Category Archives: Education Corner

Education Corner: Talking to Your Children about School

edcornerSchool has started and students are busy studying math, social studies, reading and writing. By now they should be entrenched in learning as a daily routine.

The other day I asked my grandson what he learned in school that day. His response? “Nothing.”

This brought back memories of similar responses from my children as they were growing up. How can parents create meaningful conversations about school with their children? The answer: Be specific.

Instead of asking “How was school today”, try “Explain to me what types of problems you did in math today,” followed by questions like “How did you solve them?” “Can you show me what you did?” “What about solving the problem gave you the most trouble?” This will help your child answer to more specific questions and help you determine where your child is being successful and what things are more difficult for him/her.

Parent.co has a list of specific conversation starters you can ask your kids about school – some humorous and others more serious about academics. View the list here.

The key is communicating with your children. Be specific.  Be interested.  Your kids will thank you some day!

Education Corner: Back to School Tips

edcornerIt’s that exciting time of year – back to school. New clothes, new haircuts, new backpacks filled with school supplies, new teachers….. Along with the excitement comes a degree of stress for both parents and children.

Kids.gov , a service from the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, offering all sorts of resources for students, parents and teachers, has an article with 10 tips for parents to help with the transition from summer to school year. Topics include communicating with teachers, health, easing into the school routine, time management , communicating with and listening to your kids, and much more!

The site is also translated into Spanish.

Education Corner: Charter Schools in West Salt Lake City

edcornerThe charter school movement in Utah is 15 years old and continuing to grow. There are now over 100 public charter schools in Utah, with more than a dozen opening the next two years. The State Office of Education has a charter school department and there are two charter school associations that exist to support charter schools. Read all about charter schools in Utah here.

There are two non-profit organizations that support charter schools by providing technical assistance, advocacy, events and numerous resources to members:

The Utah Association of Public Charter Schools

The Utah Charter Network 

Salt Lake City has several charter schools within its city boundaries, some which are on the west side of the city. Continue reading →

Education Corner: As the School Year Ends….

edcornerAs the year ends, there are lots of activities planned for the end of school and preparations for the next school year. Here are some important dates at our local schools. Have a great summer!

Backman Elementary School – 601 North 1500 West

      1. NO SCHOOL- Friday May 22
        NO SCHOOL Memorial Day – Monday May 25,
        Year End Celebration Thursday May 28, 2015 5:30 p.m.

6th Promotion Thursday June 4th 1:00 p.m.
Kindergarten Promotion Friday June 5,2015 8:30.

  • Last day of school: June 5th

 

2015-2016 School Registration
August 12, 2015- 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
August 13, 2015 10:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m.

Jackson Elementary School – 750 West 200 North

      1. NO SCHOOL- Friday May 22
        NO SCHOOL Memorial Day – Monday May 25

6th Promotion Thursday, June 4th 12:45pm

Last day of school: June 5th – 12:45pm release

Northwest Middle School – 1730 W 1700 N

      1. NO SCHOOL- Friday May,22 2015.
        NO SCHOOL Memorial Day – Monday May 25,2015

June 3 – 8th Grade Celebration

June 5 – Last Day of School

June 10-11 – Summer School

June 15-18 – Summer School

June 22-25 – Summer School

West High School – 241 North 300 West

      1. NO SCHOOL- Friday May,22 2015.
        NO SCHOOL Memorial Day – Monday May 25,2015

Last day of school: June 5th

Graduation Ceremony, June 5th 1pm – Energy Solutions Arena

Pacific Heritage Academy – 1755 West 1100 North

      1. NO SCHOOL Memorial Day – Monday May 25

June 9 – Last day of school

Northwest Middle School

NOTE: All Salt Lake City schools are closed for spring recess March 30-April 3.edcorner

This month’s featured school is Northwest Middle School, which serves 800 students in grades 7 and 8. the school prides itself in a “partnership of students, parents, educators and community members, committed to excellence by educating our youth to be life-long learners in a safe, inviting, innovative and academically challenging environment which celebrates diversity, unity with the world, personal best and a vision for a productive and satisfying future”.

The school has a thriving Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) program, a federally funded program in public schools that provides opportunities for underserved ethnic minority and female students who pursue coursework, advanced study and possible careers in mathematics, engineering, and science areas. Learn more about Northwest Middle School’s MESA activities .

The school’s features are highlighted on their “about” page. Some interesting facts include:

  • culturally, racially, religiously and linguistically diverse school where 29 different languages are spoken representing 31 countries throughout the world.
  • Through a technology grant, every day students use net books, iPods and clickers which increase their interest and learning in school. There is a Smart board in every classroom and over 600 net books.
  • The school is part of a federal School Improvement Grant that provides resources to increase student achievement.

Visit the school’s website at http://northwest.slcschools.org to learn more about the school.

Education Corner: West High School

edcornerThe editors of The Gazette would like to learn more about the history of schools in our community. If you have any materials such as yearbooks, news articles, photos or other information to share, please contact us at: info@fairparkcommunity.org
This month’s featured school is West High School, “Home of the Panthers,” which is located at 241 North 300 West in Salt Lake City. West is the high school that serves students in grades 9-12 in the Fairpark community.
West was the first high school in Utah, originally known as Salt Lake High
School. According to the West High website, “West has been a Salt Lake
City School District high school since 1890, and was the #1 high school in
the State of Utah and #167 (2007) and #169 (2008) in the Nation according to Newsweek Magazine. West High School is the home to 18 National Merit Scholarship 2012 Semi-Finalists – the most in the entire State of Utah! We have more than any other public school in the State.”

West is an urban school that serves a very diverse community. There is a concentrated partnership between the community and the school so that all stakeholders in the school community are involved, which better serves the students in their education. Academically, “West offers over 200 courses ranging from remedial courses to vocational and college level academics, including the prestigious Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, designed for serious academic students.”250px-SouthCampusWestSide
West also has a comprehensive sports program, that has a long history. “Participation in a sport is one of the major vehicles by which young men and women can learn to experience healthy fun and, at the same time, develop their full
potential as individuals. Students develop not only greater physical skill but also skills in teamwork, integrity, judgment, responsibility, leadership, self-discipline, and respect for rules and authority that benefits both themselves and their
teams. Winning isn’t everything, honor is. It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up. Play with heart, win with class, and lose with dignity.”
You can learn more about West High School at its website:

http://west.slcschools.org.

Education Corner: Elementary students are musicians; SAGE testing

edcornerEducation is a community effort. Our teachers and staff in our community schools work very hard to provide education to our children. Parents work hard at home to make sure their students are completing their homework and getting the support they need to become the best learners possible. Volunteers are always needed in our schools. Please contact one of the schools in our community to see how you can be an active part of the school’s efforts. Visit fairparkcommunity.org for contact information.

Jackson Elementary School News and Events

Jackson Elementary has served the children of our community since 1892. Originally a one-room school house the school, now located at 750 West 200 North, is a full-service elementary school serving 550 students, pre-school through sixth grade.jackson

Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of Jackson is that every child becomes a musician, according to information at the Salt Lake District website. Every child who attends Jackson becomes a musician. Through a structured, sequential music program from kindergarten through sixth grade, every student, starting in third grade, learns to play the violin, learns to read music, and enjoys many opportunities to perform.

The school publishes the Jackson Journal every month with news and events about the school community, inlcuding Teacher of the month. The following is an excerpt from the publication. More information can be found at the school’s website at http://jackson.slcschools.org.

sageSAGE

The long awaited Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence (SAGE) test results are in – a measure of how Utah students in public schools fared in English Language Arts, Math and Science.

The SAGE assessment system is a “computer adaptive assessment system aligned to the state’s core standards. This comprehensive testing system includes summative, interim, and formative components.”

The scores indicate that Utah students are well below grade level proficiency. Keep in mind, however, that this was the first round of testing under the new system and that there were many logistical and technological challenges in administering and taking the test, which may have influenced student responses.

The following links provide statewide information as well as information on how schools in the Fairpark community fared:

All students in Utah: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE?schoolYear=2014

Backman Elementary School: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE?schoolYear=2014&leaNum=36&schNum=104

Jackson Elementary School: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE?schoolYear=2014&leaNum=36&schNum=188

Northwest Middle School: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE?schoolYear=2014&leaNum=36&schNum=440

West High School: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE?schoolYear=2014&leaNum=36&schNum=716

Utah State Office of Education: http://www.schools.utah.gov/sage/Results.aspx

Salt Lake Tribune article: http://www.sltrib.com/news/1743116-155/percent-students-scores-utah-science-sage

SAGE portal: http://sageportal.org/ – information for stakeholders on SAGE, including resources.

Please send questions and items for submission to education@fairparkcommunity.org