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Show C4 XJ Wednesday, August 13, 2003 Vernal Express Security tops upgrade at schools District School Uintah Maintenance begins its plans for the summer vacation work in January as the principals and director Lisa McCarrel and assistant director Sean Richins, do a "walk through to identify priorities for each school. Both recognize a new Districtwide security system as one of the most significant additions this summer. Jaimy Wadsworth, Rick Terry, Darlene Ulford and Norma Shaw help evaluate school bus routes for 2003-04- . biases seem as saffesti way tio scDuooD Sdhioofl Darlene Ufford sees many safety features for L'intah School District students who ride the bus to school. "Studies show it is seven times safer to ride a bus to school than to have parents bring a student or pick up a student in their own cars, Ufford says. Student safety is increased by the configuration of the Vernal School system, Ufford continues, by keeping large numbers of students off the street before and after schixil. Ufford is one of 13 state instructors and travels around the state to' conduct inservice and assists in developing driver training programs to be used throughout the state. She also has high praise for the 41 regular bus diivers and seven experienced substitute drivers employed by the District. Drivers must have a minimum of 40 hours of training before getting behind the wheel of a bus. with many of the School District programs. Transportation preparations for a new schcxjl year begins many months before school opens. Bus inspections under the direction of the Utah Highway Patrol are held twice a year, and the District inspects vehicles every 1500 miles. Jaimy Wadsworth, in charge of all District vehicles, says the 58 buses, 250 cars and trucks and even the several large riding lawnmowers are all part of his maintenance scheduling. Mechanic Rick Terry helps develop routes and maintain equipment, and says the District vehicles maintereceive As nance. Schixil buses create some unique problems to maintain, according to Wadsworth. Because of the constant starting and stopping required of a school bus, four sets of brake shoes, drums and linkage can be worn out in a school year. Because heavy wear, Wadsworth says special hydraulic retarders have been placed on the buses as a safety factor. Norma Shaw helps configure bus routes as well as assist in the Transportation office. All agree that the longest a student is on a bus is an hour. The longest routes Uintah buses travel is to the county line within three miles east of Myton, to Bacon Park through Jimmy Whiterocks, and east to the Chew ranch and down the Red Rock Road. Student management skills are among the many detailed training items taught the dependable staff of bus drivers in the Uintah School District under the direction of trans- portation supervisor Floyd Collett. "' ities. Other summer Maintenance programs which have schools ready for school to begin in September is new carpeting at Uintah High School with assorted updated furnishings; Naples and Davis elemen-tarie- s having some rooms updating of carpet and paint; asphalt overy-la- y at the Davis Elementary outdoor basketball court; all school having fire lanes repainted; all fire schools kitchen systems checked and inspected; completion of the electrical upgrades at Ashley ff -i Specifics given in student dress code District attendance requirements explained Attendance at school is required by Utah State law, according to the Uintah Schixil District StudentParent Policy Guide which also says attendance is considered critical to academic success. State law requires that parents and guardians having control of a minor between six and 18 years of age shall send the minor to a public or regularly established private schixil during the schixil year. The law also states that it is a misdemeanor for a person having control of a minor to willfully fail to comply with the requirement. Parents may excuse students for reasons deemed important up to three days per trimester or two days per quarter, not to exceed nine days per year. In addition, students may be excused for illness, injury or other gixid reason. A student not properly excused of this The computerized security system permits Maintenance to control boilers, fans and air handlers by computer from a laptop to all schools in the district. A new security system has all employees in the School District having a special identification card that comes with a magnetic pass card which allows building access. This system records whr cane in and where the individual entered. All schools will be locked to outside access except through the front doors. These security systems are new and through Utah Controls, who taught District employees how to configure the programs for this districts needs. It replaces another system which required a contractor to take care of the program. The new system will permit special programming in the future which will include signal alarms and pinpointing of suspicious activ- will be considered truant. A truancy citation will be issued for all unexcused absences and unresolved truancy problems may be referred to juvenile court or may require payattendance at ment of fines, Saturday school, etc. In the event of a student absence, the parent is expected to notify the office of the school principal during business hours. If the school is not notified within two days of the absence, the student shall be considered truant unless there are extenuating circumstances. The entire policy, including due process, is available for review at the school office, media center, and online at www.uintah.net under district information". Immodest clothing which results in the disruption of the educational climate is outlined in the Uintah School District dress code, published in the StudentParent policy Guide. Disrupting clothing is identified as tank tops, halter tops, tube tops, excessively tight or excessively short clothing is prohibited. Administrators and staff will make the necessary judgment. These judgments will be guided by the following: . Shorts, skirts, or dresses must not be shorter than the top of the knee. 2. Spaghetti straps, tank, halter, and tube tops, shirts which are excescut out under the arm are unacceptsively low and revealing, and able. 3. Any sleeveless shirts must cover from the neck to the shoulder of the 1 wearer. 4. Pants or shirts that reveal the midriff while the wearer is standing or sitting are unacceptable. 5. Material of clothes cannot be transparent unless worn over regular clothes. 6. Underclothing must be under clothes and not out in the open. 7. Hats cannot be worn or carried inside the building. Scarves and h(x)dies are considered hats. Coats or sweatshirts with horxls can be worn, but the hood should be down. 8. Clothing, or observable tattoos with inappropriate language or illustrations such as sexual innuendo, advertising of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substances are not acceptable in school. 9. Clothing, accessories, and personal adornments which display gang symbols or are deemed potentially dangerous by school personnel (chains, spikes, etc.) are not to be worn to school. Any student coming to school dressed inappropriately according to the Uintah School District Policy and the criteria listed above will be sent to the office, their parentsguardian called, and the unacceptable clothing will be changed so the student can stay at school. The entire policy is available for review at the school office, media center, and online at www.uintah.net under district information. Todd and Lapoint Elementary Schools will be receiving all new playground equipment like this model as part of the upgrades planned for the Uintah School District facilities. Elementary to handle computer requirements, plus a new roof; the third phase of cabinetry replacement at Todd Elementary; and new roofs at Davis and Maeser. All new playground equipment will be installed this fall at Todd and Lapoint elementary schools, with the help of the Uintah County Recreation Department. Uintah High School students will find the large elevated landscaped area near the front entrance has been become an outdoor dining patio. Vernal School students Middle will find new tiling in the Science room and in the bathrooms. Over 2,000 work requests come to the Maintenance Department each year from the District schools, McCarrel says. A total of 175 work orders were completed this summer. Rules given for school record i inspection Parents or eligible students (those who have reached the age of 18) have the right to inspect and review all of the students education records maintained by the school. Parents and eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading. The request must be in writing and given to the principal clearly identifying the request and why the information is inaccurate or misleading. If the record is not amended, the School District Uintah StudentParent Policy Guide states, you have a right to request a hearing. Schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student before releasing any information from a students record. Schools may disclose records without consent to the following parties: uJveaF afyotuSabtL, 1. School employees who have a need to know 2. Other schools to which a student is transferring 3. Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions 4. Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student 5. Organizations conducting certain studies for the school 6. Accrediting organizations 7. Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas Parents of an eligible student who does not want any or all directory information about the student designated as directory information, must notify the School District in writing on or before the 10th day of enrollment, or the right to refuse release will be considered waived. The entire policy is available for review at the school office, media center, and online at www.uintah.net under district information. J BACK TO SCHOOL FAMILY HAIRCUTS 1st Haircut Regular Price, Thereafter $8.00. Returning School Children Only fPcny Ircujtiuh L.. XanfinVrZAtT? our martial art classes we can help develop these SUCCESS traits. 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