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Show Continued from page 1 called latch-kekids and a general breakdown in the family, contribute to a situation almost out of control. y Susan Sutterfield, a Layton mother who has raised six children both as a married and single parent over a period of years, has seen a great deal of change. She says today's young people are more aggressive and combative and she blames much of this attitude on television. She sites violence, adult sexual situations and poor role models. Mrs. Sutterfield is also concerned about parents who must often be absent. The child will be molded by the nearest and most frequent influence. Often that is the family television set. The average fifth grader watches In excess of five hours of TV per day. That same fifth grader reads, on average, less than twenty minutes per day. There are some other predominant social values Brittany Nelson from Mueller Park Junior High, won the National History Day competition and earned herself a $60,000 scholarship with her paper on Fifteen-year-ol- d Navajo code talkers during WWII. Mueller Park has Winners at State National History Pairs After spending six months researching, interviewing, writing and organizing material, students competed in regional and state history fairs. Nine students from Mueller Park Junior High School traveled to Washington. PC to compete at the national level. Jeremy Back and Mark Jeppsen placed seventh with their slide presentation on cartography. Brittany Nelson. J.D. Lyon. David Dibble. Mikell Mackay and Michelle Hatch received a superior rating for their entry on Dr. H. Tracy Hall. Daniel Higgs and Matt Williams were the other national competitors. This is the third year teacher leader Diana Fullmer has taken the team to national competition. Miss Nelson was a first place winner for her research on the World War II Navajo Code Talkers. discipline and control. Instant gratification is a broad cultural theme that has intensified in recent years. Rights versus responsibilities with intensified emphasis on privileges expressed as rights, and almost every action can be preceded by the phrase I have a right to..." Individual and social responsibility are often missing. The same issues are raised by a fourth grade teacher in Davis County. This teacher began her career in the late 1950s in a small town. She saw little change in the behavior patterns until the mid 1980s and feels as if the world has turned upside down. She observes, almost daily, disturbing atti (x obscene language and early interest in the opposite sex. The teacher is more specific in her concerns about the influence of television. She asks if the bizarre topics of Phil Donahue are acceptable fare for She feels many animated programs arent helping the situation. Parents Are A Key Students acknowledge that there is a discipline problem and that many students are disruptive and unruly. Mrs. Sutterfield feels that only about 50 percent of parents know what their children are doing at school and that parents need to spend time with them and with teachers. Some parents refuse to acknowledge wrong doing bv their children and refuse to cooperate with measures taken to change negative behaviors. Good MannersRespect Often Missing A major concern, according to this teacher, is the increased aggressive behavior of students toward teachers and each other. She sees the incidence of playground fighting on the increase, with teachers time taken to solve problems and to counsel participants. In the classroom, students are becoming more argumentative and verbally abusive. Is it the careless, selfish students? Is it overstressed, absentee parents? Or is this, indeed, the classic situation from Pogo? The little comic strip character who looks around, then turns to his friend and says: We has met the enemy and they is us." 6 . Reprint of an editorial from the Standard-Examine- r Davis discipline plan for schools prudent The Davis School District Is sending a strong message that errant behavior, carrying weapons, Jay Yahne of Clearfield High School earned a $500 scholarship and a trip to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Virginia for his research titled. Analysis of Soils Tendency to Liquefy When Struck by Longitudinal Seismic Waves of Varying Magnitudes of Force. He also won a first place award In the International Science Fair. Both of Jay's parents. Ron and Ruth Ann, are science teachers. disrupting classes, rudeness to authority and profanity will not be tolerated In Davis schools. In a move intent on creating a healthy environment for learning, district officers have announced the drafting of stringent rules to combat the pervasiveness of unmanageable, dangerous behavior. Its a commendable move. Under the plan, still in the embryo stage, principals will have greater authority and clear guidelines to manage any sort of a disturbance. Presently, principals have no clear instructions on what point to act or notify law enforcement officers. The proposed policy further states that when a student Is deemed undesirable for attendance at public schools, admittance can be refused. One of the more important provisions of the proposed behavior control policy is a clear understanding on steps to take when a student flashes a weapon on school property. Local police agencies would be New Science TextsMaterials Coating $1,003,960 There were 42 parents, students, administrators and teachers Involved in seeking the best science materials for classrooms In Davis schools. Texts and materials were chosen for each science class offered In elementary and secondary curriculums. Science Curriculum Specialist LaMont Jensen says, "The selection process is broader with science. One text cant provide the experience desired for scientific information." The elementary plan provides for teacher development training, guides, overlays, assessment guides, audiotapes, posters, management system boxes, etc. The cost of full implementation is $1 .003,960. Amee Van Alfen, a fourth grader at Crestvtew Elementaiy . will have a story about her dog Grade" 'published in the DC Heath third grade activity workbook. Amees story is one of two chosen from the Western United States for publication. that are operative here, says Superintendent Richard Kendell: Self expression in hair, dress, speech, music arid art is highly valued; perhaps more valued than self tudes, increased aggressive and sometimes violent behavior, a startling increase in the use of crude and notified. This policy would differ appreciably from state statue that has some provisions for student discipline. if all principals are in accord The new policy with the concept of becoming the managers of negative behavior -- - could be an effective tool for controlling errant actions and the use of abusive, profane language that have become prevalent In public edu- - cation. Board President Louenda Downs has correctly assessed that lax attention to misbehavior in the schools has created a problem of serious dimension. Society has for too long coddled known student trouble-maker- s. Davis district has decided this must change. Letting students clearly understand what is expected of them in way of behavior and appropriate language may not solve all the problems. It Is, however, bound to have a positive effect and particularly encouraging to the large numbers of scholarly students who respect authority and are sincere in their desire to learn. They become victims of students who are responsible for creating a disruptive classroom environment. well-behav- 99 . Comprehensive Guidance Program Approved for Secondary Schools To make the role and function of the school counselor more education based, eliminate nonguidance functions and provide for management and accountability, a change In program was needed. Counselors will be spending a minimum of 80 percent of their time providing direct services for students, cutting clerical work. With early career planning for students, counselors must be prepared to provide time and information for individual SEOP's (student education occupational plans). Training is required of all counselors. i i 1 Bus Driver Norman Wilcox was named the state's Outstanding Classified Employee forthe year. He initiated a safe rider program which recognizes appropriate behavior. He has never been cited for an accident. o o o o o o Jim Lindsay, Layton High, was one of 22 science teachers from across the country to complete a rigorous marine and nautical sciences program offered by the Sea Education Association. five-wee- k ' 1 2 |