Preparing for his first year as superintendent of Emery County School District, Larry Davis has much to look forward to with changes and more coming to the school district this year.
“We have a number of changes in personnel,” Davis said, calling this year as dynamic a year he has seen in 30 years of working in the district. The dynamics extend into the classroom and district office with more than ten hires and transfers each as well as new appointments to those working in the district office with student services and IT.
Other changes to the district will come through technology. The district is currently working on a technology grant application, which will include a technology plan for the district. The deadline is upcoming with the date set for October and a possible dollar amount of $65,000, which has the potential of going up depending on other schools’ applications.
The district is also initiating a STEM grant worth $178,000 in its first year with the potential for the funds continuing up to two years. Ashley Jensen, an EHS graduate and counselor at the high school, wrote the grant and will supervise its use. Davis remains hopeful that STEM classes as well as competitions and assemblies will also take place throughout the school year along with computer programming and encoding classes for higher education.
The year also will host the creation of a professional development center in the little theatre at Emery High School, which will host trainings relevant to technology and STEM education.
For this former teacher and principal, the key to a successful year lies in those invested in the educational sphere to do just that: become invested and involved. Davis called for parents and teachers to communicate and be on the same page on issues.
He also discussed the need for teachers to improve their methods through training, including the integration of technology as well as the importance of district officials thinking of new ways to help prepare students for the world.
“Never stop learning,” the new superintendent stated, surely echoing a call to both students, teachers and all alike.