Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Educating Our Children: Elementary Schools in Southern Utah

Currently there are twenty-four elementary schools in Washington County School District, and my personal experience is limited to only a small portion of them. http://www.washk12.org/schools/elementary-schools .

 I hesitate to point out one as exceptionally good or another as exceptionally bad simply because in my experience one change in administration, particularly if the principal is changed, a school can do a 180⁰ turn around in just a few months. That being said here are some things that I have observed about the elementary schools here in St. George.

First, how do they use their land trust money?  Our kids’ elementary school has used the money in the last few years to bring in specialty teachers for art and music in addition to their computer lab and p.e. instructors. Looking at how they have spent their money in the past few years can help you see some of their priorities.

Second, look at the parent involvement. Utah definitely spends less per student than most states but I believe that parents’ involvement augments education here in Utah especially in the elementary schools.

Next, I know of two schools that have highly unique programs. Crimson View elementary opened its doors in 2013. They are a STEM school meaning they are highly focused on SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS. The students all have ipads; there is a definite emphasis on the technology/science area. http://cves.washk12.org/stem/  Dixie Sun Elementary has a dual immersion program. Instruction is given in English in the mornings and Spanish in the afternoons. http://dses.washk12.org/school-info/dual-immersion/

Two more questions to consider, depending on your situation, are what special education or Gifted programs does the school have in shape. Our experience with the gifted program is that there is a WIDE range of what different schools offer. Be vigilant in finding out how your student can be best served.

As a team, we have connections all around Washington County. Let us help you find the right fit as we look for a home for you.

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