Check your email for the link to vote! |
| “Distance Learning Expectations for Administrators, as a district we have designated time each week for Distance Learning, generally on Fridays, so that teachers can provide instruction to their distance learning students, support students using the distance learning modality, and give them planning time. Time is a scarce commodity and teachers need it more than ever before. As principals we realize that you too need or want time with your teachers. However, we ask that you not infringe on this time. Teachers, district wide, are expressing concern that they spend more time sitting in meetings, trainings, etc. on these days than they do teaching, preparing lessons, and providing support to their students. Our teachers need time to plan, prepare, grade, post, call, email…. etc. Please be mindful of their needs and do not schedule meetings or trainings on these days”. – John Welburn |
Another win on a state level is UEA’s success in sharing the voice of thousands of members statewide requesting to be included in the first round of Covid-19 vaccines. Last summer, public school employees were deemed “essential workers” by the governor. This led to opening schools to both in-person and on-line education. Utah was one of a handful of states to take this bold move which caused chaos to the lives of public-school employees, especially those who were high-risk for infection. In his address to the media last Wednesday, December 9, Governor Herbert stated:
| “Gov. Herbert also announced teachers, K-12, will be at the front of the line to get the COVID-19 vaccinations. He said he hopes to have enough vaccines for all Utah teachers by the end of December or the first part of January. “We need teachers to be able to teach,” Gov. Herbert said.” ABC4.com |
Questions have come to GEA leaders regarding the process for quarantine and contact tracing in schools. Educators watch the Granite School District dashboard and see numbers of positive Covid-19 cases rise above the state health department’s minimum of 15. Some are hearing internally that there are many more positive cases than are reported. These discrepancies cause concern. Your advocates and GEA leaders met with Alison Milne, Director of Nursing Services, Leslie Bell, Assistant Superintendent, Teacher & Learning Services, and John Welburn, Assistant Superintendent, School Leadership & Improvement Services at the district office to have them explain the process so that we understood what was going on with the numbers.
Leslie Bell explained, the GSD dashboard cases have not been reviewed or verified by the health department and consequently are informative but not final dispositions. The process as it was described to us is as follows: cases are added to the dashboard by the district using both school information and health department information. Then, when the number reaches 15, the district alerts the health department, and the health department starts reviewing the cases. District staff work in conjunction with the Health Department to confirm case counts that would go towards that threshold. Distance learners and multiple cases from one household may show up in the public dashboard but do NOT contribute towards the 15-case threshold for dismissal, so sometimes the number of positive cases goes down during this process.
Meanwhile, within the backlog of contact tracing, cases at the school in question are prioritized, so that if the school is going to end up with over 15 cases counted by the health department, action to close, disinfect, and quarantine can happen quickly. So, there is some last-minute up-and-down of the case numbers.
Furthermore, the threshold is merely a point that triggers health department review and verification and thereafter determination by public health officials whether to recommend a dismissal. At that point, case information is verified, and the Salt Lake County Health Department makes a recommendation to dismiss IF those cases are confirmed. The District will NOT dismiss until that recommendation is received, and in some instances, that formal recommendation has come the same day, or even a day later, depending on circumstances.
Granite District administration says they will continue to work under the Health Department's guidance and direction in all COVID related matters.
This describes the process before the new rapid testing “test to stay” protocol that was piloted at Granger and Kearns High. Now, when the health department confirms that Hunter has reached the threshold, you will either go on a two-week dismissal or, if the district has enough rapid tests on hand, you will do the “test to stay” procedure.
As with everything “Covid” there is constant motion and change. Health officials learn from new research and data daily, so as things change, rest assured that your GEA leaders are staying on top of the wave and will bring you updates. Hopefully, this will allow you to have that “long winter’s nap” so needed at this time.
Leslie Bell explained, the GSD dashboard cases have not been reviewed or verified by the health department and consequently are informative but not final dispositions. The process as it was described to us is as follows: cases are added to the dashboard by the district using both school information and health department information. Then, when the number reaches 15, the district alerts the health department, and the health department starts reviewing the cases. District staff work in conjunction with the Health Department to confirm case counts that would go towards that threshold. Distance learners and multiple cases from one household may show up in the public dashboard but do NOT contribute towards the 15-case threshold for dismissal, so sometimes the number of positive cases goes down during this process.
Meanwhile, within the backlog of contact tracing, cases at the school in question are prioritized, so that if the school is going to end up with over 15 cases counted by the health department, action to close, disinfect, and quarantine can happen quickly. So, there is some last-minute up-and-down of the case numbers.
Furthermore, the threshold is merely a point that triggers health department review and verification and thereafter determination by public health officials whether to recommend a dismissal. At that point, case information is verified, and the Salt Lake County Health Department makes a recommendation to dismiss IF those cases are confirmed. The District will NOT dismiss until that recommendation is received, and in some instances, that formal recommendation has come the same day, or even a day later, depending on circumstances.
Granite District administration says they will continue to work under the Health Department's guidance and direction in all COVID related matters.
This describes the process before the new rapid testing “test to stay” protocol that was piloted at Granger and Kearns High. Now, when the health department confirms that Hunter has reached the threshold, you will either go on a two-week dismissal or, if the district has enough rapid tests on hand, you will do the “test to stay” procedure.
As with everything “Covid” there is constant motion and change. Health officials learn from new research and data daily, so as things change, rest assured that your GEA leaders are staying on top of the wave and will bring you updates. Hopefully, this will allow you to have that “long winter’s nap” so needed at this time.
At the Granite School Board (Board) meeting on Tuesday, December 1, John Welburn, Granite School District (GSD) Assistant Superintendent, presented a PPT regarding an adjustment to instructional days. This proposed change comes from requests made by educators and GEA to the GSD Board and administration to allow for more teacher planning days following each quarter’s grading period (similar to what was experienced at the end of the first quarter).
At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) allowed districts to use up to five daily waivers for student instruction. These waivers are due to the complications which were expected to arise due to the covid-19 pandemic. GSD has used two of the five days allotted and three waivers remain.
The proposed revision to the school calendar will add two professional learning days to the end of the term on January 13-14, and one professional learning day to the end of the term on March 25th.
Important to note, several schools suffering an emergency closure early in the school year due to high winds and loss of power, will still need to make up the instructional days for students. The solution for those schools will be to use one or more of the additional professional learning day(s) in January and March to hold a distance learning day for students.
Following are the schools affected by the emergency closures:
Schools missing one day of instruction:
These calendar changes were approved unanimously by the Board and an updated calendar will be advertised. GEA is gratified that the Board and GSD administration look to ways to ease the workload for educators during end of term transitions.
At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) allowed districts to use up to five daily waivers for student instruction. These waivers are due to the complications which were expected to arise due to the covid-19 pandemic. GSD has used two of the five days allotted and three waivers remain.
The proposed revision to the school calendar will add two professional learning days to the end of the term on January 13-14, and one professional learning day to the end of the term on March 25th.
Important to note, several schools suffering an emergency closure early in the school year due to high winds and loss of power, will still need to make up the instructional days for students. The solution for those schools will be to use one or more of the additional professional learning day(s) in January and March to hold a distance learning day for students.
Following are the schools affected by the emergency closures:
Schools missing one day of instruction:
- Farnsworth Elementary
- Wm Penn Elementary
- Spring Lane Elementary
- Twin Peaks Elementary
- Bonneville Junior High
- Cottonwood Elementary
- Crestview Elementary
- Eastwood Elementary
- Rosecrest Elementary
- Upland Terrace Elementary
- Wasatch Junior High
- Granite Connection
These calendar changes were approved unanimously by the Board and an updated calendar will be advertised. GEA is gratified that the Board and GSD administration look to ways to ease the workload for educators during end of term transitions.
2020-2021 Calendar - Board Presentation 12/01/20
Download File
Download File
Attention all 7th - 12th Grade Teachers
Your students have a chance to be part of Utah history!
"In honoring Dr. King’s legacy, the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission is hosting an art contest for the official state decal of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. license plate. With an accompanying slogan of “Many Voices, One Utah,” the selected artwork will promote diversity, equity and human rights. The winner will receive an official decal and be formally recognized in January 2021 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "
To submit a design and find out more about the contest rules, please follow this link >>
"In honoring Dr. King’s legacy, the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission is hosting an art contest for the official state decal of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. license plate. With an accompanying slogan of “Many Voices, One Utah,” the selected artwork will promote diversity, equity and human rights. The winner will receive an official decal and be formally recognized in January 2021 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "
To submit a design and find out more about the contest rules, please follow this link >>
 MLK Plate Contest Letter Download File | MLK Plate Contest Rules Download File |
Retirement
Road Map
1. Granite District Retirement Info
2. Utah Retirement System (URS)
If you are close to the end of your career, smart planning is the key.
Join us to learn more about your retirement benefits.
5:00-6:00 Granite District Retirement Information - by Doug Wagstaff
(Negotiated for you by GEA)
6:00-7:00 Tier 1 Information from the URS - Kory Cox
(You are in Tier 1 if you began employment prior to July 1, 2011.)
(Negotiated for you by GEA)
6:00-7:00 Tier 1 Information from the URS - Kory Cox
(You are in Tier 1 if you began employment prior to July 1, 2011.)
Please follow this link to join the seminar on January 7,2020:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85897808438?pwd=ODNjMmtMc0Z6OEJZZSsrb3hLUkdhUT09
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85897808438?pwd=ODNjMmtMc0Z6OEJZZSsrb3hLUkdhUT09
GEA continues to receive questions and concerns regarding quarantine and isolation protocols. In August 2020, Granite School District Human Resources sent this memo to all principals and to GEA. The same protocols are still in place and posted here as information. If you have questions regarding how protocols are followed in your school building, be sure to contact the GEA Office by phone or email.
Memo:
Quarantine is for people who are not sick and don' t have any symptoms of COVID-19, but who may have been exposed to it.
Isolation is for people who are already sick or have tested positive for COVID-19.
Potential School Scenarios:
- Several students in one class are quarantined.
- Teacher provides instruction in a variety of ways including but not limited to; paper-based materials, online instruction, streaming, etc.
- Teacher is quarantined, but students are not.
- The teacher continues to plan for face-to-face instruction and participates remotely in other regular teacher responsibilities. A substitute will be assigned to the class.
- The teacher is working remotely during the quarantine, no leave is necessary.
- Teacher and several students are quarantined.
- The teacher continues to provide plans for face-to-face instruction, online instruction, streaming, or paper-based materials for students, including those under quarantine. The teacher participates remotely in other regular teacher responsibilities. A substitute will be assigned to the class.
- The teacher is working remotely during the quarantine, no leave is necessary.
- The teacher and the whole class or the whole school are quarantined.
- The teacher will teach online and/or create paper-based materials.
- The teacher is working remotely during the quarantine, no leave is necessary.
- The teacher is isolated due to positive Covid-19 test but is asymptomatic (no symptoms).
- The teacher continues to plan for face-to-face instruction and participates remotely in other regular teacher responsibilities. A substitute will be assigned to the class.
- The teacher is working remotely during the isolation, no leave is necessary.
- Teacher is isolated because the teacher has symptoms of COVID-19 and is waiting for test results.
- The teacher will not work and a substitute will be assigned to the class.
- Teacher may access available leave; FFCRA leave, sick leave , FMLA, STD leave, etc.
- Teachers should be directed to contact Berkley King, Benefits Manager.
- Teacher is isolated because of a positive COVID-19 test, with symptoms.
- The teacher will not work and a substitute will be assigned to the class.
- Teacher may access available leave; FFCRA leave, sick leave, FMLA, STD leave, etc.
- Teachers should be directed to contact Berkley King, Benefits Manager.
*In all of these scenarios, principals should collaborate with SUDS to explore the best use of human capital in the building.
ACLU of Utah published an updated version of “Free Speech Rights of Public-School Teachers and Staff in Utah,” a Know Your Rights advisory guide for education professionals employed in K-12 settings.
This 4-page pamphlet, updated to address issues and trends relevant in 2020, is designed to help teachers, staff members, administration officials, and school board members navigate these complex First Amendment issues. Nothing in this document, however, should be construed as legal advice. If you have a specific concern, please reach out to GEA.
Like students, public school teachers and staff retain First Amendment rights both inside and outside school settings. However, because teachers and school staff are public employees, understanding the breadth of these rights can be complex.
This guide addresses questions like “Can I wear items conveying political or religious opinions in the classroom?” and “Is my speech to colleagues during breaks or casual conversations protected?” It also provides context on how speech outside of school can be viewed differently than speech inside a school or classroom.
Please use and share this guide, "Free Speech Rights of Public-School Teachers and Staff in Utah," within your school or district, professional association, or union.
Brought to you by: Jason Stevenson, Strategic Communications Manager, ACLU of Utah
This 4-page pamphlet, updated to address issues and trends relevant in 2020, is designed to help teachers, staff members, administration officials, and school board members navigate these complex First Amendment issues. Nothing in this document, however, should be construed as legal advice. If you have a specific concern, please reach out to GEA.
Like students, public school teachers and staff retain First Amendment rights both inside and outside school settings. However, because teachers and school staff are public employees, understanding the breadth of these rights can be complex.
This guide addresses questions like “Can I wear items conveying political or religious opinions in the classroom?” and “Is my speech to colleagues during breaks or casual conversations protected?” It also provides context on how speech outside of school can be viewed differently than speech inside a school or classroom.
Please use and share this guide, "Free Speech Rights of Public-School Teachers and Staff in Utah," within your school or district, professional association, or union.
Brought to you by: Jason Stevenson, Strategic Communications Manager, ACLU of Utah
Free Speech Rights of Public Teachers and Staff in Utah
Download File
Download File