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Show LAKESIDE UiKesiue Review make the school climate more Minority From 1 proper efforts to discourage minority students from dropping out, Utah educators can prove those projections wrong. Gomez said 11 percent of all Utah schoolchildren currently represent racial minorities. And he said these numbers are on the rise. For example, Gomez said that currently Salt Lake City has the highest and fastest growing per capita population of Pacific Islanders and Asians than any inland city in the United States. Were leading the pack on Pacific Islanders and Asians, he said. That gives you an idea how that is impacting our schools. Gomez said the thriving Utah economy is attracting more minorities than in years past. He said all districts along the Wasatch Front are experiencing increases in the numbers of minority students. He said Park City, Beaver and St. George are experiencing some of the greatest increases in minority students. - - Gomez said these increases should be a red flag to educators. ' We need to upgrade the skills of teachers and administrators to conducive to these students, he said. These students bring with them the need for changes in curriculum, counseling and discipline. One needed change Gomez outlined is the need for more programs for students without proficient English skills. He said currently there are 35,286 school children who have been identified as limited-Englis- h proficient. Sufian an English as a Second Language teacher at Northridge and Layton High Schools, agrees. Language is a tool. Techniques are tools and if students lack them, how do you expect them to succeed? If minority students arent given enough attention in terms of language, pretty soon they think, The teacher doesnt care about me and the school doesnt care about me, I might as well stay home. said hes seen significant increases in the numbers of minority students within the past few years. He said increases that come that quickly in an area with historically few minorities bring a great challenge to educate teachers as to the impact of their attitudes on the education of these students. The teacher encourages all teachers to take advantage of a $300,000 federal grant the Davis Abu-Rmaile- h, Abu-Rmail- Culture Five tips to multiculturalism From Many immigrants new to the United States believe American forms of discipline at school and at home are too limited. To many, the U.S. system of education places too much emphasis on activities and not enough on 1 tions of these students would be vastly improved. Christensen is encouraging teachers to register for a three-yeprogram to study these issues a few nights a week during the school year. The program, ESL Endorsement, is funded by a federal grant and is free to the teachers who register. Credit from the courses may be applied toward masters degrees. Interested teachers may attend information meetings from 4 p.m. May 4 and from 5 p.m. May 6 in a conference room yet to be decided upon in the Ken-de- ll building behind the districts main offices at 45 State Street in Farmington. There are openings for 75 Davis School District teachers. ar 3-- 4-- Our classes hope to bring out all people think the same way, Christensen said. Different is not always bad. that not Christensen encourages teachers who are not able to commit to the three-yea- r program to also incorporate multicultural issues into their way of teaching. Each school is encouraged to get involved in multicultural education, Christensen said. an ESL teacher at Northridge and Layton Sufian Abu-Rmaile- h, High Schools, encourages teachers to incorporate more hands-oand visual types of n learning experiences for their students who dont speak English natively. A picture is worth a thousand said. words, When one associates a word with a picture or item, it allows that person to fully understand the meaning. Abu-Rmail- district received for this and next year to fund ESL Endorsement courses for teachers. He believes almost every teacher will have a minority student in his or her classroom at some point and could help that student better by receiving the training. Nancy Fleming, Davis district assistant superintendent, said her district is taking steps to account for the increasing needs for rity-student programs and specialized instruction. I would assume that if a student comes to school with a language deficiency, I would imagine that school would be more percentages of minority school-childre- n graduate and be successful. When you look at student SAT and ACT scores, minority students are still scoring significantly lower, Gomez said. We need to do a better job if they are going to represent the bulk of the work force. Gomez warns of a much more significant reason for educators to show concern over the opportunities given to minority students - increasing violence if they dont. If we dont (make education fair and equitable) these kids start off with name calling and lead to fights. mino- difficult. It makes common sense, Fleming said. Fleming said she believed the Davis districts approximately 160 delegation at this weeks state equity conference is bigger than any other districts delegation. The assistant superintendent said she believes attendance at the conference is important for educators so we can learn to address the needs of minority students. Fleming said school district officials are very concerned that the district provide an optimum education for our schoolchildren. Gomez said action is needed by all Utah districts if Utah educators are going to see acceptable Bf vanfe The data released last week by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and the College Board said 93.6 percent of Utahs high school graduates in 1997 were whites. That is projected to drop only slightly by 2008 to 93.3 percent, and to 92.4 percent by 2012, the last year with projections. Of Utahs roughly 2 million people, 6.1 percent are Latino; 2.4 percent are Asian or Pacific Islander; 1.4 percent are American Indian or Alaskan Native; and 0.7 percent are African American, according to 1994 census figures from the Governors Office of Planning and Budget. non-Lati- x IVIdsI Reliabl 8 , r academic achievement. What might be labeled as from one cultural perspective might be called respectful in another. Students from authoritarian educational systems might have a hard time expressing their own ideas and considering their experiences as valid points for their assertions. In many other countries, a students social development is not an educational concern. in today m j, and avoid the rush! cc: There is limited 1 L. non-asserti- dnil Ever ! 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The symphony is completing its first year since being organized by Richard C. Marsden, curriculum music supervisor for the Davis School District. The symphony will play Overture to the Creatures of Prometheus by Beethoven, The Concerto for Trumpet by Hummel featuring first trumpet Daniel Henderson from Davis High e School, Marche Militaire Clair de by Lune by Debussy and Aeoliennc SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH 1- -4 P.M. Tour 6 beautiful homes Saturday, April 25th and receive from 1:00-4:- 00 FREE DINNERS for two at HomeTown Buffet in Layton! Youll love our beautiful maintenance-fre- e single level homes. For the finest in care-fre- e independent living call today! .. WILLOW BEND ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY Fran-cais- Saint-Sacn- by Daniels. s, 2300 North Hillfield Road, Layton |