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Show For the kids' pirpsa! M(h s(slh3 With the major influx of students effec-ing effec-ing the elementary and Vernal Junior ligh in the Uintah School District, one vonders why after three bond defeats could the school board propose to build nd equip a new high school? The answer is centered on long-range lanning that will also provide room in le elementary and junior high grades. By building a new high school in shley Valley, the district will gain a jnior high in the old high school for ighth and ninth grades and an elemen-ry elemen-ry by converting Vernal Junior High lto a middle school for grades six and even. "We want to continue to use Uintah igh School," said Gary Taylor, board lember, "we won't walk away from any f that facility." Superintendent Phil Ellis told board lembers Thursday that building a new igh school provides advantages of liminating double sessions at Vernal unior High and providing a modern up-date educational facility for high chool students. Ellis said that all of the students in the listrict would benefit from a new high ichool because they would have the op- portunity to attend the high school. Impact Im-pact money is available at a very reasonable interest rate (4.5) to help pay for the cost of construction and the sale of bonds should both be favorable for the taxpayers in the immediate future. Presently the Uintah School District has maintained no bonded indebtedness persuing a "pay as you go" building program. pro-gram. Board members contend that because a high school is too expensive to build on a pay-as-you-go program, the district should bond for the revenue. Thomas Howells, board member to be, . asked the board why they didn't consider having two high schools by building another smaller one. Dr. Ed Oscarson, board member, said the community wouldn't support two high schools, which would divide the sports program and educational resources. "Cost wise it is more economical to just have one high school," Ellis said. Ellis said that a large high school may create more social problems in the district, but the advantages outweight the disadvantages. According to figures released by Richard Tolley, school district clerk, if the $17 million bond issue passed it would raise the district mill levy, the lowest in the state, 2.48 mills. On a $75,000 home the taxes would increase $37. Uintah School District presently levies 26.92 mills. The state average is 39.44 mills. In February of 1984, because of the increased increas-ed property value of Uintah County because of the Bonanza Power Plant and possibly other energy projects, the increase in-crease would not be needed, Tolley said. Other alternatives to building a new high school would be to build a new middle mid-dle school, but board members, although committed to the middle school concept, believe that it wouldn't solve the future problem of the high school near capacity. The board agreed that double sessions at the high school or year-round school could be a solution, but supported these alternatives only as a last resort. "The board has evaluated this problem for three years," said Gary Taylor, "and in my mind the most acceptable alternative alter-native is a new high school." Taylor stressed the flexibility afforded by the high school concept in accommodating accom-modating growth on both the secondary and primary levels. ' |