By Julie Johansen
The Emery School Board met on Wednesday at Ferron Elementary. The consent agenda was approved and Superintendent Jared Black presented the names of five individuals for the board’s approval. The names included Brandy Powell, custodian at Castle Dale Elementary; Kara Bigelow, resource aide at Book Cliff Elementary; Kranessa Anderson, resource aide at San Rafael Middle School; Bailie Mortensen, assistant softball coach at Emery High; and Katelyn Magnuson, speech aide at Cottonwood Elementary. The names were approved by the board.
Kerry Lake, Emery School District Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, presented the various bids received for asbestos removal at Emery High and Ferron Elementary buildings prior to demolition. He explained the work that been done with each potential bid, commending Megan Durrant for her comprehensive care to prepare the packets for inspection. He recommended the low bid from Eagle Environmental out of Salt Lake City.
The board approved his recommendation. This action will begin soon, as construction is scheduled to begin in March. Supt. Black also announced that the bond reading presentation will be on Friday, Feb. 5 by Emery School Board President Tracey Johnson and Business Manager Jackie Allred. This is in order to sell the bond to a financial institution. Land trust money amendments for Ferron and Huntington Elementary were also approved.
The spring extracurricular sports schedules were discussed with board members, considering time away from academics before approving the schedules. Capital outlay project priorities were approved by the board.
Next, Ferron Elementary Principal Heather Behling explained an after-school tutoring program that takes place on Wednesday afternoons. She said it is being funded by contract time from teaching assistants with help from the classroom teachers. There are seven groups with five or six students in each leveled group. This is an effort to help students catch up after the soft closure last spring. The biggest problem they are having with the program right now is transportation, but the rest has been very successful.
Behling also introduced a reading incentive program where students read and complete a comprehension check to receive a book from a drawing or a class reward of a Blizzard party. Their Good Deed tickets have been shifted to include more students.
Supt. Black then announced that kindergarten registration will be March 2-9. This will help them begin staffing for next year. He also spoke about the many bills before the legislature that could affect education.
The superintendent said 70% educators and staff in the distract have received their first COVID-19 vaccination with the second round to begin next month. He also reported that more than 15 students at Green River High tested positive for the virus and they moved to online learning for two weeks, with plans to return back to the classroom on the Feb. 16.
Supt. Black also sent condolences to Sandra Oveson at the passing of her husband Paul and the family of Sofia Chimaras, an employee from Huntington Elementary.