School News

Gov. Gary R. Herbert and State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson announced Monday, March 23 that Utah’s K-12 public schools will extend their dismissal through Friday, May 1.

State officials and health departments will continue to evaluate the situation and make determinations as time goes on regarding the remainder of the school year after May 1.

“These are unprecedented times in Utah’s and our nation’s history,” the governor said, “I have been overwhelmed with Utahns’ outpouring of support for one another, and nowhere has this been more evident than in the way our educators are supporting Utah students and families.”

Distance learning and meal services will continue through the extended dismissal.

Families will still be able to continue to checkout Chromebooks and the lunch program will continue in the same format as well.

“During the uncertainties of the coming weeks, it is more important than ever to remain socially connected with our students and families while doing our best to ensure learning continues.” said superintendent Dickson. “The flexibility and initiative of our educators is a shining example of how we rise together in challenging circumstances.”

For more statewide information, we would encourage you to visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/.

What is COVID-19, and how bad is it?

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new virus strain spreading from person-to-person in many countries, including the United States. Health experts are concerned because little is known about this new virus.

At this time, there are a small number of cases in the U.S. Reported cases range from mild illness (like a normal cold) to severe pneumonia that requires hospitalization. So far, deaths have been reported mainly in older adults who had other health conditions.

How can I help prevent?

Here are 4 everyday measures that can help prevent you from getting COVID-19 or spreading it to others. They should be practiced by all people in IRC, in all locations at all times.

1. Wash your hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your face, unless your hands are thoroughly cleaned.
2. Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. Discard any used tissue immediately and wash hands.
3. Avoid close contact with anyone who has cough or fever. Maintain at least three feet/one meter distance.
4. Stay home if you feel sick with fever or cough. Follow guidance from your local health authorities and notify your manager.

Symptoms

• A cough
• Shortness of breath
• Breathing difficulties
• Fever (high temperature)

Please Note

Masks are not advised: except for those who are ill or health care workers caring for the sick.

Follow your local government’s guidance: staff should first follow local government advice and restrictions. Where they don’t exist, follow the IRC’s guidance.

Update on Hunter High School

Earlier this evening, the Salt Lake County Health Department identified potential exposure of COVID-19 at Hunter High School in West Valley City. Thereafter, they directed us as follows:

• Hunter High School staff, students, should quarantine at home until March 27, 2020 and monitor themselves for symptoms throughout that time. Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever over 100° F, and shortness of breath.
• Hunter High School will change from a two-week dismissal, to a two-week closure. CAMPUS WILL BE COMPLETELY CLOSED as we work to sanitize the facilities. Instruction will NOT continue at this time. Rather, school leadership and local health officers will re-evaluate the situation in two weeks, and take the appropriate next steps that will best serve the school community.

NOTE: Only Hunter High School has been impacted at this time. All other schools within Granite School District will continue forward with their respective two-week dismissal plans.

Employees and individuals who are not regularly assigned to Hunter High School but may have visited the facility recently are encouraged to follow general health department guidelines and recommendations for self-care, but are not under the self-quarantine order.

We urge all members of our Granite District community to take the recommendations from the Health Department very seriously; we must ALL do our best to reduce potential spread.

Dear Granite School District Patrons and Employees,

As with the NEWLY announced guidance from the Statewide Coronavirus Taskforce, Granite District will immediately implement a districtwide 2 week dismissal. Please review the entire message as it will likely answer the bulk of your questions. Additional updates will be made available on our homepage at www.graniteschools.org and on our social media channels.

This is NOT a closure. These are preventative measures to help reduce the spread of disease. This recommendation will continue to be evaluated and further adjustments could be made with ongoing guidance from State and Local Health officials.

Effective immediately, students will be dismissed from daily attendance, returning Monday, March 30th. A school dismissal is defined as students do not report to school, but facilities remain open and staff report to work as normal. School will continue for students, but on a digital and distance platform.

-On Monday and Tuesday, teachers will prepare to teach in the new platforms.

-All teachers and other employees (including hourly) will report to work at their normal contract time and adhere to appropriate social distancing measures. Teachers would be in classrooms to prepare to provide resources and materials for digital and distance learning.

-Starting Wednesday, March 18, schools will initiate digital and distance instruction. Parents and students who do not have access to technology or a device at home, may come to the school to checkout a chromebook (which will require wifi access at home). Parents will need to sign a checkout form in order to obtain access to a device. Hardcopy learning modules will be made available for students who do not have access to the internet at home. Students will not be required to come to campus once digital and distance learning is initiated. We will not be able to accommodate student usage of school internet during this dismissal.

-As always, the expectation is that students will be accountable for the work assigned and we ask for parents to work with their teachers and children through this non-traditional circumstance. Retakes, assignment turn-ins and so forth will be coordinated with teachers through canvas, email or teacher work phone (please do not text teachers).

-School locations that provide breakfast will continue that service in a Grab and Go service at pickup times that the schools will specify.

-Grab and Go lunches will be provided for ALL students. These WILL be available on Monday, March 16 through Wednesday, March 18th, and after Spring Break. Students will NOT be able to eat their meals on campus. Schools will provide specific information on pickup times through your school’s traditional communication tools.

-Spring Break dates for our District are still applicable (Thursday, March 19th – Student Non-attendance day. Friday, March 20th-Monday, March 23rd – Spring Break). Meals WILL NOT be provided during the break.

-All other additional school sponsored activities are canceled for the next two weeks. This includes extra-curricular activities and other sports practices.

-There will be NO supervision on school property including playgrounds and playfields.

-Student internships and other external programs are canceled for the next two weeks.

-Adult Education courses are dismissed but the testing center will remain open with appropriate restrictions. Please contact the testing center for information at (385) 646-5447.

-ALL preschool classes are canceled.

-Family Engagement Centers are closed.

All activities and events previously canceled are still canceled. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE for specific employee groups is forthcoming.

We recognize that this has been a tumultuous few days. As always, our decisions are made with the expertise and guidance of State and County Health Departments and we will continue to keep you up to date as this dynamic situation unfolds. Thanks for your ongoing patience and support as we work to keep our students and employees safe.

Granite School District

Latest UPDATE on COVID-19 as of March 12, @ 2 p.m.

State website – www.coronavirus.utah.gov or state COVID-19 hotline is 1-800-456-7707

Dear Granite District Patrons and Employees,

We have been awaiting the conclusion of a statewide press event announcing new measures as a result of the dynamic COVID-19 situation in our state. We continue to collaborate with our Health Department partners on multiple levels and the information in this message entails all of the latest guidance. We are very aware of the concerns parents and employees have regarding the health of students and staff in our schools. There have been many employee questions and many parent questions. We believe it is beneficial to address this message to our entire Granite community to share our broader approach as follows:

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:
-All out of state student travel scheduled through the next 30-days (April 11) will been canceled. Further guidance and additional restrictions will be evaluated at that time.
-Mass gatherings including school events, field trips or sports activities that involve more than 100 people in close proximity are canceled until further notice.
-NO SCHOOL CLOSURES are recommended at this time and we have been given guidelines and trigger points from health officials that we will adhere to in order to enact a closure. Additional steps will be taken at the school level to minimize congregation of students in close proximity per state guidance.
-No dances, assemblies or school wide activities that involve mass congregation of students (over 100) in a concentrated group, will take place in the duration.

The most current information we have to relay from the Health Department (media reports notwithstanding) is that COVID-19 is unlikely to be transmitted by someone who does not have symptoms, so any interactions with an individual before they were ill, are considered low-risk for transmission. Consequently, 2nd hand contact is also considered low-risk. In other words, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SYMPTOMS (fever, cough, shortness of breath) IN ORDER TO TRANSMIT THIS DISEASE.

For our students and families, we respect the rights of parents to make decisions as they feel appropriate and our attendance policy will reflect that respect. We expect that our schools will work with our families to provide appropriate accommodations in light of the current circumstances. As always, students who are absent from school will be provided opportunities to make up their learning. We also have plans and the capacity for digital/distance/online learning where instruction can proceed. We are prepared to implement these plans should the need arise.

The direction we have received from the state, is that schools should REMAIN OPEN if at all possible, because of the unique impact on our total community when a school is closed. Only in cases of “imminent threat,” and in concert with the Salt Lake County Health Department, would a closure decision be made.

Some of our communities may have been impacted by the announcement regarding the Utah Jazz and player illness. Here is link to specific guidance related to those circumstances – www.coronavirus.utah.gov

Based on current Health Department guidance, employees will not be excused from work for first hand contact with someone who later developed symptoms or second hand contact in a similar situation. Employees or students who HAVE had contact with someone displaying symptoms or have concerns of any kind regarding their personal situation, should contact their health care provider or the state COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-456-7707 and adhere to their guidance.

Specifically for our employees, sick leave use is governed by employment contracts and is administered through our District benefits office. Other types of leave for various employee groups (including hourly employees) are governed by District policy. Questions regarding leave should be directed to supervisors. Any directive to quarantine from a health care provider should be submitted to the District benefits office. The Health Department will notify the District when they recommend that individual employees be quarantined.

Additional updates or school specific guidance will be forthcoming as appropriate. As mentioned previously, this is a dynamic situation and circumstances will continue to evolve. We are committed to ensuring our students and staff have a safe learning and working environment and appreciate your patience and support.

Granite School District
www.GraniteSchools.org

With the school year finished, many Ligers are looking towards next year and wondering about registration. Here are important dates for you to be aware of.

• July 18, 2019 Registration packets are mailed out.  Additional packets available in the office.
• July 29, 2019 Online Registration is available at www.graniteschools.org. Simply click on school registration then click on the parent portal. You must have a parent portal account to register online.
  • Returning 8th grade students who register online do not need to come in person to a registration event.
  • 7th grade students who register online will still need to attend a registration event with the following documentation:
    • Immunization Records
    • Proof of Address (rental agreement, mortgage, or current utility bill)
    • Birth Certificate
• August 6, 2019 New Student Registration – 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. (This registration is for students new to the area) New Student Registration will be done by packets only.
• August 8, 2019 Registration – 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. (This registration is for students already enrolled at Valley, including 8th graders who attended last year and 7th graders who attended a feeder school: Granger, Farnsworth, Pioneer, Robert Frost & Rolling Meadows)
• August 14, 2019 Make Up Registration – 8:00 to 11:30 a.m.
• August 14, 2019 Hot Dog Hello 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bring your family, meet our new Principal, say hello to your teachers, grab a hot dog and tour the school.
• August 15, 2019 Necessary Class Changes (by appointment only)
• August 19, 2019 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

There will be no registration done the first day of school.

Granite School District and Utah State Law require that you present these personal records for registration.

• Proof of address within VJHS boundaries
  • Mortgage or rental agreement, or current utility bill (no cell phone bills)
• Birth Certificate
• Immunizations Records (current)
• **Students will NOT be allowed to attend Valley Jr. without current immunizations**

All registrations will be by appointment only starting August 20th 2019. Please plan accordingly.

If you have any questions please call 385-646-5236 or stop by Valley Jr. High’s main office from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Valley Jr High is having a summer program. Click on the link below to watch the video for more information. If you have additional questions, address them to Jacob Ballentine, one of the school’s counselors.

Summer Program

Valley Jr High wants to recognize Diana Vo, an eighth grader, for taking first in the Cesar Chavez Contest. The contest, run by Granite School District, invites students between 7-12th grade to create an art piece that addresses the year’s theme. The theme for this year was “Women of the Movement. How are women standing up for Social Justice?” Diana Vo took the grand prize for her art work and Valley is very proud of her. Nice job, Diana!

Valley junior High’s MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) club got to go to The University of Utah to tour the campus to see the Laboratories there. The students got to tour an Astronomy Lab, Biological Physics lab, superconductivity Lab, and a tour of the campus to see what life as a science student at the university is like! See what other clubs Valley has to offer if you want your student to participate in after school activities like MESA.

Please join the Granite School District on January 24th from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Granite Technical Institute for an open house concerning CTE. This will be a chance for students to discover what opportunities are available to help them advance in their career and technical training. The open house will have information about colleges and industry experts to provide insight and advice to those seeking CTE-related careers. Click on this link to the flyer to find the location and learn more about the event. Hope to see you there!