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Show THE PARK RECORD www.park record.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16,2000 A-ll O EDUCATION EDITOR: jennifer McKenna 44-0 1 4 ext. 1 1 1 Briefs into Icn 0 I .Edecatioii School board "oui of the box and Boundary decision On Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 4 p.m., the Park City School Board will make a decision on the boundary a'lgn-ments a'lgn-ments for the school distncts. There will be no public comment at this meeting. An update tor the public regarding the school board's boundarybuilding bound-arybuilding utilization decision is available in all school offices and the district office. Copies will be sent home with elementary students on Monday, Dec. 18. Holiday music Ecker Hill Middle School bands will perform on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 6 30 p.m. at Ecker Hill. The concert, con-cert, featuring seventh-grade, eighth-grade, percussion ensemble and zero hour Jazz band, is free and open to the public. Student performance SAT and core test results have been released bv the Utah State Oftice of Education and were reported report-ed at Tuesday's meeting by district director of curriculum and instruction Merry Haugen. Overall, scores in math and science were very good, said Haugen. In next week's paper, look for a detailed analysis of the district's scores. 0 School board meeting draws large, passionate crowd to discuss boundary alignment options by Jennifer McKenna OF THE RECORD STAFF Heading toward a big decision. Park City School Board members found themselves stepping into a pi M rf public pub-lic opposition regarding "option four." one of several designs to realign the school district to relieve overcrowding. Tuesday night, more than 70 community commu-nity members gathered in the district office to voice their concerns during public comment. Overwhelmingly, parents par-ents and teachers sharply renounced option four as inappropriate and '"down right cruel." A large crowd of Parley's Park E lementary Schoot parents and teachers, teach-ers, including teacher Sarah Klingenstem. "representing the majority majori-ty of Parley's Park staff said they shared concerns about option four. "It is a huge long tcim commitment, and it seems to come about late. It has not had the benefit of public input and research." she said, with which board members agreed Klingenstem urged the board to look at other schools that have realigned their elementary schools to hold K.-2 in one school and 3-5 in another. In addition to the loss of neighborhood neighbor-hood schools. Khngenstein said option four would end the use of schools as community centers, primarily for residents resi-dents near Kimball Junction. It would increase the number of schools students attended throughout their school careers, and increase the number of classes at any grade level. But the majority of public comments were strikingly personal. Susan Ireland, a parent and resident of Silver Summit, is upset that under option four, her student stu-dent would not be able to attend Trailsidc. which is the reason her family moved to Silver Summit She was upset that the board had limited the options to the two options, which would increase bus time for students to travel to Jeremy Ranch instead of Parley's. "Option four would take away the time to be a child." she said, cutting back time for her children chil-dren to spend in enrichment programs, and denying them the opportunity to attend $ hool with an older sibling. "It is cruel and dangerous to young children." chil-dren." said Ireland, noting that students were too young to be bussed at the ages of K-2. She also wanted the board to conduct further research of schools who have adopted similar alignments. But according to bus driver M . t ;C ' 1 c - for children to be transported to and from school. In su years, the only injury she has seen was of a child who was playing around with friends on the bus and hit his head on a window. Another Parley's parent, Faye Brass, began her comment "in opposition to option four " Although he believes the children will adjust okay" to such an alignment, she said "it tears me up inside, that families have to make a decision to put limited resources into one school.' You cant do both with kids in both schools." she said. For some parents, this alignment would mean their elementary children attended two different schools What bothered her and several other parents was the "level of lunacy put into families" that "tearing our families apart" between schools would cause. Brasy and others are worried they will not have enough time to volunteer in their children's classrooms. However, option four was a good alignment according to a few parents. Parent Liz Lee spoke on her concern of the Treasure Mountain Middle School facility tests for air. water and lighting. According to her. they haven! done new tests. Lee urged the board to del.-y the grade alignment decision until after the new tests were conducted so they have an idea of "what scope they're dealing with." She believes that option four is the only "equitable option to educate children." Equity is also a reason for parent Karen Scott to support option four. She joked about needing a "bulletproof vest" before commenting, which seemed appropriate considered the heated emotions emo-tions of many parents in the meeting. "Budget, diversity and curriculum are the most important issues facing the board." said Scott, wheieas for other parents it was proximity, neighborhoods and parental involvement. "But we are a district." she said. "We are one. Please don't be afraid to choose an option that's too hot or based on sentiments. senti-ments. Listen to the experts. We have to listen to budget issues." said Scott, who is on the budget committee. Although she understands the boundary committee has "worked long and hard" to uncover a good solution, parent Carol Lehnn does not think option four is worth "overhauling three staffs." According to Lebrizi. it slows down the learning process to transfer elementary students to another school halfway throuyh their elementary career, and it requires them to adjust to new teachers and nukes it difficult for parents to be involved in their children's classrooms. "It's development ally inappropriate inap-propriate to shuffle kids around." she said "Ethnicity plavs no role in this decision. Each problem should be addressed to that school ." Meeting raves of appla ise. Lebruzi s comment does not give merit to the reality real-ity of LSL programs and students that need to be addressed bv the district as a whole. Many parents would like more money, more resources, more teachers and more aide to be poured into McPolm. because it's "that school's" problem But some parents, like James Roth, do not think diversity should enter into the school board's decision. "We need to get back to a basic education. I want them to read, write, sometimes do math in their head. As a parent. I think I should provide all the extras. They can get diversity at Junior Jazz, or at church." Roth would rather that his children be in larger classes than bussed. "The bussing issue is just crazv ." he said. Jill Schifferti. a parent and member of the build. ng committee, said the goal is to provide "quality education and opportunities for all students " She urged the board not to segregate schools and to consider option four as the "most Please see "Calli for". A-10 amy holidays ": ) '.'tVUV ? f V f el h 'it I I A ----- jr.j r - .-11 H 7 - a. t.-... t If JENNIE VIENNA Ate ECXW3 Park City High School students practice for their choir concert which was held at the Eccles Center on Monday. Alissa Smith, who has played the harp .for seven years, arranged the choir's finale. 5 c: ( lM t TEN oasn I I UrcticSi SALE Just in Time for CkrtitMM Special Factory Pricina Friday & Saturday Only A I rv Arctic Spas Located at The Blue Roof Market 4575 N. Silver Springs Dr. wvw.4arctic.com a A 0 Now Hiring Full and Part Time Sales Associates For the New aeaea Republic Factory Store Apply in Person at our Hiring Site Monday 12 18 - Saturday 1223 1 Oam - 7pm 6699 North Landmark Dr. Space 135 (Next to The Old Navy Outlet Store) 916 952 9532 |