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Author: npage

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The central warehouse now has a limited quantity of free at-home SARS-CoV-2 test kits. They are the Access Bio On/Go Covid-19 tests using nasal swabs and reagent vials. There are 2 tests per box and they expire May 2023 (the box says May 2022, but they have been given a one-year extension.)

If any school or department is interested in having some tests on hand for employee use, then please let the Purchasing department know and we will make sure to order enough. Test kits are available immediately, so first come first serve until we receive more within 2-3 business days. Right now, there are limited quantities, so a limit of 5 boxes will be allowed for any one location. There will be opportunity for more as demand is identified.

Please email kurt.prusse@jordandistrict.org to request quantities. If this is something that is in high demand, then they will be made available through the Skyward inventory system at $0 cost.

 

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As we begin to prepare for the 2023-24 school year, we would like to collect our mid-year 6th grade Acadience and Growth Measure data as soon as possible. This will allow us to provide the data to middle school principals and counselors as they begin their 7th grade registration process in January. 

Please advise your 6th grade teams to administer their mid-year Acadience and Growth Measure in December, with the deadline being Friday Jan. 2, 2023. The mid-year testing window for Growth Measure opens December 1, 2022. 

The data we collect will inform the rubrics that we use as recommended guidelines for Reading placement. (See attached.) We appreciate your patience and collaboration in our efforts to use data to do what is best for students. 

22-23 Reading Placement Rubric

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DATE:  
Thursday, December 8, 2022

TO: 
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Research Project

The Research Review Committee has reviewed a research project in which your school has been asked to participate.

Project Title: Cell Phones in the Classroom for Education Rather than Distraction

Applicant: Brandy Westwood, Western Governors University

The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. The project will involve a recruitment email sent to classroom teachers inviting them to a professional development on the use of cell phones as part of instruction. Participation in the study is at teachers’ discretion. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.

Thank you for your assistance.

 

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, December 8, 2022

TO: 
Middle and High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Research Project

The Research Review Committee has reviewed a research project in which your school has been asked to participate.

Project Title: Teacher Language Ideology Development and Heteroglossic Instructional Practice within Implementational Spaces

Applicant: Leah Davis, Utah State University

The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. The applicant has been directed to contact you to discuss the extent of the project and to obtain your permission to conduct the study at your school. Participation in the study is at your discretion. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.

The researcher will be contacting your ELD teachers via email to recruit them to participate in the research project.

Thank you for your assistance.

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The holiday season is here! We are all excited to celebrate and relax with our families and friends over our long winter break. This is a great time to talk to students about traditions they do celebrate with their families--whether they fall in this month or not. Enjoy the season!

The full newsletter can be found at the link below.

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The following are reminders to keep in mind when completing evaluations. 

Full UETS-based JPAS -- Teachers on a full UETS-based JPAS will upload student performance information (SLO) and stakeholder input in place of completing the interview portion of the JPAS. Teachers can upload the documents directly from their computer by logging into Perform and choosing “My Folder” -- “Evidence” -- “Add Artifact.” Teachers are asked to name the file and can then choose to upload a document from the computer or add a URL. 

  • Student growth can be recorded on the form that was previously sent out in this issue of JAM. Please review the instructions and make sure teachers have the form for uploading. If any other documentation is being used, please  ensure  that the document includes: 
    • The core standard
    • A growth target
    • Pre assessment information (include dates and scores)
    • Post assessment information (include dates and scores)
    • A summary of student growth
  • Stakeholder input could include climate survey information, copies of emails or descriptive phone logs. The intent is to show personalized communication with parents.

Administrators may access evidence by logging into Perform and  selecting “My Staff” -- “Staff” -- the individual teacher’s Folder -- “Evidence.”  (No action is required.)

The first cycle for provisional and probationary teachers is due December 21, 2022.

Adding Observation Data into Perform (Action Required)

  • Forms must be entered into Perform the day of the observation or at the latest the next day. This is to ensure that policy and procedure are followed and evaluations do not end up out of compliance. 
  • Summative Score Form
    • This form will generate the score for you to view before meeting with teachers. You simply click on Go to Form next to the summative form and then click on Save Progress. This will generate the score so administrators may prepare for the professional development meeting. 
    • This form should not be submitted until the end of the professional development meeting with the teacher. This is due to the goal requirement. 

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School districts are required to keep special education records five years past the student’s twenty-second birthday.  In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Jordan School District must notify parents and afford them the opportunity to receive special education records before destruction of those records can occur.

As of January 31, 2023, such notice will have been advertised to parents for students whose birthdates are prior to September 1995 (i.e., students who are 27 years of age).  Any records for students over the age of 22 will be stored off site until they are ready to be destroyed when the student turns 27 years of age.

Please see the attached memo for instructions for storage and destruction of Special Education Records.

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Per H.B. 162 which was passed in the last legislative session and became a requirement as of July 1, 2022, which "requires local school boards and charter school governing boards to provide period products in certain restrooms within all school facilities". It has since been codified and details can be found in 53G-4-413.

All schools in the district should have received an initial distribution by the central warehouse the second week of school. Instructions were also given to each school location on how and where these products should be made available. Please refer those questions to your applicable Area Administrator of Schools.

Period products are now available to order through Skyward inventory. The cost to schools will be $0 until current supplies last. After which a cost will be automatically populated once the initial allotment of period products has been exhausted. They can be found only in the Custodial warehouse under the following:

#2306796 - Pad Period Product; (400 pads per box)
#2306797 - Tampon Period Product; (480 tampons per box)

Your custodian will stock the appropriate amount for each school, similar to paper towels, toilet paper and hand soap is supplied in your restrooms. There are sufficient quantities for the foreseeable future. Please do not try to order a large quantity of supplies to keep on hand, as we want an accurate count of how much of the product is actually being used in our schools. If you have any questions, please direct them to the Purchasing Department.

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The Central Warehouse has KN-95 masks available to any district employee that would like them. They come in boxes of 40 for adults and 100 for youth. If you would like a box, please go through your school/department administrative assistant to place an order through Skyward inventory. The details are as follows:

Mask KN95 Adult - #5800861; 40 Masks per box
Mask KN95 Child - #5800862; 100 Masks per box

Warehouse personnel will deliver to the front office on your regularly scheduled stockroom order day, so please indicate in your notes who is requesting them. You can also request a will call pick up if that is more convenient for the employee to pick them up at the ASB. 

AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

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For schools that are considering the purchase of a new Apple TV, you will want to be aware that any model you purchase MUST have the Ethernet option included. An Ethernet port is required to permit setup of the Apple TV on the district’s network. Apple TVs without an Ethernet port will not be able to be used.

Currently, Apple has only two models of Apple TVs available. One is a WiFi only model at $129.00. The other is a WiFi and Ethernet model @ $149.00. Purchases of the WiFi only model have been blocked, so you will only be able to acquire the WiFi and Ethernet models through district vendors. If you choose to acquire Apple TVs through other means, please ensure you are purchasing the model that includes an Ethernet port.

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Christmas for Kids provides a little bit of Christmas cheer for students in Jordan District that would otherwise go without during the holiday season.

These deserving students are carefully selected by school counselors, administrators and Jordan School District specialists due to extreme need and personal circumstances.

Please consider giving your time and resources this year to support a deserving middle or high school student in Jordan District!

Visit our website for more information and to register to chaperone or donate.

Published on

DATE:   
Thursday, December 1, 2022

TO:  
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Testing Ethics Reminder – Parents Should Not Proctor State Assessments

Principals are asked to share the following information with their faculty at their earliest convenience.

This is a friendly reminder about a few less known but important aspects of the state’s testing ethics policy:

  • All state assessments must be proctored under the supervision of a licensed educator.
  • Unless they are an employee of Jordan School District, parents should not be proctoring any state assessments.
  • Unless they are an employee of Jordan School District, parents should not be allowed in the classroom where students are taking a state assessment. In addition, the public is not allowed to view secure test items or to observe testing sessions.
  • All educators, education support professionals, and administrators who participate in state assessment administration and/or proctoring must complete the annual testing ethics training. As part of their crucial concerns and policies checkoff, licensed employees have completed this training already. School administrators must complete testing ethics training with any ESPs that will participate in any way in the administration of state assessments (see JAM memo dated 8/18/2022 for procedures and training materials).

Testing ethics violations are to be immediately reported to Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability so that an investigation may be initiated. Please contact Ben Jameson with any questions.

Published on

DATE:   
November 21, 2022

TO: 
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Fulvia Franco, Program Specialist – Guidance

SUBJECT: 
December School Psychologist Guidance Meeting

A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for Friday, December 2, 2022, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). We will start at 12:00 p.m. with a luncheon. You have the option of participating in our pot-luck luncheon, or bringing lunch for yourself if that’s your preference. Dr. Doug Goldsmith, Licensed Psychologist in private practice, will provide us with a presentation that addresses depression and anxiety in children and teens.

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

cc:
Principals

Published on

DATE:  
November 22, 2022

TO: 
Principals
School Counselors

FROM:  
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director, Student Services
Stacee Worthen, Counselor Consultant

SUBJECT: 
November/December 2022 School Counselor Trainings

School Counselor Training and Professional Development for November/December 2022

The following are dates that school counselors will be attending for Jordan School District training.

November 30, 2022 (8:00am-2:00pm) -- USBE Updates and Essentials (Counselors & Administrators up for renewal) -- JATC South

December 9, 2022 (7:30am-9:00am) -- Secondary Counselor Singleton PLC, JATC South

December 9, 2022 (1:30pm-3:00pm) -- Elementary Counselor Singleton PLC, DO Rm 129

December 14, 2022 (8am-11:30am) -- Counselor Collaborative, DO Rm 129

December 15, 2022 (Session 1: 8am-10am; Session 2: 10:15am-12:15pm) -- Q3 In-Service, JATC South

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Stacee Worthen at stacee.worthen@jordandistrict.org or (801)567-8309.

Published on

DATE:   
December 1, 2022

TO:  
Elementary Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Planning and Enrollment Consultant

SUBJECT:  
Guidelines to Establish Kindergarten Enrollment

It is the responsibility of each school to obtain a kindergarten roster for the upcoming school year. This roster helps facilitate kindergarten staffing and establish budgets for supplies and materials. Typically, efforts to establish kindergarten rosters begin in December. Enrollments for kindergarten should be promptly entered into Skyward so that projections accurately reflect enrollments. Schools must not keep external lists or delay entering kindergarten enrollments.

The following steps should be used to establish a kindergarten roster:

  1. Send a flyer home with every student.
  2. Publicize in the school newsletter – communicate (several times) the importance of getting accurate kindergarten counts.
  3. Use all other resources available to you (Skylert, social media, etc.).
  4. NOTE: New Student Online Enrollment (NSOE) for the 2023-24 school year enrollment will not be available until after the Skyward pre-enroll. If applications were entered prior to pre-enrollment, they need to be inactive for the current year and active for next year. This can be done during the approval process in NSOE.
  5. Schedule kindergarten orientation as soon as possible. After the January pre-enroll, check your New Student Online Enrollment to see if there are any pending applications that need follow up.
  6. Hang banners announcing Kindergarten Registration being accepted for the following school year.

Please schedule your kindergarten orientation AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Optional Ideas:

  1. Make a block contact with every home using PTA support.
  2. Contact preschools 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 letters to new addresses if a family has moved from your boundary area. Delete that name from your list.

Please be diligent in recruiting all the kindergarten students within your school boundary.

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Volunteer reports need to be submitted to Insurance Services.

Worker's Compensation insurance costs are based on numbers submitted by schools. It is important that this information be accurate and complete.

PTA Figures must be separate from other volunteer hours.

Attached is a copy of the Volunteer Report for the period August 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022.

Please complete this form and return it to Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services, by December 22, 2022.

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Please see the attached letter and flyer regarding opportunities to receive a free COVID-19 Omicron Booster.

The County Health Department would like you to consider posting the attached flyer in your employee breakroom, on a community bulletin board, or in any common or high-visibility space in your building or facility.