Supercast

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He is a kind, compassionate, and caring special education teacher by day. However, when he's not in the classroom, this teacher is in the weight room defying normal human strength with his deadlifting abilities. On this episode of the Supercast, meet Sheldon Russell, an incredible teacher and world record holder in deadlift weightlifting. Find out how Sheldon has defied the odds in life and is inspiring others around him every day.

We’re here at West Jordan High School with Sheldon Russell to talk about a world record that he holds. Sheldon, thanks for taking time.

Sheldon Russel:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now first, let's talk about you as a teacher and educator in Jordan District. Tell us a bit about your career.

Sheldon Russell:
Well, I've been all over the place and I did some administration for a while, did teaching special ed, and I decided to go back to doing what I love, special ed. I'm a lot older than I look. I've got a few years left and I thought I'd finish doing what I love to do.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's great. And tell us about your current teaching assignment.

Sheldon Russell:
I teach Life Skills at West Jordan High School. High school students with intellectual disabilities, autism, multiple disabilities. It can be challenging, but it's fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's hard to come by Life Skills teachers. Explain to those who may not know what a Life Skills class is, what's involved.

Sheldon Russell:
We work on a lot of functional skills. So there's kids that may need help with reading or writing or math. My students need help in all facets of their life. So they will have some sort of dependence on people for the remainder of their life. Our job is to help them become as independent as possible. Some kids, we're working on writing numbers, other kids were working on finishing their math homework. But we deal with students with autism, down syndrome. We have kids with physical disabilities and impairments, hearing impairments, vision impairments. It's kind of a challenge, but like I said, I enjoy it.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how many students are served in this support classroom?

Sheldon Russell:
Okay, so we have 24 students in our support classroom and we have two teachers in there and we have some assistants that help us out as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a really important program. And you have peer tutors I assume as well.

Sheldon Russell:
We do. Peer tutors come and help throughout the day, and they do a journal each week, and it's interesting reading what they write. And I've found this in my life, not only in my life, but I've noticed it with these kids. I'm an educator, but I get paid to learn every day. Working with kids like this gives you a lot of perspective on what life is really all about. So yes, I'm an educator, but I consider myself a professional student right now because I'm taught about life and perspective every day.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's true for the peer tutors that get to be part of your class as well. It's a really important program. Yes, the peer tutors are there to help the students who are in the support classroom and need the help, but I think they learn a lot about life, a lot of perspective. And develop some deep friendships themselves.

Sheldon Russell:
Absolutely. I see some kids that have their own challenges as peer tutors themselves, but they come in our room and it brings out the best in them, and they learn a lot about life. And this is my little plug for anyone who wants to go into special education. I tell all my peer tutors. It's a good field to be in.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, absolutely. And wonderful things happen in our support classrooms in Jordan District. We've done a couple of Supercast episodes in support classrooms, so thank you for filling that role and taking care of those kids that need it the very most.

Sheldon Russell:
You're welcome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now let's talk about your hobby. It's hard to call it a hobby when you have reached these types of heights with a world record. How did you get started in weightlifting and when?

Sheldon Russell:
I was seven years old. My mother started dating my stepfather and he was actually a body building promoter.

Anthony Godfrey:

A Body building promoter?

Sheldon Russell:
Yes, he was back in the day.

Anthony Godfrey:
You were seven and what did he tell you? It's too late almost, but let's see if we can get you started?

Sheldon Russell:
Yeah, kind of. Actually, everyone was a big Arnold Schwarzenegger fan back in the early eighties. And I watched Conan the Barbarian and I thought he was the coolest guy in the world. I even grew my hair out long when I was in the fifth grade and my dad called me Little Arnold. So I picked up a weight at seven years old and then I never stopped.

Anthony Godfrey:
And he was here to pump you up?

Sheldon Russell:
Exactly. That's right.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. You picked up, what size weight did you pick up when you were seven?

Sheldon Russell:
When I was seven, I had a little hollow bar with little five pound cement plates on each side. And my dad put me through a little exercise routine and then I just, once I hit about 15, I started going heavy. And I've done it for 40 years now. So I did powerlifting. I don't know if you remember those days.

Anthony Godfrey:
I do.

Sheldon Russell:
I do powerlifting. Excuse me, bodybuilding. And I got sick of eating chicken, broccoli and brown rice six or seven times a day. So I was always strong and I always thought I'd compete in the bench press. But I had a friend who got me into, he says, ‘Hey, come, come pull with me.’ And I go and pull with him and the first time we pull together, I pull 600 pounds. He says, ‘Hey, you should compete.’ And then the rest is history. I've been competing solid for three years straight now, and we've done quite a bit. There's more than one world record, but.

Anthony Godfrey:
More than one world record. I was selling you short. Tell me exactly what is a deadlift? It sounds like zombies are involved. But what is, what is an actual deadlift?

Sheldon Russell:
Well, you feel like you're gonna die when you lift it for sure. But you basically go down to the ground and you basically straight arms, and pull the weight up and stand up with it.

Anthony Godfrey:
So these are the guys who lean over or crouch down, pull up the weights and you just have to stand with the weight. And then you drop it to the ground.

Sheldon Russell:
You do not drop it to the ground.

Anthony Godfrey:
You don't drop to the ground.

Sheldon Russell:
You can while you're training.

Anthony Godfrey:
I always drop it to the ground when I'm deadlifting.

Sheldon Russell:
You don't drop it to the ground or the lift doesn't count. So you have to put it back down on the ground. So you pull it up, wait for the judge to wave his hand down, and then you put it down on the ground.

Anthony Godfrey:
So he has to show that you got it high enough.

Sheldon Russell:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
For long enough. And then you set it back down. So tell me, is putting it back down harder than it looks?

Sheldon Russell:
After you've strained yourself? Sometimes, yes. The first time I ever deadlifted 700 pounds was in training and I tweaked my back doing it, but it was still awesome. But I tweaked it, putting it down on the ground.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, when you demonstrated that just now you had one hand facing back and one hand facing forward, is that how you lift?

Sheldon Russell:
That's called a mixed grip and I do lift that way. There's people that do double overhand and then they do a hook grip where they take their index figure and hold it over their thumb. That's extremely painful. And I have short thumbs, so I don't do it. I can't do it that way.

Anthony Godfrey:
That doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

Sheldon Russell:
Well, there's people that are good at hook grippers and I am not one of them. I'm mixed grip all the way, which also leads to a bunch of fun injuries as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Well, so that's a deadlift. Now tell me, how much have you lifted for each of your world records and in what category were you competing?

Sheldon Russell:
Okay, so currently I hold 37 records all together between State…

Anthony Godfrey:
37 records?!

Sheldon Russell:
Yes, in three years of competing. 37 State, National, and World records. So I hold three World records. There's an open federation, that is a non-tested federation, that means anyone can compete in it. I did 700 pounds.

Anthony Godfrey:
700 even?

Sheldon Russell:
700 even. And in the same competition I also got two additional world records at FitCon. Which were 700 pounds again, in the open division, so that's all ages, and the 45 to 49 age division. Now it's kind of neat because they do a little ranking system on openpowerlifting.org, and right now I'm gonna try and be humble here, but I'm ranked among all drug tested lifters number one in the world.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. Right now?

Sheldon Russell:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow! That's amazing. That’s really cool.

Sheldon Russell:
It's okay.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back more with Sheldon Russell.

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.

Anthony Godfrey:
When did you realize that you were really good at this? Not just that you liked it, but that you had the potential to hold a world record or three and to really compete?

Sheldon Russell:
Well, I was always really strong. I just never considered it, really considered powerlifting. It was when I went with my friend that one day and he taught me. I used to be able to just casually pull 600 pounds off the ground, but my form was atrocious. I was using straps, which help you hold onto the bar. It was when I learned the techniques a little bit more and then immediately thought, ‘Wow, I could make some noise.’ And then in the first competition, I do 600 pounds and we get three state records there in the USPA. And then I thought, ‘Okay, here we go. Now it's gonna be fun.’ And then a few months later I did 655, and then I fought forever to get to the 700 pound club because it doesn't count unless you do it on the platform. So that's kind of cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
So do you do bench press and deadlift, or is it only deadlift at this point that you're focused on?

Sheldon Russell:
The full power in a competition is squat, bench and deadlift. So you could do the full power, which is bench press, squat and deadlift, or you could do push pull would be bench and deadlift, or you can just do bench or deadlift. I've benched and deadlifted in a meet. I wanna do a full power, but I'm too old and it hurts, so I do the best I can. So one day I will do one. I'll probably be really conservative with my numbers, at least on squat. And then we'll see what happens. But I have benched in competition. I have some records in bench in the APF and AAPF, but it's still, it's not like pulling.

I would be considered a deadlift specialist. So when, when guys get older, they usually veer away from full power. One of my friends I train with is a bench press specialist. Another one I train with is also a deadlift specialist. We're just too old, we sit all day. It's an all day event if you do full power. I can go at 2:00 and pull and be done at 6 or 7 and go home.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now I know you're a comic book fan. Yes. And as a deadlifter, you must connect with some superheroes or super villains. Are you a Hulk guy? Are you a Thing guy? Because you know, those guys can probably lift about 700 as well.

Sheldon Russell:
Well, I think you know the answer to that question.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell the people, tell the people.

Sheldon Russell:
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Man of Steel. Ever since I was a little boy it was Superman. I do like the Hulk. I do like all sorts of comics, but my favorite is Superman.

Anthony Godfrey:
There is something about Superman. Well, you ought to consider Cosplay because as a lifter like that, I mean you've the muscles for it. Have you considered that?

Sheldon Russell:
Yeah, but I also have the stomach. I could be The Blob. I've got the power lifting stomach. I could be The Blob as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it's a very unique talent and skill and I wonder whether that's something that has helped you connect with students over the years?

Sheldon Russell:
Yeah, a little bit. When I taught at the middle school, West Jordan Middle, I think the internet was in its infancy at that point. But I did teach an after school weightlifting class. The important thing for me is that if I'm working with a kid and we're weightlifting, I do like to mention that lifting weights is a good metaphor for life. Okay. I didn't have the best situation growing up and I had a hard time, but this was one of the things that pulled me out. So if I'm having a difficult life, I go and lift a bunch of weight. I always made the connection. I tell this to students too. If you can lift that weight, what means you can't do this or that? What makes you think you can't pass that exam if you just lifted the weight you did? So I think it translates to other areas of life. And I tried to tell this to students that I have worked with. Because when you're there, it's just you and the weight and nothing else. And it's just pure determination. And that's what I love about the deadlift because out of all lifts, it's very basic and it's true grit that helps you get that weight off the ground. And good form. But that doesn't sound as cool as true grit.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hey, pure grit with a little bit of form. That's a good combination.

Sheldon Russell:
It would also avoid injury. So there you go.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. We were in the gym before. We're now in the weight room and Sheldon is pulling, pulling up plates. Is that what you call 'em?

Sheldon Russell:
Year, 45 pound plates.

Anthony Godfrey:
I know it's surprising, but I haven't done a lot of deadlifting in my life. Okay. Wow. It sounds very medieval in here.

Sheldon Russell:
It does. This will change it.

Anthony Godfrey:
So now you do 700 in competition. How much do you do to warm up to do 700 in competition?

Sheldon Russell:
One plate, two plates, three plates, four plates, five plates, six plates. Then usually I open up around 630. Then I went to about 670. Then I go to 700. But my goal is to be able to do what I can actually do in a competition. I've pulled 735 pounds in training. So it's a lot different when I'm competing though.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right, right. So each of these plates weighs how much?

Sheldon Russell:
45 pounds.

Anthony Godfrey:
How much does the bar weigh?

Sheldon Russell:
45 pounds.

Anthony Godfrey:
The bar is 45 pounds?

Russell Sheldon:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
I thought maybe I could do the bar. Okay. All right. Let's see. You, you have more plates to put on to get to 700?

Sheldon Russell:
Yeah. Do you want me to demonstrate the lift?

Anthony Godfrey:
Let's do a mild lift and avoid any workers' compensation, shall we?

Sheldon Russell:
Yes, let's do a mild lift.

Anthony Godfrey:
And these are the clips, right?

Sheldon Russell:
Yes. That hold the weight on. You want to make sure that you like my shirt deadlifts build character.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes. Okay. What is the lingo associated with lifting here? Those are plates. Those are clips.

Sheldon Russell:
Plates. Clips. Barbell. This isn't even a real deadlift bar, this is a regular barbell. I use a Texas deadlift bar that bends really well. It's about $400.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, so it does bend in the middle.

Sheldon Russell:
It does bend a little bit. It has some give to it. My wife's gonna listen to this later and I'm sorry, the bar did cost $400. It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Anthony Godfrey:
Exactly. So okay, well we're gonna step back and take a look here.

Sheldon Russell:
Okay. So if you've noticed, you wanna wear either like, I'll train barefoot sometimes, or there's like slippers called deadlift slippers. You want to have a shoe that is close to the ground as possible so you can clamp into the ground and then if you can't, so you can dig into the ground. You don't want cushion on your feet cause you want a stable base. So I'm gonna walk up right to the bar. Okay. Make sure your weight is on your heels and you want as much as possible to be as close to the bar as possible. Then I'm gonna grab and cinch in, make sure my arms are even. So I'm gonna grab and wrap around and then I'm gonna go up. Okay. Then they'll say down, put it down. The most important thing, you keep that weight next to you and like you're almost standing up from a sitting position. You don't want your back to round and you want your head up so as to avoid that back rounding injury. I've seen some pretty bad form. I've even had that pretty bad form. That wasn't the greatest form of the world, but I've come miles since I started.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Great. It's impressive just to see the technique that you applied. Have you ever lifted a car off of someone that was trapped underneath? Cuz it seems like you could.

Sheldon Russell:
No. but I have done car deadlift before. Those are fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have done a car deadlift? So how does one go about a car deadlift?

Sheldon Russell:
They put a little contraption underneath it with handlebars and then you just go to it and pull it up an do reps.

Anthony Godfrey:
What kind of car did you lift?

Sheldon Russell:
I can't remember. It was a white car. It was a mid-sized sedan.

Anthony Godfrey:
After you've lifted a car, everything probably goes white. Okay. As you load this, I'm struck by the fact that you have to walk all the way up and down through the weight room to get enough weight on this bar to hit 700 pounds.

Sheldon Russell:
Yeah. Well, a little sacrifice. The worst part is putting the weight back when you're done.

The whole idea of this is a determination sport. I think you learn a lot of life lessons in a weight room because it's just you and the iron and your grit, your determination and your consistency, which makes it key.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's just you and the iron. I like that. And I'm sure that it teaches kids and adults alike that there's something that you didn't think you could do and you can build up to it, and you can work hard, and overcome things, and accomplish things that you never imagined.

Sheldon Russell:
Yes, exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you so much for taking the time. It's fascinating. I'm really excited that I know a world record holder in power lifting and I just, I think it's incredible. So it's great to spend time with you and good luck with everything this year.

Sheldon Russell:
Well, thank you. And if you ever want a deadlift, I'll train you.

Anthony Godfrey:
When I'm ready for the next thing. That's, that's, I don't even know what to say. I'll just say, Yeah. When I'm ready, you'll hear from me.

Sheldon Russell:
Okay.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Do you know someone who is being bullied? Is it something you have experienced yourself? On this episode of the Supercast, find out what parents, schools, and members of the community can do to help prevent bullying and teach kids that it is not okay. Dr. Scott Poland, one of the leading experts in bullying prevention in the United States, joins us with some sound advice on how to identify a bully and stop the bad behavior in ways that really work.

We are here with Dr. Scott Poland, a psychologist, professor, and expert in helping schools with prevention and through all kinds of crises. Thank you very much for taking time with us Dr. Poland.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Thank you very much, Dr. Godfrey for this opportunity today. I compliment the Jordan School District for focusing on the important problem of bullying prevention and the role that everybody has, not just schools, parents, community, students themselves. Everybody's got to be involved making a difference to prevent bullying.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I appreciate that. And you're right, we all have to pitch in together to make an impact. It's a big concern. It's a term that's used a lot. Let's just start out with talking about what bullying means. What is the general accepted definition of bullying?

Dr. Scott Poland:
The definition really stresses. Bullying is all about power. Power that one person has and another one does not. Bullying is repetitive. Bullying is nasty. Bullying is humiliating. Sometimes people are like, ‘How do we know it wasn't good natured teasing?’ But when kids are teasing each other, they walk away at about the same level. When it's bullying, one of them walks away feeling powerful. The one other one is really feeling horrible, and it's really difficult for somebody who's just been victimized by bullying to suddenly be at their best, you know, in their family or in school and trying to learn.

Anthony Godfrey:
That makes a ton of sense. It's about how everyone walks away from the situation. How prevalent would you say bullying is these days? I know you work with a lot of schools, you're busier than ever. You work at a national level. How prevalent is bullying right now?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, very prevalent. You know, somewhere around 20% of middle school students would say they're bullied somewhat frequently, and it does tend to peak in middle school. You know, the best sources of data for us are the stopbullying.gov website, federal government site. And then most states do a youth risk behavior surveillance survey every two years with middle schoolers and high schoolers. And that's where we really get the data about at risk behavior as well as kids feeling victimized. So it's pretty prevalent, unfortunately.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, I know that it's a term that's used frequently. What are some of the myths that are associated with bullying? Because I think a lot of things get lumped into that category, and if we're specific about some of those myths, then maybe we can be more effective at combating it.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, one myth is that the bullies were somehow abused as a child. And that's not true. It's more like those that are the victims of bullying are more likely to have been abused in some way. And then, you know, we'd really like to think that bullies outgrow the behavior, but unfortunately, that's not necessarily true. I think probably everybody listening would be aware of some examples in the workplace and the community, some examples of adults that seem to stay in the position they're in because of the way they interact with others. So I wish I could say, you know, that every kid grows out of it, but that's not necessarily true. Bullies often get what they want. And particularly at the middle school level, the bully actually can become somewhat popular, which is unfortunate. We would hope that kids wouldn't gravitate and basically make the bully feel like they are the popular one. But that does happen.

Anthony Godfrey:
So they get rewarded sometimes for that behavior in various ways. Getting what they want, experiencing increased popularity, and as a result that that path becomes well worn and can continue into adulthood. That's an interesting point. And concerning. You've mentioned middle school. Is there a particular age where that starts? Is it at the beginning of middle school, throughout middle school and do you see it more and more with younger students? Talk to me K-12, what do we see?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, I think unfortunately lots of at risk behaviors are occurring earlier and earlier. Many elementary school teachers are very concerned about bullying. They're concerned about depression. You know, I think that especially with beginning elementary students, it sort of just starts out with not being respectful of others. Some mean behaviors, a lack of kindness. I think if both of us could wave a magic wand, this is the time where we need so much more kindness in our world and just always being respectful and helpful to others. And, you know, sometimes it's impulsivity and young kids say something that's really hurtful and then they get in a pattern of that. And one of the things that kids have said to me, that are the victims of bullying before, that really made me pause and think. They've said things like, ‘when you get treated this way enough times, you start to think you deserve it.’ And no kid deserves to be bullied. Every one of them. We want 'em all to be connected to our schools. We want them all to have good relations with peers and school staff. You know, we want school to be a place where kids are happy and successful. And then, you know, we talked in the beginning about it's not just for the schools to solve. So that means in youth sports, youth activities, cub scouts, girl scouts, really everywhere, the adults have to be alert and intervene when a pattern of bullying starts to begin.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's really impactful to hear you say that. Just the idea that kids start to think that they deserve the bullying and that what the bullies are saying is accurate. And I suspect that happens pretty quickly. I suspect it doesn't take very long to feel like you deserve it.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Excellent point. And, the research does say kids that are the victim of bullying, at least initially went to adults. But if the adults don't do anything to intervene, and, you know, we need to talk about what should adults do to intervene. But when the adults basically, you know, just kind of write it off or don't get involved. Sometimes I've had people say, ‘Oh, come on Scott, bullying's a part of life. Everybody has it happen. They get through it.’ But it does not have to be that way.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a really important point that we have this window of opportunity when a child goes to an adult and talks about what's happening. Because if they don't see a result from talking to an adult, then they're gonna stop doing that. And we won't be aware of the bullying. If we rely on our own personal experience to determine whether bullying is happening, then we're going to assume that it isn't, because a lot of times it's gonna happen outside of our view. Is that accurate?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Absolutely. You made a great point. How do we actually determine if bullying took place? We really need to talk to the recipient of the bullying and find out how did you feel when that was happening? Did you feel unsafe? Did you feel humiliated? Were you getting angry? So, you know, we can't tell for sure without actually talking to kids. And when they come to us, our message, whether it's a parent, whether it's a youth soccer coach, whether it's a teacher, the message should always be, ‘You do not deserve this. We are going to get this stopped, and I'm here for you every step of the way. And if this continues, keep telling me, but we are going to take action to get this stopped.’

Anthony Godfrey:
I think what you just said is vital. Tell us that again.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, the action that that's really what the adults need to basically say, ‘You don't deserve this. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to get this stopped.’ So that takes us into the realm of we need to support the victim, of course, but we really need consequences for the bully. And the bully needs to know this behavior is not acceptable. Here are the consequences today. If you continue to bully others, these consequences will escalate. And I'm not keeping this a secret. I'm telling all the other adults that are, you know, working together for the Cub Scout program, or I'm a teacher, I'm telling all the other teachers, everybody will be watching you. And remember, these consequences will escalate.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it's a full court press and it's being very clear with the victim that I'm here with you every step of the way. I love the way you said that, and I need you to keep talking to me about this if it continues to happen. Being very explicit about that so that the victim doesn't say, Well, I talked to an adult and I'm done now.

Dr. Scott Poland:
And the adults really need to increase supervision. You know, we're concerned in schools, bullying is more likely to occur on a school bus, in a restroom, in the hallway. And you know, one of the things that we need to do really in all student activities is just survey our students, or survey the kids that are in our community based soccer program and find out, first of all, hopefully they feel connected and they're enjoying it. But is there bullying taking place? And what are their ideas in terms of how can we turn this around? How can we reduce and eliminate the bullying that's happening?

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back. We'll learn how to recognize the signs of bullying behaviors in order to keep kids safe.

Break:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists and counselors. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
So let's talk about what happens when a child goes to a parent and says, I'm being bullied. This is happening.

Dr. Scott Poland:
So we really need parents that are good listeners that would really be empathetic and again, emphasize, ‘You do not deserve this. We're going to get this stopped.’ Now, the parents' reaction might be to actually confront the bully, confront the parents of the bully. And that is actually not recommended. It's more like, I need to talk to whoever's in charge of the Cub Scout troop. I need to talk to the classroom teacher, if the bullying's occurring at school, that is the place to start. I mean, there have been some stories nationally where a dad jumps on a school bus and confronts the kid bullying his child, and pretty soon the dad's arrested. And then, and I've actually had people, like school counselors say, ‘But I'm trained for this. I can intervene.’ And I'm gonna say, ‘But it's your child that's experiencing this. Take a step back.’ And then, you know, we've got to talk about cyber bullying today. But when you're aware that your kids being cyber bullied, your first thought is, I'm gonna take away that computer. I'm gonna get 'em off those sites, but that's actually punishing your child. So we've gotta find some balance here where your child doesn't feel punished because they're telling you what's happening to them online.

Anthony Godfrey:
Which could result in their not wanting to bring up concerns or issues that they're going through because they're worried that they're gonna be further disconnected from the people in their world.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Absolutely. Tendency to say to our kids ‘Everything's gonna be okay’, or, ‘Oh, let me tell you about what happened to me.’ And really, the more we can hold back from that and just keep saying, ‘I can't imagine this must be so hard, what are your ideas about how you can get through this? Do you see something that I could do to help?’ I actually had a kid the other day say something like this, ‘You know, when my dad gives me advice too quickly, it's like, I know that he didn't really listen to everything that I was going on.’ So I cannot overemphasize with parents, listen and ask your child, ‘How can I help? What do you think would make this situation better?’

Anthony Godfrey:
I love the idea of connecting with the child and asking for ideas there. And you're right, when a solution comes too quickly, it's like you're not really listening to the specific circumstances that the child is experiencing, and the likelihood that the situation matches up well enough with a memory of ours that we ought to be sharing our story is pretty low.

Dr. Scott Poland:
I know, I know.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, you mentioned cyber bullying. So rather than disconnecting kids from the sites where they may be bullied, what are some other approaches that may work more effectively?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, we know this is really challenging. You and I, when we went home from school, we probably walked into a house where there was one telephone and there was actually a cord on that phone. Yes. And it was literally like, home was a safe haven, right? That nobody could reach us with humiliating, nasty messages, at least, unless they wanted to talk to my mom first, because she would be the one answering the phone. But we know everything has changed so dramatically. The other day I became aware of a program that I'm really excited about. It's called Wait Until 8th Grade. So really, what's that program all about? No smart phones until your kid enters eighth grade. And of course, kids need a way to communicate, but you know, a kid can have a watch that basically allows them to call six people because they need to get in touch with mom or grandpa or whatever. Of course, every parent is going to say, 'But you know, my kid's telling me every other sixth grader or fifth grader or fourth grader has a smartphone.' But the program actually puts you in touch with others in your community that have the same values about not being in a hurry for all this technology. And then when kids do have all that technology, it actually works the best when, you know, it's a family room, it's a desktop, Parents have passwords, parents are constantly discussing with kids things like, you know, once you post something, it's like there forever. You can't take it back. And I wanna share today an app that I'm really excited about.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Dr. Scott Poland:
The app is called Rethink Words, and it was actually developed by an adolescent, I think she was from Australia. And when the Rethink Words app is on your phone or on your tablet, it recognizes harmful, hurtful messages and it basically sends you a message like, Is this really what you wanna say? And they have data that like 93% of the time, kids either reword it or they don't send it.

And then some families and some schools are selecting blackout dates, which is basically, let's turn off all the technology. Let's do an old fashioned board game in our home tonight. So this is an extremely challenging area, but I do see some programs that can make a difference. I wish we'd stop seeing the parents when they come in a restaurant with a four year old, they immediately hand them their phone. I know you see that everywhere in Utah, but it's literally like, kids need to learn to actually just talk to people, talk to their family, talk to their friends. They really need to develop in person skills.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I'm personally connected to mine and I have to make a conscious effort all the time not to do exactly what you described. You know, we've talked about what to do if your child is bullied and I love the phrases that you used. I love the idea of not confronting the child and parents directly, but talking with the person in authority to work through the system that way. And to make sure that it's addressed that way. That it's going to be more effective. But what does a parent do if they find out that their child is the bully?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, first of all, I would hope that they would not be defensive and we're sharing this information with them in a way that we're not trying to imply you must be doing a bad job for your kid to behave this way. So it's really important that they increase supervision of their child. They might need to take the technology away for a while if their kid is the cyber bully. And we really need to encourage them to get their kids involved in prosocial activities where they're actually helping others. And, you know, when an older kid is tutoring a younger kid, you know, they get immeasurable benefits and they feel good about themselves. And so for parents, it's difficult to hear that your kid is the bully, but it's like, work with the school, work with the community organization, whoever is alerting you to the problem. It's literally like, let's talk together about what we can do and that increased supervision. And yes, I would hope there would be some consequences at home for the choices a kid is making when they engage in bullying.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this goes back to the myth that you mentioned earlier. When we're approaching it as a school or as parents, we don't wanna make the assumption that someone who is a bully has been abused or that there's some deep problem at home. It may simply be that the bully has been reinforced in that behavior because they tried it, it worked, and they've continued to use that method to feel good about themselves and to get the things that they're looking for.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Absolutely. And I wanna make one more point about if your kid is the one being bullied. We've already talked about the steps that you need to take and you're there for them every step of the way. But one of the things I find with kids is that when they find their niche, when they're involved in some activity, they feel good about, they're treated well in one situation, that really can go a long way to help them still feel pretty good about themselves, even though there's some bullying or harassment in some other situations.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much, Dr. Poland. What are some other resources that parents can go to for more information about bullying prevention?

Dr. Scott Poland:
Well, a really great thing is over the last decade there's been a lot of emphasis on bullying prevention. A lot of legislation has been passed. Schools have really stepped forward, like the Jordan School District, and taken this really seriously. There is the website from the federal government, stopbullying.gov. I'm a very big fan of Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media actually has information on digital citizenship really by grade level. So they provide some really clear guidance about third graders and technology, and what should they be doing, and how can they be respectful and kind and, you know, all of their postings. So those come to mind immediately. And then I'm a very big fan of the Rethink Words. If I could wave a magic wand, I'd love to have that app on every adolescent's phone and tablet in the entire country just to try to get them to rethink.

And then we haven't talked much about bystanders yet, but this is always a big issue in terms of a lot of bullying takes place with an audience. And how do we get bystanders? Some people have actually said that term is too passive. Have you ever heard the term upstanding? Which basically means I'm gonna stand up here and basically with others, let the bully know this is not what we want to have happen on our team, or our community program, or in our classroom. A lot of programs emphasize the role of kids stepping forward and just letting a bully know it's not what we want, it's not how we behave.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's really important because almost anyone can be an upstander. You may not have been a victim, you may not have been a bully, but we've all witnessed it and there's really something that we can do to help. Dr. Poland thank you very much for your advice today and over the years, you've helped us through difficult issues as I know you have for many districts nationwide. So thanks again for taking time with us and for helping us move forward. I wish you the best in everything you're working on.

Dr. Scott Poland:
Thank you, Dr. Godfrey. And it's been my pleasure to work with the Jordan School District and thank you for all your leadership, especially in this important area where we all try to stop bullying in our schools, communities, and in our homes because we know that experiencing bullying over many years is extremely harmful to young people.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you, Dr. Poland.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is the state's largest two year college serving more than 60,000 students, offering 120 areas of study on 10 campuses in Salt Lake County. On this episode of the Supercast, we sit down with Salt Lake Community College President Deneece Huftalin. Find out how the college is making higher education affordable in ways you may have never imagined and how Jordan School District students can benefit from a new Salt Lake Community College campus in Herriman.

We're here at Salt Lake Community College with President Deneece Huftalin. Thank you very much for taking time to talk with us.

Deneece Huftalin:
It is a pleasure to be with you. I'm happy to be here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Since becoming Superintendent, I've had the chance to meet with you on a regular basis, and I've loved seeing your enthusiasm for getting the word out about Salt Lake Community College. And the opportunities that not just high school age students, but people in the community have. The opportunities here to build from wherever they are. And you've just talked about some of the misunderstandings that people have about financing and what's available here. So I just thought it would be great for us to sit down here at the start of the school year and give some information to parents and students about the opportunities that are available through Salt Lake Community College.

Deneece Huftalin:
So I can talk all day. How long? I've got lots of ideas to share with parents and students.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right, let's do it. Let's talk right now. Let's just dive into it. What are some of the financial resources available for students? I know that for a lot of people, that's their first thought when they're thinking about college.

Deneece Huftalin:
So the number one reason students tell us that they don't come to college, or they leave college early, is finance, and so I have several things I want to say. First of all, college is more affordable than most parents think. And that is because I think they get a lot of news, national news about student debt. And most of that debt is driven off of Ivy League, high end, private, liberal arts colleges who have really enormous tuitions. And often students never pay that sticker price anyway. Community College is not that. We do not have outrageous tuition. Our tuition, in fact, we're the lowest in the state for tuition and fees. And if you fill out the FAFSA and you qualify for federal financial aid, what's called a Pell Grant, we actually pay the difference of whatever you don't get through the feds, we will cover through a scholarship.

So for those students that are really maybe in the low, low to mid income brackets, who might qualify for a full Pell Grant, we will cover any difference that there is. So for certain students, college could literally be free. Now, not everybody's gonna qualify for a Pell. And so there are still some other ways that you can finance. So we have lots of scholarships that are available. We have lots of ways that we can help you understand what subsidized loans mean and whether that's the right way for you and your family to go. We're also starting to try to hire more people on campus that are students. So if you have to work, that's okay, but work on campus. Because if you work on campus, you're more likely to graduate. You're more likely to finish faster and probably with a stronger GPA. So the first thing I would say is to parents and students, you can afford SLCC. Make sure you talk to your advisor in high schools to figure out how to do that or come and see us and we’ll help you map that out.

But I would also say, and a lot of people are really worried about filling out the FAFSA for a variety of reasons. Some of them, I understand if you're, if you're a student that's has undocumented status right now, that can be very scary. There are scholarships for students that are undocumented. You don't even have to go to the federal forum. You just come talk to our folks in our dream center, we can help you fill that out. A lot of folks don't want to fill out the FAFSA because they don't want to share their tax information or they can't find their tax information. The IRS is making it easier now to pull that data from your tax right into the FAFSA form. So it's getting simpler and simpler. So before you run away from the FAFSA, which could actually give you free money, really, I want to  just implore parents and students to do it. We leave, as a state, almost $32 million on the table every year of free money that people could use to come to college. So FAFSA is your friend, sit with your college advisor. Most of the high schools now have college access advisors that can help you fill out the FAFSA. And that's just a remarkable resource that is really underutilized. So that's a big thing I wanna say.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me more about the technical credit certificates.

Deneece Huftalin:
Salt Lake Community College has degrees that we offer. So Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degrees. We also have certificates in our technical college. And so within Salt Lake Community College, we have both degrees that help you transfer to another institution and get your bachelor's degree. But we also have short term certificates that are technically focused, like welding or truck driving or diesel mechanics. That tuition is subsidized at a higher rate. So it's much cheaper to do a technical college certificate than it is a degree granting degree, if that makes sense.

Anthony Godfrey:
Just the fact that there are technical college certificates available separate from degrees is a really important point. Because I think there's this misconception that coming to Salt Lake Community College means a step away from trades or away from careers like that. But if you are interested in those careers, the training is really gonna propel you.

Deneece Huftalin:
Yes. And so we are actually, we have always had the technical college embedded at Salt Lake Community College, but I think it's gotten lost in the shuffle a bit. So we've pulled it out this year and we're branding much differently. So Salt Lake Technical College, you're gonna start seeing that. You're gonna hear that on radio. You're gonna see ads. That's us. That's Salt Lake Community College and it's short term, technical credit at a much less expensive price point. For those short term certificates that are really skills based and are gonna get you out in the work world. And what's great about those is you can come and do a six month certificate, get a job, start making money. And then if you decide you wanna come back, many of those will transfer right into like an associate of applied science degree. So you can come back in a year or two and stack some general education onto that. And maybe now you have a degree that maybe helps you get even more upwardly mobile in your career. So students don't recognize that we are that Technical College, but we are, and they can find lots of information on our website.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the other programs offered at Salt Lake Community College that are sometimes overlooked?

Deneece Huftalin:
I think it's not necessarily programs that have been, you know, overlooked. But I want students to understand that we are in the business of helping them discover what they care about. So if you don't know your major, that's okay, come on. You at least know that you love the arts or you love science or you are thinking about business. That's okay. That's as much as you have to intend right now. And then we'll help you refine that over the first, you know, first semester that you're here through lots of different resources.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it's generals with a purpose. With a focus.

Deneece Huftalin:
Yes, exactly. Because what we found out, and this is a big shift to us, Community Colleges, and even some four year institutions, for years had a whole catalog of courses you could take just to explore and figure out what you were passionate about and there's merit to that. Right? There's merit to that kind of wandering and exploring because you take a class that you had no clue you loved. But we also found that students were wandering so long that they were spending money and time and it wasn't tracking into a degree and they started to feel either lost or like they were wasting their time. And in some cases they're wasting financial aid. I would argue you're never wasting anything when you're learning, but I understand you want relevance and you wanna be, you know, you wanna be efficient. So we're trying to help students be much more intentional on the front end. You don't have to zero in on the exact program, but we want you to at least get a little intentional about one of those major areas of study.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you wander with intent a little bit.

Deneece Huftalin:
I love that. That's a good way to say it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back more with President Huftalin and how your student can benefit from a brand new Salt Lake Community College campus right here in Jordan District located in Herriman.

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.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the ways that Salt Lake Community College is expanding?

Deneece Huftalin:
Yes. Love that question. So I would say two things. One is that we are what we call an emerging Hispanic serving institution. And what that means is nationally, the federal government designates certain higher ed institutions as Hispanic serving. And they do that when your student body becomes 25% or higher Hispanic or Latinx, we are at about 23% right now. And so what, what that means for us is that we have to pay attention to that demographic. And we have to look at the services and the curriculum and the way we do our business and do it with a lens towards serving Hispanic or Latinx students in a successful way. If that makes sense. So we're emerging. We haven't earned that designation yet, but we are expanding our thinking and our programs and our services to be a more welcoming student body, a more welcoming classroom environment for Latinx students. So, we're not really expanding, but we're expanding our thinking, right? And in our service.

The other way we're physically expanding is our Herriman campus. And this one, I could just jump up and down for joy about that.

Anthony Godfrey:
We’re excited about that. Very excited.

Deneece Huftalin:
So if you haven't been to Herriman, and many of you are right there, that's coming out of the ground right now. A building that will open in next August 2023, we’ll be ready for students.

Anthony Godfrey:
Amazing.

Deneece Huftalin:
It's a building that's going to house both Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah. Right in the same building. So students can come right from high school, do their associate degree with us, walk across the hall, do their bachelor's degree. Never leave that Southwest quadrant, right? Save time, save money, save gas, all of that. So we're thrilled about that. And we want you to watch for that, especially those of you that are in Herriman high schools. We're gonna be out and about this fall and early spring, we have some exciting scholarships that are gonna be available for Herriman high school students to come to that campus. We've got scholarships that are intended for students that live in that area that have some college, but they never finished their degree. And we're gonna say with some financial help come back and we're gonna help you. Whether it's the U or us, we're gonna help you finish. So that's really exciting. And we're right across from the Monarch stadium and where Monarch plays, the Real Academy. It's a beautiful building. We have 90 acres on that campus, so we're gonna grow even more over time down there. But I just think it's really exciting and we're happy to have a pipeline for all those amazing students that you have in your high schools. And we want 'em to come to us and to the U.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a thrill to have you coming to the neighborhood. And to have that partnership with the University of Utah. You can start at Salt Lake Community College and you can move to trades, to a university. There are all kinds of places you can go with this as your launching pad.

Deneece Huftalin:
Yeah. I cannot say that enough. A lot of students think of us in one way. And what I wanna say is you can have a six month certificate here. You can have a two year degree here. You can go a lot of different ways by starting at Salt Lake Community College.

I was just last night, I ran into a restaurant quick, and I ran into one of our students and she was just thrilled. She was in her second year here. She didn't know what she wanted to study. She came to Salt Lake Community College last year. She figured it out. She's on track to transfer to the U next year. And she couldn't be happier, but she just had that kind of support. We have small classes. We have faculty that are amazing. I think for many students, we are a high quality college, but we are maybe a little less intimidating than some of the four year universities. And so for some students that have a little, maybe aren't as academically confident as they should be, because they're brilliant we'll help 'em get their start.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love that. And being out in the Southwest quadrant is really gonna make a difference. Location means a ton because it is intimidating to think about going this far away and trying to work, and manage a family, whatever else is going on in your life. So we love that you're coming out to our neck of the woods.

Deneece Huftalin:
Yeah. We realized about, well probably five, six, maybe longer years ago, we had a consultant come in and say, how are you serving the Salt Lake county? You know, are you doing what you should be doing? And what they told us back then was that we were not representing the Northwest quadrant very well. And we weren't representing the Southwest quadrant. And that was a lot of growth. So we put our sites on Herriman years ago and to just see that coming out of the ground, and see that starting to really happen after so many years of planning, I'm so excited.

Anthony Godfrey:

I know it's been talked about for a long time and it's pretty amazing to me that it's happening in a year that it starts. It's great. You've spoken to this a little bit, but what are some of the misconceptions out there about Salt Lake Community College that you'd like to correct?

Deneece Huftalin:
Yes. I think we've kind of alluded to some of them, but the first one I would say is that you can afford college. One of the things I didn't mention earlier, which is really important, is we've kept our tuition down. We've strengthened our scholarships. We will help you fill out the FAFSA. So tuition and fees we've really focused on, but a lot of students then have to buy textbooks when they go into their classes. And the other thing we've done is many of our general education classes, that most students have to take, we've removed textbooks from the curriculum. We do what's called Open Education Resources. So these are public domain, high quality textbooks. So a student pays $5 instead of $250 at the bookstore and has access to all the materials for the class. So in and of itself, in addition to lowering tuition, now you don't have another bill at the bookstore, right?

So there's all these other levers that we're trying to pull. We have childcare vouchers to try to keep childcare costs down. We have free transportation on UTA and the Frontrunner to try to keep transportation costs down. So we are really trying to think about all of the other costs that, you know, really start to add up for students and try to remove those barriers. So that's a misconception. I think that you can't afford it.

And the other thing is, you already mentioned it is that we are one thing, right? You come to Salt Lake Community to get an associate degree. No, you can come and get a six month technical certificate. You can come and get a one year certificate that could then stack into a degree. You can come and get a two year degree and go on to the U or Weber or UVU or wherever you wanna go for your baccalaureate degree. So there's a lot of ways that you can go in terms of your learning and your career.

And then the third thing I would say is that while we do have a lot of students, well, we have all of our students commute. We don't have student housing, yet. We're working on that. But there is a sense of student life here. Like if you're looking for a collegiate experience, right. And you think you can only get that by going to the U or going to Weber. You know, I would argue that our student leaders who are planning events, we have clubs that are very vibrant, very engaged. We have short term study abroad trips that students can afford and can go on. So some of those things that you think about for a typical four year environment, you can find here. It's not just a commuter school where you come and go, you can really get engaged. Our athletic programs are amazing. They always do phenomenal work. They number one in many, many ways. Our basketball team is great. Our soccer team was national champion. So if you want that kind of, you know, collegiate experience, quote unquote, we have that to offer. And a lot of students don't know that.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's great. Tell me about your background and your journey to becoming president of Salt Lake Community College.

Deneece Huftalin:
Well, my background is in student affairs. So when I went to the University of Utah as an undergraduate and I graduated in what was called Organizational Communication. Which really just meant that I was studying, you know, communication in businesses and industry. And it was really a degree that let me go lots of different places. And it happened that when I graduated from the U, I moved to California and I got a job at Stanford in the admissions office. And it was really just an entry level, you know, fun place to work. But what I realized there was that you could actually make a career working on college campuses. I'd never thought about that before. And I loved my college experience and I loved that time of life where you're kind of figuring out who you are and you're being exposed to new ideas and, you know, new ways of thinking.

So I ended up finding student affairs at the higher ed level as kind of a career path. I landed here at Salt Lake Community College in student affairs more than 30 years ago, actually. I'd been around in California and Illinois and I came back to Utah. So I really grew up at Salt Lake Community College. I was mostly in student affairs, loved it. And then eventually became the vice president and really was quite happy working with students. I loved students. But the presidency became open. And I was encouraged to apply by some people that I really admired and trusted. And I've loved it. I'm in my ninth year now as president. And it's just a, I guess I feel honored to be part of this environment and it's fun to represent this environment and it's just fun to see the change and the trajectory that we can play as part of someone's journey. It's cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you're passionate enthusiasm for students and college life and education just shines through every time I see you. So thank you. It's exciting to get to talk with you about it. Any last thoughts for parents and students?

Deneece Huftalin:
I would just say if you're a parent and you have questions, do not hesitate to call or come to a campus and go walk up to one of our information centers and say, I'd love to talk to someone in your admissions office, or I'd love to hear from someone in your advising office. We have really remarkable staff who can answer a lot of questions. And I feel like students and parents often don't take advantage of those resources. So don't stay at home wondering what you should do, come and talk to us and we'll help you get on the right path.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, and congratulations on being so intentional about taking those barriers down to admission and, and making a path forward for people who maybe didn't think this was for them. So thank you for everything you're doing to support our district and our students and families.

Deneece Huftalin:
Oh, it's my pleasure. We love our partnership and we're gonna do even more. So stay tuned, watch for what we can do for Herriman high school and the scholarships.

Anthony Godfrey:
Exciting things are ahead. Thanks again, President Huftalin.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. A fun new campaign that focuses on kids being kind to one another is taking off at Midas Creek Elementary School. On this episode of the Supercast, we find out what “Rockin’ and Rollin’ with Kindness'' is all about and how the music themed campaign is creating lots of kindness rock stars at the school. The campaign kickoff involved a concert of course, and I was invited to DJ. You're about to find out how I did.

We are here with Principal Megan Cox at Midas Creek Elementary. “Rockin and Rollin with Kindness”, that's the program. How are you?

Megan Cox:
Yeah. Doing well, doing great this year.

Anthony Godfrey:
So tell me about this program.

Megan Cox:
Yeah, so every year we like to focus on kindness. And so I asked my teachers what sort of thing we wanted to do, and they wanted to go with a rock and roll theme. So we pulled our PTA in and they helped us make the magic happen. So our whole school is decked out in rock and roll through the genres and the decades. And we just kind of pull it into everything that we do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, your faculty and your PTA are obviously fabulous because there's some incredible decorations through there. When you guys do a theme, you really do a theme.

Megan Cox:
Yes. Yeah. We don't go small. We go big. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
You went big. There are inflated guitars and like the flying V guitar and bands that kids need to know about. I saw a poster of the Ramones. Too many people wear a Ramone shirt. They do not even know who they are. Now the children will know.

Megan Cox:
They will know. They will know the good bands of all generations.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the focus on kindness over the years.

Megan Cox:
Yeah, so we have teachers nominate two kids every month who are being kind in the classroom, or out of the classroom, and kids can nominate each other. And then they get an award. Every month I come over the Intercom and we celebrate every child in every grade for the kind things that they're doing. I announce why they were chosen and they get to come down and they get a certificate, get their picture taken. And then we post that picture all month long. Until the next group is chosen.

Anthony Godfrey:
The things that get focused on by the school, by PTA, by faculty, and by you as the principal are the things that kids understand to be important. And I love that you have emphasized kindness. By the time the student has gone through seven years at Midas Creek, the message should have sunk in and really be a part of who they are day to day. That they're kind to each other.

Megan Cox:
Yeah. And our sixth graders, we choose student leaders, the classes choose the leaders every year, and they get to come up with a mission of what they would like to do. And so our last few years they wanted to include buddy benches. So we raised money as a school and we have buddy benches at our playground so that the kids can sit there and find friends and look for people that need a friend. And they do our announcements every day and they share a quote about kindness to the whole school. So that it really is a big message here that we're trying to have these kids really take on and help other kids at our school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. I love that. We really have to create an environment where everyone's looking out for each other. Everyone feels like they belong and everyone's connected, because I think it prevents all kinds of problems, but it also helps with learning. That's really the ultimate focus is that when you're kind to each other, then you create an environment where learning can happen. Now tell me about the themes over the years.

Megan Cox:
So last year we did a Harry Potter theme, which was so much fun. We had kindness keepers, so they were part of the Quidditch team. And that was their monthly thing that they had, which was great. And our school was Hogwarts last year, everyone was divided up into houses and earning points by being kind. So it really was a big fun theme last year. And then the year previous we did, “We could all use s’more kindness”, and it was a camping theme and everything was tied into camping. And we had, you know, picnics and camp outs and whatnot during the school day that the kids could earn. And all of it is just surrounding kindness.

Anthony Godfrey:
Camp kindness. I like it. There you go. Very nice. Well, I have to say those are great themes, but this is my favorite.

Megan Cox:
Yeah. I knew you would like it.

Anthony Godfrey:
So thank you for inviting me to help DJ today. The kids have been looking forward to today I'm sure.

Megan Cox:
Yeah. We announced it and they are so excited to have the music, have you here. And then we have our PTA fundraiser that we are gonna be doing in September. And all of that's gonna be rocking and rolling with a color run and it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, on my way back to the car, I'm going to have to walk through every hall to see all of the decorations. I saw Queen, Nirvana, the Ramones, Soul Train, lots of great stuff up there. And it's an opportunity to get the kids' attention. There's no avoiding it. There's no avoiding the theme of kindness. And that's exactly how we want it, so great job.

Megan Cox:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
It feels good. It feels right. You guys are doing great, but you know what? This time you need to be so loud that their microphones can't handle it. You need to blow out those speakers. Are you ready?

Students singing along with YMCA.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with the student body officers from two of our sixth grade classes here at Midas Creek Elementary, introduce yourselves.

Kiptyn:
I'm Kiptyn.

Ella:
And I'm Ella.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how long have you been at Midas Creek?

Kiptyn:
Four years.

Anthony Godfrey:
Four years.

Ella:
Since kindergarten,

Anthony Godfrey:
Since kindergarten. So this is year seven for you and you've seen the kindness themes over the years. Are you excited for this year's theme?

Ella:
Definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a launch to a great theme. So “Rockin’ and Rollin’ with Kindness''. What does that mean for you?

Ella:
It just means that just everybody should just be kind.

Anthony Godfrey:
And do you remember the themes from in the past?

Ella:
I only remember last year's.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what was last year's theme?

Ella:
Kindness keepers.

Anthony Godfrey:
Kindness keepers. So when you hear this theme, does it kind of remind you to treat people well?

Ella:
Yes, definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, good. That's great. And how about for you? What does this thing mean to you?

Kiptyn:
Kind of the same as her, like, just to be kind to each other.

Anthony Godfrey:
You did to show kindness, especially last year with the point system.

Ella:
You can, there's this thing called a buddy bench, and if someone's sitting there you can go over and see if they're okay and ask them to play with you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. That's great. What else?

Kiptyn:
I've just been trying to like ask teachers if they need help with anything.

Anthony Godfrey:
So asking teachers for help, making sure people have a friend. That's great. And it sounds like you have amazing examples in teachers, in the PTA who are really supportive.

Kiptyn:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
What have you been looking forward to this year?

Ella:
This actually, just trying to be an officer for Midas Creek.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what's involved with being a student body officer here at Midas Creek?

Kiptyn:
One thing we get to do is we get to walk kindergartners to the bus at the end of the day.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh. So you get to help other students out? That's part of the “Rockin’ and Rollin’ with Kindness''. What are some of the other things that you get to do as a sixth grade student body officer?

Ella:
We also get to talk during assemblies and do the morning announcements.

Anthony Godfrey:
Ah, the morning announcements. Well, it's an awesome day to be at Midas Creek. Isn't it?

Kiptyn:
It is really awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Well, you guys have a great year and enjoy your last year of elementary before you head to middle school.

Ella:
Thank you.

Kiptyn:
We will.

3, 2, 1. Here we go.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, we'll talk to the rock star teacher behind the kindness campaign.

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.

Students singing along with YMCA.

DJ:
Yes! Oh, wait. Sorry. I didn't quite get that. Could you really help Miss Cassie out please? Where am I going? Oh, is that right? Oh my goodness Ms. Anderson, these kids are teaching me a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking with Kaila Anderson, teacher at Midas Creek. Fifth grade teacher.

Kaila Anderson:
Yes, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about this “Rockin’ and Rollin’ with Kindness'' program.

Kaila Anderson:
We are super excited for it. We are gonna be able to have students each month who are kindness rock stars. And so we're going to be like highlighting them. I already have kids like, ‘am I gonna be one?’ I'm like, ‘you have to show me. We'll see.’ It’s a little competitive I can tell already. They're really excited.

Anthony Godfrey:
The kindness rockstar. That's a catchy name that makes me wanna be part of it. I think I'm ineligible, but I still, you know.

Kaila Anderson:
I don’t know, maybe if you're in my class. Come in a few days, I’ll decide.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'll stop in a few days. Okay. It's a high bar. You've got some great kids. We were just dancing out there. They've been looking forward to this.

Kaila Anderson:
Oh my gosh, yeah. They were like dancing on the way back to our classroom. They were just so excited. They were not ready to be done.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love the rock and roll theme. Where did that come from?

Kaila Anderson:
We actually voted on it as a faculty, which was super fun. And so there was a couple different ideas, but this one like won by a lot, like a landslide. Everyone was super excited. They've done a great job decorating the school so the kids have gotten part of it too. So it's been great.

Anthony Godfrey:
They've done an amazing job decorating the school. I've never seen the school more all in on a theme. It is top to bottom and the kids are gonna learn about some great bands too.

Kaila Anderson:
Oh yeah. It'll be fun to kind of see how we incorporate it in the classroom as well. So, like I was just even thinking about summarizing or inferencing and how you could use songs to do that. Be able to like introduce some of these rock and roll songs and see how they are able to like summarize it in a sentence. Right. So it'll be fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. No, that's great. Well, music is everywhere. And what's funny is listening to kids sing along with songs from a very long time ago. From the 1900s. And yet they still connect to some of those oldies. Yeah. Well, that's fun. Tell me what you've been looking forward to this year.

Kaila Anderson:
Well, me and one of my team teachers decided to departmentalize. So, I am teaching just literacy and writing, and she's teaching math and social studies and then we have a science teacher. I'm super excited for that because it's been really fun to kind of really focus on one subject and really work with the kids. And work with more kids, because I have two classes instead of just one. And so I'm getting to know more of the kids. I'm able to try different tactics that is kind of hard to do when you have all the subjects that you're trying to focus on. And so it's been really fun to like hone in and really get good and get them excited to read and be better readers.

Anthony Godfrey:
It also adds another caring adult in their lives, which creates an environment where they can learn anything.

Kaila Anderson:
Yes. I totally agree. I think classrooms really work when there's relationships, right? And so like you kind of get those feelings and those connections with music, but then when you have that caring adults as well, like it's even more concrete. And so I think that can just bring a lot of power.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I love the creativity and enthusiasm you've brought to this. Everyone's on board. It's been such a fun day and congratulations on a wonderful start to the year.

Kaila Anderson:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks again.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a course management system that supports students and teachers in and out of the classroom, allowing educators to post grades information and assignments online. And, it helps parents be part of the process. On this episode of the Supercast, we explore the most frequently asked questions regarding Canvas. We share some tips for students and parents on how to avoid problems and find success with course content using Canvas.

We're here with Ross Rogers, one of our Digital Learning specialists to talk about Canvas. Ross, thanks for taking the time.

Ross Rogers:
Thank you for inviting me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Canvas is something that we all became very familiar with very quickly in the spring of 2020, when everyone was thrust into virtual learning. And since then it's continued to be a part of what most teachers use to track grades and submit assignments. Notice that I said submit assignments instead of turn in assignments, because now they can be submitted virtually. So I'd just like to talk with you about what parents should know to make the most of Canvas. I know that one thing that we talked about in a previous Supercast episode is the difference between Skyward and Canvas. So can you start by just addressing that? And then let's get into some of some of the tricks of the trade when working with Canvas.

Ross Rogers:
Okay. So there are two different software programs of district supports. Skyward is our official SIS, which is our Student Information System. And that's where all of our financials are, registration takes place, and our official grade book of the District. Canvas is an LMS or a Learning Management System. And that is a tool that we provide for teachers to put their lessons online. So basically, they can create a lesson in there. They can create quizzes. They can put all of their teaching documents up there. Put videos. post online videos where they're just live virtual office hours, that they can do to support the students in their learning. And part of Canvas, there is a grade program that isn't the official grade book, but we utilize it to sync the grades from Canvas to Skyward.

Anthony Godfrey:
So Canvas as the learning management system allows teachers to create really, generally, two types of assignments. An assignment that's automatically graded as the student submits it, a quiz or a test or something like that. Also, it allows students to submit other projects that the teacher would have to grade. What happens with projects that need to be graded by the teacher? How does that show up in Canvas? And when does it get transferred over to Skyward?

Ross Rogers:
So when an assignment comes in that the teacher actually has to physically grade, it comes into the grade book and it puts like a little paper in the gradebook column under that that says it's been submitted.

Anthony Godfrey:
So a little icon.

Ross Rogers:
Little icon.

Anthony Godfrey:
So as Friday approaches and parents are checking Canvas to be sure that their child gets weekend privileges because they turned everything in, that page icon is what they're looking for.

Ross Rogers:
Correct. That little icon. If it's a dash, that means nothing's been submitted. If there's an icon there it's been submitted and waiting for the teacher to grade it. If there's a score there, the teacher's graded it and returned it to the student.

Anthony Godfrey:
Long gone are the handwritten report cards that I received in eighth grade where if you had a grade you didn't like, a minus could become a plus, and an F could become an A with a little penmanship. That was what we called Photoshop in the 1900s. But Canvas is different from those handwritten report cards. Canvas shows what's been submitted, shows what's been graded, but it's not the official grade book. And tell me the difference between being a Learning Management System and the ultimate grade book.

Ross Rogers:
So where Canvas is the operations of the program. Anything that's submitted in Canvas is what the teacher has graded, but when it converts to Skyward, the official grade book, that's where teachers can actually weight a score.

Anthony Godfrey:
And the Waiting is the Hardest Part as Tom Petty has told us.

Ross Rogers:
It's really about, you know, a final exam and I want this final exam to count for a larger percentage of the grade. And that's what weighting is. And so in Skyward, the teacher can go in and change that. So that's the reason why when parents and students look at the Canvas grade book compared to Skyward, and they're like, well, why is this score different? It's because of the weighting and how the teacher wanted to set that up. And that's why we always say the Canvas grade book is not the official grade book. It is only there for you to see what hasn't been submitted, what has been submitted and what has been graded.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that's one point of confusion perhaps that parents and students might have is that, ‘Hey, everything looks good in Canvas, but now I get into Skyward and my grade isn't what I thought it would be.’ And it's that weighting of grades and the emphasis on the outcomes of certain assignments or tests or quizzes, as opposed to others being a bigger part of the grade.

Ross Rogers:
Well, and lots of subjects, I mean, you look at different subjects. Math can be something that can sometimes be easily graded. But other times, when they're looking at the way that they're doing, sometimes it's like, I wanna see the procedures that you're using. And that's what's being graded. That has to be looked at by the teacher. Language arts, their writing, that has to be looked at by the teacher. So sometimes it takes longer.

Anthony Godfrey:
Exactly. Now you and other members of the team were the unsung, backstage heroes of getting us through all of that virtual learning. You really did an incredible job. Jumped in, helped lots of teachers and parents and students who had never done this before, understand how to learn virtually. And as much as it was emergency learning, I think things went as well as they could. And it's in large part because you and other members of the team worked so hard to provide great support.

Ross Rogers:
It was long hours, but it was what we needed to do to get the students and the teachers and even parents. Because believe me, our phones were ringing from morning until evening.

Anthony Godfrey:
I remember.

Ross Rogers:
And we took the calls all night long because people were struggling and you know, what do you do? You want to help solve that problem so that they're not frustrated. But it was a lot of work. It was our boss back at that time, we have a new boss now, who was forward thinking and saying, ‘we've got to start thinking about this blended learning.’ And so we actually had a jumpstart and had a whole bunch of these things ready, just waiting to get the go ahead. And then we got the go ahead really fast.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, the state of Utah invested in Canvas a long time ago, and it's made available through the state for each student.

Ross Rogers:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
And, as a District, we had put structure in place to make the most of that.

Stay with us. When we come back more with Ross Rogers, our Digital Learning Specialist.

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.

Anthony Godfrey:
You've talked about the weighting of grades from Canvas to Skyward as one point of confusion. What are some of the other misunderstandings or points of confusion that you've heard about or experienced over the last couple of years?

Ross Rogers:
One that we're trying to get fixed right now is parents having their own account. Parents technically should not be logging into Canvas through their student account. It's a violation of the Student Agreement Policy. And so they sign it when they register their kids for Skyward, that they're not going to share their username or password with anyone, and that includes the parents. The parents have access to get their own account on Skyward. And when they do that, all they have to do is get the Observer Code from their student.

There are directions, step by step with pictures, on how to do that on our digitallearning.jordandistrict.org page, and they can get their own account. When a parent gets their own account, they see everything that the student sees. The only thing that's missing is they don't have the submit button on the assignments. They can't do the work for the students, but they can download every worksheet. They can read everything, they can email the teacher, they have full access to everything. They can see the grade book, they can see what's been submitted. So basically, as a parent having an observer account, they can see everything the student can. And they can stay on top and help that student navigate each week, in a weekly meeting with their students of what do we need to do to be prepared? How are we doing our homework? And so having that observer account is really a positive thing.

You can have it for every student that you have with just one account. You just have to get an access code for each of those students. And then it's a one time event. Once you do it with one student, you have it until they graduate. It just continues with them. And last year’s teachers and classes drop off and the next year, the new classes join in and you're already set up ready to go. And for our families that have separate parents, like me, a divorced father, I can have access to it and my ex-wife can have access to it.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that observer code allows you all of the access, but it still gives the student full responsibility for their account. Which is really why we're so careful about password security internally as well. Employees are not supposed to share with each other.

Ross Rogers:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're not supposed to share with your Administrative Assistant or anyone else because then you have sole responsibility for that account. And I would assume that that's the reason for making sure students don't share that password. So if something does happen, we know that's their work that they submitted and that they have responsibility for everything that happens.

Ross Rogers:
We want to get back to the area where the student is responsible for what they're doing. And one of those things is not sharing passwords. Even though you're the parent, and this is my child, it's part of that digital citizenship that we're trying to teach. You know, parents, you have your access to Skyward. The student has their access to Skyward. And we need to keep those separate because we're trying to teach that digital responsibility.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's a skill that will be important throughout their lives. So what are some of the other tips and tricks for parents to make the most of Canvas?

Ross Rogers:
Once you give access to Canvas, it gives you a tool to help your students by having that, you know, meeting. Whether you're at the dinner table on Sunday night, and you have previously gone through and looked at the schedules of your student’s classes, you know what’s due that week and having that conversation. So how are you doing in school? What things do you have to do? And, you know, it's a way of saying, you know, that student says, well, I don't have anything I'm good this week. I can go play. I can go do whatever I want. And if you have that access, you are now have that tool. You are prepared to talk to that student and say, well, what about this language arts assignment? I saw that it's due here. Well, how do you know that? Well, because I have access. And so what it does is it helps the student know, well, if mom and dad know behind the scene, there's no more hiding that. It just lets the student and the parent be on the same page, lets that student know, mom and dad are here to help me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Well, I love how it makes us a better resource to parents and it connects us to parents and it allows parents to connect with us. And the way that you described Skyward has always been a chance to peek into the grade book. But Canvas is a chance to peek into the class. I think they're both important components of staying connected with what's happening in school. And like you described, it's not necessarily deception. It's just forgetfulness. I'll talk to my son and say, ‘do you have any homework?’ ‘No, no. I'm all caught up.’ So then we look it up. It's like, ‘oh yeah, there was that one thing.’

Ross Rogers:
They're busy too.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's good to have backup. No, believe me. It's good to have backup.

Ross Rogers:
Yeah. And so one of the things that goes along with creating an account for a parent is they have an option to go into the settings and put a profile picture on it. So, when you're communicating with that teacher, that teacher would love to know who they're talking to. Sometimes, if you've never met that teacher, they don't know who you are, but if you communicate with them through Canvas and your picture is there, then when you do come in the building, they know who you are and they make that connection immediately. So I always encourage parents to go into the settings, and they can put a picture up. They can also go in and set up notifications. So when do announcements come? When do due dates come? Do they come immediately, or all at once at the end of the day, or all at once at the end of the week? And they set that up. And so I let parents know that because sometimes parents will go in and create an observer account and they're like, oh my gosh, I'm getting bombarded with all the stuff because they haven't gone in and set things up.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is the default initially to receive all of that information and you can scale it back, or do you need to go in and select when you want the notifications?

Ross Rogers:
It’s usually all on.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to turn it off, okay. So rather than just disconnecting from Canvas entirely, go in and customize your experience. So you're getting the information you want. I love the idea of a picture. It just creates a better connection.

Ross Rogers:
It does. So that when you do walk into the school, the teacher recognizes you because they've been having a conversation for, you know, however long it has been. So that's something that I always tell people to do also. Then also on that page, the digitallearning.jordandistrict.org which is our website for digital learning, under the Big Six category, we have a link for Canvas for education. And we have on that page guides and they're made by Canvas. So we have parent guides, and we have student guides that literally walk you through how to do everything in Canvas. You want to learn how to submit a picture in an assignment? It shows you with pictures of all the steps. So it tells from a parent perspective how to do this, and from the student perspective.

So not only is it the parent reaching out for help, but now the parent can go in and learn how the student does it to help that student submit maybe a more unique assignment because you can do things differently. You don't have to do everything like we did in the old days, paper and pencil. And Canvas allows it so that, you know, yeah, you can do the old paper, pencil styles and upload that assignment, but you can also do a video. You can also just do an audio review. You can submit something from Canva that you've designed. There's just so many different facets of an assignment that you can do now. And these guides help you learn how to do all those different types of activities.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, a lot of options and a lot of chances for parents and students to stay on top of what's happening in the class and be connected to it. Any other thoughts that you have for parents or advice for using Canvas effectively?

Ross Rogers:
Yes. So one of the other tools that we use here in Jordan District is Google. We are a Google district and Google Drive works hand in hand with Canvas. So much so that people sometimes get confused about what Canvas is because, well, the assignment was on Google Drive because they did the assignment in a Google Doc, but they still have to submit it. And that's through Canvas.

Well, the issue that we have is in Jordan, we issue every student a Chromebook to use. Sometimes the Chromebook is dead by the time they get home and they never get that power supply out and plug it in. So they go to mom's computer and they sign into Canvas. And when they do that, mom is signed into their browser to the Canvas browser. So it has her personal account there. And when they sign into Canvas, it connects the student to the mom's Google account. So now they go into that assignment and they click on that assignment and it says, make a copy of this Google assignment. And it says you don't have access, request access. And then they come back the next day in school, they're on their Chromebook and nothing is working. They can't, it's asking everything to be reconnected because they're still connected to moms Gmail account from signing in on the home computer.

The way that you fix that is in most courses, we have told teachers to please turn this on. You go to the Google Drive in the course menu. And once you click on Google Drive, on the right hand side of the screen, you'll see either the picture that they've uploaded of themselves or the initials of whoever's account is logged in on that Google Drive. And they click on it and they can see, is it their district email address or is it mom or dad? And then they can log out at that point and then log back in and it will automatically pick up their district email if they're on their Chromebook and sign them into the correct account. And that's how you fix that. That is probably the number one problem that we see with students is the Google Drive issue.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you very much Ross for taking the time. And as I said, thank you for your support through the last two and a half years and all the hard work you and other members of the team have done to just make this go as smoothly as possible. And now we're in a new era. Now we're in a new era where Canvas is a vital part of what we do. And so thank you for taking the time to help us make the most of it.

Ross Rogers:
You're welcome.

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