Snowflake-Taylor Schools Gear Up For New Year

    According to Superintendent Monte Silk the biggest change for the 2008-09 school year in the Snow-flake-Taylor Schools is the new seven-period day for Snowflake Junior High School and Snowflake High School.
   “Students will start school at 8 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m. The intermediate schools have extended the student day from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in order to include band, orchestra and choral music within the school day,” Silk explained.
   The district is also welcoming 18 new certified teachers to its staff, which will add at least one new teacher at each of the six schools.
   Kim Lewis is the new SJHS principal, and Brian Hoopes is the new assistant principal. Lewis was previously a sixth grade teacher in Snowflake and an assistant principal in Blue Ridge, and Hoopes has been a longtime fourth grade teacher at Snowflake Intermediate School.
   Shon Flake, who was formerly the assistant principal at SJHS, is the new principal at Snowflake Inter-mediate School.
   “We expect great enthusiasm and support for teachers and students from these three outstanding educators,” stated Silk.
   In July, the governing board approved going to a bond election to seek voter approval for the addition of 11 classrooms, one new administrative area and renovation of two other spaces in order to provide at least two additional classrooms for each school in the district. The estimated cost of the new additions is approximately $3.9 million.
   Students will be returning to school on Monday, Aug.11.