Back to school this week

Students throughout the San Juan School District return to the classroom for another year this week, with classes scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 14.

In deference to the funeral services of three Blanding residents, schools in Blanding will not open until Friday, August 15. To make up for the missed opening day of school, there will be a full day of classes on Friday, August 15 and Friday, August 22. School is generally dismissed mid day on Fridays.

In addition, the regularly scheduled meeting of the San Juan School Board has been moved from August 13 to Wednesday, August 20.

There will be a number of new faces in the faculty, administration and student body in area schools. Several schools anticipate an increase in enrollment for the coming school year.

Janine Smith begins the year as the new principal at Navajo Mountain High School. Just over one year ago, Smith received a prestigious Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education as the principal of Parkview Elementary School in Salt Lake City.

In addition, in 2005 Smith was named the Administrator of the Year by the Utah Association of Bilingual Teachers. She has extensive training and experience in bi-lingual education and in Native American education.

Elementary schools will welcome four new faculty members as the school year opens. A federally-funded grant will bring counselors into Monticello, Blanding, Montezuma Creek, Bluff and Mexican Hat elementary schools. The new counselors are Trevor Olsen in Monticello, Shelby Eldredge in Blanding, Carol Brown in Montezuma Creek and Bluff, and Camille Rowley in Mexican Hat.

The San Juan School District, which runs bus service to locations throughout the massive district, is concerned about the high price of fuel. With the high price of diesel and gasoline, fuel costs alone may reach $1 million in the coming school year.