July 23, 2020
Dear Churchill Families,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! We miss our students fiercely. Any school year is a big deal; however, we know that this year our obligation to our community is even greater. Staff are aware that we are needed more than ever to help students find connection and grow. I want to assure you that Churchill is in this with you. These challenging times bring us opportunities to come together, grow together and lead together.
It has been a tricky summer with communication as things have changed frequently. There are two main questions I have received; is it safe to return to school, and what will school look like?
As we are working on plans, we are centering ourselves philosophically on three important tiers; students need to feel safe, students need to feel a sense of community, students need to stay on a learning path that allows them to succeed.
Parents can choose whether to send their student in person for face-to-face instruction or register online for distance learning. Face-to-Face learning details on Covid mitigation have been actively worked on all summer. The Churchill team met at the beginning of July as soon as we learned the plan was to provide face-to-face as well as distance learning options for students. Our leadership and managerial teams looked at state and district guidelines and mapped out the things we could do to mitigate Covid-19 for face-to-face learning. This week I took those plans to the district level and with their help and the help of other principals we scrutinized that plan once more. The plan will be presented this week to our Community Council and leadership team one more time. The district will review the plan, and once approved, I will share that plan immediately with our community.
Safety considerations also need to be balanced with the knowledge that our students need to feel part of something. This is a unique juggling act but please know that we take this strongly into consideration.
Our school leadership team also focused on how to provide the best instruction. We learned a lot from 4th quarter last year! Teachers have been working over the summer on ways to facilitate both face-to-face and distance learning that is clear, concise, and comprehensive. CANVAS will be the main learning platform utilized. If you or your student do not know how to use CANVAS please consider having them come the first few days of school as our teachers will focus on how to train students on navigating that platform.
I assure you that I will communicate any new information as it becomes available to ensure you have the details needed to make the decision that is best for your family. Please check our Facebook page as I use that as my main communication as well as email. The district also has a Q & A section on their Facebook page that you can refer to as well.
New Staff
We are pleased to welcome a new teacher to our team this year. Samantha Gunther has joined our English department. She came highly recommended and has valuable experience. Ms. Gunther will be teaching 8th grade English.
Parent Portal
We are happy to utilize Granite School District’s online registration platform this year. The Parent Portal provides vital information as to how your student is performing at school. Parents can monitor grades, attendance, missing assignments, and scores your student is earning on homework practice, tests, and quizzes. The portal also shows end of year testing. The Parent Portal is important! If you have questions or need help navigating the parent portal, go to: https://www.graniteschools.org/teachinglearning/school-registration/
Registration thru Parent Portal
(NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AUGUST 3, 2020)
To complete registration online, parents must have a parent portal account set up.
If you are new to the district or have not set up a parent portal account, you will need to create one. If you do not have your student’s ID # please email Cris ccbrimley@graniteschools.org or Shawna slcluff@graniteschools.org and they will email your student’s ID# to you.
Once you have the student ID #, click on this link to begin www.graniteschools.org and then click Granite Portal (in blue).
- Log in with your Username and Password.
- If you cannot remember your login, click on Retrieve Username or Reset Password.
- If you have not yet created a parent portal, Click on Gradebook/Parent Portal Registration to create a login. NOTE: The information you enter when creating your parent portal must match the information we have in our system. For example: If we have a parent listed as Michael and you are trying to create the portal using Mike, it may not work.
Once student fees have been paid AND all forms have been signed, your student’s schedule will be emailed to you within 48 hours. (For further information regarding the registration process, go to: https://www.graniteschools.org/teachinglearning/school-registration/ )
If your student is new to the Granite School District or you do not have computer access, you can make an appointment by calling the Churchill office. (385-646-5144)
Jumpstart and Parent information
Student orientation is an important matter to your student. In a typical year we have an in-person session where students tour the building, meet teachers, and find the location of their classes. We know the critical information our students need and are working out a plan that can still allow the education of those details but still provide Covid-19 mitigation strategies. We are also aware that there are parents who may need or want training as well. We will communicate these details to you as they are solidified.
Student Schedules
We work diligently to put together a master schedule that allows students the flexibility to take as many classes as they can that interest them. However, it is inevitable that conflicts arise, and students will end up in a class or two they may not have had listed as one of their top choices. We encourage students to look at these as opportunities to try something new; they may find a new interest they were unaware of. Please note that some classes may appear second semester.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your student’s schedule, please contact your student’s counselor as listed below on or after Tuesday, August 4. All changes/requests will be handled via email or phone.
Student’s last name begins with A-K – MARCI TAYLOR – 385-646-3206; mtaylor3@graniteschools.org
Student’s last name begins with L-Z – JULIE SASOUDA – 385-646-3208; jsasouda@graniteschools.org
To request a schedule change after school has begun, students should obtain a schedule change request form from the counseling center. The completed form along with $5.00 must be returned to the counseling center within 3 days after the first day of school. This same rule applies to 2nd semester class change requests as well.
Lunch Pin Numbers
If you are coming to Churchill from another Granite School District school, your lunch pin number will remain the same. Your lunch pin number is not the same as your student ID. If you are new to Granite School District, the lunchroom manager will give you your pin number on the first day of school. Students are not to share their lunch pin number with other students. PAYPAMS is the preferred method of paying for student lunches. Please visit PAYPAMS.com to set up an account.
School Policies including Dress Code and Electronics
Every student at Churchill receives a student planner. The planner contains all important school policies. The policies are also posted to the school’s website. When registering your student please take a moment to briefly review these policies and expectations with your students. We know that when your student understands your expectations regarding school rules, they transition much better.
Immunizations
- Salt Lake County requires all students be in compliance with State Immunization Requirements. Students must be vaccinated in order to attend school. See the attached form at the end of this document for more information. If you have questions please contact our Registrar, Deb Despain at 385-646-5145 or by email at dmdespain@graniteschools.org.
School Day Information
The first day of school is Monday, August 24. School begins at 7:45am. The first bell of the school day rings at 7:40am and the tardy bell rings at 7:45am. Students should be in their first period scheduled class when the tardy bell rings.
Please drive safely and cautiously when dropping off and picking up your student. Please be advised that the east parking lot is not a drop-off zone for students and the north side is designated for buses only. Student drop off is in the west parking lot. Parents can drop off students on Oakview Drive provided that the student uses the crosswalk to cross the street.
We will send out additional information in the coming weeks regarding backpacks, lockers, school supplies, etc. Please visit our school and district website, Facebook and emails.
We are excited for the school year, and we are looking forward to getting to know all of you!
Sincerely,
Trent Hendricks, Principal
Charlie Peterson, Assistant Principal
