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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, April 19-21, 2017 The Park Record A-10 Book club fosters fun time South Continued From A-9 Summit PARK RECORD FILE PHOTO The Summit County Library recently started a book club for students in grades seven through 12. Kirsten Nilsson, youth services librarian, says the club presents a chance for students to read books outside of school and make friendships with their peers. Teens throughout Summit County can join the group By BUBBA BROWN The Park Record Teens in Summit County looking for some book recommendations, or even just to spend time with some like-minded students, have a new place to hang out. In the fall, the Summit County Library started the “Read It & Reap Book Club” for students throughout the county in grades seven through 12. The club, which meets on the fourth Monday of each month, explores books in various genres, offering students the chance to push out of their literary comfort zones and try something new. “It helps them learn different concepts and gives them different perspectives,” said Shaylee Phelps, outreach services librarian for the Summit County Library. “And it gives them a different experience than video games or garbage TV or YouTube and anything like that. It helps them think about things in a different way and is hopefully thought-provoking.” Phelps said the library started the club after encouragement from its teen advisory board, which had long been clamoring for one. But with students spread throughout the far reaches of the county, it took some creativity to make the club accessible to everyone. Rather than requiring teens from Coalville and Kamas to drive to the Kimball Junction Branch, for instance, the library uses video chat at its three branches to connect the students at each meeting. “We wanted to make it countywide because we’re the Summit County Library with three branches,” Phelps said. “But we didn’t want to make the kids have to travel to one spot. Even if we only get two kids at each of the branches, that’s still six kids. That’s a pretty good discussion group.” Kristen Nilsson, a youth services librarian, said the club has been heartening because engaging young readers is one of the library’s top priorities. She encourages any teen interested in books to join. “First of all, it’s fun for them to get together and talk about books outside of school that they haven’t been assigned, which they’re usually a lot more enthusiastic about,” she said. “And it’s fun to be with people of your own age and have that social time. I love that they are reading.” In June, the library plans to make an important tweak to the club, however. Rather than having students all read the same book, they will be allowed to choose their own book each month within certain themes, ranging from love to magical creatures, Phelps said. Then, at the monthly meeting, they’ll participate in crafts and other activities related to the theme, which Phelps hopes will inspire a more informal discussion of books that will entice even more students to join the club. “It won’t be so much like a sit-down discussion,” she said. “What we’ve found is teens just want to hang out and be with other teens. They don’t necessarily want that deep, thought-provoking discussion like adults seek when they join a book club. We figure that, if we do crafts, they’ll have something to do that’s a litPlease see Book club, A-11 Subscribe today! Oakley and another in Francis, both on land the district already owns. Bigelow said the three existing schools would also be utilized under that plan, though the details were uncertain. After presenting the scenarios to the public Tuesday, the district’s master-planning committee will likely offer a recommendation on its preferred option to the Board of Education within a month, Bigelow said. The school board would then vote whether or not to move forward with the plan. If it does, the district would put a bond measure on the ballot this fall to pay for the bulk of the project, whose price tag would total roughly $57 million, according to preliminary estimates. The project would also include repairs to the current schools. Bigelow said the two options were the result of the master- Continued From A-9 Shining Stars that time back again.” Another element Hardy said distinguishes Shining Stars from other kindergarten programs is that it brings in outside specialists from the community to teach the students. For instance, a fitness expert will host physical education classes, and Spanishspeaking members of the community will deliver basic Spanish lessons. “We love that about the school,” Hardy said. “Because we are a private school, we are not held to the restraints that other schools are, like the testing and some other things that have planning committee’s work and feedback from the public in recent months. “As they looked at the different options, the costs of those options, the needs within the district and what they felt the community wanted, those are the two that kept coming to the top,” he said. Regardless of which option is ultimately chosen, the district intends to include an additional facility near the Silver Creek Village, a large housing development planned southeast of the Interstate 80/U.S. 40 interchange that could eventually bring hundreds of students into the district. Until the number of students there warrants a regular school, however, the district is proposing a stopgap measure: Silver Summit Academy, an online school for children in grades kindergarten through 12. Superintendent Shad Sorenson said the school would offer an “academically rigorous, personalized K through 12 education focused on science, technology, math, engineering, arts, leadership and entrepreneurship.” Bigelow said students would perform much of their work over the computer and would come to the campus for things like tutoring and testing. The district is under contract for a building to house the school, but was unable to provide additional information. Bigelow added that students who don’t wish to attend the academy will be able to instead go to the district’s traditional schools. “We just felt there was a need to service those students in our district over there,” he said. “We basically want to get a presence in the area.” The district initially began exploring building new facilities because its three current schools are bursting after a 16 percent increase in enrollment over the last decade. According to data from the district, schools are projected to be 33 percent over capacity in five years if no new buildings are constructed. Given that, the public has been supportive of the master-planning effort so far, Bigelow said. “The pulse that I get is that they’re very supportive,” he said. “That’s only those that we’ve been in contact with -- there may be others out there that feel differently. But the input we’re getting is the public understands our need and are supportive. They’re just waiting for us to provide more information.” to happen. We definitely follow all the state-mandated things and guidelines, but we love that we can go above and beyond to bring in a lot of outside people into our school.” Julie Hughes, another administrator, said the school is also ideal for parents who are concerned about their kids entering an elementary school environment during kindergarten, which can be intimidating for some children. “This is such a good way to transition them from a preschool where they are required to learn more and sit more, but then not have that full day,” she said. “This really is perfect for easing them in.” Hardy noted that the program’s small-school atmosphere is why a lot of parents ultimately choose the school. “We are what’s right for a lot of families, for those people that are seeking something a little more hands on,” she said. “We always joke that Shining Stars is a little bit of a bubble. It’s one more year of keeping the kids in that bubble, where it’s not quite the big elementary school yet and everything involved with that. There’s still a niche out there for sure, but it’s something people have to seek a little bit more.” At the same time, the program challenges students enough that they’re ready for an elementary school environment when they enter first grade, Hardy said. “It’s important for us, knowing that our students are going from here into our school district, that they’re prepared and ready,” she said. “… The key is making sure that it’s an easy transition. Our goal is that it’s really easy for our kids to walk into a classroom -they’re not intimidated academically.” The Shining Stars School is currently accepting kindergarten students for the 2017-2018 school year, though the preschool program is already full. For information about the program, or to schedule a tour of the school, visit shiningstarsparkcity.org. MICROGREENS DETOX FACIAL + SPECIALTY GREEN DRINK $160 | 50 minutes Locals Special* $125 | 50 minutes • Detoxifying Microgreens Complex derived naturally from potent microgreens with Detoxophane PLEASE CALL 435-647-5555 FOR RESERVATIONS. • Protection from oxidative damage and the visible signs of aging • Enhanced resistance against pollution and sun radiation Suitable for all skin types. We offer our signature green smoothie or green tea margarita as options for the included beverage. FR EE $50 Egyptian Theatre Gift Card Offer for new, in-county, print, two-year subscribers. Available until April 30, 2017 and while supplies last! While supplies last! Sign up for a new two-year, in Summit County, print subscription and receive a $50 Egyptian Theatre gift card! Please call The Park Record at 435-649-9014 and ask for our circulation department for more details. *Valid with current Utah Driver’s License only. 2100 FROSTWOOD DRIVE, PARK CITY, UTAH • WALDORFASTORIAPARKCITY.COM |