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Show Vernal Express Wednesday, June 28, 2006 AH " ft X) f ' " ? ' A President of the School Board, Charles Nelson. Tod Tesar, welcomes Superintendent Board President gives oath of office to new Superintendent ' i "Dippy" diplodocus skeleton greets visitors as they enter the Utah Field House. By Elizabeth Goode Express Writer The Executive Session of the Uintah School District Board met at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20. The regular meeting opened at 7:05 p.m. to a full crowd. Administrators, parents and teens were present to make reports, offer opinions, and support others who carried out those efforts. For a report of the "Status of D Grades for Secondary Students," the Board had requested data to show the grade differences following the implementation of the "No D" system. Graphs were furnished and reports were made by a student, parents and administrative adminis-trative representatives from Uintah High School and Vernal Junior High. For the High School, the over-all impression impres-sion from parents who stepped forward is that it has caused many teens to feel discouraged, lose self-confidence, and even drop out of school. Some parents par-ents thought it was a great idea at the onset, a way to motivate their children to work harder to get a C grade rather than the failing mark. Rather, they have discovered that the youngster who struggles without succeeding suc-ceeding is not allowed to participate par-ticipate in sports and becomes depressed and believes that "it is pointless everything." This expression was made by a couple's son who struggled, but missed the grade in one class by 1 percent, resulting in an F rather than a C. The Board was asked to reconsider the policy because the Utah high schools with whom UHS competes are allowed to play in sports with a D grade, but UHS students are limited not only to "No F" but also to "No D" because of the rule. Sports can encourage kids to stay in school, but the inability inabil-ity to make the grade can give them a reason to drop out. Others commented that there are those who are D students, stu-dents, working hard; not everyone every-one is an A, B or C student. A Special Ed teacher reported that "students with a low learning learn-ing profile are not qualified for special education. A lot of students stu-dents didn't graduate because they were in the D range. The rule pushes some students UP, but many OUT." Kent Bunderson, Junior High Principal, pictured a different dif-ferent result from that school. "The Junior High staff supports sup-ports it 100 percent," he reported. report-ed. "Students that were getting D grades have risen to C." It was suggested that older students stu-dents (high school level) have a harder time because they have been accustomed to getting Ds for a longer period of time. Another response was that the data shows fewer Fs because the students dropped out earlier earli-er and were not counted in the number. It would also be helpful help-ful to know how many students would have received D grades, had there been that option. The Board thanked the school staff for the reports and requested more data, formatted format-ted in like methods, for both the Junior and High Schools. It was a report item only for this agenda, not an agenda item. "It is the intent of the Board to do what is best for the students," concluded Tod Tesar. The other discussion from the floor was regarding the West Side Boundary; the Board will meet in July to look again at that issue and approve a boundary. This was the last meeting , for several administrators, including Superintendent Wayne Gurney, who leaves for retirement after 35 years in the School District; Larry Klein, Human Resources Director; and Dixie Allen, former Principal of several schools in the District. The new Superintendent of Uintah School District is Charles Nelson, who will officially offi-cially assume his duties on July 1. This being the last meeting prior to that time, the Oath of Office Ceremony for Superintendent Charles Nelson was conducted by School Board President, Tod Tesar. Other agenda items included: Update on Return to Neighborhood Schools, Personnel Issues, and numerous numer-ous proposals which were approved: Purchase of equipment equip-ment for Computer Integrated Manufacturing Course at UHS; Resolution Appointing Guardianship for Student to Enroll; Revisions to Student Dress Code; New Policy, Student Use of Cell Phones and Other Communication Devices; Boanr of Education Meeting Schedule for 2006-2007 School Year; Employee Compensation Package; Mobile Lab at Naples Elementary; Final Amended Budget for 2005-2006 Fiscal Year; Final Budget 2006-2007 2006-2007 Fiscal Year; Policies for Examinations, Permits and Licenses and for Salary. Museum Dinosaur to celebrate birthday July 4 The USA celebrates its birthday birth-day every Fourth of July. That date also happens to be the birthday, in a sense, of one of the world's best-known dinosaurs. dino-saurs. The original fossil bones of "Dippy," the Diplodocus skeleton that greets visitors as they enter the Utah Field House of Natural History, were discovered on July 4, 1899. The Field House will celebrate cel-ebrate that discovery with a birthday party for Dippy on Tuesday, July 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. The party will begin at 1 p.m. with a talk in front of the Diplodocus skeleton, describing describ-ing its discovery and later history. his-tory. Birthday cake will be served after the talk, and there will be games and dinosaur drawing in the lobby from 1:15 to 3 p.m. At 2 p.m. "The Little Dryosaurus," a story for younger young-er children, will be presented in the Jurassic Hall. Festivities will wrap up at 3 p.m. with singing "Happy Birthday" to Dippy. Regular museum admission admis-sion fees will apply, but there is no extra charge for the special events. ' The original 1899 fossil discovery dis-covery was made by paleontologists paleon-tologists from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Penn. A partial par-tial skeleton found near Sheep Creek, Wyo. was given the name Diplodocus carnegii in honor of the museum's founder, steel tycoon and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Museum scientists sci-entists returned to Sheep Creek Rangely Family Medicine Clinic Holiday schedule The Rangely Family- vj Medicine Clinic will Be closed iatlirdayTJUly 1 and Sundavput the Clinic will Be open Monday July 3, closed on TuesdayJuly v43ni A reopen on Wednesday, July Jones Waldo's Plaintiff Personal Injury ant) Medical Malpractice Group has many years of combined legal experience representing those injured by the negligence of individuals, corporations and the medical profession. If you or a family member have been injured, or if a family member has been killed by the negligence of someone else, please contact an attorney from the group for a free consultation concerning your case. Jones Waldo has created a specialized medical malpractice team to assist individuals and families in pursuing their legal rights to fair compensation and to help them move forward with their lives following a medical injury. This expert team includes the attorneys, nurse practitioners, medical record experts, and independent expert consultants who work together to obtain fair compensation for injured patients. TOLL FREE: 888.445.0880 www.utahmedicalinjury.com www.ioneswaldo.compimedmal ATTORNEYS: Bret M. Hanna Mark J. Williams Ross I. Romero in 1900 to enlarge the quarry, and another partial Diplodocus skeleton found that year was combined with the first one to create the mounted skeleton in the Carnegie Museum. The museum's exhibit hall had to be enlarged before the 84-foot-long dinosaur went on display. Andrew Carnegie was acquainted with King Edward VII of England, who asked if the British Museum could obtain a duplicate of the skeleton. skel-eton. Carnegie hired a crew of Italian plasterers who were experienced in making molds and replicas of statuary. Eventually not just one, but ten, replicas were cast and presented pre-sented to the British Museum, several others in Europe, and museums in Argentina and Mexico. Following Dippy's international inter-national distribution, the Carnegie Museum loaned out the molds to various museums muse-ums in the United States. They came to Vernal's original Field House of Natural History in 1957, and the concrete cast made from them stood on the museum's lawn for many years. When weathering began to take its toll, the Field House staff disassembled the outdoor skeleton, made new molds, and cast lightweight fiberglass replicas. rep-licas. This new skeleton stood a little bit cramped in the museum's entrance hall for about a decade before moving ' to its more spacious home in the new Field House in 2004. The Field House invites everyone, local residents and visitors from afar, to join in the fun as a world-famous dinosaur celebrates its "145,000,107th" birthday. Today's Weather sponsored by VTfTTi I o RtjI rfi7-T3nR 1 I aspen brook I 1 1 r irl' mm tm mri hrtrX' . I realty, inc. ' Wed Thu Fn Sat T " . Sun t Mew .4 628 629 630 71 " 72 y . T . 73 : I lJu. jjj. Ju ZJu 4 M' 8955 9457 9358 9359 9357 9459 Partly cloudy. Highs A few clouds. Highs Mix of sun and Times of sun and Partly cloudy, Mix of sun and in the low 90s and in the mid 90s and clouds. Highs in the clouds. Highs in the chanca of a thunder- clouds. Highs in the lows in the mid 50s. lows in the upper low 90s and lows in low 90s and lows in storm. mid 90s and km In 50s. the upper 50s. the upper 50s. the upper 50s. ' i iimi loo Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunaat Sunrlea Sunaat 8unrtaa 8nnaet 5:50 AM. 8:50 PM 5:51 AM 8 SO PM 5 51 AM 8:50 PM 5:52 AM B 49 PM 5:52 AM 8:49 PM 1 5:53 AM 8:49 PW " Utah At A Glance Moon Phases Logan sift MS, Ogden 8965 O 0 Colt 1 alra 9166 1 New Jun25 V Vernal I , . Provo 965g - 9263 9659 I Cedar City :: ! M:. :f f illlliiilH 8555 J JTJ First Jul 3 o Full Last Jul 11 Jul 17 UV Index Thu 629 " Very High Fri 630 Very High Sat 71 Extreme Sun 72 Extreme Mon 73 Very High The UV Index is measured on a 0-11 number scale, with a higher UV Index showing the need tor greater skin pm- tectton. o mmmmmmm 1 1 Area Cities Beaver Blanding Brigham City Cedar City Delta Elko, NV Evanston, WY Farmington, NM Fillmore Flagstaff, AZ 53 62 62 55 60 t-storm pt sunny pt sunny pt sunny pt sunny 55 t-storm 54 t-storm 54 pt sunny 60 pt sunny 42 t-storm Grand Jet, CO Green River Heber City Kanab Logan Moab Mt. Pleasant Ogden Park City Preston, ID 98 65 mst sunny 100 64 mst sunny 82 52 t-storm 85 57 t-storm 89 58 pt sunny 101 62 mst sunny 89 56 pt sunny 89 65 pt sunny 76 55 t-storm 88 55 pt sunny iriim '.ifi.h.i.i.p i Price 81 57 t-storm Provo 92 63 pt sunny Richfield 87 53 pt sunny Roosevelt 87 57 pt sunny Salt Lake City 91 66 pt sunny Sandy 91 65 pt sunny St. George 100 76 pt sunny Tooele 90 64 pt sunny Vernal 96 59 mst sunny Wendover - 92 66 pt sunny COLDWELL BANKERf fan Dennis Mott, Broker, Karen Price, Becky Daniels, Linda Mott, Angela Walker, Pat Harrell, Ryan Mott (Not Pictured: Jana Franz, Scott Ruppe, Nikki Mott, Chelsea Mott, Barbara Wilkenson) 1340 West Highway 40, rtr.,- utic Ton tccc ASPEN BROOK toijqii wiu uwi REALTY INC. Fax. 781-2913 x -el |