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Show Emery County Progress Tuesday, August 23, 10A 1988 Study says district consolidation unfeasible By LARRY W. DAVIS Progress editor A report submitted by Emery County School District A. Ernest Weeks to the board of education last week indicates that a consolidation of the Emery School District and the Carbon School District would not result in savings to either district, and in several areas would increase costs. The report was prepared by the superintendent and district Superintendent business manager Randy Jensen as required by the state Legislature as part of a study to determine the feasibility of several school consolidating districts in the state. Dr. Weeks presented his findings to the Utah School Boards Association last Wednesday and then presented the report to the school board at its regularly scheduled meeting that evening in Huntington. As an introduction to the reorganization study, the report notes, The district has elected not to use consultants, but to make the study using district personnel. The superintendents of Emery, Carbon, Grand and San Juan have met and thoroughly reviewed the issue of reorganization, and the data derived therefrom is included in this report. Although the legislative concern for reorganization appears to pertain to the report continues, we believe the real ss, issue should be quality of education. Therefore, we have At school Cleveland work nears completion By LARRY W. DAVIS Progress editor The Cleveland Elementary School, which has been involved in extensive rennovation and new construction for several months, will be ready for the opening of school Wednesday although some work there remains unfinished. At the Aug. 17 meeting of the board of education in Huntington, Superintendent A. Ernest Weeks reported that the contractor had left the facility but that a punch list detailing the work to be completed, has yet to be cleared. Dr. Weeks said that the state fire marshal came to the school last week and okayed the facility for school use. However, Dr. Weeks said that the district will require that all work is completed by the contractor before final payments are made. Later in the meeting, the board voted to give an extension to the contractor to allow for completion of the project. However, board member Wes Curtis voted against the motion. In another matter involving Cleveland Elementary School, the board reviewed bids from three contractors for work involving lawn seeding, concrete and tree removal, site grading, and the inof stallation a sprinkler system. The work became necessary tree planting when two mobile units were from the school grounds for relocation. Of the bids submitted, Hansen removed Construction Co. of Cleveland had the low bid of $11,393, and the board voted to award that company the contract. Turning to another school grounds matter, the board again discussed a proposal by Huntington city and Utah Power & Light to move three power poles on the north side of Huntington Elementary inside the playground fence. Last month, the board voted to allow the poles to be moved up to but not inside the fence. However, after further inspection of the situation, board president Tom Roush recommended that the board instead allow for the extension of the fenceline to include the poles. Huntington City Councilman Almond and UP&L Alan representative Gene Hess agreed that such an alternative would be acceptable and more economic than lines or moving lines underground. The work will be shared by UP&L and the school district and is expected to get underway this fall. Several new policies were adopted by the board at last ng weeks meeting. The districts education evaluation plan, approved previously but not adopted, got final approval after several changes were made and after a review by officials of the Emery Education Association. Also, the districts personnel policy was adopted after several amendments were incorporated. The board then approved the career ladder policy as presented by Roma Powell. Superintendent Weeks noted that the district office is currently preparing a report for parents district regarding testing and other matters. The report is to be presented for board approval in programs, September. Rue Ware of the district staff met with the board to update members on curriculum alignment. The board earlier mandated an evaluation of the and organized curriculum committees from the district and comoffice, schools munities to give input, Mr. Ware reported that the efforts of the group will result in a curriculum plan which meets state requirements. He said that while a plan has been for prepared board studied the issue from both points of view. The report notes that students in the Emery District are attaining a high level of academic achievement as measured by national testing. It also notes, The per pupilteacher ratio in Emery District is slightly lower than die average for Utah, but considerably higher than the national average. The student drop-orate in Emery District ut runs at about 3.5 percent compared to 8 percent for Utah, and more than 25 percent for the nation. The average cost of educating a student in the district last year was $2,504. The average cost for Utah was $2,432. The national average 16-1- was $4,243. Furthermore, the report points out that Emery School District is already working with neighboring school districts where possible. Emery District shares the Castle Valley Center with Carbon District for educating the severely and multiple handicapped. The two districts have planned, developed, funded and jointly operate the facility, the report states. To reduce expenditures, the special bus that carries Emery students to the school, also picks up Carbon students once it crosses the district boundary. The two districts also jointly operate an alternative high school which is located in the Carbon District. Emery District does provide transportation to this facility for its students. In addition to this, the report notes that the Emery District makes the Green River High School and Book Cliff Elementary School available to students residing in Grand County. This eliminates the necessity for Grand County School District to construct and operate a school in its Green River area. Emery District accepts the Grand County students without tuition fees, or collection of property tax on the Grand County area sending students to Emery Schools. Some Emery students living in the Miller Creek area on the eastern border of Emery County attend Carbon District schools due to the closer proximity. Attendance is on the same basis as that mentioned for Grand students in Emery County. Other joint efforts between Emery District and neighboring districts and other agencies include working closely to reduce costs in staff development programs, curriculum development, consultants and specialists to assist the blind and provide physical therapy; providing nursing services to the district through the county; using state facilities and perand sonnel in drug-preventi- on programs; with the mental-healt- h cooperating Southeastern Education Service Center to obtain media services, assistance in curriculum and staff development and handicapped services; establishing an agreement with the Davis County School District to purchase school supplies; and working with the Carbon in the Emery not is District increasing despite ministrators District, College of Eastern Utah and the University of Utah to bring teleleaming programs to Green River. In looking at the financial considerations of consolidation, the report points out that should Carbon and Emery districts the addition of state and federally mandated programs; that the gap between salaries for teachers and district administrators has been reduced; that increasing amounts of the districts budget are not going to administration; and that the current level of administration in the district is necessary. Also, the report shows that consolidate and establish headquarters in Price, all Emery District schools, except Green River, would be further from the district office than is the current situation. Either district would need more administrators than at the present time to operate a consolidated district. Such consolidation would probably result in administrators spending a great deal of time in traveling as well as taking teachers out of classrooms for longer periods of time for activities due to travel, the reports states. Turning to administration, the reports says, The Educational Research Service reports that nationally there is one administrator for every 14 persons employed in elementary and secondary schools with the ratio being much lower in big business and service industries. Staffing patterns in the Emery School District prove a ratio of 23 to one. It can, therefore, be assumed that there are not too many administrators in the Emery District. Of the five administrators in the district office, each occupies multiple reorganization would not reduce the need or costs for student transportation, school lunch, maintenance and custodial services, and instruction. In summary, the report points The evidence seems out, any reorganization or consolidation of tiie Emery District would not significantly reduce costs, increase program equity, nor improve the quality of education now being provided. Through cooperative efforts, the district has already taken most, if not steps all, of the that any reorganization might attempt. Dr. Weeks told the board that he felt he had left the committee with the message that the Emery District is doing an cost-effecti- ve efficient, economical job of educating its students. The board then voted to accept the report. action is planned on consolidation of any district this No The information presented by the various districts will be passed on to the Legislature for future con- year. roles. Additional that predominent information regarding administrators states that the number of ad sideration of consolidation. con- sideration, it does not include a survey from parents. Surveys from students and teachers have been completed, however. Mr. Ware said that the committee felt that it would be more effective to survey parents this fall rather than last spring when the committee was That gathering information. resulted in the delay. The board asked Mr. Ware to continue with the curriculum study and to prepare a survey for parents. The board asked that the survey include suggestions from parents as to where they would like to see cuts in the district should the tax initiatives pass. A report from Mr. Ware is expected in October. A group of classified employees from the district attended the meeting in regards to salary and benefits. The group reminded the board that it had e bonus of approved a $500 for teachers who have taught in the district for 12 or more years because they will not receive a salary increase of any kind this school year. The group said that the same situation applies to many of the districts classified employees. one-tim- Mr. American Racing Enkle Jensen said that the board could offer a $500 stipend to those classified employees who have served for 12 or more years. For the 29 who would qualify, the cost to the district would be $10,820. Another option would be to give every noncertified employee not getting a raise a $500 e workers and bonus for e em$250 bonus to of cost a total at $43,000. ployees full-tim- part-tim- Another option discussed would be an bonus to all classified employees. The board then went into a brief executive session, and returned with the decision that it would make no decision until the district negotiating team has had a chance to meet with officials of the classified association. In other action, the board approved $82,000 for the purchase of two busses and discussed the possibility of incorporating soccer in the junior high and high school PE curriculums and intramural across-the-boa- Keystone Western One Week Only At Dealers Cost! ' COUPON Shocks Heavy Duty more area than working original equipment. Lifetime warranty. CASH & CARRY Installation Available ns $99 ill 6" Lifetime Warranty ' COUPON Brakes Precision Alignment 40 rd and of requiring more about information specific grading in each class syllabus. Appliance Aj U per axle & TRUCKS or Shoes Pads Replace System Road Test MOST CARS most cars and trucks Extra) (Semi-Me- t RANCHO TRAILMASTER Rugged Trail Suspensions and All RV and 4x4 Accessories All available for carry out or for installation ,y00'NH programs teachers to include The board also appointed school Gloria Rhoden to a lunch position at Huntington Elementary, and Dr. Weeks presented a video on the three tax initiatives. ,Vas (Mosteort) 771 East Main, Price - Monday Friday 7-- 7 637-275- 0 Saturday amibica! IMPRtSS, ni( 7-- 6 mm. I j VfSA |