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Author: communications

Published on

DATE:   
Thursday, February 22, 2018

TO:    
Elementary and Middle School Principals

FROM:    
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
SAGE Grades 6-8 Science SEEd Testing Updates

Now that USBE has completed field testing for the new grades 6-8 SAGE Science test that incorporates the new SEEd standards, we have been given some updated information regarding the expected time it will take for students to complete the test with its cluster questions.  During previous SAGE science administrations, students have been expected to complete the test in a 60-90 minute window.  We are asked to plan at least 100 minutes for students to take the SAGE science test in grades 6-8.  USBE is also recommending that we break the SAGE science test for grades 6-8 into more than one testing session to avoid testing fatigue.

There will be two clusters for every strand within the new SEEd core.  Students will need to finish all of the questions within a cluster before logging off.  If they log off before answering all of the questions, they will not be able to answer those questions when they log back on.  The platform will automatically move them to the next cluster.

Because the science standards for grades 6-8 have changed, the end-of-year SAGE Science test has also changed to match the new SEEd science standards.  When the SAGE test assesses new standards, the first year of implementation will require a rubric validation, standard setting and data review process to ensure the validity and reliability of the new test.  Once this process has been completed, the State Board of Education will need to ratify the results.  This process will impact several things worth noting:

  • Grades 6-8 SAGE science scores will not be available for students or educators until the fall of 2018.
  • Because SAGE science score reporting will be delayed for grades 6-8, this will likely delay the release of school accountability report cards for all levels – elementary, middle and high school. Currently, USBE is anticipating that school report cards, under the newly developed school accountability system, will be released in October 2018.
  • With the new SAGE science test in grades 6-8, it would be inappropriate to compare the 2018 results with previous years’ data. In essence, the 2018 administration of the SACE science test in grades 6-8 will be a baseline year as the same test will be administered under another name and with a new platform beginning in the 2018-19 school year.

Please contact Ben Jameson in the Evaluation, Research & Accountability Department with any questions.

 

Published on

Utah Retirement Systems will be available for one-on-one retirement planning sessions at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services building in the North Training Room A105 on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. See the instructions below to register for an appointment. Counseling sessions are available at other locations that are also listed on the URS website. See flyer below.

1.       Go to www.urs.org.

2.       Log into your myurs account by clicking on LOGIN in the upper right corner of the screen.

3.       Click on the Education Tab.

4.       Click on “Individual Retirement Planning Sessions”.

5.       Find the session that works best for you.  Select the session to reserve your appointment.

6.     Please be sure to bring your estimated annual salary, any retirement plan balances outside of URS, and your Social Security statement (get yours at www.ssa.gov).

Published on

Hosted by Student Intervention Services - See attached flyer

Overview of Taskforce Investigations 20 Minutes
Prevention 20 Minutes
Q&A Session 20 Minutes

JSD Administrators and
Parents of JSD Students are Invited

March 8, 2018
6:00 - 7:00 pm
Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building Auditorium
7905 South Redwood Road
West Jordan

 

Published on

DATE:
February 14, 2018

TO:
Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Registrars

FROM:
Administrator of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Travis Hamblin, Planning & Student Services

SUBJECT:
Elementary, Middle and High School Non-Transferred Student Files Retention Schedule

Please see attached memo.

Published on

DATE:   
February 12, 2018

TO:    
School Psychologists

FROM:  
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum/Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Fulvia Franco, Program Specialist – Guidance

SUBJECT: 
February School Psychologists’ Meeting

A school psychologists’ meeting has been scheduled for Friday, February 23, 2018, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building Auditorium (7905 South Redwood Road). Cathy Davis, Suicide Prevention Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education, will provide us with a presentation on creating safety during a suicidal crisis. She will be sharing recent data re: suicide among youth ages 10-17 in Utah. We will also meet in our PLC groups according to level. Many of you have talked to me about activities or programs that you are using with your students. I would like you to share these ideas or materials in your groups. If you have information about something you’re using that you’d like copied, please email them to Cheryl Powell and she will make copies for everyone.

Part-time Staff:  I would appreciate it if you could adjust your schedules in order to attend this meeting.

cc:
Principals

Published on

Call for Nominations:
In each of our counseling departments there are phenomenal school counselors that deserve recognition for the work that they are doing in their schools. We encourage you to recognize those in your departments and nominate them for either the School Counselor of the Year or the Rookie Counselor of the Year.

Award Descriptions:
The School Counselor of the Year Award (5+ years experience) honors the best counselors who are running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle, or high school level. They are working to provide the best outcomes for each of their students, are leaders in their counseling centers, and a positive influence in their school.

The Rookie School Counselor of the Year Award honors the best of our new counselors (1 - 4 years of experience) at either the elementary, middle, or high school level. These rookie counselors bring new ideas, new enthusiasm, and change for the better in their counseling departments, while still learning from other counselors' experiences.

Nomination Details:
Nominations for the School Counselor of the Year and the Rookie Counselor of the Year are due February 28th.

Those who have been nominated for the School Counselor of the Year will be notified at the beginning of March and will be required to submit an application containing: a resume, 2 letters of recommendation, and a few short answer questions about their school counseling program. The winner(s) of the School Counselor of the Year Award (Elementary, Middle/Junior and High School) will be nominated for the National Counselor of the Year award and will also be required to fill out the NCOY application.

The Rookie Counselor of the Year will not be required to submit any other paperwork.

To nominate a school counselor you work with, please choose the award below and click on the link the the appropriate google form.

School Counselor of the Year: https://goo.gl/forms/z2eJ64zs3EQCoNzg1
Rookie Counselor of the Year: https://goo.gl/forms/6D6y1pTAQNSfy7ol2

Award Information:
The State winner of NCOY will be awarded a free trip to the American School Counselor Association Conference June 29 - July 2, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Rookie Counselor of the Year will be awarded a free 2018 USCA Membership and free attendance to the 2018 USCA Fall Conference.

Thank you for your nominations and we look forward to honoring the inspiring counselors among us!

Published on

IMPORTANT
Incident Command Manual - Violence Action Plan
Lockout Protocol Revision for All Levels

When a threat of external violence occurs within close proximity to a school campus, it is common for that school (and potentially other schools in the vicinity) to go into a Lockout.  This is typically executed at the direction of law enforcement.

After consulting with multiple law enforcement agencies, a revision has been made to the Lockout protocol, as outlined in the Jordan School District Incident Command Manual.

The District has been advised that once a Lockout is implemented and students and staff members that are outside for PE or recess have been brought safely into the building, no entrance into or exit from school should be allowed until the Lockout has ended.

The Incident Command manual has been edited to reflect this revision, and is available to administrators on the Google Drive, in: ASB - Website Docs and Forms, select Safety/Security, select Incident Command, then: PDF JSD ICS Manual Rev. February 2018.

For your convenience, a Lockout sign has been created, which can be posted on the main doors at the school entrance during a Lockout event.  This sign in available on the Drive, in same location as the updated Incident Command Manual.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, February 15, 2016

TO:   
Elementary and Middle School Principals

FROM: 
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
Computer Mouses for Grades 6-8 SAGE Science

For those schools that will be using Chromebooks for students taking the grades 6-8 SAGE science assessment, please remember that with the smaller screen size students will have to do a lot more scrolling with the Chromebook track pads.  To mitigate this, the Evaluation, Research & Accountability department is willing to purchase USB-connected computer mouses for your Chromebooks.  Please check to make sure your Chromebooks have a USB port and then fill out the survey below by Friday, February 23 to order your computer mouses. Please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243 with any questions.

Computer Mouse Survey: https://tinyurl.com/y7s7oogd

 

Published on

Elementary Principals:

The MOY deadline for completing Intervention Reports is today, February 15.  Many teachers have not completed their BOY reports yet.  We will need this information to prepare for our state report. Please ask teachers to complete them as soon as possible. Reports are in Google Drive as "17-18 (school name) Intervention Reports."

Published on

If you are in need of USB-connected computer mice to administer your 6th grade Science SAGE on Chromebooks or other devices with track pads, please take the survey by clicking this link: https://tinyurl.com/y7s7oogd

Please see information below that was discussed at Principal Meeting on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.

Published on

If you are in need of USB-connected computer mice to administer your 7th grade Science SAGE on Chromebooks or other devices with track pads, please take the survey by clicking this link: https://tinyurl.com/y7s7oogd

Please see information below that was discussed at Principal Meeting on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.