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Author: bgroo

Published on

TO:
Directors, Administrators, Administrative Assistants

FROM:
McKinley Withers, HR Administrator

Tagline: Exciting updates on employee wellness initiatives!

Jordan’s Employee Wellness Initiative is taking a new form. As of July 2026, Employee Wellness is now a part of the Human Resources Team! This will expand Jordan’s ability to serve employees and meet their needs. Our mission is to empower employees to sustain their well-being. 

Administrators can expect to receive regular updates about program offerings throughout the year. Here are two exciting updates to be aware of as we kick off the school year:

  • The Employee Wellness Representative Program is being revised based on feedback from prior years. This will create opportunities for more employees to get involved. Please note the following changes:
    • During the 2026-27 school year, ANY employee can become an Employee Wellness Champion as a “Connector.” A form will go out in JEM that will invite employees to apply to become a connector. These employees will receive the latest updates and spread information about wellness offers. The goal is to create a network of Employee Wellness Champions who support a happier, healthier workplace in Jordan District. 
    • School and department leaders will select a Worksite Wellness Advocate who will attend three trainings (one in person and two virtual) and who will host a wellness initiative at your worksite with District support. Please nominate your Worksite Wellness Advocate using this link by September 4th. 
  • Our top priority as we kick off this new program is hearing from YOU. Please share your ideas and interests with us. We will be connecting with you to schedule a time to spend a few hours at your school to hear from employees who have something to share about their experience and well-being. We will be visiting all worksites in JSD throughout the Fall and will connect with administrators to arrange an appropriate time. 

Please note that the employee wellness team is available to offer professional development or resources tailored to your needs; please reach out if you are interested. Reach out to McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org, cell: 801-448-1404) to schedule PD for your staff. 

Published on

TO:
Directors, Administrators, Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Mike Trimmell, HR Assistant Director

Vector reports allow you to see who has or has not started and who has completed crucial policies. Every principal and director has access to these reports. 

Please let us know who else you would like to have access to these reports at your site / in your department. Please fill out the form below to grant access to reports for your school / department. 

VECTOR REPORTS ACCESS FORM

Crucial Policies Due Date:
September 15, 2026

Questions:
If you have questions regarding Crucial Policies or Vector Reports, please contact Kyla Robertson or Mike Trimmell in Human Resources:

Phone: 801-567-8150

Email: kyla.robertson@jordandistrict.org / michael.trimmell@jordandistrict.org

Published on

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent 
Cherie Oliver, Jordan Education Foundation Coordinator

Fill your school pantry before students return. Here are the next Open Pantry days:

August 11th - 9am-11am
August 12th - 1pm-3pm
August 27th - 9am-11am
September 1st - After Principal’s Mtg

Published on

TO:
Principals and Administrators

FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant

We are pleased to announce that Jan Hoegh's principal training, originally scheduled for June 2026, will now be on October 6th during our scheduled principals’ meeting.

To keep our fall schedule balanced, we have updated our November dates:
Principal Meeting will now be held on November 3.
Assistant Principal Meetings will be held on November 10 and November 17.
All meetings will still take place at the JLC.

Published on

TO:
Principals

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

We are pleased to announce the launch of our New Educator Cohorts. These dynamic support systems are designed to facilitate the growth and success of our newest general education team members.

Eligibility and Registration

  • These cohorts are specifically for general education teachers.
  • The following staff members do NOT need to register, as they receive specialized training through their respective departments: Special education teachers, SLPs, SPTs, psychologists, media specialists, and OT/PTs.

Program Benefits

  • Accelerated confidence and meaningful support for new hires.
  • Enhanced district-wide collaboration and professional networking.
  • A safe, constructive space for educators to share experiences and grow collectively.

Action Required

  • Principals, please encourage your new general education staff to participate and share the New Educator Cohort Flyer with them. The registration deadline is Aug. 28th.

Let’s create a launchpad for our new educators—because when they thrive, our whole district shines!

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 6, 2026

TO:
Elementary School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Fall 2026 Testing Bulletin

School administrators may view the most up-to-date testing bulletin, complete with test administration and survey administration windows, by clicking on ‘Elementary School’ under the heading Testing Bulletins on the front page of the website for Assessment, Research & Accountability:

ASSESSMENT SCREEN SHOT

You may also access the elementary school testing bulletin here or attached with this memo.

For questions about any of the federal, state or district assessments or surveys, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 6, 2026

TO:
High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Fall 2026 Testing Bulletin

School administrators may view the most up-to-date testing bulletin, complete with test administration and survey administration windows, by clicking on ‘High School’ under the heading Testing Bulletins on the front page of the website for Assessment, Research & Accountability:

You may also access the high school testing bulletin here or attached with this memo.

For questions about any of the 24 federal, state or district assessments or surveys, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE: 
Thursday, August 6, 2026

TO:  
Middle School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Fall 2026 Testing Bulletin

School administrators may view the most up-to-date testing bulletin, complete with test administration and survey administration windows, by clicking on ‘Middle School’ under the heading Testing Bulletins on the front page of the website for Assessment, Research & Accountability:

You may also access the middle school testing bulletin here or attached with this memo.

For questions about any of the federal, state or district assessments or surveys, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
August 6, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Resource Officers

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

SUBJECT:
Required Annual District SRO & Administrator Training

The annual District School Resource Officer training is scheduled for the date and time below. Attendance is mandatory for all SROs and at least one administrator per school. Additional administrators are highly encouraged and welcome to attend. No registration required.

● Date: August 28, 2026
● Time: 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
● Location: JATC South Auditorium

If you have any questions, please reach out to Matt Alvernaz, District School Safety Coordinator, at
matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or (801) 567-8623.

Published on

DATE:
August 6, 2026

TO:
All Administrators and Administrative Assistants

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources

SUBJECT:
Administrative Assignments

New Assignments effective July 2026:

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• Rebecca Lee
Rose Creek Elementary
Rebecca Lee, previously transferred as Assistant Principal to Westvale Elementary, transferred as Assistant Principal to Rose Creek Elementary.

ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNS
• Angelica Garrido Cardenas
Heartland Elementary
Angelica Garrido Cardenas, DLI Specialist with USBE, assigned as Administrative Intern at Heartland Elementary

• Jeremiah Clark
Majestic Elementary
Jeremiah Clark, Assistant Principal at Spectrum Academy-North Salt Lake, assigned as Administrative Intern at Majestic Elementary

• Daisy DeMarco
Oquirrh Elementary
Daisy DeMarco, Teacher at Silver Crest Elementary, assigned as Administrative Intern at Oquirrh Elementary

•Camille Haynie
South Jordan Elementary
Camille Haynie, Librarian/Media Specialist at Providence Elementary, assigned as Administrative Intern at South Jordan Elementary

•Holli Mattingly
Westland Elementary
Holli Mattingly, Teacher at Copper Canyon Elementary, assigned as Administrative Intern at Westland Elementary

•Polla Slade
Foothills Elementary
Polla Slade, Teacher at Mountain Creek Middle, assigned as Administrative Intern at Foothills Elementary

•Debra Jane Smith
Westvale Elementary
Debra Jane Smith, Teacher at Riverside Elementary, assigned as Administrative Intern at Westvale Elementary

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

The 2026-27 updates of the “Assistant Principal Directory” have been finalized and are available in Drive at the link below. You must be signed in to your Jordandistrict.org account to access the directories:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AcCkUKXwOZ-pTenJzwX5lVI0u_JG_X84?usp=drive_link

These links will be valid all year and any updates will be saved to these locations.

If changes or corrections need to be made, you may contact Caleb Olson in Student Services or make the changes on the web version of the directories found at the previous link.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Odette Desmarais, Administrator of Schools
Meredith Doleac, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources

This is a mandatory 2-day in-person training for all administrators.

DATES:  The trainings will run June 8 & 9 or June 15 & 16, 2027.

Published on

DATE:
August 6, 2026   

TO:
Principals
All Special Educators and Service Providers

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

SUBJECT:
SCRAM for 2026-27 School Year - October 1 Count

Special Education Team Leaders will be receiving a SCRAM report via District Mail of all students who should be receiving services through your school’s special education program(s) at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. Please read this Memo carefully as several items have been modified/updated to include procedures implemented with our Embrace program. Once you have read through the memo, use the process you have in place at your school to include all service providers to share the report and make the necessary corrections. It is important to verify every student on the report. Each team member must initial the report confirming they reviewed it.
SCRAM reports with corrections are due no later than Friday, September 4, 2026. Please work together as a team and only return one copy of the report with all corrections for each school.

Published on

DATE:
August 6, 2026  

TO:
Principals
Head Financial Secretaries
Special Education Teachers (Resource and Self-Contained)
Speech-Language Pathologists/Technicians

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

SUBJECT:
Special Education Budget Allocations 2026-27

Welcome back! Listed below are the special education budget allocations for Resource, Self-Contained Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists/Technicians for the 2026-27 school year. (Cluster Leaders and school psychologists do not receive a Special Education budget.) Remember that special education monies must be spent in ways that provide the most benefit to special education students with the goal to improve student achievement and performance. The following schedule identifies the budget guidelines per educator:

BUDGET GUIDELINES PER EDUCATOR
Elem/Middle Resource/SLP Full time: $400
Elem/Middle Resource/SLP 1/2 time: $200
Elem/Middle Cluster Teacher: $550
High School SpEd/SLP/Severe Full time: $300
High School SpEd/SLP/Severe 1/2 time:   $150

CODING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION REQUISITIONS AND NPOs:

FUND  TYPE LOCATION PROGRAM FUNCTION OBJECT
10 E (School #) 1295 1090 use object code

PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY WITH YOUR TEAM/SECRETARY: 

You will be receiving a budget allocation based on the above guidelines, and based on your FTE. It will be up to you, your team, and your school principal/financial secretary to keep track of how much of your budget you have spent individually. This will allow you some flexibility as a team on how your money is spent but will also require more accountability and tracking of spending on the part of you and your team. If you need to know what your school balance is, Amanda Hamblin will be able to help you. She will not be able to tell you what an individual teacher has spent. Please set up a system of tracking purchases/reimbursements that makes the most sense for your school and individual needs and is approved by your school principal. 

Please note the following:

  • Stockroom supplies are funded through the school for Resource teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists since the students are boundary students for that school. Resource teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists should work with their principals to order any stockroom supplies.
  • Equipment purchases, electronic games and/or any materials that are not instructional in nature must be pre-approved before purchase from the Special Education Department. Please submit the request to the Teacher Specialist assigned to your school, and wait for approval before purchasing these items. The request must include a detailed description of the following:
    - Description of how the purchase will benefit special education students in the program
    - Description of how it will improve the services that are provided
    - Total costs (including shipping & handling)

NOTE:  Equipment and/or electronics purchases that are not pre-approved will not be reimbursed. Reimbursement requests must include the approval from your teacher specialist.

  • Staff should limit the amount of the budget that is spent on trinkets, toys and candy. Although we recognize that special education programs require reinforcement programs for students, staff are encouraged to look at alternative options for reinforcing students so that entire budget allocations are not spent on small reinforcers and edible items. 
  • There are no reimbursements for cash, gift cards, entertainment or field trips (e.g., movie tickets, admission fees, bussing/transportation fees, etc.).
  • Personnel who are split between two locations will split their budget between the two schools they are assigned to, based on the FTE at each school.

When submitting requisitions, follow Skyward procedures and guidelines. Requisitions for the 2026-27 school year can be submitted anytime between July 15, 2026 and March 1, 2027. The final deadline for all purchasing requests, reimbursement requests, E-checks and P-Card purchases is March 1, 2027. Please be aware of this deadline and remember we will not be extending the deadline. Budgets are not carried over from one year to the next. Please remember the following:

  • Staff should work with the school secretary to process all Special Education purchases and reimbursements.
  • Be sure that you know your budget balance before submitting new orders. This includes reimbursements submitted through your school throughout the year. No orders will be processed that exceed the total budgeted allocation for each school. Remember, you will be responsible to track your individual purchase amounts as we will only track total school budget amounts.
  • Please keep in mind that this budget allocation is for use during the entirety of the 2026-27 school year and is intended to be spent throughout the year, not saved up to the last minute at the end of the year.
  • All purchase orders/requisitions should be routed from your school to Amanda Hamblin in the Special Education Department. 

If you have questions regarding your Special Education budget, please call Amanda Hamblin at (801) 567-8177 or the Teacher Specialist assigned to your school.  

Thank you for your commitment to Special Education students in Jordan District.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 6, 2026

TO:
All Middle and High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Secondary Fall Assessment Updates

The Utah Aspire Plus summative assessment will no longer be administered beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Students in grades 9-10 will take the RISE summative assessment instead. In addition, 11th and 12th grade students enrolled in a RISE-tested course will also participate in the RISE assessment.

For school accountability report cards as well as TSI/ATSI/CSI designations, 11th and 12th graders will not be counted.

This document outlines the courses that will participate in RISE testing. If schools have students enrolled in ELA, math or science courses that are not listed on this document, they will not take the RISE.

This document produced by USBE provides a brief overview of the testing timeline for grades 9-12. It is important to note the following:

  • RISE will be administered to any 9-12th grade student in a RISE-tested course beginning in the spring of 2027.
  • Scores for ELA and science will be released in the fall of 2027.
  • Scores for Secondary Math 1 and 2 will be released upon completion of the test.
  • RISE for Secondary Math 3 will be administered in the spring of 2028, pending approval of the new math core by the Utah State Board of Education. 
  • ELA and Secondary Math 1 and 2 RISE benchmarks will be available in January 2027. There is no timeline yet for RISE benchmarks in science or Secondary Math 3.

RISE will continue to be administered to students in 7-8th grades as has been done in the past.

For questions about these changes, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 6, 2026

TO:
Elementary School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Elementary Fall Assessment Updates

Acadience Math

The state’s contract with Acadience Learning for the Acadience Math assessment expired on June 30, 2026. During the 2026 Legislative session, the Legislature chose not to allocate funding for the new Acadience Math contract, which would have begun on July 1, 2026. As a result, the Utah State Board of Education chose to suspend the requirement to administer Acadience Math to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Thus, for the 2026-27 school year, Jordan School District will not have access in ALO to administer Acadience Math benchmarks or progress monitoring. An early numeracy assessment is still required by law, pending Legislative appropriation. It is likely that there will be a state-mandated early numeracy assessment at some point after the 2026-27 school year.

Acadience Reading

The state’s contract with Acadience Learning for Acadience Reading is separate from their contract for Acadience Math. Thus, the state requirement to administer the Acadience Reading benchmarks in K-3 and the district requirement to administer the benchmarks in grades 4-6 remain in effect.

School administrators should have already received their Acadience Reading testing dates for the 2026-27 school year. Administrators may have noticed that there are separate testing dates for K-1 students and grades 2-3 students for some schools. The logistics for this change in testing will be addressed in the August principal meeting. Administrators may refer to this slide deck for more information.

This change in testing schedule comes as a result of some pilot testing done during the 2025-26 school year in which 23 schools participated. The results from the pilot were successful. For more information about the outcome data, please see this infographic.

For questions about any of these changes, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
August 6, 2026

TO:
All Administrators

From:
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Odette Desmaris, Administrator of Schools
Meredith McPhail, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Steffany Ellsworth, Assistant Director Support Services

SUBJECT:
Updated Chromebook User Agreement with Standardized Fine Schedule

Please be advised that the district has updated the Chromebook User Agreement to establish a standardized, transparent fine schedule across all schools in the district, ensuring equity and consistency for all students and families. 

These standardized fines are strictly intended as a deterrent against student neglect, vandalism, and accidental or intentional damage. They are not designed as a cost-recovery mechanism to recoup the true expenses of repairs, parts, labor, or device replacement. The goal of this updated Chromebook User Agreement is to encourage student accountability and foster responsible care for district property. 

Effective immediately, all schools will utilize the following four-tiered fine structure when assessing damage, loss, or misuse:

Fine Level Amount Examples
Part Replacement Fine $10 Missing/damaged asset tag, charging cord replacement, or laptop sleeve replacement
Minor Repair Fine $20 Replacement of individual keys, bezel replacement, excessive cleaning, or sticker/adhesive removal
Major Repair Fine $45 Screen replacement, full keyboard replacement, top/bottom outer cover replacement
Device Replacement Fine $250 Non-Touch

$300 Touchscreen

 Unrepairable device, complete destruction, lost device, or failure to return device

The updated Chromebook User Agreement has been added to the district registration materials, as well as shared with your building IT tech. It remains the discretion of the school administration as to when to assess fines, based on individual circumstances.

Published on

TO:
Directors, Administrators, Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Ami Shah, Compliance Officer

Workplace Accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act

If you believe you need a workplace accommodation because of a physical or mental impairment, please contact the compliance office to begin the interactive accommodation process. The compliance office will work with you to explain the process, discuss your request, and determine whether any supporting documentation is needed.

Please direct these requests and related questions to:

Ami Shah
Compliance Officer
Email: ADArequest@jordandistrict.org or ami.shah@jordandistirct.org
Phone: 801-567-8172

Please see the attached flyer for additional information. We encourage you to share the flyer with any employee who reasonably indicates they may need workplace assistance for a medical reason or otherwise requests assistance securing an ADA accommodation. 

Published on

TO:
All Administrators
 All Administrative Assistants

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

 SUBJECT:
New Frontline Volunteer Application Process

Beginning with the 2026–27 school year,  Jordan School District will transition to a new online volunteer application process through Frontline. This new process replaces the current paper application and will streamline volunteer approvals for both schools and Human Resources.

What's Changing?

Volunteers will now complete their application online through Frontline each school year. During the application, volunteers will:

  • Complete the annual volunteer application. Tutorial / Flyer
  • Select the school(s) where they would like to volunteer.
  • Submit the application electronically.

After submission, the school will review the application and determine whether the volunteer will have:

  • Supervised Access – The volunteer will always be supervised by a district employee.
  • Unsupervised Access – The volunteer may be alone with students or supervise students without a district employee present.

School Responsibilities

Administrative Assistants or Administrators will:

  • Review volunteer applications in Frontline. (TUTORIAL)
  • Send Custody of Child Survey to employer (if applicable).
  • Determine whether the volunteer requires supervised or unsupervised access.
  • Move the application to the appropriate pipeline stage.

If unsupervised access is selected, Human Resources will ensure the volunteer:

  • Completes the Code of Conduct training.
  • Electronically signs the Code of Conduct acknowledgment.
  • Completes fingerprinting if a background check is required.

Human Resources Responsibilities

Human Resources will:

  • Verify existing background check status.
  • Notify volunteers if fingerprinting is required.
  • Process fingerprint results.
  • Notify both the volunteer and the school when the volunteer has been approved.

Benefits of the New Process

This new process will:

  • Eliminate paper volunteer applications.
  • Reduce unnecessary fingerprinting appointments.
  • Reduce duplicate background checks.
  • Improve communication between schools and human resources.
  • Allow volunteers to apply from a phone, tablet, or computer.
  • Allow parents to volunteer at multiple schools with one annual application.
  • Provide schools with real-time visibility of volunteer status through Frontline.

Annual Application Requirement

All volunteers must complete a new volunteer application each school year, even if they volunteered previously. This ensures volunteer information, school preferences, and district acknowledgments remain current.

School Volunteer Flyer

Questions

If you have questions regarding the new volunteer process, please contact Human Resources:

Phone: 801-567-8150
Email: backgrounds@jordandistrict.org

Thank you for your support as we implement this improved process. We appreciate your partnership in providing a safe and efficient volunteer experience for our students, families, and schools.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators
 All Administrative Assistants

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

 SUBJECT:
Rotation Class Substitute Funding – 2026-27 School Year

The Jordan School District Board of Education has approved funding to provide substitute coverage for rotation class absences during the 2026-27 school year.

The purpose of this funding is to help preserve scheduled collaboration time for classroom teachers. When the employee assigned to teach a rotation class is absent, schools should request a substitute to cover the rotation class rather than canceling or skipping it. This allows classroom teachers to continue participating in their scheduled collaboration time while ensuring students continue to receive their rotation instruction. 

Each elementary school has been allocated 16 substitute days for rotation class coverage during the 2026-27 school year.

How a School Requests a Rotation Class Substitute

When the employee assigned to a rotation class is absent:

  1. In Frontline, the school admin assistant will select Absences and choose Create Vacancy.
  2. Select Elementary Rotations Teacher as the vacancy.
  3. Use 0050 as the accounting code.
  4. In the Notes to Substitute field, indicate which rotation class and the name of the employee the substitute will be covering.  Ex: STEM - Joe Green, Theatre - Jane Brown, PE - Karen Blue.

Detailed instructions are included in the attached tutorial.

Important Reminders

  • The allocated substitute days are intended only for absences in elementary rotation classes.
  • These days should be used to maintain the rotation schedule and protect classroom teachers' scheduled collaboration time.
  • Schools are responsible for monitoring their allocation throughout the school year.
  • Human Resources will monitor districtwide usage and communicate any additional guidance as needed.

Thank you for your partnership in implementing this new process. We appreciate your efforts to preserve teacher collaboration time while ensuring students continue to receive consistent instruction during rotation classes.

For questions, please contact the Human Resources Substitute Office at 801-567-8219.