Superintendent's Newsletter - Mar. 18, 2021
Dear Salt Lake City School District community,
Today is a remarkable day. This afternoon and evening, Salt Lake City School District is hosting its final COVID-19 vaccination clinics for district employees. Over the past couple of months, nearly three-fourths of our employees have received the COVID-19 vaccine through our clinics. (This doesn’t include others who may have been vaccinated through their own healthcare providers or local health departments.)
We are so grateful to our district nurses and Community Nursing Services for setting up and running these clinics. We also extend a big thanks to our district employees who volunteered to check people in, manage paperwork, monitor lines, and much more. Finally, we appreciate our state and county leaders who made the decision to prioritize educators in the first wave of vaccinations. This has made a huge difference in helping us keep our students and employees safe as we transitioned back to in-person learning opportunities in our schools.
Board Meeting
During this week’s Board Meeting, Dr. Tiffany Hall, our Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, reported on the district’s preliminary plans for the 2021-22 school year. Those plans include returning all schools to a five-day, Monday-Friday schedule, while at the same time offering remote, online learning options for students and families who want to learn at home. The district will soon begin a registration inquiry to see how many students may be interested in the online learning option. Additional details will be available soon.
You can watch a video recording of Dr. Hall’s presentation on the district YouTube channel.
In-person Learning for Secondary School Students
Beginning Monday, March 22, all secondary schools (middle schools and high schools) will be returning to in-person instruction four days a week. Our teachers are looking forward to engaging students in person with greater frequency. We will continue to offer a remote learning option for those who desire it. Teachers will monitor student attendance and will work to meet the needs of all students, regardless of whether they attend in person or online.
Students who choose the in-person learning option will attend school in person on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesdays will remain a Digital Learning Day for ALL students, regardless of learning mode.
You can find more information for secondary school students and families on the district website.
Meals for Children During Spring Recess
During the week of Spring Recess, March 29 - April 2, Salt Lake City School District will provide meals for children on two days only. Meals will be served during the hours of 10:30 am-12:30 pm.
- On Monday, March 29, we will provide our normal Grab and Go Meal Service at 22 designated school sites listed below.
- On Tuesday, March 30, sacks of groceries, equivalent to four days of school meals, will be available for parents to pick up at any of 22 designated school sites. All food will be simple to prepare, healthy menu items that can be stored, prepared, and served to children at home.
School Climate Surveys
The Utah State Board of Education requires that schools administer a confidential school climate survey each year. A school climate survey is designed to evaluate the educational environment inside a school and to help identify specific strengths and weaknesses within a school.
This weekend, you will receive an email asking you to complete an anonymous survey that will allow you to provide feedback on your school’s climate. The subject of the email will be School Climate Survey and the sender will be noreply@slcschools.org. The feedback gathered in these surveys will help us improve our services to you and your students. We encourage you to participate.
Upcoming Events
- March 22, 2021 – Four-day week begins for middle school and high school in-person learners
Learning Options - Salt Lake City School District (slcschools.org) - March 24, 2021 – Food for Families distribution at Rose Park Community Learning Center
Parents - Salt Lake City School District (slcschools.org) - March 25, 2021 – Food for Families distribution at Glendale Community Learning Center
Parents - Salt Lake City School District (slcschools.org) - March 29-April 2, 2021 – Spring Recess
Calendars - Salt Lake City School District (slcschools.org)
Sincerely,
Larry Madden
Interim Superintendent
Salt Lake City School District