Maternal death is far higher for the teenage mother than for women in their twenties Unfortunately in many areas of our country eight out of ten women who become becom mothers at seventeen or younger never never finish l high gh school Sixty percent of all teenage mothers become dependent on public welfare Two thirds of all marriages of school age women end in divorce For school-age school women who become pregnant before they are married three out of five are divorced within six years of marriage We We naturally hope our young people finish high school before contemplating marriage however for those few who do donot donot donot not we must help them in their futures also These young people have not only themselves themselves them them- selves but also their young children to think about These young parents need to develop maturity at a rapid pace We compliment Mrs DeVed and her picked hand-picked staff for the important job they are doing for our young people and for our community |