New State Requirements Force Changes In School SchedulesJuly 30th, 2008
By Naomi Hatch
“(State Superintendent of Public Instruction) Tom Horne said, ‘I can balance the budget if you give me more auditors,’” noted Snowflake High School Principal Larry Titus, and that has caused all school districts in the White Mountains to make changes to meet requirements to keep the state from taking money. “There is more accountability for everything you do.”
Staff members had two days to come up with a schedule to be presented to the Snowflake School District Governing Board July 15. Board members approved it for implementation in the 2008-09 school year.
Board President Travis Tenney said, “I feel bad we’re forced to do something that we don’t feel is the right decision.”
Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) students bring $1.25 per student Average Daily Membership (ADM) to the district, but in order to receive that money they must be on campus 300 minutes a week. Because the NAVIT program is at satellite schools, it makes it more difficult to have students on campus for 300 minutes. Titus explained that of the 720 students at Snowflake High School, 600 are affected by the satellite courses.
In addition, students must now attend 240 minutes a day to receive the full ADM, which requires changes in the schedule from last year.
Snowflake Intermediate Principal Shon Flake expressed concern that students will need to decide if they want to participate in the Academic Scholar Program or LDS Seminary, music or the athletic program. “I’m worried we’re going to slam electives,” such as music, drama and sports,” said Flake.
“I don’t think we left any rock unturned,” said Titus, who added that if students want to sacrifice, they could participate in more than one program.
Superintendent Monte Silk explained that Snowflake Intermediate School and Taylor Intermediate School will have music from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., including choir, band and orchestra.
Highland Primary School and Taylor Elementary School will start school at 8 a.m. and finish at 2:20 p.m.
Snowflake Intermediate and Taylor Intermediate will start school at 8 a.m. and finish at 2:30 p.m.
The Snowflake Junior High School and SHS schedules were more difficult. Lunch will be 35 minutes long this year, rather than 50 minutes as in previous years.
Zero hour period will be from 7 to 7:55 a.m., and will be for elective classes. First period will be from 8 to 8:55 a.m., second period from 9 to 9:55 a.m. and third period from 10 to 10:55 a.m. There will be two lunch times, with early lunch slated from 10:55 to 11:25 a.m., and late lunch from 11:55 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. Fourth period for early lunch students will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., while late lunch students will have fourth period from 11 to 11:55 a.m. Fifth period will be from 12:30 to 1:25 p.m., sixth period from 1:30 to 2:25 p.m. and seventh period from 2:30 to 3:25 p.m.
Titus reported that this schedule will allow them to meet all the requirements, and if they don’t make the changes, they could lose NAVIT funding.
The board approved the schedule in a 3-1 vote with members Reed Flake and Cameron Peterson, and Vice President Shea Flake voting in favor of it. Tenney opposed the motion, stating, “I just don’t like the fact we lose control on a local level.” He then thanked the SHS and SJHS staffs and administrators, saying he appreciated the effort it took to come up with a new schedule in a short time, and that he was not opposing them.
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