OCR Text |
Show EDUCATION The Park Record. Editor: Bubba Brown education@parkrecord.com 435.649.9014 ex.118 PCSD ASKS PARENTS TO FILL OUT ONLINE SURVEYS The Park City School District is asking parents to fill out online surveys to improve classrooms and schools. According to the district’s website, pcschools. us, the survey is intended to gather feedback about teachers, principals and schools. The surveys will remain anonymous, and the district is not seeking to collect personal information from respondents. Teachers and administrators will be shown the results in order to improve their schools. The survey will take around 10 minutes to complete and is available on the district’s website. UNIVERSITY TO OFFER FULLY ONLINE PROGRAMS The University of Utah is slated to offer fully online undergraduate degree programs beginning this fall. According to a press release, majors included in the initiative, called “Block U,” include economics, nursing, sustainable tourism and hospitality management. “In the past, the U has offered several online undergraduate majors, but without an online general education program, students going to school online couldn’t complete their degree,” said Ann Darling, assistant vice president of Undergraduate Studies, in the release. “Block U provides the flexibility of online delivery and the benefits of highly engaging instruction.” For more information, visit online.utah.edu. TRAILSIDE SEEKS STUDENTS FOR SCHOOL CHESS CLUB Trailside Elementary School has room for 20 students in grades three through five to join the chess club. According to the school newsletter, students will be given simple chess instructions and will play each other. Chess club will be held on Tuesdays during April -- except for April 11 -- as well as May 2, from 3:10 to 4:10 p.m. at the school. A tournament may be held to wrap up the club. Students will be accepted on a firstcome, first-served basis. Parents can view the newsletter and follow a link to signupgenius.com to sign their children up for the club. A-9 A SCHOOL STAFFER PLAYS HERO, A-10 www.parkrecord.com WED/THURS/FRI, MARCH 29-31, 2017 Coding class programs students for learning Through computer science, they gain many important skills By BUBBA BROWN The Park Record Last school year, the Park City School District began exploring the mostly uncharted waters of teaching coding classes to elementary students. More than a year and a half later, the district is now reaping the rewards of implementing a program almost no other school system in the country offers. Abby McNulty, director of the Park City Education Foundation, which provides the funding for the coding program, said students are flourishing in the classes, learning things like collaboration and persistence alongside computer skills that will come in handy when they enter the job market. “It’s not about just the skill of coding. It’s also about what’s involved in coding and how it’s taught in our schools,” she said. “It’s really project-based learning. Kids work collaboratively, and they have to seek answers with their peers, and they’re learning trial and error and perseverance. They’re developing a real comfort with that, that it’s just a part of the system of learning.” Tracy Fike, a technology coach and coding instructor at Parley’s Park El- BUBBA BROWN/PARK RECORD Andres Miranda-Clixteco, left, and Matias Brinck are two of the first-graders at Parley’s Park Elementary School who are learning coding through a district-wide program. School officials say the program is setting students up for success by teaching them a number of valuable skills that translate to other classes. ementary, said that growth has been encouraging to see. During one of Fike’s classes Monday, students appeared eager to program an animated penguin to make it move side to side and say “Hel- lo,” and some roamed the classroom, helping others who were stuck. Fike said that kind of critical thinking and teamwork has become the norm, both in the computer lab and in other classes. “What we’re really trying to build are critical-thinking skills and skills they can convert to any area of their lives,” Please see Coding, A-10 School board picks a design for PCHS expansion Notably, the remodel will not require moving Dozier Field By BUBBA BROWN The Park Record The Park City Board of Education has picked a design for a long-awaited expansion of Park City High School. At a public meeting last week, the board voted 3-2 to select design option 3A, one of two possibilities still on the table after a months-long process involving a special committee and public outreach to whittle down the selections. Julie Eihausen and Petra Butler voted against the measure. Under option 3A, the high school would look drastically different when work is completed. The project includes an extension of the classroom space to the south of the current building, cutting into the parking lot. Additionally, the west wing of the building would be demolished, replaced by a physical education and athletics facility stretching south alongside Dozier Field. The north end of that new wing would include space for the career and technical education programs, while the area where the gymnasium currently sits would be remodeled into an expansion of the common area and performing arts facilities. Notably, the school renovation allows Please see PCHS, A-11 Helping Utah Home Since 1977 VISIT US TODAY 2,633 – 5,001 Sq. Ft. • 3 – 7 Bedrooms Multiple options available to make your home Better by Design Featuring seven distinctive floor plans, East Creek Ranch’s collection of “flexible” options and designer amenities make it easy to create the perfect home for your unique lifestyle. Discover why East Creek Ranch is Better By Design today! Woodside Homes reserves the right to change floor plans, elevations, prices, included features/ specifications, availability, and maps without notice. Please see sales professional for details. 07/2016 397 Valley Drive, Park City, UT 84098 Chelise.Monson@woodsidehomes.com (435) 565-1576 WoodsideHomes.com/Utah |