ALL NEWS

Salt Lake City School District going door-to-door to register all students

Aug 25, 2020, 6:08 PM | Updated: 6:20 pm

Salt Lake City School District...

SALT LAKE CITY — Schools in the Salt Lake City School District are taking a pro-active approach to help parents get children enrolled in school by going door-to-door.

District representatives are concerned that some residents served by the district can’t get online, either because they do not have the proper devices or the broadband internet capability that drives online learning.

Salt Lake City School District Spokeswoman Yandary Chatwin told KSL Newsradio that the district learned about these discrepancies during the spring and summer months when the global pandemic made online learning the only option. 

“One of the biggest gaps we’ve seen with online learning from the spring is that a lot of families just don’t have access to the devices or to broadband,” Chatwin said.

“We’ve noticed that some of our families, especially our more vulnerable populations, haven’t registered their students for school quite yet.”

To address the problem, Chatwin says that representatives from the district are going to neighborhoods to check in with families,’

They want to make sure that both children and parents are ready to start off the year.

The Salt Lake City School District is aiming for September 8th as their start date.  And at least at the beginning of the year, classes in the Salt Lake City School District will be 100% online.

Chatwin says that over the summer the district obtained 7,000 more laptops. Six thousand more are on the way. 

“We have 1,500 iPads, we have 600 hotspots. We feel that, with increased capacity, every student that needs a device will have one,” Chatwin said.

The district wants as many students as possible to be able to start the year on the first day, and that’s why they’re in the process of visiting homes. On Tuesday they visited students that attend Clayton Middle School. Chatwin says they hope to register about 60 students.

“We’re going out because we care about our students. We want to make sure that they are ready to start the year out strong.”

Over the next two weeks, leaders from the Salt Lake City School District will arrange either virtual or safe in-person meetings between students and teachers. They’ll also provide training for parents who may need some one-on-one time with teachers to learn about how to get online and the specifics about the school’s online learning system, Canvas.

Chatwin says that the district wants to bring kids back to school only when the number of positive coronavirus tests is at or below a 5% positivity rate. They assume that it might take until the end of the first quarter of school to reach that number.

That’s the first week of November. 

“If conditions improve, we could come back at the mid-term,” Chatwin said.

Contributing:  Simone Seikaly

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

All News

The OLRGC released an analysis of the expected topics to be discussed during a special session of t...

Simone Seikaly

Extending state flooding emergency, firearm restrictions, among topics for Utah special session

The OLRGC released an analysis of the expected topics to be discussed during a special session of the legislature.

11 months ago

A video recorded by Facebook user Larry Jacquez shows the police response following the shooting in...

Jamiel Lynch, CNN     

At least 3 people killed and 2 officers wounded in a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico, police say

Multiple people were shot and at least three killed in a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico, police said in a Facebook post.

11 months ago

A new release from Intermountain Healthcare shows that younger adults are becoming more susceptible...

Waverly Golden

Younger adults are becoming more susceptible to strokes

A new release from Intermountain Healthcare shows that younger adults are becoming more susceptible to stroke.

11 months ago

If you plan to camp over Memorial Day Weekend, you may want to begin the planning process now....

Allessandra Harris

Camping over Memorial Day Weekend? Plan ahead

If you plan to camp over Memorial Day Weekend, you may want to begin the planning process now.

11 months ago

slcpd on the scene of the deaths...

Josh Ellis

Police: Teen killed by father in murder-suicide in SLC office building

Police responded to the office complex near 3000 S. Highland Drive on Saturday after emergency responders received a call from a community member who reported finding a body.

11 months ago

Melissa Coleman crouches next to her husband, , Brad Coleman, of North Ogden, who sits in a wheelch...

Jenny Carpenter, KSL.com

Young stroke victim survives with quick, lifesaving treatment in northern Utah

After a 36-year-old man had a stroke, he and his wife say to be aware of the signs of stroke and that young people are also at risk.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Salt Lake City School District going door-to-door to register all students