January 2021 | Vol. 8 Iss. 01
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SENIOR COMMUNITIES TAKE PROACTIVE, STREAMLINED APPROACH TO COVID TESTING By Stephanie DeGraw | s.degraw@mycityjournals.com
C
edarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak are reopening and allowing visitation. They are also restarting group activities through unique testing designed to keep residents, families and associates safe through utilizing rapid, “pooled” COVID-19 testing. These senior living communities are taking a page from a sport’s playbook to create their version of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Bubble. The NBA successfully implemented a bubble to safely finish out their 2020 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports facility in Orlando, Florida. “Their strategy included restricting anyone into the bubble except for those deemed necessary, including players, coaches, certain media personnel and referees,” Wade Vest, executive director of Sagewood at Daybreak, said. Vest hopes to create their version of the NBA bubble. The new testing strategy is sustainable, inexpensive, and doesn’t require extra work for the staff. The Cedarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak communities are partnering with SiREM Labs for the testing. There will be two pool sizes depending on the size of the community, Vest said. The small pool will be up to 50 people, and the large pool will be up to 100. Suppose there is a positive test in the collection. In that case, everyone in the pool will be Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tested to determine the positive individual. By doing this, each community will find out who has COVID, including asymptomatic spreaders. This new testing allows communities to ease restrictions Ann Herman, a senior community resident, gives herself the new COVID spit test. She will then put her test into a special bag to ensure it stays cold. safely and eliminate quarantining if a resident has to leave (All photos provided by Kisco Senior Living) Continued page 5
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In a season that has looked different from others, Bingham High Marching Band competed at state, placing in the top five. (Photo courtesy of Bingham High Marching Band.)
Bingham Miners ‘band’ together to make halftimes, their time—even during the pandemic By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
B
ingham High’s marching band not only was able to compete in a full season of four competitions during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the student-musicians also placed in the 6A open-division at the state championships. “The Bingham kids did a great job,” director Darin Graber said. “They worked their butts off, despite COVID, and broke into the top five.” This season, Bingham’s show, “Re-
ournals
mix De Lune,” featured music by Claude Debussy. “The whole show is based around his Clair De Lune, and we explored that classic piano work in a lot of different musical styles,” he said, adding that was the point of the giant moon prop as it moved around the field. In 2016 and 2017, when Bingham won back-to-back titles, the musicians had competed against other schools with the same-
size program. Now, they’re competing against marching bands from the same-size school, which doesn’t always translate into the same size of marching band, Graber said. Regardless, Bingham’s marching band learned to navigate through the COVID-19 season. At competitions, student groups were ushered in and out of competitions, so they weren’t able to watch other schools and even judge numbers were limited so they could be
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socially distanced in the press box. Still, the student-musicians want a marching band season to perform. “Band kids are pretty good, compliant about wearing masks,” Graber said. “We were one of the only fall groups at Bingham that didn’t have a huge chunk quarantined. In fact, we had 100% attendance at the state championships. They’re great kids.” l
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Continued from front page for a doctor’s appointment or other emergencies. “Frequent testing provides a level of assurance that COVID can be identified quickly,” said Ed Ward, vice president of operations of Kisco, the parent company of Cedarwood and Sagewood. “This approach is sustainable, relatively inexpensive, and requires minimal extra work for the staff. Before saliva testing, nurses were conducting nasal tests and spent upwards of 20 hours per week administering the tests. With this new testing strategy, anyone on staff can collect the samples, giving nurse’s time back in their days to focus on resident care.” Families have two options to visit their loved ones. First, they can come in without a test and stay in an area set up by our team with extra safety precautions in place, including a plexiglass screen and social distancing in place. Visitors and residents will be required to wear a mask during these visits. Visitors will also have their temperature taken. The other option is for visiting family members to take a PCR saliva test. The saliva test is non-invasive and straightforward. “After providing a saliva sample, we send the test to the lab, and it returns the results to the family and our community. Once results are received, the family member has a 24-hour window to visit their loved one. This type of visit takes place in a common area but does not include a plexiglass barrier,” Vest said. The senior communities, Cedarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak, are completing pooled saliva testing for all residents weekly. For those considered high risk, the pooled saliva testing will be twice a week. “The saliva samples are gathered, and we receive the results either the next day or 48 hours later,” Vest said. “This pooled saliva testing is completed twice a week for all staff.” Other safety measures for visitors include a temperature check upon entry and the following questions: Have you tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 30 days? Are you experiencing cough, fever, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, or any other symptoms? Have you experienced prolonged close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 30 days? One challenge is that staff members go home to their families at the end of each day. Another risk is when their residents need to attend to essential visits outside the com-
S outh JordanJ ournal.com
munity. “This innovative and unique strategy also allows communities to ease restrictions safely and eliminate quarantining if a resident has to leave for a doctor’s appointment or other emergencies,” Vest said. The senior communities have been proactive in developing an aggressive testing strategy. “Testing as frequently as we do allows us to safely continue operations and make adjustments as necessary if we do have positive test results,” Vest said. There are around 300 people tested every Tuesday in these senior communities and another 150 on Thursdays. A large pool would be 100 samples or less, and a smaller pool would be 50 samples or less. Those tested provide a saliva sample, and it’s all pooled into one test. “If all results are negative, we continue to go about our day-to-day operations including wellness programming, dining, salon services, etc.,” Vest said. “If one of the pools tests positive, we do two things: First, we isolate those who are part of the positive pool. Second, we test everyone in this pool with an individual test. The rapid return of these results allows us to isolate the pool and help prevent the spread of the infection.” The communities have been doing PCR saliva testing since November. Out of 40 pools sent to the lab for testing over eight weeks, one pool returned positive. In this case, it was a pool that consisted of staff members. “The day we received the positive results, we were able to test all staff members and determine who was positive with COVID,” Vest said. Another type of test they have access to is the Point of Care tests. Having these testing supplies on site has been very effective. The communities can frequently test if any of the staff or residents of Sagewood are showing symptoms. Austin Sorenson, the associate executive director of Sagewood at Daybreak, helps manage testings. “Our residents have been very thankful for the proactive approach we have taken as a community to do our best to keep them safe,” Sorenson said. “It is a lot of work to carry out the testing process each week, but invaluable as we work hard to keep everyone safe. Our parent company, Kisco, has made substantial investments in these testing tools and resources. As a community, we have been very adaptive as we work to navi- Gayle Gois puts the spit tests in the refrigerator to make sure they stay gate through these challenging times.” l cold. (All photos provided by Kisco Senior Living)
January 2021 | Page 5
Best photos of 2020: South Jordan
Daybreak Elementary third grader Izzy Viernes pays for her housing options at her school’s Kids Marketplace pre-COVID. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
On March 13th a team of American Academy of Innovation students saw their school year’s learning come to fruition at the pre-Covid groundbreaking of the school’s 3,200-square-foot, four-classroom expansion that was expected to be completed by fall. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Top: The Bingham girls basketball team defeated Fremont on the last day of February, earning its second consecutive Class 6A state title. (Photo by Pat McDonald) Bottom Left: Teacher Daisy DeMarco, who reached her goal of climbing 24 of the Wasatch’s 11,000-foot peaks in two months, descends from Broads Fork Twin Peaks. (Photo courtesy Daisy DeMarco) Bottom Right: Local photographer Lizzy Williams snapped shots of residents across the valley as part of the Front Porch Project, a trend that swept social media in the early months of the pandemic as people were home more. (Courtesy of Lizzy Williams)
The family of Lyneve Kramer came to give her an encouraging message. (Photo provided by Sagewood at Daybreak Senior Community.)
Page 6 | January 2021
S outh Jordan City Journal
Top: Jordan School District Supt. Anthony Godfrey reads “The Three Little Super Pigs” to students during Jordan Ridge Elementary’s literacy night in February. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Bottom: First grader Kekoa Angilau records his narrative about Tonga with eighth grader Eloise Fund for a podcast in the Mountain West Montessori Academy’s new soundproof recording booth in February. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Eastlake third grade teacher Andrea Utley, who was teaching at home during the soft closure of schools, was told to leave her zoom meeting to go outside, where she learned she was an outstanding educator of the year. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Education Foundation.)
Left: Mason Christiansen, at 182 pounds, was the team’s star, capturing first place by winning all four of his matches at the state championship. (Photo by Pat McDonald) Right: Tyler Beck slams it home against Copper Hills in January 2019. (Photo by Pat McDonald)
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The Miners played some excellent defense during the Last Chance Tournament after the spring season was canceled. In its pool, Bingham went 2-1, defeating Jordan (6-4) and American Fork (9-3), while losing to Riverton (9-8). (Photo by Pat McDonald)
Top: On June 2, the South Jordan Rotary Club presented the Jordan Valley Medical Center with the 200 medical face shields they assembled. (Courtesy of Sharon Haupt) Bottom: The Bingham drill team ended another school’s dynasty (Copper Hills) to win the class 6A state championship. The Miners took first overall at the state competition, held Jan. 28–Feb. 1 at Utah Valley University. (Photo by Pat McDonald)
January 2021 | Page 7
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Light the Night: How South Jordan celebrated a socially-distanced Christmas By Mariden Williams | m.williams@mycityjournals.com
A
s many residents make tough decisions about balancing holiday spirit with social distancing, it’s been hard not to feel low this season. But South Jordan officials found creative ways to convert their usual festivities into virtual events, helping to keep spirits bright. Nov. 30 kicked off the event, with a drive-through holiday kit pickup for South Jordan residents. Even though the event was by necessity a lot less up-close and personal than usual—visitors had to remain inside their cars—people seemed to have a good time. Colorful characters such as Kristoff and Sven from “Frozen” and Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” greeted cars from the sidelines, as did Santa and Mrs. Claus. Each car passenger received a cookie, a candy cane, prismatic glasses to view lights and an activity booklet. “The turnout was amazing. There were a lot of people there,” said South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey. “I thought I’d be in line for a while,” said Councilman Jason McGuire. “But I was surprised at how fast things moved, and just appreciated how organized everything was. I was expecting something where basically we’d just pull up and leave; I wasn’t expecting there to be a reindeer there. That was a great surprise.” From Nov. 30 through Dec. 6, residents participated in a remote GooseChase scavenger hunt by downloading an app. Participants were assigned various holiday-themed tasks to complete, such as coloring in certain pages from the free “Light the Night” activity booklet. Each completed activity earned the participants a chance to be randomly chosen for prizes. Sitting on Santa’s lap is a bit tricky this year, so city officials also set up a way for kids anywhere in the state to write and receive letters to and from Santa, and to receive phone calls with Jingles the Elf to discuss whether they belonged on the naughty or nice list. So many people signed up that by the registration deadline, Jingles’ appointment schedule was almost completely booked up. Town Center Drive spent the season bedecked in all sorts of lights and decorations, including a massive Christmas tree and sneaky hidden gnomes; residents who were able to find all 12 gnomes could claim prizes at the Gale Center. But the decorations that took the cake—for perhaps the candy—were eight giant window displays spread across the town center, featuring good-enough-to-eat holiday-themed sculptures made entirely out of candy. The candy windows weren’t the only sweet decorations this holiday season, though. Residents also participated in a gingerbread house contest hosted by the South Jordan Arts Council. Entries were displayed in City Hall from Nov. 1 through Dec. 10.
S outh JordanJ ournal.com
Top: Residents who attended the Light the Night holiday kit pickup got to meet Sven, a live reindeer—through their car windows, of course. Bottom Left: South Jordan’s eight massive candy window displays stayed up throughout the month of December. Bottom Right: Anna stayed warm under a standing outdoor heater as she greeted cars coming through the holiday kit drivethrough. (South Jordan Communications)
Some of the entries were spectacular, and all of them plainly had a lot of love put into them. “I’ll Huff and I’ll Puff” by Katherine Gomez, which took first place in the adults’ division, was an intricate diorama of the “Three Little Pigs” fairytale, with a chocolate wolf stalking through the ruined straw (wheat shreds) and wood (pretzel) houses to assault the fondant pigs in their sturdy brick/gingerbread house. Intricate white icing snowflakes swirled across Danielle Poulter’s entry; color-
ful flattened gummy candy served as a clever stand-in for stained glass windows in Jillian and Bryan Church’s gingerbread chapel. Perhaps most impressive of all was Kristi Burns’ towering candy replica of the famed St. Basil’s Cathedral, complete with nine sugar-glass domes, which puzzlingly won no awards. South Jordan City Council members Patrick Harris and Brad Marlor served as the main judges for the event. In addition to their choices, residents were able to vote for Peo-
ple’s Choice winners from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up all the time and effort that was clearly made by the residents to put those together and do things that normalize things in a not normal time,” Harris said. “So I appreciate all the efforts. We had some just fabulous gingerbread houses.” “I am amazed at the professionalism and sometimes just the outright fun that people had putting those together,” Marlor said. l
January 2021 | Page 9
Local organization raising awareness of radon gas dangers By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com
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an Poulsen was 60 years old when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was confused because she had never smoked a day in her life. After a little research, she learned that her cancer was caused by a chemical in her very own home, one that is invisible, odorless, tasteless and otherwise impossible to detect without a test: Radon. Poulsen was lucky in that she was able to beat her cancer diagnosis, but only after having undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries, including the removal of one of her lungs. But many are not so lucky. Each year, radon is responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths in the United States alone, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to radon usually happens in one’s own home. The gas forms naturally when uranium in soil or rock breaks down, according to the American Lung Association. It then “enters a home through cracks in walls, basement floors, foundations and other openings.” Luckily there are relatively inexpensive tests available to measure the level of radon gas in a home. The only problem is that they need to be done regularly. Poulsen’s home was tested for radon over a decade before her diagnosis and the results showed a radon level of 2.2 pCi/L, much less than the recommended action level of 4.0. However, radon levels can rise over time and home renovations can also lead to increased exposure. Poulsen’s family, for example, added a walk-out basement. Following her diagnosis, they had their home tested again and the result was 24.9 pci/L, more than six times the recommended EPA action level. “If we had known, we would have had our house tested and remediated immediately after we had it remodeled,” said Poulsen. Poulsen’s journey led her to help form the Utah Radon Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of this rarely-talked-about issue. They hold regular radon awareness seminars, offer free testing kits to qualified individuals and lobby local lawmakers to adopt reasonable measures related to radon safety. This month, for example, they’ll be encouraging a number of Utah cities including Cottonwood Heights, Draper, Herriman, Millcreek, Sandy and South Jordan to join the EPA and many others across the country in designating Jan-
Common radon entry points found in homes. (Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
uary as Radon Action Month. National Radon Action Month “provides a fresh opportunity at the beginning of each new year for all Americans to protect their families by becoming more aware of radon, testing their home, and mitigating radon if the test finds a
high level of radon,” according to the URC website. They will also be offering free radon testing for homeowners of those six cities during the month of January. Residents can request their free test by visiting www.utahradoncoalition.org and clicking on Radon Action Month 2021. l
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Schools flip-flop learning methods to keep providing instruction to students By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
“
I didn’t know what to expect,” recalled a Canyons School District parent after his first child’s school changed to virtual learning after positive COVID-19 cases reached a 1% limit for the school. “But it hasn’t been too bad,” continued Marc Hone, even as his three oldest children who attend three different schools all were learning online in late November, following health guidelines to temporarily close their schools. “We rely on Canvas (online learning platform), teacher emails and frequently look at the schools’ websites to ensure they’re getting their assignments done.” This has been a different experience from last spring when all schools were suddenly put on soft closure for the rest of the school year following Gov. Gary Herbert’s mandate in response to the pandemic. With four of his five kids then in school, it was a scramble to meet with teachers who held Zoom meetings at the same time and having limited devices, he said. “It was a disaster last March, just terrible. We were strapped to devices and it was too much screen time. Some classes, it was hard to get on the livestream,” he said. “Now teachers are better prepared, each student is given a Chromebook from school and we’re OK as long as the internet holds up.” A Granite School District parent, who only agreed to speak anonymously, said when her two high school students at the same school have flipped to virtual learning, each child has had different experiences. For her freshman, there has been tears and stress keeping up with a 4.0 grade-point average, but her child has been able to do it. “She’ll work in front of the computer for six hours, take a break and then, do some more. I asked, ‘Aren’t you done?’ And she said, ‘Well, that was my schoolwork and now, I’m doing my homework.’ And she’ll be there for more hours.
This is too much. I think that the quantity needs to be lessened, but the quality needs to remain,” she said. Her other high schooler, a 4.0 GPA junior, has seen a total disruption in academics, his mother said. “There’s been a lack of consistency with live instruction and support from some teachers,” she said. “He’s kind of crushed academically because of the stress and everything that goes with it. He’s not sure now that he wants to go to college; kids are starting to lose sight and lose hope. It’s proving to be really, really difficult.” Throughout Canyons, Granite, Jordan and Murray school districts, several schools, most commonly secondary schools, had transitioned to remote learning up to three times since school opened in August. Each time, in-person teachers flip-flopped their teaching platforms to online. Most districts are following Salt Lake County’s health guideline of closing schools for two weeks following an outbreak of 15 positive cases at the schools. Canyons Board of Education set a 1% positive case threshold to trigger a closure.
Many students and family fear the disruptions in education with inconsistent learning when students or teachers are in quarantine or isolation or when entire schools flip-flop.
Alta High senior Coleman Hone, who is also taking classes at Canyons Technical Education Center, said the uncertainty of his schedule has been hard. “I come home from my morning at CTEC to learn that Alta is online,” he said. “This isn’t what I’ve grown up with all my life. It’s just inconsistent learning and it throws me off.” His principal, Brian McGill, said it’s been challenging for his school community. “It’s really, really difficult on teachers and our kids,” he said. “Students need stability. Some kids quarantined one,
Middle school student Jack Whitaker gets on Zoom to follow along with his Indian Hills teacher in what seemed to him as “non-stop Zoom meetings” during his online school day. (Photo courtesy of Karla-Ann Whitaker)
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two and three times in six weeks just by sitting next to kids who tested positive. It’s hard on kids to stay up on studies and hard on our teachers preparing for all eight classes online.” In the 12 weeks since school opened, Alta has flipped to virtual learning three times. “School became unmanageable with so many teachers and staff out. It became a challenge to find substitutes and run school,” McGill said, adding 80% of administrators’ time was contact tracing. Granger High also has flip-flopped three times. “While we are becoming more efficient in our use of technology in attempting to engage students, it is still difficult,” Principal David Dunn said. “Establishing a set schedule for teaching and having students log on has been much more effective in getting students to engage. We set deadlines, but we work with students individually according to their needs.” However, he added, “First term, we did see an increase in students getting ‘F’ grades. A support system has been put into place to try and help those students get caught up.” Cottonwood High flip-flopped twice, sent teams to students’ homes to support students, and has seen improvement in student learning—after implementing ideas from other schools, including a set schedule. “We found that with our students, and it was toward the end of the first quarter, our participation was terrible,” Principal Terri Roylance said. “Kids just did not follow up at home. I ended up mailing all first quarter report cards home to the families with on the back side a little infographic and letter from me saying why did we fail so many kids and it’s because kids did not engage whatsoever. Not all, but many.” Brighton, like many schools when they flip, learned online teaching is more effective with a schedule. “The first time, we didn’t require synchronous learning, but instead, let student set their own pace,” Principal Tom Sherwood said. “We learned that they’d procrastinate through the roof, had other concerns at home which made it hard to focus, had troubles with bandwidth, and other issues. It sounded great, but it didn’t work out that way.” At Murray High, Principal Scott Wihongi said that transition to online learning needs to find a balance. “Teachers continue to explore how much is too much when it comes to fully online learning,” he said, adding that the school flipped to virtual twice before December. “They are finding that they have to scale back work a little more since it takes students longer to do it in the home setting.” Hillcrest High School math teacher Matt Snyder said that when his school flipped around Thanksgiving, they had a schedule for a sense of accountability. “Students need a structure to be successful; it improves productivity,” he said, adding that the last Wednesday online, only two of his 95 students during the day were absent— about the same as a winter day in a non-COVID-19 year. “Students learn better with interaction. I usually greet students when they come into my classroom, so I make sure I do that when I see them log on. It adds some personality and helps them from feeling so isolated, but if someone were to come by my classroom and see me just talking without anyone here, they’d think I was crazy. It’s strange to be here all alone teaching.” The transition to virtual learning was not what Hillcrest sophomore Campbell Hone expected. “I thought I could sleep in, but there’s a schedule and a procedure to take attendance; I can’t wear PJs and we have to have our (Chromebook) camera on,” he said. “Even so, I don’t feel as connected to other students and my teachers; the class discussions online don’t give off the same intense
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learning vibe. I don’t want to miss out on my education, but it’s hard to sit in front of a screen.” While some students are self-motivated and disciplined to learn online, Murray’s Wihongi points out: “In-person learning is much preferable in many areas because of that direct support, connection and structure. Some students are clearly struggling without that.”
Administrators and parents say students are missing education in a social environment.
“Students want to learn in school, have access to teachers and discussions face-to-face with their classmates. Learning alone is not the same,” Brighton Principal Sherwood said. That’s what parent Karla-Ann Whitaker said about her son, Jack, who was learning online while Indian Hills Middle flipped in late November. “He misses his friends, flirting with girls and seeing his teachers,” she said. “It’s been a pain in the butt. We’ve had tech issues and called the school, we’ve needed different links to have him connect with his classes, his grades have declined. He needs to be self-motivated and stay off his phone, but it’s hard. I know teachers are trying and we need to do what is safe, but it’s a tough adjustment.” She said that as a single mother who is working and going to school full-time herself, she relies on him to watch his younger siblings, and that isn’t always taken into account with how much longer it takes to do homework online. Jack supports his mother’s assessment. “It’s terrible; it’s non-stop Zoom meetings and teachers can only help so much when they’re there and I’m at home on my own,” he said, adding that he has asked for more explanation with math in an email or the next Zoom call, but then he’s also waiting for those to happen. “It’s definitely slowing down the progression of learning.” Indian Hills seventh-grader Addison Hone agrees: “I can’t stop by after school to ask a question to a teacher. I have to email or ask in a Zoom call and hope there’s not a glitch.” While she appreciates the efforts her teachers have made, Addison said, “It’s a lot harder to be interactive. They can’t see if your hand is up. It seems like there’s a lot more work with less instruction.”
Bingham High’s foyer was empty in mid-November as students were dismissed in an effort to reduce transmission of COVID-19. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Engagement and a sense of belonging is what is missing this year, administrators said.
“It’s hard when we’re not in-person to engage,” Mountain Creek Middle School Assistant Principal Tim Brooks said. “We are not sure where students are, what they’re doing, what’s going on, and we can’t see their expressions as teachers walk the aisles. We try to overcome that with having cameras on, but it’s still hard. We don’t have the same assemblies and talent shows; teachers can’t give them high-fives. It’s like giving kids a Snickers and saying eat it, but you can’t take off the wrapper. We’ve all been learning to be more appreciative, become more patient, get creative and have humor during this time.” Brighton’s Sherwood agrees: “What’s missing is all that makes high school fun and draws kids in—after-school socials and clubs, wearing school colors to football games, belonging to a school community and buying in to that culture.” At Alta, McGill said keeping students and staff motivated has been challenging. “The magic and beauty of what a comprehensive high school can bring is taking a hit,” he said. “It is also heartbreaking when students practice and rehearse for upcoming performances, only to find out that they are postponed or canceled.” Murray’s Wihongi agrees the school year looks different. “Missing this year is the overall energy and spirit normally associated with our high schools. Our classrooms and hallways are less busy; our activities and assemblies can’t move forward as normal, so it definitely takes the wind out of the sails, so to speak,” he said.
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The Murray High commons is unusually quiet during school as students flipped to online learning once the school reached its threshold of positive COVID-19 cases. (Scott Wihongi/Murray High)
Teachers and administrators are finding positive outcomes to the changes of education this year.
In the classroom, Hillcrest’s Snyder said students are communicating better. “There’s been phenomenal eye contact with me as masks are forcing eye contact—and better communication. They say what they need to say. Students following the health guidelines and mask mandates has exceeded my expectations. They’re treating me and others around them who may be terrified to be here with care and respect,” he said.
Murray High’s Wihongi looks to the future of education. “Our method of curriculum delivery and access will be a huge silver lining to this. We’ll have more options for students to access their education and all of our teachers will be able to blend online and in-person instruction much more proficiently,” he said, adding that, “Snow days will become online learning days. But what remains clear, though, is that in-person learning is the most effective method of learning, hands down.” l
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Salt Lake County concludes budget process with no tax increase
Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Council | District 3
With the final approval of the 2021 Salt Lake County budget drawing near, I wanted to share some of the proactive steps we have taken as your County Council to tighten up spending. In June, because of concerns surrounding revenue impacts from COVID-19, we scoured our budget to find as many cuts as possible – leading to a massive $77 million budget reduction. Because of all the cuts we made in June, and because sales tax revenue did not fall as much as we anticipated, we ultimately had a fairly uneventful budget season. As we strive to be as fiscally prudent as possible, one of our top priorities is maintaining our AAA bond rating. We are one of only 27 counties in the entire nation with this highest-achievable bond rating. Keeping this bond rating results in much lower interest rates on bonds and loans. Here are some key principles I have always prioritized during the budget process, this year included. First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to pro-
vide essential services for society to function. There is no amount of tax dollars that is too small to be scrutinized. That is why I push back aggressively anytime I hear someone flippantly say, “It’s only x dollars… so we shouldn’t worry about it.” Any expenditure, whether it is $10 or $10 million, should be reviewed, and if it can’t be fully justified to the taxpayers, it should be cut. Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.” The “need to have” list obviously includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in the “need to have” category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny, because efficiencies can still be found. The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but
not necessarily considered essential. Libraries and open space some of the things in this category. The separation of these two categories demonstrates the same principle that every family in our county goes through in their annual budgets. They strive to live within their means and focus on essential family expenditures sometimes at the expense of luxuries. Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” I’ve said many times that government can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people. There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. Particularly in a tight budget year, it’s important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again. I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars. You can rest assured that for 2021, Salt Lake County has a balanced budget with no tax increase.
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ON-LINE Tickets On Sale Now LEARN MORE AT BRIGHTONRESORT.COM The South Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Jordan Education Foundation and Walmart South Jordan held their 7th annual Christmas for Kids event last week. "We didn't want to disappoint the students, so we had to pivot and adjust the event to make it Covid-safe for everyone." This year Christmas for Kids was turned into a 5 day event. Teachers did an amazing job working with 451 deserving Middle and High School students creating Christmas lists from Walmart.com. The Community registered to be volunteer shoppers from December 7th through the 10th. The volunteer shoppers selected items on the students list and paid for them with generous donations from area Businesses and Community members. On Saturday December 12th, students arrived at Walmart to pick up their gifts in a Covid-safe drive through" said Brian Synan the President and CEO of the South Jordan Chamber of Commerce. The annual event brings Business and Community together to spread Christmas cheer to deserving students. Christmas for Kids has helped over 2,000 students have a wonderful Christmas since its inception in 2014. "We had to find a way to move forward with the event this year and with the help from everyone, we were able to make it happen" Synan said.
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The pros and cons of Jordan District’s Flexible Fridays By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
J
ordan District officials implemented a new school schedule this year. Students attend in-person school Monday through Thursday, with Friday designated as a virtual learning day. Students have either online assignments or a take-home packet from each class to complete from home on Fridays. Teachers can also invite small groups of students to come to school for a few hours on Fridays for learning activities or remediation. Flexibility of Fridays The flexibility of the Friday schedule allows teachers to meet the needs of their students in creative ways. “We have great confidence in the ability of our teachers to tailor instruction to the needs of students, but they don't always have space to do that within the traditional structure,” Superintendent Anthony Godfrey said. “We've heard feedback about exciting things that are happening in our schools. Students have been able to learn in ways that hadn't been possible before and to feel connected to each other and the school in ways that were not previously possible.” Midas Creek teacher Julie Ribar doesn’t usually have time to teach STEM topics to her fifth graders. However, the flexible Friday schedule enables her to hold enrichment learning experiences. Her husband, who is studying technology and engineering with a teaching emphasis at BYU, works with small groups of students on engineering activities
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for a few hours on Fridays while Ribar works individually with students on academics. “This has been a great opportunity for my students,” Ribar said. “Many of them have expressed interest in becoming engineers when they grow up.” At Mountain Point Elementary, student leaders participated in a virtual leadership conference on a Friday instead of missing school to travel to a conference as they normally do. The kindergarten team has been able to introduce coding activities to small groups of students on Fridays. At secondary schools, students can schedule time to work with teachers but also participate in activities normally held after school. Drama teacher Michael Draut invites the West Hills Middle stage crew to meet on Fridays instead of after school when students may have conflicts. On Fridays at Oquirrh Hills Middle, while students wait to meet with teachers or wait for the bus home, they participate in enrichment activities—history lectures, wood-burning demonstrations and open-sewing sessions. At Herriman High School, club members use Friday hours to organize service projects and hold activities. Time to catch up The biggest benefit of the Friday schedule is that teachers are able to provide enrichment and remediation activities which target the individual needs of students. “We knew that there would be gaps from
spring learning that would need to be filled,” Godfrey said. “Having flexibility on Friday to form smaller groups of students, whether in person or virtually, so that teachers could follow up on gaps in learning that they had observed during the week, we thought would be a good way to help boost students after the difficult learning circumstances they had gone through the spring.” Ashley Chappell, mother of three, said one of her children fell behind in math with remote learning and has been able to use Fridays to catch up. “Having the opportunity for smallgroup learning and more individualized time with his teacher has been a huge blessing,” she said. “If he doesn't grasp a concept 100%, his teacher has asked if he can come so she can make sure he is solid and good to go for the next week or a test they are taking. It's been wonderful, and I hope it never ends.” Kindergarten teacher Meline Hansen said the time to work individually with students on Fridays is a gift. “I have a solid block of time with students who need extra help or extra challenge without having to worry about keeping other students engaged in independent tasks,” she said. Midas Creek third grade teacher MaryAnn Birch said the benefits of working with smaller groups on Fridays are clear. “You
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can target students who need specific skill-based interventions,” she said. “Teachers and students can strengthen their relationship in small groups. Students tend to be more engaged when there is a small group. You can get students who normally don’t interact to talk and ask questions. Teachers can create lessons that are more interactive and exciting.” A gift for teachers Student instruction is only scheduled for a few hours on Fridays. For the remainder of the day, teachers participate in professional development, staff meetings and lesson planning. “We did not select this model because it is the best learning model,” Jordan District Board of Education member Darrell Robinson said. “We selected this because teachers are required to work both face-to-face and online. It is the only way we could think of to give teachers some prep time to do what we asked them to do.” Hansen said having a productive solid block of time for collaboration and planning has been great for teachers who have had to adjust to fewer direct instruction hours. Middle school teacher Jamie Buttars said there are numerous advantages for both teachers and students. “Teachers are able to give more personalized help to the students so they are more successful,” she said. “Friday has also been a life saver for students that have been quarantined. It allows them a time to come in and get caught up without having a lot of added stress. Teachers are also able to plan better lessons. So even though students are technically losing 30 minutes of class time a week, they are learning just as much while in school.” Surprise benefits There have also been some unexpected benefits to the alternative schedule. Some parents have seen a decrease in their child’s stress levels when they know they have a day to catch up or that they can get help from the teacher without the whole class listening in. Additionally, school custodians have benefitted from having fewer people in the building on Fridays. “Fridays allow them the ability to do projects that they put off during the week while they were cleaning and disinfecting throughout the school,” Godfrey said. Being assigned virtual classwork on Fridays has been a benefit for Kim McDermaid’s daughters who often miss school on Fridays to participate in weekend softball tournaments. “This year was so nice with the virtual Fridays so that they could get on and work on their assignments through the day as we had time,” she said. Jordan School Board President Bryce Dunford said when classes are virtual on Fridays, there is less contact tracing and fewer days quarantined students are missing class. Oquirrh Hills Middle Principal Donna Hunter has noticed students taking more responsibility for their education, requesting to come in on Fridays to work with a teacher instead of waiting to be invited. “We've got special ed kids that asked to come in on Friday so that they can get extra help on their homework; they didn't used to do that,” Hunter said. Many special ed students couldn’t stay for after school study hall because they have to catch a bus home. Buses run on the alternative schedule on Fridays. Problems with the schedule The four day in-person and one day virtual learning was the most popular option of both parents and teachers who responded to a survey sent out by the Jordan board of education this summer. The alternative Friday schedule was planned to be temporary, but the board voted to extend it through the rest of the school year. And yet, there are some who do not like the schedule. The Friday schedule is a burden to some families who
Page 24 | January 2021
Student leaders didn’t miss class for their leadership conference this year; instead, they participated virtually on a Friday. (Principal Carolyn Bona/Mountain Point Elementary)
Hands-on enrichment activities are possible on Fridays when there are fewer students in the classroom. (Principal Carolyn Bona/Mountain Point Elementary)
lack access to computers and internet. Instead of asking students to come in or to complete virtual assignments, Teri Gomez, a teacher at Columbia Elementary, assigns a packet for students to work on at home. Other families are unable to get their kids to school and home in the middle of the day because of childcare or transportation conflicts. In response to such a situation, teachers at Mountain Point Elementary work together to coordinate inviting children from the same family to in-person sessions on the same Fridays to reduce the burden on some families who are struggling. Marc Taylor, choir teacher at Copper Hills High, said the teachers who are loving the Friday schedule are those who can easily teach their content online. However, classes such as choir, require in-person class time. And with only four classes a week, Taylor said his students are missing out on rehearsal time. Taylor has only asked his top group, performance Madrigals, to come in on Fridays. However, he has had some problems getting them all there. Some families treat it like a three-day weekend and make Friday plans. Other students are using Fridays to work more hours at their part-time jobs. “You can ask your kids to come in, but you can't grade the kid or penalize them for not being here,” Taylor said. “It's completely optional and up to them whether or not they want to come into school on Friday. The teachers have no power on Fridays.” Birch invites eight students in each Friday to work on filling learning gaps but said without parent support, the groups cannot be effective. Because attendance is optional, she has never had all eight students show up. “Not having students attend on Fridays makes it more difficult to teach everything in four days compared to the five we had before,” Birch said. One kindergarten teacher has found that Fridays are not what she hoped they would be. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to work with
my students doing interventions,” she said. “What it’s turned into is a prep day. I won’t complain about the prep; it has been a huge help. However, my students aren’t as far along this year because I’ve lost academic time. I send home Friday work and some parents make sure their kids do it while others don’t. I’ve had parents complain I’m expecting too much on Friday and others that feel I’m not doing enough. It’s a lose-lose situation.” What does Friday look like? Many parents are baffled and frustrated with the inconsistency of expectations on Fridays among teachers, schools and grade levels. Erin Weist said her middle school kids never have any instruction or assignments but use Fridays to complete homework, while her elementary kids have worksheets and virtual work assignments every Friday. Stacey Ratliff said her kids keep fairly busy on Fridays. “They usually do their online programs (lexia, imagine math),” she said. “Teachers call in kids on rotation, so every kid has that more one-on-one instruction at some point. It's also the day my third grader takes online spelling and vocab tests. Yes, they are usually done faster than the in-person half day, but I don't feel like it's wasted. My middle schooler has assignments fairly regularly but not for every class. And the school has been open for enrichment activities and needed help, but she's only done that twice.” The lessened workload and enrichment activities are for in-person students only; remote learners enrolled in the district's online curriculum have a regular full day of instruction on Fridays. Bre Silva said that means her son, a remote learner, doesn’t have the same opportunity for oneon-one interactions with his teacher. Some parents believe it would be more beneficial for kids to be in school on Fridays. “I think Fridays are a joke,” said one parent. “My kids are given a few worksheets they can do in an hour and that constitutes for them being in school. Two out of my three kids have never been asked to come in and have never had a Zoom call or anything to interact with their teacher. My other kid has been invited to come to school once for an hour.” Alison Johnson said for her daughter, a junior at Copper Hills, her only requirement on Fridays is a dance practice. “She hasn’t needed extra time with teachers on Fridays so, other than dance in the morning, Friday’s are pretty much a day off,” she said. One parent said her child is rarely invited to school on Fridays because he hasn’t needed remediation.
S outh Jordan City Journal
“So often the kids ahead are the ones left behind,” she said. “They aren't given anything to challenge them because all the focus is on the kids behind.” Godfrey said the wide range of what Fridays look like is because it is meant to be flexible. “We set parameters at the district level that were broad enough to allow for creativity but also established a way to provide for a level of expectation with different parameters at the elementary, middle and high school level,” he said. Also, the Friday schedule is still new, and parents and teachers are still adjusting. “This is a new approach that we're trying in the midst of a lot of other new things happening and so it will take time, as always, to see the full potential of the program and to work out any kinks,” Godfrey said. Heading into the second half of the year, teachers are still learning how to utilize Fridays to best meet the needs of students and families. At Mountain Point Elementary, teachers meet regularly to discuss their students’ needs and to brainstorm how to make Friday activities more engaging to meet them. “For each grade, the plans have evolved into using more data to create more specific and targeted interventions or enrichment activities,” sixth grade teacher Gina Vondwingelo said.
Some grades focus on providing more student-driven learning activities and utilizing small groups to reduce distractions. Many are able to focus on just one subject for the entire block of time on Fridays and to use data to determine which students should be invited in each week. Some are able to provide a variety of enrichment activities only possible with small groups. Other teams have found Fridays are more effective when they send work home for those who are not invited to attend that day as well. Parent support is essential Godfrey encourages parents and students to share any questions, concerns or success stories about Fridays with their school’s administrators. He emphasizes that parents should be checking with students each week to find out what is expected and supporting their students to meet them. “Parents have always been an essential partner in effective education and that is true now more than ever,” Godfrey said. The virtual Friday schedule was implemented last year at Real Salt Lake Academy High School. When the Jordan board voted to open schools this year with the virtual Friday schedule, other districts soon followed. The alternative schedule was made possible by an exception made by the State Board of Education to allow virtual learning hours to count toward the minimum hour and days of annual instruction requirement. l
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January 2021 | Page 25
The COVID-19 Impacted Businesses Grant Program, known as Shop In Utah, is a grant program to help support businesses and provide discounts to consumers. Participating Advertisers: Cooking with Sharon Great Harvest Kathmandu Flourish Bakery Legends Pub & Grill Penny Ann's Cafe O Crab Cajun Seafood & Bar Kao Thai Epic Fitness Robintino's Tokyo Teriyaki Panwok Tokai Sushi Lettuce & Ladles Elite Chiropractic Iceberg Hopkin Oral Surgery Alpha Coffee Grifols Casper's Ice Cream Please support these local businesses!
business.utah.gov/shop-in-utah-offers Page 26 | January 2021
South Jordan’s Public Works department hopes that the new snow parking ordinance will be easier for residents to understand and follow. (Photo courtesy Sharon Casias)
South Jordan finds even-keeled solution for snow parking confusion By Mariden Williams | m.williams@mycityjournals.com
T
he rules for snow parking in South Jordan have changed. In the event of a snowstorm, all residents must park their cars on the side of the street with even house numbers, so there will be enough room for the snowplows to come by and clear the roads. This was decided by a unanimous City Council vote Dec. 2. “On the side with house numbers that are even, that’s where cars park during a snowstorm,” said South Jordan Public Works Director Jason Rasmussen. “This will allow the east and, most importantly, the north side of streets to be cleared. And then when the plowing is over and the storm is over, cars can go and park where they may, and the plow trucks can continue to clean up. This gets all the cars off one side of the road, and we get two full lanes cleared from snow.” Previously, the snow parking ordinance was more complicated: which side of the street residents were meant to park on changed based on the date. On odd-numbered dates—the 3rd or 7th of a month, for example—residents would park on the odd-numbered side of the street, and on even-numbered dates, they would park on the even-numbered side instead. This resulted in a lot of confusion. “We heard back from residents that the [previous ordinance] just wasn’t easy to remember, and it was cumbersome to follow,” Rasmussen said. “So there was some room for improvement there. They also asked for more education and enforcement, which we have a plan for.” The new, simpler ordinance was developed following a citywide poll, and a public strategy meeting held in September. The strategy meeting had low public turnout, but the poll garnered more than 700 responses, most of them from the western side of the city. The most popular option on the survey
was to just pick one side of the road to park on regardless of the date, so that’s exactly what the Public Works Department did. “One of the one of the strong messages that came from the virtual meeting from residents, was that we need to keep it simple,” Rasmussen said. “So we’ve tried to do that as much as possible.” The trouble with simplicity, though, is that it leaves out some important details. So there are exceptions to the new rule, particularly in the Daybreak development, which teems with no-parking zones. If the even side of your street is a no-parking zone, you can park on the odd side of the street instead. “As much as I’d like to have no exceptions, and just have it very straightforward, I felt like there needs to be some exceptions to account for the situation up there,” Rasmussen said. “Residents just said they have more cars than can fit in their garage. In Daybreak, there’s not a lot of houses with driveways; there’s a few, but not a lot. So you’re either parked in your garage, or you’re parked on the street, for the majority of the homes. So to make as much parking available as possible, the new code says that if there’s no parking for a ways on the allowable side of the road, or the even side, cars can park on the opposite side.” City leaders are planning to do extensive public outreach to educate residents about the new ordinance. Now that it’s passed, residents can expect to find fliers about it in their emails, on their front doors or even directly on the windshields of street-parked cars. “I have to admit, there’s no perfect solution,” Rasmussen said. “There is no perfect ordinance for this situation. But I think this proposition is better than our [previous] one. We’re just dealing with some elements here that are unique, and we’re trying to do our best with them.” l
S outh Jordan City Journal
Posting Date December 21, 2020
1. MOVIES: In how many movies did Sean Connery play the character James Bond? 2. ADVERTISING SLOGANS: What product is touted as “the fabric of our lives”? 3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many laps do drivers have to complete in the Indianapolis 500 race? 4. HISTORY: How many Pyramids of Giza (Eqypt) were constructed? 5. MUSIC: Which pop song repeats the chorus, “Why can’t you see? You belong with me”? 6. LITERATURE: What kind of novel is written in a series of letters? 7. MEASUREMENTS: How many cups are in 1 pint? 8. MYTHOLOGY: What is the home of the Greek gods? 9. ANATOMY: How much of the adult human body is made up of water? 10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the most densely populated continent on Earth? Trivia Test Answerst 1. Seven; 2. Cotton; 3. 200; 4. Three; 5. “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift; 6. Epistolary; 7. 2 cups; 8. Olympus; 9. About 60%; 10. Asia
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© 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.
January 2021 | Page 27
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S outh Jordan City Journal
Student mentor shares secrets for a winning STEM fair project By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
O
verwhelmed by the thought of helping your child prepare a STEM Fair project? Wish you knew the tips and secrets to a successful project and had a personal mentor to walk you through it? You’re in luck! Jordan School District has released a 10-step online Canvas course that provides students in grades 4–12 access to instructions, resources and tools to develop a successful STEM Fair project. Jordan School District science specialists Lynn Gutzwiller and Rachael Coleman said STEM Fair projects can often be overwhelming to students. The new course breaks down each component of the process into manageable modules, with resources, videos and templates for students to follow. Students are led through every step of the course by a digital mentor, Afton Barron, a seventh grader who also helped create, design and organize content for the course. Afton provides the audio instructions and voice-overs and even filmed most of the video components herself. Afton also provides weekly virtual tutoring sessions for students taking the course. Afton is a great mentor for students. She has competed in seven STEM fairs in the last three years, winning most of them. She was Grand Champion at last year’s Central Utah Science and Engineering Fair which earned her invitations to apply to other state and national fairs, including the prestigious national Broadcom Masters competition. Afton also brought her experience as a student to increase the usability of the course for teachers and students. “Being in online school, she’s been exposed to a whole bunch of really cool programs that her teachers are using,” Janae Barron, her mother, said. Afton used tools she’d used for school assignments to easily edit video clips for the course. She also suggested including links to tools, such as a graph maker that she uses in class, as a resource for students in the course. Gutzwiller and Coleman said the Canvas course meets the unique needs of this unique year. Teachers are depending on more online content this year, and the students are required to submit projects in a digital format for the district fair this year. The course sets out a step-by-step planning guide with instructions, reminders, helpful hints, hyperlinks to tools and information, a comprehensive Google Doc to keep everything together, and information about what judges are looking for and how to maximize points earned. Everything is color-coded and accessible with Afton’s videos, voice-overs and kid-friendly explanations.
S outh JordanJ ournal.com
Afton Barron is featured in the new STEM Fair prep course, which she helped create. (Photo courtesy of Janae Barron.)
“It’s really important that the kids have an ability to have someone explaining it to them,” Barron said. “There’s just too much information in these templates that it is a little intimidating.” The content can be scaled from basic to complex to meet the needs of students in any grade. “Somebody who’s brand new, like a fourth grader, we expect the template will be a starting spot for them, but there’ll be so much that’s lost on them,” Barron said. “But for the 11th grader who will need to go beyond it, at least it gets them thinking about what’s needed and they could use it and have a very competitive project.” Afton is proud of the result of all her efforts. “The course is rigorous, but I think it is pretty user-friendly,” she said. “It’s relatively easy to navigate, and the content is great as well. So, it’s just a good resource.” Afton’s contribution to the JSD science department is not unique. Several years ago, her older sister Amber created and shared a STEM Fair project template that can still be found on the JSD website, along with the grant she applied for to help cover project costs. (Using this engineering
mini grant is one of the many tips Afton incorporated into the Canvas course.) This year, only students who participate in the STEM Fair course can participate in the district fair and access can only be granted by a student’s teacher. The detailed course and the personalized help for students will ease the workload of teachers who want their students to participate but don’t have class time to guide students through the steps. “Teachers are spread so thin,” Barron said. “So we were just super excited to be able to maybe do something that not only helps kids but also teachers.” She also hopes parents see the course as a way to make the process easier on the whole family. “There’s a lot of pushback from not only students but parents who understand that it is a lot of work but don’t necessarily understand all the learning that’s taking place,” Barron said. “I’ve been over this ground multiple times, and I’ve seen children empowered over and over and over again,” said Barron, whose two older daughters who participated in STEM fairs—even competing internationally—have gone on to work in their
dream jobs in STEM fields. “As a parent, I’ve seen the good it did in my children. Then as a teacher, I’ve seen the amazing benefits that occur when students are involved with a STEM fair project. There’s so much power that happens when kids have the opportunity to be able to think of real-world solutions and overcome obstacles.” Barron said the course is helping to prepare future leaders. “If we’re going to be able to do what the governor is wanting to do to be able to have our students prepared for 21st-century careers—that have not even been developed—we need to empower these children,” Barron said. “They are the children who are going to grow up and are going to make those jobs.” Students who are interested in taking the STEM Fair Canvas course should contact their teacher. School fairs will be held in January and February to determine which projects will advance to the District STEM Fair, held virtually Feb. 18. Finalists in the district fair will go on to compete in the Central Utah STEM Fair, sponsored by BYU, held virtually March 22–25. l
January 2021 | Page 29
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hosting a virtual call for a class of first graders who have the attention span of a meatball. My mom thought education was vital, but if she had to supervise online learning for me and my four siblings, she would have sold us to the circus. Teachers are struggling. Kids are struggling. Parents are struggling. If we’ve learned one thing this crappy year, it’s that superheroes walk among us. Healthcare workers and winemakers are tied for the top spot on my list, with teachers, students, and parents finishing a close second by demon-
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strating unprecedented resilience. Many kids are failing this year, but are they really? Can you fail when a global pandemic changes the rules? When teachers adapt daily to shifting conditions? Can you fail when parents work full-time jobs at home while staying on top of online assignments and hybrid schedules? Teachers are a mighty mix of educator/guidance counselor/ cheerleader/cruise director, and this year their creativity and patience has been tested. It brings to mind my husband’s favorite quote, “Looks like I picked the wrong [year] to stop sniffing glue.” This is a thank you to the teachers who work with my grandchildren. The teachers who are innovative and kind. The teachers who show up like a boss and get to work. This is also a thank you to the students who have proven to be flexible and strong. They’re all doing the best they can as they watch adults try to figure everything out. Maybe we write this school year off; maybe it’s not the year to learn geometry or teach Latin. Perhaps it’s the year we value kindness, connection, and self-care for everyone involved. I promise, there’ll be much less encyclopedia throwing and desk flipping.
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January 2021 | Page 31
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January 2021 | Vol. 8 Iss. 01
FREE
SENIOR COMMUNITIES TAKE PROACTIVE, STREAMLINED APPROACH TO COVID TESTING By Stephanie DeGraw | s.degraw@mycityjournals.com
C
edarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak are reopening and allowing visitation. They are also restarting group activities through unique testing designed to keep residents, families and associates safe through utilizing rapid, “pooled” COVID-19 testing. These senior living communities are taking a page from a sport’s playbook to create their version of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Bubble. The NBA successfully implemented a bubble to safely finish out their 2020 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports facility in Orlando, Florida. “Their strategy included restricting anyone into the bubble except for those deemed necessary, including players, coaches, certain media personnel and referees,” Wade Vest, executive director of Sagewood at Daybreak, said. Vest hopes to create their version of the NBA bubble. The new testing strategy is sustainable, inexpensive, and doesn’t require extra work for the staff. The Cedarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak communities are partnering with SiREM Labs for the testing. There will be two pool sizes depending on the size of the community, Vest said. The small pool will be up to 50 people, and the large pool will be up to 100. Suppose there is a positive test in the collection. In that case, everyone in the pool will be Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tested to determine the positive individual. By doing this, each community will find out who has COVID, including asymptomatic spreaders. This new testing allows communities to ease restrictions Ann Herman, a senior community resident, gives herself the new COVID spit test. She will then put her test into a special bag to ensure it stays cold. safely and eliminate quarantining if a resident has to leave (All photos provided by Kisco Senior Living) Continued page 5
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125 N SR 24 Bicknell, UT
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