SANDY, MURRAY, BOUNTIFUL, Utah, Nov. 12, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Alta High School in Sandy, Cottonwood High School in Murray and Viewmont High School in Bountiful will transition to online learning until after Thanksgiving.
“All Alta High, students will engage in online learning until after the Thanksgiving recess in response to rising COVID-19 cases associated with the school as well as a sustained bump in positive rates in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus,” said a news release from Canyons School District.
The pause in on-campus learning was announced on Thursday, Nov. 12. Parents received the notification in emails and text messages. Alta’s faculty and staff, who were informed earlier in the day, will spend Friday, Nov. 13 preparing to begin teaching virtual classes for the next two weeks.
The online instruction for all Alta High students will begin Monday, Nov. 16, the news release said. It is hoped the school will return to on-campus learning on Monday, Nov. 30.
“The decision to return to online learning for all Hawks was made following a meeting with authorities from the Salt Lake County Health Department,” the news release said. “Both the numbers of COVID-19 among students, faculty and staff and the rising rates in the community were major factors in the decision.”
The district’s data dashboard, which can be accessed on the Canyons District website, provides information to the community about COVID-19 cases at each school, as well as the number of students, faculty, and staff who are on quarantine because of possible exposures.
Extracurricular activities for Alta High students have been halted under the executive order by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.
For more on the transition to online learning click here.
Granite School District also announced Thursday Cottonwood High School in Murray will transition to online learning until after Thanksgiving.
Students will return to in-person learning on Nov. 30.
Viewmont High School in Bountiful will also transition to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16. Teachers will prepare for the transition Friday and there will be no instruction that day.
Students will return to in-person learning on Nov. 30.
For more information on the closure click here.
It was also announced late Thursday afternoon that Orion Jr. High School in Harrisville will be moving to online instruction for the next two weeks. This action is in response to a high number of positive COVID-19 cases affecting the school, said a news release from Weber School District. Nearly 250 students, faculty and staff are currently in quarantine. Numerous teachers and other key staff members are also in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 within the past two weeks.
The school will enter a period of soft closure beginning, Friday, Nov. 13, the news release said. This will be a teacher prep day, and then online instruction will begin for students on Monday, Nov. 16. In-person learning is scheduled to resume on Monday, Nov. 30.
During this time, the building will be disinfected and sanitized according to our Safe Weber Framework.
In accordance with the Governor’s new mandates, all extracurricular activities have been suspended until Monday, Nov. 23.
