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DATE:      
October 10, 2024

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT:   
Permit Trainings for the 2025-26 Season


Planning & Enrollment will be hosting four training opportunities for staff to prepare for the 2025-26 permit season, which opens on Friday, November 15, 2024. Sessions will be targeted at a specific audience in order to deliver the most relevant training; however, individuals are welcome to attend any session.

Please register for all sessions using this LINK

Session dates and times are listed below. All sessions will be held in the ASB Auditorium.

Target Audience Content Date Time
School staff processing permits (admin assistants, attendance, registrars, aides). Session will focus more on PowerSchool and the steps of processing permits. Tuesday, November 5 9-11 AM
School staff processing permits (admin assistants, attendance, registrars, aides). Session will focus more on PowerSchool and the steps of processing permits. Tuesday, November 12 1-3 PM
Principals and assistant principals. Session will focus more on permit law and what is and is not allowed when making permit decisions. Tuesday, November 5 1-3 PM
Principals and assistant principals. Session will focus more on permit law and what is and is not allowed when making permit decisions. Tuesday, November 12 9-11 AM

TO:
School Administrators
School Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Katie Bastian, Director of Nutrition Services


JSD Nutrition Services has purchased local apples from Pyne Farms in Santaquin, Utah to celebrate this day with our district. Check out the YouTube link below for a great 3-minute Pyne Farm tour video and to learn about apples.

This year, Apple Crunch Day falls during National School Lunch Week! The theme for this year is "School Lunch Pirates...Find Your Treasure". Attached are some fun handouts about apples that incorporate the pirate theme.

Touch base with your school's kitchen manager to brainstorm how you would like to serve the apples in your school. We hope you enjoy this celebration!

TO:
All Kindergarten Teachers, Coaches, and Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Michelle Lovell, Consultant, Elementary Language Arts, Teaching & Learning


Join us as we learn and explore Wit and Wisdom. We will be diving into planning strategies. There will be giveaways and prizes. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sign up HERE

DATE:  
Thursday, October 10, 2024

TO: 
Elementary Principals and Instructional Coaches

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability
Michelle Lovell, Elementary Language Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:
ALO Data Training with Principals and Coaches


With the transition from mClass to Acadience Learning Online (ALO) for the Acadience Reading assessment, it is important that building administrators and instructional coaches know how to access the reporting suite in ALO and understand the data they are analyzing. The ALO reporting suite allows users to view data by district, school, grade level, class, and student for benchmark status, pathways of progress (after the MOY benchmark window), and progress monitoring.

In collaboration with Teaching & Learning’s Literacy Department, Assessment, Research & Accountability is offering a training for elementary principals and instructional coaches that will cover the following:

  • How to access the various reports and data views in ALO.
  • How to ask the right questions to think intentionally about Acadience results.
  • How to prepare for conversations principals and coaches will have with teacher leaders, grade level PLC teams, community members, and other key personnel.

Principals and instructional coaches from each school are asked to attend the training together. Attendees may choose from one of five sections in JSD’s Canvas Catalog using this link:

Date Location Time
Tuesday, October 29 ASB PDC 103 (Entrance B) 12:00 – 3:30 pm
Wednesday, October 30 ASB PDC 113 8:00 – 11:30 am
Thursday, November 7 ASB PDC 102 8:00 – 11:30 am
Thursday, November 7 ASB PDC 102 12:00 – 3:30 pm
Wednesday, November 13 ASB PDC 102 8:00 – 11:30 am

All trainings will be held at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building located at 7905 South Redwood Road.

For questions or more information about this training, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability or Michelle Lovell in Teaching & Learning.

DATE: 
Thursday, October 10, 2024

TO:   
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Michelle Lovell, Elementary Language Arts Consultant

SUBJECT: 
BOY Acadience Reading Parent Letters


ALO does not have a parent letter that complies with the requirements for parent communication in 53E-4-307 for benchmark assessments in reading. Thus, we have created our own letter that meets legislative compliance and still communicates the basics of what parents need to know about their student’s reading skills.

Parent letters will be distributed as a PDF file to school administrators, instructional coaches and administrative assistants soon. Each school will need to decide who will take responsibility for ensuring these parent letters are printed and then sent home.

For questions about these parent letters, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability or Michelle Lovell in Literacy.

TO:
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent


***THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELED FOR OCTOBER 2024***

The October Assistant Principal meetings will be held on October 17 (8:00-11:00am) and October 29 (8:00-11:00am). All meetings will be held in-person at the JATC-S. All assistant principals and intern assistant principals are invited. A beverage service will be provided, beginning at 7:30 am at each of the meetings. As a reminder you only need to attend one of the sessions offered. Both sessions will provide the same information. Please CLICK HERE and it will take you to the Google Doc to sign up for which day you would like to attend. If you have any questions please call Nadine Page at 801-567-8182 (x88182).

TO:
School Administrators

FROM:
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Jill Durrant, Administrator of Schools
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools


A beverage service will be provided at 7:30 a.m. in the auditorium hallway. Lunch will be provided.

LOCATION - PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL START WITH LEVEL MEETINGS AT 8:00 AM
Elementary/Sped - Auditorium
Middle/High - Presentation Room

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent


A new policy, AA453 Use of Personal Electronic and Communication Devices, commonly referred to as the "cell phone policy" will take effect on Tuesday, October 29. Please take time to review the policy with your administrative team. More information will be provided at principal meeting on October 15th. Please contact your AOS with any questions.

 AA453 Use of Personal Electronic and Communication Devices

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent


The following professional development days have been added to this year's calendar.

2024-25 School Year Calendar

Professional Development Day (No Students Attend)
Friday, November 8, 2024
Friday, March 14, 2025

All employees should work in the building on these days. As you are planning Professional Development in your schools and departments please plan as follows: Principal-Directed School Level Professional Development will be held in the morning hours and optional District-Level Professional Development may begin at 1:00 pm.

Please provide these dates to your employees.
If you have any questions please contact your Administrator of Schools.

TO:
Middle School Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Rebecca Smith, Consultant in Teaching & Learning


Teaching & Learning is offering an optional PD for all middle school ELA and SS teachers: Sparking Minds – Transform your Teaching with Engaging Questions, Socratic Seminars, and Dynamic Dialogue. Substitutes will be provided.

Registration LINK

Please see the flyer for details and dates. Share this information with your teachers. Contact Rebecca Smith (88386) with questions you may have.

 

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Rebecca Smith, Consultant in Teaching & Learning


Teaching & Learning is offering an optional, half-day PD for all elementary teachers: Sparking Minds – Transform your Teaching with Engaging Questions, Socratic Seminars, and Dynamic Dialogue.

The PD will include supporting information for Wit & Wisdom. Half-day substitutes will be provided. The PD will be offered specific to grade bands: K, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6.

Registration LINK

Please see the flyer for details and dates. Share this information with your teachers. Contact Rebecca Smith (88368) if you have questions.

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning


At the district level the setting will be switched from the default setting of “Maximum Value” to “Most Recent view”. Teachers will maintain the ability to switch their view to Maximum Value and set the proficiency calculation to what fits their needs.

This move provides immediate insights into students' current understanding and progress and allows teachers to adjust instruction based on the latest data. The previous setting of “Maximum” gave a limited story of the students' mastery.

What do you need to do as an administrator:
The setting for “Most Recent” will be set at the district level. If you would like your staff to see additional proficiency settings contact Larisa Nageli, Digital Learning Specialist, to make that adjustment for you.

TO:
Elementary Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
RaeAnna Kirk, Lead School Nurse


Principals, you may use the message below (and attached) to share the maturation materials with 5th Grade parents:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our 5th grade maturation program is held online. It is presented in an online video format presented by health care providers. While this is not a mandatory program, this is presented as an opportunity for you to watch the program together. Students are encouraged to talk to their trusted adults for questions or concerns that they may have. Our presentation can be found online at Elementary Health & Maturation.

Sincerely,

DATE: 
October 3, 2024

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Parent Mental Health Series Offering


Administrators,

Jordan District has partnered with the Cook Center for Human Connection to offer ongoing mental health education for parents and caregivers. This partnership includes FREE access to frequent live, virtual educational sessions on rotating topics. It also includes access to a library of recorded sessions and resources for each topic that is covered. Sessions are offered in both Spanish and English at 5pm and 7pm.

Parents and caregivers can register to attend ANY of the 30+ mental health topic live sessions or access the content asynchronously.

We invite you to share the attached October Session Calendar with your school community and to review the session descriptions.

We hope that this can be a helpful resource for your schools and communities!

 

TO:
All Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Brian King, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Special Education
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Special Education Administrator


Please see the attached newsletter.

DATE:   
October 1, 2024

TO:    
Principals
Special Education Providers

FROM:      
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Special Education Administrator

SUBJECT:   
Transcription Services for the Visually Impaired


We have three amazing transcriptionists that support teachers that have students who are visually impaired. Their main role is to transcribe assignments into braille and enlarge text for general education and special education teachers that have visually impaired students in their classrooms.

To be able to support transcription services we ask that assignments be given to the transcriptionists 2 weeks in advance. This is the minimum time needed to transcribe work. Some assignments may take longer depending on the amount of graphics, which require a lot of reproducing and labeling. As an example, a language arts assignment with no graphics may only take 1 to 2 hours to transcribe, where a science or history assignment may take up to 10 hours to transcribe if there are maps or graphics.

The process of transcribing an assignment includes typing the assignment into a braille program, proofreading it, formatting it according to braille rules, embossing it, and then adding tactile graphics and labels if needed. Please note that a due date is also required for the transcriptionists to begin working on the assignment. To provide FAPE, students with visual impairments are guaranteed to have their assignments the same time as the rest of the class, which requires careful planning on both the part of the teacher and the transcriber.

Please contact Suzanne Miller for all braille transcription at Suzanne.miller@jordandistrict or 801-567-8662.

DATE:     
October 1, 2024

TO:  
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns

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

SUBJECT:  
October School Psychologist Guidance Meeting


A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for Friday, October 11, 2024 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). Brad Lundahl, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Utah in the Department of Social Work, will provide us with a presentation on Motivational Interviewing.

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

cc:
Principals