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thePyramid We A r e S a n p e t e . c o m
An Edition of the
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We A r e S a n p e t e . c o m Thursday, August 20, 2020 • Vol. 129, No. 34 • 75 cents
School Districts finalize back to school plans under COVID-19 BY CHRISTI C. BABBITT
SANPETE COUNTY — School starts for Sanpete County’s two school districts on Aug. 20, and both districts are busy finalizing preparations for bringing students back in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. “This has been the busiest summer and start to school I’ve ever seen,” said South Sanpete School District Superintendent Ralph Squire. “It’s been challenging, but we’re doing it so that we can return to as close to normal as possible.” At this point, both districts are planning a regular school opening with in-person instruction in the classroom with protocols in place to help mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19. Both districts have posted their detailed plans on their websites. Both districts are also providing the alternative of online learning from home via online curriculum providers Edgenuity and Pathblazer. This online learning will be facilitated by teachers in each district. North Sanpete School District is offering a third option for high school students through which students can remain enrolled in their high school courses but learn online with facilitation by their teachers. South Sanpete School District is offering a combination of face-to-
face learning with online learning for secondary students by application and with principal approval. The districts’ plans include alternative procedures should school schedules be modified at some point or should school be dismissed based on recommendations from the Utah Governor’s Office, the local health department, the Utah State Board of Education or local school boards. Both plans include specifics such as having assigned seating in classrooms, maximizing the space between desks, tables and chairs, and enhancing cleaning standards. Meal times will be staggered and group sizes limited. Nan Ault, superintendent of North Sanpete School District, said that Monday through Thursday, North Sanpete High School will let out at 2 p.m and the district’s middle and elementary schools will let out at 2:30 p.m. All schools will let out at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. These hours will give teachers time to assist online learners. Squire said the biggest concern being expressed by parents to his district is regarding face masks. He said SSSD will accept a variety of face coverings including face masks, bandanas, gaiters and face shields. The online plans state schools in both districts will have some dis-
posable masks available, but students are encouraged to bring their own. Parents are also asking about their options for school if they don’t feel safe sending their students to class, Squire said. There is the online option, he said, adding that parents need to let their school know as soon as possible if they plan to have their student do online learning. He also said if parents plan to do home schooling on their own, by law they are required to fill out a form and register that plan with the district. “Every principal will have that form and we have that form at the district,” Squire said. The single most important factor is that if a student or faculty member is feeling sick, he or she should stay home, Squire said. Ault said parents in her district have been anxious to have their students return to the classroom. Parents also expressed a desire to have their high school students work with their own high school teachers while doing online learning. She also said parents should let their schools know of their plans for their students. Ault said she is confident in the abilities of teachers to successfully COURTESY NORTH SANPETE SCHOOL DISTRICT
North Sanpete School District plan for getting students back to school Please see SCHOOL, Page A6 starting August 20.
Property values up, may increase South Sanpete taxes
PHOTO BY MARCY CURTIS
Grantsville’s Mortensen is tackled by Conner Eliason (36), Andy Mower (45), and Leramie Roberts (38).
BY CHRISTI C. BABBITT
Hawks man-handle Cowboys BY MARCY CURTIS
GRANTSVILLE — Last Friday night two of the top five teams in 3A football met to kick off the season. The North Sanpete Hawks traveled to the turf of the Grantsville Cowboys. Senior Cole Mickel said that this year relationships and closeness of the team would help them win games. With that, the Hawks earned the win with a score of 47 to 31. The Hawks came out strong and on fire. On the 3rd play of the game quarterback Landon Bowles passed to Brady Jacobsen for an impressive 50-yard touchdown run. Cole Mickel and Parker Lee opened up the hole that gave Jacobsen the view of the end zone. Grantsville answered back quickly with a huge 60-yard run that was stopped by Jacobsen. After getting
the stop the Hawks forced the Cowboys kicker, Nate Wright, to boot a field goal which cut Hawk lead by half. Grantsville answered back in the 2nd half with a pair of touchdowns, leaving North Sanpete down by six with seven minutes left in the quarter. About three minutes later Hawks’ Magnus Clawson caught a long pass from Bowles, and with the completed kick by Rance Christensen it brought the Hawks within two. On the Hawks kickoff following their score, Xander Shelley made a hard tackle on Cowboys’, Nate Wright causing a fumble that was recovered byKylan Taylor of North Sanpete. Trevin Morley converted the turnover to a score right before halftime, giving the Hawks a 19-15 lead. The Hawks came out after halftime
still on fire. Their first possession of the 2nd half ended with a 45-yard pass to the end zone from Bowles to Jacobsen, extending their lead. With one more score North Sanpete held an11-point lead at the end of the 3rd quarter. Grantsville made a push in the 4th quarter, pulling in 16 points. On third and 20, with seven minutes left in the quarter, Grantsville completed a pass for a 45-yard touchdown to bring the score within 10. The Hawks turned back around and scored quickly with a 24-yard touchdown by Clawson. The Hawks kept their lead for the remainder of the game to secure their first win of the season. North Sanpete will host the Emery Spartans this Friday for their first region game.
MANTI — The South Sanpete School District Board of Education approved an increase in two of its property tax levies last week, but because other levies went down, the district’s overall property tax rate will remain the same. Residents may still see an increase in the amount of property taxes they are assessed, but it will be due to an increase in their property valuation, not the tax rate, said Jake Hill, SSSD business administrator. The board approved the change during a Truth in Taxation hearing held Aug. 12. According to a presentation prepared for the hearing by Hill, the proposed tax rate assessed valuation of the county went up 7.98 percent this year. The SSSD tax rate has been 0.009642 every year since 2015. By law, the district must generate the same amount of revenue in its current year as its prior year. Because county property values have gone up, the district’s tax rate would have gone down to 0.008488 this year to generate the same amount of money as last year. At its June 10 meeting, the board determined it wanted to maintain
the district tax rate at 0.009642. This required the district to hold a Truth in Taxation hearing to raise its tax levies. There are six tax levies that combine to make up the district’s overall tax rate. Two of these levies were increased, but three others went down, enabling the district to keep its certified tax rate at 0.09642. “The property value as a whole in the county went up, and the certified tax rate went down because it’s designed to give you the same amount of money year after year. So we wanted to keep our tax rate the exact same,” Hill said in an interview with The Pyramid newspaper. Hill said the additional funds will be used by the district for operational expenses such as keeping and attracting high-quality teachers and staff as well as keeping up with the changing ways education is provided. The funds are also needed for building maintenance. Four of the district’s seven schools are “approximately 40 years old, and the older buildings are in constant need of repair and maintenance,” Hill said.
Mt. Pleasant under immediate water restrictions
Sanpete sees first COVID-19 death
MOUNT PLEASANT — Effective nounced immediate water restricAugust 10 Mount Pleasant City an- tions for all culinary and irrigation water use. Fines for not complying with the order start at $150.00. USD 75¢ Even numbered addresses are allowed to water only on Wednesdays while odd numbered addresses may only water on Thursdays. Watering 8 08805 93545 5
MT. PLEASANT—Sanpete County saw its first death from COVID-19 Aug. 14, 2020. According to the Central Utah Public Health Department (CUPHD) the individual was a male over the age of 85. It is reported that he contracted the virus from contact with
can be done either between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. OR between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Residents cannot water during both time slots. There is absolutely no watering all night, no pipe field watering, or open hose watering. This water restriction is in effect until further notice.
someone who also had COVID. “We are saddened to hear of another death from COVID-19 in our local community,” said Nate Selin, CUPHD’s Health Officer. “Our hearts go out to the family who had Please see COVID, Page A6