Ogden School District

OGDEN — The Ogden School Board on Monday night approved a 2013-14 school-year contract with the Ogden Education Association, which represents teachers at the district’s three high schools, three junior highs and 14 elementary schools.

“I was very encouraged with the collaborative bargaining we did with the district,” said Matt Ogle, executive director of Ogden Weber UniServ, which helped represent OEA teachers during three months of negotiations.

“Everyone came to the table with the intent to negotiate a fair agreement. We’ve come a long way in two years.”

Ogle said he was not here in summer 2011, when contract negotiations stalled and the Ogden district gave teachers an ultimatum to sign a non-negotiated contract or lose their jobs. Teachers held protest rallies, but ultimately, all but one signed the contract.

OGDEN — Amy Jamison felt mixed emotions Wednesday as she surveyed tables packed with colorful cupcakes and other bake sale treats.

OGDEN — Weber School District Superintendent Jeff Stephens learned of a neighboring district’s decision to eliminate its adult education program Thursday morning, when the Utah State Office of Education emailed him a letter.

The letter said that, because the Ogden School District had dropped its program, effective June 28, state officials were, “... therefore asking the Weber School District to assume full responsibilities,” Stephens said, quoting from the letter.

The letter also said that resources for the 2013-14 school year would be reallocated so the Weber School District would be getting $267,945 to help cover costs of absorbing the Ogden district program.

OGDEN — The Ogden School District is discontinuing its Adult Education program, which serves more than 250 late teen and adult students completing studies to earn high school diplomas.

OGDEN — Close to 140 angry parents and community members showed up Wednesday morning for a meeting with Ogden School District Superintendent Brad Smith, to urge him and district officials to reconsider the decision that, if approved in June, will cost the district’s 20 certified media specialists their jobs.

OGDEN — Ogden School District will not lose accreditation anytime soon following the reduction in force of the school’s 20 media specialists on Friday.

While many secondary schools in Utah have licensed teachers as media specialists, it is not a requirement by the state, said Tiffany Hall, K-12 literacy coordinator for the Utah State Office of Education.

“It is one of the accreditation assurances, especially at the secondary level,” Hall said. “But it isn’t enough that the school would lose accreditation.”

UPDATE:

OGDEN — Twenty media specialists/librarians were told Friday morning they would not have jobs with the Ogden School District next year.

The cut is a “reduction in force,” meaning that no compensation is offered.

Administrators broke the news to the specialists at a specially called meeting Friday morning. Those present suspected something was up when they received an email and phone call earlier in the week to plan the meeting.