Categories
COVID-19 Skylert Wally the Wapiti

Skylert: Angel Tree Extra Opportunities, Permits

Angel Tree

Our deadline to get things collected for the Angel Tree is this Wednesday. If you’re looking to do more than just what your class has signed up for, you can go here to pick up what still needs to be covered. Thank you for your generous support, and we love that kids in our community will have a Christmas.

Permits

Just a reminder that the permit window is now open. You don’t need a permit if you are in DLI or ALPS, or if you are already attending Elk Ridge. To be considered for the first round of the lottery, please make sure you apply before the end of December. Visit this FAQ for more.

The Benefits of a Positive COVID Test

Getting coronavirus is not good in any scenario. However, we want to remind anyone who thinks they might have it that a positive test allows the student to avoid quarantine for 90 days. The test must be confirmed through the health department to count, and an antibody test doesn’t work. This means you have to get the positive test in a timely fashion and not weeks after getting sick. 

We’ve had instances where the entire family gets sick, but only one person gets tested. The rest of the family is presumed positive if they develop symptoms, but that unfortunately doesn’t work for avoiding quarantine in the future. A positive test is the only way. If you do get a positive test result, please notify the school so that we don’t quarantine your student from future exposures. You don’t need documentation for a positive result, as we confirm all positives and negatives with the health department. We don’t need documentation for a negative result either, unless you are hoping to return from quarantine earlier than the 10-day mark.

It’s also important to remember that if you are getting tested and don’t have symptoms but have a confirmed exposure, it’s recommended that you wait until the 7th day after the last date of exposure in order to maximize chances of getting an accurate result.

Categories
Community Council

Agenda

Wednesday, December 4, 2020


Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting

Invitees: Curtis Jenson, Alishia Huefner, Kelly Adams, Rachel Ferre, Megan Clements, Mindi Allen, Nicole McDermott, and any interested patrons.

  • Welcome – Curtis Jenson
  • Approval of last meetings minutes – Kelly Adams
  • Principal Update – Curtis Jenson
  • Counseling Center – Alishia Huefner
    • 8th Grade: PCCR – new forms on Canvas
    • Online form, if you want to change your student’s school setting
    • 9th grade: Welcome to high school presentations
    • 7th grade: Meet and Greet
    • Career Curriculum
  • Confirm Schedule of Next Meeting
Categories
COVID-19 Skylert Wally the Wapiti

Skylert: Angel Tree, 8th Grade PCCR’s, Permits

It’s been absolutely fantastic to have (almost) all of our students back in school again! Learning from home went much better than in the spring, but we definitely prefer to be here live and in person. We want to stay here at school from now until Winter Break, so any help you can give is appreciated in those casual social settings.

Topics in this Skylert Include:

  • Angel Tree Fundraiser
  • 8th Grade PCCR’s (8th Grade, Please Read and Complete by Friday!)
  • Notes on COVID Testing
  • Permits for 2021-22
  • Curbside Lunch Time Update
  • Community Council Meeting

Angel Tree Fundraiser

Our annual Angel Tree fundraiser kicks off today. Each class will get an ‘angel’ that represents a child in our community that needs some help this Christmas. Gifts should be unwrapped, new, and in original packaging. Gifts will be collected by students’ 2nd hour teachers.

We have two angels set aside specifically for our online students to work toward. Students in online classes that would like to participate can contact Ms. Spitzer or Mrs. Nicholes for the list of items needed and the ID#. Purchased items can be dropped by online students in the main office.

We’ve loved sharing with our community in the past, and we look forward to another year of giving back!

8th Grade PCCR’s Via Canvas (Important!)

Our 8th grade PCCRs (Plan for College and Career Readiness meetings) will be conducted a little differently this year because of Covid-19 and our inability to have parents in the building. We have created a Canvas class with all the content that we would normally talk about in person. Your 8th grade student learned about this in their Language Arts class today. We would like to ask that you review this information with your student by Friday of this week. It should take about 45 minutes, but the good part is that you don’t have to take the time to come to the building. There are 5 short videos and some simple questions to answer so that we know your student actually watched the videos. 

This content will take the place of most (or all) of their Friday assignments this week. When they have viewed the content, they will take a screenshot of the “submission” page and upload it to their math class to get credit. 

If you have additional questions, please feel free to make an appointment for a video conference with your counselor. You can do this via the “Conference” tab under the parent Skyward login. There is also a link to this in the Canvas class.

8th Grade PCCR Assignment Steps:

  1. Go to Canvas and find the Canvas Course titled–8th grade School/Library/Counseling-NICHOLES
  2. Open the course and click on the RED SQUARE on the Homepage called 8th grade PCCR. This will take you to the module 8th Grade PCCR (Plan for College and Career Readiness).
  3. Complete all learning activities in this module and then when you are done with the survey, do the following:
    1. Take a screenshot of the submission page.
    2. SUBMIT IT TO YOUR MATH CLASS in the assignment called, “PCCR Exit Survey.” (You will get points in your math class for completing this.)

The Benefits of a Positive COVID Test

Getting coronavirus is not good in any scenario. However, we want to remind anyone who thinks they might have it that a positive test allows the student to avoid quarantine for 90 days. The test must be confirmed through the health department to count, and an antibody test doesn’t work. This means you have to get the positive test in a timely fashion and not weeks after getting sick. 

We’ve had instances where the entire family gets sick, but only one person gets tested. The rest of the family is presumed positive if they develop symptoms, but that unfortunately doesn’t work for avoiding quarantine in the future. A positive test is the only way. If you do get a positive test result, please notify the school so that we don’t quarantine your student from future exposures. You don’t need documentation for a positive result, as we confirm all positives and negatives with the health department. We don’t need documentation for a negative result either, unless you are hoping to return from quarantine earlier than the 14-day mark.

It’s also important to remember that if you are getting tested and don’t have symptoms but have a confirmed exposure, it’s recommended that you wait until the 7th day after the last date of exposure in order to maximize chances of getting an accurate result.

Permits

Permit applications for the 2021-22 school year open today, December 1st. To be in the first round, your application must be submitted before January 1st. Visit this page for frequently asked questions and go here to submit an application. Remember that you don’t need a permit if you are already attending Elk Ridge on a permit, or if you are in the DLI or ALPS program.

NOTE: Based on projected enrollment, we do not anticipate having open seats this year for out-of-boundary permits. However, it’s always good to apply in case things change.

Curbside Lunch Times

Curbside lunch pickup is now from 10:30 to 11:30 am, based on feedback from patrons.

School Community Council Meeting

Our school community council will meet tomorrow at 4 pm. A zoom link will be posted on our Community Council page on the school website.

Categories
COVID-19 Skylert Wally the Wapiti

Skylert: Musical Auditions

It’s been a much smoother ride into virtual learning than it was in the spring, and we’ve loved being able to see everyone’s faces.

We have a few quick reminders before Thanksgiving, and we hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Musical Auditions

Matilda the Musical auditions are December 1st and December 2nd. All students are welcome to audition. Sign-ups for auditions will close November 30th at 10pm. Check the school musical website for more details.

A Message of Hope from our SBO’s

It’s been quite a year so far, and moving to virtual learning is a big change. Our Student Body Officers took a moment to share a message of hope. We miss you, and we’ve got this.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE

WATCH ON IGTV

Counselors Are Available

ERMS Counselors Are Available!

Counselors are still available to help students through email, phone calls, or video conference. Please sign up by using the “Meet with a Counselor” button under the Student drop-down menu or the Parents & Community drop-down menu on the school website.

Or feel free to email your counselor:

Last names A-Ch: alishia.huefner@jordandistrict.org

Last names Ci-J: camille.francis@jordandistrict.org

Last names K-Q: richard.lambert@jordandistrict.org

Last names R-Z: paul.bennett@jordandistrict.org

Here is a link to “Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook: a tool to help you build resilience during difficult times.”

Try to answer these questions.

What is one thing that is within my control (pg 7)

Pick one stress-reducing activity (pgs 1-22)

Categories
COVID-19 Wally the Wapiti

A Message of Hope From Your SBO’s

It’s been quite a year so far, and moving to virtual learning is a big change. Our Student Body Officers took a moment to share a message of hope. We miss you, and we’ve got this.

Categories
COVID-19 Wally the Wapiti

Counselors Are Available!

ERMS Counselors Are Available!

Counselors are still available to help students through email, phone calls, or video conference. Please sign up by using the “Meet with a Counselor” button under the Student drop-down menu or the Parents & Community drop-down menu on the school website.

Or feel free to email your counselor:

Last names A-Ch: alishia.huefner@jordandistrict.org

Last names Ci-J: camille.francis@jordandistrict.org

Last names K-Q: richard.lambert@jordandistrict.org

Last names R-Z: paul.bennett@jordandistrict.org

Here is a link to “Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook: a tool to help you build resilience during difficult times.”

Try to answer these questions.

What is one thing that is within my control (pg 7) 

Pick one stress-reducing activity (pgs 1-22)

Categories
COVID-19 Wally the Wapiti

Virtual Learning Tech Support FAQ

If you’re having any kind of trouble connecting to your class, check these tips and then send us a message if it isn’t working. This page will be updated as issues arise.

The Place for Class Information

Go to your Canvas course’s landing page for the most up-to-date information. If things happen, your teacher will post assignments, fixes, etc. on that landing page.

iBoss Issues

If you have anything related to iBoss that comes up, make sure that:

  • Your Chromebook is updated. Typically restarting your device is enough. If that doesn’t work, go to settings and update.
  • Make sure you aren’t accessing things from a bookmark. If you are going to Canvas, go to gmail.com and get to Canvas via the little waffle icon in the top right corner. Canvas is a tile there. You can also go to jsd.instructure.com.

Zoom Issues

  • The only Zoom issue we’ve had so far is a request to sign in before joining a meeting. Students can just use the school Google account to sign in and it should work.
Categories
COVID-19 Skylert

Virtual Learning Instructions, Musical Announcement

Elk Ridge Parents & Students,

Thank you for your patience as we work through yet another COVID-driven change. We are making every effort to keep things as simple and unchanged as we can for students.

While we are learning virtually until Thanksgiving Break, three things are most important:

  1. The Bell Schedule Stays the Same
    1. Students will follow the same bell schedule as they normally would – including lunches.
  2. All Coursework and Videos Can Be Accessed Via Canvas
    1. Even if the course uses another platform, access to video links and any secondary platform will be linked in Canvas.
  3. Exposure Notifications & Quarantines Will Be Sent Via Email
    1. We will continue to have positive cases reported by the health department, and will trace those cases if the student was in school while positive. Notifications will be sent via email, so please check your spam folder. All notifications will come from curtis.jenson@jordandistrict.org

More detailed information on each of those things, including free rapid COVID testing, can be found below. Please also do what you can to slow the spread of COVID in our school community so that we can return to in-person learning as soon as possible.

Musical Announcement

The announcement of this year’s musical is coming tonight! Check this page later this evening to find out what it will be, and thank you to Mrs. Schmidt and her dedication to finding creative ways to ensure our students are able to participate in one of Elk Ridge’s greatest traditions!

Bell Schedule and Attendance

Students will access class at the normal time via Canvas. Attendance will be taken.

Accessing Courses Virtually

All courses will have a link to the video in the actual Canvas classroom at the top of the main page of each class. If you can’t access a class, contact the school. Students should plan to go to their class in Canvas each day for instructions and the link to class video calls. Students know how to do this.

Teachers will be live with class each day at the scheduled time via the video at the regular class time. While the whole time will usually not be in the video call, they will start each class checking in live. 

Please be patient the first day of class on Monday as we set up calls and links and work out technical issues. If you have issues, reach out to your teacher or call the school and we’ll help you get connected. Again, students have been trained for weeks in how to access their courses and materials in Canvas and they know where to go and how to get there. If we hit bumps, we’ll work with you to iron them out.

Exposure, Quarantine and Testing

Exposure notifications will be sent via email, but you are welcome to call if you have questions. Information regarding free rapid testing, quarantine protocol, etc. will be included in the notification. If you have any questions about an exposure that happened at school, please let us know. We can’t name the exposure or say which class, but can relay the date and whether or not it was a masked exposure.

Lunch Offerings

Elk Ridge offers curbside lunch for virtual students throughout the districtall year, and that is offered between 11 am and 12 pm on the west side of the school. If students are attending virtual classes, parents are able to pick up meals without the student present. 

If your student plans to eat school lunch between now and Thanksgiving, and won’t be able to pick it up between 11 am and 12 pm because they are in class virtually, email holly.taylor@jordandistrict.org to ensure we know to plan another time for pickup. This will mainly apply to students on A or D lunch eating school lunch that plan to walk to school to pick it up. We’ll do whatever we need to do to make sure they can eat.

Staying Sane at Home

The Jordan Health and Wellness team has put together a great bunch of resources to help keep you well while we’re learning from home. Visit the COVID Health and Wellness page for tips, resources, and more!

Categories
COVID-19 Skylert

Shift to Virtual Learning – No School Thurs, Nov 12

Dear Parents and Guardians,

A dramatic increase in active cases of COVID-19 has been identified within Elk Ridge Middle School.

After discussing the circumstances in an emergency Board meeting, the Jordan School District Board of Education has determined that it is necessary for Elk Ridge Middle School to move to online, virtual learning for two weeks beginning Monday, November 16. 

To allow students and staff time to prepare for online learning, there will be no in-person or virtual classes tomorrow, Thursday, November 12. This includes staff, although staff may choose to come into the building as long as social distancing can be observed.

Friday the 13th will be a normal Friday with buses for students who have appointments with teachers. Friday the 20th will be completely virtual.

School will continue for students on a virtual learning schedule Monday, November 16 through November 30, with Fridays continuing to be primarily for instructional activities that build on concepts covered during the week, and focusing on intervention and enrichment.

From now until November 30, Mondays through Thursdays will follow a synchronous schedule. This means students should plan on logging in to class at the normal class time based on our current bell schedule. Students have been taught how to access each class virtually over the past few weeks.

Breakfast and lunch will still be available on a grab-and-go basis on the west side of the school during normal breakfast and lunch times based on the current bell schedule. This may be adjusted in the future depending on demand.

In general, students will not be allowed in the building beginning Thursday, November 12. Exceptions such as Friday, Nov. 13th by appointment may be made as situations arise, but efforts will be made to hold meetings virtually whenever possible.

COVID-19 case counts at all schools and buildings in the District can be found on the Jordan COVID-19 Dashboard. The dashboard can be accessed at movingforward.jordandistrict.org

Categories
COVID-19 Skylert

Emergency Board Meeting

An increase in active cases of COVID-19 has been identified within the following schools:

  • Copper Mountain Middle 
  • Elk Ridge Middle 
  • Fort Herriman Middle 
  • Hidden Valley Middle 
  • Mountain Creek Middle 
  • Oquirrh Hills Middle 
  • South Jordan Middle 
  • Sunset Ridge Middle 
  • West Hills Middle
  • West Jordan Middle 
  • Bingham High
  • Herriman High
  • Mountain Ridge High
  • Riverton High
  • West Jordan High

According to a plan approved by the Jordan Board of Education when there is a COVID-19 outbreak, board members will hold an emergency business meeting to discuss possible action. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, starting at 5 p.m. Patrons may view the general session online at youtube.com/user/jordanschooldistrict/live.

The Board does not anticipate taking public comments during this meeting. However, they welcome written comments submitted prior to the meeting. If you wish to provide input, please submit written comments to the Board member that represents the area in which you live. Board member email addresses can be found on the Board of Education Members page.

If you do not know the Board member that represents your area, that information is available on the Board of Education Voting Districts page.

Below is the meeting agenda.