The Salt Lake Organizing Committee is looking into West High School's drivers education range as a possible shuttle stop during the 2002 Winter Games.
The suggestion, brought to the Salt Lake City School District last week, will add a twist to Tuesday's school board discussions about whether to recess classes during the Olympics, board president Kathy Black said Monday."There are tons of things we're still considering," Black said. "I think it's premature to make a decision right now."
SLOC approached the district last week with "a preliminary idea," Black said.
SLOC spokeswoman Caroline Shaw says the area is being examined as a place only for people to line up for shuttles, not park cars. People could drive to the city, park elsewhere, and be shuttled to the West High area to walk to the Delta Center or nearby medals plaza.
That and other possible stops would be part of a SLOC shuttle transportation package. West is the only school campus SLOC is examining, Shaw said.
"These are draft plans. Nothing is set in stone at this point," Shaw said. "I think there will be other shuttle stops. SLOC is currently examining all the possibilities to see what will work best for all our transportation purposes."
The school board Tuesday is scheduled to discuss that and results of a school and parent survey on 2001-02 school calendars.
The survey, sent last month, shows most school community councils at traditional schools, which have summers off, favor calendars continuing classes during the Games. Votes from year-round schools, however, favored a recess.
Parent votes went the same way, but by close margins. In traditional schools, parents voted about 1,900 to 1,600 to keep schools open; parents in year-round schools voted 318 to 272 to close them, a report states.
The Olympics span nine school days.
The survey presented four calendar options for the school year in question; two with schools open and two recessed during the Olympics. Not everybody voted. Community council votes were tallied using the school's enrollment.
Last fall's informal survey of school community councils also showed split public opinion.
But the Salt Lake Teachers Association supports a Games recess. Many students and teachers already plan to participate in the Games, which present unique learning opportunities, said union president Elaine Tzourtzouklis.
Students would go to school the same number of days whether schools recess or not, but spring and winter breaks would be cut short and school would start or end a few days earlier or later, respectively, Tzourtzouklis said.
"I'm concerned there will be a lot of students absent during the Olympics. And we're going to teach what? We'll be there baby-sitting children," she said.
If the school board recesses six year-round schools and leaves others open, Tzourtzouklis will recommend everyone adopt year-round calendars that year. And she'll file a grievance if one traditional school recesses while others hold classes.
"I am passionate about this . . . once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for children and parents to do things together during the Olympics. There are a lot of things for free that children can go do and learn about culture."
The district's inquiries follow a resolution of the 1998 Utah Legislature recommending schools close during all or part of the Games to allow families to participate in sporting and cultural venues. SLOC also wants to give kids tickets and keep them otherwise involved.
Park City schools will recess during the Games. So will Weber State University and the University of Utah. College students have been urged to volunteer during the Games.