Bennion Parents & Guardians,
I apologize for the long email. My intent is to make this a “one stop shop” for everything you need to help you student be successful next week. As has already been published, Bennion Jr. will be enacting distance learning for four days beginning Tuesday, January 18, and continuing through Friday, January 21. We will return to in-person instruction on Monday, January 24. While we understand this scenario has the potential to put significant strain on many families, we are excited about the opportunity to connect with students, and we are committed to making the process as simple as we can for students and the families that support them. The information below is intended to provide a map of how to proceed for the next week.
- The primary access point for all classes will be Canvas. With this being a new semester, many students will need to take steps to update their Dashboard so that their new classes appear when they open Canvas. Instructions on how to do this will be provided within Canvas. As soon as students log in, a message will appear at the top of the page. This message will provide step by step instructions on how to ensure your new classes are accessible.
- Each class will be set up so that all of the instructions for the entire week will appear as soon as the course page is opened. There will not be additional content added throughout the week. Those instructions may direct students to assignments not on Canvas, but Canvas should be the starting point for all students in all classes.
- Students are not required to do work from each class, every day. We recommend students focus on completing the assignments for two classes each day. That will leave one class to be completed on Friday. We believe this will provide parents the opportunity to check in and make sure students are keeping pace. Ultimately, parents know their students the best and have the option to create whatever plan they think is best for their student. We have come to understand that parent monitoring is vital to student success and have worked hard to make that possible.
- Teachers will be available for video conferencing for at least one hour each day. The available times will also be posted on their Canvas pages along with a link to join the meeting. Students will not need an appointment. They can simply click the link and ask the questions they need to ask. This is a great tool for students who are struggling with a specific assignment. Teachers are also available through email or Canvas message.
- If there are questions about a specific class or assignment, they should be directed at the teacher of that class. If there are questions about a student’s schedule they should be directed to the student’s counselor. If there are questions about Chromebooks or other technology questions, they should be sent to Ms. Sorensen, our technology specialist. If you’re not sure where your question fits, email somebody and we will get you what you need. Email addresses for all counselors and Ms. Sorensen are listed below.
Ms. Sorensen (technology) – cesorensen@graniteschools.org
Ms. Belmore (6th grade counselor) – mbelmore@graniteschools.org
Ms. Reed (7th grade counselor) – careed@graniteschools.org
Ms. Merrill (8th grade counselor) – momerrill@graniteschools.org
- Meal services will be provided daily as a “grab and go” between 9:00am and 11:00am. The school will be providing both a lunch and a breakfast for the following day. If a family has multiple students who attend different schools, they are able to pick up food for all students at one location. Only children under the age of 18 are eligible for the meals. Food will be served in the Bennion Jr. cafeteria. Please remember, masks are required when in the building.
- All extra-curricular activities including athletics and play practice are cancelled for the week unless you are contacted directly by the teacher in charge.
- While many teachers will be working from home, the school is open all week. Our secretaries and administrators would be happy to help you with any issues you may have.
Thank you,
Jake Brown
Principal, Bennion Junior High School
Phone: 385-646-5114
