Show School boards beards propose unified school district Reorganization of North and South Sanpete School Districts to combine to a central office staff was proposed this week in a joint meeting of the two districts boards of education The move which would re result result re- re sult suIt in a single wide county-wide school district office was supported supported supported sup sup- ported by the two superintendents superintendents superintendents dents Royal N. N Allred of North Sanpete and Winston T T. T Gleave Cleave of South Sanpete For the betterment betterment betterment bet bet- of Sanpete schools both boUl financially and educationally this must come about both bolli superintendents agreed Both men emphasized that combining the two administrative tive units would permit more efficient administration better planning and more productive use of supervisory and professional professional professional teaching non-teaching personnel Major factors supporting the reorganization are both financial financial finan finan- cial Incentives and probable penalties resulting from actions of the 1971 Legislature If the reorganization is ap approved approved approved ap- ap proved the two combined dis districts districts districts dis- dis could receive approximately approximately approximately 2 1 million dollars in building funds Part of this money could be used to pay payo payoff payoff o off present bonded indebtedness which amounts to more than in the two districts The money also could be used to improve present facilities facilities facilities ties or construct new facilities If the reorganization is not approved the districts face a possible loss of more than in state and local funds Under the Utah school financial formula the State Board of Education can grant special units for the maintenance ance of small schools This amounts to the allocation of more money than the schools would qualify for on the basis of or enrollment This in effect provides more teachers and supplies than would be possible without the special units The 1971 Legislature decreed that such special units in rural schools be decreased to encourage encourage encourage age consolidation of small schools If the special units received re received received re- re by North and South Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete School Districts continue to be withdrawn as they were this year it would be almost impossible to maintain present teacher pupil-teacher ratios particularly particularly particularly in small schools the two superintendents said To prevent prevent prevent pre pre- vent the possible loss of these special units over the next two years reorganization must be accomplished by July 1 I 1971 Procedures for reorganization tion were spelled out in the last Legislature In Senate Bill The measure provides for re reorganization reorganization reorganization re- re organization upon a resolution of the majority vote from each school board This resolution is then presented to the county commission Following reorganization the two member five five i ve- ve veme me boards of education education education edu edu- cation would become a single board of 10 members for the wide county-wide district If U the change is completed by July 1st this board would then serve until January 1 I 1973 In the meantime the county commission commission commis commis- s- s sion slon would divide the new unified unified uni uni- fied led district into five lve representative representative representative precincts of essentially essentially essentially essen essen- equal population In the 1972 general election one board member would be elected from each of these precincts precincts pre pre- and the resulting five five- member board would take of office flee as of January 1 I 1973 This new board would be responsible for planning ac actions actions actions ac- ac and programs designed to improve educational opportunities ties for every school-age school child in Sanpete County regardless of where he lives Superintendents Superintendents Superintendents Gleave Cleave and Allred em em- |