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Show School Activities School Calendar 1993-9- 4 Classes Begin Labor Day .... UEA Convention First Term Ends... Teacher Preparation Day Second Term Begins..... Elem. ParentTeacher Conf, Sec. ParentTeacher Conf. Teacher Comp" Day Thanksgiving Recess : Aug. 30 .....Sept. 6 Sept 30. Oct. 1 ....Nov. 4 .........Nov. 5 ,.,..Nov. 8 Nov. ........Nov. 8-1- 2 15-1- 9 Nov. 24 Nov. 25-2- 6 Christmas Recess Starts .........Dec. 24 School Reconvenes..:;........ ...............Jan. 3 Jan. 17 Human Rights Day. Second Term Ends...,....:.............. Jan. 20 Jan. 21 Teacher Preparation Day Third Term Begins Jan. 24 ......Feb. 3 Elem. ParentTeacher Conf, ........Feb. 9 Jr, High Parent Conf. Conf. Feb. 10 School Parent High l.Feb. 21 Presidents Day March 30 Third Term Ends ...March 31 Teacher Preparation Day... April 1,4 Spring Break Fourth Term Begins April 5 Memorial Day ..May 30 : School Closes June 2 Year-Roun- Schools d Tracks do not correspond with reporting periods. Holidays correspond with regular school calendar. ' 7 Track A On track, off track July 26 - Sept. 24 .......... Oct 18 - Dec. 23 On track, off track Jan. 18 - March 18 On track, off track off track ................ April 1 1 - May 31 On track, , Tracks On track, On track, On track, On track, On track, off track....: off track off track off track off track.. :..... Juty 26 - Sept 3 Sept. 27 - Nov. 24 Jan. 3 - Feb. 25 March 21 - May 18 ............June 6 - Juty 1 .'77 Track c On track, off track...;,..,:...:..:. July 26 - Aug. 13 On track, off track Sept 7 - Nov. 5 Nov. 29 - Feb. 4 On track, off track - April 27 ....... ...Feb. off ...... 28 On track, track - Juty 1 23 On track, off track May - Track D On track, off track..:.,.. ...Aug. 16 - Oct 15 On track, off track,: ............Nov, 8 - Jan. 14 On track, off track .;.......:.:,....:..Feb. 7 - April 8 On track, off track ,.: ..........May 2 - Juty 1 Elementary Parent - Teacher Conferences: Sept 20 - 24 Track A; Track B, C, D Oct. 11 -- & March 17 15 & March 30 Secondary Parent - Teacher Conferences: Track A, B, .;.......November 1 r 5 Track D TrackA Track B. C. D ...: .....November 15 19 March 15 ..March 19 ..7 . . . Boon or Burden The American education system is constantly being compared to other systems around the world. One of the areas often questioned is the degree to which we encourage and provide extracurricular activities for students from elementary through high school. The time and money spent is often debated. How much time should students and teachers spend outside the academic area? How much money should be allocated? How much do students benefit and how many students benefit? The Executive Director of the Utah High School Activities Association, in a recent interview, stated that a proposal was placed before the association to limit the number of activities and contests in Utah high schools. The proposed reduction would have cut by 10 percent, both activities and spending. After careful consideration the proposal was rejected. They determined the present level of activity was beneficial to a great number of students and should be retained. Davis board member Dixie Hill calls the amount of money spent on activities, a bargain . . .the activities", she says, are not just a benefit to those who participate but to other students, parents and community members as well." The function of activities is to involve students. When a football game begins, there are 22 players on the field, but there may be 5,000 people in the stands who are also enjoying the activity. A year with no school plays nor thousands of parents and students applauding the performance of budding actors and actresses would certainty change the environment of a school. A year with no musical band, no orchestra concerts, no chorales, and no groups of intense young debaters ready to dazzle each other with their knowledge would free students time that could be channeled toward the classroom. Boyd Whitesides, business teacher at Clearfield High School just completing his 30th year of teaching, observes: "Most students involved in activities tend to have more school spirit, more purpose and more respect. Whitesides also feels there are important lessons to be learned about teamwork and competition from sports and other activities. However, Mr. Whitesides feels the preparation for activities should be after class hours, as much as possible. According to law enforcement people in other cities, reducing school sponsored events has resulted in an increase in vandalism and juvenile crime. While most feel that athletics and other activity programs are of value in the school system, no one is suggesting there are not problems. Are there excesses? Yes. Do activities sometimes infringe on academics? Yes. Should student athletes and performers be students first? Definitely! We must acknowledge the world and the country in which we live. We cannot all be athletes, actors, musicians, public speakers or dancers. We do, however, as a country associate with those who are. James Thurbers Walter Mitty lives on in most of us and it will always be so. Just exactly where is the classroom anyway? Did a student learn more from the delightful wit and wonderful mind of Dickens in literature, or the uncompromising work, ethic and character of the coach in football? There are questions to be considered: Are schools the appropriate place to conduct activities? Every high school must worry about hiring 32 coaches. The UHSAA mandates these coaches be qualified teachers and it sometimes is difficult for principals to hire the best teachers who must also coach a sport. In many other countries activities are conducted by community organizations, leaving schools to concentrate on academics. Superintendent Richard Kendell says. "In light of the current environment of limited funds and the need for students to keep a strong focus on academics, we anticipate future directions for activities will include the following: Schedule all or most activities after school hours or on weekends. Encourage broader participation of students in intramural programs. Minimize out of state travel. Limit barriers due to fees which might discourage student participation. Initiate partnerships between schools and other organizations (cities, counties, private business, sports clubs, athletic associations) to share sponsorship of athletic progams." ColumbiaDC lleath Partnership Is Unique A Davis school was selected to receive $95,000 worth of educational texts, materials and teacher training. Columbia Elementary in Kaysville is the first elementary school in the state or nation to work with DC Heath Publishing Company (or any company) in this kind of schoolbusiness partnership. Tbis program is engaged in finding and applying the best ways to teach children. Davis adopted Heath's reading program three years ago and they have other programs with aspects of an integrated curriculum in them. Of course, all programs used at Columbia will support the Davis Course of Study. The partnership provides Columbia with the latest in texts and materials and excellent consultants who will conduct special training at Columbia and for other interested Davis teachers. Heath, the sixth largest producer of textbooks and learning materials in the United States, is a pioneer in new instructional materials and methods. The Heath textbook programs integrate learning materials for reading, social studies and mathematics. Teachers may present units or thematic studies which coordinate concepts related to making logical life skill relationships and supporting one another. Elementary reading specialist Veloy Richards initiated the program. "With an emphasis on integrating the curriculum across subject areas, we wanted to provide texts, materials and staff support and a place to train our teachers." Staff and parents at Columbia are enthusiastic. First grade teacher Dorothy Marx praised the read-in- g program because it connects all areas of language arts and other curriculum. Don Robb, sixth Dave Miller, Davis High, was named Teacher of the Year during the annual Hall of Fame ceremony. Dave heads the Foreign Language department and is advisor for Davis g yearbook. He received High Schools from Northwest Pipeline. $1,000 Tiffany Hislop has been named student member of the Board of Education forone year. She was Northridge High Schools studentbody president in 1993. grade teacher said, Well do whatever it takes to help children leam." The PTA said they had great trust in the teachers and would assist them in any way they could. The partnership is exceptional since participants are involved in education on a daily basis and are in a position to evaluate program and materials developed for classroom use. "The faculty at Columbia are excellent teachers dedicated to making learning a successful experience for each child," says Richards. Board Meetings the are held at first 5:30 p.m., Board meetings and third Tuesday of each month, except for Juty and December when only one meeting is held. The meetings generally take place in the auditorium of the administration building, 45 East State, Farmington, but some are located at schools. If special meetings are necessary, the times and places are announced to the press 24 hours in advance. District Office September 7 Adelaide Elementary 21 September District Office October 5 ...South Weber Elementary October 19 .: District Office November 2 Columbia Elementaiy November 16 District Office December 7 - award-winnin- |