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Show Eighth Graders Get Survival Skill Test Competency testing of the eighth graders has begun in the Alpine School District as part of a state program to be sure children are adequately educated to meet the demands of living in an adult world alter high school graduation. Dr. Stan Leavilt of the Alpine School District spoke on this subject in a special meeting held Thursday night at Pleasant Grove Junior High School. Dr. Leavitt was one member of the panel which also consisted of Peggy Anderson, regional PTA Director; Dan Fugal, Alpine School Board president; Eldon Willis, teacher and chairman of the political action committee of the Alpine Education Association; and C. Don Crump, principal of Pleasant Grove Junior High School. The panel also discussed parental input, fund raising, school dances, crowded schools, and bills before the current legislature relating to education. Leavitt said that the.compelenlcy testing is a survival skills test. He said that more than half of the students taking the test the first time are expected to pass it. A grade of 70 percent or better is passing, he noted. Fugal reported that a series of public forums are planned this week in the high schools of the district so that parents can give input into school district policies and plans. Meetings were held in Pleasant Grove and Lehi Feb. 3. Sessions will be held tonight at Orem High School and Feb. 11 at American Fork and Mountain View High Schools. He also encouraged parents to attend school board meetings which are held the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the school board offices, 50 North Center, American A question about fund raising i projects was asked the panel. Prin- . cipal Crump said that fund raising j was necessary to gel some of the j things which are not provided lor by I the district. He said that many resource books for the library have been acquired by fund raising projects. One teacher i said that because her budget for her home economics classes is so low ( $300 per year) she has to have fund- ' raisers or the children could not cook I in their cooking class or have enough I sewing machines in the sewing class. Much concern has been expressed about school dances at the junior high school, moderator Janene Dubois, i junior high PTA president said. Crump explained that dances are held once a month during the- last I hour or so of the school day. Dances I cannot easily be held after school because nearly all the students ride the bus, he said. One dance is held for all students i Halloween night. It is sponsored by the PTA to raise funds for the coming I year's projects. Ninth graders are I allowed one night dance in the spring of each year, Crump noted. Records are played, mostly of disco-style music, and this type of dancing is encouraged; but the students express a desire for slow music, and "bearhug" dancing is done, he added. It was suggested that the P.E. classes give instruction in social dancing so that more students will learn how to dance and learn social manners. Fugal discussed the crowded schools in the district saying that without a bond election funds are not available to build the buildings necessary for the rapidly growing students enrollment. - iiiflll |