Supercast

Anthony Godfrey:
Welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It's an alternative high school where you will find some incredibly talented teachers and students doing amazing things. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside Valley High School, where a different approach to learning is changing lives and leading students to success in ways some never imagined.

We are here with two students from Valley High School to hear directly from them what it's like to be here, but first let's let them introduce themselves.

Axinia:
I'm Axinia, I'm the student body representative.

Kylee:
I'm Kylee. I'm also on the school leadership team.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. I know you also go by Z. So I'm gonna go with that. Z, let's start out with just talking about why you've chosen to be at Valley.

Axinia:
So I chose to be at Valley because at my boundary school, when I moved states, because I lived in Arizona and then I moved to Utah, they didn't transfer all of my transcripts, so I was missing credits. But previously to that, I had had major back surgery and I had an infection that was like killing me because it got into my spine and my hardware. So from that I had like 72 absences, just that. And then I was missing more credits on top of that. I decided to go to Valley the next year, just so I could get caught up with my grades and stuff like that. And I also know Valley was a really good school because my sister had previously come here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Kylee, tell me why you've chosen to be at Valley.

Kylee:
Similar to Z, I had a lot of like health issues and things like that. And at my boundary school, they were not very accommodating. They didn't really like, excuse the absences. I tried to work with the teachers and the teachers wouldn't really work with me as well. So I actually got a couple different people that recommended that I go to Valley. So I decided why not give it a shot? And so I came and I love it here. I was really scared at first, because Valley has like a lot of bad stereotypes, but I found like none of those to be true.

Anthony Godfrey:
You talked about some of the stereotypes about Valley High School. I'm sure that you've both heard those. What are some of the misconceptions about Valley?

Axinia:
That like it's only a school for like delinquent or drug addicts or like drug dealers. And it's like, there's those at every school, not just Valley. Valley is just a school where they still don't put up with it, but they just want you to get your work done so you can graduate. They want you to graduate. They're not gonna tell you no, or put you down or anything. They're gonna let you know that that's probably not the best choice, but they're gonna continue to push you to do good.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the expectations remain high, but there's an approach that helps you overcome maybe the things that you're dealing with. 

Axinia:
Like they also make it seem like it's all the students and it's not. A lot of the students here don't even associate with that. 

Kylee:
I think the major thing that I got before coming to Valley is like, that's the school for the bad kids. What's wrong with you? Why are you going to Valley? Kind of thing. So that kind of freaked me out a little bit that I was gonna be put in that stereotype. But after being at Valley, I found that like, none of the kids are bad kids. Like everyone here is really genuine. 

Anthony Godfrey:
How do you feel students treat each other here at Valley? You've described that a little bit, but tell me about that. Does that feel different maybe than what you've experienced elsewhere?

Axinia:
Like you still get students that argue with each other and they still have problems with each other, but they're willing to work past those to get things done in school. But also like even outside of class, like they'll even work on it to try to become closer. At Valley there's no one who's really gonna argue with people or hate on people. You can go really talk to anybody and be their friend pretty much.

Kylee:
One thing, at my boundary school, there was a person who, we were having a class discussion, they told me to shut up and the teacher did nothing about it. I haven't had that happen to me here, but I know that if someone were to talk bad about me or something like that in class, I feel like the teacher would stand up for me and be like, you can't say that. That's not okay. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about what classes are like at Valley. How are they different maybe from classes that you've experienced throughout your time in school? 

Axinia:
Classes are different here because they're smaller and you get a lot more one on one time with the teachers. I feel like the teachers are a lot more patient with you, but also like if you need more time to do your work, the teachers will be willing to work with you and give you that extra time. 

Anthony Godfrey:
How about you Kylee? 

Kylee:
I like that the class length is shorter. Because for someone like me who has like anxiety and ADHD, when you sit in the same spot, in the same classroom, just with nothing really to do except for busy work, you get really anxious. And it like, kind of builds in your stomach. Whereas in Valley it's like, even if I'm having a hard day and I don't wanna go to school, I'm like, it's just a couple hours. Like, it's not like I'm gonna be there all day.

Anthony Godfrey:
What would you say to students who are considering Valley, but aren't sure?

Axinia:
I would want them to know that Valley, even though it has that bad stigma towards it, that Valley is a really great school. They're very welcoming and it can be overwhelming at first. But at the end of the day you're gonna realize that you're welcome and that this is like a family and not just a school. 

Kylee:
I've actually had a couple friends that I've recommended come to Valley, that I know struggle with similar things like me. And some of them have. I love Valley so much. So anyone who would be considering coming to Valley, I would say just do it. If it's not the right fit, then you can try something else. Valley has been life changing for so many people. Like it really was such a big deal for me. I went from being a student that had failed pretty much every class to a student with all A's, and doing things like speaking on a podcast and things like that.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a level of rigor in the classes. They expect a lot of you and I maybe that's a misperception sometimes too. They expect a lot out of you. I don't think you can hide Valley, speak to that for me.

Axinia:
Like the teachers obviously want you to do your work. They expect it from you just because Valley is like your second chance a lot of the times, not every time. But you know, like they just want you to do good. Valley wants the best for you. The teachers want what's best for you. They want you to get on track to be able to graduate or even possibly graduate early. But at the end of the day, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. So they're not gonna force a student to do their work if they're really not that interested. 

Kylee:
Things that I've heard in class sometimes. If a student's not participating in class a lot of the time it's “if you don't wanna be here, then don't be, cause there's a lot of people who need the opportunity to come to Valley. And so if you don't wanna be here, then you should give your spot to someone who does.”

Anthony Godfrey:
I think that makes sense and what you said earlier is ‘try it and if it works for you, great, if it doesn't, then you can try something else.’ But that's why it's an alternative high school. It's an alternative, it's a choice. It's something that you can try and I worry that some students may not feel successful or not feel connected to their school experience and wonder whether there's any way they ever could be. And Valley is a place where they just might be.

Kylee:
It definitely, for me has been. 

Axinia:
Valley understands that like life can get in the way. Like last year for me during fourth quarter, my mom passed away and I came in and talked to the counselors and stuff like that. They told me that they would freeze my grades so that I could take time to do what I needed to do. They're very understanding and very compassionate for students. All students need to do to get that is to be very communicative with the teachers and the staff here so that they know what's going on. Students don't need to be scared to go talk to them because it's not like they're gonna go tell everyone your business. 

Kylee:
That being said, I think that it goes like to a deeper level. You have a deeper connection with the teachers and the admin here. You feel like you can actually talk to them and be open with them and communicate with them, which is a big thing about Valley. The students have a lot of responsibility. It's not just have your parents call in sick. You need to do it yourself and get your things done. I feel like it prepares me for the real world more.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are your plans after Valley? What's next?

Kylee:
So I'm graduating at the end of third quarter. After I graduate, I'll be going to culinary school, Job Corps. I am really excited. After about a year of that, I'll go to advanced culinary school, be able to cater on cruise ships and do things like that in California.

Anthony Godfrey:
I hope that I can be on a cruise sometime in the future where your food is served. I have no doubt you'll be doing it. It's just whether I get to cruise or not. How about you Z?

Axinia:
My plans after school. Well, I'm supposed to graduate second quarter, but I'm gonna stay and finish the whole year because why not? But I also, after this, I'm gonna go to SLCC for two years and I'm gonna get my associates for geology and then I'm gonna transfer to university and try to get my masters. And then after that I wanna go back and get my associates and my masters for physics so that I can be a geophysicist.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sounds fantastic. I love to hear your plans and I love that Valley is a launch to your being able to achieve those.

Kylee:
I never thought I would graduate at my boundary school. And that is something that makes me feel so successful because it's completely turned my life around. Now I'm graduating early and I didn't think I'd graduate in the first place. 

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic. 

Axinia:
Valley has definitely given us hope. Like last year I had been like uprooted from my house twice. So I was basically wondering where I was gonna live. And then the second time, you know, after that, my mom had passed away shortly. So last year I just had little to no hope, but Valley, Valley is definitely one thing that kept me going, because it's like, if I can just get there to graduate, I can continue on and do something else after school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you both have bright futures ahead and I congratulate you on all the progress that you've made. Make the most of Valley while you're here. Enjoy it. And best of luck in your future endeavors.

Kylee:
Thank you. 

Axinia:
Thank you. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back Valley High's principal joins us to explain why a different approach to learning is making such a big difference in so many lives.

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:
We're here at Valley High School with Principal Jacinto Peterson to talk about Valley.

Principal Peterson:
Thank you for coming, for being here. Valley's the greatest place on planet earth.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is the greatest place on planet earth. And I'll tell you, I'm just gonna start with how proud I am of the work that happens here. We ran into the governor's education advisor and I got the chance to talk to her while she was here, just about what a great school Valley is. I'm just so impressed over the years with all of the great things that are done for kids and the attitude about helping kids, no matter what their circumstances are.

Principal Peterson:
Honestly, all these kids are untapped jewels, so we just want to keep 'em on the right line. Since 1975, this place has been sending out productive citizens in society. So we want to keep on that same journey. I stand on the shoulders of giants each and every day of all the folks, Clyde, Sharon, and Todd, and all the rest of the folks who've made great contributions here in this building.

Anthony Godfrey:
Let me ask you a question related to that. You've been principal for how long now?

Principal Peterson:
Two years, which has been all of the pandemic. So since pandemic I've been in place.

Anthony Godfrey:
As you think about that, that's the same for me. Just about my whole time as superintendent has been changed by the pandemic and impacted by it. As you became principal, you acknowledge you're standing on the shoulders of giants. What was your vision for Valley moving forward?

Principal Peterson:
The most important thing for me is to help everyone become happy in life. Ultimately that's my mission. That is my aspiration, helping everyone become happy. That's a very awkward statement, but it is linked to education. It is linked to fulfilling their own personal goals and aspirations. So happiness, teamwork, collaboration, and all those things combined to get you towards that finish line. So you can be a pilot and not a co-pilot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about Valley. There are lots of people who may not understand it. Give me the overview. I know that because I've worked with Valley for decades. What is the purpose of Valley and what sets Valley apart from other schools?

Principal Peterson:
First of all, always recognize that Valley is an alternative high school and what that means to lots of people may be different. The reason why we call this alternative is because we are gonna try some tactics and some strategies that a traditional boundary school may not employ. So with that, we have teachers that are willing to be flexible. We have a staff, the folks in the front office are willing to be flexible and come up with the resources and strategies to best help kids. So our whole philosophy is helping kids reach their full potential.

Anthony Godfrey:
There are a couple things that are unique about Valley that I'd like you to describe. I know that the Friday experiences to help students earn credit, that's always intrigued me. Tell me, tell us more about that.

Principal Peterson:
That was put into place to extend kids' understanding of their own community. We get to go to a lot of activities. Tracy Aviary, Timpanogos Caves, and to realize that there are a lot of great resources right in their neighborhoods that are educational in purpose. So as part of remediation, those Friday activities occur on a given Friday. There is a topic of discussion, but is aligned with going somewhere, getting out of the school and making the world your educational classroom.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, speaking of the Friday experience, that's possible because Valley has a Monday through Thursday schedule. Talk about the schedule, the four day schedule and the times that students can choose to attend. For me, that's just another level of flexibility that helps students fit school into their lives no matter what's going on.

Principal Peterson:
Our schedule currently looks like a Monday through Thursday schedule. It is between the hours of 9:00-1:30, session one, and then 2:30-6:30, session two. Those wonderful schedules are put into place because we are an alternative school. Many of our students also have jobs. So that gives them the opportunity to attend work, learn some life and social skills, come to school, grab their academics as well as learn some life and social skills. So we are flexible on that. We have that middle section, we call that power hour. That's the time for remediation. Time to check in with your teachers, time to make up missing topics or missing actual days. So if your attendance is bad, that's an opportunity for you to come in and get that one-on-one attention with a teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
And for those who are thinking as they listen to this, they might want to work at Valley. It's a Monday through Thursday schedule helping kids who are ready to connect to adults and get some help in their lives. 

Principal Peterson:
Yes, indeed. It's a misnomer to think that our kids are not going to college. We have 10% of our kids or more that are college ready. The rest of our kids will be going to trade schools and also making great contributions. Salt Lake Community College is one of our great partnerships. We probably interact with them about probably 40 times in a given year. We have all the trades schools that come through thanks to Cathrin Wischmann. We have career days, which is, one in the fall, one in the spring. So we have a lot of positive programming that takes place here at Valley.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're also equipped to take care of a wide variety of student needs. Washing machine, dryer, staff that may be helping in ways that other schools aren't able to. Tell me about some of the additional help and support that's given to students based on their life circumstances. 

Principal Peterson:
Well, our job is to try to eliminate boundaries for kids. So one of the places that we have is our daycare center for any teen parents that may have a child and wants to further their education. We have a daycare center, which we charge students about $50 per quarter, and their child can remain in that daycare center all day long. They will get fed. They will be taken care of by the finest daycare providers on planet earth. In addition to that, for anyone that might be running to some fun financial stress, we have a washing machine and a dryer. We also have a homeless liaison that steps in. We have teachers who are willing to spend their own money to buy packets for kids. Our main office staff has been known to buy things for kids. And so our hopes and goal as a collective endeavor is to just help kids be successful in life. Sometimes that remains just for us having a regular conversation with them about these are some circumstances that we had to endure as a young person. So just passing on the wisdom, being the guru of such when we're just having a conversation with kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me what it feels like to work at Valley for you.

Principal Peterson:
For me, for a young man who grew up in a single wide trailer, this is my population of kids. These are the kids that have always been brilliant. They've had some setbacks in life. And so ultimately our goal as a staff is to remind them that they have grit and they are resilient. These are the finest young people I've had the opportunity to work with. They have this thing called ‘I don't quit’ in them. So for me, even when the cards are stacked against them, they still grind it out.

Anthony Godfrey:
If someone is listening and thinking, maybe this is a match for someone that I know. My child or a friend's child, or a niece or a nephew. Describe for me, and this is gonna be hard because this is the right place for such a wide range of people. Describe the students at Valley. Who is the Valley student and who's the student that Valley is geared for.

Principal Peterson:
I would say any kid that has had some setbacks. A kid who needs to regenerate who they are, some kids who may need a couple wins under their belt. If you're asking that question, it's probably your neighbor. It's probably your own personal kid. Kids who are really smart, can't live in that huge school environment where there's 3000 kids. They have anxiety, they need a smaller learning environment. Kids who had brushes with drugs and alcohol, who for some reason have continued to battle through those things. Kids who really just have lost some hope and our job is to restore hope and that we are going to hold them accountable for things in life and ask of them to reach their full potential. 

Anthony Godfrey:
We're very fortunate to have you here Jacinto. I know how much you care about every employee and particularly every student here and you are the person to be carrying the torch. So thank you for all you do to help these students.

Principal Peterson:
And thank you kindly Dr. Godfrey as well as all the supporters of Valley High. If you ever want to find out what is being cooked at Valley High, please come by and we'll let you look in the pot. Take care.

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

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Are you looking for a new career in the new year? We may have exactly what you're searching for. On this episode of the Supercast, we explore the job opportunities available right now in Jordan School District for those looking for full or part-time employment. They are jobs that offer competitive pay and benefits working with some of the best people around.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with Brent Burge, Human Resources Administrator and Amanda Bollinger, Assistant Director of Special Education to talk about job opportunities for the new year. We have many of them, and there really are some jobs that folks may not be thinking about that are opportunities. Part-Time, full-time, benefited, non benefited positions, and we have a lot of openings and a lot of great opportunities to become a part of Jordan School District. So let's start with Mr. Burge. Can you tell us some of the different job families that we have in the district focusing on our education support professionals. Now that's the term nationally, ESP or education support professional. And really, we can't do that essential work in the classroom without them. There are lots of job families that encompass this group. So tell us, a few of those and some of the opportunities there.

Brent Burge:
Absolutely. We have a great group of people, a lot of different openings. We can start with our transportation group, whether it's bus attendants, or bus drivers. We have our custodial group, which keeps the buildings clean. We have our administrative assistant group full-time and part-time. We have our facilities group, which takes care of all of the buildings and a whole host of others.

Anthony Godfrey:
So let's start with transportation. There are bus attendants, bus drivers, and we need bus drivers more than almost any other position.

Brent Burge:
That's one of our biggest needs. Yes, you're correct. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about what it looks like for someone who thinks, “Hey, maybe I'd like to be a bus driver.” What's the process like, what is the training like and what types of routes and responsibilities may be assigned to them?

Brent Burge:
Absolutely. So our transportation group, in order to be a bus driver, you have to have a CDL with a passenger and bus endorsement. Luckily our district provides that training so that employees can come in, get the training needed and start driving immediately.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you don't need a CDL, you don't need experience. You can get that commercial driver license with training, right from the district and get started.

Brent Burge:
Correct. We will provide all the training needed.

Anthony Godfrey:
And there are full-time and part-time positions available, correct?

Brent Burge:
Correct. We're currently looking for full-time and part-time, we have a lot of substitute positions. As you know, bus drivers may call in sick. We need people to cover those routes as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
We did another Supercast months ago with bus drivers. And what's exciting is that you can interact with kids every day. You're the first person that they see as they head to school. When you get to see kids before and after their school day, you really get to build a relationship there.

Brent Burge:
You do. You have a great experience and you've gotta get those kids to school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Amanda, there are a lot of special education buses that we run in the district and those involve having assistants on the bus. Tell us about that role and about the special role that bus drivers for our special schools and for our special education students may be involved in.

Amanda Bollinger:
Yes, I'd love to. So we do have bus attendants that help with some of our special education students going to our special schools and some of our regular schools. Really they help provide extra support for those students to make sure their needs are being met, that they're secure and safe on the bus. So that bus drivers can then safely drive students to the schools. So they're really important. And we do provide additional training for those para educator support on the bus as well. So they do get training and they don't have to have any experience being on a bus. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Perfect. Now we talked about transportation. Let's talk about custodial, keeping the building running, keeping it clean, overseeing a staff of people who help with that as well. Tell us about some of the openings available there. 

Brent Burge:
So we have both full-time and part-time. As you know, most of the buildings need to be cleaned after the students leave. And so the majority of the positions are afternoon shifts. We do have part-time and full-time, we do have some full-time positions during the day as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
What time of day do those jobs usually start? The afternoon jobs. It'll depend on high school, middle, elementary, but what's the range?

Brent Burge:
Each School is different as far as their needs. Most of the part-time start probably around two or three o'clock in the afternoon. And then finish up about 10 or 10 30.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you know, if anyone's going to school, going into education, thinking about being a teacher or doing anything else in the district, or really any job in the state. When you're working full-time after hours as a custodian, you can be going to school and you can be earning years of service so that retirement comes a little faster or it's a little sweeter when it does come, because you've earned those years toward the final calculation of your retirement benefit. I know a few people who've done that and whatever job you take, if you do that, while you're in school, you just get a little bit of a jump on everyone else. build

Brent Burge:
Build up that seniority.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back more information on the jobs in Jordan School District.

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:
Now the category of, or job family rather, is the classroom assistant. We have a lot of openings for classroom assistants in special education. So Amanda, tell us about some of those opportunities.

Amanda Bollinger:
Yes we do. Right now, we currently have about 40 positions open at various schools from our special schools, elementary, middle and high school. And there's opportunities in Resource classrooms where those paraeducators may work one on one or in small groups with students with disabilities. They may also push into classrooms with those students. And then our special classes are going to vary depending on the level from elementary, middle, and high school. But a lot of those paraeducators that are working in those classrooms are vital to providing services for our students. They get to really make a difference for those students in making progress in their education. 

Anybody that's interested in being a paraprofessional in a classroom, doesn't have to have specific training. They just have to have a high school diploma, and we actually do provide training on what that's like to be in the classroom on basic behavior training, basic instruction.

The nice thing about those positions are that if anyone's interested in becoming a teacher, it's a great way to start to get more experience in a classroom, get more experience in a school. That's actually how I started my career, is as a paraeducator. That's when I really fell in love with special ed. One of the great things too, our state actually has a scholarship program called the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship program. So for anybody that's working at least 10 hours as a paraeducator and they have less than 60 credit hours in college, they have the opportunity to get up to $5,000 towards their tuition paid every year they can apply for that scholarship. So it's a great opportunity for anybody that's interested in becoming a teacher or just trying to figure out if that's something that they're interested in doing, to be a teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a great option, and it's a great sampler. You get in as an assistant and then you know what that classroom environment is like, and you get to observe the teacher, develop those relationships with students. And like you said, you get to see the results of working one on one with students and helping them make progress while earning money toward advancing your own education and being able to be a teacher. I know a number of teachers who've gone through that path and it's really exciting. 

We have a lot of flexible positions and Nutrition Services offers some positions that are shorter just in the middle of the day. So if you only have time in the middle of the day and you want to work six to 10 hours, there are options for that.

Brent Burge:
Absolutely. We have Nutrition Cafeteria Assistants. Those are mainly employees who collect money or work with children, not necessarily preparing food. A lot of positions are available for two hours a day.

Anthony Godfrey:
So there are a variety of positions. Now we also have openings where you can work full-time in Nutrition Services. 

Brent Burge:
Correct. We have a lot of positions, probably 10 or so right now. Six hour positions, those are benefited. You'll earn retirement and those kinds of things as you're working six hours a day.

Anthony Godfrey:
So really whatever level of commitment you're interested in, we have something available. 

Brent Burge:
Absolutely. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Now I'm gonna throw something out there right now. We have substitute positions available, always. And there's a high degree of flexibility that comes with being a substitute. You can also work as, like I said, as much or as little as you want. I think on any given day, there's going to be an opportunity for any substitute who wants to work. You can choose the level, you can choose the school, you can choose how frequently you work. We've been offering some bonuses that have made national news, actually. If you work a certain number of days and we're actually going to extend that into January, you heard it here first, but that's gonna be available each month for the remainder of the school year, at least. So that anyone who meets a certain threshold, works a certain number of days during the month will receive that bonus. It's just so important for us to provide continuity for students and substitutes allow for teachers to get that time away that they need because of illness, or just needing to take some time off for family or for whatever reason. So it helps everybody and they’re a really vital part of our operation. So anyone interested in that just, you know, you need a little bit of extra money here and there. That's a great way to have control over when you come and when you work. Anything else you'd add about the special education opportunities in the district?

Amanda Bollinger:
Yeah, I would just say, you know, it really makes such a difference for our students to have the support that they need to be successful in the classroom. Working in special education is so rewarding to see the growth of these students and you get it to build those relationships, like you mentioned. More so than maybe some of the other positions, and really get to see students hit their goals and become more independent and to just really make a difference. Not just in a student's lives, but just in our community as well. 

Anthony Godfrey:
What I've experienced is when people jump in and they try it, they may not know what to expect, but they get addicted pretty fast to those relationships and the ability to make a difference in someone's life.

Amanda Bollinger:
Yeah, and then when those kids are so excited to see you on a daily basis, it is very rewarding to wake up and go to work every day.

Anthony Godfrey:
No question. Mr. Burge, anything else about just the jobs in Jordan District in general?

Brent Burge:
If you have ever been interested, give us a try. Try it out. We'd love to have you. This is a great place to work. It's a great family environment.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us where everyone would go to find out about job opportunities and where they can get started.

Brent Burge:
Okay, you can go to our district website at www.jordandistrict.org, and there's an employment link, or you can go to our HR page, which is employment.jordandistrict.org. There are links in there that can take you and you can apply for the different types of jobs you're interested in. Job descriptions are available as well as the salaries.

Anthony Godfrey:
If anyone would just prefer a phone call, just to call and say, “Hey, I'm looking at something somewhere in this area, and what types of things do you have available?” Where would they call?

Brent Burge:
Call (801) 567-8150 and we'll be glad to assist you with whatever questions you might have.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Thank you very much for your time. Hopefully we get to add lots of new members to the Jordan District family. 

Amanda Bollinger:
Yeah, we hope so. We hope to see you next year. 

Anthony Godfrey:
That's 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 you out there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Their music will
warm your heart and make you smile. On this episode of the Supercast we share sweet sounds of the
season performed by some very talented Jordan School District students. First let's hear from the
Bingham High Madrigals.

Bingham High Madrigals singing:
Deck the Halls

Anthony Godfrey:
And now a performance from the students at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy.

Majestic Elementary Arts Academy students singing:
Jingle Bells

Anthony Godfrey:
And now performances by the Copper Mountain Orchestra.

Orchestra playing:
Carol of the Bells
Feliz Navidad

Anthony Godfrey:
Now let's enjoy the sounds of the Mountain Ridge Madrigals.

Mountain Ridge Madrigals singing:
Somewhere in My Memory

Merry Christmas!

Anthony Godfrey:
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a safe, prosperous new year. Thanks for joining us on 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. It will be the experience of a lifetime for two Mountain Creek Middle School students with special needs. Jaymi Bonner, an 8th grade student who plays violin and Emma Figueroa, a 9th grade student who plays trumpet will both be representing Utah in the Rose Bowl parade. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how the students were selected, what it means to them and how excited everyone is for this dynamic duo. We'll also tell you about a program called United Sound, which is proving to be a source of pride and is very important to students with special needs and their peer tutors. 

We are here at Mountain Creek Middle School with Karlee English and Cameron Elliott to talk about the United Sound program, which is really exciting. It's well, something that I'm gonna let our teachers here describe. So Mr. Elliott, why don't you start us off?

Mr. Elliott:
All right. So United Sound is a program that gets students with various needs and abilities that are usually in like a self-contained class or a part of a neurodiverse population. And it gets them involved with their neurotypical peers building relationships with kids their age that they don't usually have access to because of their scheduling and other accommodations at the school level. It focuses on building those relationships through music and through doing peer lessons with music teaching. So not only are they learning from myself and Ms. English about music, but they're actually learning from people their age that already play the instruments that these kids want to play. So we're giving them these life changing opportunities where instead of someone coming in and telling them what they can or can't do, we come in and we say, you can do whatever you set your mind to, whatever you want to, and we are here to help do that in any way possible. And we have a team of students that kind of just makes dreams come true every day and focuses on encouragement and the relationship building, making friends and having fun while doing it.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a benefit that every student gets from participating in a music program. It’s feeling more connected to their peers, and really, I think discovering they're able to do things that they weren't able to do before. You get a sense of efficacy. I try, I work hard, I practice and I get better. Explain what that looks like for United Sound.

Mr. Elliott:
So in United Sound, we're really focused on everything is an achievement. Even the smallest things that people think would be menial in the average music classroom is celebrated. Like it's the best thing we've ever done, because everything that we do about this program is deemed by most people as a challenge. So whether it's putting the instrument together, whether it's making your first sound, if it's being able to read a rhythm correctly, then we pretty much stop class and we have like a mini 30 second party for that achievement. And it gives these kids so much joy to have that. It gives our peer mentors so much joy to be able to support that. And they really start to appreciate the little things in their musicianship, and they start to appreciate the growth in the students that they're mentoring as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
And there's got to be a huge benefit for the students who get to mentor students who are not neurotypical.

Mr. Elliott:
You know, it's something most of them have never had the experience to do. Most of them don't get the opportunity to teach or mentor at this age anyway, but to also do it with such a fun, cool, loving, appreciative population it's very eye opening for them. And a lot of them find a passion for it that they didn't even realize that they had.

Anthony Godfrey:
Ms. English. We are always about inclusion. This seems like a deeper level of inclusion. Talk to me about that.

Ms. English:
I have always been 100% about inclusion. Since I first came here to Mountain Creek Middle School, Mr. Glenn has kind of just given me the thumbs up to, you know, make it a more inclusive school all the way around. So the first year that we had our, if we wanted to call it cluster or self-contained, I approached Mr. Elliott and I said, ‘Hey, I'd love to have some of my kids in band.’ And it was such a cool thing that he, after that conversation, he looked into more stuff and he knew people, he knew about this program, United Sound, and he actually brought it to me. And I'm like, that's exactly what I'm looking for, because I feel like the more you're including what typical kids might wanna do, they wanna do it too. And the funny thing I think is some of these kids are amazing little musicians. We have a young man that maybe is not, you know, just very high cognitively, but boy, he can make a sound on that trombone and he is good. And so like, he is so celebrated in his family with his grandparents among all the peers, among all my class. It's very cool to watch him get so excited because he just excels at it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now this is a unique program, isn't it? Mr. Elliott, tell us about that.

Mr. Elliott:
Yes, so the United Sound program is a national organization. And they've got chapters all across the country. It started in Arizona, I believe, or at least it's based out of there now at the high school level. And it's since now ventured into high schools, middle schools and even colleges and universities. The closest one to us collegiate wise would be Northern Arizona University has an active chapter so that our students even have opportunities for music when they get older, which is really cool. But the neat thing is that we are actually the first chapter to ever exist in the state of Utah, ever. And so now in the last couple weeks, I've actually had some other directors in this district and around the state that have come up to me and said, so I heard about this United Sound thing, tell me more.

And that's what we wanted. That's what we were hoping would happen. Last year with the pandemic and things we weren't able to do much sharing of what we were able to do, but even last year we were also one of the only chapters in the country that was actually active because we were actually had the time and the space and the protocols here at school to be able to achieve that. So we're really breaking ground here with this organization, but as a national organization, there's so many stories of the good that it's done for these students, for the families. I mean, you see parents just crying because their students are doing things that they never thought they'd see them be able to do in their lives. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Ms. English, tell me about the impact this has had on your students.

Ms. English:
Oh, so we were doing it Friday during our kind of crazy Friday schedule last year and Monday first thing. Oh my gosh. United Sound was so cool Monday. I can't wait till it's Friday. I can't wait till it's Friday. They get so excited. They talk about it all week in my class. But I also have to talk about how it completely affects my students, but I think the biggest impact is actually on peer tutors. I mean, they have never worked with anyone that looks or maybe appears different than they are. And this is such an opportunity that I have actually seen so much growth in their typical peers. And it's in band. It's not like you're in a peer tutor class where you kind of have to do this and have to do that. It is on their own willingness to do it. They actually brought all my students Christmas presents last year, just on their own, like the sweetest thing ever. And they have built this relationship. I know for Jaymi, her peer tutor comes over to her house and helps practice with her. Today, I mean currently. So it has just built this like a real relationship, not like a kind of a, oh, well, I'm a peer tutor at school, da da, da, da. It is like a real relationship. And when they see each other, they're high fiving, they sit at lunch with each other. It's just a beautiful bond to watch what happens within the school. It makes our school a kinder and a lovelier school all the way together. And I do, you have to say, we're very included in every aspect of school here. A lot of my kids are in leadership positions. Jaymi is a student body officer. Emma is on Choose Kind this year. So there's a lot of involvement for all students here to be included in what they want to be included. We don't wanna force this on 'em, but if they wanna be included, we want them there.

Mr. Elliott:
And you hear us keep going back to the relationship aspect. Like that word comes up, but even just as the United Sound organization that's their main focus. It's really about that human connection because that's what changes lives ultimately. Music just happens to be, I think, such a wonderful vehicle for that. Just because of the nature of being in an ensemble and working so closely with someone. But I've seen the confidence in Karlee’s students just skyrocket. I mean, we had one student last that just went from coming into school every day, talking about how he can't do anything. He can't, he's not successful. He's so dumb. And he went from that to learning how to play drums. And all of a sudden, he was a rockstar. I remember with about a month, he's up in front of the classroom telling me he's the smartest kid in the room and that's something we never thought, you know, we would hear out of him.

And so you just see so much growth in their confidence and their self-esteem. In my more neurotypical students that are the peer mentors, you see a huge growth in compassion and empathy, openness and patience. That not only just makes them better musicians, but it makes them better people. I think that's one of the fun things to watch is you just, you get to watch these young adults and teenagers turn into just really the people that we want to see, you know, going out and changing the world in the future and the qualities we want in ourselves on a day to day basis.

Anthony Godfrey:
Obviously these are experiences that are changing every student permanently. And I know it's something that they'll never forget because it takes them outside of themselves. And it teaches them that they can do things they didn't think they could do. And I'm not just talking about learning an instrument. I'm talking about empathy and connection to people that aren't like you. That's a great lesson to be learning at this age in particular. It's a lesson we all could use more of in the world these days. So thank you for your efforts to make this possible. 

Stay with us more with United Sound when we come back.

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:
Introduce yourselves. Tell us your name.

Emma:
Emma.

Jaymi:
Jaymi

Anthony Godfrey:
Emma, and Jaymi. First of all, first things first, who's going to win the game, the Rose Bowl game?

Jaymi:
Utah.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Yes. Emma, do you feel the same way?

Emma:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. So do I, you're in good company. So the reason we ask who's gonna win the Rose Bowl is because the two of you are performing in the Rose Bowl Parade. That's incredible. That is a sentence I will never say about myself. That is really quite an amazing opportunity. Are you excited to be performing Emma?

Emma:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are you looking forward to?

Emma:
Everything.

Anthony Godfrey:
Everything, fair enough. I think everything about the experience is gonna be fun. How about you, Jaymi? Are you excited?

Jaymi:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what are you looking forward to?

Jaymi:
I got scared.

Ms. English:
What are you most looking forward to?

Jaymi:
Disneyland.

Anthony Godfrey:
Disneyland? You get to go to Disneyland as part of this?

Jaymi:
Yeah.

Ms. English:
They actually get to perform at Disneyland.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're performing at Disneyland?

Jaymi:
Yeah.

Ms. English:
Not only the Rose Bowl, but also Disneyland.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. So you're performing at the Rose Bowl and at Disneyland. That's really exciting. Which are you more about, Disneyland or the Rose Bowl Emma?

Emma:
Disneyland

Anthony Godfrey:
Disneyland. I don't blame you. What is the performance gonna look like at Disneyland?

Mr. Elliott:
The organization that they're actually performing with is called the Honor Band of America. That part of the Music For All organization which oversees a national circuit of marching band competitions and concert band competitions and performances throughout the year. But the marching band arm of Honor Bands of America puts together an honors marching ensemble every four years that is comprised of the top musicians from around the country that audition for this role. And you're talking, you know, All State players from all 50 states. These are the best of the best. They come down to California for a couple of days upwards of, I think, five to six days and they learn an entire parade routine. They prepare physically, mentally, musically to march a five mile long parade,

Anthony Godfrey:
Five miles?

Mr. Elliott:
Five miles. It's insane. They get this awesome custom honor band of America uniform that these two ladies will get to wear as well. And they get to really be the premier high school marching band in the country for that day, and for that time, because of just the high quality musicianship that's happening there,

Anthony Godfrey:
That is so exciting. Now, tell, tell me which instruments do you play? Emma, what instrument do you play?

Emma:
Trumpet.

Anthony Godfrey:
The trumpet. All right. And Jaymi, what do you play?

Jaymi:
Violin.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you like about the violin?

Jaymi:
Music fun play.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is it fun to play?

Jaymi:
Yeah.

Ms. English:
And it's been fun because her cousins play, so then they get together and they can, you know, do some stuff together on your violins. Right?

Jaymi:
Mm-hmm

Ms. English:
And all her strings are color coded. She can do all her fun stuff. Right?

Jaymi:
Yeah.

Mr. Elliott:
You can see her face light up when she plays. It's just, it's pure joy. It's so much fun to watch.

Anthony Godfrey:
I will be cheering for the Utes, but I'll be cheering more for you. Pretty excited to see you guys perform. Mr. Elliott, show us a little bit about what the sheet music looks like for United Sound.

Mr. Elliott:
So this is maybe one of my favorite things about the program. When we first started, they mentioned to us that they do a modified curriculum and they kind of sent us examples, but then we got to go through these books with them. When you start a chapter, they ship you a method book for each student, that's this line specifically for United Sound. And it takes the typical music notation and turns it into more iconography or symbolic stuff. So for a quarter note we use the word cake and a picture of a cake for a half note, we use the word soup and we hold that out for two beats and a picture of a bowl of soup where the note head would be. And then for eighth notes, we use the words donut. And so when you say a rhythm like a quarter, half, an eighth note rhythm, you might say something like cake donut soup.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it's a little bit of a different version of doe, a deer, a female deer, just all food related.

Mr. Elliott:
Right. For rhythm, for notes, whatever it is, it's things that these students know, can relate to, can recognize the picture. So that wherever the student is cognitively or physically or with musical experience, it's something that's so universal that they can find success immediately.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love this and I love that it makes it simple to begin with, but then it brings everyone along to more and more complex notation. And boy, there's so many levels on which this is exciting for students.

Mr. Elliott:
It goes one step further even, outside of just the method book of once these students kind of master what's going on in the book they are actually given the opportunity to perform with the band and with the ensemble in a concert. And so our peer mentors take this notation that they've been teaching and they write out a part from their concert music for their instrument and they hand write a modified part that I can then go in and put in specific notation software. But our peer mentors have done the work of here's my modified part for my musician. And I can workshop them on, well, maybe this might be a better accommodation, or this might be other than this, but they do most of the grunt work up front and take ownership and responsibility and then teach those parts to our students.
So they learn their instrument, they learn the technique and then they learn how to put it in action. And so our students got to perform with us at our band concert last spring. And that's really what we're working for. You kind of hear this chapter meeting as well or these chapters of, well what's the end goal? What's the end result? And the end goal is for every semester, roughly that, that they get at least one performance opportunity with their neurotypical peers in a typical ensemble setting so that it doesn't become tokenism or patronizing or charity or anything like that. But it truly becomes inclusion. And it's so fun because they're on stage performing and their peer mentors are right there next to them during the performance, giving up their opportunity to play, to sit next to the student and help them be successful. Very similar to what's gonna happen with Emma and Jaymi when they go to the parade in a couple weeks.

Anthony Godfrey:
I absolutely love that. The fact that it's genuine inclusion and there's no culminating activity like a live performance. There's a deadline, it's happening. And that is real and it's genuine. And to have everyone involved and again, like you said, you learn to rely on each other, you know that you need each other in that performance as part of an ensemble and what a great lesson for everybody involved. There's nothing like genuine, deep inclusion that really builds relationships and skills and confidence. And I'm thrilled that the four of you are at the forefront of this effort in the state and that the two of you get to go to the Rose Bowl and to perform at Disneyland. And I'm sure this is something that's going to gain momentum in the state with great example you're setting for inclusion and for just becoming great musicians, Jaymi and Emma. So congratulations, great work. I'm really proud of what you guys are doing and I can't wait to see you perform. Thank you Jaymi. Thanks Emma.

Emma:
You're welcome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks again. Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Best of luck to Jaymi and Emma, as they head to California, we'll be watching with pride. 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:
Welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. On this episode of the Supercast, find out more about the open enrollment process and what parents need to know about the permit window, which is now open. First, a brief summary. Jordan School District is now accepting applications for School Choice Open Enrollment for the 2022-23 school year. Students currently attending on a school choice permit do not have to reapply for a permit if they are remaining at the same school for the 2022-23 school year. However, students who want to move schools or any student currently on the waitlist without a permit must reapply to become considered for a 2022-23 permit.

We're here to talk about permits today. Caleb, why don't you introduce yourself?

Caleb Olson:
Thanks. My name's Caleb Olson. I am currently working as the Planning and Enrollment consultant. I have several things in the district that I get to be responsible for, but one of them is the permit process.

Anthony Godfrey:
First of all, for those who may not understand exactly what a permit is, talk to us about how permits work and what they are.

Caleb Olson:
All right, let me give you a little bit of an example if I could. So I think anyone who's probably listening to the podcast has been in a big restaurant or seen a big restaurant that has a bunch of tables and lots of people and a lot of places you can go. When you go to a restaurant like that, they always find a place for you to sit. And you may say to the host at the entrance, you know, I want to sit in a booth or I want to sit by a window or here's where I'd like to be. Sometimes they can accommodate that. And sometimes they just find the spot that you are going to be able to sit in. 

Anthony Godfrey:
For me, it's close to the salad bar. That's where I want to be.

Caleb Olson:
Exactly. So that's sort of how the permit process works in Jordan School District. Everyone has a seat at a school. For most students, that's going to be at their boundary school or their neighborhood school, but there are some people who have a preference. That means they want to attend a different school. They wanna go to someplace else. They may have childcare concerns, or they may want to attend a school that they actually live closer to but they're on the other side of the boundaries. The permit process allows a student who doesn't live in the boundaries of a school to apply for a seat at that school. Now not every school in the district has seats available, but every school is taking those applications. And once those applications come in, we process them. And when seats are available, we offer those to students who live outside the boundaries to attend the school that they wanted to go to. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, State law is very supportive of the concept of parents choosing the school that they wish to attend. I know that my brother lives in Maryland and you attend the school where you live. You attend schools based on where you live and there really isn't an option for changing that. But in Utah, for many years, the law has supported a choice for parents in what school they would like their student to attend.

Caleb Olson:
Exactly. We have a lot of choice available for parents. The only exception, or the only caveat is that there has to be space at the school you want to go to. We have some schools that are really growing areas of the district. We know parents would like to go there, we know students would like to attend, but the boundary population is just so high there aren't any seats left over for anyone else. So in those cases, those schools probably are not going to be able to offer permits. Parents can still apply because there's always a chance that a seat might become available at some point that they could apply for. But they can take their choice and pick up to three schools that they want to apply for. We have some schools in the district that anyone can apply to attend. They don't need a permit. Those would be our virtual academy schools, Rocky Peak Virtual Elementary, Kelsey Peak Virtual Middle and Kings Peak High. There's no permit needed for that. Anyone who's in the Jordan School District can apply to and attend those schools. Outside the district would still need a permit. Any of our regular brick and mortar neighborhood schools are going to be accepting applications. Some of them won't have seats, but they'll all be taking those applications online.

Anthony Godfrey:
And I mentioned the law earlier, we're actually required to post how much space is available in each of our schools. Tell everyone where they can find that information.

Caleb Olson:
So what our patrons will want to do is go to planning.jordandistrict.org or they can go to the District website and search for Student Services and then Planning and Enrollment. Once they get there, there's a tab at the top that says “Enrollment” and they can click there and choose School Choice Permits. That page has a lot of information, including a link to a document that shows which schools we think are going to be over capacity or full next year and which schools may have some space available for out of area students.

Anthony Godfrey:
So provide a link to that page in the show notes so that you can find it easily. Now that allows folks to plan for which permit they might want to request. What if they think, well, I want to permit at this school, this is my first choice, but they may not have space. So in that case, I would permit to this school. If they're two different schools they'd like to try to permit to, how do they go about doing that?

Caleb Olson:
On the permit application that will be available for parents they can actually pick up to three schools and put them in their preferred order. First choice, second choice, third choice. If they're not able to get a seat at the first choice school, they may be able to get one at the second or third choice school. It really just depends on the seats that are available at each school. If parents are applying now, they'll be able to find out what seats are available just after the first of the year in January. If parents apply in the January or February timeframe, they may have to wait a little bit longer to find out, but all parents should know by about the beginning of March, where they will be able to have a seat or, or what schools will not be able to offer those.

Anthony Godfrey:
So let's talk a little bit about the timeline. The window opened on December 1st for permits to be submitted. And as you indicated, December is the time during which any permit submitted at any time during December gets the same consideration. Can you explain that process to everybody?

Caleb Olson:
Yeah. In a lot of districts and in Jordan District as recently as a few years ago, on that first day of the permit window, you had to be waiting outside the building with your permit, filled out, ready to go because it was first come first served.

Anthony Godfrey:
I remember those days, we had parents that would camp out overnight at certain schools to be sure that they were first in line. Quite honestly, if I were in that situation, I would've done the same thing. I've camped out for a lot of concert tickets over the years before everything went electronic, slept on the rock salt out in front of Smiths to try to get the best seat I could. When it comes to education, you know, it was difficult that way, because sometimes you had to just really spend the night, literally, in order to get the permit you wanted.

Caleb Olson:
Exactly, and that wasn't an ideal situation for anyone. So to get around that and to avoid that when we had the boundary changes a few years ago, the Board of Education in the District moved to an online permit system. So there's an online application that parents can fill out either by finding the link that you mentioned will be in the show notes, or by searching on the district website. They can also go to permit.jordandistrict.org and that will direct them to the English application. They can go to permiso, P E R M I S O, permiso.jordandistrict.org for the Spanish application. When they get there, they'll answer some questions and their application will be submitted. Now in the month of December, the Board of Education has decided to run a lottery for all of the applicants. It doesn't matter when you apply in December, you have an equal chance at a seat they've established priorities for each school level for elementary, middle, and high school, that will determine where those seats go.

The students who are in the first priority group, or the highest priority group, have the first shot at seats as they're available. If you qualify for a lower priority group, you may not have as good a chance when those seats are available. Those priorities are different for each level, but they are based off of things like how far you live from the school, if you've been attending the school previously, if you have a sibling at the school, if you have a parent who works at the school. That happens in the month of December. When we come back from winter recess at the beginning of January, we run that lottery and we place students on waiting lists at the schools they selected based on those priority orders. Then schools start to offer seats if they have space available. From January, actually all the way through the end of the next school year, schools are still taking permit applications, but those go to the bottom of the list. And those do go in based on when you apply. So if a parent misses the December window and they decide in January or February they want to apply, they can still do it. They still have a chance. There may be some people on the waitlist ahead of them. But once December is over, you want to apply as soon as you think you know which schools you want to go to to have the best chance.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like that you have the month of December to decide to put that in. You don't have one high stakes moment where you're trying to get those permits in. The priorities were something discussed years ago when we were involved in what we like to call MOAB or the Mother Of All Boundary changes. There was a revamp of the permit process at that time and those categories that the Board created, those priorities rather, were really established to try to be respectful of the different circumstances that families might find themselves in and the reasons that they might be seeking a permit to a school other than the boundary school. So when can parents expect to hear an answer, at least initial answers, about whether the permit request has been accepted?

Caleb Olson:
If they applied for a permit in December, they should hear back from the schools by about the end of the first week of January, back from winter recess. After that point schools have until the third Friday in February to let parents know, but a lot of our schools process and handle those applications much quicker. So parents should know usually within about a two week period after January starts whether they're at on a wait list or if they'll be able to be offered a seat at the schools they selected.

Anthony Godfrey:
Roughly, just off the top of your head, what percentage of our schools were able to accept permits this year?

Caleb Olson:
Well, we're a growing district and that means that we have a lot of schools that are pretty full. There were a lot of schools that were able to offer seats, and there were a lot of schools that weren't. I can tell you that for this year, we're expecting about 2000 seats to be open across the district. Those seats though, aren't always going to be at the places people want them to be. We have a few schools with a lot of seats, and we have a lot of schools with very few seats. So it really depends on where you're at in the district and what schools you're interested in. In the West Jordan area, we have a lot of schools with more space and there are more seats available when you get further south in the district in Riverton or Herriman, we have schools that are a little more full. So those schools are probably less likely to offer seats. At the secondary level it's a little easier for schools to have seats because there's more classes, there's more opportunities, there's more offerings. So elementary is gonna be a little more challenging across the district. The secondary schools will be a little easier.

Anthony Godfrey:
More information on the permit process with Caleb Olson when we come back.

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 talked about the fact that this is all based on school capacity. Depending on the time of year capacity is calculated differently. Explain that.

Caleb Olson:
So at the time that we're talking about now in December, we are projecting enrollment for next year. We don't know exactly how many kids will show up in August, but we're doing our best to make an educated guess. And that's what we base the number of permit seats off of before the school year starts. When we get into August, when the school year has actually begun, we base our capacity off of the number of teachers in the building. At an elementary level, we would look at a specific grade and if that grade was low or that there were seats available, we might be able to offer permits just in that grade. At the secondary level, it gets a little more tricky because you may have seats in a language arts class, but not seats in a math class. And at secondary, we have to be able to offer a spot in all of the classes a student would need to be able to accommodate them. So right now we're doing our best guess off of the trends and the move-ins and the information we have available. As we get closer to the school year, and when the school year starts, we switch to using teachers and the amount of students per teacher in every building.

Anthony Godfrey:
During the initial permit window, in other words, can the building fit extra students? If so, then we can accept some permits. But there's a point at which even if there are some empty classrooms, you may not accept permits because you're not staffed at a level that would allow you to accept additional students. Otherwise the staffing would be shifting throughout the year, and it just would be impossible to have teachers and students matched up appropriately in classrooms. So really the bottom line is the best time is December but you can always apply beyond December. There's a lot that can shift between December and the beginning of the school year.

Caleb Olson:
Exactly. And parents need to not be worried about applying in December, because if they're not able to get a seat in December, their name stays on a waitlist, actually all the way through the following school year. So we're accepting permit applications now for the 22-23 school year. Anyone who goes on the waitlist in December will actually stay there until the end of June of 2023. So no matter what happens, you're on the waitlist, and that spot won't go away. So if seats come open, if there are big changes at a school, they may need to call some people on the waitlist and offer seats. So you may get that chance. We keep your name on the waitlist. If you are on a waitlist for this school year, you'll want to reapply. Because again, that waitlist only goes through the end of the school year so you'll want to reapply every year if you don't get a seat. If you do get a seat, you don't have to reapply. You get to keep that permit, until you either choose to return to your boundary school or until you finish the grades offered at that building. So a permit at the elementary lasts through sixth grade, through ninth grade at the middle school, and until you graduate at the high school level. There's also not a fee associated with the permit application. It's available to anyone in the district, anyone in the state of Utah. They can make those applications. They can do it online at the websites we mentioned. They don't have to worry about waiting outside or trying to get to a school during school hours. It's available anytime night or day during the month of December. So if they don't make a decision on a school until winter recess starts, there's no worry about the school not being open. They can go straight to the permit application and fill one out.

Anthony Godfrey:
Transportation. That's a question sometimes. A student on permit does not qualify for transportation except perhaps on a space available permit, which would be rare for that to be available for someone out of boundary, because there normally wouldn't be a bus close enough. Maybe in the situation that you described, where someone lives fairly close to a school, but they're not in that school's boundary, that could possibly happen. But really that's the only way that they would have transportation to a school to which they're permitting.

Caleb Olson:
Exactly. Parents are always able to ask and to make a space available application for busing. They would need to wait until the school year started and ask for that application at the school, because it takes a little bit into the school year to really finalize those bus routes and how many students we have riding. But for the average student on permit, they are responsible for their own transportation. That's not provided by the district.

Anthony Godfrey:
Let's say the school year's underway. A student is really not happy where they are and they'd like to switch to a different school after the school year has started. What's the permit process they would want to follow in that case?

Caleb Olson:
It's exactly the same as a student would be in applying for a permit right now, they would go to the permit application. They would fill one out. If it's after the start of the school year, I always encourage parents to reach the school and let them know that they've made an application because once the school year starts, a lot of schools aren't checking that as frequently, because we don't get very many. After the school year starts, they can certainly reach out to the school and ask. But the thing for parents to realize is a lot of our schools will have a waitlist. They'll have students who applied in December and January, who already have a spot on that waitlist. So those applications that come after the school year starts would go to the bottom of that waitlist. It doesn't mean it's impossible that they'll get a seat. It does mean that there are other students who would have a chance for a seat first, before it got to them.

Anthony Godfrey:
If, for whatever reason, a family feels strongly about being able to change schools, we can always find a spot for anyone to change schools. It just might not be their first choice, but they can call the principal or they can call some other schools in the area that might be on the way to work, where they could drop a student off, that sort of thing. We try to be as flexible as we can and as accommodating as we can to try to make sure that we honor parent and student choices.

Caleb Olson:
We have a lot of great schools in the district. So, like you said, there is a seat for everyone in the Jordan School District. It just may not always be at the first school you think of. We have principals who've done a great job at helping to find seats or getting families in touch with individuals who can help them to find those seats. But they just may need to be a little more flexible if they're looking for a new start or a school to begin over at. It may not be their first choice, but there will be a school that will be available to give them a seat.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure. And sometimes it's just about matchups. You know, great schools can be even better for one student versus another. It's just finding that right teacher in that right school and the right fit. If anyone has a question about permits, where can they go for answers?

Caleb Olson:
The best place they can go would be to talk to the school they're interested in applying for a permit at. There are staff at each of the district schools who process permits and are familiar with the system and they can answer questions. If a family feels like they have kind of a unique situation, or maybe their circumstances are a little bit different, they're certainly welcome to call the district office and ask for Student Services. We can help them troubleshoot their permit questions in those circumstances.

Anthony Godfrey:
We haven't done this for quite a while, but at the beginning of the podcast, we used to play Two Truths and a Lie at the end of the podcast, you tell me two things about your life that are true and one thing that's a lie, and I try to detect which one is the lie. I thought about this game again, because I think you would be a worthy opponent in Two Truths and a Lie. So Caleb, I'm interested in knowing some things about your life plus a lie. Let's hear it.

Caleb Olson:

So let me give you a couple and we'll see how good you are at figuring it out. I can slam dunk a basketball.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, wait a minute. You said that present tense, right? I can slam dunk a basketball. 

Caleb Olson:
Yes. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. Caleb, I feel like with you, I have to define a few more things too. This is a 10 foot rim. 

Caleb:
Yes. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.

Caleb Olson:
Regulation. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. All right. 

Caleb Olsen:
Not in dress shoes. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Measured just like in Hoosiers, it's the same thing, right? 

Caleb Olson:
Exactly. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.

Caleb Olson:
I can speak Japanese.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.

Caleb Olson:
And I have a collection of Mr. Potato Heads from a variety of entertainment properties.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. I can narrow this because I have seen that Mr. Potato Head collection and it is really something.

Caleb Olson:
I gave you an easy one.

Anthony Godfrey:
Japanese or dunking. I feel like you can do both of them at the same time. I just feel you're capable of all of that. You know what I'm gonna say, that you cannot dunk a basketball.

Caleb Olson:
Unfortunately, you are correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, Caleb. I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to be wrong.

Caleb Olson:
And I've always wanted to be able to dunk basketball.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, you know, I'm not good at any sports. But if I could be good at one, it would be basketball and dunking on someone has got to be a singular feeling.

Caleb Olson:
I'm sure it feels spectacular. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you and I will keep reaching for the stars. <laugh> 

Caleb Olson:
Always have to have a dream. 

Anthony Godfrey:
That's right, Caleb. Thanks again for all your hard work. You do a great job and we really appreciate the information about permits. 

Caleb Olson:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for permitting us to share another episode of the Supercast with you. Remember education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.