Supercast

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are thinking outside the box, looking beyond the typical classroom to give students a hands-on learning experience. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Riverton Elementary School, where they are growing young minds using an outdoor garden. Find out how it works and why students can't get enough of what has truly become an outdoor classroom.

We’re here with Katie Fuller, the PTA President. Katie, what has PTA's involvement been in this outdoor classroom?

Katie Fuller:
Well, about two and a half years ago, actually three years ago now, my little brother came to me. His daughter had started school here and I was involved in PTA and he helped plant this space when he was a student here. And he said, ‘it's really not been taken care of these last few years and it needs some help. And what can you as a PTA do?’ And so we got involved in cleaning up the space and kind of renewing and refreshing and starting to take care of it again after it had kind of been neglected for a couple of years.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. And has your brother been out to see it since it's been spruced up?

Katie Fuller:
He has, he actually came.

Anthony Godfrey:
I don't know if there is spruce. Can I say that it's spruced up? Since it's been Oaked up or Aspened up? I don't know. Okay. We'll get to that. We'll get to that.

Katie Fuller:
He came out and helped with one of our cleanup activities and we've had probably about a hundred volunteers come out and help with cleanup. We've had some community involvement from different businesses that have been willing to help us. And we've worked with the forest department to get some new trees and just really worked hard to get it cleaned back up. And we're grateful we have this space. It's really an unusual thing. I think for an elementary school to have something like this.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's gorgeous. I love it. And I love that PTA has jumped in as PTA does to help where you see the need. I'm on the state executive board for PTA. I love PTA and I love that you've been involved in this now. I was at a great community night that you put on, that the PTA put on, food trucks and everything. And part of that was also celebrating 25 years. Ish I saw the ish after the 25 years. 

Katie Fuller:
COVID kinda messed up our timeline. Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
25 or so. But it's been here for a long time and it's really exciting to see it receive some love and attention that it needed. So thank you for making that possible. Over a hundred volunteers. And what did you hear from people as they were part of this?

Katie Fuller:
Mostly that they were amazed at what was here. A lot of people I think, are not aware of this, even our students. The first time I walked out here and was coming out to just kind of see how things looked, I had several students approach me and tell me they thought the space was haunted and that I should stay out.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, there's always that possibility, I suppose.

Katie Fuller:
So I think there were some students who just were not familiar with it. And I think even more so the parents. The parents who have come out have just been awestruck by what a large space it is first of all. And then just how beautiful and quiet it is. Even when their classes playing at recess, it's quiet and peaceful here.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is quiet and peaceful. And I was telling the kids I've been here just a few minutes and I already feel better. It's really secluded, surprisingly secluded for an elementary playground. It's the power of nature. That's for sure. Yeah. Well, thank you again for everything you've done to make it what it is right now. Katie Fuller:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with Jeran Farley with Forestry, Fire and State Lands, and his division has been very instrumental in making this possible as well. Tell me about your involvement.

Jeran Farley:
Okay. So I'm the Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator, and as part of that position we distribute grants. Most of them are funds that we receive from the forest service. We distribute grants for communities and also for schools for urban forestry projects. We started a new grant last year specifically geared towards outdoor classrooms. And the first school that actually applied was Riverton Elementary. So I was able to work with Katie and other members of the PTA. They applied for this grant and they already had this space existing, which was great. So we were able to focus on granting money for materials, outdoor educational materials, which they have now in the shed. So now kids can come out and use these materials and actually utilize this space and learn in it and they can study the leaves. They can study the insects and the birds and all the things that are out here. Additionally, we are able to use some more of that funding to add an additional 10 or so trees to the space.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it's a beautiful space and all the trees you added make a difference because it feels very secluded. And you really can't tell, it's kind of a magical forest because as you walk up, you don't imagine that there's so much space in here. And that there are tables and chairs or benches, and that there are paths through here, because the trees just kind of set it apart from the rest of the property. Now you had a planting day at the end of last year I understand.

Jeran Farley:
It's one of the last weeks of school last year, 2021. And we had Tree Utah come out and help us plant the trees. We had all of the kids in the entire school come out class by class and assisted in planting all the trees. They learned their names and they just, it was kind of almost a field day type of experience. It was just so much fun for me to see all the kids participating and learning the proper way to plant a tree. It was a great experience.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I think you've planted some enthusiasm in kids for nature and for understanding the world around them at a deeper level. We have a shed full of material here. Now the shed itself is new as well. Correct?

Jeran Farley:
That is correct. Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, walk me through some of what we've got here. Oh, we've got an emergency supply of sidewalk chalk. If anyone needs sidewalk chalk in a pinch, we are well stocked here. This is awesome. You've really thought this through.

Katie Fuller:
So our outdoor classroom chairperson and our group as a PTA have worked together. We wanted some flexible seating. So we got these five gallon buckets with lids for the students to be able to sit on and they can spread out throughout the outdoor classroom or move around in small groups. However, the teacher wants them to be able to interact. And we have a teacher bucket that has supplies that they might need. So scissors, a little emergency kit, anything you can think of that they might need. We've got glue scissors, pencils, measuring tapes, colored pencils. So the idea is to not have to cart everything out from the building. That it's all right here for the teachers to use when they need it. Clipboards. We recently had Walmart just donated tons and tons of seeds. So we're trying to decide how we want to use those with our students and let them kind of experience growing some great plants. We've got magnifying glasses and rulers and just lots of materials for them to be able to use and enjoy the space and be creative in how they work in the outdoor classroom.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. I love that. You've made it a lot easier and more user friendly because you walk out here and it's all right here waiting for you. Lots of wild bird feed too. I've heard, I can't identify them by any stretch, but I've heard four or five different birds at least out there.

Katie Fuller:
We have some blue jays and some crows that like to hang out. I know those are some of our residents out there.

Anthony Godfrey:
The crow really wanted to be a guest on the podcast, there's no question about that. I'm just really overwhelmed at this. This is such an immersive environment for kids to learn in and it's the deep type of learning that we're always looking for. The type of learning that sticks because it's, it's all around them.

Katie Fuller:
Yeah. We were lucky our outdoor classroom coordinator is a former teacher and so she had the insights into what would be useful for curriculum and for the things that we're doing in the outdoor classroom space.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is fantastic.

Katie Fuller:
We also have a box of books for teachers to use that are nature based and social, emotional learning based. So it's a great space for them to enjoy those books together as a class.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's wonderful. What a great experience for everyone. Can you talk me through some of the trees that were planted this last time around?

Jeran Farley:
So I wanted to focus on trees that had differences in say their leaves and their seeds so that kids could look and see maybe those are pinnate leaves or those have leaflets. Those have acorns, those have samaras, those have needles, just so that they could go around and identify all kinds of different types of trees. Because there's so many different varieties out there. And oftentimes in our urban environments, we have what's called a monoculture. We have just one or two types of trees throughout towns. And so I think learning tree species diversity is very important. Learning that there's so many different kinds of trees out there and giving them the experience to see those.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me more about the Urban and Community Forestry. Is that the term that you used? Tell me more about what that involves.

Jeran Farley:
Okay. Urban Forestry is basically, it's a lot. It's pretty similar to somebody who works out in the forest, a forester, however, it's in an urban environment. But they do the same kind of things. They're stewards for the trees. They maintain them. They make sure that they have proper health. They do pruning. And then, like I say they make sure that they get the right tree in the right place.

Anthony Godfrey:
The right tree in the right place. What goes into a decision like that?

Jeran Farley:
Well, in our urban environments, there's often, there's so many different microclimates. You've got areas where you've got pavement, where you've got reflective heat. So there's certain trees that can't tolerate that kind of heat coming up from the sidewalk. So you've gotta look at trees that can handle radiant heat. You've got different wind environments, you've got pollution, you've got small spaces, you've got power lines. There's trees that can fit in all these different places. But you've got to know how big your tree's gonna get. You've gotta know what kind of soils it can tolerate. And then even down to things like what color is it gonna be in the fall? What the leaves look like, just so that you can get a good looking tree in a good space. That's gonna not only survive, but it's gonna thrive.

Anthony Godfrey:
The right tree in the right place. There's a deeper metaphor there for sure. That's really, that just gets me thinking about all the trees that I pass as I'm driving around town. And I'm not even thinking about the fact that there's an urban forest spread throughout the city that needs care and attention and some intentionality in the way that it's planned and planted.

Jeran Farley:
Yep. It's often overlooked. And I mean, that that's both good and bad. Oftentimes people don't notice the urban forest unless there's a problem, a broken limb or a dead tree. So often, if they don't notice a forest, maybe that's a good thing. But at the same time, it's nice to be aware and realize what goes into keeping an urban forest healthy.

Anthony Godfrey:
As an occupational hazard, do you notice trees everywhere you go? And drive up to a friend's house and say, oh, you shouldn't have planted that one there. That's not the right tree.

Jeran Farley:
Yep. In fact, I have to hold my tongue a lot of times and just say, ‘I'm glad you planted a tree.’ That's okay.

Anthony Godfrey:
Alright. I need you to drive by my house and tell me what is wrong with the trees at my house and what trees I ought to put there. Because I was thinking about that the other day out in my yard. I thought, I, you know, I moved into this house. I don't know if those are the trees that ought to be there. So that's really exciting that you have that knowledge and that it's passing on to the kids and that we benefit throughout our community from that program and from your division. So thank you very much for your help here at Riverton Elementary.

Jeran Farley:
My pleasure.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, we'll talk with students about the outdoor classroom and why they like it so much.

Break:
Do you simply love learning online? We can't wait to have you join the amazing teachers in our brand new Jordan Virtual Learning Academy. In Jordan Virtual Learning Academy schools, we offer innovative, fun, and flexible online learning with daily real-time instruction from teachers. Enrollment is currently open for all K-12 students in Utah. Start on the path to personalized virtual learning success now at connect.jordandistrict.org. That's connect.jordandistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right, we are at Riverton Elementary out in the outdoor classroom. It smells great out here. It sounds great. And it feels great to be outside. We're with some students who have actually used the classroom. Why don't you tell me your name, what grade you're in and tell me about being in the outdoor classroom.

Brooklyn:
My name is Brooklyn and I'm in fifth grade. And my class came out here to plant tulips and it's a nice way to feel calmer and relieve some stress. 

Eli:
My name is Eli. I am in fifth grade and my class came out here to release butterflies.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about releasing the butterflies.

Eli:
Okay. In our classroom, we had raised a bunch of butterflies from, I believe just caterpillars. And we learned a lot about them, until you watched them grow until eventually when they had hatched from their cocoon, then they were just butterflies. We came and released them out into here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about planning the tulips, what was involved there?

Brooklyn:
So one of our classmates brought in the shovels and we used those to plant the tulip bulbs. Like, we were going in groups because one of our other classmates had brought puppies and we were all distracted, but we were going in groups to plant tulips. A lot of the ones on the outside edges died because people weren't taking care of them, but hopefully they'll get better.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. And now where are the tulips? Point to where those are here.

Brooklyn:
So, they're kind of all over the place. Like we didn't just plant them in one place. Like some people planted like over here or over there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh yeah. Okay. I see some right over here. Very nice. Well, that's great. Well, they'll continue to make this a beautiful spot. And I like that there's a bird in the background that wants to be on the podcast too. Can't blame him. Now, there he is. Tell me about your experience.

Seth:
My name is Seth and I'm in second grade. And my class came out here to do scavenger hunts.

Anthony Godfrey:
And tell me about the scavenger hunt. What were you looking for?

Seth:
There were just like pictures on these cards that were hanging on strings all over the place. And we had a clipboard with papers that showed us the pictures. We had to find those pictures that are hanging down and there are numbers on it. And we write the numbers on the circles on the paper.

Anthony Godfrey:
That sounds pretty fun. So you get to go out into a natural habitat for butterflies and do a scavenger hunt. That's pretty awesome. How about you?

Charlie:
Hi, my name is Charlie and I am in second grade. My class came out here to do some reading and drawing.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how does it feel to read and draw outside in this classroom instead of an inside classroom?

Charlie:
It feels good to feel the soft air and to have something to draw.

Anthony Godfrey:
And is it inspiring for your art to be outside and to see some beautiful things around you?

Charlie:

Yes, it is very beautiful.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes. It's great out here. I can imagine that would really be a boost to creativity. Tell me about your experience.

Shlok:
I am Shlok. 

Anthony Godfrey:
What grade are you in?

Shlok:
I'm in second grade. So we came out here to do reading math and drawing and a lot of activities.

Anthony Godfrey:
How is it doing math outside versus inside?

Shlok:
It's, we don't struggle to do math a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you like doing math outside versus inside?

Shlok:
Yes, we, I like doing math outside then inside.

Anthony Godfrey:
The fresh air maybe clears your mind a little bit.?

Shlok:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your favorite subject?

Shlok:
Math.

Anthony Godfrey:
Math is your favorite? That's great. Okay. Well what do you guys think just overall about having an outdoor classroom?

Brooklyn:
Well, when I was at my other school, or any of my other schools, they never had anything like it. So it's very unique and I think it sends across a great message and is really nice for the students to have too.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's great. Well, thanks a lot you guys. 

We're here with Michael Marett talking about the history of our outdoor classroom. You've been involved with this for quite a long time.

Michael Marett:
We started this probably 1996, the concept, then started actually working on it then in May 28th. I keep a journal of what I've done through my life, and on May 28, 1998, we dedicated this classroom to the existing principal at the time, Bonnie Dahl, who originally had the idea and really pushed hard to get it, make it happen. So we got a cement pig, a life size cement pig, because her

Anthony Godfrey:
Now wait, now, wait a minute. You just said life size cement pig, right? 

Michael Marett:
Right, life size. Not, not live cement pig.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right, but not a small cement pig. 

Michael Marett:
Oh no, it was like six foot long, four foot high.

Anthony Godfrey:
That went, that took a left turn that I wasn't expecting. 

Michael Marett:
That was her spirit animal.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Michael Marett:
So we went and bought this cement pig. Brought it in here and we put a plaque on it, commemorating her. And this was on May 28, 1998. By then the classroom had been outlined, and most of the trees had been planted. We'd had, by that time we got the grants and stuff to put the tables in. And so we actually had a nice little outdoor classroom. It looked nothing like what it does today, because everything was small and short and there were two or three existing ash trees that they left here. That was part of the school cuz all along here had been ash trees before they passed away. These are the only three left original. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Of the ash trees?

Michael Marett:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
And they're big. They're huge. It reminds me of the old adage. When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. And when's the second best time? Right now. So we're seeing both here. Recently planted trees and trees that we've benefited from for decades.

Michael Marett:
You seem to have adopted to this forestry thing real well. You actually know some of the stuff. That's great. But the original concept of this was to keep it native. Native plants in Utah. At one time, I think we had the best garden for native plants in the whole state. Because we had had everything from plants from Southern Utah, all the Northern Utah plants. And some of 'em had different watering needs. That's how come the irrigation became kind of a problem. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, I heard that you had to adapt the system here because the trees were getting watered as frequently as the grass was. And it wasn't good for some of the trees.

Michael Marett:
Right? Most native trees don't get that much water in Utah. And as evidence in the last couple years, it's really shown that there's trees that do thrive a lot better with this desert climate we're having now.

Anthony Godfrey:
But my only question is what happened to the cement pig? Where is it?

Michael Marett:
You know, it was out there in the lawn. So it took an awful lot of watering, which pigs don't need that much water either. And it just slowly started falling apart. And after about five or six years, we had to just pick it up and take it away because it just wasn't hanging in there anymore.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's just the inexorable march of time that none of us can avoid. All right.

Michael Marett:
It got too old, too fast. 

Anthony Godfrey:
You know. Fair enough. Thank you to both of you for, at various times throughout Riverton Elementary's history making this possible.

Michael Marett:
Well, I personally like to thank Jaren for coming back in here and making a difference back in here again too. So yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much.

We're talking now with Joel Pullan, the principal at Riverton Elementary. Joel, you're pretty lucky to have an outdoor classroom at your school.

Joel Pullan:
You know, I kind of walked into paradise.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, and you get to walk out to paradise anytime you want.

Joel Pullan:
I do.

Anthony Godfrey:
You can hear the birds chirping. Is the sky bluer here? Is it like brighter blue here than it is anywhere else? It feels like it. 

Joel Pullan:
We call that Riverton Elementary blue.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Fair enough. I think it's fabulous out here. Tell me what impact has this had on the school?

Joel Pullan:
The impact's been significant and I think that impact is represented over the years of community working together with the school to do great things. And so that's what this space represents. A sense of community and school working together.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, coming to Riverton Elementary, you came to paradise, but you also came to a community that over the decades has wanted to jump in and create great, unique experiences for students. And that's really rewarding.

Joel Pullan:
That's true. It's great to be a part of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thanks for taking the time everyone. What a gorgeous space and this won't be my last visit. I'll just be stopping by, maybe unannounced. You never know. 

Joel Pullan:
We look forward to seeing you here.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Thanks very much. 

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 can enhance levels of parent engagement like never before and make transparency easy. On this episode of the Supercast, we have everything you need to know about successfully using Skyward Family Access. It's a cloud-based student information system, which allows you to access your child's daily attendance, progress reports, grades, lunch balance, and more. We have tips to make using Skyward really easy and worry free. We are here in the studio with Steffany Ellsworth, from our Information Systems department to talk about Skyward Family Access. Steffany, thanks for joining us.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Thanks for having me. I'm so excited.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, Skyward is something we use for all kinds of things. And the old system for those who've been around for a long time was called Delta. We went through a big bid process. I remember there was lots of committee work. We needed a system that could take care of everything. You could find separate systems that could do things well, but we wanted one system that could really do everything we needed to do from an Information System standpoint. So that we have payroll, employment, financial, student information, and family information. What else is in there?

Steffany Ellsworth:
Employees can look at their paychecks. We have our teacher grade books.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's all there.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Communication. We can communicate using Skylert through Skyward. It's all there.

Anthony Godfrey:
One stop shopping. So I want to talk first off just about Skyward Family Access and the ways that that can help empower parents to be a part of their students' education. I think through COVID, we've had a really difficult time staying connected with parents. We've sent them lots of emails and Skylerts with bullet points and things like that, but we haven't been able to involve parents to the degree that we like to, because we haven't been able to have everyone in the building that we'd like to have there. And just over time, we've lost a little bit of connection that I really want to regain. And even move beyond where we were before, in engaging with families and parents. So, that's really what I want to start with. I know there are lots of features within Skyward Family Access that may be overlooked, that maybe people don't realize are available to them. And by managing and maximizing the options available through Skyward Family Access, parents can really be more involved in their child's education.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes, absolutely. Skyward can be used to communicate with parents. Parents can email their teachers, they can go in and sign up for notifications within Skyward. Attendance notifications, low lunch balance notifications, get progress reports on their students. They can view their student’s grades, student’s attendance, schedules, calendar for the school year, see their student’s report cards. They can even plan for the future. We have arena scheduling where they can go in and see their student’s future schedule or add and drop classes depending on what their students need for graduation. They can view grad graduation requirements within Skyward and just overall create a plan for their current and future school years within Jordan School District. I know one frustration that many families have is that teachers like to use all sorts of different applications. We have Remind and Canvas and Skyward, and you know, you have to go in and sign up for this account or that account. And then they're getting emails and text messages from many different sources. Whereas, you know, you gather it all within Skyward and you have one login. You can communicate with all teachers and see all of your students from every different school within Skyward.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, just to answer some basic questions about Skyward, the parent login is the same for all of their students. They log in once and all their student information is right there for their entire family.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes, it is. If any parents are seeing that it is not set up that way something has gone wrong at the school and they just need to contact their school to make sure that they've been added correctly in Skyward. But yes, they should be able to login and see every single student within their family.

Anthony Godfrey:
Let's talk about that login specifically. There are some folks who have had kids in the system and maybe they now have guardianship later or grandkids who are coming through and they want to register and their old email address is still in Skyward. So they try to sign up and it says this email has already been taken or it's already in our system. What should somebody do if they've been in the system for a long time and they kind of need a refresh.

Steffany Ellsworth:
If they've been in the system before they can usually contact the school and we can reset a login and a password for them. If they've never been in the system, we actually have a link on the Jordan District website, under Parents and Students, Registration, and Enrollment, and they can sign up for a new temporary account to get their students enrolled for the first time. And then they'll get a permanent account once their students have been enrolled in the school. So, they can either create a temporary account or they can contact the school to get help logging in if they've had a previous account.

Anthony Godfrey:
So contacting the school, they can help reset that account and going to jordandistrict.org, Parents and Students, and then what was the next tab after that?

Steffany Ellsworth:
Registration and Enrollment. There's links there to create a new temporary account for parents that haven't had access before. Students new to the district, you know, coming from outside our district, just moved in, maybe they're returning from a charter school or homeschool. They can enroll students there using that temporary link.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that's the way you get started in Skyward if you're not already in the system. 

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
Then once you're in, then, like you said, there's a long list of available functions for families. Let's talk about notifications. What are some of the things that you can sign up to receive automatically throughout the year, updates about your child?

Steffany Ellsworth:
You can receive attendance notifications. So anytime your student misses a class or the entire day, you can get notified that they were absent from class.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now let's talk about how that notification comes. Do they have options on which ways that they receive that notification?

Steffany Ellsworth:
They do. They can log into their account within Skyward and set whether they prefer to receive them through email, through a phone number. They can also add additional guardians to receive those notifications.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Could you add an additional guardian during a particular period of time and then take back out of Skyward after like, if you have a different work schedule or you're out of town or something like that?

Steffany Ellsworth:
The notifications yes. You can turn those on and off as you see fit. Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, great. What other types of notifications besides attendance are available?

Steffany Ellsworth:
There's also low lunch balance notifications and you can set the dollar amount. You get to choose what dollar, if it goes below $5, I want to get notified. Or if it's below $10, I want to get notified. You can turn those on or off. And you can also set them to send you an email as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
So then you are made aware in advance that your child needs some additional lunch money in the old account, which is particularly important now because we've been used to universal free lunch for a couple of years. And those alerts are gonna be really important as we enter a new era where lunch is not free for everyone anymore.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Definitely. And I think it's important for parents to keep in mind that possibly at one point they might have turned those off knowing that the lunches were free. So it'll be important to go back in and check that and make sure they get them turned back on.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, good reminder. Yeah. What else alert wise is available to parents?

Steffany Ellsworth:
You can get progress reports sent to you. If you want them set up weekly, monthly, daily, you can sign up to have progress reports. That'll show your students assignments, what they've handed in, what they're missing and what grades they've received on those assignments.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you can set that and decide how frequently you get those notifications. And that includes all of the grades. Is the attendance a part of that or is that only the separate notification?

Steffany Ellsworth:
Just that separate notification. Yep. And then we also have Skylert. Skylert is the system that our schools use to mass send messages out. They can send them through email, phone or text messages. Within Skyward, families can choose which phone numbers they want those Skylert messages to go to, what email addresses, and if they want to receive text messages.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this is a good time of year, really any time of year is a good time, to double check those and make sure you're receiving those messages the way that you want to. I know that we needed to do the same thing at a certain point because I was getting notifications that my wife wanted to get. So we just made sure we were both getting all of those notifications. So if there is a frustration with thinking, ‘Hey, I'm not getting communications from the school’ or it's the wrong phone number, wrong email address. I do hear that on a fairly frequent basis. Just jump into that account and double check what those settings are and make sure that it's something that'll work for you.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yep. Once they log into Skyward, there's a link on the left hand side called Skylert. They'll just check their emails, phone numbers, and text messages there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. The Skylert link on the left hand side. And where do they find the alerts for attendance and grades and for the lunch deposit?

Steffany Ellsworth:
Once they go under My Account, there's a link for notifications there that they can go in and decide which notifications they wanna be signed up for.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, did you know you can access Skyward on your mobile phone? Find out how when we return.

Break:
Do you simply love learning online? We can't wait to have you join the amazing teachers in our brand new Jordan Virtual Learning Academy. In Jordan Virtual Learning Academy schools, we offer innovative, fun, and flexible online learning with daily real-time instruction from teachers. Enrollment is currently open for all K-12 students in Utah. Start on the path to personalized virtual learning success now at connect.jordandistrict.org. That's connect.jordandistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
To coin a very old advertising motto. There's an app for that, right?

Steffany Ellsworth:
There is an app for that, yes. It's really nice to have the Skyward app so that on the go, you can check your students' attendance, their grades. You can communicate through the notifications. You can check to see if you have any notifications from teachers just on the go. And there is a link that I will provide on how to download that app.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the misunderstandings maybe that are out there about Skyward?

Steffany Ellsworth:
I think probably one of the biggest misunderstandings is, you know, students submit a lot of their work through Canvas and they may see a grade in Canvas. They may see a score in Canvas, but Skyward is our official grade book. So although they're submitting work through Canvas and teachers are grading it in Canvas, those scores are then transferred back over to Skyward. So Skyward's the official grade book, whatever grade is in Skyward is the grade that's gonna be posted on a report card and on a transcript. Canvas is only the means to deliver and score and teachers to store their lesson plans. And that's where students will go in and turn in their work. But the actual score is kept within Skyward and that's our official grade book.

Anthony Godfrey:
And I do know that can be confusing because students right before a weekend are trying to convince parents that yes, I have done all of the work. Even though it's not showing in Skyward, I should get to go out because it is in Canvas. So parents might want to check Canvas to see that an assignment has been completed in Canvas, but hasn't yet been transferred over to Skyward. Students are not trying to pull a fast one. If they say that it is actually accurate, that it can be in Canvas, not in Skyward, but completed and turned into the teacher.

Steffany Ellsworth:
I have in fact had that conversation with my teenagers many times. So yes, the teachers manually push scores to Skyward. So until they've pushed that button within canvas to get the scores into Skyward, there may be a difference between the grades and the two systems.

Anthony Godfrey:
And some people ask, why isn't that automatic? But I think that gives them flexibility for the teacher to work with the student and say, let you redo this part or you're missing this part or let's make sure that that's an accurate score before we bring it over to Skyward.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yep. That's right.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a separate student login and a separate parent login for Skyward. Tell me about how those two interact and what parents need to know about that setup.

Steffany Ellsworth:
The main difference between the parent and student login, the parents are allowed to pay fees and complete registration for schools, enroll additional students if need be. Students don't really see anything dealing with fees in their login.

Anthony Godfrey:
But parents can see everything that students can see. There's nothing in the student portion that parents don't already have access to through their own account.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes. Some schools, when we have arena scheduling open, will not allow parents to arena schedule. Students can arena schedule, not all schools will allow parents to arena schedule on top of the students.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see.

Steffany Ellsworth:
But yes, for the most part, parents can see everything that students can see.

Anthony Godfrey:
Which is a tip for those parents who do have a student at a school where both accounts can get in. You can be logged in at the same time. One can work on A day. One can work on B day and you can get that schedule in place pretty quickly since it's kind of like buying concert tickets. As soon as it goes live, then everyone's trying for those preferred classes.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes. It’s like the Hunger Games. That is a good tip. It's a well known secret amongst the, you know, seniors and juniors, when they're arena scheduling. Get your parents logged in too and that they'll get, get sat down and go for it.

Anthony Godfrey:
And the arena scheduling really is set up to allow for maximum choice for parents and students so that they can not just request classes, but really build a schedule of their own. It does result in some high stakes refreshing of the page right before it goes live, but it does offer that opportunity. And it's worthwhile checking back later to see if spots have opened up. If as a student, you didn't get the exact classes you were hoping for.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Always. Yep. Check back as often as possible. And often schools will open arena scheduling in the summer too, right before school starts for students to make their own class changes, which is really nice instead of having to wait in line to see your counselor at the school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right, right. Now we have supports available for those who need help with Skyward Family Access. How do they get help?

Steffany Ellsworth:
We do. The best resource for them is going to be to contact their schools. Each school has a number of people there that are available to reset their logins and passwords and help students get logged in. If they're not getting the help they need there, they can call our helpdesk at (801) 567-8737.

Anthony Godfrey:
And start with the school, but use the helpdesk if you still need some assistance beyond what the school is able to offer. And sometimes that's gonna happen in the summer. Might be difficult to reach someone, but we really want families to be able to access the information they need, get the setup they're looking for. If you have trouble changing any of the settings we described, then just reach out to the school, reach out to the helpdesk and get things squared away for the coming year.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yep. The schools really are better equipped to verify that who they're speaking with should have access to the student information. Sometimes if they call our office, we do have to hang up and call the schools and try to get verification that we're speaking to who we should be. You know, we never wanna share student information with those that shouldn't have it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. We're very cautious about that. What are some of the other features of Skyward Family Access that may be used less frequently?

Steffany Ellsworth:
Well, yearly rather than getting that big packet of paper sent home each year in the backpack that maybe you did or did not see, you can log in and do your Registration for School. That's where you'll verify all of your students' data. Make sure that their contact information, your contact information as a parent is updated. You'll sign the Network Acceptable Use Policy, the Chromebook agreement, just that big packet of papers you'd get, you can now do all of that online.

Anthony Godfrey:
I used to be responsible for creating that big packet of paper so I’m very grateful that it’s through Skyward.

Steffany Ellsworth:
And you have to make sure there are a lot of colored papers, different colors. The hot pink was the most important. Right?

Anthony Godfrey:
Exactly. The golden rod was less important, but the pink was crucial. 

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes. They can also make their lunch and fee payments. You know, if students are enrolled in extracurricular programs, they can pay those fees there as well. They can apply for a free and reduced lunch through the application that's available on Skyward. You can also schedule your parent teacher conferences. You know, we have parent teacher conferences twice yearly and you can log into Skyward and schedule those conferences with your teacher. See what time slots they have available and sign up when it's convenient for you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Fantastic. Well, I appreciate the features that Information Systems has added over the years to make things even more accessible to parents. And I don't know what we would do without Skylert messages. I know parents received a lot during the COVID era. 

Steffany Ellsworth:
Yes. Yeah. We even during COVID we had to create some custom forms, you know, so the parents could, yeah. My student’s high risk or my students want a schedule change. Right. Or they wanna be virtual. All within Skyward.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. We made all of that work, and Information Systems has done a tremendous job throughoutthose difficult times, adapting and helping us communicate and shift and be flexible through all of this. So thank you for everything that you do and you personally are so supportive and so responsive when any of us need help. So I really appreciate that. Thanks for taking the time today. I think it'll be a big help to parents.

Steffany Ellsworth:
Thanks for having me. We're really excited about Skyward Family Access and how it can help parents to better engage with their students' school and teachers.

Anthony Godfrey:
If you have any questions about logging in and using Skyward, contact the help desk at 801-567-8737. 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. Excitement is building for students, teachers, and staff as the brand new Oak Leaf Elementary School in Herriman prepares to open for the 2022-23 school year. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside for a sneak peek of the new school. That's where we find principal Ronna Hoffman, hard at work, getting ready to welcome students and preparing her rockstar staff for a first year filled with memories that will last a lifetime.

We're here at Oak Leaf Elementary to talk with Ronna and Thyme about opening a new school. This is our newest school in Jordan School District. And that's one of the exciting things about being in Jordan, is that we have lots of growth, and with growth we have lots of opportunities as well. So Ronna, thanks for taking a moment to talk with us.

Ronna Hoffman:
Oh, excited to be here.

Anthony Godfrey:
And Thyme, you're the new Administrative Intern here full time. It's exciting. You get to be part of building a school from the ground up.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
Yes. Very exciting. I'm glad to be here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we're very glad to have you. Let's just take a bit of a look around in a minute, but first, how does it feel to finally be at this moment? You have not been working in a school for a little while because we needed your help with our literacy program, and so you've been helping lots of schools. How does it feel to get to come back and now get to own a school and to connect to a community?

Ronna Hoffman:
Yeah, I have missed being in a school. I'm so excited. It feels like home and this is going to be home.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is, and I always love coming to see things underway, and this school has shot up. We're working with some great partners who are making it happen very quickly. As I walked up, I noticed that the entryway is similar to our other new elementary schools. It looks just like a Jawa sandcrawler for any of those Star Wars fans out there. You know, the big moving fortress that the Jawa are in. Drive by, you'll know what I'm talking about. But the school looks fantastic. It looks great. So let's just kind of take a walk around now. We've added recently this huge display case. What plans do you have for this display case once everything's done?

Ronna Hoffman:
We want to kind of pay tribute to the history of Oak Leaf. It used to be a dairy farm. This is where a dairy farm was. So we kind of want to just give a history of the spot, the location, the name, and kind of have a display of pictures, start to finish of what the construction was like. Just like a tribute to Oak Leaf.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, I seem to recall in one of the Board meetings, when we were talking about names that a Board member had an old calendar that had Oak Leaf Dairy featured. Do you have that calendar?

Ronna Hoffman:
Oh, we do have that. We got that from Marilyn Richards. She's helped us with the history behind it. And we do have that and we will be displaying that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now you met me over here at the new school, but really you have been working out of the Auxiliary Services Building, where we keep our new principles away from their building. They keep driving over and looking. I'm sure it's a different feel where you're looking at a new building coming up out of the ground. I remember being a new principal driving by Midvale Middle School, looking at it. It seemed vast, right? It seemed like a city, all its own. Very overwhelming. How does it feel to drive up and see the progress that's been made here?

Ronna Hoffman:
Exciting, really exciting. Though, I have to say, since we've been in the building, my steps, my daily steps have like tripled. So it is a little city.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it is a little city and it's very different from being in an office. So let's walk around, let's take a tour. You were previously in an older building. How does it feel to be in a new building like this?

Ronna Hoffman:
Totally different, totally different feel. We get a stage here. That's exciting. We didn't have a stage before. The walls, the lights, the space, windows in all of the rooms. It's really exciting.

Anthony Godfrey:
Windows in all of the rooms. Yes, that is a key factor. And when you drive up, I know that there's not really much around you right now, but there's so much growth out here. I like to drive in, visit, and then on my way out count how many new homes have gone up since I arrived.

Ronna Hoffman:
Well, we are getting new students regularly.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how many students do you anticipate having?

Ronna Hoffman:
Around 500 to start.

Anthony Godfrey:
And all these little pieces of blue tape and green tape that I'm seeing on the walls as I walk through, that's kind of the punch list, right? Spots that need to be fixed. And the punch list, violent though it may sound, is just what we accumulate for those who built the building over the course of the year. So they make adjustments and fix things over the year just to make sure it's just right.

Ronna Hoffman:
Yeah. They've been really easy to work with. Really great to work with.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's Hughes Construction, right?

Ronna Hoffman:
It is Hughes Construction.

Anthony Godfrey:
They've really done an amazing job of keeping this on time and moving things forward. And although you're always watching the calendar and making sure that we hit those marks, I really have not been worried about this school because I know that they've been doing a great job out here.

Well, this is about as calm as the media center's going to get. But we do have some power tools going in here as all of our technology is being put in place. Now we have a pencil at the middle of the media center and that's been true for most of our new elementaries over the years. In the past it said number two on the pencil, but everybody wanted to be number one. So is this a number one pencil?

Ronna Hoffman:
It is absolutely a number one pencil.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. All right. What are some of the features that stand out in this school?

Ronna Hoffman:
Boy, there are so many actually. Windows, like I said, there are a lot of windows. Even in the media center where we are. There are so many shelves. The carpet has colors that match the wings of the school, which is really fun. Our cafeteria has a new floor in it that is different than any other cafeteria in our district.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's remarkable as we were talking about how quickly the school went up and it looks great. As we walk through, what is still remaining to be done? What still needs to get finished before students come?

Ronna Hoffman:
Well, as you can see, looking around, it's hard to believe that we're going to open in less than three weeks. There's a lot of cleanup, last minute touches. We have someone here touching up walls. We have the cafeteria and gym floor that still needs to be in place. We've got a lot of supplies to put away. A lot of furniture to put away. Just details, the baseboards, that kind of thing.

Anthony Godfrey:
But it's looking really close. And like you said, as things get closer, you always kinda wonder how quickly all this can happen, but it's quite miraculous how quickly everyone's able to put things together.

Ronna Hoffman:
We come daily and see amazing progress every day that surprises us.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, I'm standing with you here in the cafeteria and the stage area. You said that the floor is going to be different than in any other elementary. What's that gonna look like?

Ronna Hoffman:
It's going to look the same as the wet areas that are in the classrooms. It will be a little bit textured and a little colorful.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, very nice. Kids will like that. Walking out the back of the school, you just see fields. Can you imagine this filled with homes of your students over the years?

Ronna Hoffman:
I think we're going to see that, yes. It doesn't matter what window you look out, or what doors you go out, I think we've got a beautiful view all the way around the school.

Anthony Godfrey:
You really do. It's gorgeous looking back at the Oquirrh mountains, but let's walk just around the corner. And I think you have a pretty stunning view of the Wasatch front. I remember coming out here at the groundbreaking and you have a gorgeous view of the Wasatch front from here.

Ronna Hoffman:
Yeah, we really do.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see lots of dirt where there will be grass. Do you know how that's going to look by the time students get here?

Ronna Hoffman:
Well, we will hopefully have the grass in by the time students come, but we will have to stay off of it for about a month.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, well that will be a unique challenge. Having kids stand at the edge of the green grass and just look at it longingly.

Ronna Hoffman:
We have a lot of other fun things to do on the blacktop.

Anthony Godfrey:
You do. Let's look at the you know, this is, this is not the playground that I was accustomed to. The metal slides that would burn the back of your legs if you slid down them at just the wrong time. This is a very sophisticated playground situation. This looks great. This is like city park level stuff. You could really play the floor is lava very well with this playground set.

Ronna Hoffman:
And I'm sure kids will.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, did you get any say in picking the colors because we've got yellow and turquoise?

Ronna Hoffman:
I did not get a say in it, but we like it.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think you could probably see this playground from space. And it is next to Kennecott Mine, which you can see from space. So you could probably just look over just a little ways and see that playground.

Ronna Hoffman:
You know, Starlink has come by a few times over the last few days. I'm sure they've got a picture of it somewhere.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm sure they have pictures of all of us.

Stay with us. When we come back more on what it takes to open a new school and what the new school colors and mascot might be. We'll talk about that next.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what are your hopes for the first school year at Oak Leaf?

Ronna Hoffman:
Our goal for the first year is to build community and to just become a family and work together, partner with our parents. Just be a very cohesive community that works together for the good of our kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
I have no doubt that that's how it'll feel here. I just know the type of principal you are and that's how it's gonna go. Now, the name Oak Leaf came through a process that we've used for every other school, where we get community feedback on ideas for what the name ought to be. And then we survey and based on those results, then the Board makes a final decision. Have you chosen colors and a mascot yet?

Ronna Hoffman:
No, we're going to let our students do that. So in September, August-September, we will be choosing a mascot and school colors.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's normally how we do that, which is great because then that means the students who are coming get to be a part of that process. The other thing that's been nice is that the boundaries have been established for longer for Oak Leaf than usual. We did that. We went through that process along with some other boundary changes that needed to happen. And so people have known for a while that they're coming to Oak Leaf and that's probably making it a little easier to build that community initially.

Ronna Hoffman:
Well, we do plan to have everyone feel like family because we're one big family. They have known for a while, but they still miss their old schools. So we're going to have to work hard to become their favorite.

Anthony Godfrey:
And we know that that's part of the equation when we work so hard to make every school a great place to be, then it's always hard to leave. But I know it's gonna be a great place to be. Now Thyme, you are a new administrator in a new building. How does that feel?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
Exciting to say to the least. It's just amazing. Like you said, I come by and drive near this school and just exciting to be here on the ground and just, can't wait to see students in the building.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think it's a great place for you to start as an intern. Not only because you get to work with Ronna, but also because everyone's going to be on a bit of a level playing field. Everybody's new, everybody's figuring it out together and I think that'll really bring you together as a group. People will get a chance to rely on you, right outta the shoot. Instead of you getting to know something that's established, you get to be a part of something right from the ground level.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
Yep. We're all in it together. I love it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, where did you come from before Thyme?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
I was at Elk Meadows Elementary before this. I was a fourth grade teacher and I've also taught second grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's available to parents when school starts?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
So on August 17th parents and students and their families can come in and teachers will be ready to meet them. They can walk through the school and get to see where they're gonna be sitting for the next school year. So we're excited to have that Back to School night option the day before school starts.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm sure there's a lot of anticipation, people wanting to get inside the new school.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
Yes, yes. And I don't blame them. It's exciting.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is. I remember going to a new school in fifth grade and it was a brand new school and we were all very excited to be a part of that. How many teachers have you hired so far? And are you all staffed up?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
We are, as of this week, all staffed up. We have three teachers in every grade except for one, we have two teachers.

Anthony Godfrey:
And which grade do you have two teachers?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
We have two teachers in fifth grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Actually three in almost every grade is a great start. That's pretty big actually for a brand new school. And all of your support staff are in place?

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
No, we're still looking for some people. So we are in dire need of copy and recess aids. We know that we utilize those a lot. So we're looking for those, as well as some nutrition workers and a couple of Walk to Read assistants. We're looking for those too.

Anthony Godfrey:
All positions where you get to know great people and get to interact with kids. And it's a great time.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
Yes. Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
Anyone who wants to come and work with Thyme and Ronna in a brand new school, come on over and check it out.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
We'd love to have you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you very much for the tour and the time here at Oak Leaf. It's great to get to chat with you both on the cusp of a fresh new year, straight out of the package.

Ronna Hoffman:
Thank you, Anthony. It was fun to have you here.

Thyme Meleisea-Vea:
It was exciting to walk through the school with you.

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 you out there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godrey. It is an event focused on school bus driver safety and sharpening skills. Dozens of school bus drivers competed in Jordan School District's “Bus Safety Challenge.” On this episode of the Supercast, find out how school bus driver's skills were put to the test as they snaked their way through a series of traffic cones, navigated a diminishing clearance, parked curbside and conquered an offset alley. It was a challenge to help drivers be the best they can be in keeping students safe on the school bus. Join me as I board the school bus to experience this challenge firsthand.

All right. We're here at Transportation with Marcus. Thanks for taking some time.

Marcus:
Hey, not a problem.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now tell me the name of this event today.

Marcus:
So we've named this event the “School Bus Safety Challenge”.

Anthony Godfrey:
“School Bus Safety Challenge”. And what's the point of the “School Bus Safety Challenge”?

Marcus:
So the point of the “School Bus Safety Challenge” is to really hone in on our driver's skills. It puts them in situations that are found out in the real world, but even tighter, even harder. So they can really hone in on their skills and see where they might be lacking. See where they're doing a great job. And it's an overall fun challenge for them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now you're a trainer here with the Transportation department. And do you think you could train me to be a good bus driver?

Marcus:
I am sure of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's because of your skills, not mine. I am really in awe of bus drivers because of the number of things that they have to keep track of all at the same time. The least of which are rear view mirrors or side mirrors and mailboxes and that, but more than anything, they're keeping the people on the road safe and the kids safe most of all. So it's a tough thing. I've driven a bus around this parking lot which made it clear to everyone that I should not drive beyond this parking lot. Tell me, just from a trainer's perspective, what's the hardest part of being a bus driver do you think?

Marcus:
The hardest part, and I tell this to all of the people coming on board is student management. They're always intimidated about driving the vehicle and within the first two weeks they got it, they're doing it. They're perfect at it. Student management's one of those skills that's hard for us to actually simulate behind the wheel training. Because it's something that we can give them the tools, but they really need to get the experience out on the road. So for our drivers, I would say that's the hardest skill to learn at first. But once they master it, you really learn to love the kids and love your route.

Anthony Godfrey:
Great. I love that. I also, I have to say, I love coming to Transportation because I always get this huge parking spot. It's meant for a bus, but man, it's very roomy, very spacious. So tell me about the event today. What are some of the challenges that you've set up along the course?

Marcus:
So we have a bunch of challenges. We have anything from a right hand turn challenge, which really hones in on the driver's right hand turn skills, because as you can imagine, turning a 40 foot bus can be difficult. It's not like turning a car in a neighborhood, you’ve got 40 feet of vehicle to turn. We have what's called an offset alley challenge that really hones in on their experience with stuff like construction zones, things of that nature. We have a diminishing clearance, which basically puts them in a 10 foot wide space and a bus is eight foot wide. And that slowly narrows down to when they're at the very end of the diminishing clearance, they literally have inches on each side of the bus to make it through.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh wow. So it's just, how far can you make it without touching the sides?

Marcus:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Does anyone make it all the way through?

Marcus:
You know, we've had some drivers that are really experienced that have made it all the way through. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. That's impressive. So at the end of this, does a driver say to themselves,’This is a skill that I really need to work on’?

Marcus:
Yeah. I would think any driver that would do any sort of self-reflection would look at their scores at the end and see where they did good, where they did bad. And I don't even wanna say bad, because the course itself is quite challenging. I did one, six years ago when the state Department of Education used to put 'em on, and I remember just being so nervous going through it, but it really teaches you what you could be lacking in. But in that area of like expertise to where it's like fine, fine skills that you're practicing here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right. Yeah. The other thing that it would do for drivers, I would think, is build your confidence, not just tell you the things that you could focus on, but to say, ‘Hey, I did really well at that. And actually I've really developed my skills and I've come a long way.’

Marcus:
Yeah, most definitely. Especially when we do the tour of the actual course itself, you see kind of that fear in a lot of the driver's eyes like, ‘Oh, can I actually do this?’ And then they actually go through the course and they're like, ‘I'm doing this, I'm actually making it through this. I didn't hit any of the obstacles.’ Or if you hit one, they just barely nudged it. Something like that, not they go into it thinking, ‘Oh no, I might totally fail this thing.’ And then by the end they're like, ‘Wow, I did a good job.’ And it really boosts that confidence.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Plus the competitive aspect of it makes it fun.

Marcus:
Oh yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Are there prizes involved?

Marcus:
Yep. There's prizes involved. We have some trophy plaques that they'll put in their bus bulkhead, which is really nice because then their passengers on their bus can see, ‘oh my bus driver won the competition. I'm in a safe bus’.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh right. Yeah. That's cool. I love that. Yeah. What are some of the prizes that they're giving?

Marcus:
So we got a bunch of stuff actually donated to us through some of the high schools and some of the secondary schools that sent in donations. We have a bunch of donations that actually came in through some of our bus sales people like Rush, Thomas and Bluebird. They donated prizes. And then like I said, those trophies.

Anthony Godfrey:
Can we go take a look at the diminishing clearance?

Marcus:
We most definitely can.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Let's check it out. 

Okay. This looks intimidating. So what's the method on this? Do you try to stay really close to one side as you go down? Or do you stay centered and allow each side to get closer and closer?

Marcus:
Multiple people have multiple strategies to it. Me, myself, I like to stay closer to the left side because that's the area you have most visibility on a school bus is that left side on the vehicle.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yep. We're about to watch Roslyn go through the diminishing clearance and she's in the 40 foot bus, which is regulation for these competitions. And while we watch her go through this, she's not supposed to stop and she's trying to avoid hitting the sides that get narrower and narrower. And it looks like she's trying to stay close to the left side. Is that what you think there that she's trying to do?

Marcus:
I would say so. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hasn't hit anything so far, it doesn't look like, see, see where the real hub the judges are watching. Oh yeah. There's a wheel hub there. That sticks out a little bit. I see that now. Yes. I see that now, but she hasn't hit so far. Did she stop? She might have stopped once.

Marcus:
Oh, there we go.

Anthony Godfrey:
There we go. Hit one on the right hand side bus on the way out, but that's still quite remarkable.

Marcus:
That's still quite remarkable. Especially Roslyn’s only been driving a bus about six months. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, wow. 

Marcus:
Yeah. So she's brand new to this.

Anthony Godfrey:
Brand new and just missed the one. That's really impressive. That's really cool. Well, I think this is a really exciting way to highlight bus driver skills. Give them some idea of where to focus next, but we've got a lot of really incredible drivers.

Marcus:
Oh, we do most definitely. The thing I really like about my job is I get to spend the first four weeks with these people, teaching them how to drive and you learn the back stories and where they're coming from and why they want to do this job. And it's just awesome to see people go from a skill level of nothing more than driving something like a minivan to up to driving a 40 foot bus and doing it with a lot of confidence.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. It's impressive. Well, I appreciate what you do, Marcus. Hey, thank you. And thanks for your enthusiasm for helping drivers be at their best.

Marcus:
Hey, definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us more of our amazing school bus drivers, making their way through a challenging safety course to sharpen their driving skills.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Roslyn's about to do what's called the offset obstacle where you're trying to go through a very narrow area and then adjust, kind of turn a little bit and swerve to the left slowly and then go through the next narrow passage. So you've gotta be able to turn and then straighten the bus out really quickly. And wow, it's tough. It's really challenging the drivers that are here. And I can't imagine it. I can't imagine doing it. It's very narrow on both sides. So how did she do?

Marcus:
She hit three and then stopped twice. Okay. So that's seven for each one she hits and then 16 for the stopping, eight for stopping.

Anthony Godfrey:
So describe the obstacle here. What do you have set out? So

Marcus:
It's offset. So basically you're coming through, then you offset into this side without hitting. So you've gotta be able to turn, make the turn without hitting the pylons here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, so you have two kind of almost white fence looking structures with red on the tip. And the idea is to squeeze through a narrow passage and then you have to go, what was the term that you used?

Marcus:
Offset.

Anthony Godfrey:
Offset? So then you offset to another passage and straighten out.

Marcus:
I would dub this, the Daybreak run, because cars are so close together in Daybreak and you gotta turn.

Anthony Godfrey:
You gotta kind thread the needle.

Marcus:
Yeah. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Okay. We're here with Roslyn who's been driving, I understand for six months, right? 

Roslyn:
Yep. Just about.

Anthony Godfrey:

And before that you had a public service job as well. Tell me about that.

Roslyn:
I did. Some years before I was a police officer with Salt Lake City Police.

Anthony Godfrey:
And tell me about being a police officer versus driving a bus load full of kids.

Roslyn:
Surprisingly the challenges are very varied. I had no idea how much concentration and divided attention was required for being a bus driver. And while they’re are very different jobs, that is a similarity, absolutely between law enforcement and driving a school bus.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to keep many things in your mind all at the same time.

Roslyn:
Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a level of awareness required at all times.

Roslyn:
Yes. What's going on outside the bus and inside the bus, watching for traffic, being a defensive driver, just, you know, like everyone should all the time, but kind of the stakes are higher because if you miss something, you're really big and can smash whatever you might hit.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Right. Tell me about today's competition. What did you think?

Roslyn:
I liked it. I have not done it before.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think you had one of the best runs on a couple of them.

Roslyn:
Well good. I'm glad that's where you were watching.

Anthony Godfrey:
Some swag and prizes are coming your way I suspect. Now, tell me what do you like most about being a bus driver?

Roslyn:
Well, I like the challenge of driving a big vehicle. That was kind of like for years, I kind of thought I would like to drive something big, a semi, bus. The whole semi thing is, that ship is sailed, but this is a much more enjoyable, local. And I frankly did it now because moms in my neighborhood were complaining that sometimes the bus didn't show up because of the bus driver shortage. So I just thought, well, if I'm ever gonna do it, it should be now. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Great. And anyone else listening that wants to be part of driving a 40 foot vehicle we're ready for you? Competition, prizes and excitement await you. So come on over. It's a great place and they're great, great people we have in Jordan District driving buses.

Roslyn:
It's all good.

Anthony Godfrey:
What was the hardest challenge that you went through just now?

Roslyn:
Marcus will probably laugh, but it was probably the first one because since I didn't know what it was, I had started in a bad position and it's just like getting your outside tires on a pad on the ground and Itotally failed it. Yeah, I did.

Anthony Godfrey:
The right hand challenge where you're trying to get the right side of the bus up against the curb?

Roslyn:
Yeah, yeah. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. All right. Well that right side can be pesky. What was the easiest?

Roslyn:
Probably the serpentine.

Anthony Godfrey:
The serpentine. Really? It does not sound like it would be the easiest. It sounds like a terrible roller coaster ride I'd never want to get on.

Roslyn:
It's just, you know, knowing where your wheel placement is. Which ironically is the same as that, you know, right side curb challenge. 

Anthony Godfrey:
But you were in the groove by then

Roslyn:
it was better. Yes. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. And describe that challenge for me. What exactly was required?

Roslyn:
Well, there's a line of cones and you have to serpentine through them. And there's actually plenty of room, but when you are considering how long the bus is, it has to be fairly precise as to when you start your turn and make sure your rear wheels go around, you know, each cone. And so you drive left and right. Much farther than you think you might have to in order to get the whole bus to clear.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, the bus isn't hinged in the middle, so it does not it doesn't bend. And how many points did you score in the wheelie challenge?

Roslyn:
I aced that. Like 50 points were available and I got it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, was it a front wheelie or was it the side with the Dukes of Hazzard style? 

Roslyn:
Dukes of Hazzard.

Anthony Godfrey:
Dukes of Hazzard style. Yeah. Good solid choice. Yeah. Okay. Well, we're really glad to have you driving with us and thanks for taking the time to chat. 

Roslyn:
Sure.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks to our team of school bus drivers who participated in the safety challenge. If you would like to join the Jordan School District team as a school bus driver making a difference in the lives of children every day, we are hiring. We invite you to apply now at employment@jordandistrict.org. 

Thanks to everyone 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. During the pandemic, the USDA offered free breakfast and lunch to all students K-12 nationwide. Those pandemic rules are now changing. On this episode of the Supercast, find out what you need to know about school breakfast and lunch moving forward, and how to apply for free or reduced meals for the upcoming 2022-23 school year in Jordan School District. We're here with Katie Bastian, the new director of Nutrition Services. Thanks for taking time.

Katie Bastian:
Yes, thank you. Thanks for having me.

Anthony Godfrey:
I can still say new, right? Even though you've done it since last year.

Katie Bastian:
Yeah. I hope so. Yeah, I feel new. Everything's a new day.

Anthony Godfrey:
I just finished my third year. So I think I have to stop saying that I'm new, but it feels good when you're able to do that.

Katie Bastian:
Yes. A little bit of leeway.

Anthony Godfrey:
The last couple of years, the USDA has provided free meals because of COVID and that has happened nationwide. So this change is not a Jordan District change. This is a change that's happening nationwide where now there is no longer an exemption and students will need to pay for their meals. The good news is that Jordan District has not increased the cost of a meal for 13 years, if I'm not mistaken.

Katie Bastian:
Yeah, our meals this year, as you know, we go back to a free, reduced and paid price structure. The cost is just the same as it was pre-pandemic. So, the prices aren't increasing.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's been over a decade that we've kept those prices low.

Katie Bastian:
It's pretty incredible. Yeah. But through budgeting and making use of, like you say, we make foods from scratch. So we have more labor than most districts do, but we're able to save money and control our quality by doing things from scratch.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the overall cost is lower, that's what's made it possible for us to avoid increasing cost for over a decade, but it's also helped with supply chain issues that we've been able to cook from scratch. Tell me a little bit about that.

Katie Bastian:
We have a warehouse in our district, which we're really lucky to have, so we have a little bit of control over what we bring in and we're able to purchase in bulk. But yeah, when people are having issues getting bread products, bread products haven't and are not an issue for us because we make a lot of our bread products from scratch. We just have to make sure we have all the, you know, raw ingredients of flour, whole wheat flour and that sort of thing. So we are able to control the quality and the cost of it and put out a healthy and delicious product.

Anthony Godfrey:
So when I think about aspects of the district that are run very efficiently with a high quality output it's Nutrition Services that I think of. We do a lot of things well, and that is one of them. It's just incredible what you have done over the years to provide very nutritious, high quality meals at a very low cost and providing jobs. And doing so for less than it would cost to just bring that food in instead of create it here.

Katie Bastian:
Yeah, no, I appreciate that. And our staff is incredible. We have over 500 employees at you know, our 64 different sites and they're incredible. They were flexible during COVID. And even now COVIDs getting a little bit better, all the supply chain issues and they've just been flexible. They rise to the challenge every single day.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it's been a challenge because throughout every summer we've continued to feed students. And so if anyone hasn't received a break it's Nutrition Services. Even when we shut down schools in the spring of 2020, everyone else was home for the most part, except for our education support professionals and that included Nutrition Services who continued to provide meals in very uncertain circumstances. Thank you for providing that consistency and just a really important part of a student's day.

Katie Bastian:
Definitely. Yeah. They're amazing. Our staff is amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
An amazing thing that's happened since the USDA has been reimbursing us for all meals is that fewer families have applied for those free or reduced lunch benefits that they would normally be eligible for. So how does a family go about renewing those benefits?

Katie Bastian:
So with the USDA suspending those waivers and us going back to everything normal next year, we've really just been letting parents know to apply for the free and reduced lunches through their registration process. They can do it online through their Skyward account, or they can, every school has a paper application too. So even if you're not sure if you qualify, please just apply for free and reduced meals and see. And then also we want parents to know, go ahead and put money in your student's lunch account, which you can also do through Skyward. And that will get them all set up for the first day of school.

Anthony Godfrey:
I've heard this a couple of different times, but third graders, second graders, and first graders have not entered their lunch number before. They haven't had to go through that process because either they were in kindergarten before the pandemic and didn't have lunch to begin with at school. Or they just have had a free lunch during the pandemic. So we have a lot of students, sometimes half of our students at our elementary schools, who will be figuring out that program for the first time. So those first couple of weeks are going to be a little bit intense.

Katie Bastian:
Definitely. Yeah. Parents will figure things out and we'll figure 'em out with the kids. So yeah,

Anthony Godfrey:
It'll be great. It'll be great. Just part of adjusting to being back in business in the way we used to be.

Stay with us. When we come back, find out what is happening in the free summer meal service program for Jordan School District.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
We have a summer meal program that a lot of people don't realize goes on throughout the summer. Many people ask, what do we do all summer? Well, this is one of the ways that we stay connected to kids and communities. Tell us about that and where that's located and who it's available to.

Katie Bastian:
Yeah, so we have five summer feeding locations and they're mostly in West Jordan because that is the area that qualifies for eligibility based on their free and reduced percentages. But we have five schools. We have Columbia and Heartland and Westvale and Oquirrh and Majestic.

Anthony Godfrey:
And we are here at Heartland right now in a lull between breakfast and lunch. But this will be filled with kids before too long, having a free lunch that's provided through federal funding. And that's one thing I want to clarify, the rules come from the federal government and the funding comes from the federal government.

Katie Bastian:
Yep, the USDA.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this is a little bit of a switch over the last couple of summers. Because of COVID, we've had the flexibility to offer summer meals throughout the district at schools in locations farther south and farther west.

Katie Bastian:
But we had waivers in place that allowed us to do that and now most of those COVID waivers have gone away. So we're just back to kind of the five or six sites that qualify each year that we we've done in the past before the pandemic.

Anthony Godfrey:
And these summer meals have been going on for a long time. Do you have any idea how long this has happened?

Katie Bastian:
Oh, you know, I've been with the district as our dietician, before I was the director, for 12 years. And I mean, it's been going on as long, long before that. As long as I know, like, as far as like, if you have summer lunch, you have summer meals. If you have schools that qualify. So yeah, it runs hand in hand and it's always been free too for kids zero to 18.

Anthony Godfrey:
And the zero to 18 is something that people sometimes overlook. So even if you've graduated, but you're 18, you still qualify. And if you are zero to five and you haven't even been to school yet, you still qualify. And you told me earlier, you even have baby food available. Tell me a little bit about that.

Katie Bastian:
We do. Yeah. We do have baby food available for, of course, the kids who aren't eating regular table food. And then our meals are served hot off the line every day. So it's not a cold grab and go sandwich every day. So it's a pretty good quality meal. And people need to know that they don't have to be within the school's boundaries to come. If someone from, you know, other places in our district want to come, it's open to everyone.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's just open to anyone age zero to 18. You don't have to qualify with your family's income or any of your family circumstances, and you don't have to qualify according to where you live. Just anyone age, zero to 18 qualifies. But if a parent comes with them, they do not qualify to have a meal.

Katie Bastian:
Right. The parent can buy a meal if they'd like to eat with their kids, they're more than welcome to do that. And we love parents to come with their kids too.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what's the charge for a parent to come?

Katie Bastian:
I believe it is $3.30, an adult meal cost.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that's a bargain.

Katie Bastian:
It is.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a bargain. Bring the whole family. So anyone is welcome at any of those five schools. And tell me about the hours. When is that available?

Katie Bastian:
We serve a hot breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30, and then we serve a hot lunch from 11:30 to 12:30 every day. And that's throughout the summer.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's the same time at every location.

Katie Bastian:
Yep. Same time every location.

Anthony Godfrey:
And we have Tawnya Elwood here with us who is normally the Nutrition Services Manager at Daybreak, but is filling in and helping out here at Heartland. Thanks for taking a few minutes to talk with me.

Tawnya Elwood:
You're welcome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the summer meal program.

Tawnya Elwood:
So anyone can come and then we'd love to see any kids come and help from zero to 18. They mentioned the baby food. We have lots of hot meals. It changes every day. So we have like a five week cycle that we cycle through breakfast and lunch.

Anthony Godfrey:
I assume that you have some of the same children that come through over that period of time and you get to know them pretty well.

Tawnya Elwood:
Yeah. It's really fun. A lot of the same kids come. And so we get to know their names and get to see how their summer's going and visit with them one on one.

Anthony Godfrey:
Like I was talking about earlier, although we do have many people who do not work in the summer, we have a lot of things that continue throughout the summer. You really don't get a rest and I really appreciate that you're here to help out.

Tawnya Elwood:
That's okay. I'd love to help. I, you know, it's great that we can work and keep and still have a job and help these kids and help make sure that they get a meal.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it's really important to the community and I know it means a lot to them, so thank you very much for making that possible.

Tawnya Elwood:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
How long have you been a nutrition services worker in the district?

Tawnya Elwood:
Since 2013.

Anthony Godfrey:
And where all have you worked?

Tawnya Elwood:
I've worked at Joel P Jensen Middle School for eight years. And then I've been at Daybreak. Well, I went to Joel P Jensen for eight years, and then I came here at Heartland during COVID and then I got manager at Daybreak two years ago.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh. So when you come back to Heartland, you know these kids.

Tawnya Elwood:
Oh yeah, yeah. I've been summer feed here for three years.

Anthony Godfrey:
Being able to connect with kids as part of their meal, whether it's in the summer or during the school day, they really get to know you and become friends I'm sure.

Tawnya Elwood:
Yeah. It's a lot of fun getting to hear about their summers.

Anthony Godfrey:
So as a Nutrition Services Manager in the summer, you maybe get to know students in a different way because there are fewer, first of all. Even though there are a lot of participants, it's not like during the school year.

Tawnya Elwood:
Definitely. 100 versus 500 kids. Because during the summer we have about, I don't know what they feed here at Heartland, but I know at Daybreak we serve about 500.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that gives you a chance to get to know them better because the numbers are lower. But you also get to connect with their families and maybe get to know parents of students that you've known for a long time because they come with their kids for the summer program.

Tawnya Elwood:
Yeah. A lot of the same parents come with the same kids. And so we talk to them and get to know them and their family and what's going on with them as a whole.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a great service and a wonderful way to stay connected.

Tawnya Elwood:
Definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Katie mentioned that we do not just serve a grab and go, it's a hot lunch and a hot breakfast off the line. Tell me about some of the foods that are available. They're fresh foods as well.

Tawnya Elwood:
Yes, we serve 'em right here in the cafeteria. So they come in here and they eat in the cafeteria and there is, like today we had waffles and sausage. Sometimes we have sweet and sour chicken, or we have spaghetti. We've made tacos from scratch today. We make rolls from scratch. So they get a wide variety. There's lots of fruits and vegetables. We make salads. We've had pineapple, cantaloupe, which is a lot of the fresh fruit.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it is impressive that we do so many meals from scratch. I know that that is one of the things that sets us apart, I think a little bit, from some other programs. And so it's great food and it's definitely something that people ought to check out if that's of interest to them at any of those schools during the times we mentioned. We'll include the list of schools and times in the show notes as well. Well, I know that there's a lot to be done in summer, but it is almost lunch time. So I will let you go, but I really appreciate your spending the time. And it's a pleasure to talk with you. Thanks for everything you do for our students and for our community. Thank you so much.

Tawnya Elwood:
Thank you.

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.