Supercast

Erin McGuire:
It's unusual for a high school to be able to do a show that is still on Broadway. It is really unusual to get two in the same year.

Anthony Godfrey:
You said that this particular production is stretching you and you're doing things that you had done before.

Erin McGuire:
We have 80 students who are involved in this. There are no scenes that are just dialogue.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you done shows with a trap door like that before?

Clin Eaton:
No, never.

[music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a Broadway hit winning eight Tony Awards and garnering rave reviews. Now the critically acclaimed musical Hadestown is about to be performed at Riverton High School.

On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Riverton High was awarded the rights to Hadestown and is among the first high schools in the country to perform the play, which is still running on Broadway. It is a student performance worthy of a standing ovation, thanks in part to the two people you're about to meet, musical directors Erin McGuire and Clin Eaton.

[music]

For those who are listening who aren’t familiar with the story, tell us what Hadestown is about.

Erin McGuire:
It is the way the way the writer put it together is an intertwining of the two Greek mythology stories with Persephone and Hades and Orpheus and Eurydice. So Orpheus and Eurydice fall in love. She's actually killed by a snake that may or may not be Hades, has to go down to hell. And then Orpheus, her love, comes and finds her, tries to take her back, and she can walk behind him but not next to him on the way out of hell. If he turns around and looks at her, she goes back down and he can't get her again.

And then with Hades and Persephone, she is the daughter of the goddess of the harvest and she loves being outside and loves nature, but she also fell in love with Hades. So to make a deal to make them both happy, she spends six months with him and Hades and six months up on earth. So it's how those two stories in the author's mind twist them together as these two beginning of love and middle of love love stories. It's gorgeous.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talk about the setting for the story.

Erin McGuire:
We have two basic settings, above ground and below ground. So we have our performers at the beginning of the show, and it's kind of in a pub, a bar, New Orleans, it's kind of a place. And then when we deal with people who are living down in Hades, it goes below ground. And so as you can see on the set here, it doesn't really change a whole lot. We do a lot with lighting, and we have fantastic lighting students who are doing some great things with it. And we dress it that way, but it all just happens right here.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see a rock and roll set up there. Talk to people about how that comes into play.

Erin McGuire:
Yes. Okay, we had the option of either using tracks that are pre-recorded or a live band, and we were lucky enough to be able to get live bands. So we have people from all over, a former student of mine from way long ago, a couple of teachers here in the district.

Clin Eaton:
We have three Jordan School District faculty members.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
We have Eric Noyes from South Hills Middle. He's on our keys. We have one of the teachers, Karen Smith–

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
Also at South Hills–

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
–who's our cellist, and she is– 

Erin McGuire:
Fantastic.

Karen Smith:
–a professional, played with Utah Symphony. And then we have Chris Jesse, who's our percussionist here, a percussion teacher, who's on the drum back there.

Anthony Godfrey:
The live music is going to make a huge difference.

Clin Eaton:
It is. And we have this guitar player out of Utah County that is a studio guitarist. He doesn't do musical theater. So when we offered him the job, he was accustomed to studio work, and so he showed up the first day completely off-look and memorized. He just thought he would just be playing 

Anthony Godfrey:
Because he's used to the studio work. So they come in, they nail it, and they walk out.

Clin Eaton:
Yeah, so Eric is on keys, and he's like, You can actually have your music. You're allowed to look at it, because we have to go off of the actors. We don't necessarily get to do what you want to do. So he, all of the musicians, we added him in on Tuesday, and they were so impressed with the students and how prepared they were.

Erin McGuire:
And it sounds so amazing with the live musicians. It's amazing. Oh my gosh.

Anthony Godfrey:
It makes a huge difference. One of the things that I've always impressed about Riverton is that here you --you just described it. You pull in, here's a university, here's a guitarist from Utah County, here's some teachers from throughout the district. You pull these resources together, choreographers with experience on Broadway last time we talked. Just all of these resources brought together to provide a great experience for students and for anyone fortunate enough to be in the audience. Oh, a trap door.

Clin Eaton:
Yes! We’d like to take you down on it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Only because I trust you, Clin. Only because I trust you.

Clin Eaton:
No, no, you’re totally good. It was just safety checked off by the head engineer at Hillsborough Theatre.

Erin McGuire:
Right?

Anthony Godfrey:
I feel super cool right now.

Clin Eaton:
And then help him unload and help him get out the steps.

Anthony Godfrey:
You just lowered me into hell on the trap door.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
I've only been to Riverton for a few minutes, and I've already taken a trip to Hadestown.

Erin McGuire:
Well, we tried to give you the full experience when you're here.

Anthony Godfrey:
That was awesome. Tell me how exactly that works. That was very smooth.

Clin Eaton:
We actually found a YouTube video. It's like really old-fashioned, like back to the 1700s,--

Anthony Godfrey:
Really?

Clin Eaton:
--on how like they would use it to basically in magic acts. And basically you construct a big box with a series of locks and levers that unlock, and then it's a repelling rope that goes through a pulley system, and you, we have different settings based on how fast or slow we want it to lower. And the students down there just set the pins, they unlock it, actors safe to load, and then it just goes down by the rope. It's strong enough that students could dance on it and do everything they need to and be just fine, because the whole point is we don't want to know it's there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. It felt very stable. Have you done shows with a trap door like that before?

Clin Eaton:
No, never.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hadestown is stretching what you’ve done in the past.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Clin Eaton:
And we, since we're also doing Harry Potter later in February, we're building stuff that can be used for both pieces. So this will also be used for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. And in a moment, we have some stuff. We have the head of Weber State Technical Theater out here with six hours yesterday with tech students rigging up things on our catwalks so they can lower lights. And we'll show you that in a moment. But for Harry Potter, we're going to drop the Dementors down on that system.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, really?

Clin Eaton:
Yeah. So we have, so what we were building for Hadestown, we're thinking of like both shows in conjunction.

[music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back a sneak peek at their incredible performance.

[music]

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

[music]

Break:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say “people come for the job and enjoy the adventure”. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org

[music]

Clin Eaton:
Paul, go ahead and lower those down and then Dylan, turn them on when they're ready. And if you want to turn off house lights, Dylan, you can. So they have pulleys. Go ahead and turn off house if you want so we can see what it'll look like going down over the audience. 

Erin McGuire:
And they have that cool Edison light.

Clin Eaton:
Yeah, so there's five students each on a pulley lowering them down and there's certain moments in the show where they get lowered down and they have this effect. But the idea is we want it to be kind of magical in this show that the audience all of a sudden realizes there's something over them and Harry Potter we want it to be terrifying because Dementors will be on the end of these instead. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, my goodness.

Clin Eaton:
Good job! That was really, really nice, guys.

Anthony Godfrey:
That looks really good.

Clin Eaton:
Go ahead. Yeah, give them a round of applause. They worked on that all day yesterday. It's really cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a big impact.

Clin Eaton:
Dylan, that's beautiful. I like that effect.

Anthony Godfrey:
You said that this particular production is stretching you and you're doing things that you had done before. Tell me some of the things that are required in a Hadestown performance that really are moving you beyond where the program's been.

Erin McGuire:
Well, we have had other productions that have had large casts, but we have 80 students who are involved in this. And I always--for our big musicals, we try to cast all the students that are auditioning for it because being in a musical is one of those awesome experiences that are just unique to the situation of being in high school. We've seen kids make new friends. We've seen the new friend groups grow, and that's just really special for them. But to try to fit 80 students in the space, that's a challenge. For our choreographer to try to find a way to fit them on stage and in the front and they're in the aisles and have those dance pieces all work together, that's a challenge. 

For a show that I've seen once on Broadway, and I know it, but I didn't know know it until I started working on it, for me, it's a huge stretch for me to be able to do this piece of art justice. For the students who some have never seen it, they are not as familiar with it. They work a little bit with the music to teach them about them, what the story is and the gravity and what their contribution to it really means. That's been a challenge. For them to learn the music has been a challenge. It's a sung-through show. There are no scenes that are just dialogue. Everything is sung, sung through, like Les Mis. That's been a challenge.

Anthony Godfrey:
And they, unlike Les Mis, is there isn't this long precedent of this is what the performance looks like.

Erin McGuire:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that's a bigger burden, a lot of more creativity, but also it's exciting to be able to put your own stamp on it.

Erin McGuire:
So exciting. Absolutely.

Clin Eaton:
You may have already said this, but there's not much downtime.

Erin McGuire:
No, there really isn't.

Clin Eaton:
They're on stage. The ensemble has so much to do in this show. Even Les Mis, yeah, ensemble is busy because they're changing characters. But this, they’re on.

Erin McGuire:
They're a huge part of telling the story.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the 80 that are involved are pretty much involved all the time.

Erin McGuire:
Yes. We have done a little bit of separation. So we have our above-ground workers and our below-ground workers, or what they're called in the script, they're called those workers. And so there are some moments when the entire cast is on stage several times throughout the whole show. But then there are some moments where we have 50 or 60 on and then those switch with the other. So it’s a back and forth, coordinating kind of a situation.

Anthony Godfrey:
It has a different feel to it. It's very engaging because it's so different.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
How have the kids felt and developed through this production?

Erin McGuire:
They love it. Let's ask them, "Hey, students! Have you enjoyed being involved in this production of Hadestown?"

Students:
[Cheering]

Anthony Godfrey:
A survey says yes, they've enjoyed it.

[Laughter]

Ethan Hall:
Oh, yeah.

Erin McGuire:
This is Ethan Hall, he’s our Hades.

Ethan Hall:
Hello.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hi. How are you?

Ethan Hall:
I'm great. How are you?

Anthony Godfrey:
Nice to see you.

Ethan Hall:
Good to see you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about your role.

Ethan Hall:
So I play the lead villain in the show. I get to be the king of the underworld. Like, he's an industrialist. And, you know, at his core he's not truly evil, but all of his actions are misplaced.

Anthony Godfrey:
You playing a bad guy, is this typecasting?

Ethan Hall:
I sure hope it's not.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like the way you describe that. What he's trying to do, his actions are misplaced. He's not at his core a bad guy.

Ethan Hall:
Yeah, yeah. In the end he is like, he's redeemed. He's like, a lot of it is like he's trying to make his wife happy by like just always making his empire bigger and bigger, which that's not what she wants. And it takes the course of the show for him to realize that.

Anthony Godfrey:
How has this role stretched you?

Ethan Hall:
It's been a lot. I don't play villains very often. And I just get to like, it's really interesting like, you know, having that chemistry between characters. It's also a very low role vocally. And I don't get to use that range a whole lot in different productions. So it's been really, really fun to be able to sing low and like have that different character work between people.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your method for memorizing? When you're driving in the car, are you always singing these songs? Do you dream them? How do you keep everything stored inside your head, ready to go on a moment's notice?

Ethan Hall:
Yeah. With this show specifically, I've been obsessed with it for like a few years. So I basically had most of the characters lines memorized, but I do listen to it in the car whenever I can. A method I got taught is whenever I'm brushing my teeth at night, I just listen to any of the songs I'm having trouble with. Then I go to bed and it sticks better.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah. Good idea. Good idea. For those listening, listen to your vocabulary words for the test the next day before you go to bed. So what would you say to people who are considering whether to come? Why should they come see Hadestown?

Ethan Hall:
I would have to say it's just a beautiful show. The music is incredible. Our technical elements are some of my favorite I've ever seen. And just the message of the show is really beautiful. There's multiple stories to follow throughout it. And so it's just a wonderful, in my opinion, it's a wonderful way to spend your evening is just to come see it. It's going to be an amazing time.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's an ambitious show to take on and I can't wait to see it. I'm seeing it on a closing night.

Ethan Hall:
Oh, lovely. We can’t wait see you here.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it will be really fun to be here.

Ethan Hall:
Awesome. I really hope you enjoy it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much. Congratulations.

Student performing:

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
Eurydice?

[HERMES, spoken]
Hey, the big artiste! Ain't you working on your masterpiece?

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
Where is she?

[HERMES, spoken]
Brother, what do you care? You'll find another muse somewhere.

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
Where is she?

[HERMES, spoken]
Why do you wanna know?

[ORPHEUS]
Wherever she is, is where I'll go

[HERMES, spoken]
What if I said she's down below?

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
Down below?

[HERMES, spoken]
Down below. Six-feet-under-the-ground below. She called your name before she went, but I guess you weren't listening

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
No...

[HEREMES, spoken]
So...Just how far would you go for her?

[ORPHEUS]
To the end of time, to the end of the earth.

[HERMES, spoken]
You got a ticket?

[ORPHEUS, spoken]
No...?

[HERMES, spoken]
Yeah, I didn't think so

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Tyler:
I'm Tyler.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the technical aspects of this show that are different from maybe other things you've worked on. I've already heard one of the actors raving about the stage tech aspect of this. And I experienced it myself, being lowered down into Hadestown. Tell me about the sound aspect of this production.

Tyler:
Well, unlike a lot of other shows, we have a live band. So, there's a lot more going into it. We have, instead of just clicking play on a computer to play all of our music, we have a bunch of different musicians. And then, because of that, we have to mix them to all sound right for the songs. And there's just a lot more things that can go wrong and can go right than just clicking a play button. So, it's a lot different in that aspect.

Anthony Godfrey:
Clicking a play button is stressful enough.

Tyler:
It is, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Making sure that you play the right thing at the right time. But the live music controlling the sound of the drums and mixing that. I play in a very amateur band from time to time and balancing that sound makes all the difference.

Tyler:
It does.

Anthony Godfrey:
Whether the music can have that impact, especially when you're balancing it out with other things happening on the stage. Well, congratulations and I can't wait to see them. I’m coming closing night.

Tyler:
Oh, you'll love it. You'll enjoy it.

Clin Eaton:
He’s done his job well, if you don't notice anything. If you can hear everyone, they’ve done their job.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that's really it. If you don't notice– 

Clin Eaton:
He has a crew of three. There's three people that are running sound.

Anthony Godfrey:
Very cool. So, are you up there?

Tyler:
Yes, I'm up there on the mixer.

Anthony Godfrey:
The mixer. Awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Taya:
My name's Taya.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you're the dance captain.

Taya:
Yeah, so I'm the dance captain and I'm in both ensembles.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about being dance captain.

Taya:
So, basically my job is to make sure everyone knows what they're doing in the show, really, in general. Because this is a very dance-heavy show. Like, a lot of people wouldn't think that about Hadestown, but we have so many dance numbers. So, I make sure our timing is correct and that everyone looks good and is having fun with what they're doing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Looks good and is having fun.

Taya:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, I shouldn't be going … one, two, three, four. You shouldn’t be counting.

Taya:
Yeah, you should not be doing that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, alright. How many people might be dancing at one time?

Taya:
I would say, yeah, about 80-ish. 

Clin Easton:
Between 40 and 80.

Taya:
Mm-hmm.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Taya:
So, it's crazy.

Anthony Godfrey:
Down into the aisles, out in front of the stage, and on the stage.

Taya:
Yes, we have people in the front dancing, like, on the floor, and then we have people on stage and people in these two aisles dancing.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a ton to coordinate.

Taya:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
How did you end up as dance captain? What is your dance background?

Taya:
So, I've danced, basically, my entire life. I did competitive dancing for a while, and then I got into theater, and I was like, "Oh, this is so fun." And then you can combine the two aspects, so it's really fun.

Erin McGuire:
I, as the director, chose her because I knew that she was a very excellent dancer and very organized on top of things, learning stuff really fast, and that she would be good with teaching and re-teaching and training all the other students. And so, I chose her to be that kind of leader for the show.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, you're not only a great dancer, you're also a great leader that's able to get the best out of those around you.

Taya:
I'd like to think so. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talking with you now, I have great confidence that it's going to turn out fantastic.

Taya:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
I asked Ethan this, for those listening, why would they come to Hadestown?

Erin McGuire:
There's a reason that classic stories are classics. They attract and hold our attention for centuries. So, there's something to those stories, to those characters, that human beings connect to on both a basic and an emotional and intellectual level. So, we're telling that kind of story. You're going to enjoy that because humans have for thousands of years.

Also, the way that the author and the composer has put it together, it also has a modern sensibility to it. It's like a folk song kind of musical. The music is beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. It's used in very different ways. I mean, we've got both strings and a trombone. So, that tells you just the variety of things that we have with it.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's fresh for high schools to be able to do this.

Erin McGuire:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's newly available.

Erin McGuire:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's a timeless story, lots of dancing, singing from start to finish, any unique production different from what you've seen before. What could be better? Don't miss it.

Students singing:

[EURYDICE, COMPANY ] Wait for me (I'm comin'), I'm comin' (I'm comin')
Wait, I'm comin' with you (I'm comin')
Wait for me (Wait, I'm comin'), I'm comin' too
I'm comin' too
I'm coming, wait for me (Wait)
I hear the walls repeating (Wait)
The falling of my feet and
It sounds like drumming (Wait)
And I am not alone (Wait)
I hear the rocks and stones (Wait)
Echoing my song
I'm coming (Coming, coming, coming)

Anthony Godfrey:
If you'd like to watch one of the performances, "Hadestown" runs Thursday, November 14th through Monday, November 18th.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

[applause]

Transcription coming soon.

Jackie Webster:
The girl handed me my drink. She said, "Wait, aren't you the thriller teacher of Foothills?" I mean, that was like forever ago.

Anthony Godfrey:
Before we get into the history, can you just tell me what this is and what we can look forward to?

Jackie Webster:
When the parents come, it's not just a minute and a half. It's a five-and-a-half-minute dance. So they dance for the whole thing and they dress up like zombies. It's something that they look forward to every year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. For some former students, she will be forever known as the "Thriller Teacher" at Eastlake Elementary School.

On this episode of the Supercast, meet Jackie Webster, a visual arts specialist who began a long and lasting Halloween tradition of sixth-grade students performing "Thriller" to the delight of parents, other students, and staff at Eastlake. It's a tradition now being carried on by a new teacher, but Ms. Webster continues to show up for the spooky and spectacular performance.

We are here at Eastlake Elementary School to talk about what happens at Halloween. Introduce yourselves and then let's get into it.

Jackie Webster:
I'm Jacqueline Webster

Ciara Brady:
And I'm Ciara Brady.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your roles.

Jackie Webster:
Right now I'm the BTS Art Instructional Coach for Jordan District, so I go to all the elementary schools. So I get to coach all the elementary arts teachers.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you're the new dance instructor here.

Ciara Brady:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Before we get into the history, can you just tell me what this is and what we can look forward to?

Jackie Webster:
Okay, so the Thriller Dance is with the sixth-grade students here at Eastlake. It gives them an opportunity to have something different to participate in and a different experience. And it's something that they've looked forward to every year. The original dance is only actually like a minute and a half in the actual video. So over the years, I've added choreography. I've changed it so that when the parents come it's not just a minute and a half. It's a five-and-a-half-minute dance. So they dance for the whole thing and they dress up like zombies. And then we we’re Michael.

Anthony Godfrey:
So each of you play the role of Michael?

Jackie Webster:
Yeah, I've always been Michael.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hence the red leather jacket with the MJ on it.

Jackie Webster:
This is official from the MJ store.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is it really?

Jackie Webster:
It really is.

Anthony Godfrey:
How long have you had this jacket?

Jackie Webster:
Oh, well, a long time.

Anthony Godfrey:
Because it looks vintage. It looks real.

Jackie Webster:
It is vintage.

Anthony Godfrey:
That is awesome. I look forward to learning some moves with you guys.

Jackie Webster:
Oh, I love that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Before I have a trivia question now. What is it that no known mortal can resist?

Jackie Webster:
The evil of thriller.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes, the evil of the thriller. Oh, it just gives me goosebumps to hear that. You've got the Michael Jackson t-shirt.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you accumulated a lot of Michael Jackson stuff over the years?

Jackie Webster:
Oh, you have no idea. You have no idea. A lot, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how many times have you watched the video?

Jackie Webster:
I can't even count. I don't even know. I started when I was little.

Anthony Godfrey:
You wore out the VHS tape.

Jackie Webster:
Yes, actually, I did watch the original VHS and we have the original thriller album.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
My sisters have it from the 80s. I have three older sisters. So just, you know, we grew up listening to Michael and my cousin was actually friends with him. So he was just kind of a big thing in our family.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, wait a second. Back that up.

Jackie Webster:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have older sisters.

Jackie Webster:
I have three older sisters and my cousin was friends with Michael.

Anthony Godfrey:
Really?

Jackie Webster:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me more about that.

Jackie Webster:
She has pictures with him, with her and her kids. She was a huge fan. She lived in Encino, California, and she sent him an Arabian colt because, you know, he loved animals.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Jackie Webster:
And so he wrote her and because she wrote a letter to go with it and he was like, “Well, what do you want in return?” She's like “nothing.” And he's like, “well, someone always wants something in return.” So he invited her and her kids, sent a car, went to his house, and took them on a tour and they just became friends after that.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's amazing.

Jackie Webster:
She has a whole chest of things from Michael.

Anthony Godfrey:
And was that what started your interest in Thriller?

Jackie Webster:
Yeah. That and my family listening, obviously, to his music. But yeah, just hearing her stories and then her kids, you know, had stories about hanging out with them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Very cool. So as a kid, you loved Thriller. Did it ever scare you?

Jackie Webster:
No. I just thought it was really cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
But when I've taught Thriller, I've always told the students to ask their parents permission to watch it at home, you know, because it can be scary. I never showed it because, you know, without permission, obviously. So they would have to go home and watch it with their parents.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you are new to the Thriller.

Ciara Brady:
Yes. I just did this for my first time last year.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how was that?

Ciara Brady:
It was good. I mean, I got hired for this job and then I found out that this was going on nine years tradition at the school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Did you feel like they should have said it in the interview? Like, “Are you familiar with Thriller? Can you recite the lyrics and are you ready to be part of this?”

Ciara Brady:
That would have been pretty funny. “What is happening? What is this job?”

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Was everything red and black in the room?

Ciara Brady:
And you know, I actually had no idea till I'd already been hired.

So then I found out that the kids look forward since kinder her into the day that they get to be in sixth grade and thriller. And I was like, “Well, I'm not going to be the teacher that kills this tradition.”

Anthony Godfrey:
Right. That's right.

Ciara Brady:
I kept it going.

Anthony Godfrey:
See, you've shown good judgment already in year one. That's awesome.

Ciara Brady:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, both of you, what is it that students get out of participating as a sixth grader? First of all, it's really fun to look forward to it for five years. Look up to those sixth graders and that cool thing that they get to do. But tell me, what do they get out of the experience of preparing for and performing in the Thriller dance?

Ciara Brady:
I think the first thing they get is it's a really good confidence booster for them. It’s especially really nice to see the kids that are a little more quiet or shy. All of a sudden, they're the most dramatic and zombie of everyone in the group. And they're twitching and doing these big moves. And it's like, “oh, wow, I didn't know that you were very capable of doing that.” But it's really awesome. And then I feel like for the rest of the year, they feel more confident in just regular dance class that I teach. It was like that early on boost to their self-esteem.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's super engaging. You can't drift and not pay attention when you're trying to learn a dance and you're part of an ensemble and everybody is counting on you.

Ciara Brady:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love that about the arts in particular. I never knew how to play this instrument. I never knew I could dance. I never knew this song or routine or that I could create this work of art. And then you stretch someone and they say, “Hey, wait a minute. I can do things I didn't know I could do. And I'm pretty good at it.”

Jackie Webster:
And I feel like it's a bonding experience, too, for them. They learn teamwork and having sequencing and placement and where they're supposed to be. I've had many stories over the years of kids who've remembered. I was actually telling him some of the stories beforehand.

One story is there was a kid who got married recently and he found me on Facebook. And he's married. I had him in third grade at Foothills. And he said, “I just heard something that I need to clarify with you. Were you really Michael Jackson's backup dancer?” I was like, “What? No!” And he's like, “Well, that was a rumor going around, like ever since I was in third grade.” And so even to this day, he thought I was.

Anthony Godfrey:
He thought you were Michael Jackson's backup dancer.

Jackie Webster:
But I was like, no, that was a rumor. But thanks for thinking of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. So you really do teach the dance very well, obviously. When you describe the twitching and the moving around, I can't help but visualize the video. How much do you emulate the video and how much did you add? Because you told us that you expand it.

Jackie Webster:
I did. I expanded it.

Anthony Godfrey:
But for that minute and a half, do you recreate the original also?

Jackie Webster:
Yes. I took pieces from the original. There was like one or two moves that I knew would be hard for third graders because back in the day. And so I tweaked it and I ended up typing up all my dance steps. Like six pages. But I added my own choreography and then tweaked it a little bit so that it would last the whole length of the song. Five and a half minutes. I do need to put a plug in.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
For the Beverly Taylor-Sorensen Arts Learning Program.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's fantastic. It is fantastic. Let's talk about that.

Jackie Webster:
Because Ciara is a BTS dance teacher and I was a visual art BTS teacher and I'm the BTS coach. And I love that our district particularly has a BTS teacher in every elementary school. That's not common in every district. And I just want to thank you for supporting the arts because it makes a big difference.

Anthony Godfrey:
It does make a big difference in the lives of students. And we have tremendous art teachers. Whether it's visual arts or dance or music. Whatever it is. Drama. It enriches the day for students. Like you said it builds confidence. That creativity is really important. And our teachers have brought such value to it. We just couldn't imagine doing without a teacher in every school. Well, thank you for supporting teachers. Thank you for choosing to be a teacher. And thank you for creating this incredible experience for students.

Don't go away. When we come back hear students performing to perfection in this year's Halloween production of Thriller.

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
In Jordan School District we never want a student to go hungry, without food, warm clothing, or school supplies.

Hi, I'm Mike Haynes, director of the Jordan Education Foundation. If you're looking for opportunities to help students and teachers in our schools, we invite you to join us. The Jordan Education Foundation works with generous community partners, volunteer groups, and amazing people to provide classroom grants for teachers, food and clothing to fill Principal's Pantries for students. And together we recognize outstanding educators in every single school every year. If you want to connect with an amazing community helping to fuel success in Jordan School District, get involved or donate by visiting our website at jordaneducationfoundation.org. That's jordaneducationfoundation.org. We hope to hear from you soon!

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with two of the students who participate in the Thriller dance. Tell me your name and what you love most about being part of this.

Maxx:
Okay, my name is Maxx and I just, I love dancing. This is really fun and a good opportunity for me to show my dance moves.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you enjoyed dancing for a long time?

Maxx:
Yes, I have. I liked dancing when I was a little kid.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah? And have you been taking any dance lessons or classes or is this your first opportunity to really show what you're made of?

Maxx:
This is my first opportunity to show what I'm made of.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Marriem:
My name is Marriem and I like to just be part of a group project.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you like being part of the group? You're making friends connected with each other?

Marriem:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
So have you danced for a long time or is this your first dancing opportunity?

Marriem:
I used to be in ballet class but I didn't really like it that much, but I'm starting to like it again, so kind of.

Anthony Godfrey:
Can you show me any moves from the dance? Oh wow. So where you get down kind of knees bent and you're rotating and using different pivot foots. That really did make me think about the video. I am going to be listening to Thriller in the car.

Oh, wait a minute. I just heard clapping behind the curtain. Is it haunted or is everyone rehearsing back there?

Maxx:
They're rehearsing their formation claps.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you guys for talking to me and I'm really excited about this year's performance. I have a feeling it's not going to feel like Halloween unless I get to see the Thriller dance. So thank you very much.

Oh wow. No one's doing the dance halfway that's for sure. Oh, the marching. It is all coming back to me now.

It looks like you have some photos from over the years here. Let's take a look. And you said you started doing it with third graders at Foothills when you taught third grade.

Jackie Webster:
Yeah, so I actually found one of my pictures.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Jackie Webster:
That was just me and my class. It’s just so cute.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's adorable. They look very excited to be so scary.

Jackie Webster:
I know so that was back in the day.

Anthony Godfrey:
Cutest zombies ever.

Jackie Webster:
And I have– so this is the last picture I took. This was in 2000.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have thriller earrings that say “Thriller”.

Jackie Webster:
I know and I even painted my nose to match.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh wow.

Jackie Webster:
I do have to pay tribute to Barbara Yost because when I first did Thriller it was just me and my sister and her friend. We performed it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
Just for my class. And she said, “Next year why don't you teach some of it to the kids?” And I'm like “Yeah, I would like to.” And she was like “I'm OK with that.” I'm like “Well, if you're OK with that I'm OK with it.” So she helped encourage me to do that. So shout out to her.

Anthony Godfrey:
That’s really exciting. That's really cool that she'd embrace it and just jump in.

Jackie Webster:
So this is them dressed up. These are my third graders.

Anthony Godfrey:
Look at them. That is so cool. Oh yeah. With the face being eaten through.

Jackie Webster:
And I always told parents and the kids they never had to buy a costume. It wasn't like you had to go buy, it was just be creative. Do your own makeup. Ratty hair. Find an old t-shirt and rip it up. So they all just created their own costumes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh cool.

Jackie Webster:
They never went and bought their own.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Jackie Webster:
And then I ended up combining it with – because we had tracks at the time we were year-round.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're right.

Jackie Webster:
So it was my class and the other track teacher. So we didn't leave any of those out of course. So the last year I was here. This was in 2022.

Anthony Godfrey:
Those are some great costumes.

Jackie Webster:
Yeah, they're makeup

Anthony Godfrey:
Or makeup rather.

Jackie Webster:
Yeah, and their costumes. They made them up.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure.

Jackie Webster:
Then we have some that pretend to be zombies and not alive.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh yeah. Zombies that come alive while they’re dancing.

Jackie Webster:
Yes, they have to. It's a must.

Ciara Brady:
They all want to be those kids.

Jackie Webster:
This is one of my students. Look how good!

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh wow. Yeah. That is such a great work.

Jackie Webster:
The parents are amazing. The parents helped. I mean they helped a ton with the makeup obviously. I went to Swig last summer and a girl handed me my drink. She said, “Wait, aren't you the thriller teacher from Foothills?” I mean that was like forever ago.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
She’s in high school. And I was like “Yeah” I mean it's just cute. I'm glad I'm well known.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. It's a part of your identity. You'll never shake it.

Jackie Webster:
I know.

Anthony Godfrey:
Can you show me some of the moves? Now you showed me a little bit. So there's a little bit. I remember that they kind of go like this and then they walk in the direction. So it's elbow- so you walk and then you do the left right left with the claw.

All:
One, two, three. Left, right, left. One, two. Left, right.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, clearly I haven't been practicing one day a week since August. Yeah.

Jackie Webster:
That's the classic one.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. Congratulations on a great project over the years and on taking up the torch even though you didn't know you were going to have to do that. Embracing it fully and creating this great experience.

Jackie Webster:
She's done an awesome job and I'm grateful that she's taken on the job so that could continue for the community.

Ciara Brady:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

(upbeat music)

Beckham:
With the Juniper tree, we want it to grow and become strong. So with the students and adults here, we want them to grow their minds and become strong too.

Victoria:
I think that Juniper Elementary should be a place that we can feel safe at and not be judged.

Caitlin:
The students are the roots and love is the water in the watering can. We can come together to make a beautiful tree.

Shem:
The teachers are the branches of Juniper.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Juniper Elementary students are hoping new traditions of kindness and caring take root at their brand new school. They recently planted a new tree outside to represent their hopes and dreams.

On this episode of the Supercast, we join Juniper students, staff and parents for a tree planting ceremony. It was the planting of not just any tree but a juniper, a type of tree best known for its strength and ability to grow almost anywhere in any conditions.

We're out in front of Juniper Elementary as students head to their buses, their rides home and it's an exciting time. The school year has just started and we're here with Principal Kaleb Yates. How are things going so far with one month down?

Kaleb Yates:
It's going great really. We have great students, good teachers, and today's our PTA carnival so we've got a lot of great parents that want to help out.

Anthony Godfrey:
I did see the huge inflatable saber-toothed tiger and thought something is afoot, something's happening. Tell us for those who are not familiar what the unique design is here at Juniper Elementary.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, the thing that is unique about our school is we're 4th, 5th, and 6th grade and we share the same boundary with Ridge View Elementary. It's unique that we have the older students here and it's unique that we share families and are still trying to keep our community together and provide what we can for our families. Give them a good experience.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's unique for us not only to have a school that has grades 4, 5, and 6 only but also to have a growing population at one of our elementaries and simply decide we're going to keep that same boundary just to add another school into the mix so that we can manage the numbers. You know you talk about keeping the community together, yes that means that now students are at elementary 1, elementary 2, middle school, and then high school but it also means the boundary is the same so you're not saying goodbye to friends in the same way that you might have to if there were a boundary change.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, we have a shuttle service that goes back and forth between the two schools which has been great. It's been a good experience for kids to be able to meet up in one spot. Parents don't have to shuffle over to find their kids. So that's been good.

Then the other nice thing is that we've been able to, we've had a lot of concerns that happened prior to the school being finished and parents have been happy. We've had a lot of positive comments about how things are running and we're only dealing with about 540 kids here instead of 1300 kids is what it used to be.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right, 1300 at one elementary school. I think we decided that was maybe a 4A high school, maybe a 5A. I know things are just barely underway but what are some of the things that you think you're going to be able to do to offer to students to accomplish that might have been more difficult with all seven grades in the same school?

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, a lot. So this year we're trying out one-to-one iPads with all of our students which is, the young kids are definitely capable. They can use cell phones better than most of us can but with the upper grades, the responsibility of taking care of an iPad, we can set expectations and they can try new things with STEM, with art. We've been using them for a lot of the Wit and Wisdom curriculum to be able to access art. We're still putting a lot of pieces together but one example is the iPads. We can have the kids use their iPads and they take them from different classes with them and so far it's been working out really well.

Anthony Godfrey:
How does the school feel different having fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students only?

Kaleb Yates:
Transitions are a lot faster for sure because we're dealing with a bigger body so they get from outside to inside and from class to class a lot faster. We don't have kids getting lost like kindergarteners and that kind of stuff in the building.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're not teaching kids how to be in school. They've all been in school. They all have a sense for what's expected.

Kaleb Yates:
And this is a great age group. They love their teachers and want to do the best they can for their teachers and so they're working really hard and getting used to the new building and the floor plan but things are working out really well.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's not a full middle school but it does have very much of a middle school feel to it. There are a few things that if it were ever to be converted in the future, and that was the Board's idea. Rather than build less than a mile away, less than half a mile away, build a second elementary, let's build a school that might have some versatility in the future and could be adapted in the distant future, I'll clarify. So some things need to be added but essentially it's a middle school.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, a middle school floor plan.

Anthony Godfrey:
Big halls, more offices and very generous sized classrooms, a big stage. Tell us about how that feels in comparison.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, if you ever get a chance to come by and see the building, we have a lot of big windows and big hallways so that the kids can transition quickly. Our classrooms have the TVs in them instead of projectors which have been a great asset for instruction for our teachers. And then the cafeteria, the gym, it's traditional as far as elementary school, we still have half of it as the gym and half of it is the cafeteria, but if they were ever to expand it there's room on the property to add full-size gym and full-size auditorium and plenty of parking. There's no shortage of parking.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it is nice to have lots of parking, especially on a PTA night like this one. When I was here the first day of school I had toured it over the summer, it's really a beautiful building on top of all that.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, they've done a phenomenal job. We have the different colored hallways that match each of the grades and the architecture in there you can see for visibility and from a principal's perspective you can see into all the classrooms and all the big spaces and for supervision and also I get a lot of waves through the windows and stuff so it's been fun for me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do the kids feel a little bit of a bigger deal now that they're separated from the younger kids?

Kaleb Yates:
They for sure do because it's just a bigger building and so coming from Ridge View with that traditional elementary school for a plan of coming here it definitely feels more like a middle school and they’re feeling fancy for sure.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's good, that's what we want, that's what we want. And the third graders now at Ridge View get to be top of the heap where it was sixth graders. Now there's one more opportunity to feel like you're in charge of the school.

Kaleb Yates:
And they can really focus on the early literacy piece where over here, we can focus on reading to learn and not learning to read. We're excited about the new curriculum and getting the kids going on it so it's been good.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now tell us about the ceremony today, we're here with a big hole in the ground, and dare I say that this might just be a Juniper tree that's going to be planted.

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, we have a couple of Juniper trees here. I asked the construction company if we could since we were named Juniper Elementary I figured we should have some Juniper trees on the property. To make it involve the students more we had them write essays about what they want the culture of our building to be. We had about 80 students- it was an optional thing. We didn't want to require it over the summer but it was an optional thing. We had about 80 students submit essays. We read through them and they had some phenomenal things to say. A lot of things about kindness, and supporting one another, and getting rid of bullying. They did some great metaphors with what the Juniper tree represents and how that parallels to us here at the school. We'll be able to hear them read some of their parts here in a moment but it was inspiring to read what the kids want. It's a lot of the same things that we as the adults want in the building.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love the approach of starting off with asking the students, what do you want it to feel like to be at Juniper Elementary?

Kaleb Yates:
Yeah, they want the same things we want. Kindness,a welcoming environment, and a place where they can thrive and learn new things. That's what we want as well so we're on the same page.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful, that is wonderful. We look forward to hearing those speeches and look forward to a great year and many years to come here at Juniper.

Kaleb Yates:
Agreed. Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back more with the students of Juniper Elementary School.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram@jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

Kaleb Yates:
So thank you for coming out and these are our essay winners so if you guys can give them a hand real quick. [applause]

I think all of you are aware of what the contest was, but these four winners– we had a lot of great essays that were submitted. These four seemed to capture what we want as a school and so they're going to take a minute and just read just a brief part of each of their essays. So, if you guys can listen closely this is what we want for our school and then we'll go ahead and plant the trees.

Victoria:
My name is Victoria and in my opinion, I think that Juniper Elementary should be a place that we can feel safe at and not be judged for how we look and act. We should not pull the tree's branches but we should also not pull hair. We should not poke the tree but we should also not poke each other's feelings. We should also not touch the tree, we should just admire it and with the students, we should not touch people and or make them feel ashamed of how they look or act. And finally, in my opinion, Juniper should and shall be the perfect place for people to share their feelings. People should not be treated harmfully in any way.

Beckham:
My name is Beckham Peña and this is the kind of school I would like for Juniper Elementary. We should show kindness instead of being rude or mean. “Why?” some might say. Well, being rude puts others down and hurts them, but when we show kindness and respect to others we uplift them and they will feel more confident in themselves. With the Juniper tree, we want it to grow and become strong. So with the students and adults here, we want them to grow their minds and become strong too. This is the school I’d like Juniper to be.

Shem:
My name is Shem and the students are like the leaves of Juniper. The teachers are the branches of Juniper. The vice principal is the trunk of Juniper. The principal is the roots of Juniper.

Caitlin:
I'm Caitlin and I think that Principal Yates and the staff members are the dirt. The students are the roots and love is the water in the watering can. We come together to make a beautiful tree.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now we're talking with the four students who are part of the program who won the essay contest and got to plant the Juniper trees out front. Hopefully, you'll be able to drive by for many years to come and say I planted that tree over there as it gets bigger and bigger. Tell me your name, your grade and what you love about being at Juniper Elementary.

Caitlin:
I'm Caitlin Rawlings and I'm in fifth grade. I like being at Juniper Elementary because there's a lot of windows.

Anthony Godfrey:
A lot of windows, yes. They designed it with a lot of natural light. There are even windows out into the hallway from your classrooms. Does that feel better to learn when you can see some sunshine?

Caitlin:
Yes.

Shem:
My name is Shem Leavitt and I am nine years old, I mean ten years old.

Anthony Godfrey:
Time goes quickly, doesn't it?

Shem:
What I like about this school is that it has tons of cool teachers and a cool principal that lets us get to do really fun stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
We really worked hard to get you a cool principal that would then get you really cool teachers. I met with them a couple of times and I know that's true. You have some great teachers here.

Victoria:
My name is Victoria and I'm in sixth grade and I like Juniper because it makes me feel welcome and appreciated.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful. Where did you come from? Were you at Ridge View before?

Victoria:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
And did you feel like things feel welcoming and people are glad you're here?

Victoria:
Yes.

Beckham:
I'm Beckham Peña, I'm in sixth grade and I'm eleven years old. My favorite thing about Juniper here is that everyone is super nice and I just love it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Lots of great people here. Tell me how does this feel different from being at a school that's kindergarten through sixth grade?

Shem:
Like there's more older people and like there's like no portables and like it feels different because like it's just like one school. There's no portables like outside in there.

Anthony Godfrey:
So there's space for everybody. There are a lot of portables where there were over at Ridge View more than we've had in a long time in one of the schools. Your essays are a big part of setting the tone for the school and making sure that this is a really welcoming place. So thank you for being awesome students and great writers and great planters. You didn't even know that you could do that either.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
I compare that to maybe one of the largest terrorist attacks that we've seen in our country and it was basically able to be carried out through our own fear.

Anthony Godfrey:
Let's say a parent sees this on social media, a student sees this on social media. What is the appropriate action if they see either a very specific threat or a vague threat that feels like it could be targeted at their school?

[Music]

Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. On this episode of the Supercast, we talk with Lieutenant Jeremy Barnes of the Utah Department of Public Safety. He'll talk with us about threats that turn out to be a hoax, the impact they have on schools, and what we can do to properly report them and make sure that they don't create unnecessary panic. He'll also talk about why it's important to take every threat seriously.

[Music]

We're pleased to have Lieutenant Jeremy Barnes with us today to talk about school safety, introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit about your current position.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Okay, so thank you for the introduction. I'm Lieutenant Jeremy Barnes with the Utah Department of Public Safety with the newly created Division of State Security. In my current role, I oversee, I work directly for the State Security Chief who was created under House Bill 61 in 2023. I work directly for him and we oversee a regional team of eight individuals.
The state has been broken up into eight regions with multiple districts throughout each one of those regions to help facilitate the big lift of House Bill 84 from this legislative session which includes the safety assessments and the guardian program and things like that. 

Anthony Godfrey:
We definitely want to get into the details of that. Let's start with talking a little bit about the hoaxes that we've heard about over the, probably the last year is really where they've accelerated. Talk to us a little bit about how that information comes to you and what you want parents to know about hoaxes when they're announced, when they come out.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
So if I could think back, so as part of my role, I have been the school safety liaison with the Utah State Board of Education School Safety Center since 2020. That is a multidisciplinary team composed of individuals from the Utah State Board of Education, Division of Substance Use and Mental Health, or Office of Substance Use and Mental Health now, and the SAFE-UT as well as the Department of Public Safety. So we work collaboratively on all things school safety. The reason I give that background, in 20, I believe it was December of 2021, the first big hoax came in and if you recall there was a TikTok, there were TikTok trends going on in the fall. It started with the devious licks and then the smack your teacher and the various things that came out was monthly challenges. In December of that year, we received information right before school was getting out for the holiday break that there was a school shooting trend. If my recollection serves, the whole point was to give a hoax of a school shooting and shut your school down. 

Throughout the nation, we were tracking it through SAFE-UT and the Statewide Information and Analysis Center which is our state's intelligence and fusion center through the Utah Department of Public Safety. We had been tracking it and trying to get the messaging out to local education agencies but during that time there was so much panic throughout the nation that was caused. Nobody felt safe sending their kids to school that day. They were concerned that there was going to be a targeted attack and so nobody felt safe sending their kids to school and they decided to hold them back from school that day. 

As I have had talks with different individuals, I compare that to maybe one of the largest terrorist attacks that we've seen in our country and it was silent. It was basically able to be carried out through our own fear because it was our fear that messaging that got out, that panic and anxiety that was created because of this situation that we knew was false. We knew it was a hoax. The panic and anxiety created such a huge traumatic experience, traumatic reaction for some that it shut down the education system throughout the nation.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like the way you describe that. It really is silent but powerful in the impact that it has on families as they make decisions about sending their students to school. But the word hoax, when we put out a message that says this is a hoax, is there cause for alarm once it's been determined to be a hoax by the public safety organizations that we work with? 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Well each, you know, it's a very delicate topic when we're talking about that. And the reason I say that is yes, we may determine that it's a hoax. We may be tracking these hoaxes that are occurring throughout the nation, whether it be bomb threats, whether it be phone calls, whether it be email hoaxes. We may be tracking them and getting the information out to local education agencies. But until it happens, it hasn't happened. And so again we have the information that it's a hoax, however when it does happen we advise local education agencies, school districts, and schools themselves to remain vigilant. Adhere to your local policies and procedures. What are the practices that go into play? Still be vigilant, still be on guard, respond appropriately. But you have the ability to determine whether or not this is an actual or if it's a hoax.

When, for example, we got hit with the hoax in December of 2021 and then fast forward to March of 2023, just after the legislative session that it occurred for House Bill 61, throughout the state we received phone calls from the same individual. And it was the individual indicated that they were hiding in a bathroom and that there was an active shooter taking place. And as soon as there were 10 schools, I believe it was if I recall correctly it was 10 schools that were hit throughout the state, one school was hit twice. 

Anthony Godfrey:
With a threat.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
With an indicated an active shooting is happening right now. Some schools responded, I shouldn't say more appropriately than others because each of them responded within their available resources and how their policy is allowed. But there were some schools that were able to track, directly tie into the camera system into dispatch. And so they were able to track throughout the school to see, yeah nothing's happening here. They were able to tie in directly with their school resource officers and the school resource officers going through saying there's nothing here. And by the time that the information got to SIAC, we were about 45 minutes behind, 45 minutes to an hour behind on getting that information. So we really relied upon those local areas to adhere to their policies and procedures to figure out the legitimacy of what was going on. 

Once we determined that it was in fact a hoax, we were able to get that information of, okay, challenge the caller, where are they? They say they're in the bathroom, what bathroom, what floor? For example, if they say the third-floor bathroom and there's not a third floor to the school, we know it's a hoax. Have dispatchers ask certain questions that would indicate whether or not this individual was being truthful. What we found in that situation is when the dispatch was having that information or when the individual on the call with the call caller was asking these follow-up questions, the individual wasn't able to respond and they hung up. So that's some of the things to look for with these hoaxes. 

In December of 2023, we also got hit with email hoaxes throughout the state. And these email hoaxes for whatever reason, they were really targeting charter schools on this one. The other one that happened in March was kind of more of a public and then the one in December with the email hoaxes were kind of more targeted to the charter schools. There were a lot of charter schools. We were following it at SIAC for a couple of days prior to the event. 

Anthony Godfrey:
SIAC?

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
The Statewide Information and Analysis Center, which is the state's intelligence division through the Utah Department of Public Safety. So we were tracking it in local and surrounding states, getting it out to local law enforcement saying, "Hey, heads up, this might be coming." And then it happened, and it happened fast. But the things about the emails were, we determined it was a hoax, but the things about the emails were it was very nondescript. It was bomb hoaxes. Where were the bombs being placed? It was very nondescript of where in a garbage can in a bathroom, something like that. Looking at the email address, it obviously didn't look to be appropriate. 

All of the hoaxes can be, there's certain indicators that it could be a hoax. Like I say, unknown with the area, if it's just a very vague general knowledge area, a bathroom or a trash can or left it in a nearby park. Very nondescript, could be easily copied and pasted and sent to anywhere. Another thing that we have seen is information that is shared over social media. Very vague. For example, we'll use BHS. In any state, in any locale, there's a BHS. No matter where you go, there is a BHS. 

Anthony Godfrey:
It's easy for your imagination to assume that it's your BHS that they're talking about. I want to talk a little bit about how parents and students ought to react when they do see something like that posted. We recently did have a BHS that was posted and assumed to be about local schools, various districts picked it up. In fact, it was from the Pacific Northwest, as I recall. 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yes. 

Anthony Godfrey:
So it was a genuine threat, but for a different area that had made its way. So let's say a parent sees this on social media, a student sees this on social media. What is the appropriate action if they see either a very specific threat or a vague threat that feels like it could be targeted at their school or a school in the area? 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
You know, and that's, again, we talk about delicate situations and we want to reduce the fear and anxiety and the panic. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure. 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
When an individual, we'll use a hypothetical, student comes home from school and sees that something has been shared over Snapchat. We'll use BHS. That individual shows it to their parents. The knee-jerk reaction, and I think a large portion of society today, would be to screenshot that and share it with friends or share it on social media to see if anybody else has seen it. Does anybody else recognize this? Is anybody else receiving the same information? That is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. We should not be sharing that. 

If we screenshot it, screenshot it, and keep it and take it to local law enforcement or take it to school administrators, school safety and security specialists, school safety and security directors, the individuals who have the knowledge to be able to determine the legitimacy of this and help work through the investigation of a potential threat. We don't want to downplay it and say that it's probably somewhere else in the nation. We don't want to downplay it. We want to ensure that we can properly look into it, properly investigate it, and determine the legitimacy of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Take it seriously, but the way to take it seriously is not to repost. It's to take a screenshot and share it with the authorities.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Exactly, because once it's shared, then it goes into that viral potential. Once it's shared, it can go out to parents, it can go out to the community, it can go out to district leadership that wasn't even in the know that it was occurring and now the Board members are being upset and they're responding to constituents. The wildfire, if you want to use that analogy, can spread so quickly when this information is shared over social media. The important thing is to take the post or take some sort of documentation of it, take it to law enforcement, take it to school officials so they can be looking into it and look for the legitimacy of it.

The other thing that's really important is that our statewide information and analysis center is consistently receiving threats or information that could be potential threats throughout the nation. We follow things. The FBI gives information to SIAC. Social media gives information to SIAC. So there is a really good possibility that if there is a legitimate threat, SIAC may know about it. And so, SIAC can be contacted through a phone number on their website, but also through email at SIAC, SIAC@utah.gov, and they consistently monitor that inbox 24 hours a day, 7 days a week looking for threats. And they're able to take those threats once they receive it and they disseminate it to local law enforcement.

Anthony Godfrey:
So if you take a screenshot of a threat or a perceived threat, SIAC@utah.gov, you send an email of that screenshot, you have reported that threat.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yes, and SIAC will begin looking into it and share that with local law enforcement.

Anthony Godfrey:
Perfect. 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Part of House Bill 84 is the reporting of substantial threats. And it really is, I will say that for the majority, the state has been doing what the bill asks of them, but putting it into code really builds the relationship. And so the reporting of substantial threats comes into effect where there's really a triangulation of efforts. If a threat comes into SIAC, that threat can come in from the FBI, it can come in from Safe UT, it can come in from social media. SIAC receives the threat. They immediately report it to local law enforcement and the school of which the threat is concerning. That completes that triangulation. 

The other requirement of the bill is that if the school receives the threat, they immediately have to report it to local law enforcement, who at some point is going to share it with SIAC as well. And then if local law enforcement receives it, they immediately have to notify the school of which the threat is associated. And then at some point it gets back to SIAC. That triangulation is completed to really foster better communication. So if things are happening throughout the state, trends, things like that, we can follow that and track that, but foster that better effective communication, that trickle down information effect, so that we can really respond to these threats more appropriately.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a really clear established channel for communication that was already there, but putting it into code, like you said, really solidified that. So when someone reports, they can feel confident that the school and state authorities are all going to be coordinating efforts right away to assess the credibility of the threat and what needs to happen as a result.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yes, and the system is not perfect. I will say the system is not perfect. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure. 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
There are hiccups that we have, and there are things that we are consistently working on from a state level to a local level to a district level of really trying to improve those channels of communication. But yes, there is, when operating at its best capabilities, there is that clear channel for the proper investigation and notification of these threats.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, the serious consequences for anyone who perpetuates a hoax threat.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
It's something all parents need to know in the event of emergency in one of our schools. Hi, I'm Matt Alvernaz, a former law enforcement officer and Army Ranger, now school safety coordinator for Jordan School District. We're talking about the Standard Response Protocol, or SRP. Knowing SRP will help to keep everyone safe and informed if there is an emergency in one of our schools or buildings. Standard Response Protocol provides consistent, clear, share language and actions for all students, staff, first responders, and parents. It is language that can be applied to any emergency situation. The SRP actions now used in all schools statewide are hold, secure, lock down, evacuate, and shelter. To educate yourself and your children on these actions, visit schoolsafety.jordansistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are the penalties for someone who makes a threat? Say a student posts something, posts a threat about their school, or perpetuates a threat from someone else? What are the consequences of perpetuating something like that? 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
There are significant consequences, especially with the hoax threats. There were, based upon the hoaxes that came about in 2023, Representative Wilcox ran additional language for a bill, and HB14 was enhanced penalties for hoaxes and threats against schools. Those are intentional and knowingly, and if they're intentional and knowingly, it's a second-degree felony.

Anthony Godfrey:
So if you know that that's what you're doing, and you have the intent of creating fear or threatening a school, then those are severe consequences that somebody just posting on social media may not be thinking about in the moment. 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, are there any other tips that you have for parents when they see a threat, or if they have concerns about something that they're hearing through the media about possible danger in a school? 

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yes. I think one of the biggest things is to really ensure that the school has a proper relationship and a good relationship with SafeUT. SafeUT is one of our best resources that we have for reporting threats, and also for a crisis line. Anybody that's in crisis and just needs somebody to talk to. SafeUT is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they're immediately in touch with a clinical-level individual that can help through those moments of crises. But it's also our safe reporting application for the state. So ensuring that there is a good relationship with SafeUT between the district, the schools, and SafeUT is one of the best ways in ensuring that the parents have the notification of how to report things through SafeUT. 

Another is to have the parents be able to report things to local law enforcement, be able to have that open communication with the schools, understand that every school in the state, public and charter, is going to have a school safety and security specialist. Each LEA is going to have a school safety and security director. A lot of schools are going to have school resource officers. And knowing who those individuals are to help have the conversation about these areas of concern or these items of concern. 

Anthony Godfrey:
SafeUT, for those who may not have it, is an app that allows you to report anonymously. You can also share your name if you choose. It can be concerns about threats, about things that are happening at school, people who are in crisis can use SafeUT to get help as you described. We have a very clear protocol for following through on SafeUT as a district. We also have someone on call 24/7 to respond to what we hear from SafeUT. So they'll sometimes contact us to help address an issue as you know. So we do have a strong relationship there. We promote SafeUT and it's been a great tool to help make sure that we're hearing about the concerns out there and getting information from folks who may be aware of things that are happening at school that we need to address.

Is there a threshold that you can describe where parents or students need to make sure they're reporting something? Do you ever get too many reports about concerns? Or do they just if there's a concern, make sure you report it no matter what?

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Yeah, it goes back to the adage of, you know, I've always heard it from the Department of Homeland Security, ‘if you see something, say something.’ When I was on patrol, this was many years ago as a patrol officer, there would always be the individual that would call the police and say, I know I'm wasting your time. That was one statement that in my mind was, was kind of like, you don't need to say that. Because if it's a problem to you, it's a problem to me. If it is concerning to you as a citizen for the city that I work for, then it's a problem for me. And we're going to work through this and we're going to come up with a solution. 

So I think if going back to the adage of if you see, say something, say something, there is absolutely nothing wrong with reporting something that causes you concern. Like there's obviously something about the situation that stood out that made it outside the ordinary for you. So report it. And then let the professionals and let the individuals that have been trained to go through it and determine whether the legitimacy of it and determine the severity of it be the ones to figure it out. But there was something that caused alarm or something that caused, your antennae to stand up. Just to report it. There is, there's absolutely nothing that is going to come back on you negatively if it was something that you reported that ended up being nothing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us about your background that led you to this position as lieutenant with the state.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
I, so law enforcement is kind of a unique profession and it used to be that law enforcement officers would stick with one agency, they'd remain with that agency. So I like to say that I was agency hopping before it was cool. I started my career in 2005 with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office as a correctional officer. And over time I worked for the Ogden City Police Department, Montana State University Police Department, found a home in Draper City where I was able to be a patrol officer, a DARE officer. I was the first school resource officer for the city and opened Corner Canyon High School. And then I reached a point in time in my career where I wanted to try something different. I went to the Department of Public Safety and investigated police misconduct at the Peace Officer Standards and Training Division, which we refer to as POST. And then in 2020, I took the position of school safety liaison.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a wide range of experience coming to this new position and we're grateful that you're there and helping support us in making our schools the safest place for kids to be.

Lt. Jeremy Barnes:
Well, thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

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