Category: Wally the Wapiti

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.

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)

Halloween Festivities

With Halloween on a Saturday, we’ll be celebrating it on the last in-person day of school tomorrow. We are excited to celebrate and want to review the activities and guidelines that will apply. Students should be aware of the guidelines, and we can’t wait to see their costumes!

Activities

• A school-wide, live trivia game during 2nd period. Your teachers have the link.
• An in-person and virtual costume contest. We’ll have a photo booth at lunch, and a vote via Google Form on Friday. The vote will come through your school email, and you can submit your costume pics here

 Guidelines for Costumes

• Must follow current dress code (district policy AA419)
• Specifically:
  • No weapons or imitation weapons permitted.
  • Face coverings per current governor order required. Full face masks will not be allowed.
  • Makeup must be done in moderation and not interfere with the wearing of a regularly-required face covering. Avoid fake gore.
  • If you wear a hat with your costume, it must not get in the way of the learning of others or otherwise create a distraction.
• Be tasteful and not extreme or disruptive to the daily school routines
• If you’re not sure it’s allowed, it’s probably easiest to just not wear it. If you’re not sure, find an administration

Negative Test Results

If your student is quarantined going forward and wants to return after 7 days from the date of exposure, the following must apply:

• The exposure must have been when both students were wearing masks (noted in quarantine email)
• The student must have a negative COVID test administered on the 7th day or later from the last date of exposure
• The student must bring a printed copy of the results that includes ALL of the following:
  • Student Name
  • Date of Test Administration (on 7th day after last exposure or later)
  • Notice of Negative Result

All negative results will be verified with the health department, but students will be allowed to return with the printout of results while we wait for verification. We are told that screenshots of results are no longer acceptable. More info on the new quarantine procedures can be found here.

Teen Health Summit

Register now for the (virtual) Teen Health Summit! For teens led by teens, sponsored by the Salt Lake County Health Dept. Empowering teens to build resilience and foster healthy community connections through: health and wellness, digital citizenship, and advocacy and activism. Everyone receives a $25 Gift Card for attending! November 7, 14, and 21 from 10:00-1:15. Register at https://slco.org/health/teens/

Fall Break and End of 1st Quarter

First quarter ends tomorrow and Fall Break is next week, October 19th – 23rd. The 26th is also a no-school day for students for grade transmittal. Have a safe, well-deserved break!

Negative Test Results

If your student has been on quarantine and wants to return after 7 days, the following must apply:

• The exposure must have been when both students were wearing masks (noted in quarantine email)
• The student must have a negative COVID test administered on the 7th day or later from the last date of exposure
• The student must bring a printed copy of the results that includes ALL of the following:
  • Student Name
  • Date of Test Administration (on 7th day after last exposure or later)
  • Notice of Negative Result

All negative results will be verified with the health department, but students will be allowed to return with the printout of results while we wait for verification. We are told that screenshots of results are no longer acceptable. More info on the new quarantine procedures can be found here.

Chromebook Sleeves

In order to minimize damage to Chromebooks, all students are being provided a Chromebook sleeve this week during their 1st period class. Virtual students can pick them up tomorrow, October 16th, from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm.

Extra Memory Books for Sale

We have a few extra memory books. If you would like to purchase one, come to the school tomorrow, October 16th for $25.00 between 9:30 am- 12:30 pm There is a limited supply.

Community Council Meeting

Our first community council meeting will be held on October 28th at 4 pm via Zoom. A link will be posted on our website and sent out via Skylert. If you have any questions or topics, please let us know and we’ll make sure it’s on the agenda.

Managing Quarantine Expectations & Opting to Self-Quarantine

We make every effort to keep students caught up when they are out on quarantine, and good communication is at the heart of quarantine success. But it’s definitely not as good as being here or being in a class actually designed for virtual instruction. It is intended to be a short-term solution and not a replacement for in-person or online instruction. Our goal is to lessen how behind a student is when they return, and to include them in the in-person class as much as possible. That said, it’s the splint and not the cast, and your student is still enrolled in an in-person class. 

If you are opting to keep your student out for self-isolation longer than a normal quarantine, please keep in mind that quarantine is meant to be a short-term solution, and while we will do what we can to involve them, it’s designed to hold students over and not to replace the in-person class.

Quarantine Schoolwork Point of Contact

If you have been out on quarantine, you probably already know this, but Lisa Hogan is our point of contact for schoolwork help and questions when on quarantine. She can connect you with teachers, counselors and more, and will be keeping tabs on you until you can come back.

Quarantine Process at ERMS

We get a lot of questions about symptoms and quarantine. If you have any questions, feel free to use this tool to see current guidelines we have from the health department and quarantine types specific to your situation. We use a modified version of this tool when determining exposure and length of quarantine. This tool is for your information only and does not collect any data. Please contact the school if you have symptoms or confirmed exposure to a positive COVID case.

Stress and Anxiety Group

Feeling stressed out or anxious? We want to help! Let one of our counselors know and we’ll make sure we connect you with resources and others that can support you.