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Author: communications

Published on

DATE: 
December 10, 2015

TO:
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator

SUBJECT:
Business Meeting for Administrative Assistants

Last spring, we held our first business meeting for administrative assistants.  We appreciated the great attendance at these meetings and the suggestions for topics that we received.  In our continuing effort to provide a forum for administrative assistants to receive applicable information and training, we have scheduled another set of business meetings to be held:

Monday, January 11, 2016 – 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Friday, January 22, 2016 – 9:00-11:00 a.m.

The meetings will be held at the District Office in room 129.  As before, this meeting is voluntary and not required; however, we hope you will take advantage of this specialized training.  The meetings are also open to administrators and/or others that may benefit from the topics to be presented.

The topics that will be discussed in these sessions are geared more towards school-related matters, but District administrative assistants are welcome to participate.  These topics include:

  • ID badge protocol
  • Accounting: journal entries, school budgets, 1099s, etc.
  • School Skyward Financial Reports
  • Field trip ins and outs
  • Human Resources: Substitutes in Aesop

If you plan to attend, please choose one of the two dates that will work best with your schedule and send an email to Jeri Clayton (jeri.clayton@jordandistrict.org) to let her know which date you will attend so that we can plan for the number of attendees at each session.  You can also call Jeri at 801-567-8120.

We look forward to seeing you at these meetings in January.  Enjoy the upcoming winter break.

/jc

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Safety Information Surveys

The JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee would like to inform all principals that they will soon receive two (2) surveys, which relate to school safety, via email:

  • 2015-16 JSD School Safety/Emergency Plans Survey
  • Information Survey for JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee

The first survey contains critical information we are required to update each year.  The second will be used to help the JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee identify and establish new goals.  The feedback we receive will assist us in aligning resources and to provide training as needed.  The purpose of both surveys is simply to gather information.

Surveys will be sent to each principal by Peggy Margetts.  If the person responsible for school safety is someone other than you, forward this survey to that designee.  Please feel free to contact Peggy with any questions at (801) 567-8753.

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Elementary Principals:

Please pass this information to your 5th-grade teachers so they will be aware and can get involved if they choose to do so. Questions can be directed to Norma Villar at 801-567-8187.

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DATE:   
December 3, 2015

TO: 
Elementary Principals and Secretaries

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant, Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Guidelines to Establish the Kindergarten Enrollment for 2016-17

As per the past several years, it will be the responsibility of each school principal to obtain a kindergarten roster for the 2016-17 school year.  It is from this roster that the kindergarten estimate is created.  The estimate is the basis for the number of kindergarten teachers required and the budget allowed for supplies and materials.  Therefore, it is important that the roster be as accurate as possible.

Please follow guidelines 1-5 below.  The other options are ideas you may want to use.  It is very important for staffing your kindergarten that the count be as accurate as possible.

  1. Send a flyer home with every student.
  2. Publicize in the school newsletter – announce (several times) the importance of getting the count.
  3. Use all other resources available to you. Skylert, etc.
  4. Schedule kindergarten orientation as soon as possible. Check your New Student Online Enrollment to see if there are any pending applications that need to have follow up for the count.  The estimate will be updated after all kindergarten orientations are completed.
  5. Hang banners announcing Kindergarten Registration being accepted for the following school year.

Please schedule your kindergarten orientation
BEFORE APRIL 8, 2016

     Optional:

  1. Make a block contact with every home using PTA support.
  2. Contact pre-schools in the attendance area of your school.
  3. Use a telephone tree operated by parent volunteers with a list of questions for consistency.
  4. Contact neighbors who can identify new move-ins.
  5. Contact community members who do not have children enrolled in school.
  6. Avoid forwarding kindergarten orientation letter to new address if family has moved from your boundary area. Delete that name from your list.

Please be diligent in recruiting the kindergarten students within your school boundary. It will be important to have accurate up to the minute kindergarten numbers as we do the estimates in the upcoming weeks.  Please submit the TOTAL number of kindergarten students to Planning and Student Services by Friday, January 15, 2016.  You may call Luann at 801-567-8251 or fax to 801-567-8061.

Published on

DATE:
December 2, 2015

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Administrator of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant of Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT:
November 30, 2015 Enrollment

See attached memo.

 

Published on

DATE: 
December 1, 2015

TO:   
Middle School Principals

FROM:   
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Nancy Ward, Coordinator of Educational Support
District Nurses

SUBJECT:  
Scoliosis Screening of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students

This is a friendly reminder about completing scoliosis screening for the 7th and 8th grade students in your P.E. classes.

We have included updated forms and information.

Schools must show the video “Catch a Curve” to students in 7th & 8th grade, which explains the procedure prior to sending home the permission letters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-9A0OuEr14

Screeners must also review the enclosed handout titled “Screening for Scoliosis” (enclosed).

Additionally, all of these forms will be available to you on the Jordan District website,  Departments/Educational Support/Nursing Services/Documents and forms.

Thank you for your support in making sure this screening is accomplished.

Please contact your school nurse if you have any questions.

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Open Enrollment
2016-2017 School Year

Per Utah State Law  53A-2-207:

Open enrollment begins on December 1, 2015 and goes through Friday, February 19, 2016.  Any individual interested in completing a permit for the 2015-16 school year may obtain a permit from the school they wish to attend and begin turning them in on Monday, December 1, 2015, to the desired school.

Permit approval is on a first-come, first-served basis.  The school shall notify any permit applicant within six weeks after receipt of the application by the district or by March 31, whichever is later, for applications submitted during the early enrollment period.

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Reminder: School Improvement Committee for Secondary Schools will take place Friday, November 20, and Tuesday, November 24, in the ASB Auditorium beginning at 8:00 AM. Please plan on attending one of these sessions.

Make up day for secondary and elementary schools will be November 30, 8:00 AM, in the ASB Auditorium.

Title I elementary schools and secondary schools participating in accreditation do not need to attend a session.

Published on

DATE:       
November 10, 2015

TO:   
All Principals
All Special Education Staff

FROM: 
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curric./Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist

SUBJECT:  
Training for Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)

The Special Education Department will provide training to special educators in preparation for the upcoming Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessment.  There are additional required components that the special educator must complete prior to giving the assessment. Since Utah will be utilizing the Integrated Model of DLM beginning this fall, there will be 2 testing windows.  The first window start date has been postponed from opening on October 7, 2015 to November 16, 2015.  The first window will be open from November 16, 2015 - February 29, 2016.

The training opportunities will consist of instructional time blocks as well as drop in Help blocks. Each 2-hour session will be made up of 4–30 minute blocks. The 30-minute blocks will start on the hour and half hour. The first 3 blocks will be step-by-step instructions and the fourth block will be for drop-in help.  For example, the 2:00 p. m. - 2:30 p. m., 2:30 p. m. – 3:00 p. m. and 3:00 p. m. – 3:30 p. m. will be instructional blocks and 3:30 p. m. – 4:00 p. m. will be for drop-in help.  Below are the dates, times, and locations of the sessions:

November 16, 2015    2:00 p. m. - 4:00 p. m.  District Office, room 129

November 18, 2015    2:00 p. m. - 4:00 p. m.  ASB PDC 101

November 20, 2015    7:00 a. m. - 9:00 a. m.  ASB PDC 113

November 23, 2015    2:00 p. m. - 4:00 p. m.  District Office, room 129

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Please help us get the word to teachers. The Instructional Support Center has resources for all levels.
New this year:
  • Posters -- Beautiful full-color posters starting at $2.50/foot
  • Color copies
Newly acquired videos for secondary grades:
  • United States History: Industrial Revolution
  • World War I & II: Cause and Effect
  • Launching a Business
  • Public Speaking
  • Organic Farming
Meteorite and Volcanic Rock Kit that includes a DVD, information binder, six rocks, and magnets.
Principals, Please share this ISC Newsletter with your teachers.

Published on

DATE:  
November 9, 2015

TO:  
Principals and Directors

FROM:  
June LeMaster, Ph.D., Administrator, Human Resources
Herb Jensen, Director, Transportation Services
Brent Burge, Human Resource Administrator-Classified

SUBJECT:
Opportunity for Part-time Classified Employees to Drive School Buses

In an effort to meet the District’s need for additional bus drivers (AM & PM), part-time classified employees are now able to work additional hours as substitute bus drivers.

Allowed Hours
Employees currently working part-time at your location are now allowed to work up to 27 hours per week as follows:

  • Current classified employees who are scheduled to work between 8 and 19 hours per week at your location will now be able to work additional hours as a bus driver to a maximum total of 27 hours per week.
  • Current classified employees allowed to work additional hours as a bus driver will not be allowed to work additional hours at the school location for any reason.
  • Current classified employees must provide their school work schedule to Charlene Arko in transportation and will not be allowed to alter their school schedule to work in transportation.
  • Current classified employees working additional hours as a bus driver are without contract or benefits.

Transportation is required to monitor and limit driver hours based on their maximum allowable hours provided by Human Resources when they are hired.  Monthly audits will also be conducted.

Application
Interested current part-time employees must submit an online application through Skyward to be considered.  A specific posting for current employees is currently available through Employee Access.  Employees must be at least 21 years old to drive a bus.

Training
Employees are required to complete the required training, including CDL training, prior to driving.  Training classes are scheduled monthly throughout the year.  See the attached employee notification for training details.

Advertisement
The attached announcement will be emailed to eligible employees in November notifying each of this opportunity, along with the training requirements.  We also ask for your assistance in communicating this information to current eligible part-time employees.

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The Payroll Department is asking insulin nurses to use their insulin log as their timesheet.  At the end of each month, the insulin nurse at your school should give the head administrative assistant their insulin log/timesheet.  Please have the principal or head administrative assistant sign at the bottom of the insulin log/timesheet approving that insulin shots were administered as indicated.

The insulin log/timesheets must be included with the schools payroll and brought to Payroll on the second working day of each month.  Payroll will not accept timesheets (insulin logs) from employees.

Published on

DATE:   
November 4, 2015

TO:    
Elementary Principals

FROM: 
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant for Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Attendance Reporting on Elementary Report Cards

When the elementary report card calculates attendance it is pulling any attendance that has been entered for a student.  To better clarify, the absence field reports a number if any portion of the day was missed whether it was excused or unexcused.  It is always helpful when a time is entered into the comment section as the student checks in/out of school to provide more accurate information to the families.

The most accurate attendance is always available within Skyward Family Access and will provide a better picture and detailed explanation for parents.  These reports may be printed at any time at the parents request or they may access the information through their individual login and password.

Please share this information with faculty, staff and patrons as they navigate through the report card information.

Thank you.

NOTE:  Attached is page 2 of the Planning & Student Services Manual has detailed Guidance on Attendance Accounting in the Elementary.  Please review this information with your office staff.

 

JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
Department of Planning and Student Services

Attendance Accounting-Elementary

Updated to using Skyward - (No longer using Attendance Cards)

The Jordan School District Skyward Attendance Program is the official procedure for attendance accounting.

The Skyward attendance program shall be made for every student who enrolls at your school.

  • Attendance will be taken by the teacher the first half hour of the morning and recorded on Skyward. The teacher will save the attendance within the first half hour of the morning.
  • When a student checks out of school, a Skyward record will be made by the office. The teacher will send the student to the office with a hall pass when the student checks out.
  • A check-in slip will be sent to the teacher when a student checks in late. The computer entry will be made by the office.

Absences will be recorded by the office on Skyward as follows:

  • If no attendance is entered into Skyward during the morning, the student is counted present. (No attendance mark indicates the student was present all day.)
  • If the student checks in during the first two hours of the morning, mark Skyward tardy (t) and the reason for tardy.  The student is counted present.
  • If the student checks in after the first two hours of the morning, he is counted absent for 1st period (a).
  • If the student checks out after the first two hours of the morning, he is counted present 1/2 day (marking an absence for 2nd period).
  • If an attendance is not entered during the last half of the day, the student is counted present all day.
  • If the student checks in during the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted present 1/2 day afternoon (marking an absence for 1st period).
  • If the student checks in after the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted absent all day.
  • If the student checks out after the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted present, marking Skyward for the reason leaving early.
  • On short day, adjust the check in and check out hours to fit the half day.
  • Make notes in the “Comment” section of Skyward.
  • Use attendance Truancy Letters found on the Planning & Student Services website located at: http://jordandistrict.org/departments/planning-studentservices/resources/
  • Use the attendance codes available from Information Systems. (see pages 8-9)

P&SS Manual 2015-16 – June 30, 2015

Published on

DATE:
November 11, 2015

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:   
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum/Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist

SUBJECT:  
LEA Training Part 2 – Special Education Law and Practices

The next Special Education training opportunity for Principals and Assistant Principals will be held on January 20, 2016. Sessions will be held in the District Office Room 129. We will be discussing Special Education Law and Practices related to IEP Implementation and Disciplinary Removal of students with disabilities. Please plan to attend one of the two sessions offered.

Special Education Law and Practices:
IEP Implementation and Disciplinary Removal
January 20, 2016
District Office Room 129
Session 1:  9:00 AM
Session 2: 1:00 PM

 

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Parental Exclusions from State Assessments (Opt-Out) Procedures 2015-16

USOE has created an opt-out form for parents who do not want their student to participate in state-mandated assessments.  The USOE opt-out form is titled 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments.  A link to the form has been posted on the Evaluation, Research, and Accountability Department’s webpage:  http://assessments.jordandistrict.org/ .  An additional link to the opt-out form has been placed on the Jordan School District’s webpage in the “General Information” section under the “Parents and Students” tab.  The General Information link is titled “Parental Exclusion (Opt-Out)”.    http://jordandistrict.org/parents-students/generalinfo/.

Parents or guardians who choose to not have their student participate in one or more state-mandated assessments can download the 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form from either of the above links, complete and sign the form, and return the completed form to the school principal.  The completed form needs to be submitted to the principal before the date scheduled for the state-mandated assessment(s).

A parent’s use of the 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form is not mandatory.  If a parent or guardian chooses to not complete, sign and submit the form, or if the parent/guardian submits a different opt-out document, the principal should contact the parent or guardian to determine which 2015-16 state-mandated assessment(s) the parent does not want their student to participate in.  The principal should then mark the assessment(s) on a 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form.  The principal should make a notation on the form of their conversation with the parent and indicate that the parent chose to not complete and/or sign the 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form.  The principal should attach any applicable documents or email communications from the parent to the 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form and maintain a folder of the completed forms and documents.

Finally, principals need to provide a copy of the completed 2015-16 Parental Exclusion from State Assessments form to the school’s testing coordinator.  The testing coordinator should be directed to 1) make necessary changes in the SAGE TIDE system and 2) inform the Evaluation, Research, and Accountability Department, using the established Google Docs procedure, that the student is being opted out of the specified state-mandated assessment(s).  If the testing coordinator needs help with this Google Docs procedure, she/he can reference the two videos posted on the Evaluation, Research, and Accountability Department’s webpage under the “Testing Coordinators” tab:  http://assessments.jordandistrict.org/testing-coordinators/.

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The 2015-16 Emergency Procedures and Contacts manual (commonly known as the "Red Book") will be shared with you on Google Drive in an effort to keep this critical information readily available.  You should have already received hard copies of the manual through district mail. We believe that sharing the manual electronically, in a safe manner, makes it even more accessible if needed.
At this time, only JSD administrators have been included.  In the event you would like to share the manual with your administrative assistant and/or head custodian, please email a request to share to Peggy Margetts at peggy.margetts@jordandistrict.org.  Also, if your current contact information changes, please send Peggy updates immediately so she can keep the contact information as current as possible.  Feel free to contact Peggy at 801-567-8753 with any questions.

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Elementary Principals:

Teachers are eager for the following information; please be sure to share with them.

  • RTI tools are now available in a fillable PDF and posted on the CBL website (Under Interventions tab) and the Curriculum Department website (Under Resources, School Improvement Plan).
  • The presentation used to present these tools at the Literacy training is now available on the CBL website under the Interventions tab.
  • Due to teacher requests, a Wednesday night Running Records class has been scheduled for December 2, 9, and 16.  Teachers may register on JPLS.

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The testing window for SLO pre-tests will close November 13.  All teachers, except those who have chosen to take their Spring 2015 SAGE MGP for their student growth component, will need to have SLO pre-tests administered by November 13.  Student growth is a yearly component teachers must demonstrate as part of the total educator effectiveness score.