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TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Katie Bastian, Director of Nutrition Services


Included is a new meal prices flyer for next school year. You are welcome to use this flyer to share the information with your school community. New meal prices have been updated in the registration materials and on the Nutrition Services Website.

TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems


Upcoming July Workshops! Please note the location change on July 28, 2026.

Drop in anytime between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to:
● Get answers to your specific Qmlativ questions.
● Walk through complex processes with hands-on help.
● Set up and customize your personal list screens.

No appointments are needed—just bring your laptop and stop by when it's convenient for you!

Upcoming Workshop Dates:
● Tuesday, June 30th: District Office, Rm 129
● Thursday, July 9th: ASB, PDC 101
● Monday, July 13th: District Office, Rm 129
● Monday, July 20th: District Office, Rm 129
● Tuesday, July 28th: District Office, Conference Rm 100 (Please note the location change)

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Brandon Larsen, Consultant of Teaching & Learning


Principals,

To support elementary instructional assistants who cover rotations, the Teaching and Learning Department will be offering professional development sessions specifically for those teaching art, music, dance, or drama.

Those assistants who attend and complete the training can apply these hours toward a salary lane change using the new Education Support Professional (ESP) form.

To help our trainers prepare and set up an accurate hours-tracking system, please submit your assistant's details via this Google Form by July 20, 2026.

Thank you for your help in coordinating this support for your staff. 

TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Assistant Director - Support Services, Information Systems


ParentSquare Pointers - End of Year Archive

📁 All ParentSquare posts for the 2025-26 school year will be archived on June 30th.

Why do we archive?
●Let’s start the 2026-27 school year with a clean slate.
●To avoid clutter and make it easier for parents to navigate through posts.

📁 What will be archived?
●All posts and any photos included in posts.
●Media and documents uploaded to the Photos, Videos, Files section.
●Posts sent to Groups.

What will NOT be archived?
●Post sent on or after June 30th.
●Scheduled posts set to go out after June 30th.
●Posts tied to events happening after June 30th.
●Groups and group members.●Direct Messages.

📦 Access to Archived Posts
●You will still be able to access archived posts through the Advanced Search.

Should you have any questions or need assistance accessing archived posts, contact the Information Systems help desk at (801) 567-8737, or ext. 88737.

TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning


Principals,
Please invite your newly hired K–6 teachers to an Open Up training on July 28, 2026. Open Up representatives will be on site to facilitate a demo lesson, introduce assessments, present centers as the practice component, and familiarize teachers with the curriculum.

K–3 Session
Date: July 28, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Room 101, ASB
Participants will receive a stipend for attending.

4–6 Session
Date: July 28, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Room 102, ASB
Participants will receive a stipend for attending.

Thank you for your support in ensuring our new teachers are informed and prepared.

DATE:
June 11, 2026

TO:
Principals Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent

SUBJECT:
Fee Waiver Materials 2026-27


Schools need to collect and maintain the following, which may be requested as part of the school fees monitoring visits:

  • Students given waivers
  • Students denied fee waivers
  • Students who worked in lieu of a waiver

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 April 2026. 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.

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Other Administrators

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


As announced in a previous JAM, a discipline training for new administrators and administrative interns will be held on July 28, 2026, at the ASB Presentation Room from 8 AM to noon. Approximately 30 seats are available for current administrators who would like a discipline refresher.

See the previous JAM for details on the training.

Sign up for the training here.

DATE:
Thursday, June 18, 2026

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
2025-26 Assessment Results Now in Tableau


All state assessment results for the 2025-26 school year are now available in Tableau.  Viewers will be able to see results for the district, schools and individual students.  Where relevant, viewers may also see results by classroom teachers (except with the ACT, Utah Aspire Plus, and the WIDA Access, which are not connected to classroom teachers).  The links below will help administrators navigate directly to the updated results for each assessment:

STAMP for DLI

Acadience Math

Acadience Reading

ACT 11th grade administration

6th grade CogAT

RISE (growth scores will be available in the fall)

Star Reading

Utah Aspire Plus (growth scores will be available in the fall)

WIDA Access (growth targets will be available in the fall)

AP exam results will be available in Tableau by the end of July (pending a release date from the College Board of July 10th).  The state will release DLM results for students with significant cognitive disabilities sometime in the fall.

For questions about these dashboards, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.  To request additional data or to see these results in another way, please contact the district’s data scientist, Brooke Anderson, in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

TO:
Elementary Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brent Burge, Assistant Director, Human Resources


With the implementation of the new Rotation Assistant (RA) position in elementary schools for the 2026-2027 school year, the following information outlines the requirements and the process to move or hire employees who are teaching a rotation for STEM, PE, Fine Arts, etc.

Requirements

    1. RAs must be paid for through a school budget only.  “0050” may not be used.
    2. The maximum number of hours per week is 25.
    3. The RA assignment may only be used for STEM, PE, and Fine Arts.  Media or other assistants do not qualify for the RA assignment.
    4. To qualify for an RA assignment, the employee must meet the following qualifications:
      1. Requires one (1) year of experience working in a classroom setting; AND
      2. Must be “highly qualified-HQ” which includes one of the following:
        1. An Associate’s degree; or
        2. 48 semester hours from an accredited college; or
        3. Passed the ParaPro assessment ($80); or
        4. Project Para Title I ($15)

For information about becoming highly qualified, click here.

5. RAs are hired at lane three (3) unless they are a current or former licensed teacher.  The non-licensed RA may be eligible to advance to lane four (4) upon completion of one year as an RA and upon completion of a training program provided by Teaching and Learning.  Upon completion of the requirements, submit the Rotation Assistant salary change form to Teaching and Learning.

Procedures

  1. For current classroom assistants who taught a rotation in 2025-26, the school must submit a change form in Qmlativ to modify the employee(s) title, budget, FTE, etc.  You must include the subject they are teaching in the notes.  These employees will be allowed to continue, even if they do not meet the HQ status.
  2. If you are interested in moving a current part-time employee at your school into an RA position, you must first ensure they meet the HQ requirements.  The school will need to submit a change form in Qmlativ. Please note: If the employee does not meet the HQ standard, the employee will not be eligible to be hired, and the change form will be denied.
  3. To hire someone from outside your school into an available position for which they qualify, the school will need to submit a requisition in Frontline to post.  Please use the Rotation Assistant template.   The school will need to conduct interviews and references.  Before a hire sheet is submitted in Frontline, you must verify that they meet the HQ requirements.

If you have any questions on the process, please contact Human Resources.  For questions about the training, please contact Teaching and Learning.

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Instructional Coaches
Kindergarten Teachers

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Michelle Lovell, Literacy Consultant
Mandy Thurman, Literacy Consultant


The following letter, as well as the attached Planet Kindergarten Newsletter, will be sent to all kindergarten teachers this week. Please celebrate them with us.

Dear (Kindergarten Teacher),

As a literacy team, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your incredible work this year. We recognize that it was a year filled with new challenges: quarterly goals, new curriculum, learning Mastery Connect, and new voluntary professional development opportunities. You not only stepped up to the plate, but you truly hit it out of the park!

Hundreds of teachers and coaches attended each session of the Planet Kindergarten PDs. We know this required sacrifice of your time and energy, but your extra effort in Tier 1 instruction, small groups, and data tracking has made a real difference. Thanks to your dedication, we have more proficient kindergartners in literacy skills moving on to first grade than ever before!

Please know how grateful we are for everything you’ve done. As you begin planning for next year, don’t hesitate to reach out for any support you need.

If you'd like a refresher of Letter Launch or dive deeper with the Letter Launch Workshop, we'd love to see you there.

Wishing you a wonderful summer filled with well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Thank you for changing the lives of students in Jordan District!

DATE:
June 8, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:
2026-27 Monthly Drill Schedule


This schedule is designed so that our district will remain in compliance with state regulations.  The design is set up so the district can help prepare and support each of your schools throughout the year to better implement these drills.  This schedule is to be followed throughout the district.

Secondary schools are required FOUR (4) evacuations a year.  You may do more if desired.

Elementary schools are required to conduct an evacuation EVERY OTHER MONTH.  These evacuations can follow any drill and DO NOT have to be in conjunction with a fire drill.  Due to this regulation and the mandated fire drill after winter break, an evacuation drill will need to be conducted in both December and January in order to remain in compliance.  This only applies to elementary schools.

Three virtual drill preparation trainings will be held back-to-back on the first Wednesday of each month at 2:40, 3:10 PM, and again at 3:30 PM.  The ZOOM LINK will remain the same for each session throughout the year.  School Safety Specialists are expected to attend.  Other administrators or interested employees are always welcome as well.

MONTH DRILL TYPE NOTES
August Fire First 10 days of school
September Secure
October Lockdown Evacuation required for elementary schools
November Shelter
December Hold Evacuation required for elementary schools
January Fire First 10 days of school after winter break
February Secure
March Lockdown Evacuation required for elementary schools
April Earthquake Great Shakeout. Evacuation is optional
May Drill of Choice Choose whichever drill is appropriate for your school

If there are any questions, concerns, or conflicts, please contact the District Safety Coordinator Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623.

DATE:
June 8, 2026

TO:
Principals

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

SUBJECT:
School Safety Specialist List Update/Confirmation


Beginning the 2026-2027 school year, the School Safety Specialist must be an administrator. The School Safety Specialist also attends, completes, and participates in the following:

  • All trainings required by USBE for School Safety Specialists (dates and times will be shared by USBE later this summer)
  • Monthly safety/SRP trainings (held on the first Wednesday of each month) provided by the District’s School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz (specific dates and times will be shared in an upcoming JAM).
  • SRO trainings are held annually and each quarter (a future JAM will provide dates, times, and locations).
  • Standard Response Protocols, Incident Command, and other duties as outlined here.

Please complete the spreadsheet linked below for the 2026-2027 school year on or before Friday, August 14, 2026. The information entered needs to be accurate for them to receive communications from the District and the USBE, as well as getting enrolled in the USBE Canvas course.

2026-2027 School-Based Safety Specialists

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to:

Matt Alvernaz
School Safety Coordinator
Matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org
(801)567-8623

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Odette Desmarais, Administrator of Schools
Meredith Doleac, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools


The Board of Education has approved an allocation of 16 days of substitute support (per school, per year) to provide classroom coverage when part-time assistants, who are designated as rotation assistants, are absent.

Human Resources will provide additional information and instructions regarding the process for requesting these substitutes at a later date.

TO:
All Administrators and All Financial Administrative Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Dan Ellis, Director of Accounting
Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services


For fiscal year 2027 the insurance composite rate will be increasing to $17,652 annually or $1,471 per month. This rate represents the District’s portion of medical and life insurance premiums for an individual employee. Please ensure you are using this amount when forecasting personnel budget costs for next year.

Additionally, for fiscal year 2027 the industrial insurance rate will be increasing to 0.2%.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Dan Ellis at (801) 567-8389.

Thank you.

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
David Bowman Assistant Director of Systems and Security


The district-wide student YouTube block will be put in place, discontinuing direct student access to YouTube from their Chromebooks beginning August 18, 2026. This change applies only to student accounts.

As announced in the November Principal Meeting, principals continue to have the option to block students from accessing YouTube sooner. If you would like to have YouTube disabled before August 18th, please contact David Bowman in Information Systems.

Teachers will continue to have access to YouTube and may use instructional video content with students through MyVideoSpot. MyVideoSpot allows teachers to import videos from YouTube and other sources, create custom video links, remove advertisements, and select specific start and end points for classroom use. These videos can then be easily shared with students through Canvas, Nearpod, Google Slides, and other instructional tools.

Training and support resources are available through Digital Teaching and Learning.

To access additional training information, please see the JAM below:

https://jam.jordandistrict.org/2025/11/20/myvideospot-for-student-youtube-access/

DATE:
June 5, 2026

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Administrator of Digital Teaching & Learning

SUBJECT:
Fall 2026 Access Your Mentor List & Mentor Training Registration by Admin Invite


FALL Mentor List Updates and Mentor Contract
As the year wraps up, we know you may want to begin preparing your school’s mentor assignments for next year. To access your school’s mentor spreadsheet, please go to the Mentor Hub. If you have issues opening your list, please reach out to Amy Wood at amy.wood@jordandistrict.org

The mentor contract is available for you to print for your educators to sign. Administrators need to keep these contracts on file for up to three years for evidence of mentoring during an educators provisional time. Access the mentor contract attached in the memo.

FALL Mentor Training: Enrollment Now Open
FALL Mentor Training will be available online via Canvas from August 3 to September 7 at midnight. This training is specifically for new mentors recommended by their administrators.

Stipend: Teachers will receive a $150 stipend upon successful completion of the Canvas course.

Important Requirements
Before submitting the Google Form for a potential mentor, please confirm:
• The mentor has not previously completed this training.
• The mentor has agreed to participate and complete the requirements.

Registration Details
Please complete the Google Form in the attached memo for each mentor you wish to enroll.
• Availability: Seats are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Deadline: This form will close on August 7 at 3:00 PM.

DATE:
June 4, 2026 

TO:
All Principals and Administrative Assistants 

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources  

SUBJECT:
Summer Hours for School Personnel


The District Administration appreciates and values the relationships you have established  with the patrons in your communities and we believe it is critical that school personnel remain  accessible to the public throughout the year. We also understand that elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools may be without or with fewer students during the months of  June, July, and August. 

Please review the schedule of Summer Hours for School Personnel below, with all  designated summer school personnel at your location. Extended school office/business hours are acceptable; however, other adjusted schedules are NOT acceptable because they limit public access to school personnel. 

If the principal is the only staff member in the building, please place a sign on the door with a telephone number to reach someone inside the building who can unlock the door. If no one is in the building on a particular day, please inform your Administrator of Schools and post a sign on the door indicating the next time the office will be open. 

Elementary Schools
Administrative Assistant 10-month Contract
Principal/Asst. Principal 12-month Contract
Office Hours 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., weekdays (except holidays),  June and August 

Middle Schools
Administrative Assistant 12-month Contract (Funding for vacation/office coverage is allotted)
Principal/Asst. Principal 12-month Contract
Office Hours 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., weekdays, except holidays,  June, July, and August 

High Schools
Administrative Assistant, Registrar – 12 month Contracts  (Funding for vacation/office coverage is allotted)
Attendance, Clerk & Counseling Assistants – 10 month Contracts
Principal/Asst. Principal 12-month Contract
Office Hours 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., weekdays, except holidays,  June, July, and August 

Thank you for your assistance with this important matter.

DATE:
June 4, 2026

TO:
School Principals
Directors

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
April Gaydosh, Administrator, Human Resources
Brent Burge, Associate Director, Human Resources

SUBJECT:
Shift Differential Update


As part of JESPA negotiations for the 2026-2027 contract year, the shift differential was increased effective July 1, 2026 as follows:

Swing Shift – The employee’s shift must begin between 12:00 p.m. (noon) and 10:00 p.m.  The employee must work a full eight hours. The additional rate of pay is $0.65 per hour.

Graveyard Shift – The employee’s shift must begin between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.  The employee must work a full eight hours.  The additional rate of pay is $1.30 per hour. 

Only ESP, benefit-eligible employees are eligible for shift differential.  Please follow the current process to submit for shift differential pay.