May 2020 | Vol. 7 Iss. 05
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ingham High life skills teacher Lexie Waite isn’t sitting idly by wondering how her 10 students in her special education class are doing during the coronavirus pandemic school closure . “It is disheartening for students who are in their senior year and may lose some skills they’ve learned,” she said. “Once they graduate, they need to be ready for adult life, and for others not to have the steady progress they’ve been making, may not be advancing as much. But I’m still trying to find ways to connect with them and help them,” While Waite can’t divulge which severe disabilities her students have, she said typically there are students with intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome or autism. She said her students typically need to be exposed to skills at least seven times or they won’t retain that knowledge. “We don’t want to lose that knowledge in this new routine and lifestyle,” she said. “Some students may not understand that they aren’t on vacation since they are at home, so I’ve worked with each family to set up a schedule, when they need to get up, get dressed, have breakfast and begin their school work.” She added that she heard from two families that it immediately helped their students. All students have their own individualized education plans, so Waite created individual packets that were sent to the students’ homes. Many packets contain worksheets as well as data sheets, which includes a rating system if students retain the information. “It may be daunting to parents, especially if they’re still working and helping other children at home,” she said.
Bingham High life skills teacher Lexie Waite communicates remotely to her students during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Trevor Waite)
“There’s a lot going on there, and it looks differently for each family, but if other kids can help devote time to helping their sibling, then they are learning a valuable teaching skill and reinforcing their own learning.” Waite said she knows of at least one of her families has found that beneficial. Waite also is providing support to the families by video-
conferencing parents to explain and support them while they learn ways to teach students. Typical subject areas may be math, where they learn how to tell time or be able to give money to match a price of an item; English, where they practice filling out forms for a job or identification card; and keyboarding skills. Continued page5
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Fine-dining restaurants in South Jordan adjust to COVID-19 Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com
A
s Utahns adjust to social distancing guidelines, local restaurants of South Jordan are adapting as well, including a fine-dining establishment that transitioned to all take-out. “It’s been an evolving kind of process,” said Valerie Rose, owner of The Wild Rose in The District, of the transition. She said not having patrons in the restaurant has been one of the biggest challenges of not having dine-in service. “We miss them. We miss the energy,” she said. She said The Wild Rose, which has been open since 2010, has mostly been getting regular customers for take-out. Changes to operations include online ordering, fewer open hours (the restaurant is open for takeout from 5 to 8 p.m.), and new menu items, including a French dip sandwich that Rose said has been a popular dish that they plan to keep on the menu. The restaurant was initially open for take-out for lunch as well, but Rose said those hours were quiet. “It became clear pretty quickly that wasn’t going to sustain things very well as far as the traffic during the day,” she said. “I think that was more to do with so many businesses closing and working remotely. I just don’t think people were out.” In March, restaurants and bars in the state were ordered to suspend all dine-in service in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19. A website called Curbside Utah has also emerged to help Utahns find eating establishments that are open by location. In addition, residents can check the website or social media pages for many of their favorite restaurants to get more information on their procedures and ordering options. Rose said it’s important for residents to
ournals
Local eating establishments have had to adjust to offering no eat-in service, including fine-dining restaurant The Wild Rose. “You really have to re-do the model quickly,” said owner Valerie Rose. (Libby Allnatt/City Journals)
support local businesses during these uncertain times. “The main reason is if we don’t get the support right now, a lot of [restaurants] won’t be here when this is over,” she said. “And that’s really what it comes down to.” She said local restaurants often operate on slim budgets and lack the financial backing of a larger chain. Businesses also need to
be able to support their employees, she said. “We are trying really hard to keep our staff because we’re going to need them when we come back,” she said. “We need to be able to support them through this, so we have a start when we are able to open back up.” She said The Wild Rose used to have three to five people working in the kitchen, while now they have one or two.
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Online school administrator offers tips on virtual education By Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com
W
ith Utah classrooms set to be closed for the remainder of the academic year, teachers, parents and students continue to adjust. Social distancing guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19 have altered the daily lives of Utahns in everything from grocery shopping to working from home. As schools closed their doors in March, students found themselves thrust into learning remotely as teachers had to move lessons online in lieu of face-to-face instruction. Erin Taylor, the principal of online school Utah Connections Academy and a school administrator of 15 years, said her advice to parents helping their children do school from home and teachers moving their lessons online is the same: keep things simple. “What is most important? What’s the objective? Then work backward,” she said. “We don’t have to be bringing the new flashy things in. Hit the basics, do what’s right in front of you. Having that be your daily objective would make less stress.” While communication is important, too much can be overwhelming. “I think everyone’s being bombarded on both sides with ideas. The best advice I can give is to simplify things,” she said. Scheduling your day with a basic out-
Continued from front page Waite would like to hold a Google Classroom meeting where the students can interact with each other, but that is difficult. “Most of the students don’t have phones, so school has been their social outlet,” she said. “But maybe families could help them get online if we can do it just so they can say hi to their classmates.” Another idea that she hopes to do is provide a supplemental activities or service projects for the family to do together. “For example, they could make a card to a family member or another, and then the student could practice writing a letter to include in it and address the envelope,” she said. Waite also said her peer tutors are reaching out, emailing students and trying to individually link with the students as well. “We want them to still have a connection with the school even though we aren’t meeting here every day,” she said. “We still want them to know we care and support them. We want to make sure they’re getting the help they need.” l
line of tasks to do can be helpful for students doing their schoolwork virtually (and adults adjusting to working from home). “It’s hard to put it away for an hour and come back to it,” Taylor said. “I think it’s best to schedule it in, then check the box that you’re done with the day.” She also advises students to reach out to their teachers if they need help. “We’re all learning as we go. Ask questions, and check in with your teacher rather than get frustrated,” she said. “On the other side is a person that wants to help.” The current situation is here to stay a little while longer: Gov. Gary Herbert announced on April 14 that all public K-12 schools would continue to be closed through the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year. But despite the challenges that come with any changes in one’s learning environment, there can be positive sides to remote learning as well, said Taylor. “We see the advantage in that it allows people to focus on education and then be done with it for the day and move on to something else,” she said. “The flexibility is the best thing that virtual education brings.” Taylor emphasized that with so much uncertainty, putting in your best efforts each day is all you can do.
A playground in Midvale is closed to visitors on April 16. Closures to slow the spread of COVID-19 have led to many empty playgrounds and schoolyards. (Libby Allnatt/City Journals)
“In this unprecedented time, we all need to that can be completely mastered overnight. cut ourselves a lot of slack,” she said. “If we’re “If we could just be conversational… doing the best we can, that’s good enough.” We don’t need a mastery of the language,” She compares the current situation to she said. l learning a foreign language: not something
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Educators find creative ways to connect with students during school closure
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Page 6 | May 2020
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fter schools initially were put on soft closure in response to COVID-19, Park Lane Elementary teacher Susan Homer said she tried and tried to figure out the technology to teach her third graders. “It was very stressful for me,” said the 30-year teaching veteran. “Teaching online just freaked out an old schoolteacher like me. I left in tears one day.” That day, Homer knew how to fix her meltdown – reconnecting with her students. “I emailed the parents and went to the kids. I left them packets on their porch and wrote to them how much they meant to me. Then, I stood back on the sidewalk and saw them. I really, really miss the kids,” Homer said. “I saw their cute faces and I remembered why I do what I do. I saw how much what I did meant to them and that gave me the courage to push forward and go online with new material.” Connecting with students is a common thread amongst educators as many say they didn’t go into education to teach online. So many of them should get extra credit for finding ways to connect with students. Altara Elementary Principal Nicole Svee Magann has gone live on the school’s Facebook page with “Magann’s Moments.” The episodes range from reading books to showing students secret places of the school, all the while telling the students that she mises them and all their noise in the halls and that without them in the school, it’s “kind of like ice cream cones without the ice cream.” “We’re trying to find ways to connect with our students who are isolated and can feel frightened or overwhelmed and just need to see familiar faces and have laughter in their lives at a time like this,” she said. “Our teachers are holding morning meetings and using Flip Grid, where they ask students for responses to fun questions such as what they’re thankful for or what is their go-to song, before they begin their learning. They’re making connections even if they are not physically connecting.” Jordan Ridge Principal Melissa Beck also said her teachers were using Flip Grid to communicate with students. “It’s been good to get feedback in video form that is more engaging instead of a typed response,” she said. “Our teachers are using digital tools to connect with students and parents in more creative ways.” Butler Elementary Principal Jeff Nalwalker has livestreamed from different locations, challenging his students to figure out where he is – Wheeler Farm, Cowabunga Bay Water Park, or at a cookie store. “It’s important for students at home to have that human connection to their school,” he said. “For kids, not being able to play with other kids or go to school, is unusual. So, if we’re able to connect with a friendly relationship, telling jokes, reading stories or having fun, it’s a good kind of engagement.” Nalwalker also challenged for his
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com school to Flip the Switch (a 15-second challenge that originated on social-networking app, TikTok, that typically involves two people instantly switching outfits). With the help of his wife and daughter, he was able to create his video, changing different suits while running. Not only have numerous Butler Elementary students and teachers participated, it has spread to other school administrators, such as Park Lane Principal Justin Jeffery, who mastered to Flip the Switch, changing his costumes while at his desk. “I’ve never done social media, but I don’t think people do well in isolation and if this gives me another way to connect with students, then I’m learning,” Jeffery said. “My daughter, who is in kindergarten, saw her teacher on Zoom and she loved seeing her and her classmates. It was heartwarming.” Now Jeffery provides online announcements and birthday shout-outs from different classrooms in the building and he’s handed out grab-and-go school lunches in costume. But that’s not all teachers, administrators and PTAs are doing. Signs in appreciation of teachers, such as from Altara Elementary and Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, have been posted in teachers’ yards; they’ve also been posted in the lawns of students in encouragement by teachers, including those at Columbia Elementary, Intermountain Christian School and Murray High, amongst others, recognizing their seniors. Signs of encouragement were posted at Murray High to give support to the school community. And leaders have given support, such as Canyons School District Superintendent Jim Briscoe providing a YouTube video about distance learning and resources and Jordan School District Superintendent Anthony Godfrey posting podcasts for families. Several Salt Lake Valley elementary and middle or junior high school staff and faculty, with the help of local law enforcement, have paraded in cars through neighborhoods, giving shout-outs to students and seeing signs of appreciation in return. Butler Middle School Principal Paula Logan took the lead in her school’s parade. “We just want to say hi to the kiddos,” she said. “We miss them. It’s been a long time. When they see their teachers and school staff, they can feel special, forge some positive energy and hopefully, we will add some cheer.” Summit Academy seventh- and eighthgrade math teacher Natalie Sluga is reaching out to her 100 students, appreciating the online training teachers received weeks before the soft closure. “I recorded and practiced for a couple hours to know what the lessons would look like, sound like, and then made adjustments to make it better for kids,” she said. “When I introduce a new topic, I want it to be me to
introduce it. I feel strongly about it. I have a good relationship with my students and want to continue with that connection.” Through technology, Sluga still shows students steps to solve math problems and understand concepts, which “bring stress levels down. It’s still my job to deliver lessons. I know my students; I want to keep supporting them and keep moving forward.” Indian Hills science teacher Rachel Afualo said that she was lucky to be familiar with the online platform Canvas, although she is still learning “the depths of it.” But more than delivering her coursework online, her seventh-grade team held an online spirit week for their students to check in wearing a crazy hat or socks, or even a character costume, when Afualo, herself, became a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. “We want to give our kids a sense of community and normalcy in a world that’s not normal,” she said. “We want to show we still care and are still here for them. I miss the kids. I miss what they do – try to get me to talk off topic or talk over me. What I miss most is not watching them learn with those ‘aha’ moments.” Many schools across the state took part in a statewide spirit week, spurred on by Salt Lake School District. There’s been messages of hope and encouragement in chalk at schools and contests, scavenger hunts and videos posted by high school student body officers, many who will graduate without traditional commencement exercises. At Hillcrest High, students used their talents to chalk a portrait of their principal, Greg Leavitt, who had earlier posted a video of himself riding a tricycle down the hall while singing his usual song, “Friday, Friday, Friday is my favorite day.” “We’re all trying to connect with students in what’s not easy for any of us,” Leavitt said. “There are many reasons, but the bottom line is we miss them.” l
Batman aka Park Lane Principal Justin Jeffery hands out grab-and-go lunches to his Sandy students during the soft closure of school. (Photo courtesy of Justin Jeffery)
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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
orner Canyon High School freshman Cambria Davies feels like she will be prepared for her Advanced Placement human geography exam this May, even though the setting may be out of the ordinary. On March 30, the College Board announced, “because students overwhelmingly told us they want to take their AP exams, we’re providing online learning and AP exams available at home for all students this spring.” The College Board, who administers Advanced Placement exams as well as college entrance examinations, also is taking steps to provide the SAT and ACT college exams online in the fall. Cambria, who will take her first AP test on May 12, said her teacher has been preparing them for the online test, which is now shortened to 45 minutes at home, open book. “It’s all free response, which I don’t like as much, but I understand they’re doing what they can to make it as fair in this very different setting,” she said. Brighton Principal Tom Sherwood, who also has a freshman son who will take the same test, said that AP modified tests, eliminating the multiple choice sections, which easily could be looked up. “They looked into academic integrity with the exam and know it could be hard for students not to look up answers or to have parents help craft essays when college credit is on the line,” he said. “They have posed the essays, so students have to critically think.” Brighton AP English Literature and Composition teacher Jennifer Mattson also said there is a check on the essays as they are reviewed by teachers to make sure there is consistency in the students’ writing – and teachers are required to tell the College Board if they suspect plagiarism. “For the past several years, the College Board has considered online testing so this will be a trial run for them to get an idea what it’s like online,” she said. “A lot of my students are self-sufficient, already in study groups and reviewing.” Bingham High AP Language and Composition teacher Susan McCandless believes
her 60 juniors who are testing will do well on their rhetorical analysis essay they learned in the fall. “This simplifies the preparation and it’s something we’ve reviewed ever since,” she said. “We have a month to practice that skill and make sure they write the task out so they won’t get off task.” Hillcrest High sophomore Amanda Desjardins, who took AP human geography and AP Spanish last year, is preparing for her AP psychology exam this year. She plans to take her exam in the basement of her home where it’s quieter. “I feel as if kids are going to get distracted taking the test at home,” she said. Amanda, who is using flash cards and a study book to review, said her exam only covers eight of the 14 chapters. The test can be taken online or be handwritten, then scanned and sent in. “I’m studying every day, but I’m stressed,” she said. “For most kids, the writing is the hardest part since it’s free response and the multiple choice is where they count on doing well.” Alta AP Language and Composition and Literature and Composition teacher Denise Ferguson agreed: “A lot of kids rely on that multiple choice section to do well and my concern is that the prompt will be difficult for a 17-year-old.” However, Ferguson said even with the challenge of difficult Zoom meetings – where 40 students make it “chaotic” - she is finding other ways to review with her students. “It’s a huge challenge,” she said. “The soft closure caught teachers off guard and it’s making teachers gasp and figure out how they can prepare students online. We’re using online sessions to guide instruction and asking them to practice for every subject they’re testing. We’re all doing the best we can do. They’ve worked too long and hard to just cancel the tests.” Bingham’s McCandless agrees the test isn’t the same as in previous years. For example, her students’ test will be reduced from several components to one or two essays now, so students will have “all their eggs in one basket. It’s like a pass-fail exam now.”
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“I don’t think it’s comparable,” she continued. “Before we had three essays and multiple choice and each tested different things; now it’s a very different skill. The College Board wants to give kids a chance to test, to earn college credit. It’s not ideal nor comprehensive, but it’s the best under the circumstances.” Brighton senior Jacob Simmons has earned perfect scores on his previous 12 AP exams and was planning to take eight more this spring as well as defend his AP Capstone research paper with oral argument. “Initially I thought it would be best to cancel the AP tests and have grades determine the test scores and then I looked at pass-fail, but that would be even harder to draw an arbitrary line to determine a student’s proficiency on a subject,” he said. “I feel as if they should give us two essays (with a longer time) because it will be difficult to cram one essay into a 45-minute period to adequately determine the student’s knowledge of the subject.” While Simmons knows the access to technology and strength of the server may factor into the time-period decision, he is grateful that he can still complete his AP Capstone research paper this year — even though the Capstone program also is modified this year. AP Capstone seniors have already taken their seminar course and passed four AP classes. Now, they are in the final stages of their project – one that was to be presented orally as well as written. The oral portion in front of a panel has been canceled and the written portion due date was pushed back to late May — and if the research can’t be completed, students can report why they can’t within the essay. “I feel the ability to defend a research paper equal to a master’s thesis is a value opportunity to determine what we’ve learned and express our passion on the subject. It’s disappointing, but at least we have the research paper,” Simmons said. Mattson, his AP research teacher, agrees: “Many of them are fantastically articulate and would have done well to orally present it.” While it’s Brighton’s first graduating class in the program, Juan Diego Catholic High School has offered AP Capstone for several years and already completed oral presentaAP Language and Composition students at Alta High practice writing an AP essay in February this year before tions when the College Board cut that portion the COVID-19 changed the format of the standardized test so students can take the exams at home in May. of the program this year, said Vanessa Jacobs (Photo courtesy of Alta High yearbook staff) who oversees the program at the school.
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money on your investment. Before you hire a realtor, know the right questions to ask to save you time and money. Industry experts have prepared a free special report called “ How to Sell a House that Didn’t Sell” which educates you on the issues involved. To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-844-873-1717 and enter 3303. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to make sure your home sells the next time you list it for sale. “The students had nailed it and did an amazing job, but it won’t count as part of their score now,” she said. “The College Board is making it equitable the best they can. It’s a scramble for everyone as it’s a whole new environment.” The 5,000-word research report is underway for five Juan Diego candidates, with 13 who already completed everything before this year and will earn the Capstone program diploma, Jacobs said. Jordan High teacher Heather Gooch said the new AP testing is “a game changer.” “The test is truncated so for those teachers who didn’t teach the course in the order of the book, they will have a lot of material to cover,” she said. “For us, we’ve covered the material and it will be business as usual. But it is more stressful and there are additional factors for students, such as watching siblings at home now so parents can work or if the parents aren’t working, students are contributing to supporting the family or other circumstances. Everyone is trying to adjust and if you’re already getting food out of the pantry, this could just heighten the stress level since you want to save money and time in college.” For Gooch’s 27 AP biology and 40 AP environmental science students, as well as other students who are taking AP exams, she said reviewing and pacing themselves during the test will be critical. “These kids are wanting to be in the game so I’m doing everything I can – live chat, recording review sessions, holding practice sessions, videoing, emailing – to connect and support them. I can’t drop the ball.” l
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South Jordan church holds pop-up food bank for community By Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com
To the families we serve, The Larkin Mortuaries and Cemeteries are proud and honored to be assisting families and friends with their loss for the past 135 years. Given the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for you to know that we as funeral directors are taking precautions to limit exposure to the coronavirus. As we have always done, we are still operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week making certain that those entrusted to our care and the families we serve are receiving uninterrupted service and attention.
Boxes of food items are pictured at the pop-up food bank at Missio Dei Community - South Jordan. More than 70 vehicles were at the event. (Courtesy of Bobby Sharp)
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n a time of uncertainty and great need, a South Jordan church is giving back to the community. Missio Dei Community - South Jordan held a pop-up food bank on March 22 that helped feed more than 70 families. Volunteers assembled boxes containing a variety of food and distributed them to families who came by. “My wife and I were thinking, ‘There are a lot of kids staying at home. So, what do they eat during the day?’” said Bobby Sharp, with the Missio leadership team. “Lunch meat to make sandwiches, condiments, cereal, milk, fruit, vegetables—so, things that kids would eat. Ramen, things like that.” He said there were about nine volunteers. “We had a rhythm going,” he said. “We had someone directing traffic into the parking lot, telling them where to go, saying, ‘Open your trunk, we’ll put the food in there.’” Sharp said he got the idea for a pop-up food bank after seeing the wide reach of another food bank in the valley about a month ago. “There were a lot of families from Herriman, South Jordan, Riverton,” he said. “This was near West Valley. I realized people were driving from afar, from my own community to West Valley to get some food. There was a huge need in my own community for this service. I started talking to Pastor Tony; he said, ‘I’m on board 100%.’ Then coronavirus hit, and I’m like, ‘OK, now’s the time to do it.’” Tony Simoncini said there were about 70 vehicles at the pop-up food bank, with some vehicles containing multiple families. Simoncini said it’s important to be aware there’s many people with needs and many ways to reach out and help your neighbors.
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“Paying attention and looking around, you’re seeing a lot,” he said. “We’ve had some people that have started a post on their own social media then said, ‘Hey, this is a place where if you have a need, let me know.’” Utahns have been adjusting to the impact of, a pandemic that has led to closed schools, limited business operations and economic uncertainty. With large gatherings limited in order to slow the spread of the virus, Missio livestreams services through Facebook Live. Simoncini said a recent Sunday service had more than 1,000 viewers. The church is also collecting clothing for individuals from the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake currently staying at the Marv Jenson Recreation Center.. Sharp said the church also plans to start a Facebook page called Missio Cares with a goal of directly helping the community. “It’s not going to just be about the food drive; it’s a place where people can post their needs to a community,” he said. The positive impacts of the pop-up food bank were felt by the community instantly. Sharp tells the story of a visitor who received a box with the exact items she had been needing. “She reached out and said, ‘Thank you, I was praying for non-dairy milk and shampoo,’ and that’s exactly what was in her box,” he said. “We only had a couple bottles of shampoo and a couple cartons of milk. Her box happened to have both of those.” Simoncini planned another pop-up food bank for April 18. He advises people to reach out to their neighbors to see how they are doing. “It’s a time for us to be neighbors to one another,” he said. l
In the last days and weeks, the Larkin management have been in regular contact with numerous state and federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control, National Funeral Directors Association and the Salt Lake County Health Department. Our continuing goal is ensuring the health and safety of the public and that the information we receive is as current and accurate as possible. These are just some of the changes we are implementing: • We are sanitizing our facilities several times daily • We are asking staff to stay home when possible • We are encouraging arrangements by phone and email • We are limiting the gathering size of our arrangement conferences, services and gravesides to meet the state and federal mandates That said, people will still be passing away and families will want to say goodbye. We still have a myriad of options. Your funeral director will explain ways that you can memorialize your loved one in a meaningful way. If you are experiencing a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, we encourage you to not attend funeral services. Reach out to the Larkin location handling services and we will be willing to share your sympathies with the family of the deceased and they may also offer some other options to let the bereaved know that you support and care for them during this difficult time. Notes of sympathy may also be left on our website for the family to see. Every obituary on our website allows for online condolences. Sincerely, The Staff of Larkin Mortuaries and Cemeteries
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South Jordan students may be putting kindness lessons into practice during coronavirus pandemic By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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A kindness chain encircles Elk Meadows student leaders before they put it up in the hallways to celebrate kindness week. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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We want students to be kinder at school, at home, in their community,” Elk Meadows sixth grade teacher Becky Pratt said. “We don’t need to judge people; we want our students to reach out in kindness to build our community, nation and world.” Pratt, who advises student council along with fifth grade teacher Rebecca Mortimer, said during Elk Meadows’ kindness week, one filled with fun and color, not realizing the message may be one that students could be putting in practice during the soft closure of schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Being kind was also a message shared at South Jordan Middle School weeks before the school closure, said eighth grader Grace Irion. “Kindness makes everyone feel loved,” she said. “We need more positivity everywhere. We need to help one another.” The two South Jordan schools had their kindness weeks in February, holding activities and events for their respective schools. At Elk Meadows, the week started off with an assembly planned by the student leaders — and some additional students who wanted to help. They wanted to “start a kindness chain reaction,” which included each time students or staff members performed an act of kindness, they wrote it on a slip of paper. Then, the student leaders created links, more than 4,000 of them by their spirit week’s halfway point, which circled the
school hallways. “I’ve watched kids intentionally say kind words, do acts of kindness and show respect,” Assistant Principal Baylee Lansford said. “They’re starting a chain reaction by their own actions.” Pratt agrees. “It’s incredible to watch students perform kind acts through this positive activity,” she said. “It has brought our whole school together as a team. It’s really powerful.” But it wasn’t just the adults that felt the change in the school community. Sixth grader Mia Gardner, who helped with the kindness week, said she witnessed students supporting each other. “Everyone is doing kind things, helping one another,” she said. “It’s good that we’re being positive, always being kind.” Sixth grader Brayden Hansen said he had seen a student helping another with math and heard of classmates offering to help their parents more at home. “Kids are being nicer and kinder,” he said. “We’re being more thoughtful, and that’s good.” Student leaders added in spirit days and the theme “donut forget to be a friend and sprinkle kindness every day,” and sharing donuts with sprinkles. They provided daily inspirational quotes to their classmates, such as “Kindness costs nothing, but it means everything” and “No act of kindness, no matter
how small, is ever wasted.” They also invited motivational speaker Hank Smith to remind students about friendship — by being an “upstander not a bystander” if they see bullying or someone treating another unfairly. At nearby South Jordan Middle School, student leaders also created fun activities for students during lunches, such as a watching “Ratatouille,” playing Minute-to-WinIt games and line dancing, which included participation by faculty and administrators, including principal Nicole Johnson in high heels. Lockers also were heart attacked, a kindness banner contest was held, and a display case was decorated to remind students to be kind. Ninth grader Meg Haycock said the theme, “You Make it Great,” was decided upon to provide a positive message. “We wanted everyone to have a good attitude, and we let them know they make the school great,” she said. “We put hearts with messages on the lockers and in the hall and came up with fun ways for everyone to be involved. We want everyone to feel loved, to be positive and kind. We don’t want anyone here to feel alone.” That meant student leaders sought out others, eating with them if they spotted someone alone, or inviting them to get involved in the week’s activities. “We want to make connections with everyone,” Meg said. Grace, who also serves as a student body officer with Meg, said the idea is to have fun and show kindness to everyone. “We don’t want anyone to be afraid or embarrassed but just to get up and have fun,” she said. “Everyone is welcome and accepted. It’s the way we want our school to be.” That’s how Mia at Elk Meadows feels. “I’m proud of myself when I’m kind and doing things with everyone; it’s more fun at our school,” she said. “I hope that kids will still be doing it even after our kindness week is over. It’s something we all should be doing everywhere, every day.” l
S outh Jordan City Journal
Online school administrator offers tips on virtual education By Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com ith Utah classrooms set to be closed best to schedule it in, then check the box that for the remainder of the academic you’re done with the day.” year, teachers, parents and students continue She also advises students to reach out to to adjust. their teachers if they need help. Social distancing guidelines to slow the “We’re all learning as we go. Ask quesspread of COVID-19 have altered the daily tions, and check in with your teacher rather lives of Utahns in everything from grocery than get frustrated,” she said. “On the other shopping to working from home. As schools side is a person that wants to help.” closed their doors in March, students found The current situation is here to stay a themselves thrust into learning remotely as little while longer: Gov. Gary Herbert anteachers had to move lessons online in lieu of nounced on April 14 that all public K-12 face-to-face instruction. schools would continue to be closed through Erin Taylor, the principal of online the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year. school Utah Connections Academy and a But despite the challenges that come school administrator of 15 years, said her with any changes in one’s learning environadvice to parents helping their children do ment, there can be positive sides to remote school from home and teachers moving their learning as well, said Taylor. lessons online is the same: keep things sim“We see the advantage in that it allows ple. people to focus on education and then be “What is most important? What’s the done with it for the day and move on to someobjective? Then work backward,” she said. thing else,” she said. “The flexibility is the “We don’t have to be bringing the new flashy best thing that virtual education brings.” things in. Hit the basics, do what’s right in Taylor emphasized that with so much front of you. Having that be your daily objec- uncertainty, putting in your best efforts each tive would make less stress.” day is all you can do. While communication is important, too “In this unprecedented time, we all need much can be overwhelming. to cut ourselves a lot of slack,” she said. “If “I think everyone’s being bombarded on we’re doing the best we can, that’s good both sides with ideas. The best advice I can enough.” give is to simplify things,” she said. She compares the current situation to Scheduling your day with a basic out- learning a foreign language: not something line of tasks to do can be helpful for students that can be completely mastered overnight. doing their schoolwork virtually (and adults “If we could just be conversational… adjusting to working from home). We don’t need a mastery of the language,” “It’s hard to put it away for an hour and she said. l come back to it,” Taylor said. “I think it’s
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Uncertainty faces class of 2020 commencement exercises By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals. com
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Why South Jordan feels prepared for Olympia Hills By Susan Palmer | s.palmer@mycityjournals.com
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mid the coronavirus pandemic, the Bingham High class of 2020 wonders if they will walk across the stage to receive their diploma and flip their tassel from one side of the mortarboard to the other. The graduation has been scheduled for 3 p.m., Thursday, June 4. As of press deadline, no updates have been posted. Check the school’s website, binghamminers.org, for updates. Valley High School commencement exercises are set for 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 3 at the Lifetime Activities Center at SLCC Redwood Campus, 4600 South Redwood Road. As of press deadline, no updates have been posted. Check the school’s website, valleyowls.org, for updates. (Photo courtesy of Josten’s) l
South Jordan officials have been preparing for growth in their region. (File photo City Journals)
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ith the Olympia Hills referendum campaign at an end city officials are now facing the prospect of the controversial development coming to their border. Salt Lake County officials approved the Olympia Hills development on March 3. It calls for 6,330 new single-family homes, townhomes and apartments, and 1.8 million square feet of office and retail space. South Jordan City Manager Gary Whatcott said from their perspective, they’ve been dealing with west-side growth for “a number of years.” “Back in 2004, we signed a master development agreement with Rio Tinto, and with that master development agreement, we knew the number of new housing developments,” he said. “In South Jordan, we have been planning for the expansion of the west side for years.” SoJo leaders have planned on the roads linking Riverton and Herriman to SoJo being oversized and spent the last 10 years planning for the Mountain View Corridor. Recently, SoJo officials were involved in the expansion
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of the U-111 highway. South Jordan officials have also been working with the state leaders to implement the mass transit TRAX system. “This has not been a shockwave because SoJo has been dealing with our own internal growth, which was slightly under 20,000 residential units in Daybreak,” Whatcott said. “This has been on our mind for a long time, and we have done a lot of planning in our roadway networks.” The question of water availability was raised. South Jordan purchases water from the Jordan Valley Conservancy District. There has been a good amount of planning for the water availability that did contribute to the water infrastructure that supplies the southwest valley area If things stay normal, there is enough water to supply the increased density. Newer developments will pay a higher water rate than what the existing cities currently are paying, as SoJo water structures are already developed and in use. Whatcott did express a need for more public transit in the southwest area. Currently, there is no bus system available in SoJo. l
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Bingham boys soccer head coach, seniors reflect on vanishing season By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com
Bingham senior Kaden Pierce (Photo by Andrea Fox)
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Live Life Vibrantly Page 14 | May 2020
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he COVID-19 pandemic has turned everyone life’s upside down. The sports world—at all levels—hasn’t been immune. It has hit high school seniors particularly hard. Just a week into the season, the Bingham boys soccer team joined every sports program around the state in a lockdown, ending the 2020 campaign in stunning fashion. The Miners lost their three games to Lone Peak, Westlake and Pleasant Grove. But the real story is that the dedicated senior class will never suit up for the Miners again. Head coach Leo Gonzalez joins everyone else in trying to grasp the magnitude of the pandemic. “The 2020 spring season was short, disappointing and frustrating,” he said. “It is hard to shake off the feeling of ‘unfinished business,’ and I’m sure no one ever imagined that a virus could turn the world upside down for as long as it has.” Gonzalez and his players started training for the season in late February like all other boys soccer teams. In whirlwind, things went from a normal routine, to a two-week suspension of play to a full-out abandonment of the season. Gonzalez laments the impact this has on the 12th-graders on the team. “Having the spring season cancelled has been heartbreaking for all of the athletes and coaches, but it’s been especially hard for our seniors,” he said. “For them, this signifies the end of their soccer career up to this point. To end an era of their lives with this kind of disappointment, leaves us all feeling at a loss. For my seniors who were looking
Bingham senior Merrill Davis (Photo by Andrea Fox)
forward to showcasing themselves and pursuing college opportunities, the cancellation of their season brings up some valid concerns.” To their credit, the senior players are holding their heads high and trying to keep the situation in perspective. Francisco Mejia is using the opportunity to reflect on his entire career at Bingham. “Our season got cut short, and it honestly hurts us all so bad,” he said. “We all wanted to take state this year. Going out like this isn’t the greatest, but in the end, it was an honor playing for Bingham the past four years, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.” Fellow senior Blake Pirami will go down in history holding the distinction of scoring the team’s one and only goal this season. The goal came in a 4-1 loss to Lone Peak in the March 4 season opener. Pirami acknowledges that there is some pain in missing the vast majority of the season but echoes Mejia’s sentiments about his experience as a Miner. “It’s still sinking in that the season is over,” Pirami said. “We are all pretty sad, but I’m grateful that I got to play three seasons for Bingham and scored the only goal this season. At least now I get to tell my kids I was the leading scorer my senior year. Thanks to my team and coaches for everything. I’m going to miss them all.” Gonzalez knows that the coronavirus pandemic is a much deeper concern than sports. He is pleased with how his players have handled the situation. “As coaches, we’re so proud of the way these boys reacted to this circumstance,” he said. “The game of soccer is
so much fun, but watching our players dealing with adversity and embracing this challenge in a positive way has been more rewarding than winning any soccer game.” When the lockdown began, Gonzalez outlined a weekly workout plan for the boys to follow. All 38 players followed the regimen, with some doing extra work to stay in shape. Gonzalez changed the plan every two weeks and was happy with how the players responded. The Bingham roster lists 30 underclassmen on this year’s squad. Those who return next season are already eager to make up for lost time and honor those whose final year was marred by COVID-19. l
Just three games into the season, Bingham coaches and players got word that the boys soccer season, along with all other spring sports, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Andrea Fox)
S outh Jordan City Journal
How yearbooks look as schools rush to complete them By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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illcrest High co-editor Maya Everett said the yearbook’s due date to the printer was April 6, weeks after March 13 when the soft closure of schools was announced. “Yearbook looks a lot different with all of us at home,” she said. “We’re struggling to include spring sports since many of those didn’t have home competitions. We also are incorporating COVID-19 in a positive way, showing how we’re staying connected to teachers and the school.” Hillcrest, like most schools, has to complete pages by a series of deadlines throughout the year. There were still some clubs that had yet to take a group photo. “Robotics had their regional qualifier, so we have lots of photos from that we can use. With theatre, we have a write-up from the main character in ‘Richard II,’ which was ready to take the stage when the school closed. With sports, it’s been harder. Soccer had photos from an away tournament. Track had one home meet, but our photographer was going to go to the meet the week after school got canceled. The theme of our school year and our yearbook is ‘moments,’ so we’re asking some seniors and team captains for their favorite moments and asking them to drive by and we’ll fill in the gaps with those,” said Everett, who shares the editor position with Emily Smiliach. Jordan High’s yearbook also was weeks from being completed when schools were closed. “We had about seven spreads – mostly spring sports – left and needed photos,” said senior Brooke Gooch, who is a yearbook writer. “We’ve asked kids for photos at practices.” Jordan’s yearbook also will include a coronavirus spread. “We wrote about it,
Alta High School students Madi Bowles, Miken McGill, Hasti Kazemzadeh, Brandon Lups and Arianna Christensen reviewed proof pages from this year’s yearbook before Gov. Gary Herbert directed students to complete the year online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (courtesy of Alta High School yearbook staff)
explaining what it was, and then tried to include some funny stories, how students are keeping from going stir-crazy and tried to keep it lighthearted,” she said. However, both girls don’t know what is to happen to spring yearbook sales, distribution and even, students signing one another’s yearbook. That was something Alta High yearbook adviser Denise Ferguson was planning to address, but in the meantime, was tracking the school’s yearbook as it traveled from California – where the printer closed since it was deemed a “non-essential business” to another printing facility in Tennessee. “We’ll get it from Tennessee when all of this subsides,” she said. “We’ll have to figure out how to get it to our students.” Alta’s book was in the final stages when the soft closure was announced and, like the other yearbooks, had a challenge with spring sports. “When Murray (School District) closed on the 12th,
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I said, ‘Let’s just get photos today, just in case,’” she said. “We got tennis, but they weren’t in uniform. Boys soccer dressed in their uniforms for the practice for us. We have what we got from lacrosse and girls golf, and a parent gave us some baseball action photos. With baseball, we also got permission to use the Lifetouch portraits and converted those to black-and-white to create a grid, like baseball cards. It looks fabulous, like we planned it.” Memory books in middle school also had deadlines to meet after the soft closure. At Elk Ridge Middle, adviser Steve Pollock said that this was a special edition since it was the 25th anniversary of the school opening and for the first time, the 75page memory book will be hard cover. “We missed so many things we would have liked to include like the last concerts of fine arts – orchestra, band, dance – and the student talent show, which we had a whole page devoted to,” he said about the last 40 pages
they were turning in. “We had to scramble to figure out how to fill some of those.” Elk Ridge, like the high schools, reached out to students to learn how they were spending time at home with their families during the soft closure to include in the memory book. The staff also included more candid shots of students. Already included in the book is a spread of the anniversary of the school, including highlighting four teachers who are still teaching there, and photos, which included the first principal and assistant principal. As the students were home, Pollock and a parent volunteer, who worked with staff on writing and layouts throughout the year, ensured that the last pages were completed. “What was funny about photos missing with this yearbook was that we had ordered yearbook shirts and were waiting for them to come in,” Pollock said. “So, we didn’t even have our yearbook staff photo to include.” l
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Former Utah First Lady’s books address internet safety at a time when more students are online By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Left: This cartoon cat, the star of the Faux Paw the Techno Cat series, reminds school children how to be respectful and ask permission before safely uploading photos online in his free, new book launched at ikeepsafe.org. Right: While serving Utah, former Gov. Michael O. Leavitt shared his office with Faux Paw, who became the inspiration for his wife’s book series on youth internet safety. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Leavitt)
R
ight in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, former Utah First Lady Jackie Leavitt launched the sixth book in the Faux Paw series she has co-written — and said it’s a perfect time to do so. “Children are at home as we practice social distancing to avoid the coronavirus, but they also are likely spending more time being connected on the internet through technology,” Leavitt said. “But we want the children to be safe online and understand the importance of guidelines while using the internet.” Her series of adventures address internet safety with Faux Paw – a now 20-yearold orange polydactyl (six-toed) cat who used to reside in her husband’s office when Mike Leavitt was governor. “Faux Paw was the perfect way to talk about internet safety with school children,” she said. “People would come to the office to see the cat even more than the governor. There was so much interest in the cat, that it just fit he would be the mascot or the star of the books.” While the cat at one time had his own website, now the former First Lady said the books about Faux Paw the Techno Cat are available as a free online resource to parents on iKeepSafe.org under the family access tab. In addition, each elementary school
throughout the state has two copies of each book in the series. “In each of the books, Faux Paw the Techno Cat addresses different issues and gets curious and into trouble, but he has good friends who help him understand how to be a good digital citizen. In this last book, “Faux Paw and the Unfortunate Upload-Digital Ethics for Kids,” he posts pictures of the band without permission and learns how important it is to treat others well to have their respect,” she said. The books begin with Faux Paw learning firsthand about privacy online. In another book, he learns what to do if someone says something untrue with the help of former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush. The other books address balancing screen time as Faux Paw gets distracted playing online games, illegal downloading when he wants to get a new song, and making healthy media choices. The series aren’t written on her own. After consulting with two child psychologists, Leavitt said she “wrote the nuts and bolts” of the stories. She credits co-author Sally S. Linford for making the stories “more fun and clever” as well as illustrator Adrian Ropp, who “was able to take a very difficult subject and add an element of fun and comfort to it.”
The books also come with internet resources, discussion questions and the newest, with catchy informative tunes to familiar melodies. With precautions taken for COVID-19, this time with children at home can be a unique window that can be used for learning digital ethics and positive online skills, she said. “We know that many of our youth will have more access and be online during this time and with parents trying to teach and work at home, this is a free way to communicate how to be a good citizen online,” Leavitt said. Healthy living in a “connected world” does require these necessary skills and conversations, she said. Seeing the need for those conversations in her own family inspired Leavitt to write about the issues surrounding being online. She also heard the need to address these concerns from other parents – including the last one from her daughter. “In each of these books, there are different topics that can be looked at and talked with our children and youth and there are additional resources, such as ‘Be Internet Awesome,’ that can be accessed for free on the page,” Leavitt said. “It’s a fun way to get kids interested in talking about being safe online. They know so many things, but as parents, we need to make sure our children and teens do it safely.” iKeepSafe originated in 2003 as an effort from the Leavitts, then grew as the First Spouses from other states joined. While Leavitt has written other books ranging on experiences such as hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics and the tornado that uprooted 90 trees on the capitol lawn, she is dedicated to the cat who gives schoolchildren practical internet lessons. “I enjoy writing,” said the former elementary school teacher. “It’s more compelling and necessary to write about online safety. It’s vital our parents and children know about it and are making healthy online choices.” Once schools resume, Leavitt plans to read about Faux Paw’s latest adventure to school children and share with them internet safety rules she’ll pass out on bookmarks — and she may even be asked what is Faux Paw the Techno Cat’s next adventure. “If there are new areas that we need to address, then I’ll write another,” Leavitt said. “There’s no set number, but we do the books as we need them to ensure the children’s, students’ safety online.” l
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Bingham High unified basketball team played Feb. 29 in a tournament hosted at Hillcrest High School. (Photo courtesy of Kristen Cantrell)
O
ne of the first school-related events to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic was the state unified basketball tournament, set in early March. Unified basketball is an opportunity for students or athletes with disabilities to play with their peers or partners who don’t have disabilities. These partners may not be the school’s top athletes, but they are dedicated to give the athletes an opportunity to play and are paired to their ability, said new Bingham High unified coach Braxton Thornley. Even with the cancellation of state basketball — and the soccer season typically held in March and April — it doesn’t decrease the value of what these athletes and partners have gained this year, Thornley said.
“Many of our athletes played together in the previous season, so they were comfortable with each another, but they had to work with brand new partners and brand new coaches, so we had a lot of growth in our time together,” he said. Drills such as dribbling, shooting and passing were broken into players and partners working together. As some athletes and partners had never set foot on the court before, it also meant beginning with the basics. “We’d work on skills, such as passing, and before they’d even throw the ball, we’d say the person’s name they were going to throw the ball to so that person could be ready with hands up,” Thornley said. “This helped with our team dynamics, knowing
Bingham High unified basketball team got to play in one basketball tournament before the rest of the season was canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Kristen Cantrell)
that everyone could pass and share the ball. We wanted everyone to participate.” The team also learned how to communicate better—following directions and making sure what they were saying was clear to each other, he said. That translated to the court as the team played in their first — and only — tournament of the season, hosted at Hillcrest High in Midvale. “Unified basketball is a little different than regular high school basketball,” he said. “Usually, we play in tournaments before state and depending on how you play is how many games you continue to play. We had two very close games against Murray and Corner Canyon. While the team fell short of victory, Thornley liked what he saw. “I have watched them grow and quickly improve,” he said. “We were able to develop relationships, and great things were happening with the team.” The team’s pinning ceremony, planned for March 18, has been put on hold. With school closed, Thornley plans to write each a note and award them their pin in the mail. Meanwhile, like most coaches, Thornley is looking forward to the next season. “We had one senior athlete, so we have a young team,” he said. While that senior athlete also typically plays soccer and runs track, Thornley said he was glad the senior got to play basketball, his favorite sport. Thornley has communicated with his athletes and partners during the school’s soft closure, emailing them to congratulate them on the great basketball season. “Coaching these athletes and partners has been the best experience,” he said. “They get so excited even with the smallest of improvements.” l
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8-bit Miners competed at robotics competition By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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he “8-bit Miners,” or Bingham High’s robotics team, finished year, all remaining regional and world tournaments were cancelled in 33rd in qualifying rounds March 6–7 at the Utah FIRST robotics response to the coronavirus pandemic. Seen here is the team’s robot competition. There were 54 teams from across the United States as competing at the Utah regionals. (Julie Slama/City Journals) l well as international teams that competed at the Maverik Center. This
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May the Healing Begin, a letter from our publisher
I probably failed to mention something very important last month, there is a better and probably easier way to help support the journals. Since the Journals are funded by advertising dollars, you can help us by doing business with our advertisers and letting them know you have seen their ads in the Journals and that you appreciate them doing business with the Journals. It is their advertising dollars that have kept the Journals printing over the last 29 years. Like most local businesses the Journals will be hurt from the pandemic, with the actions taken to shut down business many of our advertisers were forced to close their doors. With closed doors there was no reason for them to advertise. This quickly reduced the amount of advertising we had in the Journals. We have been hurt, but we will survive and the Journals will continue to print and hit your mailbox during the first week of the month.
Dear Readers,
Last month for the first time as being a publisher I used some of our space in the newspaper to write a letter to the readers. I would rather save our newspaper for the news or advertisers, as opposed to my ramblings. However, I felt compelled to follow up with another letter this month. Last month I informed readers that they could donate to the Journals by using our new website (donate.thecityjournals. com) or by sending us a check. We have had a steady outpouring of generosity since then. We collected donations ranging from $5 to $100. We are so thankful for each of these donations. We are committed to making sure that these funds are used to improve the reader experience with the newspaper. Over the next few months I will update all those who have donated on how the funds were used. One of the downsides of the newspaper business is that we don’t always get to hear from our readers. Over this last month Until next month, we have heard loud and clear from many of you. And with each email, note, letter, and Bryan Scott donation we are filled with joy and a sense Publisher, City Journals of validation for the work that we do.
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How will COVID-19 impact K-12 education? By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
M
any educators say students’ academic retention will plunge greater than that of the typical summer slide from the prolonged COVID-19-induced school closure — and preliminary research is supporting that. NWEA, a not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide with assessments and research services, studied what summer learning loss can tell educators about the potential impact of school closures has on student academic achievement. In their April 2020 findings, NWEA researchers concluded, “students will return in fall 2020 with roughly 70% of the learning gains in reading relative to a typical school year. However, in mathematics, students are likely to show much smaller learning gains, returning with less than 50% of the learning gains and in some grades, nearly a full year behind what we would observe in normal conditions.” While many school districts plan to give assessments to students in the fall to determine the actual amount of reviewing and reteaching that may be necessary, Mathnasium of Cottonwood Heights owner Mila Gleason said the impact may be even greater with students who already are struggling. “Some of these students may not have a structure in place or a support system and are needed to help with their family situations,” she said. “We may see an increased divide.” That may be from helping care for younger siblings to working to help sustain the family, leaving little time for homework. Students may also not have the additional income needed to attend college in the future or the ability or time to seek out counselors to help figure out college financial aid packages, researchers said. Hillcrest High Principal Greg Leavitt said it’s been a challenge. “This is something we didn’t plan for in this massive way, to have school shut down for more than a day or two,” he said. “It’s a different kind of challenge, foreign to all us, and there’s no way we can deliver the product we normally do. Our teachers are teaching 30 minutes versus 70 minutes in normal classrooms. Some students are doing well and keeping up the rigor. Others we’re trying to keep motivated and learning; it’s a different world right now.” Park Lane Elementary Principal Justin Jeffery said his staff is following up with students who haven’t checked in on a Zoom meeting or haven’t grabbed a packet, with emails, phone calls and even with a certified letter. “We all know this is not the same as instruction in our classrooms, but what our teachers don’t want are huge learning loss-
With students no longer in classrooms, educators now question what the impact of COVID-19 online education will be in the new academic year. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)
es,” he said. “We haven’t been in this situation before, but the silver lining is that we all will be better with teaching with technology and offering blended learning. Many of us haven’t pushed to learn everything until now, when we’re forced to, and so we’re becoming much more tech-savvy. I’ve never done social media so I’m finally coming into the 21st century.” Utah’s schools may have an advantage over other states, Utah Assistant Superintendent of Student Learning Darin Nielsen said. “We’ve worked to provide technology to our schools throughout our state,” he said. “We’ve infused money to increase the number of devices and training in distance learning. We have a real emphasis on blending learning.” West Kearns Elementary dual immersion third-grade teacher Daisy Reyes said the soft closure caught her off guard, but her new norm is teaching online from her living room. “I’ve been continuing to read the story we were reading in class, being consistent, so students can look forward to this time every day,” she said. “It’s ideal to be there in person, but the benefit of technology is that we’re still able to make some face-to-face connections through the screen and we are all learning how to use technology more.” Indian Hills science teacher Rachel Afualo said that she had to step up her learning when it came to Canvas. “This has helped me become more open-minded to digital learning and gain more resources as a teacher,” she said. “I can create labs online and use them in the future, when a student is absent. And we can look at the way we’re teaching and discover more ways to interact with students and find more opportunities and platforms to connect with them. It’s a different territory and I’m learning to be more flexible working with it.” Granite School District Director of Technology Chris Larsen said that his school tech specialists and media center specialists
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have been reaching out to help teachers and parents, helping them learn digital platforms so they can connect with students. “Our teachers know how to teach, and in a matter of days, have taken their curriculum to provide it to students face to face through technology so students can continue to learn,” he said. “We are all making this the best situation for families and kids.” Larsen said that more than 20,000 Chromebooks have been checked out to Granite School District families. Murray School District’s secondary schools already are on a 1:1 device ratio, but the District also checked out Chromebooks for younger students. Canyons District also checked out Chromebooks to families who indicated a
need and worked with providers to provide free internet access as a temporary solution to the crisis. This may lead to innovation in education, something many educators applaud, like Summit Academy seventh- and eighthgrade math teacher Natalie Sluga. “A lot of positive can come from this,” she said. “We can tap into creativity, we can use more platforms, more apps, more ways and ideas in education.” The combination of asynchronous online learning tools (such as reading material through Google Classroom) with synchronous face-to-face video instruction could turn into the new norm, educators said. Butler Elementary Principal Jeff Nal-
walker said that now there is different sense of urgency in learning to teach online. “We are making sure our community understands what teachers are doing and doing admirably,” he said. “We had teachers who were timid to try new things, jumping out of their comfort zone to learn new technology. There’s no way to duplicate the experience of our professional instructors in person, but this is giving us an opportunity to look at blending learning opportunities in elementary school. We could see asynchronous delivery and then doing it together in a synchronous model that would allow more in-depth discussions and new opportunities for learning.” Nalwalker also said that he would like
to look into checking out Chromebooks to students to use during their elementary years. “Students will have greater access and can empower their own learning. It can become a habit that is integrated into daily routines,” he said. Families also may play a greater part of students’ education, Altara Elementary Principal Nicole Svee Magann said. “Families have slowed down and family dinner has returned for the majority,” she said. “There’s more time they are connecting together, playing games and interacting with one another. Parents are stepping into teaching roles and are appreciating what teachers do more and are working together to ensure students are learning.” l
Minerettes end season undefeated in military routine, win state, national titles By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Minerettes perform at the state competition in Orem where they won the 6A state title. (Photo by Pat McDonald.)
I
t’s a time when the Minerettes usually hold an end-of-year showcase to celebrate their successful year and hold auditions for next year’s squad. But with Gov. Gary Herbert’s soft closure of schools through the rest of the year to ensure social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, that has meant the shutdown of normal school activities. However, it doesn’t mean second-year Minerette coach Erika Cox is sitting idle. “I’m thinking of some music ideas for our routines and have been brainstorming with our assistant coach to keep our momentum going,” she said. “It’s not a down time
for me.” That momentum is straight from bringing home national championship trophies at the Contest of Champions National Competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, where they placed first in military, character and hip-hop routines and third in dance. “There was a lot of talent and really tough competition,” she said. “The girls gave it everything they got. It was a memorable performance, and they have nothing to regret.” The national trophies they brought home
The Minerettes brought home first place trophies in military, character and hip-hop routines at the Contest of Champions National Competition this year. (Photo courtesy of Bingham High Minerettes.)
on the plane came after a season where they took first place at all invitational competitions before winning region, beating their main competitors of Copper Hills, Herriman and Jordan high schools — some of the same teams they battled at state competition. “We were ranked first all season, but at state, we got a penalty and didn’t know how that would affect our score,” Cox said. At state, the Minerettes took first in military — and were undefeated in it all season — and first in dance, but the penalty placed their character routine, fourth. “It was really an emotional time,” she
said. “We didn’t know if our scores were enough to win state.” However, the team beat Herriman to win the state title. Layton, Copper Hills and Davis high schools placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively. “We’ve had an incredible season, one of the best wins for the state title, and to go on and then we did really well at nationals in Florida,” Cox said. “We had our banquet and got to recognize our seniors and our officers before the school closure. We were getting ready, going over routines and everything for the showcase, but that was just going to be the final cherry on top for the year.” While other schools initially hoped to hold drill team auditions during the soft closure through May 1, most came together and decided it wasn’t fair to all applicants to do video auditions. “Some dancers may not have studios, and dancing on a living room carpet isn’t as good as dancing at a studio,” Cox said. “You can’t turn on cement outside, so we hope that holding off will allow tryouts to be equal. I’m looking at this time as a plus for our team. Drill is tough on their bodies, and many of them are exhausted. It’s nice to have them heal, chill, rest and return excited, ready and motivated for next year.” l
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State and city emergency managers cite key lessons from March earthquake By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com
T
he Great Utah Shakeout came a month early this year with the real deal. The 5.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the Salt Lake Valley on March 18, and the many aftershocks in the weeks that followed, made all those past community earthquake drills startlingly relevant. The good news was that the March 18 quake was not “the big one” that Utahns have been taught to expect. On the other hand, officials learned that many residents still needed a lot more practice in preparedness. “It’s given us an opportunity to practice our emergency management process,” said Wade Mathews, Be Ready Utah manager with the Utah Division of Emergency Management. “We were already active for COVID-19, and it’s given us an opportunity. People didn’t quite remember what to do. We want to emphasize the importance of stay where you are, stop, drop and hold on.” Mathews cited the quake as a great learning opportunity for everyone. In the event of a much larger earthquake, the shaking would likely be too violent for people to run for cover. Even in large aftershocks, the best thing for people to do in the moment is to stay where they are, drop down, and hold on for cover. If an earthquake were to strike when people are in bed, for example,
Gov. Gary Herbert and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jess Anderson in the State Emergency Operations Center on March 18 during the first ever level 1 activation for the 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Magna. (Photo courtesy of Wade Mathews, Utah Division of Emergency Management)
Mathews said the best thing for them to do is to stay in bed and put a pillow over their heads for protective cover. The March earthquake provided real experience for local emergency personnel to put all their drills into practice. Cottonwood Heights canceled its annual Shakeout event due to social distancing measures for the COVID-19 pandemic, but officials tentatively plan to hold a drill this fall. Lessons learned from the recent earthquake will help inform their planning. “The biggest thing that we’ve seen is
that it has brought the realization that it could happen,” said Assistant Emergency Manager Julie Sutch of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department. “That’s probably the biggest takeaway. We’re seeing more people being geared toward preparedness.” Preparedness is the primary concern for Mathews. From the state level to community organizations to each household, knowing what to do is the top priority. “We’re going to emphasize protective action more with our outreach,” Mathews said. “If we don’t know how to survive the disaster, the rest of our
plans don’t matter. We want everyone to be able to survive. That’s why we emphasize protective action so much.” Protective action during an earthquake includes: • Drop to your hands and knees to protect yourself from being knocked down • Cover your head and neck with one arm • Crawl under a sturdy desk or table if one is nearby • If no table or desk is nearby, crawl to an interior wall • Stay on your hands and knees, bent over to protect vital organs • If you get under a desk or table for shelter, hold on to a leg until the shaking stops • If not under shelter, cover your head and neck with both arms For more tips on earthquake preparedness, visit shakeout.org/Utah. The lessons of the recent earthquake, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, have provided real reminders of the importance of emergency preparedness. “We want to create a culture of preparedness where we live,” Mathews said. “Knowing the risks of where we live helps us have emergency preparedness plans in place.” l
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Living Planet Aquarium videos bring animals to public
W
e can’t go to the aquarium right now, so the aquarium is doing its best to come to us. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium has spent the last several weeks offering free educational videos through their social media accounts that highlight different aspects of the aquarium. The videos started with the Scarlet’s Adventure series, which took a macaw to visit some of the aquarium’s other residents. They’ve since expanded to several different types of videos, ranging from crafts and science projects to behind-the-scenes explanations of various aspects of the aquarium. “People are still learning and are looking for resources,” said Brent Beardsley, public programs manager at the aquarium. “People are looking for things to watch especially for their children to help them learn. We want to help give people those resources so that they will have something wonderful and fun to see and experience right from home.” The first series, Scarlet’s Adventure, is a 12-part series that can be viewed in its entirety through the aquarium’s website: thelivingplanet.com/scarletsadventure. The series showed Scarlet visiting everyone from sloths and otters to penguins and other birds, with other team members answering questions and offering insights into the animals. One video even discusses the plants of South America that help the native animals there thrive.
By Jenniffer Wardell | j.wardell@mycityjournals.com “Primarily, our mission is to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. We also aim to foster a sense of stewardship for all life on the planet,” Beardsley said. “With that in mind, and given that families and teachers are now isolated at home, we want to provide engaging, entertaining, and educational experiences that connect people with the Aquarium’s mission.” Their newest video project involves special themed videos for each day of the week that focus on different subjects. Monday videos focus on aquarium-themed crafts and art projects, while the Tuesday videos feature animal trivia. Thursday videos mostly focus on simple science experiments that families can do at home. The series can be found on the aquarium’s YouTube page. “One of my favorite parts is how everyone has been working together on (the videos) – animal care, marketing, education and more,” Beardsley said. “As we are doing more videos than we normally do, we are bringing in more people and letting them showcase their ideas and talents.” Of course, it’s not always easy. “One of the biggest difficulties is remote meetings and work,” he said. “It’s tricky to do it all while maintaining social distancing.” Beyond the technical challenges that come with putting the videos together in a
Lesley Scoville, endotherms keeper at the aquarium, feeds a sloth in one of the Scarlet’s Adventure videos. (Photo courtesy of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium)
Laura, one of the aquarium’s ambassador animal coordinators, shows off a red-tailed boa constrictor during a Fearless Friday video. (Photo courtesy of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium)
time of social distancing, Beardsley said that his team misses aquarium guests as much as the guests miss being able to visit. “The thing that we miss the most is being able to see the faces and reactions of our
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guests,” he said. “To see that moment of ‘wow’ and ‘aha’ as they experience the aquarium.” There has been one unexpected side benefit, however. “We have done more deep cleaning, and now the Aquarium is sparkling clean,” he said. Until everyone can come and see the animals in their newly sparkling habitats, however, he added that the aquarium staff will continue working to bring some of that magic to people’s homes. “We hope that our viewers will have fun and learn something,” he said. “We want them to experience curiosity and a sense of wonder. This pandemic is not going to last forever, but the learning that children engage in and their sense of wonder at the natural world is something that will.” l
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Hopefully by the time this reaches your mail we are beginning to dip our big toe back into life again. Like many others, being thrust into solitary confinement, left me with some spare time to spend on social media, and thanks to my friends I learned so much about how to handle this disaster. With the vast array of opinions, I found putting it all together difficult though, but I gave it shot anyway. It’s all as clear as mud now, here’s what I learned. Working from Home: If you are able to work from home you are lucky, unless you are required to work from home, then it’s horrible and you wished you could go to work, because working from home is too much work. Keeping a Healthy Diet: In effort not to get sick we should eat well, but we should not go out to get healthy fresh food when we run out and eat whatever pre-packaged food we have on hand instead. However, we should order out at our local restaurants to help keep them in business. Then it’s okay to go out to pick up the food. Your food might be prepared by someone sick that doesn’t know they are sick, but it’s okay if you pay by credit card and take the food out of the container. However, you should avoid going to the grocery store at all costs because you might get sick. Getting Sick: Wearing a mask is not helpful, but if you get sick you should wear a mask. But, don’t go to the hospital if you’re sick, because you might get sick if you do. You might be sick and not know you’re sick,
so you should wear a mask even while driving alone in the car alone. The Press: Every article starts with a panic headline designed to shock us. But when we read the article, we find it’s not so shocking after all and perhaps even a little boring, except when our friends post these articles to social media. Then we never read the article, we just start divisive arguments based on the shocking headline instead. Politics: We are all be untied as American’s; we are proud, and this is the time we shine. But, if there’s a government action that we don’t approve of, then we are not united if we disagree with our friend. We might even be called names, because name calling on social media is okay. Huh??? Love: We love our partners so much we could not live without them, they are our everything, unless we have to live with them non-stop. Then we feel we’d rather live without them. Home Schooling: Teachers are the saints and I can no longer remember why I even had kids. Grandparents: You can’t see your grandkids, but if you’re a grandparent and work in a grocery store or pharmacy, then you can see someone else’s grandkids. You can avoid getting the virus and still see your grandkids virtually by using a computer program called Zoom but, watch out, your computer might get a virus instead.
Earthquakes: In the event of an earthquake get outside, but otherwise don’t go outside it’s not safe. Also, keep in mind that on the annual practice day called ShakeOut, there might really be an earthquake, then it’s no longer a practice day and you can go outside. In all seriousness, I hope what every person takes away from this crisis, is to be prepared financially for an emergency. At Coupons4Utah.com we have spent the last 12 years helping families save a buck. Hopefully we will all remember to put that buck in the bank for next time. For those families living without a loved one because of this virus, my deepest sympathies to you and yours. Be safe out there.l
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As soon as COVID-19 hovered in the air we breathe, I went into full-on “Gone With the Wind” Scarlett O’Hara mode, ripping up bed sheets to make toilet paper and stockpiling moonshine for antiseptic. Of course, Scarlett was useless in an emergency. For the majority of the Civil War, she whined and married rich men. I’m also pretty useless in emergencies. When I knew the shelter-in-place edict was coming, I didn’t stockpile food, I scurried to the library to check out all the books. After hoarding four months of library books, I told everyone in the house (my husband, my daughter and her two children, ages 3 and 8) to check their 72-hour kits. They responded, “What 72-hour kits?” Not a good start. In the shed, I located an emergency essentials bag that looked like it had housed a family of weasels. Along with 10 years of dust, it contained an expired can of roasted almonds, a box of matches, a pair of underwear and a spatula. We were doomed. Tossing my hair like Scarlett, I tied on my shopping bonnet and sang out “fiddledee-dee” as I headed to the grocery store for provisions. By the time I got there, options were limited, unless I was keen on making a casserole with canned asparagus, creamed squid and buckwheat flour. I figured we’d just be creative with dinner. (Lesson learned: 3-year-old granddaughters don’t like creative dinners.) Our meals usually consist of some type of egg for breakfast, leftover Easter candy
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for lunch and something with hamburger or chicken for dinner. Could be spaghetti, could be soup. Hard to tell. This has been the worst staycation ever. I do not recommend. Both my husband and I can work from home, so we take turns sharing the home office space. One person works in the office with a comfy chair every other day, while the other person sits on a workout ball at a TV table in the bedroom. It’s . . . complicated. And we’re adjusting to each other’s work behaviors. Husband: Can you not leave dozens of half-empty water glasses by the computer? Me: You silly scalawag! Are they half-empty? Or half-full? Anyway, our attorneys are working out the final details. My puppy, Jedi, is over-the-moon excited to have me around, LITERALLY sitting on my feet all day. She got even clingier when the earthquake rattled our home (not funny Mother Nature) and she made me carry her 60-pound furry body from room-to-room for the next week. As life was boiled down to its necessities, I realized how often (in the before-times) I would bored-shop, bored-Starbucks and bored-TV-binge. Since March, I’ve narrowed that list down to bored TV binging. (Between “Better Call Saul” and “Ozark” I definitely
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know I should avoid the Mexican drug cartel.) As warmer weather approaches, I miss shopping for new spring clothes. Looking back on how Scarlett made dresses out of her velvet draperies, I tried channeling her creative spirit again. It was tough to made clothes out of our window coverings since we only have wooden blinds. But I did my best. Pictures not available. We’re still in lock-down mode. I replenish our milk and produce once a week. We walk the dog a dozen times a day. We work and eat and read and play games and get on each other’s nerves and fight and make up and write hopeful messages on the sidewalk in colorful chalk. Like Scarlett, there are lots of things I’ll worry about tomorrow. But if we have books to read, food to eat and our family is safe, I’m very content in my little corner of the world.l
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May 2020 | Page 27
Parks department providing virtual activities for residents By Susan Palmer | s.palmer@mycityjournals.com
M
ayor Dawn Ramsey declared a state of emergency on March 13 due to COVID-19, and the pandemic continues. South Jordan City Hall is closed, and all city council meetings are now online only. Residents can find information on closures, and emergency operations affecting the government at the city website, sjc.utah.gov. However, in spite of all the closures, South Jordan City is leading the way with some novel virtual recreation events. SoJo Parks and Recreation Department coordinators have changed their focus from in-person activities to some virtual or at-home activities. “It is important to keep offering recreation programs to residents during these uncertain times to help improve our residents’ mental well-being and reduce stress,” said Associate Director of Recreation Janell Payne. “South Jordan City has a group of amazing coordinators that have been able to think out of the box and come up with the fun and exciting activities.” A Virtual Race Series is offered where runners can sign up to obtain a different running route each week and Some of the events being offered are: can then turn in their times for chances to win prizes. (File photo City Journals) A Virtual Race Series is offered where
runners can sign up to obtain a different running route each week and can then turn in their times for chances to win prizes. Information on the virtual races is at www.sjc. utah.gov/sojoraceseries/2020virtualraces/. A Virtual Earth Day 10k was held April 20 to 25. Runners could complete a 10k course on their own time during the scheduled period and submit their times. Runners received a medal and a shirt. Story Walks started week of April 13. This is an interactive experience where people can walk along the Jordan River Trail while reading displays from popular children’s books. SoJo How to Draw Videos are online at the South Jordan Facebook page. Other events offered include a Neighborhood Chalk Art were people are encouraged to draw and write inspiring things around their homes and sidewalks. This is also a SoJo Photo Contest where contestants can take images of South Jordan and residents can vote on the best images. For more virtual events and information, visit www.sjc.utah.gov. l
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