6,000 students return to Sanpete schools today

SANPETE COUNTY—Nearly 6,000 students are expected to return to classrooms today in the North Sanpete and South Sanpete school districts, with both districts preparing for new programs, updated technology and continued efforts to engage students.

North Sanpete Superintendent O’Dee Hansen said the district expects to enroll about 2,600 students, although that figure is an early estimate and could change as enrollment is finalized.

The district has about 140 teachers and administrators and approximately 400 employees when support staff are included, Hansen said.

South Sanpete Superintendent Ralph Squire said his district typically enrolls about 3,300 students. The district has approximately 225 licensed staff members and about 600 employees overall.

School schedules remain similar to previous years in both districts. In North Sanpete, most schools begin at about 8:15 a.m., with some starting around 8:20. In South Sanpete, start times are staggered within about 15 minutes, generally beginning between 8 and 8:15 a.m., Squire said.

Students in both districts generally know where they need to be when classes begin, with schedules and registration information finalized some time ago.

Hansen said parents with questions should first contact their child’s school, where office staff can direct questions to the appropriate person. District staff also are available for districtwide questions or concerns.

North Sanpete is introducing several new opportunities this year.

At the elementary level, the district is participating in a statewide pilot literacy program involving the Utah Olympic Committee. Students will earn rewards and incentives for reading a certain number of books, pages or minutes. The program is intended to encourage reading through a reward-based approach.

“It’s a positive way to look at literacy and the requirements by the state to improve our literacy efforts,” Hansen said.

The district also is launching an automotive program at both North Sanpete and Pleasant Creek high schools.

The program is housed in a new building that is being equipped for the classes. Hansen said the district has hired Gerald “Big G” Christiansen, former owner of Big G Automotive in Manti, to teach the program.

Hansen described Christiansen as “a very veteran, experienced teacher coming in that’s had his own business for years, for decades, and is excited to give back to the community and teach kids his automotive expertise,” Hansen said.

Hansen also said North Sanpete’s dual-immersion program is showing continued progress.

For the first time since the program reached the high school level, all of the students who completed eighth-grade dual immersion continued Spanish classes into high school this year, Hansen said.

“This year, 100% of the eighth graders that were in dual immersion have continued on at the high school,” he said.

Hansen said he sees Spanish proficiency as a long-term benefit for students, regardless of whether they later use the language for college credit, an advanced placement exam or a college major.

“To me, just the fact that these students are learning Spanish all the way up and they’re proficient (in) reading, writing, speaking, (will be) a huge benefit wherever they go,” he said.

South Sanpete is also making a technology change this year.

The district is moving students at both Manti and Gunnison Valley high schools from iPads to MacBook computers, Squire said. He described the devices as more focused on production and said lower costs helped make the transition feasible.

“We’re going to have MacBooks in the high schools,” Squire said.

Squire said the district had watched North Sanpete’s experience with laptops before deciding to make the transition.

He encouraged students and parents to take an active role in the school year.

“Get involved,” Squire said. “Stay involved.”

He said participation in school activities and the broader school community can make the experience more rewarding for students.