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Author: npage

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, July 8, 2021

TO:  
High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
2021 ACT Data Available on Administrator Tableau Viewer Accounts

2021 ACT 11th grade administration data are now available via school administrator Tableau Viewer accounts. School administrators may view the following ACT data from 2016 to 2021:

  • Participation rates for all students and specific student groups
  • Composite, English, Math, Reading, Science and STEM scores for the district and each high school
  • ACT reporting categories for the district and each high school
  • An achievement gap analysis for each student group
  • School score comparisons
  • Student level data, including individual student reports

School administrators may access the ACT dashboards at the following links:

Questions about the ACT dashboards may be directed to Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, July 8, 2021

TO: 
High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Shmoop Access for the 2021-22 School Year

School administrators are encouraged to forward this information to their AP teachers.

USBE has once again made available a free ACT prep online program for all high school students from 9th grade and up.  Students may access this free program at this link: schools.shmoop.com

The Magic Word for the 2021-22 school year for students to complete the login process is: FLATTOP.

If schools are interested in booking a training for how to use Shmoop, please contact Shmoop’s state representative, Kelsey Olson, at 908-770-9570 or at kelsey@shmoop.com.

For more information about Shmoop, including instructions for students to set up their own Shmoop account, please see the flyer attached with this memo.

Published on

Please notify your site coaches of the finalized model and schedule for the 2021-22 endorsement training. Please review attached information regarding dates, times, and substitute codes for training.

2021-22 Secondary Coaching Final Schedule

2021-2022  Secondary Coaching Model

Published on

Administrators:

As discussed in Principals' Meeting, we are excited to launch our new BusHive field/activity trip software. The administrator responsible for scheduling your school's field/activity trips will receive a welcome email, which includes BusHive training and information from Kitt this Friday, July 2. The Field Trip Office will then begin accepting field/activity trip requests on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Please feel free to contact Kitt at 801-567-8809 or Michele at 801-567-8804 with questions.

Published on

Congratulations for those completing the first session of summer school! For reporting purposes, please complete the following sheets in your School ESSER II Worksheet at the close of your first session.

High Schools and Middle Schools:

  • Complete “Summer School Timesheet – License.” Remember to print out and send to payroll unless teachers used True Time OR submitted individual timesheets.
  • Complete “Summer School Timesheet – ESP.” (All ESPs should have used True Time to track hours.)
  • Complete “ESSER Personnel” with the name of your Credit Tracker
  • Complete “Credit Recovery Report Form.”

Elementary Schools:

  • Complete “Summer School Timesheet – License.” Remember to print out and send to payroll unless teachers used True Time OR submitted individual timesheets.
  • Complete “Summer School Timesheet – ESP.” (All ESPs should have used True Time to track hours.)
  • Complete “ESSER Personnel” with the name of your 25-hour Intervention Assistant
  • Complete “Pre/Post Report Form.”

Please feel free to reach out to Noreen Samowitz (ext. 88367) or Shelley Nordick (ext. 88122) for questions or concerns.

Published on

As of March 2021, the Fire and Security department began replacing all employee access badges that are approximately 5 years and older. This process is being conducted on a school by school basis. They are also upgrading badge holders that will assist in preventing wear and loss. Office staff at each location will be contacted for assistance in confirming active employees, in collecting the old badges, and in distributing the new. The process of replacing said employee access badges will be free of charge. Employees will remain responsible for the fee of $7.00 to replace a lost access badge. This will be done through a payroll deduction.

Pass badges, such as portable passes, substitute passes, sweeper passes, and elevator passes, will also be replaced considering the needs of each location.  This is also being conducted on a school by school basis. Once schools receive new pass badges, they will be required to pay the $7.00 replacement fee for any badges that are lost or stolen. This can be done through a journal entry.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Published on

The T&L department has ordered a full set of Geode decodable readers from Great Minds for each school. The set includes three levels (K, 1, 2) and there are 64 titles with 6 books of each title. Geodes will match the lessons in Really Great Reading and they can be used in whole group or small group instruction. The books should be stored in a place in the school that will allow all teachers to have access to them. These books will be good for students receiving tier 1 instruction in grades K-3 and they can be used as a support for all students in grades K-6 who are receiving intervention in phonics. The books have been delivered to the warehouse at the ASB and they are being prepared to send to schools. T&L is also looking at additional decodable readers for upper grade students as well. More information will be coming as it is available.

Published on

DATE: 
Thursday, July 1, 2021

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators
Middle School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:   
Unofficial RISE Data Available on Tableau

RISE data downloaded from TIDE are now available on school administrator Tableau Viewer accounts.  The dashboards contain RISE proficiency data for ELA, math and science for both the 2021 test administration as well as longitudinal SAGE/RISE data as far back as the 2013-14 school year.  Included in the dashboard are demographic filters (i.e., socioeconomic status, EL, minority and special education status) that will allow administrators to interact with the data to look at individual student group performance.  Dashboards that contain student level data are included as well.

With the 2021 RISE test administration, there are some key things to remember:

  • Grades 4-5 science data are not currently available. Because the core changed, the test also changed.  USBE staff and educators from across the state will be working this summer on standard setting and validation.  Science grades 4-5 data with proficiency cut scores will be released later this fall.
  • The assessment data on these Tableau dashboards are not the official state data and cannot be shared with the general public. The dashboards will be updated with official state data and can then be released to the public later this fall.  However, school administrators may use the data to target student groups for extra support as well as allocate personnel and resources where needed.
  • Student growth will not be calculated for the 2020-21 school year. Thus, for the time being, the dashboards contain only proficiency data.

School administrators will note that, in general, proficiency scores decreased from previous years across the board.  Administrators are encouraged to exercise caution as they analyze their school’s 2021 RISE data.  There are some mitigating factors that make the 2020-21 school year unique in nature and our proficiency scores, along with most LEAs across the state, reflect that.  There is still much to be done to mitigate unfinished learning in the coming year and the 2021 RISE scores are simply a snapshot of where we are in that effort.

School administrators may access RISE data at the following links:

  • District RISE Report – Explore > RISE > RISE Data Review and Analysis > 1 – District Report, RISE, 2014 – Present
  • School RISE Report – Explore > RISE > RISE Data Review and Analysis > 1 – School Report, RISE, 2014 – Present
  • RISE Student Level Data – Explore > RISE > RISE Data Review and Analysis > 1 – 2021 RISE Student Level Data > [Your School] 2021 RISE Student Level Data

Tableau dashboards containing official and final RISE data will be released this fall along with the Opportunity to Learn survey results that students took at the end of their RISE math test.  The OTL survey questions will help frame the relationship between the unique learning environments students and teachers experienced and student achievement on the RISE test and will help school administrators further address unfinished learning during the 2021-22 school year.  A copy of those OTL questions are included with this memo.

Published on

DATE:     
June 23, 2021

TO:  
Principals

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent

SUBJECT: 
Fee Waiver Materials 2021-22

The annual Certificate of Compliance report will be due October 31, 2021. October 1st of each year the Local Board Chair, District Superintendent, and each Principal will receive an email containing a personalized link to complete the Certificate of Compliance. The email will be titled Utah State Board of Education School Year 2021-2022 Certificate of Compliance. Each individual will have 30 days to complete the certificate. Click here to access a sample Certificate of Compliance.

All USBE School Fees Notices and School Fee Waiver Applications can be found by clicking HERE.

Forms can be found under Grades K-6 and Grades 7-12 in multiple languages. The Fee Waiver Application, for both elementary and secondary was revised 3/24/2021. Use the current form when having parents fill out the application.

Attention:  Students who previously showed verification of eligibility do not need to resubmit documentation. It may be necessary for the principal (or designee) to contact the previous school of transferring students for verification of fee waiver status. Kindergarten students coming into the school, new students to the District, and students with extenuating circumstances will still be required to submit documentation.

 

Published on

DATE:   
June 17, 2021

TO:  
Elementary Principals

FROM: 
Shelley Nordick, PhD, Teaching and Learning Administrator
Norman Emerson, Instructional Support Services Consultant

SUBJECT: 
2021-22 Elementary Area Library Media Specialist School Assignments

Please see document below for information and school assignments.

Published on

Due to the recent approval of changes made to BP178 – Purchasing Provisions, the Accounting and Purchasing Departments would like to announce the following changes. Effective July 1, 2021, the Purchasing Guidelines will have increased spending thresholds at each level, which will also include Pcard and eCheck purchases. Most notable in the changes is the increase of the individual procurement item threshold (single item) from $1,000 to $5,000. There will not be a distinction under the Level 1 purchase threshold of a single item purchased and a single procurement aggregate (multiple items purchased from one source at one time) purchase. They will both be $5,000 and will not require any additional quotes.

This also means that the maximum one-time charge that can be made using the district Pcard is $5,000. Because some administrators may not be comfortable with their employees having a higher limit on the Pcard, all cardholders will remain at current levels. A new application needs to be filled out with an acknowledgement for the higher dollar amount authorization must be signed by the cardholder and their supervisor. That form will be made available on the Purchasing website beginning July 1st. The Purchasing Card Manual has also been updated and must be read and understood before making any credit limit increases.

Attached is the updated and revised Purchasing Guidelines. Please don’t hesitate to contact the Purchasing Department with assistance with future purchases that will be affected by these changes.

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, June 24, 2021

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Acadience Reading Dashboard and Data Analysis Protocol

Acadience Reading assessment data have been added to administrator Tableau Viewer Accounts.  School administrators may view longitudinal data from 2015 through 2021 for the entire district as well as any elementary school. Dashboards include proficiency and growth (Pathways Achieved) data as well as grade level measure performance. In addition, for the 2020-21 school year, there is also a dashboard that analyzes performance based on form of instruction (in-person vs. online).

These dashboards may be found here:

  • Explore > Acadience Reading & Early Literacy > School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-2021 > Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-2021

School administrators may also view student and teacher level data for their school.

Student and teacher level dashboards may be found here:

  • Explore > Acadience Reading & Early Literacy > School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-2021 > [Your School Name] – 2021 Acadience Reading Student Level Data

To help you make sense of and analyze your Acadience Reading assessment data in terms of core instruction and tier II interventions, a data analysis protocol has been included with this memo.

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with questions about the dashboards or data analysis protocol.

Published on

Whereas previous to this announcement all Kajeet mobile hot spots were turned off for the summer, special accommodations have been worked out with Kajeet to turn on smaller numbers of devices that may be needed by select students for school work over summer break. If you are aware of such a need, please contact Mark Sowa (801-567-8392 or mark.sowa@jordandistrict.org) before the end of the June to make necessary arrangements. Otherwise, all existing Kajeet devices will remain off until the beginning of the next school year in August.

Published on

DATE:     
June 22, 2021

TO:  
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Administrator of Schools
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Behavior Survival Training for Administrators – MAKE UP SESSION

As you are aware, a required training was scheduled for all administrators that provided, within a restorative MTSS framework, background information pertaining to why problematic behaviors occur, basic information about behavioral resources that are available, an understanding of basic behavioral concepts, and strategies for effectively dealing with crisis behaviors.

Positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) are a cornerstone of any restorative MTSS culture. This training will provide the background and understanding to adequately and appropriately manage behavior issues in a supportive environment.

A make-up session has been scheduled for all who were unable to attend one of the June training sessions.

The make-up session will be:

Date:                     Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Time:                    8am-12pm
Location:             Jordan School District Offices, Room 129
                              7387 S Campus View Drive

Please reach out to Travis (travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org or 801.567.8439) with any questions.