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On our front page this week

 

  • JHS counselors give end of year report to board members

By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent


Derrin Owens and Catherine Bowring, Juab High School counselors, told the board of education that the total number of graduates for the Class of 2014 would be162, the same number as last year.
A few highlights of graduation, said Owens, is that there are three Juniors graduating with the Senior class and that Andrew Arns will graduate with an associate degree.
A few members of the graduating class have transferred to adult education in order to graduate.
"Some we are working throughout the summer to earn a diploma," said Owens.
Three or four students are in school but are in jeopardy of not graduating.
"The new Juab School District Diploma allows us to work with students until September 30 to earn a JSD diploma versus transferring students to the adult education program," said Owens.
He said that he and Bowring were grateful that the district board had agreed to the new diploma which is being offered for the first time this year as an alternate.
"A lot of hard work, very personal work, goes on in the counseling office," said Dr. Rick Robins, superintendent.
"We prepared for and had a very successful six-year on-site counseling office review by the state office," said Bowring.
Bowring is counselor for students A-K and Owens is counselor for students L-Z.
Bowring said that the counseling office received high ratings in that review in all categories. In fact, in a few instances the review netted better ratings than she and Owens had given themselves.
"We were bumped up in some of our ratings," she said.
There is a lot of information for the public and for all who are interested in what is going on in the counseling office on the new web page.
"We are excited to post information pertaining to graduation, scholarships, testing, responsive services, SEOPs, and education/career information," she said.
Those wanting to access the web page should go to: https://www.juab.k12.ut.us/ and then chose the secondary school listing at the top of the page. The counseling office is listed under the drop down listings under Juab High School.
The site can be used to help answer any questions that might arise throughout the school year.
"This time of year is a rewarding and good time in our office," said Bowring.
Current EdNet and concurrent enrollment credit numbers aren't calculated yet for the Class of 2014 but the class earned hundreds of college credits. The total number of credits earned will be announced at graduation.
There will also be many scholarships presented during the graduation ceremonies to deserving students.
"We are not immune to the world," said Owens. "We see every challenge at our high school."
"Raising children in today's society is not easy: The challenges are depression, drugs, alcohol, social media, suicide, juvenile court etc.," he said.
The counseling office faces challenges and has successes, said Owens.
"Among the successes is the Senior class officer report which equals students who are motivated with direction and ambition."
Concurrent Enrollment changes with Snow College and EdNet will be coming. The Rural Superintendent Concurrent Education Program will be available through Snow College this coming year.
"Everything will be with Snow this year," said Owens.
More services will be provided by the funding increase. Snow College has successfully delivered concurrent enrollment college courses to rural school districts by three methods: Interactive Video Conferencing (IVC, also known as EdNet); online course instruction; and face-to-face instruction at high schools by a qualified teacher approved by the college.
Because of Snow College's push to increase its offering of IVC-delivered courses, while USU and UVU were pulling back their offerings, and Snow's delivery of quality college courses to high school students, superintendents representing Utah's 26 rural districts asked President Scott Wyatt of Snow College to expand IVC outreach to meet the needs of all rural school districts in regards to curricular development and to better address Governor Herbert's PACE Plan for Utah.
"One thing that happened," said Owens, "was that Snow College wanted the program up quickly and our students benefited."
That was because, he said, Juab students were able to register early and beat the flood of schools that were not ready to go.
This program will help achieve Governor Herbert's PACE objective to "help students become college and career ready when they are young."
Snow is prepared, with state financial assistance, to devote seven staff members and 11 full-time equivalent professors to the Rural Superintendent Concurrent Education Program (RSCEP) beginning in Fall 2014.
It is anticipated that offerings will eventually include about 96 sections of 41 different courses at the end of a two-year program roll-out period. A broad enough slate of courses will be offered on a guaranteed two-year schedule, so that a high school student who is sufficiently motived, with the assistance of his/her high school counselor and a Snow academic advisor, will be able to plan how to earn an Associate's degree by the time he/she graduates from high school.
"We keep track of those who left school without graduating and did not transfer to another school," said Owens.
Changes have been made to the way the SEOP (Student Education Occupation Plan) or CCR (College and Career Ready) plan is handled for the future, said Owens.
Students make a plan with counselors for College and Career Readiness (CCR) which was formerly an SEOP.
An important part of the Juab High School Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program is the Plan for College and Career Readiness (CCR). As a team, the student, parent, and counselor will make a plan that will help the student make the best possible use of their time spent at Juab High.