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TO:
Elementary Principals and Assistant Principals

From:
JAESP:
Megan Cox- Rose Creek Elementary
Garett York- Bastian Elementary
Ronna Hoffman- Oak Leaf Elementary
Bryce Eardley- Mountain Shadows Elementary


It’s time to join JAESP, UAESP, and NAESP.

JAESP:
If you've got the title of AOS, principal, assistant principal, or admin intern, this is for you!

Please pay $40 to Garett York to help cover the end of the year administrative assistant luncheon, their gifts, and principal awards.

**How to Pay Your $40 Dues** Don't forget to include Your Name, Your School, and note that it’s for JAESP dues
Venmo: @GYork161
Send a check or Cash via district mail to Garett York at Bastian:

UAESP and NAESP:
Do you send your student leaders to the annual leadership conference? What about attending Principals, Assistant Principals, Aspiring Principals or Administrative Assistant Conference? Please help keep these running by paying your dues. You can renew your membership now. No need to wait!

**Membership Costs**:
$434 for AOS and Principals
$394 for Assistant Principals
$149 for Administrative Interns: Aspiring Principals

**How to Pay**:
Visit: uaesp.org/join-us
Pay with your PCard using a budget code for unrestricted school funds
Make sure to click both UAESP & NAESP


Forward this Memo

TO:
Elementary Principals and Assistant Principals

FROM:
JAESP:
Megan Cox- Rose Creek Elementary
Garett York- Bastian Elementary
Ronna Hoffman- Oak Leaf Elementary
Bryce Eardley- Mountain Shadows Elementary


Please submit questions to be discussed by the JAESP committee and cabinet by Wednesday, September 9th.

You may submit concerns or questions using the Google Form below, OR you may send items to be discussed directly to Megan Cox at Rose Creek, Garett York at Bastian, Ronna Hoffman at Oak Leaf, or Bryce Eardley at Mountain Shadows.

Contact information is optional but will allow a committee member to reach out to you if more information is needed. All items will be discussed anonymously as we work to provide clarification and solutions to concerns of elementary administrators.

Submit concerns & questions

 

Forward this Memo

DATE:
September 3, 2026 

TO:
All Principals 

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Brian King, Director of Special Education
Ross Menlove, Assistant Director of Special Education - Elementary
Maddie Karanevich, Assistant Director of Special Education - Secondary

SUBJECT:
Professional Development Opportunities for Licensed Special Education Staff on Compliance in Action: Lessons from the Audit


The Special Education Department is pleased to announce upcoming training sessions for licensed special education staff, tailored to our school environment.  

Take a deeper dive into special education compliance by exploring insights and lessons learned from this year’s audit results. This session will examine key trends, common compliance challenges, and areas that require closer attention. Participants will gain practical strategies for strengthening evaluations, IEP development, progress monitoring, and SCRAM practices within the Embrace system. 

  • Elementary Licensed Special Education Staff
    • Friday, September 25, 2026 
    • 1 pm-3 pm
    • Offered Sessions
      • Virtually (link will be in the Canvas course)
      • Transportation Building PD (8480 S 4361 W, West Jordan)
    • Registration Form
  • Secondary Licensed Special Education Staff
    • Friday, October 2, 2026 
    • 1 pm-3 pm
    • Offered Sessions
      • Virtually (link will be in the Canvas course)
      • ASB Presentation Room (7905 S Redwood Rd, West Jordan, Entrance "C")
    • Registration Form

Attendance is optional.   

Forward this Memo

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, HR Administrator of Data and Operations


New Substitute Feedback Form

We want to hear from you when there are concerns with a substitute. That feedback helps us know when a substitute may need a reminder or additional training, when a concern may be more significant, and when a classroom or school block may be appropriate. It also helps us identify patterns when we receive similar feedback about the same substitute from different schools.

With that in mind, we have updated the Substitute Concern Report & Block Request Form. The basic process has not changed; you will still complete a form and submit it to HR, but we have changed the questions and added more guidance to make the form easier to complete and help you determine the appropriate level of concern or block request.

Our hope is that the updated form makes it easier for you to tell us what happened and gives HR the information we need to accurately document and categorize the concern. This will help us provide better feedback and training to our substitutes, track concerns more consistently, and ultimately make better-informed decisions about the substitutes working in your schools.

The new form provides:

  • Three levels of concern to help identify the severity of an incident.
  • Common examples of substitute performance and conduct concerns.
  • A section for teachers to request a classroom block.
  • A section for administrators to request a school-wide block review.
  • A consistent process for HR to document concerns and determine appropriate follow-up.

How the Process Works

Level 1 – Professional Concern
Schools may submit the form to document routine performance or professionalism concerns. These concerns are generally documented by the Substitute Office and may result in a reminder to the substitute.

Level 2 – Significant Concern
An administrator should review and sign the form. Human Resources may contact the school for additional information and determine whether additional corrective action is appropriate.

Level 3 – Serious Incident
Concerns involving physical contact, discrimination, harassment, threats, student safety, or other serious misconduct require administrator involvement and HR review. Administrators should contact Human Resources promptly when a serious incident occurs.

Classroom vs. School Blocks

A teacher-requested classroom block prevents the substitute from accepting assignments for that teacher but does not prevent the substitute from working elsewhere at the school.

If an administrator believes the substitute should no longer work anywhere at the school, select “Request school-wide block review.” The Substitute Office/HR will review the concern and determine the appropriate restriction and follow-up.

Submit the Form

Complete the form, obtain the appropriate teacher/administrator signatures, and submit it to suboffice@jordandistrict.org.

New Form:
Substitute Concern Report & Block Request

You can also find this form on HR Connections and AdminOnly.

Please discontinue use of the previous Substitute Evaluation Form and begin using this form for all new substitute concerns.

 

Forward this Memo

TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning


Principals,

We're excited to invite your teachers to a professional learning session hosted by the elementary math team: Using Open Up Centers in Your Classroom.

When: Wednesday, September 25th (District PD Day), 1:30–3:00 PM
Where: ASB, Room D112
Registration: Canvas Course

In this engaging, practical session, we'll explore how to make the most of Open Up Math Centers in the classroom, with strategies for:

Organization – smooth routines and center management
Engagement – keeping students active and invested
Fluency – building automaticity with purpose
Deeper learning – extending student thinking

Teachers will walk away with ready-to-use ideas and tools they can apply the very next day. We'll wrap things up with a drawing for some great prizes to celebrate the day!

Because space is limited, we encourage teachers to register early to secure their spot. Please share the link above with your teams.

Thank you for your support in getting this opportunity to your teachers!

Forward this Memo

DATE:
Thursday, September 3, 2026

TO:
All School Administrators and District Department Directors/Consultants

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability 

SUBJECT:
2026-27 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Licensed Educator and ESP Employees


For the 2026-27 school year, administrators will need to conduct a training on the state’s testing ethics policy for all licensed educators as well as any education support professionals (ESPs) who will assist with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing.  All licensed educators will need to be trained on the policy.  Administrators will want to consider including computer lab assistants who function as the school’s test coordinator, any classroom aides that assist with testing, literacy aides who assist with Acadience Reading testing or progress monitoring, or any office staff that assist test coordinators with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing.

The three required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2026-27 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for Licensed Educators and ESPs” form, which is due to Assessment, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 18, 2026.   

As has been done in the past, administrators may provide the testing ethics training themselves using the Google slide deck linked in this memo. Alternatively, administrators may show the YouTube video linked below to school personnel. The video provides the same information as the slide deck. Once school personnel have been trained, either by a school administrator or using the video, they are required to sign the “2026-27 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Administrators are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

There are several materials attached with this memo for your use:

Please contact Ben Jameson or Heather Knecht in Assessment, Research & Accountability with any questions.

Forward this Memo

DATE:
September 03, 2026 

TO:
All District Administrators and Employees

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator 

SUBJECT:
New Limit for Emails Sent to Large Groups


To help protect district email accounts from evolving security threats, the district is limiting emails sent to individual recipients to no more than 300 people at a time.

If you need to email more than 300 people, please consider using any of the following options:
a) an existing district-created mailing list counts as 1 email, even though it can send to large groups; or
b) JAM or JEM; or
c) ParentSquare; or
d) creating a user-created Google Group.

How to Create a Google Group

  1. Open Google Groups: Open the Google apps (waffle) menu and select “Groups.
  2. Select Creat Group: On the Groups page, select “Create group” at the top left.
  3. Enter Group Information: Enter a “Group name.” Google will automatically use the group name to create the group email address. You can shorten or update the email address if you do not want to use the full group name. Add a description if needed, then select “Next.”

  4. Set Privacy & Access: Leave all privacy and access settings at their default values, then select “Next.” There is no need to change any of these settings.

Finish Setup

  1. Add Members & Managers: Add the people who should belong to the group in the “Group members.” You can add members by typing in their email address. Add “Group managers” and “Group owners” as needed. Managers and owners can add or remove members in the future.

  2. Welcome Message: After adding the group members, you can create an optional “welcome message” to send to new members when they are added or invited to the group.

  3. Choose Email Notifications: Leave the subscription setting as “Each email.” This ensures that everyone in the group receives an email for every message sent to the group.

  4. Create the Group: Select “Create group.” A confirmation will appear when the group is created.

  5. Sending to your New Email Group: Once your group has been created, you can send an email to it just like you would any other email address. In the “To” field, enter the group's email address. The first time you use the group, you may need to type the full email address. After that, Google should remember the address and suggest it from your contact list when you begin typing the group name.

Reminder

  • If you have any questions about creating an email group, please contact the Help Desk at ext. 88737. 

 

 

Forward this Memo

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Mckinley Withers, HR Administrator, Employee Experience & Wellness


School and department leaders are invited to select a Worksite Wellness Advocate to represent their worksite as part of the broader District Employee Wellness Program. Please nominate your Worksite Wellness Advocate using this link by September 4th

Human Resources will offer in-person support meetings on September 14th and 15th at JATC-South from 8:30-10:30 and 1:30-3:30. Worksite Wellness Advocates are invited to choose one of the four sessions to attend. If a substitute is required, the Employee Wellness and Experience Team can pay for the substitute. Contact McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org) to acquire the substitute code for your designated Worksite Wellness Advocate. This meeting is intended to build community among Employee Wellness Champions and offer support to bring wellness to your worksite! 

For more information, contact McKinley Withers or visit well.jordandistrict.org/champions.

Forward this Memo

TO:
Directors, Administrators & Administrative Assistants

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Rebecca Eastman, Leaves Specialist


If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave on a Critical Day before or after Fall Recess for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:  

How to Request
During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

*Critical Days are the first student attendance days before or after a school holiday. If a non-student attendance day falls before or after a school holiday, the Critical Day is the day before or after that non-student attendance day when students are in attendance.

Licensed
Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 26-27

ESP
ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 26-27

Forward this Memo

DATE:
Thursday, September 3, 2026

TO:
All School Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:
Earbud Orders for State Testing


Students will have the option to have text read to them on the RISE Summative once again this year.  Principals or their designee are encouraged to place an order for student earbuds.  Please place your order by Friday, October 16th.

To place an order, please click here.

Earbuds may be used for other district- or state-mandated tests, but schools will need to create a system by which the same student uses the same earbuds throughout the year as there is no additional funding to purchase more than one pair of earbuds per student in grades 3-12.

If schools wish to purchase additional earbuds for other uses, school administrators are welcome to contact Heather Knecht in Assessment, Research & Accountability at 801-567-8185, who can share the purchasing information and quotes used to acquire these earbuds.

Forward this Memo

DATE:
Thursday, September 3, 2026

TO:
High School Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:
Shmoop Access for the 2026-27 School Year


School administrators are encouraged to forward this information to their ACT prep teachers.

USBE has once again made available a free ACT prep online program for all high school students from 7th grade and up. Shmoop may also be used to help prepare students for AP exams and the ASVAB. Students may access this free program at this link: schools.shmoop.com

The Magic Word for the 2026-27 school year for students to complete the login process is: DIRTYSODA.

Teachers may access Shmoop by creating an account using their single-sign-on via Canvas.  Check out this YouTube video for how to do this.

For more information about Shmoop, including instructions for students to set up their own Shmoop account, please see this information page and enter your email address to access the document.

For administrators interested in an online or in-person training on how to use or implement Shmoop in your school, please fill out Shmoop’s training request form.

Here are some other resources for making the most of this great ACT prep resource:

For questions about the ACT or Shmoop, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Forward this Memo

DATE:
Thursday, September 3, 2026

TO:
Middle and High School Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:
Updates for 9-12th Grade RISE-tested Courses


Principals are encouraged to send this information to teachers of RISE-tested courses.

USBE has communicated the following information regarding the timeline for the release of testing resources for the 9-12th grade RISE-tested courses on the Utah RISE Portal:

  • RISE Blueprints – Available now under the Resources tile on the RISE Portal
  • Performance Level Descriptors – November 16, 2026
  • Secondary Math 2/ELA 9 & 10 Benchmarks – January 19, 2026
  • Science Benchmarks – No timeline yet
  • ELA, Math and Science Interims – No timeline yet

Secondary Math 1 resources and benchmarks are already available on the RISE Portal.

Middle and high schools should take note of the different dates for the end of the RISE summative testing window:

  • 9-12th Grades: April 5-May 14, 2027
  • 7-8th Grades: April 5-May 28, 2027
Forward this Memo

DATE:
September 3, 2026

TO:
All School Administrators 

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Angie Rasmussen, Student Services Specialist

SUBJECT:
FREE Mental Health Education for Parents and Caregivers


Jordan District has partnered with the Cook Center for Human Connection to provide ongoing mental health education for parents and caregivers. This collaboration offers FREE access to live, virtual educational sessions covering various topics. Student Services will share these links to Parent Square for all JSD school communities to access. Please print, post, and assist families with access as you work with parents in your schools. 

  • A calendar for September’s Mental Health Series sessions is attached. Sessions are offered in both English and Spanish. Previously recorded seminars can be accessed through a comprehensive library of sessions and resources for each topic. You can access the library of recorded sessions at any time by visiting this site: https://parentguidance.org/mhsindex. 
  • September is Suicide Prevention Month. A topic that is highlighted for parents this month is “What Parents Need to Know about Suicide Prevention.”
    • In this session, parents will gain an understanding of the dynamics surrounding suicide, including its underlying reasons, warning signs, and appropriate responses. We’ll explore what to say, what not to say, and where someone who might be contemplating suicide can go to seek help. By addressing suicide openly and empathetically, parents can de-escalate suicidal ideation and guide their children toward appropriate support and intervention. Unwavering support and understanding are essential in helping children navigate life’s challenges.
  • Ask a Therapist live virtual event. This is an anonymous opportunity to ask questions from a licensed family therapist about your child’s mental health. It is a live event on Sept. 29th at 6 pm with access to the recording afterwards. Registration Link: https://cookcenter.info/ATLSept29
  • Included in the mental health series is a "Watch Together Series." While the Mental Health Series is designed for parents, these “Watch Together” events are for the whole family, especially teens and young adults. In each episode, you'll meet a new animated character facing real challenges that teens and young adults experience. Together, you and your family can watch their story and learn how to start meaningful conversations at home.

 Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

Forward this Memo

TO:
Elementary Administrators
Coaches
K-6th Grade Teachers

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Jessica Stowe, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Mandy Thurman, Elementary Literacy Consultant of Teaching and Learning


Join us for Literacy Live: K–6th Grades Fall Conference on September 25, 2026, from 1:30–3:30 ASB!

This exciting afternoon is designed to give teachers practical ideas, fresh strategies, and tools they can take right back to their classrooms. Participants will choose from a variety of literacy breakout sessions, connect with colleagues, enjoy food, and have opportunities to win prizes!

Encourage your K–6 teachers to save the date and sign up today! This is a great opportunity to support teachers as they continue building their literacy knowledge and strengthening instruction for students.

Registration is now open at pd.jordandistrict.org

Forward this Memo

DATE:
August 27, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator 

SUBJECT:
Fire Drill Required Within the First 10 School Days


All schools are required to conduct a fire drill within the first 10 days of the school year. This provides a great opportunity to review plans, emergency response/Incident Command assignments, evacuation maps, outside rally locations, communications, and related supplies.

Please call the Jordan School District 24-hr. Alarm Response 801-567-8865 at least 30 minutes in advance of the drill, so the fire department is not dispatched.

Use the JSD Incident Command System Manual - Fire Action Plan as your drill guideline. Jordan School District Safety Manual

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact Matt Alvernaz the District Safety Coordinator at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8623.

 

Forward this Memo

DATE:
August 27, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists 

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT:
Monthly Drill Preparation (SECURE)


Our monthly drill preparation will be held on September 2nd at 2:40 PM, 3:10 PM, and again at 3:40 PM. Each session will last about 20 minutes. This month we will be covering SECURE.  Each school safety specialist is expected to attend.  All other administrators are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested as well. 

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the school safety specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.  

Information regarding the SECURE response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 8-11. 

We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill.  This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over ZOOM so please join using this link.

Forward this Memo

TO:
All Administrators & Program Directors

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant


At we start the 2026-27 school year, we want to remind you about the master calendar for the District. You can find it on mastercal.jordandistrict.org. This calendar is intended to inform principals, administrators & District personnel of district events and due dates (it does not include individual school events).

If you would like to copy anything on this calendar to your personal google calendar, simply click on the “see more details” link and then copy it using the three vertical dot (options) button.

To search for an item in the master calendar, you can use Command+F (Apple) or Control+F (PC). This will bring up a search bar where you can type a few key words to help you find the information you are seeking.

If you would like to add a district event or make a revision to the master calendar, please contact Lisa LeStarge at 801-567-8120 or lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org.

Forward this Memo

TO:
Elementary Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Jessica Stowe, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Mandy Thurman, Literacy Consultant of Teaching and Learning


Principals,

As we begin a new school year, we want to make sure our literacy curriculum materials and resources are being managed consistently across the district.

Please remind teachers that district-provided curriculum materials and literacy resources belong to the school—not to an individual teacher. When a teacher leaves a school or changes grade levels, all curricular materials and resources should remain at the school or in the classroom for the next teacher who will use them.

This includes materials and resources such as UFLI (both sound wall cards and manuals), Wit & Wisdom, Heggerty, MSRC, and other district-provided literacy resources. Beginning this year, all literacy materials should remain at the school when a teacher transfers to another school or changes grade levels, including Heggerty and MSRC materials. Keeping these materials at the school ensures that teachers have the resources they need.

Managing Your School's Materials
Schools are responsible for managing, maintaining, and redistributing their existing literacy materials to ensure they are available to the teachers who need them. If materials are lost or otherwise unavailable due to materials not being properly retained at the school, the school will be responsible for replacing them.

Teaching & Learning will provide materials for additional FTE/new positions as appropriate. However, materials for existing positions should be managed within the school and redistributed as staffing or grade-level assignments change.

Have Extra Materials?
If you have extra materials from any literacy programs or resources (including extra Wit & Wisdom workbooks), please have your instructional coach contact your assigned literacy teacher specialist with the types and numbers. We will attempt to redistribute wherever possible. Please do not surplus or destroy the materials.

Thank you for helping us maintain and responsibly manage our district literacy resources. Your partnership helps ensure that teachers across the district have access to the materials they need to support student learning.

Forward this Memo

DATE:
August 27, 2026

TO:   
All Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Student Support Administrator
Student Services Student CARE Team

SUBJECT:
Prevention Stipend & Supply Funds now available for all schools


Administrators,

For the 2026-27 school year, funding for a school plan has been renewed through the State’s E-cigarette and Nicotine Prevention Fund. Please complete the attached plan through Google Forms to obtain access to these funds. 

As a reminder, these funds can only be used for the following purposes:

  • $1,000 of supply funds to administer your plan.  Accounting has set up your school’s account. PLEASE, DO NOT EXCEED $1,000 IN EXPENSES.
  • Stipends for individuals implementing your school’s plan in amounts below. Stipends will be paid out in November or March. Please submit the form by October 3, 2026, to have the stipends paid on the November paycheck, or please submit it by February 6, 2027, to have the stipends paid on the March paycheck:
    • You may choose one person to receive - $2,250.00
    • You may choose two people to receive - $1,125.00 each
    • You may choose three people to receive - $750.00 each
Forward this Memo

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services


The Fall Panorama student feedback survey window previously scheduled to open on Monday, September 8, 2026, has been delayed to accommodate an update to the survey questions and subsequent online data dashboard. This update will include Portrait of a Graduate indicators.

The full survey will now open Monday, October 5, 2026 and will close on Friday, November 6, 2026. Student Services provides the opt-in list to Panorama the week prior to the window closing and at least one time midway through the survey window. Survey response rates may be accessed through your Panorama login and results are typically available the week following the last day of the survey window.

The winter survey window is January 22, 2027 - February 19, 2027
The Spring survey window is April 19, 2027 - May 11, 2027

Schools wanting additional Panorama training should reach out to Buddy Alger.

Forward this Memo