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Show REFLEX JOURNAL BULLETIN LEADER AUGUST 26, 1982 ty so students get as equal an opportunity as possible, he added, indicating he realizes some differences should exist. BOARD MEMBER Bruce Parry favored flexibility and a way to try to find to assess whether an additional hour was beneficial. He and others asked about the feasibility of testing students from schools with 4!i hours and others. year-roun- d Asst. Supt. Gayle Stevenson questioned that method noting, Id hate to let the results of a test let us determine something like this. Those tests just arent that pure there are too many factors. First Grade Now An Hour Longer No one remembers how DALLAS WORKMAN, first grade got to be 4 12 hours a day, but after lengthy discussions, the second semester is will now be 5 12 hours. available but added, Im not saying we couldnt develop it. You cant compare apples and oranges. There are so many variables. I don't think you can compare one school with another. That could come down to whether a student was fed breakfast before coming to school when trying to determine his performance, Supt. Welling said. I In a recent survey, teachers stressed the need to remember a childs short attention span before making decisions. By TOM BL'SSELBERG After lengthy FARMINGTON discussion, the Davis Board of Education came to a compromise last week, deciding most first graders will attend 4 Vi hours first semester and 5'2 hours a day the second semester. AFTER MORE than an hour of various motions that died for lack of a second, and discussion that went nearly full circle, the board finally not only came up with a motion but unanimously supported the plan proposed by the superintendent. Implemented on a trial basis for next year, the decision puts to rest questions and concern from parents about whether their first graders will be out of school an hour earlier than student in higher grades. In seven schools, where first graders have attended 5 V2 hours each day, the same as grades they will continue to attend all day throughout the year. 2-- 6, IT WAS felt students will be more r and better able mature in a to make the hour leap in the day, while the first semester jump would be less from the 2 V2 hour kindergarten day. half-yea- elementary curriculm director, said he didnt think such information would be For those schools previously holding students 5'2 hours, a variety from academic classes to enrichment activities will be included. Other schools, depending on whether students were within walking distance or bused (living beyond the VA mile limit), may provide supervision and some sort of activities for those students who remain until buses arrive or other students, such as brothers and sisters, are released. state-support- LAST YEAR there were quite a number of requests from parents that either the district transport students or extend the day, Supt. Lawrence Welling indicated, adding, Its easier if it were standardized one way or the other. Some schools by tradition have fun a full day (for first graders) for the full year, some switch to full day in the middle and others stay 4Vi days, he said. A DAVIS Education Association survey of affected teachers indicated 97 in favor of the shorter day through out the year while 13 opted for changing to the hour longer schedule in midyear and three favored all year. In a written report from the DEA instruction and professional development committee, some concerns were raised. A definite concern reiterated throughout the survey was to remember the childrens welfare before making any decision. The teachers repeatedly stressed the childrens fatigue and short attention span as deciding factors favoring the shorter day. THE AMOUNT of preparation time necessary for these very teacher dependent students should be considered. Teachers also said they felt one group of parents prefers the extended day because it relieves them of having to care for their children and extra hour while the other extreme saw parents desiring that time for additional e interaction, the report continued. WHILE 81 percent of teachers preferred the 412 hour day even if it means supervising bus students for an one-on-on- extra hour, the report noted teachers were divided on whether it should be district wide affecting all 41 elementary schools or school by school. Its almost impossible to find anyone who remembers why the legislature went that way (to 4'2 hours for first grade), said Earl Spencer, DEA immediate past president. Theres no research available for first graders on optimum length of the school day, he added, noting, This problem isnt unique to this area. A couple of districts (nationally) are switching back from 5'2 to 4'2. Whatever decision you make will probably be very arbitrary. IF YOU consider whats best for the child, its probably very difficult to come up with a hard and fast policy for the whole school district. Your teachers will do whatever you tell them, but they want to do whats best for the children. Those concerns were expressed by teachers and parents during the meet- YOUNGSTERS often get tired and may not wish to follow directions. A Tolman Elem. instructor of 16 years at first grade said its a struggle to keep her students 4 hours and 45 minutes not only first semester but through the year. You feel youre just halfway doing something. I think you should consider what the first grade teachers are saying, she added. THAT CAME as board members grappled with the issue placed on the agenda by member Ray Briscoe of Bountiful, who didnt attend. Several expressed concern they hadnt received sufficient input from parents or teachers and wanted more time before deciding. The urgency of schools starting less than two weeks after the meeting more or less forced the issue. Dee Forbes of Layton pushed for I uniformity among the schools. think we allow too much flexibility. I wonder if students are really getting an equal education because of the of different principals, etc. In some cases there should be uniformi EXPRESSING her concern was Board Pres. Sheryl Allen of Bountiful. This problem is very real to me, also. As a mother, I'm very sensitive to what teachers are saying and what parents are dealing with. My child is not ready to be in a full day all year but said she didnt want to pick him up every day or take away from his independence of walking home. I recommend that you try to find (a compromise), the superintendent said, referring to the various possibilities of scheduling. Parents have a legitimate concern for the safety of their children with some attending the meeting expressing concern at their children having to walk due to recent kidnappings along the Wasatch Front. TEACHERS ALSO need guidance in how to handle 35 youngsters, for example, when not actually teaching, and said he felt the proposal he made would give respite the first year while help in other ways. If it works this year, maybe we can make it policy, he added. HE ALSO asked about busing students during the hour before other grades are released, but was informed by administrators the buses are largely occupied transporting secondary students and the cost and time might be prohibitive. Asst. Adm. John S. White indicated in many cases first grade students attending one school may be picked up by several buses. To consolidate them on one bus might require a longer run that could take as long as if the students waited at school for the regular bus. No Simple Answers To 9th Grade Sports By TOM BUSSELBERG North County Editor Between a divided FARMINGTON school board and pressure from a small group of parents, a decision on 9th grade athletes participation in high school athletics is anticipated Sept. 7. THE ISSUE has been discussed off and on for two years and was the final item in a long meeting last week, w here one board member a former coach pushed hard to open the door to 9th graders, while another voiced many concerns against it and the school board president, who normally doesnt vote except where theres a tie, flatly said shed oppose the change. The discussion stems from passage of a Utah High School Athletic Association provision allowing individual school boards to decide if their 9th graders, when attending a junior high school rather than as part of a high school, can participate with their senior high counterparts. THE ISSUE was first raised by Davis board members and approved last June. Were diametrically opposed, Asst. Supt. Gayle Stevenson said in leading off discussion with the administrations point of view. He indicated its felt 9th graders should be confined to the campus where they attend, adding, I dont think its a valid point to indicate a 9th grade athlete cant achieve growth and develop when kept in the junior high program. TACKLE football and baseball were dropg ped from the junior highs last year as a is football measure, although, flag offered as an intramural sport along with several other sports. Mr. Stevenson said he felt detrimental effects to the junior high program would outweigh any advantages and noted no high school principal has disagreed with that opinion, adding, I would think they can see the complexity of the problem, also. inleaving school, but we were the ones who asso school troduced the resolution to the high ciation. We dropped football and baseball. I certainly think those kids are ahead skillwise (who can play in 9th grade) some who are gifted in a certain physical talent. I think if they can go after school and they and their parents can take care of transportation, we should do it, if it doesnt disrupt their schedule. HE COMPARED it to a student who takes piano an additional year over someone who doesnt, and said he didn't think that many kids would be involved. The coaches cant handle that many. I dont think theyll allow immature students, he added. Countering what Parry said, Mr. Stevenson emphasized, If, as you say, one or two students can make a difference (to the high school team), its negative on the ninth grade level that removes students from the ninth grade thats detrimental. A STRONG position against proselyting, high school programs, would be important, he added. Were not talking a huge number of kids, Board Member Marda Dillree said. FOR YEARS, the ninth graders participated in one high school (Davis), five didnt, Mr. Stevenson emphasized. I believe its mythical to assume students cant compete with other schools who have ninth grade participants. No (other) students participated in high school athletics some did in the conditioning programs. In Salt Lake City District, for example, ninth graders are part of the four high schools. or efforts at luring students to the cost-savin- BOARD MEMBER Bruce Parry, himself a former teacher and coach, strongly spoke in favor of the proposal. I fyave a lot of sympathy and concerns about the participants lbs. to play in much of the county. All but one (high school) coach have been polled and they felt the kids could participate and it will be a definite advantage, Mr. Hoskins said, adding, The Davis High coach sees no problem with scheduling, even for Farming-to- n 140 kids. HE SAID parents who say they cant afford costs for the program are probably putting their priorities elsewhere, noting that parents would get their kids there just as parents of first graders worked out transportation after school (see that story on first grade attendance elsewhere in todays paper). For the bulk of kids who play athletics, one year will set them back. Probably one of the biggest aids to mv education came through athletics, Mr. Hoskins said, adding that this often keeps students interested in school. AND WHEN the possibility some students if ninth graders bumped tenth graders was raised, he said it wouldnt be couldnt participate , any different than some existing programs. The coach will find that very pleasant to find a ninth grader who is better than a tenth grader, Mr. Stevenson said, adding, They dont look at the whole picture. If we cant buy more uniforms (due to budget) well be filling the house only to weed it out. AND THE issue of all activities, including music, forensics, drama, debate, etc. would have to be addressed by the board, he continued. All with no comparable (program) in the junior high you impact all of these, he added, indicating it wouldnt be known how many students might be involved, adding, thats a severe scheduling problem. JIM HILL, district physical education direc- tor, noted some schools operate strong junior high intramural programs, calling Sunsets one of the strongest in the state with 250-30-0 participants in 1 activies. But Sherm Hoskins, a Farmington little league coach, raised the question adding pressure for a quick answer from the board when he indicated ten boys from Farmington probably registered for weight training at Davis High in anticipation of getting in as ninth graders. 10-1- HE ALSO raised the problem of little league weight restrictions that wont allow boys over wwiiiiHi MR. PARRY said if music, debate and other programs were held after school you wouldnt have a problem adding, I cant see why you couldnt use physical education an hour for conditioning. Are you saying that most athletic conditioning be a PE credit, Mr. Stevenson asked adding, Weve already discussed that. THATS BASIC that sixth period PE is weight training, Mr. Parry answered, with Mr. Stevenson disputing that as not being policy or practice, to his knowledge. They were getting the athletic scene into the regular day, Mr. Hill explained, 2nd, 3rd, 4th period, etc. The times have been moved up, to get after school. One high school (not in Davis County) had basketball three periods a day. PE is for all students, to be given (training in) lifetime sports, things that will carry over when theyre not in school. THEY TALK about giving 7th period and shifting it for sports, he added, emphasizing PE is a state requirement to build basic training for all. "Sports are for participation, but also to develop people with special abilities, Mr. Parry It bothers me to see a big lineup on the bench who cant play. We can stress participation if the coarch could work with (some current members) Id sure try some on the bench. SCHOOL BOARD Pres. Sheryl Allen expressed fear allowing ninth graders will open a terrible pandoras box if participation were allowed in all activities. Mr. Hill emphasized that would be limited, sportswise, to only those sports not played on the junior high level or that conflicted with junior high sports schedules. said. FURTHER RAISING the safety factor of participants having to go from junior to senior high on their own Mr. Stevenson said, I hope we dont minimize that safety factor. You tell me how theyll get daily from Sunset Jr. (to North Davis) or Farmington Jr. (to Davis). Weve got to have some consistency. Its up to the coaches what they do as far as scheduling, Mr. Hill said, indicating most 0 minutes before have drills. Junior high students would be arriving sometime during the start of regular high school practice, depending on distance. 20-3- MRS. DILLREE emphasized she didnt feel ready to make a decision. Im wanting to know how people want me to represent them thats my biggest concern. I dont know if Im looking at the whole picture. Im totally frustrated, hearing from some groups of a few students and not hearing from the other side. A lot of parents might feel the same way or opposite. A motion by Mr. Parry to table the matter until the Sept. 7 meeting at first was defeated with another opposing the change died for lack of a second, proposed by Board Member Dee Forbes. PRIOR TO his motion he said, Ive had parents call me (with kids) who want to participate. Ive got some concerns of what to do and when high school principals have talked to me theyve said they were very concerned also in taking away the opportunity of some of those in senior high school. MR. HOSKLNS reiterated how some students cant participate in little league football because of the weight restriction. Youre really putting the brunt on the kid. You need to make a decision its decision time for them (kids). A former ninth grade English teacher in Arizona emphasized she had to agree with the administration because shed had students, such as wrestlers, who would have to spit in the wastebasket to lose a pound before a meet, disrupting the class. I thought it (affected) very negatively, being a teacher and seeing what happens to that child. Ive seen some real problems, kids who thought they could handle both (academics and sports), she said adding that in the end, The coach gets his way. ALONG THAT same line, Mrs. Allen said last year when soccer wasnt a recognized high school sport in the county, it really was a I can see the position (created for problem. ninth graders wanting to play) but if I had to vote. Id vote against it. When we eliminated football and baseball I received more positive than negative response. Although Board Member Ray Briscoe was absent, Mrs. Allen said hed told her his position would be in favor of sports play although she added he noted he could change his mind. WITH THAT, ninth grade participation will not be encouraged, Supt. Welling said, pending a final decision. mm |