Alpine board to mull new programs

AMERICAN FORK — The Alpine school board will discuss three proposals for incentive-based pilot programs including summer school, healthy lifestyles for district employees and successful teaching practices, during its study session today.

The board will meet at 4 p.m. at Saratoga Shores Elementary School, 1415 S. Parkside Drive. The study session will be followed by its regular meeting at 6 p.m., also at the school.

The three proposals are being presented by Alpine School District administration and committees. The programs don't require a vote from the board, but administrators want to keep the board updated and receive feedback.

"All three items are pilots. They are ideas we are going to try for one year," said Superintendent Vernon Henshaw. After one year the programs will be reviewed and either canceled or refined and implemented, he said.

The board will begin budget discussions within the next couple of months.

The first proposal is for Alpine district to hold a three-week summer school during June and July for students wanting to take remedial or accelerated courses. There will be a $25 registration fee that will be refunded if a student successfully passes the class.

"The more kids who remediate the credit and stay caught up, the more kids who will graduate," Henshaw said.

He said students taking accelerated classes in the summer can free up class time to participate in activities such as band, drill team or chorus during the regular school year.

Henshaw said the number of teachers hired will depend on how many students register. The district is looking at possibly a dozen teachers at each of the two summer school sites: Mountain View High School for south-area students and Lehi High School for north-area students.

Remedial classes would include the core math, English, social studies and science courses. Accelerated classes could include anything from botany to psychology. A specific course list will be announced later.

The program could cost the district between $150,000 and $500,000. That would include teacher salaries, clerical, administration, counselors, custodial, textbooks and technology support, said Rob Smith, district business administrator.

Alpine currently has no traditional summer school program.

The second proposal includes an optional educational wellness program for district employees. It could include incentives such as discounts at a gym or recreation center.