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Show Pangulch City worker Joe Decker works to place new water lines into position to accomodate new water linkage Into the old county Jail site James Carl llenrle who received gold watch for 25 years service to Kaibab Industries, 1 also receives congratulations from Jim Taylor, manufacturing manager at Panguitch. being refurbished, near Garfield County Courthouse in Panguitch. Project will update facility. Garfield School Board Again Reviews Boulder Elementary School Question School board members once again tackled the question of whether an elementary school should be established in Boulder and listened to complaints of local citizens about what they claim is the district's failure to fund extra-curricular activities according to recently bapproved minutes of their March meeting. The board had conducted a survey of Boulder parents about the possibility of opening an elementary school in Boulder. Board member Quay Simons, Escalante, said he felt the survey had not been specific enough and Boulder parent Julee Lyman also expressed concern about the quality of the survey. Board members agreed that the survey needed to include questions stated more directly. Simons said he felt the survey, as conducted, did not reflect 100 percent support for a school in the community. Simons also expressed concern about participation from all school age children if a school were established, since several Boulder parents teach their children in home schools. Boulder resident Dee Hardy said he felt if a school were openedj all would send their children to public school. Mrs. Anthony Coombs, currently teaching her children at home, said she would probably send her children to a public school in Boulder, Arthur Lyman, Boulder, told board members that a higher percentage of Boulder students attended college when the elementary school was in Boulder than those who have attended since elementary children were required to be bused to Escalante. The difference is due, he said, to student burnout. Tom Hatch, Garfield County commissioner said he felt the number of students in Boulder will increase in the future due to recent improvements on the road in and out of the town. Supt. Henry Jolley explained that maintenance and operation costs would be generated by Weighted Pupil Units if the school had at least 20 students, but that building costs would be the total responsiblity of the school district. He also said that application would need to be made by April 1 for Necessarily Existent Small School status for the school. School board member Ray Englestead said he felt another survey should be conducted. The board decided to make application for a school in Boulder and conduct another survey. Panguitch resident and businesswoman Carol Orton told the board that the necessity for funding all extra-curricular activities for students through fund raising and donations was placing too much of a burden on local residents and business people. She pointed out that drill teams from Panguitch and Bryce Valley High Schools had qualified for state competition and no funds had been forthcoming from the school district to send the students, with the individual communities required to provide funds to allow the students to compete. She said that she had talked with three board members privately prior to the meeting and received no support from them for her position. She asked each board member, "Do you support extra-curricular activities. All said they supported extra curricular activities, each with some qualification. Engelstead said, "To the limit of our finances, yes." he said he knows, "the district cannot support the whole program." He said he feels "the district owes each school financial help in state (Continued on Page 7) School Board wnnjjnrrnfr recognition as the retired employee competition." Board member Margaret Shakespear said she supports extracurricular activities and board member Sam Allen said he supports them if they are funded through donations and taxation. Simons stated he felt that the board was limited due to the size of the district and could not support "everything that comes up." President Anderson said she supports extra-curricular activities until they interfere with education. Mrs. Orton said she had checked with five school districts which do help with such activities and inquired why Garfield School District does not. She said she felt that extracurricular activitiesjjave caused many students .to do better , academically and have helped them to improve their self image. Panguitch resident Jerry LeFevre asked board members about expenses incurred by the board for a recent retreat at Brian Head for board members and he also inquired about costs of board members attending the annual convention set for Anaheim. Mrs. Orton stated she felt administrative costs were running too high and that salaries could be reduced and some positions eliminated to reduce costs. She asked for answers to her questions and a change in policy for next year's school budget. Panguitch businessman Frank Houston urged the board to spend its money locally and Mrs. Orton said she felt "patrons would not be upset if the businesses did not have to totally support the extra-curricular activities. President Anderson said the subject would be placed on the following month's agenda and assured citizens in attendance that the "board wants to do what is right for the children." Board members authorized Supt. Jolley to inform the State Office of Education that the school district is interested in a foreign language program available by satellite. President Anderson recommended that the board formally Evaluate the superintendent in a closed session prior to the last board meeting and suggested that it might be to the board's advantage to conduct evaluations every six months. She said appointment takes place in June but that Supt. Jolley had requested an evaluation prior to that appointment. Todd Stubbs, director of Tele-Learning for the district, presented a progress report from the Bryce Valley site to the board. Currently, classes in English, physics and art are being conducted via Tele-Learning. A variety of favorable comments were offered about the courses from individuals associated with them. President Anderson Informed the board that she and Supt. Jolley had received a call from Plateau Resources representative stating that no changes were anticipated in employment in the Ticaboo area. Present enrollment at Ticaboo School is 53, with 32 Kane County students and 21 Garfield County students. The board will discuss the matter with Kane County board members in July when a new Kane County superintendent takes office. Anderson said that there will be a school in Ticaboo for the 1985-86 school year. Hal Shurtz, principal at Escalante Elementary, was granted a year's -Jeave of absence for medical reasons with a promise of employment for the 1986-87 school year if he recovers sufficiently to return to teaching. The board accepted the resignations of Michael Connell and wife wife, Raleen, and expressed appreciation for their service to the district. The board agreed unanimously not to rehire Carrie Raisanen but split on the decision not to rehire Panguitch High basketball coach Brian McAllister upon the recommendation of Principal Bennett Josie and Supt. Jolley. Board members Simons and Allen voted in favor of the recommendation and board members Shakespear and Englestead voted against it. Board president Anderson opened the matter for discussion. Josie stated he felt that stronger leadership in athletics was needed as well as someone with a stronger science capability, although he acknowledged in response to a question from Tom Hatch, that his recommendation not to rehire was based primarily on the athletics program. In support of the coach, were comments stating he had not had sufficient cooperation for a successful program. Randy Hatch stated he felt it was not McAllister's fault that the basketball program had not been successful. Mrs. Anderson said she felt she : must follow the recommendation of ; Principal Josie and Supt. Jolley and voted not to rehire. Ken Miller, local businessman, requested that the board supply specific information on cost of administration in the district, from the superintendent down to the custodians. Clerk Laurel Holman stated that salaries are open to public reivew and the information is available at the district office. Mrs. Anderson said that district office salaries would be discussed at the following month's board meeting set for Panguitch. |