Skip to content

Author: npage

Published on

Please use this link to learn how our department is helping students with our Student Outreach Specialists in our Winter newsletter. Check out our new Parent and Outreach Bulletin Board (translated version coming soon). Please take a moment to fill out this form and share the activities in your school or classrooms that are occurring in the month of February. We would love to visit, listen, and celebrate with you! If you are not even sure where to start, you can include that in the form and we can come present virtually to your school.

Published on

The mileage reimbursement rate is based upon the IRS rate. Effective January 1, 2021, the reimbursement rate is $0.56 per mile. Please use the attached form when submitting for mileage reimbursement. All 2020 mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted as soon as possible. Click HERE to access the mileage form online.

Published on

Schools are encouraged to participate in this unique opportunity to participate in the Instructional Leadership Conference. This year’s conference will be held virtually and will include keynote speakers Doug Fisher, Anthony Muhammad and Gerry Brooks, along with many other well-known and motivating speakers. Cost for the conference is $150/person or $1,500 for all school faculty members. The conference platform will be open and participants will have access to all speakers from March 25 - April 3. This provides a unique opportunity to join a conference in creative ways anytime during the week.

  • Bring staff together and listen to one of the speakers as a group.
  • Invite grade levels or departments to watch a speaker together.
  • Invite teachers to watch a specific speaker and meet together to discuss. 
  • Invite teachers to watch speakers of their choice. 

This conference will be well worth the cost, even if you’re not able to watch all speakers. See the attached brochure for session and registration information.

Published on

This meeting will follow the format of the past meetings. The agenda and meeting links will be sent out by Monday, February 1st. The meeting will start at 8:00 a.m. and a beverage service will be available beginning at 7:30 a.m.

At this meeting we are going to have Natalie Gordon, from the State Land Trust Office, come and do training with all of you on how to make a concise Land Trust Plan. The plan needs to be Student Centered, Measurable, and Academic. She's going to explain what needs to go into the different parts of the plan; Goal, Measurements, and Action Plan Steps. She will also be available to answer questions at the end.

Looking forward, the website is still under construction and it will come back up later than expected. When it comes back up the 2019-20 Final Reports will need to be completed as well as the 2021-22 plan.

Published on

Please see the updated data criteria for 6th grade reading placement.  If there are any concerns or if teachers would like to review the 6th grade data prior to placement please contact

Mandy Thurman by January 27th. mandy.thurman@jordandistrict.org, 801-567-8119

Reading Placement Rubric - Revised 1/14/21
Current (20-21 Students) 

6th Grade Students going into 7th Grade

CATEGORY Highly Proficient Proficient Approaching Proficient Below Proficient
District Benchmark (Most Recent) 16-30 12-15 8-11 0-7
HMH RI

Lexile Score

 1010+ 910-1009 690-909 100-689
CogAt Verbal Stanine 7+

PR: 77+

 Stanine 5-6

PR: 43-76

 Stanine 4

PR: 25-42

 Stanine 1-3

PR: 1-24

Students with scores ‘Proficient or higher in at least two categories may take an elective rather than a Reading Course for the upcoming school year.

Published on

The Loaner Chromebook Program has received additional computers that are now available for loan to schools. To help ensure that all resources are used, loan requirements are being adjusted. If you are in need of Chromebook loans while waiting for an existing order to be fulfilled, or for any other reason, please contact Mark Sowa. Keep in mind, these will still be loaner machines that will need to be returned in due time.

Similarly, because the Loaner Kajeet Program has many devices still available, loan requirements have been adjusted. If a student has Internet access concerns (such as slow Internet, or too many people in the home trying to share limited bandwidth, or even student travel that would necessitate mobile Internet access), these could be solved with an additional point of Internet access. If you believe any of your students could benefit from having  Kajeet devices at no cost to the school or students, please contact Mark Sowa to make arrangements for a loan.

Mark can be reached at mark.sowa@jordandistrict.org, or at 801-567-8392.

Published on

Parent-Teacher Conferences are fast approaching, and many of you will find your school in need of one or more interpreters in order to serve the needs of your parents. Mirsa Joosten is happy to find an interpreter in each language you need, but this can be extremely difficult when there is not sufficient time for her to make arrangements. The virtual format can make finding interpreters even more difficult. For these reasons, we ask you to please request your interpreter right away by completing the Interpreting and Translation Services Request Form available on the Equity and Compliance webpage, if you have not already done so.

Published on

Elementary and Middle School Principals:

All 2021-22 Safe Routes Utah Plans for elementary and middle schools are DUE TO RISK MANAGEMENT AT AUXILIARY SERVICES BY FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2021.

Please refer to the November 19, 2020 JAM for the JSD Safe Routes to School Plan Form 2021-22, Municipal Representatives Contact Info. and the municipal meeting dates for final plan review.

JAM link: https://jam.jordandistrict.org/2020/11/19/2021-22-safe-routes-utah-plan-form/

Published on

DATE: 
January 5, 2021

TO:
All Principals

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

SUBJECT:
Student Enrollment for December 2020

Please see attached memo.

Published on

The following are new administrative assignments:

  • New Assignments effective Jan. 15, 2021:
    • April Gaydosh, principal at Westvale Elementary appointed Elementary School Level Administrator of Schools replacing Doree Strauss who retired.
    • Odette Desmarais, assistant principal at Foothills appointed principal at Westvale Elementary and her replacement is to be determined.
  • New Assignments effective July 1, 2021:
    • Yajaira Martinez, assistant principal at Bluffdale and Terra Linda Elementary appointed principal at Terra Linda Elementary replacing Karen Gorringe who is retiring and her replacement is to be determined.

Published on

Attention JSD Educators:

The District will open a new elementary school in South Jordan and a Virtual school at each level beginning in August, 2021.  Applications are now being accepted. For information regarding positions available in Phase A, a position advertising schedule, position descriptions and instructions on how to apply, visit the JSD Job Postings at the New Schools page.

Additional compensated work for certain positions may be required prior to the beginning of the contract year.

JSD educators interested in applying for the positions listed above ​must submit ​an application​ using Skyward "Employee Access".  Please see the attached tutorial for application instructions.  External applications for licensed positions will be accepted after JSD educators have been give first consideration.

For assistance in accessing Skyward Employee Access, please contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.  For questions regarding positions at each school, please contact the appropriate principal.

Published on

The next Assistant Principal meetings will be held on February 9 (8:00-10:30am) and February 11 (1:00-3:30pm), March 18 (1:00-3:30pm) and March 23 (8:00-10:30am), May 6 (1:00-3:30pm) and May 11 (8:00-10:30am). All meetings will be held in-person at the JATC-S. As a reminder you only need to attend one of the sessions offered per month. Both sessions will provide the same information. To sign up please CLICK HERE and it will take you to the Google Doc. If you have any questions please call Nadine Page at 801.567.8182 (x88182). Thank you!

Published on

Put these items on your calendars!

August 4, 2021 - Annual Administrative Conference

August 9, 2021 - 1st contract day for teachers. No meetings should be scheduled

August 10, 2021 - District directed professional development day

Watch for more information to come!

Published on

Jordan Education Foundation recognizes and honors superior teachers with a track record of improving student achievement, using innovative instructional strategies and making a difference in the lives of their students. These teachers are among a select few highlighted as Outstanding Educators who are making a difference in the classroom. The annual JEF Outstanding Educators Awards publicly honor and recognize educators who raise the bar of their profession.

2020 has certainly brought its share of challenges. We recognize with so many unique educational & life situations, a 2021 JEF Outstanding Educator may look much different as compared to previous years. 

Please reference the new 2021 application questions as a guideline for your 2020-21 outstanding educator nomination from your school, not the rubric from previous years. Recipients can be nominated by a principal, school administrators and/or colleagues. But all nominations must be approved by the school principal.

PLEASE VISIT WWW.JORDANEDUCATIONFOUNDATION.ORG for more information and to nominate a teacher.

Published on

DATE:   
January 5, 2021

TO:   
Secondary School Principals
Secondary School Financial Secretaries

FROM: 
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Daniel Ellis, Director of Accounting, Budgets and Audits
Jason Mott, Accountant/Internal Auditor

SUBJECT:   
School Bank Account Balances for December 31, 2020

Please send the following information for each bank account balance as of December 31, 2020 to Accounting by Friday, January 22, 2021. If you have multiple bank accounts, please list each account separately.

School Name
Name of Bank
Type of Account (checking, savings, money market)
Account Balance

The balance requested is the balance from your December bank statements, not Skyward. This information is required annually and will be used to complete reporting requirements for Utah Money Management Council.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Jason Mott at (801)567-8388.

Thank you.

Cc:
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools

Published on

DATE:   
January 5, 2021

TO:  
Secondary School Principals
Secondary School Financial Secretaries

FROM: 
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Daniel Ellis, Director of Accounting and Audits
Jason Mott, Accountant / Internal Auditor

SUBJECT:
Quarterly School Financial Report for October, November, and December 2020

Each school is asked to report the quarter end account balance and transaction detail with the Apple Volume Purchase Program and return with your bank reconciliation. If your school has no Apple account, please so indicate and return.

Please include the account balance with Apple on the reconciliation sign off form and print a report or screen shot(s) of the balances and quarterly transactions from Apple’s website. If you need assistance, please contact your Curriculum Technology Specialist – Bonnie, Deanna, Nancy, Ross, and Beth.

Please photocopy the selected elements and send to Accounting by Friday, January 22, 2021.

Please include:

  • The signed attached memo to Accounting
  • A copy of your October, November, and December 2020 Reconciliation Worksheets
  • A copy of your October, November, and December 2020 Bank Statements
  • A copy of your October, November, and December 2020 Skyward Balance Sheets
  • A copy of your October, November, and December 2020 Outstanding Check Reports

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Jason Mott at (801)567-8388.

Thank you.

Cc:
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools

Published on

Below is information to clarify how full evaluations will be completed. Remember that only provisional teachers will complete a full evaluation.

  • In Class Teacher (In the Building)
    • Two classroom observations
    • No interview
  • Online Teacher
    • Complete teacher specialist evaluation on JPLS
    • Upload evidence into JPLS
    • Include at least 2 video clips as part of evidence
  • Psychologists, Counselors
    • Complete on JPLS
    • Upload evidence into JPLS

Administrators may sign up for a virtual training to help refresh the features of the Perform evaluation system. The trainings will last up to two hours depending on need. These trainings will begin next week. To register search “Administrator Perform Refresher” in JPLS. A Zoom link will be sent out to participants before the training.

Administrators may use the bubble sheet to complete observations and enter the information into Perform. If you need help entering the data, please contact the JES office for assistance.

Teachers who will be evaluated using the Perform system now have access to sign up for the Canvas training through JPLS. Teachers who will be evaluated using the JPLS system (teacher specialists) do not need to complete the training as the training focuses on the in-class observations. Have teachers search “UETS-based JPAS Online Training 2020-2021” in JPLS to register.

Published on

Dear Principals:

As some registration dates for Middle Schools have shifted to earlier in the year, it is important that we seek to accommodate their efforts. As a result, we ask that the HMH RI (formerly SRI) and Reading Benchmark 1 be administered no later than Jan 15 where possible. We realize this is a week earlier than advised in the Testing Bulletin, and appreciate your flexibility and commitment to helping our team members across the district succeed.

As a reference, the following Rubric will be used for providing reading data to Middle Schools for the transition from 6th to 7th Grade.

Thank you for all of your hard work.

Reading Placement Rubric
Current (20-21 Students)

6th Grade Students going into 7th Grade

CATEGORY Highly Proficient Proficient Approaching Proficient Below Proficient
District Benchmark (Most Recent)

Out of 30

 29-30 24-28 17-23 0-16
HMH RI 

Lexile Score

 1041+ 955-1040 755-954 100-754
CogAt Verbal Stanine 7+

PR: 77+ 

 Stanine 5-6

PR: 43-76

 Stanine 4

PR: 25-42

 Stanine 1-3

PR: 1-24