Skip to content

Author: npage

Published on

DATE:     
September 1, 2023

TO:  
All School Administrators

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness

SUBJECT:  
BARK Content Monitoring

Now that school is back in session, here is a review of our districtwide content monitoring system which runs through a software system called BARK. BARK monitors all student Google accounts across all JSD schools and levels. This is different from iboss and Lanschool and does not detect student internet searches. Here is a summary of the notification protocols and procedures for this school year.

  • BARK uses an AI to scan student Gmail messages, Google chats, Google documents, and Google slides, regardless of the device or IP address that is used. As long as the student is logged into and using their Jordan District Google account, the content can be monitored.
  • Notifications and alerts are categorized as non-severe, severe, and imminent.
  • The alerts are monitored primarily by Angie Rasmussen, JSD Student Safety and Wellness Some alerts will require additional investigation at that level to determine the context and to weed out false positives.
  • Notifications to schools will include administration, counseling, and other mental health teams. This allows for several adults to receive notifications in case they are somewhat time sensitive.
  • Notifications will come in an email from Angie unless it is urgent, then a phone call or text message will be communicated.
  • Notifications that are not considered emergencies or urgent will not be sent after 3pm on a school day to ensure that intervention is reasonable and timely for school personnel.
  • Content alerts are not monitored over the weekend or on days students don’t attend, but emergency alerts will still be sent when immediate intervention is needed.
  • We will continue to receive after hours imminent alerts and will continue to work with administrators when immediate intervention is required.
  • Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

Additional information that may be useful:

The Bark Community Partnership Program is LIVE . This program helps serve your PTA's in supporting your parent and family communities in an effort to better protect our children online (and in the real world). The program is optional and is free. It is easy to sign up. If you or your PTA are interested in this additional resource for parents about all things kids and technology, click here Sign-up Here

Published on

As was discussed in principal meeting, this is the survey that all 7-12 grade students should take as a part of our district's strategic planning process. The survey contains 12 questions with additional subquestions plus a couple of demographic questions and one free response. It should take between 5 and 10 minutes for a student to take the survey.

Please pick a time during one period to have all students in your building take the survey. The deadline for survey administration is Thursday, September 7th, 2023.

LINK to Student Survey

Published on

If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave before or after the Critical day around Fall Recess for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:

How to Request

During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org 

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

School Holiday Date of Holiday Critical Days Window
Fall Recess

(Licensed)

 Oct. 24-27, 2023 Oct. 20 and 30, 2023 Sept. 9 – Sept. 19, 2023
Fall Recess

(All 242, 245 Contracts)

 Oct. 26-27, 2023 Oct. 20 and 30, 2023 Sept. 11 – Sept. 21, 2023
Fall Recess

(206 Contracts)

 Oct. 24-27, 2023 Oct. 20 and 30, 2023 Sept. 8 – Sept. 18, 2023
Fall Recess

(180, 184, 187, Contracts)

 Oct. 23-27, 2023 Oct. 20 and 30, 2023 Sept. 8 – Sept. 18, 2023

Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

 

Published on

DATE:
August 25, 2023

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Teaching and Learning Administrator
Norman R. Emerson, Fine Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:
Assemblies by Artistic Resources for Teachers and Students, Inc. (ARTS, Inc.)

ARTS, Inc., now in its sixty-fourth year of operation, was founded in 1959 and has provided performances in all forty-one school districts in Utah, reaching more than 250 schools each year with professional arts and education programming.  We welcome their artists in our schools again for the 2023-24  school year. 

Click this link to find:

  • The assembly schedule with the date and time the artists will be at your school.
  • The contact information for the performing group coming to your school.

The artists have been instructed to contact you at least two weeks prior to their assembly to verify starting times and specific needs for their performance.  If the date selected for the performing group to perform at your school does not work with your schedule, please contact them as soon as possible to reschedule.  The name and phone number of the contact person for each group have been provided.

If you have any questions, please contact Norman Emerson at 801-567-8364. 

Published on

There are two sessions available on Tuesday September 19 so that your campus monitors may attend separate sessions. An Assistant Principal is invited but not required to attend with the campus monitors.

When:
Tuesday September 19, 2023 7:30-9:00 AM or 2:00-3:30 PM

Where:
ASB PDC Room 102, Entrance B 7905 S. Redwood Rd, West Jordan, UT 84084

Published on

The last training session for 2023-24 will be held November 1, 2023.

Please see the zoom link below. A PDF of the presentation used in these trainings is attached for use in training your entire School Community Council. 

All new principals and new SCC Chairs need to attend one of the SCC Trainings for this year. Two trainings will be held in a Zoom format. In order to better coordinate with Parent Teacher Conferences and the election process, we've changed one of the meetings to a later date. For specific questions or topics you would like to have covered, please submit them through email to Nadine Page (nadine.page@jordandistrict.org) before the meeting dates. For any other questions contact Nadine Page, nadine.page@jordandistrict.org or 801.567.8182 (x88182).

September 27, 2023 - 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting    LINK

November 1, 2023 - 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting    LINK

Published on

DUE TODAY! - NOVEMBER 16, 2023. Get your form turned in if you haven't already done so.

DATE:  
August 31, 2023

TO: 
All Principals, Jordan School District
Administrative Assistants

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Jordan District Nurses

SUBJECT:  
CPR/First Aid/AED Certification

Jordan School District requires that at least 3 full-time employees in each building be certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED. Most certifications are valid for 2 years. It is also recommended that employees who will have direct responsibility for student health and safety be CPR/First Aid/AED certified. This may include front office staff, playground aides, hall monitors, P.E. teachers, etc. It is also recommended that you keep a list of current CPR/First Aid/AED certified staff members by all main phone lines where calls for emergency help may originate. A template is attached.

CPR, First Aid, and AED training and certification is now available to district employees in an online format through the National Safety Council (NSC). The attached document will outline the steps necessary to complete the online portion of the course. Information can also be accessed by going here: CPR & First Aid. The cost of the course is $29.95 and should be paid by the employee at the time of registration. Schools may provide reimbursement for the course, if funds are available, by following appropriate pre-approval and reimbursement procedures.

Once the online course is completed, employees may sign up to complete their certification by attending a 2 hour skills check session with our district nurses. To sign up for a skill check, you will need to register with JPLS under CPR/First Aid/AED skill check. All skill checks must be completed within 45 days of sign-up for the online course. The dates and times for the skill check sessions are listed on the attached flyer.

Please complete the attached CPR/First Aid/AED certification form and return it to the Nursing Services office (Nadine Page) by November 16, 2023.

 

Published on

DATE:   
August 24, 2023

TO:        
All Administrators

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness

SUBJECT:  
2023-2024 Employee/Educator Wellness Representatives

The wellness team is excited to announce the continuation of the Employee Wellness Representative. This program is intended to support employee health and wellness. The Employee Wellness Representatives will primarily be responsible for supporting faculty/staff wellness efforts within your schools or department.

If you’d like to have a representative for your school or department, please note the following information:

  • We will be holding an Employee Wellness Representative Training Retreat on 9/19/23 & 1/19/24, details will be shared with wellness reps and administrators from schools who designate a representative for their school or department.
    • As a peer support program, we recommend that each school select a non-administrative, licensed staff member (we also encourage you to choose someone who is not a member of the mental health team). Ultimately, it’s best to choose someone who is not a supervisor, has the trust of their colleagues, and can support employee wellness initiatives at your school or within your department.
    • If a substitute is required to attend the training retreats, schools will need to cover the cost of a substitute.
    • Administrators are invited to attend the retreat with their designated employee wellness representative, these trainings will focus on strategies for employee
    • Our District Wellness Specialists will maintain contact with each representative and support your efforts.

Click this link and nominate your school or department rep by September 7, 2023.

Published on

DATE:   
August 24, 2023

TO: 
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness

SUBJECT:
Important updates to the Mental Health Access Program

Please note the following important updates regarding the Mental Health Access Program. In order to promote the sustainability of this program, given limited funds, it’s essential that all administrators review the following changes:

  1. There is no longer a "MHAP referral" form. This is now a "Request to Screen a Family for Community Mental Health Resources.” The new form is attached to this memo and can be found at wellness.jordandistrict.org. Rather than "referring" families, we want to shift our language to be "recommended for screening." This change will allow better allocation of our limited resources to the students and families who most need it. Our District’s clinical team has been trained on a screening process to support this change and make a decision regarding a family’s options.
    • What this means at the secondary level: if you are considering a family for community mental health services such as MHAP, please work with your school's assigned clinical support specialist to conduct a screening. Because funds are limited, your school’s clinician has been trained to tease out other community mental health options. It’s best that other staff members do not promise grant funds that may not be available or needed without consulting the clinical support specialist and following the screening process.
    • What this means at the elementary level: if you are considering a family for community mental health services such as MHAP, please fill out the attached form and email it to Kevin Mossel (kevin.mossel@jordandistrict.org). He will call, set up a meeting, and meet with the student and/or parent to screen and assess them for community resources and services. If MHAP is recommended at this screening, the clinical support specialist who conducted the screening will proceed with having the parent sign the MHAP consent form and help them access a provider that best fits their needs by authorizing and facilitating a referral. The clinical support specialist will then report back to you about what was recommended for the family.
  2. With limited funds it’s essential to manage expectations we may inadvertently be setting when communicating with parents or caregivers about their options. It’s best not to promise “free therapy” and instead use language such as "the District has a program where you can be screened for community mental health services and recommendations will be provided to help you and your student." Not every family may need financial help through MHAP and in some situation’s outpatient therapy may not be the best fit for a family’s needs.
  3. We are no longer offering students "8 sessions" or "$800 of MHAP funds.” Please do not say this to a parent as it will not be accurate. If you opt to explain MHAP to a parent, it would be more accurate to say “we have a resource in the community that might help pay for some initial mental health services and get your student started quickly.” Then, the extent of the referral can be explained after a family has been screened and the recommendation was made after a more thorough review of available options.

Since its inception in 2020, over 2000 MHAP referrals have been made. We acknowledge your vital role in supporting students as they work to improve their mental health. If you have questions or issues with these changes, please contact McKinley Withers, Travis Hamblin, or Kevin Mossel in Student Services.

 

Published on

DATE:    
August 24, 2023

TO: 
All School Administrators

FROM:   
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness Consultant

SUBJECT:  
2023-2024 Clinical Support Specialist Calendar

Please be aware of the Clinical Support Specialist (CSS) meeting dates listed below. It is essential that school-based clinicians are allowed to prioritize these meetings to be current on best-practices relevant to their role.

CSS Team Trainings (1pm-3pm)

  • October 6, 2023
  • January 5, 2024
  • February 23, 2024
  • April 5, 2024

PLC Meetings (730am-830am)

Purpose of PLC’s: Case staffing and professional consultation

  • September 15, 2023
  • October 13, 2023
  • November 10,2023
  • December 8, 2023
  • January 19, 2024
  • March 8, 2024
  • April 19, 2024
  • May 10, 2024

Should you have any questions please reach out to McKinley Withers at mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org

Published on

Teaching and Learning (T&L) is here to help you with your 32 hours of educator-directed learning. You'll find lots of great classes, workshops, and conferences that can provide you with the learning and hours you'll need to meet the 32-hour stipend requirement. Contact T&L with questions - Michelle Williams at 801-567-8365.

Published on

The Herriman Family Engagement Center is now open. Language & Culture Services is excited to have parents of ML and newcomer students come and get support.

English classes are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 a.m.

Please feel free to print these flyers and post them in your school.

Published on

We have been notified that the Vivi Lite has been sunset and is no longer available for purchase. As a result, Vivi is willing to upgrade any Vivi Lite purchased by our district to the Vivi Pro. Our current pricing is $399 for Vivi Lite and $499 for Vivi Pro. Retail price is $599. This pricing will expire on October 18, 2023. This means that if you purchase a Vivi Lite for $399 you will get the Vivi Pro at a price that has been discounted by $200! For additional information regarding Vivi, please reference the JAM dated November 3, 2022.

Published on

DATE:   
August 24, 2023

TO:     
Principals
Assistant Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Consultant, Student Support Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:  
Skyward Discipline Updates, August 2023

Please make note of the following changes when entering discipline in Skyward:

  1. Two new codes have been added to Skyward:
    • THG: Theft. State reported, requires an incident number. At present, this code will report to USBE as part of “ROB – Robbery”.
    • MIH: Minor Horseplay. Is not state reported. Added to be used as an “entry level” offense before “PAT – Physical Attack” or “FIG – Fighting / Mutual Combat”.

Please discard any current yellow discipline code cards. New cards will be provided to schools by the beginning of September.

  1. State-reported offense codes will display in Skyward with an “I#” at the beginning of their name/description. This is a reminder to administrators that this code, when used as an offense, requires an “Incident Number” in order for reporting to properly process. Because of how Skyward stores the name of each offense code, this change will show on entries made for previous years in addition to new entries.
  2. The code “TRC – Truancy Compulsory Ed” has been redefined in light of information provided by USBE. This code should be used for recording attendance interventions for truant students (meaning students missing half a school day or more without a valid excuse on a regular basis, NOT a student who misses one or more periods infrequently). Interventions logged with “TRC” may include attendance letters and 10-day drops. The “APV – Attendance Violation / Truancy” code should be used when logging students who “sluff” class or are absent from a small number of periods without a valid excuse.
  3. The action code “RPC – Restor Prac” has been added to allow schools to create action records for any type of restorative practice used with students.

Published on

DATE:
August 22, 2023

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director, Student Services
Scott Festin, Planning Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:
1st Day Enrollment vs. the Estimate for All Schools

Please see the memo below.

Published on

DATE:  
August 24, 2023

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT: 
Required Fire Drill Within the First 10 School Days

All schools are required to conduct a fire drill within the first 10 days of the school year. This provides a great opportunity to review plans, emergency response/Incident Command assignments, evacuation maps, outside rally locations, communications, and related supplies.

Please take special care to orient new students and staff, individuals with special needs and younger students that may not have been exposed to fire alarms/strobes and emergency response protocols. Please be sure to clearly announce that it is a “drill”.

Please call the Jordan School District 24-hr. Alarm Response 801-567-8865 at least 30 minutes in advance of the drill, so the fire department is not dispatched.

Use the JSD Incident Command System Manual - Fire Action Plan as your drill guideline. Google Drive link: JSD Incident Command System Manual

Report the drill and any related meetings using the JSD report form on Google Drive. Link: 2023-24 REPORT EMERGENCY — DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact Matt Alvernaz the District Safety Coordinator at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8623.