Education

Ecker Hill Middle School students and parents will have a chance to learn about how electronics affects the human brain. Research shows the addictive impacts of using electronics on children’s neurological and emotional health.

Dr. Christy Kane will lead the presentation next Thursday from 6 to 8 pm at Ecker Hill Middle School.  She says the American College of Pediatrics published a report that less than five percent of our kids get appropriate physical exercise. Social media and gaming are thought to be one of the causes of the increase in obesity in children.

Two public input meetings were held by the Park City School District Master Planning Committee last week. About 10 people came to the meeting at the high school on Wednesday and fewer than that showed up at Ecker Hill the following evening.

In 2015, the Park City School District embarked on a comprehensive master planning effort. The recommendation from that effort was to bond for $56 million-dollars to build new and expanded facilities. It failed at the ballot box.

The Park City School District Master Plan established a Treasure Mountain Junior High School task force. One of the questions they’re asking is how safe is the school - especially given this year’s snow load?

Each year, the Park City School District carefully watches legislation during the 45-day session.  They’re monitoring school safety bills, standardized testing policy and bills requiring seat belts on school buses.

The Park City Board of Education will hold a swearing in for the new district 3 school board member in the next board meeting later this month. KPCW had a chance to meet with Wendy Crossland and talk about her background and hopes for the school district.

The Park City Education Foundation celebrates 10 years of Running with Ed, a team relay race which circumnavigates the Park City School District. It’s also a fundraiser which the Ed Foundation has come to rely on, so it can continue to support enhanced educational programs in Park City’s public schools.

Early bird registration is open until the end of February. Runners can save $10 if they sign up by February 28th. Park City Education Associate Director Jennifer Billow says the event raises $250,000 for the organization.

Research shows children who attend pre-school have better academic outcomes and higher earning potential. Utah public education funding does not include pre-school programs. The Park City Education Foundation contributes over $100,000 to the school district to help pay for pre-school.

The Utah League of Cities and Towns held a mock legislative session for 500 youth who participated from across the state. Some of Park City’s Youth Council attended the event at the Capitol (yesterday) on Wednesday. Carolyn Murray has this:

The mock legislative session at the Utah State Capitol brought a distracted driving bill to the visiting students to debate. House Bill 13 is sponsored by Representative Carol Spackman Moss and addresses minors driving with hand held devices.

Park City High School and Treasure Mountain Junior High students greeted the week with a school wide assembly, outside, on the snowy ball field while Navajo drummers welcomed the sun rise. It’s part of the We Rise Up initiative which is about empowering youth across the US to contribute and engage in making the world a better place. Carolyn Murray covered the event and has this:

As a rule, Park City School District does not cancel school for snow. Administrators look at a handful of concerns and decide to close or stay open in the wee hours before buses leave the garage. Last week, a wet, heavy snowfall snarled Park City traffic causing many delays. But school was on. Carolyn Murray has this:

The State Board of Education will use a new school assessment test beginning this year. This means the SAGE test will no longer be used in Utah schools. Park City School District has had a very high Opt-Out rate with the assessment tests. It affects the overall grade of a school when high numbers of students don’t’ participate. Carolyn Murray has this:

The 2019 legislative session starts its 45-day session on Jan 28th. With Utah’s robust economy and Governor Gary Herbert’s budget proposing a 4% increase in the WPU, education funding will be watched by school districts throughout the state. Carolyn Murray has this update:

The Park City School District Master Planning process is focusing on how the district delivers education to its 4500 students. The Master Planning Committee continues its work collecting community and stakeholder input. The deadline for completion is May. Carolyn Murray has this:

The Park City School Board discussed next year’s school calendar in Tuesday’s meeting. They received feedback from the public along with the Park City Education Association representative. Carolyn Murray has this:

The Calendar Committee arrived at two options for next year. Each option presents small changes to this year’s calendar. School Board Member Erin Grady said the committee was made up of district administration, district staff and members of the education association. She said the survey results supports the B version over the A-version.