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Show .Vernal Express, Wednesday, February 16, 2005 A3 Board removes ninth grade from West Junior Board renews Gurney s contract The Uintah School District Board of Education voted Feb. 8 to remove the ninth grade from West Junior High School (WJHS) starting next school year. The vote was unanimous in spite of vigorous opposition from parent representatives. Ninth grade students will have their choice of going to Vernal Junior High School (VJHS) or to Union High School in Roosevelt. Those students who choose to go to Roosevelt must register regis-ter with Union High School by March 1 of this year to be eligible. eli-gible. A handful of parents representing rep-resenting a variety of organizations organi-zations and agencies pleaded with board members not to move their children. They cited progress that has been made toward removing West Junior from the No Child Left Behind improvement list as one reason for keeping their ninth grade children in WJHS. Bart Stevens, principal at West, made a convincing presentation to the board in favor of the move. Stevens had documentation of surveys he had taken from teachers and parents. Fourteen parents responded to two attempts to complete a parent survey. Of those 14 who responded, 11 were in favor of the move. Nine members of the West Junior School Community Council were in favor of the move and two were against. The Ute Tribe Education Board took an official stand against removing the ninth grade from the school. Stevens' main point in favor of the move is the declining number of students enrolled at West Junior High. With a ninth grade class of only 20 students, it is impossible to offer the wide variety of subjects and activities activi-ties that other ninth grade students stu-dents receive. Students going to either VJHS or to Union will have a much broader array of academic, trade and art classes available to them. Stevens also cited behavioral behav-ioral problems as one reason for eliminating the ninth grade from WJHS. He said many ninth grade students start the year at VJHS, Union or boarding board-ing school but return to WJHS before the year is over. They return with failing grades, pending suspension, behavioral behav-ioral issues and Safe School violations. This creates a dangerous dan-gerous situation, especially for the sixth and seventh grade students, when "mob mentality" mental-ity" sets in with the returning students. Stevens said when WJHS was placed on the improvement improve-ment list by the No Child Left Elbert Ray King Renee Lynn Miller Adam Preston Nielson Rolene Kalar Spaulding Sheriff's Warrants Warrants of arrest from the 8th District Court as of Tuesday, Feb. 15, include the following individuals: Elbert Ray King, born April 24, 1965, who is wanted on a no-bail warrant. Renee Lynn Miller, born May 16, 1979, who is wanted on a $2,000 warrant. Adam Preston Nielson, born Oct. 30, 1984, who is wanted want-ed on a $5,000 warrant. Rolene Kalar Spaulding, born Sept. 28, 1964, who is wanted want-ed on a $1,599 warrant. Persons with information about the location of these individuals should contact the Uintah County Sheriffs Department, 789-2511; Central Dispatch, 7894222 or use the Secret Witness Line, 781-5400. Behind Act, "It shot us in the foot." With the school on the improvement list, the district was forced to give the students the choice of moving to another anoth-er school. "All the non-Native American students left," Stevens stated. Removing the ninth grade from WJHS will remove the choice of ninth grade students returning to the school and bringing their academic and behavioral problems with them. Without the choice of going back to WJHS, and with a wider choice of subjects and activities, students may have greater incentive to succeed in the other schools. Superintendent Wayne Gurney supported Stevens request. Both men stated this move is not being made for economic eco-nomic reasons, but rather is being done to provide the best educational opportunities possible pos-sible for all students. By Virginia Harrington Express Writer The Uintah School District Board of Education voted to renew the contract of Superintendent Wayne Gurney for another two years. The unanimous vote was made during dur-ing the board meeting held Feb. 8. State law requires superintendent superin-tendent contracts to be for a term of two years. Gurney is currently finishing his fourth year. The new contract will give him a total of six years as superintendent. Gurney has 34 years invested invest-ed in education in Utah, making mak-ing him eligible for retirement. He said he chose to remain in his position for another term in order to see several important issues worked through. "We've made some good strides in reading. All the elementary ele-mentary schools and Discovery are doing an outstanding job," Dr. Michael J. Bjornson, Ph.D., Clinical Health Psychologist with Comprehensive Psychological Services Inc., is offering services for new and previous pediatric and adult patients at his vernal office. As Vernal's most experienced Psychologist, Dr. Bjornson offers individual, group, couples, and family services. He utilizes proven intervention strategies such as Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution Oriented, and Family Systems Therapy, Biofeedback Neurofeedback, & Hypnosis, to help people effectively deal with the following: Stress, Depression, and Anxiety, including Panic Disorder, 0CD, and Phobias Psychological management of medical illness, including Cancer, Heart Disease, M.S., Diabetes, Hypertension, etc. Chronic Pain & Headache management Pre-Surgical Psychological Evaluations CouplesRelationships 'Weight Loss & Fitness Plans f ating Disorders & Body Image Problems ADHD & Behavioral Problems. 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Gurney also said he thinks moving the ninth grade out of West Junior High School is a good move. "We can't have the offerings in a small school that we have in a larger school. The students will get a more comprehensive com-prehensive education at Vernal Junior High or at Union." He said he expects most of the ninth grade students from West will go to Union, with about 10 to 12 moving to Vernal Junior High. One of Gurney's goals is to build a trust level with the community. com-munity. "We care about the students, stu-dents, the patrons and the staff. My philosophy is if the employees employ-ees are happy, this spreads to the students and their parents and all the way to the school board." Gurney complimented the current members of the school board and said he enjoys working work-ing with them. He said the members support him and listen lis-ten to community input at the same time. They don't "plow ahead" without listening to all sides. Gurney said the school board is also trying to increase the trust level. The lack of trust stems from the neighborhood schools issues. "We have to be honest and upfront; we can't say one thing and do another," he stated. Another issue Gurney wants to see worked on during his next term is physical improvements improve-ments to all the school buildings build-ings in the district "We need public support to provide proper prop-er facilities for the students." Gurney has a total of 37 years in education. He spent three years in education in Wyoming before coming to Utah. He has been an English and speech teacher at the junior and senior high school levels. He has been involved in the Youth in Custody program and was director of the alternative school in Vernal. He held the position of assistant principal at Vernal High School and was principal of Discovery, Vernal Junior High School and Davis Elementary before becoming superintendent. "I do like kids, very much so," stated Gurney. 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