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Show ii 23. 1999 Ease Uintah -- ik EDUCATION ! BainStandard 'IV.'-- rA ''..-.i- Specialized education at Con Amore helps challenged students thrive t By Mary Wertz : Con Amore School in the Duchesne County School District serves children who have diagnosed disabilities. FrOm vision, hearing or speech impairment to severe multiple disabilities, 121 children are thriving at Ctm Amore. Children range in age from 3 to 20 years old in. this school staffed with 22 educators, specialists and stuinstructional aides. Fifty-eigdents aged 3 to 5 attend the preschool program which offers two sessions: one in the morning and one in the. afternoon. Individualized learning sessions tailored to meet a students special needs are combined with group activities. An physical therapist plans for each child as necessary, and a speech and hearing therapist gives services to children who require speech therapy. An occupational therapist and an additional physical therapist visit the school monthly. Brightly-colore-d posters, books and toys decorate the room and music plays softly in the background. Young children learn counting and develop fine motor skills as well as get a snack with the following activity. Each child picks a number from ajar, then finds a canister with the matching number. Inside are treats marshmallows, crackers, pretzels. on-sta- ff pre-scho- ol - The child then uses a chopstick-lik- e device to pull out the corresponding number of the snack item and carefully counts them aloud before eating them. In another classroom, 12 children with severe multiple disabilities gather round a table and color pictures. Five of these children use wheelchairs, while others use walkers. In an adjoining room, some children use the specialized equipment the school offers for therapy. Because some of the children are confined to wheelchairs, the school has this equipment that allows them to get in different positions, jump in jumpers or lie on the front part of their bodies or the sides. Large therapy balls are available for children to roll around and jump on and a hoist helps to lift some of the heavier students out of the spa. Kids in this class have different HAPPY AT SCHOOL-Abo- ut of the children in Con Amore's five Se- vere Multiple Disabilities class are in wheelchairs. A therapeutic spa is used to help relax stiff muscles and specialized equipment helps children find different positions to exercise their muscles. needs and abilities, said Joni Fitzgerald, administrator at the school. A lot of the day is spent positioning to make them comfortable in therapy. A lot of them respond to music. A hot tub, or therapeutic spa, in another room is also used by all the children. It helps their muscles to relax, which, after being confined to a wheelchair for long periods, dont lights in the spa and the water being warm. The older kids spend time at Myton Elementary, next to Con Amore, where they study computers, music, library and Physical Education. Science, math, reading and lifeskills are taught at Con Amore. Yet another Con Amore student is homebound so the teachers come to the student's home to provide educational services. Some of the students eventually transfer to Union High, while others complete their education at Cm Amore. Duchesne County is one of the few counties in Utah to have a separate school in the district far disabled children. Many schools are main streaming children with dis- work very welL use the spa once a week to help develop skills. They language and self-heltalk about the bubbles and colored rs p CIRCLE TlMEAt the end of the day, preschoolers from Con Amore circle up to paiticipate in quiet activities are finishing up a day of school. like reading and singing. Here a group of The old equipment on the play- - ment when it arrives this summer. The school also runs a summer of all are especially proud They ground was deemed unsafe, except called Derek, a student who will partici- - . for one swing. All the new play- - school program for six weeks are a school extended an They to is year. in ground equipment specialized pate in the Special Olympics be wheelchair and handi capped public school like any other in the April. The school was recently award- - accessible, as well as age appropri- - county and have the same daysoff ate. Volunteers have already formed as the other schools in the district. ed a Community Development Block Grant to get a new playground built, a committee to put in the equip- - goal-settin- g. -- abilities into regular schools. WHOOPIE-Five-year-- 'with old physical the-hotp- Schools like Cm Amore are referred to as duster schools as they have so many services under one roof. We can really give services well here, said one teacher. We have centralized equipment in a special education facility. Staff members agree that Cm Amore is a great place to work because the staff all share vision and commitment to the students. Every student is encouraged to progress academically and physically With Shawn enjoys bouncing on a therapy ball Landiye at CnnAmore School. - shcrapist-Shcil- a JO of Utah USE TRUCK .EMYER a visit to the fire station, Katrina Stringham and Carson Betts show the East YOL'NG FIRE FIGHTERS-Duri- ng how the children, would look dressed as volunteer firemen. Elementary classes of Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Oakes r ' with the program. According to Aland, the district is subsidising the program, which includes paying for instructor s salaries during driving time as well as in the classroom. The district also relatives who are living with family has to come up with cash above By Lezlee E. Whiting members who have guardianship. what the state allows them for a With the Duchesne County District officials also say it's time vehicle every other year. There are School District's recreation levy to raise fees charged to students between four to six driver's educamaxed out, the need to raise addienrolled in drivers education. The tion cars in the school district tional funds for six new coaches and school district currently assesses a The proposal is expected to be a few assistant coaches has school $25 fee, but principals have pro- presented to the school board next board members considering raising posed raising the fee to $50 to more month for their consideration. activity fees. It's been proposed that activity fees charged at all district schools be standardised to match what is currently being charged at Union High, said district superintendent John Aland. Union charges the highest activity fees in the school DEA recognizes Safley for job well done district. We are determining how much it will generate by standardizing the fees to match Union, then calculating what a $ 10 increase to each one would bring, Aland explained. The board will vote on making the fees uniform and the possible additional $ 10 hike at their March board meeting. The need for new coaches was spurred by requests from Duchesne and Altamont High to add baseball and softball teams, and to add boys and girls soccer teams at Union. Activity fees are charged to all students who participate in extra- curricular sports, drama cheerleading and drill team. The fees now charged at Union are as follows: drama S15; drill team -$35; cheerleaders $35; football $50; girls volleyball $50; cross$10; boys and country running girls basketball --- $35; wrestling -$35; boys and girls track $35; tennis $35; baseball and softball -- - - - - - $35; and golf-$The board has proposed an " TOP VALUES - FAIR PRICES'' To Buy Your Next 20. t-- --' t -- 'i QUALITY CONTROL TEST TRAILER - For Used Trucks & Repairs Watching kids truly pursue learning and excellence brings joy to teacher Beverly Salley's heart. Beverly is being recognized by the Duchesne Educator's Association for her contributions to education. Beverly is in her fifth year of teaching math at Altamont High, teaching algebra 1; algebra 2; 7th grade math; geometry; applied math and weight training. activities inHer clude serving as the Math Department chair, being the district math specialist, participating in math ciub and track. She was born and raised in Myton and graduated from Union High. She earned a Bachelor of Science a; extra-curricu- degree at Utah State University where she mqjored in math and achieved a double major in computer science and physical education. She went on to earn her MBA from Brigham Young University where she was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Beverly taught for two years at Roosevelt Junior High; and for two years at Evanston High in Wyoming. COMMUNITY EDUCATION FOR ADULTS Noncredit Classes Sr. Citizen! age 55)Discount Cake Decorating Calligraphy. Drawing Basics. Group Guitar. Internet k Family History. Knitting Basics Intro to Computers. . Mar 3 Mar 3 Mar 2 Mar 3 ..... Mar 9 Mar 25 .... Mar 23 Mar 24 P!iotographyVorkshop-AdvSewing knit$.M.........MiM..M.MMM.. Mar 2 ...... Call USU Horizons Program at 722-229- 4 In her spare time she eqjoys spending time with her family, gardening and camping. She is the mother of two young sons, sges 4 Vt and 1 VI Altamont Jr. High School 2nd quarter honor roll la Horizons Call at an- nual activity fee cap of $200 per family. The cap would only apply to immediate family and would not be extended for foster children, or to Used Truck at Freightliner of Utah Lane Porritt or Art Romo accurately reflect costa associated Activity fees, drivers ed fees headed up 505 off fees .. at $30 .. L'SU-Vat $30 at UHSV..........$50 at USU-$50 USU-R...- R at USU-V.- at at at at LSU-V.- .; or .. DHS..-........- USU-- V. USU-- R. 7F9-36- W $30 $40 30 Altamont Junior High School announces the following students receiving honor roll stat us with s grade point average of 3.75 4.0 for High Honors and 3.5 - 3.75 for Honors for the 2nd quarter are as follows: High Honors 7th Grade: Brett Wood, Alta Burton, Daisy Lindsay, Heston Farnsworth, Ryan Mower. Honors 7th Grade: Nils Myrin, Tiffany Nielsen, Jason T. Giles, Tiffany Blain, Shaynna Fauaett High Honors Samantha 8th Gride: Fieldsted, Staci Bingham, Maries Mower. Kathy Hanbcrg; Honor 8th Grade: Joe Monsen, Carley Jensen. Cougarettes sponsor dancedrill clinic The Union High School Drill Team will be sponsoring their annual Cougarette DancWDnll Clinic on Monday, starting with sign-up- s March 1. in the Union High School Commons area from 3.15 5 p m. This year the clinic will be held on the following dates: Tuesdsy, Wednesday, and Thursday, March 2,3,4. and Monday, and Tuesdsy, March 8,9, with the performance at the Cougarette Spring Revue on Wednesday. March 10. Timet for daw will be kindergarten. 1st and 2nd gradas from 3.30-- 4 30 pm. and 3. 4, 5, and 6th grades from 4.30 5 30 p m. As part of their registration fee, participants will receive a pre-scho- S50 .... ..$30 rtf 2 12 tee-shir- t. |