I finished up doing the Acadience testing as a true team member. I told them that since Dale's going to be retiring the end of September I'll just do the same and call it quits. I want to be able to got and do things! I have enjoyed the job, and seeing the growth the kids have made, but I have REALLY enjoyed associating with such great ladies. I will miss them.
To say thank you to the great team I work with, I hosted a little social at the house after testing at Sunrise Elementary because it's not too far out of the way to get to our house from there. We had finger foods and visited. I'm glad I've been able to rub shoulder with these wonderful ladies for the last 10 years.
I ushered at the Eccles (with masks still on) for the production of "The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber". A great show!! We had an almost sold-out show (using COVID seating) for it. Most patrons weren't a problem with their mask, only a handful had to be reminded to keep them on through the duration of the shows. They want to get out as much as we want to have the opportunity to be serving again.
Speaking of serving again, I got a nice surprise in the mail from the Lt. Governor's Office for the service I have given at the Eccles Theatre. I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it too!
Dale took advantage of the good weather we've been having and got out on the Logan River to test out his fly-fishing skills. It worked, he caught one!! I think he'll be doing more after September, when he's officially retired.
Dale also got the garden all tilled and we put down the lines for the drip irrigation and got the garden planted earlier that we have most years. We've been having a fair amount of asparagus this year, but I'm looking forward to some other fresh vegetables come mid-summer or sooner!
We had a Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse happen where it was seen pretty good in our area. We didn't stay up to see it happen, but those that did shared their pictures with us on social media. Pretty cool. This doesn't happen very often.
The Cache County School District hosted a Retirement Dinner at the Riverwoods for all those individuals that had recently retired during COVID and those that will be retiring this year. We had a nice buffet dinner and a comedy act put on by school board member Randall Bagley and Ted Erickson (who' wife works for the school district).
The Superintendent gave a little speech and then they handed out plaques to the retirees after they had been highlighted. There were around 18 people that retired this year or will later this year, with Dale being one of them.
The Superintendent highlighted Dale and shared his thoughts about working with Dale and how much he has relied on him and appreciated him as a co-worker and a friend. It was nice. Dale got a nice plaque he can have in the home office. He also got a picture of all the buildings that he's served in and when from the board at the next board meeting.
Dale with Superintendent Steve Norton and the plaque he received from the District as well as the picture he received from the school board.
The District hired Jared Black who is the Business Administrator for the Emery School District, which only has 2,200 kids. It's going to be a BIG change for him working with a district that has 19,000+ kids. Dale will work with him starting in July until he retires the end of Sept. to give him a little guidance.
Because Dale and I are both employed by the School District, we got a nice letter from the State Superintendent which was pretty nice considering what the schools went through the past year....
Dear Educators and Education Support Personnel,
I am writing to let you know, from the bottom of my heart, how much I appreciate all of you. The year is winding to and end, and each one of you has played an important role in keeping our students safe, cared for, and ready to move to the next phase of their education. It is because of you that I can proudly say to the rest of the country, "Utah started and finished strong!"
In my forty years as a Utah Educator, I have witnessed various issues stress the system. None, however, quite compare to a pandemic, combined with earthquakes, windstorms, and societal unrest. Throughout all of this you provided stability, emotional safety, and a place of refuge for many of our students. You continue to be committed to ensuring our students have choices for their future by offering the services and supports needed to provide quality education today.
Despite the great stress our system has been under this year, your individual and collective efforts have made it so that we have much to celebrate and look forward to. Students who have not had access to technology and internet in their homes will now be able to connect with school when unable to physically attend. Your hard work has provided the evidence needed, in terms of students' success, that we should focus more on; ensuring students can show what they know through demonstrating competencies instead of focusing on seat time. Our Utah Portrait of a Graduate will help our students have opportunities to master skills and content, develop self-confidence and motivation to think and act independently, and find purpose that will guide their decisions, shape goals, and create meaning. Each of you have contributed to modeling these competencies throughout this past year.
Despite a pandemic, we received record funding for education and will be able to use federal dollars through for several years to support students who need an extra lift to advance them to the next level while supporting social and emotional needs. We will continue to advocate for increased wages and wrap around supports for students. I have witnessed so many great things happening in our schools this year as you all have found creative and innovative ways to engage in best practices.
Thanks you all, for your extraordinary efforts and successes on behalf of our students. May you all look back on this year and find silver linings, knowing that you have given it you all and then some.
With appreciation,
CCSD Employees,
As we go into our final week of school with end-of the year activities, graduation ceremonies, and time spent with students, I want to express my deep and sincere appreciation to each employee. When we started this school year, there were many uncertainties. Would we bale to keep schools open and our employees and students safe? Would we be able to continue to educate at high levels? Would our public support our efforts?
Now, over 180 days later, here we are having navigated a very difficult year successfully. I can't express the gratitude I feel as your Superintendent. It is a privilege to work with each and every one of you. Thank you!
Know there is power in readjusting how you see life as the sun comes up in the morning.
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
Life is about the people who make it worth living.
Thank you for a successful year that Will. Be. Remembered!
Steven Norton
Superintendent
And we got this letter from the District....
CCSD Employees,
Here is our weekly COVID Update. We have 1 case in the district! This is a great place to be going into the last several days.
Have a great week!
Tim
Time G. Smith
Chief Information/Academic Officer
Cache County School District
We did it!! We got through a COVID year pretty well. The kids did pretty well too. We live in a great area.
With school out, I jumped in with the Mallory clan and we headed to California. Dale stayed home to work because it wasn't a good time for him to take work off with it being the end of the school year.
Day 1: We stopped for lunch in Fillmore and arrived in Henderson, NV to stay the night with the Del Toro's. Dale's sisters daughters family (my niece, Amie's cousin, Jessica Brady Del Toro).
We ate pizza and breadsticks, visited, played pickleball, broke a pinata, and visited some more.
Day 2: Jessie and Mondo made us a nice breakfast to send us out on the road again too. It was great to visit with them and their cute kids. San Diego, here we come!! This was a trip we were supposed to take last summer, but due to COVID-19, it was cancelled.
Day 3: We packed up the cooler and headed out to make the most out of the Go City passes we had purchased last year. Pier fishing was up first! We fished in the ocean off of a Pier. I caught the most seaweed, but Jaxson caught the biggest piece of seaweed. No one caught anything, but there was a kid fishing by us that caught a Shovelnose Guitar Fish and some other guys caught some Mackerel fish.
After, we are lunch by the Pier and then headed to Sea World for a fun, full day. We had to wear masks, but it wasn't really crowded, and we could pull them down if it was just our group around us.
We saw Shamu the Killer Whale show, and even sat in the Splash Zone, but we didn't get too wet.
We saw the Dolphin Show and they didn't disappoint. They were jumping and spinning and splashing too.
Almost anything that lives in or is associated with the ocean, we saw. The kids loved it and we got around the whole park. We saw some cool birds too.
The last show we went to was the Seal Show which was pretty entertaining and funny at the same time. It's amazing what they can train these animals to do!
To end the day Sea World put on a Fireworks Show, which was nice. I guess you could say we ended the day with a bang!
The weather was pretty nice, it did get quite warm a few times and coming from Utah we felt it. I have a feeling we'll be going home with a pretty sweet California tan. The rest of the trip will be shared in Junes blog, so....there's more to come!!
Nate stayed on the move t5his month. He and his girlfriend, Diana, flew into Nevada and got a rental car and went climbing again in the Red Rock State Park area. This makes it their third time to this area in eight months. I'd say they lite like. It does look pretty cool, but not temperature cool.
He also went climbing in the Shuksan's Price Glacier area on Mt. Baker with his buggy, Judd, in the North Cascades National Park. Their intent was to summit and then ski down. Well, they got about 3/4 of the way to the top and felt like the snow was too soft, so they decided to just ski down from their. Well, the next thing they knew they heard rumbling and an avalanche was coming at them!!
They had quite a ride, it took them down 1,500ft. and they went off a 40 ft. drop-off and landed in an open area before it lost steam. The guys were tied together and Note got pretty scrapped up and ended up with a pretty scratched up face and a very cracked up helmet. He also hurt his lower leg and ankle bad enough that he knew he wouldn't be able to walk out. Luckily he had a GPS unit that wasn't lost or damaged and he was able to call Diana for help. She works as an Air Med nurse. She tried to get her crew to go in to get them, but where they were in a National Park the forest service took over and sent out a helicopter to get them off the mountain. They think Nate got tangled up in the rope because it was around his ankle, and that he was pulled down first, face down. They lost all of their gear, but he was one VERY blessed boy. They both were. Judd came out much better with only a sore jaw. Nate posted about his experience on his Instagram and Facebook account, and on You Tube.
Taken before the avalanche, on the way up. They camped out on the mountain and started climbing again around 5:00am. Getting to their stopping point around 7:30am. Then the avalanche started.
Taken after the avalanche. Nate shows where it started and the path it took them down. So glad they made it out safe!!
Dale and I were sitting in Sacrament Meeting, taking the Sacrament, when I got a notice on my Apple Watch (which the kids game Dale and I for our birthdays and Mother's and Father's Day), and saw a text from his buddy, Brody Hatch, that said, "Nate's been in an accident, but he's ok". After the meeting ended we headed outside and I called Brody to get more details. Talk about a call that no mother wants to get!
Well, it ended up that Nate did break his fibula bone and had some muscle tearing in his ankle area. He's in a boot for awhile, but he's alive!! We did get to talk to him later that day. It just goes to show you just never know what can happen on the mountain.
Because Nate's a bit more tied down, he's taken up sailing. His girlfriend, Diana, has a sail boat and they've been goin on weekends. She has been teaching him the topes of how to do it. Looks pretty fun and very pretty.
He has also broken off with his partner and has gone on his own as Dr. Nathan Hansen, starting up Hansen Foot & Ankle. He felt like this would be a better deal for him. It's been a little slower, with COVID and having some of his office staff out due to one of the gals having a baby and another one getting COVID. Having him break his fibula didn't help either, but things are picking up for now, and he was back in the operating room a couple of weeks after his unplanned adventure ride.
We hope things continue to go well for him.
The Mallory's have been busy with Jaxson winding down on basketball and starting up with soccer and with soccer and baseball for Kennlyn and Langston. Amie's coaching Kennlyn and Langston's team in soccer, and Matt's coaching Langston's baseball team. We were able to go to a few of their games.
Jaxson soccer
Kennlyn soccer
Langston's soccer team
The Mallory's went to Burley, ID to visit family for a weekend and on their way home the car that came up behind them started driving erratically. Amie looked out of her rear view mirror and saw the car go off the road and flip over 3-4 times before landing upside down!! They were on a backroad so no one else was around. Amie call 911 and they turned around and went to help. Here's what she wrote on a Facebook post about it.....
Yesterday was a day to remember....started off with my brother being caught in an avalanche and needing search and rescue to retrieve him. He honestly is lucky to be alive. His only injuries are he is really scrapped up and he may have broken his fibula or sprained his ankle really bad!
Then on our way home from a family birthday party in Idaho, we had a car behind us driving weird, so we watched closely and the car ended up crashing and flipping it over at least 3 times. We call 911 and turned around and pulled a 19 yr. old girl out of the car in the pouring rain and wrapped her up in a blanket and sat with her until help arrived. She luckily was wearing her seat belt or else it would have been a totally different story. She was very disoriented and bleeding from all of the glass. She apparently had been drinking and was driving. As scary as this was for our kids to witness, it definitely was a lesson to them to ALWAYS wear their seatbelts and to NEVER drink or be distracted and drive. Then to top off the night we get home and discover there was a major hailstorm and an earthquake that happened at home while we were driving back. Crazy day, counting my blessings, and thanking my Heavenly Father that we are all okay!
The kids all had their las day of school, and Mazin graduated from pre-school with flying colors and is more than ready to start Kindergarten! Bring it on, he's ready!
At the end of the school year Matt did a "Kindness Week". He went into all the P.E. classes and had all 600+ kids paint "Kindness Rocks" that they could take home to remind them to be kind to one another over the summer. He also got his office door decorated during Teacher Appreciation Week. I'm sure he is Very much appreciated by all in the school for his efforts.
Andrew and Lindsay's oldest girl, Eloise, has been taking dance and she had her dance recital. I got to go see how much she's improved. It was a nice program. She's got the moves alright!
Garrett and Zandra's crew have been changing things up a bit. Jorie decided where it was getting warmer she wanted her long hair cut short for the summer. It looks pretty cute on her and I'm sure she'll be a lot cooler.
Jorie also turned into a little chef and on her own decided to make a fruit salad. She followed the recipe in a Highlights magazine they had and made a fruit salad for their lunch! Looks like she's going to be a good chef like her mom.
Garrett stayed in motion by getting out his motorcycle and started riding it to work with the warmer weather upon us. It sure helps with the gas budget with gas rising to $3.79 or more a gallon now.
The whole crew went to Lagoon to celebrate Luke's 4th Birthday. They all had a great time, full of smiles and sunshine. Happy Birthday Luke!!
They packed their bags and headed to Florida to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma Dennis. Garrett got to go out with his Father-in-law, John, for a chance to catch some fish, and the ocean delivered! He caught his first Tarpon! It was a fighter and a decent size. They also caught a bunch of nice Snook, Snapper, and few nice Jack Crevalle. Guess who's still smiling about that day? Great memories were made.
The kids loved swimming in their backyard pool and Jorie can swim the whole length of their pool now! She's becoming quite the Little Mermaid! Fun for all!
Zandra celebrated her birthday while they were in Florida. Happy Birthday Zandra!!
Garrett gave her a mountain bike for her birthday so that she can get off the road and ride with him. She's been doing a lot of road biking. New adventures ahead!
Zandra stayed busy by coaching the kids in T-ball . Way to step to the plate Zandra to help out the team! I'm sure the kids loved having her as their coach!
With all of their travel Garrett got home and jumped right back into work mode (he may have done a bit while they were tripping though). He's staying plenty busy with housing busting like it is.
The Hassell's know how to work, but they also know how to play. They donned their Jazz jersey's and were able to catch a few of the home play-off games w/family and friends. The Jazz are on their way to getting into the next round. We wish them the best.
Danica went on a girls trip with a group that she works out with. They were celebrating one of the gals getting married. They still made time to get in their work outs, but the beach was the main attraction.
When she got back, Jason took her away to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a trip with his buddies and their spouses. Talk about fun in the sun!! They spent early June in Cabo as well, so there's more to come on that.
Statewide we've had a lot drier spring and already there have been fires around the state due to lightning or man caused. We need rain!!
COVID up-date-- As COVID-19 cases continue to decline across the state, Gov. Spencer Cox look to end the state employee mask requirement earlier than originally planned.
In a memo sent to state agencies, the governor's chief of staff announced they would end the mask mandate for places like Driver License Division offices, Capitol Hill and the state run liquor stores.
"Nevertheless, until the Department of Health determines that the COVID-19 pandemic has abated, employees may continue to wear masks. We also continue to strongly encourage the following:
1. State agencies should continue to post conspicuous signage listing COVID-19 symptoms and requesting individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to stay home.
2. Employees should become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, and
3. Employees should take necessary health and safety precautions, including good hygiene practices such as regular hand-washing and workplace sanitizing.
We emphasize that the termination of the mask requirement is not a prohibition against mask wearing. Mask wearing continues to offer health benefits and is left to the discretion of each individual employee. Employees should respect the decisions of others regarding masks", the memo states.
The mandate is state facilities was originally scheduled to end on May 31st. Termination of the requirement will take place starting Friday, May 15th.
To CCSD Employees,
Governor Cox made an announcement that the mask requirement for schools would end the last Monday of the school year. This means that masks will no longer be required, but are still optional for all Cache County School District students and adults beginning on May 24th forward. A public health order was released immediately after the Governor's press conference to reflect this change.
This welcome for our school community and yet another indicator that we are reaching the end of what has been a very long and difficult year. We appreciate each and every employee who has worked tirelessly to help make this year a success. Words are really inadequate to express our gratitude. It is a privilege to be part of such a wonderful district family. Thank you!!
Tim G. Smith
Chief Information/Academic Officer
Cache County School District
Utah also had a pretty important visitor come......
Jill Biden visit Utah school as U.S. moves toward reopening.
First lady Jill Biden spoke at a Salt Lake City school as the U.S. makes uneven progress toward reopening classrooms during the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden, a teacher herself, visited Glendale Middle School, which has a diverse student body and returned to in person instruction a few months ago. The stop is part of a swing trough the U.S. West that includes Nevada and Colorado.
Biden visited with a few students and later spoke to a group of teachers in an auditorium where she thanked them for their work during the pandemic. She also stressed the Biden administration's commitment to investing in education.
"There have been looses that we will never get back; loss of time with each other, loss of learning, and the loss of so many," she said. "But the best gifts that we can give to show our appreciation for everything that you do, does not come from a store, it's giving you what you need to be your best, investing in you."
The visit comes shortly after President Joe Biden's self-imposed deadline to reopen most U.S. elementary schools in his first 100 days. The school-tracking site Burbio found 62% of schools were offering in-person learning every day by then, though it wasn't clear how many were elementary schools.
The disparities have raised alarms among advocates who worry the pandemic is worsening racial inequities in education. Debate also persists nationwide on how schools can reopen safely.
In conservative Utah, most schools reopened fully in the fall with precautions like social distancing and mask wearing. Those in hard-hit Salt Lake City, though, stayed remote into February.
The district's school board agreed to reopen after the state became one of the first in the country to prioritize teachers for vaccines.. Vaccinations were a sticking point as discussions with teachers hit a stalemate in January in some of the nation's largest school districts in places like California and Chicago.
At Glendale Middle School, 65% of students are Hispanic, 12% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 6% are Asian, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The area also has a large refugee community, and a majority of students qualify for free and reduced price lunch.
So, to keep us on the move I hope we can all stay healthy and happy and keep our area open so we can see faces instead of eyes. Time will tell, but we're getting closer!!
May really did have a lot of things happening to keep us moving and in motion!
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