Emery County School District Superintendent Jim Shank stopped by the KOAL newsroom to give an update on the district by both looking to the past and ahead to the future. Covering topics such as teachers, curriculum and extracurricular activities available to students across Emery County.
With half a year under his belt as district superintendent, we asked Shank what he’s been seeing across the district,” First thing I want to say is I’ve seen a lot of great teaching going on. We have some wonderful staff, wonderful faculty and people who are working hard to make sure that students are learning every day and progressing, because that’s really what it is that we’re about is teaching and learning and making sure that our system is focused on the goals to get our kids growing and developing,” explained the Superintendent. “I would say that people care about the children, staff and parents, of course, want to see their kids succeed. And that’s where it begins.”
Shank then shifted his attention from the classroom to the many activities offered across the district. “The other day I went over and did a little bit of archery at Huntington Elementary. I shot with the kids and it was just a fun, fun activity and to see them engaged in other things,” said Shank. “ I’d also throw in that the production of Les Miserables was outstanding. And I hope everybody had an opportunity to go see that. It was well done.”
Next, Shank discussed some changes and improvements he’d like to implement going into the second half of the school year. “We’re always trying to improve learning and literacy is one of our highest goals. When you take a look at our assessment scores and how we’ve done, literacy is one of those that we focus on. Interestingly, we do a little bit better in math than we do in reading and writing. And so that’s one piece that we always want to lift and make sure that students are able to read.”
The Superintendent also explained a new program being put in place at Emery High School,” maybe you’ve heard that we’re developing a portrait of a graduate. That’s a new process that we’re going through right now. We’ve had two meetings and we’re just starting to begin with an overarching theme of learning. There are six profiles underneath that have been identified. For instance, a critical thinker, problem solver, communicator, you know, these sorts of types of profiles that are around that we want our kids to grow into and everything that grows in goes into that is to be developed along the way.”
Having served as Superintendent in five other districts before working in Emery, we asked Shank what in his mind sets the district apart from others,” Every school district has unique characteristics and personality because the communities are such. Every community has its own flavor and its own personality. The district is the same, and it’s a representation of all those communities that we have in Emery County. We’re not just one community, there are several. And so they feed into those schools that are there,” explained Shank,” That’s a specific characteristic that’s important to recognize because each of the towns wants their things to have happened and to honor those cultures and those things that are there. So that’s something that I recognize right away. It’s an important focus to make sure that that’s the case and they all want good things.”
In closing, Superintendent Shank spoke on the continued construction of Emery High School, which is approaching the completion of its third phase.” We had a great opening at the beginning of the year of phase two at the high school and that was wonderful. Well, we’re involved with phase three. And so we got about, oh, I guess it’s another seven months or so to go. And then Emery High School will mostly be complete … We appreciate everybody’s support for that. I don’t ever want to diminish what it takes to bring a new high school online. It takes a lot of work and a lot of effort.”
For more information on what is going on within the Emery County School District, you can visit their website here.