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Author: npage

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Principal Meeting is coming up on September 15, 2020. Please take note of the following schedule:

Secondary and Special Schools Principals meet at 8:00 a.m. – ASB Auditorium

Teaching & Learning and all other District Administration housed at the DO or ASB meet at 11:00 a.m. – ASB Auditorium

Elementary Principals meet at 1:30 p.m. – ASB Auditorium

Due to group number restrictions no interns or other guests will be permitted to attend.

A beverage service of water and soda will be offered at all three meetings. Please take note that no coffee, tea or hot chocolate will be offered due to COVID restrictions.

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DATE:
August 26, 2020

TO: 
Elementary Principals

FROM:  
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Michelle Lovell, Elementary Language Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:     
Really Great Reading Phonics Program

As you are aware, a phonics supplement from Really Great Reading is being offered to teachers this year in grades K-2. We understand the circumstances surrounding this year and want to make sure teachers understand that this is being offered, but not required at this time. Any teacher, group of teachers, or school has the option to receive the program this year. There will be other opportunities to adopt the program in the future.

The teachers who have requested the program this year should have received a training link through email. All of the training for the program is done online. The kindergarten program is called Countdown, the first-grade program is called Blast, and the second-grade program is called HD Word. Teachers will only need to do the training for their grade level. The coaches will have links to all three levels of training. The teacher and student materials are in the ordering process and we are hopeful that they will arrive within the next couple of weeks. The materials will be delivered directly to the schools. Once the teachers receive their materials they can begin implementation. Coaches will receive additional information about the program in their district coaching meeting so they will be prepared to support teachers. If you have additional questions, please contact Michelle Lovell.

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DATE:   
August 26, 2020

TO:   
All Principals

FROM:  
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Dan Ellis, Director of Accounting, Budgets, and Audits
Derek Anderson, Director of Accounting, Budgets, and Audits

SUBJECT: 
School and Teacher COVID Allocations for PPE

Last night the Board of Education discussed and approved the $500 allocation per in-classroom teacher and the $10 allocation per in-classroom student for needed supplies and PPE. Once calculated, the allocations will be placed in account 32 E XXX 9932 4510 612 for each school. However, in-classroom teachers and schools may begin to utilize their allocations immediately. Schools will track individual in-classroom teacher allotments up to the $500 allotment. Use of the funds will follow regular District policy and procedure (i.e. proper receipts, approvals, etc.) and may utilize P-Cards, Purchase Orders, NPOs, inventory requisitions, or check request reimbursement to facilitate the fastest and easiest option for the circumstance.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Dan Ellis at x88389 or Derek Anderson at x88275.

Thank you.

Published on

DATE:   
Thursday, August 27, 2020

TO: 
All Principals

FROM: 
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT: 
2020 WIDA Screeners

Whenever parents indicate that another language besides English is spoken in the household and the student(s) is new to the district, Evaluation, Research & Accountability is required by the federal government to administer a WIDA screener to see if the student qualifies for second language services. The WIDA screener is administered to students learning in-person and online.

Schools are asked to set aside a testing location in which district testers may administer the screener. Typically, a space the size of a conference room will suffice.

The district testers will be contacting schools individually to set up a date, time and testing location within the school building so that they can administer the WIDA screener. Depending on when students register and we receive the documentation, district testers may come to your school multiple times throughout the school year.

Evaluation, Research & Accountability will also contact parents of online students to set an appointment at the school so that they student may be screened.

Please see the document entitled WIDA Screener Testing Protocols and Procedures for COVID-19 that accompanies this memo for information regarding the cleaning and disinfecting routines district testers will be using.

Please contact JoLynn Snelgrove at 801-567-8419 or jolynn.snelgrove@jordandistrict.org with any questions.

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DATE:    
Thursday, August 27, 2020

TO:  
Elementary Principals

FROM:        
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
Acadience Reading Administration Training for Instructional Coaches

Evaluation, Research & Accountability will be training instructional coaches during the Instructional Coaching Institute on Friday, September 4th at 11 am on how to administer Acadience Reading Benchmarks. There are several reasons why this training is important:

  • By knowing how the test works – how individual literacy skills are assessed – instructional coaches can better assist teachers in understanding and analyzing the resulting assessment data and implementing interventions that strengthen literacy skills.
  • Once trained and having gained some experience testing, coaches will then be able to train teachers and classroom aides to administer the benchmarks, which is especially beneficial as aides in particular are hired throughout the school year.
  • Coaches will be able to assist the district testing team on the day of benchmark administration at your school if they are short-handed.
  • In past years, the district testers have come back to schools on Fridays to test students who were absent on the day of testing. Since students will not be in schools on Friday, coaches can ensure that absent students get tested.

Due to limited space available and the need for social distancing, we request that principals send only one instructional coach to the training. It is recommended that the principal send the coach that will oversee Acadience Reading testing and absent testing for the school. Future trainings, including a self-paced Canvas course, will be available in the coming weeks for the other coaches.

Please contact Ben Jameson (801-567-8243) or Shannon Johnson (801-567-8873) with questions.

Published on

DATE:      
Thursday, August 27, 2020

TO: 
Elementary Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants

FROM: 
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:     
Fall 2020 Acadience Reading Testing – In-person and Online Students

Acadience Reading Benchmarks are once again required this year by the state – both students receiving their instruction in-person and online. USBE has extended the testing window by two weeks to October 14, 2020. The memo below contains information on how the benchmark administration will be accomplished for both.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 27, 2020

TO: 
All Principals and District Department Directors/Consultants

FROM:  
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT: 
2020-21 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Education Support Professional (Classified) Employees

Licensed teachers will do their testing ethics training as part of their annual crucial policies and procedures review. Principals do not need to train their teachers on testing ethics for the 2020-21 school year; however, principals will need to conduct a training for any education support professionals (classified employees) who will assist with state- or federally-mandated testing. This will include computer lab assistants who function as the school’s test coordinator, any classroom aides that assist with testing (including DLM testing), literacy aides who assist with Acadience Reading testing or progress monitoring, or any office staff that assist test coordinators with state- or federally-mandated testing.

The three required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2020-21 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for Classified Employees” form, which is due to Evaluation, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 18, 2020.

As has been done in the past, principals may provide in-person training on testing ethics using the pdf slide deck attached with this memo. Alternatively, principals may refer education support personnel to the YouTube video that provides the same ethics training. Once education support personnel have been trained, either in-person or using the video, they are required to sign the “2020-21 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Principals are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

There are several materials attached with this memo for your use:

  • 2020-21 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist – This form needs to be filled out and sent to Evaluation, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 18, 2020.
  • Testing Ethics Presentation, 2020-21 – This is the pdf slide deck if principals choose to present the training in-person.
  • 2020-21 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy – This document should be distributed to every Education Support Professional that assists with state or federally-mandated testing.
  • ESP Testing Ethics Video – This is the training video that may be used in lieu of in-person training. The video may also be found at this link:

https://youtu.be/ZjffVcR5FkE

  • Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training Signature Form, 2020-21 – Principals should retain a signed copy of this form for all Education Support Professionals who assist with state- or federally-mandated testing.

Please contact Ben Jameson or Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions.

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Administrators: Please take note of the 2020-21 Crucial Policy Review. All employees , with the exception of minor students, will be required to complete the crucial policy review by November 1, 2020.

Please remind your employees to complete this review. CLICK HERE for more information.

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IMPORTANT!

School Emergency Drills During the 2020-21 School Year

On August 20th, the Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 6004 School Emergency Drills Amendments https://le.utah.gov/~2020S6/bills/static/HB6004.html  – stating that schools are not required to hold actual fire evacuation drills before March 1, 2021, due to Covid-19.

Schools are required to:

  • Teach age-appropriate fire evacuation instruction (instead of going outside) in lieu of actual evacuation drills, until February 28, 2021.
  • Conduct the first fire evacuation instruction within 15 days of the start of the school year.
  • Alternate conducting fire instruction with other emergency safety drills, such as: lockdown or lockout for violence, shelter-in-place for chemical spills and severe weather, bomb threat and earthquake drills.
  • Conduct the first other emergency safety drill by October 1.
  • Conduct a fire evacuation instruction within the first 10 days of the new calendar year, in January.
  • Teach Covid-19 precautions/considerations in relation to drills and actual emergencies.

Elementary schools are still required to conduct an instruction or exercise every month, for a minimum of 9 throughout the school year (5 fire, 4 other emergency safety drills).

Secondary schools are required to conduct a minimum of 6 instruction or exercises throughout the school year (4 fire, 2 other emergency safety drills).

Schools are encouraged to conduct actual evacuation drills, if comfortable doing so, and appropriate Covid-19 precautions can be maintained.

Regular fire evacuation drills (going outside) will resume on March 1, 2021.

Questions, contact:  Lance Everill, Emergency Operations Manager 801-567-8623, lance.everill@jordandistrict.org

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We are getting requests from schools and teachers to approve or deny the use of individual cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing products. As a reminder, the district cannot police every product and cannot be held responsible for any product that is not specifically provided by the district. We recognize that teachers and staff are purchasing and bringing to schools many different products. Please consider these products often contain alcohol or bleach, may cause skin irritation or injury, intoxication, illness, and may be flammable.

Please do the following when using these products:

  • Obtain non-toxic products if possible.
  • Keep hand sanitizer and cleaning products secured and away from unsupervised students.
  • Keep the SDS on file and readily available for proper handling, protective equipment advisory, first aid and other safety information.
  • Use these products only with staff supervision.
  • Be aware of allergies and sensitivities.

The building administration is responsible for any outside products introduced into the school environment. When approached by a staff member please ask them to seek out and find the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) online and submit that to the building custodian and administration for approval.

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Reminder:
Mask must cover the nose and mouth without openings that can be seen through, secures under the chin, fits snugly against the nose and sides of the face, and does not have an exhalation valve or vent.
For more information please refer to the Mask FAQ document. CLICK HERE

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Grab your lunch and learn with us virtually every Tuesday at noon for less than 30 minutes! These webinars are aimed to help support wellness at home during this complex time.

Please post the attached flyer and share with staff and parents.

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Great news about First Offenders classes!

New this year the District’s First Offenders classes will be on-line. The curriculum is from an outside vendor named 3rd Millennium. Each course is tailored to the type of substance involved in the AS90 Drug & Alcohol Policy violation and the course will take the student 3 to 4 hours to complete. This year the cost of the class will be covered by Student Support Services.

The process is still the same four steps:

  1. The Administrator calls to determine if it is the student’s first offense. Please call
    1. Dara White                        88298  Database Aide or
    2. Janie Hyde                         88326  Admin Assistant  or
    3. Sharon Jensen                  88187  Student Support Services Consultant
  2. Fill out the I,C,M form including a Student Statement with the student & parent; send the form and statement in District mail to Dara White, Student Support, District Office.
  3. She will register the student and send the link for the class to the student’s school email, @my.jordandistrict.org, and she will CC the Administrator on the email.
  4. When the student completes the class, Dara will send the confirmation to the student’s administrator.

School Administrators no longer have to wait for students to attend the first class before returning to school. Administrators will use their judgement and the context of the situation to determine consequences and/or suspension lengths.

 

Nicotine Violations: Vaping & Cigarettes:

  1. 3rd millennium also has Nicotine classes which can be used as one of an Administrator’s many tools to try to reduce Nicotine use. The cost of the class will be covered this year by Student Support Services.
  2. You may assign a student the on-line Nicotine class by calling Dara White (88298) or emailing her at white@jordandistrict.org. Then fill out the T-form with the student and send it in district mail to Dara White, Student Support, District Office.
  3. She will register the student and send the link for the class to the student’s school email, @my.jordandistrict.org, and she will CC the Administrator on the email.
  4. When the student completes the class, Dara will send the confirmation to the student’s administrator.
  5. The End Nicotine Dependence class or ENDs is still being taught at our Jordan Family Education Center for students who continue to have violations on campus with nicotine. The class is separated into Middle School and High School students and is taught every Wednesday night from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. The student should attend four weeks in a row but we are flexible. A parent must attend with the middle school student. High school students may attend alone or with a parent. END classes begin on Wednesday, September 16th and will be held every Wednesday that school is in session.