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Published on

DATE:
September 16, 2026

TO:
School Administrators

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Marcus Swainston, Transportation Coordinator

SUBJECT:
A Few Transportation Items for the 2026-27 School Year

There are a few items regarding Transportation that we would like to bring to your attention.

Safety at Bus Lane Entrances and Exits

As we enter into the second month of school, we would like your assistance in ensuring that the entrances and exits at our bus lanes are free and clear of vehicles staging and/or parking. Vehicles are required to provide at least ten feet of clearance at entrances and exits in order for buses to safely enter and exit the bus lane. If the curb at those areas on your campus are not painted red, please submit a request to Facility Services to have them painted or touched up. You may also consider using
cones to restrict vehicles from staging or parking near bus lane entrances and exits. If you do not currently have cones, they are available through the warehouse. Thank you for your support and assistance.

Mileage Reimbursement for Kindergarten Students (Elementary Schools Only):

Funding for mileage reimbursement is only offered to elementary schools that offer a choice of full-day or half-day kindergarten. Currently, there are only six schools that offer both a full-day and half-day kindergarten program. Therefore, if your school does not offer a half-day kindergarten program, mileage reimbursement for parents is not an option.

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TO:
Teachers, Administrators, School Staff

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

Students that achieved English proficiency will be invited to receive their medal and certificate during our ML family night. We encourage staff, teachers, and administrators to attend to celebrate with our families on Thurs. Oct. 8th from 6-8 p.m. at Mountain Ridge High School.

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Published on

DATE:
September 17, 2026

TO:
All Jordan School District Principals (with bus route students)

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kathy Jones, Transportation Trainer/Risk Coordinator

SUBJECT:
 State Required Bus Evacuations and School Bus Safety 2026-2027

State required semi-annual school bus evacuations have been scheduled for this fall. This applies to those students that ride the bus daily to and from school.

The evacuations will be conducted during the week of: 

Monday, September 21 through Thursday, September 24, 2026

Your school’s regular bus drivers will perform this evacuation procedure as they drop your students off in the morning, one day during that week. The procedure will take place at your school and within the students’ regular bus drop off/pick up zone. All professional school bus drivers that transport students are required to perform evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Bus evacuation will be through the rear door, side door, front door or any combination of the three. Students will then, under the direction and supervision of the bus driver, evacuate and meet in a safe place approximately 100 feet away from the bus.

Your assistance is welcome but not mandatory to complete this required evacuation procedure quickly, safely and effectively.

We appreciate all you do to help us safely transport your students.

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TO:
Administrators

FROM:
McKinnley Withers, HR Administrator

Administrators, 

The HR Employee Experience and Wellness Team will be offering “Stress Less” workshops on both upcoming PD days (9/25 for Elementary and 10/2 for Secondary).

We are inviting ALL employees to participate in these workshops. These efforts are directly aligned to our district Strategic Plan indicator that focuses on a reduction in stress for Jordan District students and staff (pasted below). 

AM sessions will be specifically for Education Support Professionals (ESPs). Any ESP working that day is invited to optionally attend one of the two days during their contract time if there are no scheduled conflicts at their worksite. ESPs who are off-contract on those Fridays or are part-time and not scheduled to work those days are also invited to attend but should not adjust their work schedules to reduce availability for their regular job duties. In other words, part-time or off-contract employees are invited and encouraged to attend but will not be paid for this time. 

PM Sessions are available for any employees who are able and wish to participate, including ESPs and licensed staff. 

The attached flyer will be shared through JEM, and supervisors are expected and encouraged to allow employees, both ESPs and licensed staff, to attend, provided there are no major scheduling conflicts at the school.

Thank you for your support as we grow opportunities for all employees in our district. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions/concerns or ideas for future offerings. 

McKinley Withers
mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org
801-567-8245
cell 801-448-1404

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TO:
Principals, Instructional Coaches, and Teachers

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Curtis Jenson, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning
Jessica Stowe, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning
Brandee Bergum, Teaching & Learning Consultant
Jared Covili, Teaching & Learning Consultant

We recently learned that Utah Compose is gone, and the USBE is replacing it with Scrible. If you’ve used Scrible, it’s not really the same thing as Utah Compose, although we’ve been told that there are plans to add more of the writing and feedback components found in Utah Compose in the future. 

In the meantime, we want to give you a quick overview of the options you have going forward as it stands right now. This is an evolving process, and we’ll let you know if there are new developments.

SCRIBLE
Scrible is the official replacement for Utah Compose, but has historically functioned more as a citation and research tool than as a tool to help students compose writing and get feedback. However, Scrible plans to add more writing features sometime this fall (richer feedback tools, a sharper Outline Editor, automated scoring for argumentative essays, and more), so just because it can’t do something now doesn’t mean it won’t be able to in the near future. Regardless, it’s free to us, which makes it worth exploring.

If building-level coaches are interested in training from Scrible in order to help train others in your building, here are two sets of options:

Session 1: September Release Deep Dive
This session explores Rubrics and Reviews, the updated Outline Editor, Bibliography tools, and administrative settings.

Session 2: October Release Deep Dive (Incoming features to replace Utah Compose)
Covers automated essay scoring, targeted student feedback, and the expanded prompt repository for grades 3-12.

All presentations will be archived alongside a companion guide for building-level professional development.

These sessions are designed specifically for instructional leaders and coaches rather than classroom teachers. Scrible is coordinating with USBE to schedule general educator webinars later this fall, so stay tuned for additional updates.

SCHOOLAI
With some initial setup, the Spaces feature of SchoolAI offers some of the features of Utah Compose - primarily immediate, customized feedback on writing, and is also available immediately and at no additional cost to JSD teachers and students. 

MI WRITE
MI Write is the direct successor to Utah Compose, and is built as a direct replacement. It is built on the foundation of Utah Compose, and uses the same workflows, technology, and functions. In terms of a seamless replacement, MI Write is essentially the same as Utah Compose. However, it is not free - which means that principals and teachers choosing to use MI should work closely together at the building level to evaluate the need and pricing.

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Published on

TO:
Elementary & Secondary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Jessica Stowe, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Curtis Jenson, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning

To maximize the impact of our district leadership time in 2026–2027, Principal PLCs are shifting to a specialized cohort model. This structure offers principals a dedicated forum to analyze comparative data and collaborate on challenges unique to their school profiles. Because the content is tailored specifically for principal peer networks, instructional coaches will remain in their buildings during these times. Thank you for briefing your coaching staff on this updated format as we work to make our PLC time as impactful as possible.

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Published on

TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Nancy Bolduc, Administrative Assistant

Upcoming Deadline Information:

Please forward this memorandum directly to the administrative assistant or employee managing The Educator Directed 32 Hour Plan and Logs.

Action Items & Deadlines

● Verify Roster Accuracy: Cross-check your primary spreadsheet to ensure every employee eligible for payment is listed.
● Collect Employee Plans (Due September 30, 2026): Confirm that all eligible staff members turn in their completed Educator Directed 32 Hours Plan to school administration on or before September 30.
● Log Submissions (Due October 30, 2026): The designated project manager must log each plan and record the date received on the provided Google Sheet no later than October 30.

Here is the link to the original instructions:

Educator Directed 32 Hour Plan Instructions for 2026-2027

For questions or assistance with this process, contact Nancy Bolduc at
x88166 or nancy.bolduc@jordandistrict.org.

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Published on

TO:
Administrators

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

Principals,

The Jordan School District Elementary Math Team is thrilled to announce the Mathematics Educator Development Improvement Cohort (MEDIC), an exciting two-year opportunity to build instructional capacity across our elementary schools and open classroom doors for teacher to teacher learning within our district.

In year one, MEDIC participants will sharpen their craft through hands-on instruction and coaching from our district elementary math specialists. The commitment includes four half days and three full days of training and classroom observations spread across the year. Substitutes will be covered by the district, and teachers selected for the program will receive a stipend for participation. Instructional Coaches of selected candidates are invited to participate in the training as well.

In year two, these participants may be designated as Model Mathematics Teachers (MMTs). In this role, they will open their classrooms to colleagues across the district for observation and may provide mentoring. Model Teachers will earn a stipend for this designation as well.

Up to 20 teachers will be accepted in the first year. Educators may apply directly, or you may nominate them. The application process involves a completed application/nomination form and a classroom observation.

Applications are due October 8th. The application/nomination form can be found here.

Selected teachers will be notified by the end of October.

We appreciate your continued support in moving math forward!

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Published on

DATE:
September 17, 2026

TO:
Principals and Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools

SUBJECT:
Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences for Secondary Schools

The dates for Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences for secondary schools are Wednesday, September 23, 2026 and Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Here is the schedule that the schools will follow:

● Middle Schools:
● Wednesday, September 23, 2026 - Virtual
● Thursday, September 24, 2026 - In Person

● High Schools:
● Wednesday, September 23, 2026 - In Person
● Thursday, September 24, 2026 - Virtual

Also, Spring Parent Teacher Conferences for secondary schools will be held:

● Middle Schools:
● Wednesday, February 10, 2027 - In Person
● Thursday, February 11, 2027 - Virtual

● High Schools:
● Wednesday, February 10, 2027 - Virtual
● Thursday, February 11, 2027 - In Person

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Published on

DATE:
September 17, 2026

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Michael Heaps, Director of Information Systems
Anthony Muto, Assistant Director Network & Telecommunications, Information Systems

SUBJECT:
iBoss Parent Portal App for Parents/Guardians

As we settle into the 2026-27 school year, Information Systems wants to remind you about a tool for our families: the iBoss Parent Portal App. This application is designed to give parents and guardians more control and visibility over their student’s internet use on their school-issued Chromebook. The application can be downloaded from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store by searching for “iBoss Parent Portal”.

The iBoss Parent Portal App will allow parents to guide their student’s internet use in two primary ways:

  1. View Browsing History: Parents will be able to review their student’s browsing history on the school Chromebook.
  2. Scheduling Internet Access Outside of School Hours: The app allows parents to set specific schedules to restrict internet access on the device during designated times. This feature is particularly useful for establishing “no-screen” time overnight.

Attached to this memo, you will find a copy of the iBoss Parent Portal Quick Start Guide. This guide will be sent to parents from the office of Communications in the coming weeks. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with this guide.

Should parents have questions, they should be instructed to contact the school directly. For any questions you are unable to answer, please contact the Information Systems help desk at (801) 567-8737 or extension 88737. You can also reach out to your school’s assigned tech for assistance with the app. We are here to support you in helping our families with this tool.

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TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Brandon Larsen, Performing & Fine Arts Consultant

Celebrating its 67th year, ARTS, Inc. returns for the 2026-27school year! Since 1959, this organization has reached all 41 Utah school districts, bringing professional arts programming to over 250 schools annually. We are thrilled to welcome their talented artists back to our classrooms.

🗓️ Scheduling & Logistics
Please click this link to access:

• The Assembly Schedule: View the specific date and time for your school's performance.
• Artist Contact Info: Find the name and phone number for your assigned performing group.

📞 Artist Communication

• Initial Contact: Artists should reach out to you at least two weeks before the event to confirm start times and technical requirements.
• Rescheduling: If the scheduled date conflicts with your school calendar, please contact the performing group directly as soon as possible to find an alternative.

📩 Support

For any additional questions or concerns, please contact Brandon Larsen at 801-567-8364.

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Published on

DATE:
September 10, 2026

TO:
All Middle School Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Melanie Dawson, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools

SUBJECT:
MTSS Middle School Workshop 2026-2027

We are excited to welcome you to the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Workshop!

This year, we will focus primarily on strengthening Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) within the MTSS framework.

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Published on

DATE:
September 10, 2026

TO:
Elementary Principals of MTSS Cohort 3 (Year 2) Schools:
Bastian, Blackridge, Butterfield Canyon, Elk Meadows, Golden Fields, Heartland, Jordan Ridge, Juniper, Monte Vista, Oak Leaf, Rocky Peak, Rosamond, Rose Creek, Silver Crest, Southland, Westland, Westvale

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Melanie Dawson, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Elementary Administrators of Schools

SUBJECT:
MTSS Workshop Cohort 3 (2026-2027)

We are excited to continue the work of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support with your teams this year!

Last year, we focused primarily on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This year, we will guide your teams in strengthening existing PBIS systems while also shifting our focus to other interrelated systems within the MTSS framework. See attached for dates, locations, substitute information, etc.

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Published on

DATE:
September 10, 2026

TO:
Elementary Principals of MTSS Cohort 1 & 2 (Year 3 & 4) Schools:
Cohort 1: Bluffdale, Eastlake, Falcon Ridge, Fox Hollow, Midas Creek, Mountain Shadows, Oquirrh, Riverton, Welby
Cohort 2: Antelope Canyon, Aspen, Columbia, Copper Canyon, Daybreak, Foothills, Hayden Peak, Herriman, Jordan Hills, Majestic, Mountain Point, Oakcrest, Ridge View, Riverside, South Jordan, Terra Linda

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Melanie Dawson, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning
Elementary Administrators of Schools

SUBJECT:
MTSS Workshop Cohorts 1 & 2 (2026-2027)

We are excited to continue the work of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) with your teams this year!

Previously, we focused primarily on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). This year, we will guide your teams in strengthening existing PBIS systems while also shifting our focus to other interrelated systems within the MTSS framework.
See attached for dates, locations, substitute information, etc.

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Published on

DATE:
September 10, 2026

TO:
All Administrators
All Admin Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Michael Heaps, Director - Information Systems
Steffany Ellsworth, Manager - Information Systems

SUBJECT:
Monthly Budget Reports Emailed on Sept. 9th

FYI - we recently experienced a technical issue affecting email delivery from our Qmlativ finance system. As a result, the automated budget report emails were not delivered to your inbox on the regularly scheduled date of September 5th. This was strictly an email delivery issue; the system successfully generated all budget reports on schedule. All budget report emails were resent as of Wednesday afternoon, so you should have seen the email notification in your inbox on September 9th.

You can always access these reports in Qmlativ through the 20th of the month, even if you did not receive an email. To do so, log in to Qmlativ and select “My Messages” in the upper right-hand corner. Search your message inbox for “scheduled report,” and select the messages sent on the 5th of the month. Select to view or download the results, based on your needs.

We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused. If you have trouble accessing your report or have any questions, please contact the Information Systems Help Desk at (801) 567-8737 or extension 88737.

 

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TO:
All Administrators

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

Administrators who are resigning or retiring effective at the end of the current contract or calendar year may be eligible for a tiered early-notification incentive. To qualify, administrators must submit their official resignation or retirement notification online on or before the applicable deadline listed below.

The incentive amount will be based on the date the official online notification is received.

Mid-Year Resignation (December) Notification:
August 15, 2026 $1,000.00
September 15, 2026 $600.00
October 15, 2026 $200.00

End of Contract Year Resignation (June) Notification:
December 1, 2026 $1,000.00
January 15, 2026 $600.00
February 15, 2026 $200.00

The incentive will be paid on the last regular paycheck. Notifications of resignation or retirement received after the dates listed above will not qualify for an incentive. The official District resignation/retirement notification form is found in Qmlativ under “Employee Access”. Please see District policy DP318a or DP319 for more detailed information regarding resignations and/or retirements. If you do not know your Qmlativ username or password, please contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.

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TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator, Teaching and Learning Department
Brandon Larsen, Performing & Fine Arts Consultant

As we settle into our new district policies, we want to make sure our dance departments have everything they need to thrive! Music is the core engine of dance instruction, especially for independent practice and small group choreography. To ensure our teachers can keep their classes energized and on track while fully honoring our cell phone and device guidelines, we’ve put together two great, policy-compliant options for music/video access.

To solve this while fully respecting our cell phone and technology policies, we have identified two viable solutions:

As we settle into our new district policies, we want to make sure our dance departments have everything they need to thrive! Music is the core engine of dance instruction, especially for independent practice and small group choreography. To ensure our teachers can keep their classes energized and on track while fully honoring our cell phone and device guidelines, we’ve put together two great, policy-compliant options for music/video access.

To solve this while fully respecting our cell phone and technology policies, we have identified two viable solutions:

1. MyVideoSpot Link Conversion (Immediate & Classroom-Ready): Teachers can upload or link YouTube videos through MyVideoSpot to generate accessible links for student devices. This allows students to play approved audio directly on their school Chromebooks without opening up full YouTube access. Step-by-step instructions for teachers can be found here: MyVideoSpot Quick-Start Guide.
2. Dedicated "Kiosk Mode" Chromebooks (Recommended for Performing Arts/Dance Labs): Principals can work with their building tech to set aside a dedicated classroom set (or cart) of Chromebooks configured in Kiosk Mode. This setup restricts the devices so that they only allow access to YouTube for audio/video playback, preventing open web browsing while giving dance classes a reliable, dedicated music hub.
3. Dedicated iPads: Principals can work with their building tech to set aside a dedicated classroom set of iPads to provide access to YouTube.

We recommend sharing the MyVideoSpot guide with your dance/arts teachers right away and connecting with your building tech if you’d like to set up a dedicated Kiosk Mode cart.

 

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TO:
Secondary Assistant Principals
Elementary Assistant Principals

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

The required McKinney-Vento Fall Training will be held on Monday, September 21, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Jordan Learning Center (JLC).

Please remind your McKinney-Vento aides of this required training.

Assistant principals, interns & administrators are welcome but not required to attend. Please coordinate with your team on meeting attendance.

 

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TO:
Spanish Articulation Videos

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director, Language and Culture Services
Brian King, Director, Special Education
Jessica Stowe, Assistant Director, Teaching and Learning
Mandy Thurman, Consultant, Elementary English Language Arts

A new set of articulation videos by Dany Caruso has been created to support our beginning level MLs with articulation of English phonemes. They are similar to the Really Great Reading Videos.

Please view the overview here

We hope this helps to assist you with your Multilingual learners. The overview catalog is organized in tabs by UFLI's scope and sequence with the videos linked.

These videos will be placed on department websites (LCS, T & L, Sped) so that you can locate them with ease. Please contact us if you have any questions.

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Published on

DATE: 
September 10, 2026

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Brian King, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:
PreK to Kinder IEP Update

It has come to our attention that some incoming kindergarten students who previously attended preschool are not appearing on the Acadience testing lists.

To ensure these students are added correctly, an IEP meeting must be held by Friday, September 18, to update the student’s IEP goals and the Service and Placement page. A new SCRAM should then be submitted to Jen Warkentine. Submitting the SCRAM will ensure the student is added to the Acadience testing list.

If an IEP meeting was already held during the last couple of weeks of school in collaboration with the kindergarten resource team:

The kindergarten team should complete the following steps:

  1. Amend the IEP to update the environment code from Preschool to V – Regular School Setting.
  2. Update the Case Manager on the Student Info page.
  3. Submit a new SCRAM to Jen Warkentine.

Completing these steps will help ensure the student’s records are updated appropriately and that they are included on the Acadience testing list.

Please reach out to your teacher specialist if you have any questions or need help with this process.

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