Although there are still many details to be ironed out, we are excited to have the beginnings of a reopening plan in the works. West Lake students will be able to receive instruction face-to-face or on-line as deemed most appropriate by individual families. Here are some of the basics.
We are hiring classroom aides to work at West Lake STEM Jr. High. Please contact Sarah Wall, the assistant principal at skreed@graniteschools.org
Granite School District is sending out a portion of our school bus fleet to serve as Wi-Fi hotspots for students during the dismissal. These specially configured buses will be parked in various high density residential locations throughout the district from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days to boost our Wi-Fi signal.
In an effort to make sure you have as much information as possible, incomplete though it may be, I want to give you an update on the plans related to our building. As I announced on March 31, the evaluation and repair process needed because of the earthquake will prevent us from returning to our building for the remainder of this school year. Now, estimates are making it very clear we will likely be without a building during the 2020-2021 school year as well.
Although we will wait for additional directives from our governor about how the statewide dismissal will affect the conclusion of this school year, I can speak with confidence that West Lake will be up and running to start the 2020-2021 school year, displaced though we may be. One of the advantages of being part of a large school district like Granite is that the district maintains many buildings and many properties, some of which are unused at times as district planning and boundaries fluctuate. Right now, we are studying several options to house our student body and staff as the West Lake facility is addressed. It’s too soon to know specifics as our board is studying options and will eventually adopt a plan, but I’m certain it will allow us to continue the fine programs we’ve worked so hard to build at West Lake and facilitate transportation for our student body to and from the temporary site.
In the long run, whether West Lake will require a renovation or a rebuild, this process is going to provide us the best and safest facility for our students even though it will require us to navigate bumps and inconveniences along the way. I’m excited about that!
I anticipate more information by early May, and I’ll keep you posted each step of the way.
To West Lake Students & Families: As you are aware, we have not had access to our building since the earthquake. The building sustained some damage and, out of an abundance of caution and given the decreased need to be in the building on account of the statewide school dismissal, we have restricted all access to the building as the damage is evaluated and addressed. Although those evaluations are not yet complete, and I do not yet have specific details to report, I can see that the evaluation and repair process is going to prohibit us regaining access to our school building before the school year is over. I will have more details about what that might mean for our instruction as we get closer to the end of April and as we know more about the status of the statewide school dismissal.
In the meantime, we want to make sure all students are able to retrieve any personal items they may have left in the building. On Tuesday, April 7th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, we will have a curbside pick up for any personal items. On that day, families will be asked to stay in their vehicles, pull up to the front curb of West Lake, send in their requests via a mobile phone, and have their personal items delivered directly to their cars. To maintain social distancing and to stagger the crowd, we invite you to come according to the following schedule according and your last name (if possible):
This post will be updated regularly with the latest instructions regarding the West Lake dismissal. Please follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter or check back to this page to know the latest information.
April 7, 2020
March 30, 2020
March 27, 2020
As many of you may have heard, the Governor has initiated some additional guidance as of 4 p.m. (Friday, March 27, 2020) this afternoon. Full details of this directive can be found at https://coronavirus.utah.gov/latest/.
Some of this new guidance applies directly to our school operations as follows:
For our employees, the vast majority of the guidance discussed today has already been implemented. Therefore, previous guidance specific to our employees is still applicable. One notable addition to that guidance is the opportunity for hourly employees to participate in online training from home for a portion of their work time. This should be done in coordination with the direct supervisor.
As indicated by the Governor, additional more restrictive guidance may be forthcoming from our local County Health Department. We will update you on that guidance when it is received.
Thanks for your help and support of these initiatives designed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We hope you stay safe and healthy.
March 24, 2020
Gov. Gary R. Herbert and State Superintendent Syd 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.
“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/.
March 19, 2020:
On account of damage suffered from the series of earthquakes yesterday, the West Lake building is currently closed to everyone. You may still get breakfast (8:30 to 9:30 AM) and lunch (11:30 AM to 1:00 PM) at Granger High School as well as see many of the West Lake staff over there. If you haven’t yet retrieved your Chromebook and it’s locked in the West Lake Building, let us know by quickly responding to our Chromebook Google Form.
March 18, 2020:
Online school launches today. This morning, all students should have received their email for “Online School.” Please email Mr. Howe if you haven’t received yours. Parents, you were copied as well, but about 200 of the parent copies are delayed and will hit your inboxes in the early afternoon.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be the first day of a school week if we didn’t start off with Mustang Media. This is our 150th episode and includes all of the highlights from the 7th Grade Field Trip and the 8th Grade Reality Town. Enjoy!
March 15, 2020:
In light of the Governor’s and State Superintendent’s recent announcements, I want to update you on what the two-week school dismissal will look like at West Lake STEM.
School is dismissed from Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 27th. At the end of the two weeks, the state will re-evaluate and determine what our next steps will be. Because, Granite’s spring break was already scheduled from March 19th through March 23, the two-week statewide dismissal will only affect seven school days that weren’t already planned to be out.
During the dismissal, our office will be open from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Students and families may check into the main office to go to lockers to obtain personal belongings, including Chromebook computers. During this time, students may take their Chromebook computers home.
An email will be sent on Wednesday morning with specific information about your student’s classes. A hard copy will also be available in the main office for students who cannot access it online.
Because the 4th quarter was scheduled to begin on Monday, March 16th for West Lake, some of the classes students will be working on remotely will be new classes. Instructions for how to access those classes will also be included in the Wednesday email.
All sporting events, tryouts, practices, field trips, and performances have been canceled for at least two weeks. All night school and community education classes have also been canceled.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the school. We know that this situation is not ideal, and we appreciate your flexibility and concern for our school community. I will continue to update you as we receive more information.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
As a student in Granite School District, I have the right to the full benefits of Proficiency-Based Learning. Based on the district’s philosophy and practice, I have the Right to:
As a student in Granite School District, I have the responsibility to advocate for my own learning. Based on the district’s philosophy and practice, I have the Responsibility to:
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
Welcome to West Lake STEM Junior High. Class selection for the upcoming school year is now open. Please choose your grade level for next year:
