EDUCATION + SCHOOLS

Do teachers even want to come back to school during pandemic? Districts trying to find out

Jul 10, 2020, 7:34 PM | Updated: Aug 11, 2020, 10:25 am

Do teachers even want to come back to school during pandemic? Districts trying to find out granite ...

File (PHOTO: Jeffrey D Allred, Deseret News, April 14, 2020)

(PHOTO: Jeffrey D Allred, Deseret News, April 14, 2020)

SALT LAKE CITY – How comfortable are teachers with the idea of coming back to school in the fall as COVID-19 cases continue to climb?  Some educators are trying to figure that out, now. 

Officials from the Canyons School District are trying to pinpoint exactly how many teachers they’ll have in the classrooms when the school year starts in August.  Spokesman Jeff Haney says they haven’t heard of significant amounts of push-back from teachers who don’t want to go back to class, but they wanted to be more precise.  Earlier this month, they sent out two surveys to their employees.

Haney says, “One survey went to teachers and the other went to the education support professionals.”  The ESP include people like bus drivers, secretaries and cafeteria workers.

Haney says they had two main objectives with these surveys.

“The goals of the surveys were to learn the intent of these groups to return to work in August, and to better understand their thoughts and concerns regarding the school opening in the midst of a pandemic,” says Haney.

Administrators are still crunching the numbers on those surveys, but Haney says the results will be made public during their next board meeting on Tuesday. 

The Granite School District is still formulating their content and directions for teachers, so district representatives say they can’t give many specifics, yet.  They are expecting all teachers to arrive for in-person teaching when the school year begins, however, that may change depending on enrollment.  District Spokesman Ben Horsley says they also haven’t heard many teachers saying they don’t want to return.

The situation is slightly different for the Salt Lake City School District.  That city is still in the orange or “moderate risk” level, and if things don’t change in the next seven weeks, the district will have to continue with remote learning.  Spokesperson Yándary Chatwin says they also surveyed their teachers in the past few months, and many of them wanted better training to prepare for remote learning.

She says, “Teachers were doing their best to get their lessons online but they were using different platforms, different software and different apps.  That was a little confusing for parents.

Chatwin says they’ve streamlined their platforms, so teachers will be able to upload all of their lessons on one service instead of many.  They’re also trying to find out how many teachers would be willing to come back in August, however, they haven’t seen any significant drop in the amount of people applying to become new teachers.

She says, “We’re about on par with a traditional year.  The pandemic hasn’t really impacted our hiring.”

 

RELATED LINKS

Doctors have mixed feelings about kids going back to school because of spiking COVID-19 cases

After latest COVID-19 spike, health care leaders urge Utahns to mask up

SLC Schools release plans to reopen in the fall amid COVID-19

We want to hear from you.

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

Education + Schools

A n3-year degree may be an option...

Amie Schaeffer

Utah students could soon earn bachelor’s degrees in 3 years

College students may be able to graduate with a bachelors degree in three years in some industries.

20 hours ago

The Powder Baby Dry Shampoo team poses with its check after winning the 2024 Utah Entrepreneur Chal...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.COM

BYU student startup wins $30K at Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

BYU entrepreneur Kylee Black, who founded Powder Baby, said the cash prize will be instrumental in advancing her business.

22 hours ago

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

1 day ago

FILE: Cedar High School in Cedar City is pictured on Wednesday April 7, 2021....

Tammy Kikuchi and Emma Keddington

Cedar High School grapples with mascot name, five years after it was changed

The Iron School District Board of Education is grappling with changing the Cedar High School mascot back from "Reds" to "Redmen." 

1 day ago

A green and brown sign hangs on a brick wall. It reads "The future of the world is in this classroo...

Mariah Maynes

Study looks into Utah voters’ opinions on curriculum transparency in schools

A Sutherland Institute study found that a majority of Utah voters support curriculum transparency. However, fewer of them support mandating it with legislation. 

2 days ago

Utah Utes players circle up before the women’s college basketball game against Weber State Univer...

Aimee Cobabe and Emma Keddington

FBI now involved in Utah Women’s Basketball racism investigation

Police in Idaho are working with the FBI to investigate an incident where racial slurs were yelled at the Utah Women's basketball team.

2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Do teachers even want to come back to school during pandemic? Districts trying to find out