Jordan School District
TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Katie Bastian, Director of Nutrition Services
Included is a new meal prices flyer for next school year. You are welcome to use this flyer to share the information with your school community. New meal prices have been updated in the registration materials and on the Nutrition Services Website.
TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems
Upcoming July Workshops! Please note the location change on July 28, 2026.
Drop in anytime between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to:
● Get answers to your specific Qmlativ questions.
● Walk through complex processes with hands-on help.
● Set up and customize your personal list screens.
No appointments are needed—just bring your laptop and stop by when it's convenient for you!
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
● Tuesday, June 30th: District Office, Rm 129
● Thursday, July 9th: ASB, PDC 101
● Monday, July 13th: District Office, Rm 129
● Monday, July 20th: District Office, Rm 129
● Tuesday, July 28th: District Office, Conference Rm 100 (Please note the location change)
TO:
Elementary Principals
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Brandon Larsen, Consultant of Teaching & Learning
Principals,
To support elementary instructional assistants who cover rotations, the Teaching and Learning Department will be offering professional development sessions specifically for those teaching art, music, dance, or drama.
Those assistants who attend and complete the training can apply these hours toward a salary lane change using the new Education Support Professional (ESP) form.
To help our trainers prepare and set up an accurate hours-tracking system, please submit your assistant's details via this Google Form by July 20, 2026.
Thank you for your help in coordinating this support for your staff.
TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Assistant Director - Support Services, Information Systems
ParentSquare Pointers - End of Year Archive
📁 All ParentSquare posts for the 2025-26 school year will be archived on June 30th.
Why do we archive?
●Let’s start the 2026-27 school year with a clean slate.
●To avoid clutter and make it easier for parents to navigate through posts.
📁 What will be archived?
●All posts and any photos included in posts.
●Media and documents uploaded to the Photos, Videos, Files section.
●Posts sent to Groups.
What will NOT be archived?
●Post sent on or after June 30th.
●Scheduled posts set to go out after June 30th.
●Posts tied to events happening after June 30th.
●Groups and group members.●Direct Messages.
📦 Access to Archived Posts
●You will still be able to access archived posts through the Advanced Search.
Should you have any questions or need assistance accessing archived posts, contact the Information Systems help desk at (801) 567-8737, or ext. 88737.
TO:
Principals
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning
Principals,
Please invite your newly hired middle school math teachers to an Open Up/Illustrative training on August 4, 2026. The session will be held in Room 101 at the ASB from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Participants will receive a stipend for attending.
Our current middle school math teachers are engaged in Open Up/Illustrative training that began in April and will continue through the 2026–27 school year. New hires will join this ongoing professional learning track, and this August 4th session is designed to bring them up to speed quickly. The training will provide an initial launch into the curriculum and equip new teachers with the foundational knowledge they need to begin the year confidently.
Thank you for your support in ensuring our new teachers are informed and prepared.
TO:
Principals
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning
Principals,
Please invite your newly hired K–6 teachers to an Open Up training on July 28, 2026. Open Up representatives will be on site to facilitate a demo lesson, introduce assessments, present centers as the practice component, and familiarize teachers with the curriculum.
K–3 Session
Date: July 28, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Room 101, ASB
Participants will receive a stipend for attending.
4–6 Session
Date: July 28, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Room 102, ASB
Participants will receive a stipend for attending.
Thank you for your support in ensuring our new teachers are informed and prepared.
DATE:
June 18, 2026
TO:
High School Principals
FROM:
C. Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
SUBJECT:
Athletic Classes Taught During School Day
As you are finalizing your teaching schedule boards for the next school year, there is a need to know which of the athletic classes (up to ten) you will be offering to be taught at your school during the school day. As per an agreement made with the Board of Education, if a coach/advisor coaches their respective activity during the school day, they do not qualify for the Extended Differential allotment.
Paraprofessional coaches/advisors teaching classes during the day will be paid a monthly stipend amount (previously paid an hourly rate by clocking in on True Time) based on the Teacher Salary Schedule Level 1 $63,900. One period taught is equivalent to .125 of your allocated FTE totaling $7,987.50 per period/per year or $3,993.75 per period/per semester.
DATE:
June 11, 2026
TO:
Principals Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
SUBJECT:
Fee Waiver Materials 2026-27
Schools need to collect and maintain the following, which may be requested as part of the school fees monitoring visits:
All USBE School Fees Notices and School Fee Waiver Applications can be found by clicking HERE.
Forms can be found under Grades K-6 and Grades 7-12 in multiple languages. The Fee Waiver Application, for both elementary and secondary was revised April 2026. Use the current form when having parents fill out the application.
Attention: Students who previously showed verification of eligibility do not need to resubmit documentation. It may be necessary for the principal (or designee) to contact the previous school of transferring students for verification of fee waiver status. Kindergarten students coming into the school, new students to the District, and students with extenuating circumstances will still be required to submit documentation.
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Other Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olsen, Enrollment Consultant
As announced in a previous JAM, a discipline training for new administrators and administrative interns will be held on July 28, 2026, at the ASB Presentation Room from 8 AM to noon. Approximately 30 seats are available for current administrators who would like a discipline refresher.
See the previous JAM for details on the training.
Sign up for the training here.
DATE:
Thursday, June 18, 2026
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
2025-26 Assessment Results Now in Tableau
All state assessment results for the 2025-26 school year are now available in Tableau. Viewers will be able to see results for the district, schools and individual students. Where relevant, viewers may also see results by classroom teachers (except with the ACT, Utah Aspire Plus, and the WIDA Access, which are not connected to classroom teachers). The links below will help administrators navigate directly to the updated results for each assessment:
RISE (growth scores will be available in the fall)
Utah Aspire Plus (growth scores will be available in the fall)
WIDA Access (growth targets will be available in the fall)
AP exam results will be available in Tableau by the end of July (pending a release date from the College Board of July 10th). The state will release DLM results for students with significant cognitive disabilities sometime in the fall.
For questions about these dashboards, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability. To request additional data or to see these results in another way, please contact the district’s data scientist, Brooke Anderson, in Assessment, Research & Accountability.
TO:
All School and Department Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Bekkah Friant, Information Systems Support Services
Click here to see deadlines for June 26 - July 14
TO:
Elementary Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brent Burge, Assistant Director, Human Resources
With the implementation of the new Rotation Assistant (RA) position in elementary schools for the 2026-2027 school year, the following information outlines the requirements and the process to move or hire employees who are teaching a rotation for STEM, PE, Fine Arts, etc.
Requirements
For information about becoming highly qualified, click here.
5. RAs are hired at lane three (3) unless they are a current or former licensed teacher. The non-licensed RA may be eligible to advance to lane four (4) upon completion of one year as an RA and upon completion of a training program provided by Teaching and Learning. Upon completion of the requirements, submit the Rotation Assistant salary change form to Teaching and Learning.
Procedures
If you have any questions on the process, please contact Human Resources. For questions about the training, please contact Teaching and Learning.
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Instructional Coaches
Kindergarten Teachers
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Michelle Lovell, Literacy Consultant
Mandy Thurman, Literacy Consultant
The following letter, as well as the attached Planet Kindergarten Newsletter, will be sent to all kindergarten teachers this week. Please celebrate them with us.
Dear (Kindergarten Teacher),
As a literacy team, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your incredible work this year. We recognize that it was a year filled with new challenges: quarterly goals, new curriculum, learning Mastery Connect, and new voluntary professional development opportunities. You not only stepped up to the plate, but you truly hit it out of the park!
Hundreds of teachers and coaches attended each session of the Planet Kindergarten PDs. We know this required sacrifice of your time and energy, but your extra effort in Tier 1 instruction, small groups, and data tracking has made a real difference. Thanks to your dedication, we have more proficient kindergartners in literacy skills moving on to first grade than ever before!
Please know how grateful we are for everything you’ve done. As you begin planning for next year, don’t hesitate to reach out for any support you need.
If you'd like a refresher of Letter Launch or dive deeper with the Letter Launch Workshop, we'd love to see you there.
Wishing you a wonderful summer filled with well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Thank you for changing the lives of students in Jordan District!
DATE:
June 8, 2026
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator
SUBJECT:
2026-27 Monthly Drill Schedule
This schedule is designed so that our district will remain in compliance with state regulations. The design is set up so the district can help prepare and support each of your schools throughout the year to better implement these drills. This schedule is to be followed throughout the district.
Secondary schools are required FOUR (4) evacuations a year. You may do more if desired.
Elementary schools are required to conduct an evacuation EVERY OTHER MONTH. These evacuations can follow any drill and DO NOT have to be in conjunction with a fire drill. Due to this regulation and the mandated fire drill after winter break, an evacuation drill will need to be conducted in both December and January in order to remain in compliance. This only applies to elementary schools.
Three virtual drill preparation trainings will be held back-to-back on the first Wednesday of each month at 2:40, 3:10 PM, and again at 3:30 PM. The ZOOM LINK will remain the same for each session throughout the year. School Safety Specialists are expected to attend. Other administrators or interested employees are always welcome as well.
| MONTH | DRILL TYPE | NOTES |
| August | Fire | First 10 days of school |
| September | Secure | |
| October | Lockdown | Evacuation required for elementary schools |
| November | Shelter | |
| December | Hold | Evacuation required for elementary schools |
| January | Fire | First 10 days of school after winter break |
| February | Secure | |
| March | Lockdown | Evacuation required for elementary schools |
| April | Earthquake | Great Shakeout. Evacuation is optional |
| May | Drill of Choice | Choose whichever drill is appropriate for your school |
If there are any questions, concerns, or conflicts, please contact the District Safety Coordinator Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623.
DATE:
June 8, 2026
TO:
Principals
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator
SUBJECT:
School Safety Specialist List Update/Confirmation
Beginning the 2026-2027 school year, the School Safety Specialist must be an administrator. The School Safety Specialist also attends, completes, and participates in the following:
Please complete the spreadsheet linked below for the 2026-2027 school year on or before Friday, August 14, 2026. The information entered needs to be accurate for them to receive communications from the District and the USBE, as well as getting enrolled in the USBE Canvas course.
2026-2027 School-Based Safety Specialists
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to:
Matt Alvernaz
School Safety Coordinator
Matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org
(801)567-8623
To:
All Administrators
All Office Staff
From:
Steffany Ellsworth, Manager - Information Systems
David Bowman, Assistant Director of Systems and Security
This is a reminder of a previous JAM sent on March 26th regarding a system downtime on the Juneteenth holiday.
Information Systems wants you to be aware of upcoming essential maintenance that will affect the availability of the internet and core systems during the upcoming observed holiday on Monday, June 15th.
The following major systems will be inaccessible on this day:
Skyward Finance & Student Systems
Phone Systems Including Voicemail
Internet Connectivity
Department and School Websites
Thank you for your understanding and patience.
TO:
All School and Department Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Bekkah Friant, Information Systems Support Services
Click here to see deadlines for June 12 - June 18.
TO:
Elementary Principals
FROM:
Odette Desmarais, Administrator of Schools
Meredith Doleac, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
The Board of Education has approved an allocation of 16 days of substitute support (per school, per year) to provide classroom coverage when part-time assistants, who are designated as rotation assistants, are absent.
Human Resources will provide additional information and instructions regarding the process for requesting these substitutes at a later date.
TO:
All Administrators and All Financial Administrative Assistants
FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Dan Ellis, Director of Accounting
Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services
For fiscal year 2027 the insurance composite rate will be increasing to $17,652 annually or $1,471 per month. This rate represents the District’s portion of medical and life insurance premiums for an individual employee. Please ensure you are using this amount when forecasting personnel budget costs for next year.
Additionally, for fiscal year 2027 the industrial insurance rate will be increasing to 0.2%.
If you have questions or need assistance, please call Dan Ellis at (801) 567-8389.
Thank you.
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
David Bowman Assistant Director of Systems and Security
The district-wide student YouTube block will be put in place, discontinuing direct student access to YouTube from their Chromebooks beginning August 18, 2026. This change applies only to student accounts.
As announced in the November Principal Meeting, principals continue to have the option to block students from accessing YouTube sooner. If you would like to have YouTube disabled before August 18th, please contact David Bowman in Information Systems.
Teachers will continue to have access to YouTube and may use instructional video content with students through MyVideoSpot. MyVideoSpot allows teachers to import videos from YouTube and other sources, create custom video links, remove advertisements, and select specific start and end points for classroom use. These videos can then be easily shared with students through Canvas, Nearpod, Google Slides, and other instructional tools.
Training and support resources are available through Digital Teaching and Learning.
To access additional training information, please see the JAM below:
https://jam.jordandistrict.org/2025/11/20/myvideospot-for-student-youtube-access/
