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Category: Elementary Action Required

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, February 6, 2025

TO: 
All Elementary and Middle School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
RISE ELA and Math Cluster Questions

Principals are encouraged to share the following information with their RISE-tested ELA and math teachers.

Beginning with the 2025 summative assessments, RISE ELA and math question items will be presented to students in a cluster format, similar to the RISE Science assessment. Cluster questions will appear in summative assessments for all grade levels in both content areas. Beginning, February 18th, cluster questions will also be available on the RISE Benchmarks for both ELA and math.

For RISE ELA, students will be presented with reading passages and will be required to answer several sections or clusters of questions that are both related to the passages and to each other. For example, a student will be asked to identify a main idea from the story in one question. Then another question will ask students to select sentences from the passage that support their answer to the first question. In addition, students will be presented with a variety of question types, including multiple choice, multi-selection, sentence selections, drop-down menus, tables, timelines, etc.

Similarly for RISE math, students will be presented with a math task accompanied by several sections or clusters of questions. Question items may be multiple choice, multi-select, drop-down menus, inputting numbers or equations, drag and drop, graphing/plotting, etc.

For a sample of how question items will work, please refer to the Training Tests on the RISE Portal. Please see these step-by-step instructions for accessing the Training Tests.

Recommended next steps to prepare teachers and students for these format changes:

  • Communicate these changes to your teachers as soon as possible. Additional communications will be sent via JEM and directly to RISE-tested teachers.
  • Encourage teachers to view sample items on the Training Tests in the RISE Portal.
  • Encourage teachers to administer the Training Test to students before summative testing day.
  • Encourage teachers to further prepare students for RISE summative testing by administering RISE Benchmarks (see this video for how to administer a RISE benchmark). The benchmarks are aligned to the same standards and presented at the same rigor level as the summative assessments but are shorter. Teachers may preview benchmarks from the RISE Benchmark Previewing Module on the RISE Portal and use the RISE reporting suite to view student responses and aggregate results. The RISE Benchmarks are a great way to assess both student learning and help them learn how to adequately answer questions presented in a cluster format.

For questions about the RISE assessment, please contact Ben Jameson or Kassidy Towery in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE: 
January 29, 2024

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT: 
Monthly Drill Preparation (SECURE)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on February 5th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering SECURE. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrators are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested.

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding the SECURE response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 8-11. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over ZOOM so please join using this link.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources

Following the release of the 2025-26 FTE V2.0 enrollment projections, the HR Department will provide training for all principals who may need to complete a Reduction in Staff (RIS).

See the document below for all the details and the LINK to sign up for the training.

 

Published on

DATE:  
January 23, 2025

TO:  
Elementary Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants

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

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 now. 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 (ParentSquare, social media, etc.).
  4. NOTE: New Student Online Enrollment (NSOE) for the upcoming 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 pre-transfers begin in December, 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.
  7. Remember that the guardian of a kindergarten student has 30 days to provide a birth certificate and that these 30 days begin on the first day of school. Kindergarten applications received now can be activated for next year provided the guardian is notified of the birth certificate timetable and the school follows up in the fall.

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.

Published on

TO:
All District Office Departments and Special Programs

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning

The purpose of the Curriculum Advisory Committee is to provide transparency and understanding in reviewing current primary instructional materials and to provide feedback to the Board in anticipation of adopting new primary instructional materials. See DE501

The membership of this committee is determined by policy and includes parents, teachers, and administrators. The current committee is planning to meet in February 2025. 

This is a reminder to all departments that any curricular materials that may be considered for use districtwide as primary instructional materials (except as listed below) should be presented to the committee for initial review before an RFP or an adoption by the Jordan Board of Education. This includes software programs for assessment and instruction used districtwide by students, e.g. Star Reading; Reading Horizons, Canvas; Mastery Connect.  

Primary Instructional Materials are defined in policy as: learning materials that a local school board adopts and approves for use districtwide for student instruction and assessment. Primary instructional materials do not include learning materials used to teach specific electives, concurrent enrollment, advanced placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Language Immersion (DLI), and technical education (CTE) courses.

Please contact Carolyn Gough if you have questions about curriculum adoption or if your department is contemplating an adoption within the 2025-2026 school year. 

 

Published on

DATE:    
January 16, 2025

TO:  
Principals
Special Education Staff

FROM:  
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Kristin Norris, Teacher Specialist-SLP/A, ESY Coordinator

SUBJECT:  
Extended School Year (ESY) Qualification Procedures and Timelines
Attached: ESY Eligibility Facts, Tips and Documentation

IDEA directs us to consider all students for Extended School Year (ESY) services. However, ESY services should only be provided if the IEP team determines that it is necessary for the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).

Please see the attached memo and information.

 

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, January 9, 2025

TO:  
All School Administrators

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

SUBJECT: 
Navigating Parental Exclusion Requests with the WIDA Access

The annual administration of the WIDA Access is mandated by the federal government, which uses this assessment to hold schools accountable for providing an equitable education for multi-language learners. This accountability stems from the 1974 Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols where a California school district was sued because it was not providing language services to many of its ML students. This Supreme Court case essentially preserves a student’s civil right to an equitable education and the federal government has chosen to use the WIDA Access as a way to hold school districts accountable for providing an equitable education to English learners.

The WIDA Access is federally mandated, which means that parents cannot opt their students out of taking the test. Because of the part this assessment plays in a student’s educational rights, parents do not have the power to revoke a student’s civil right to take the WIDA Access. Thus, the state was required to remove the WIDA Access from the parental exclusion form a few years ago.

So, what happens when a parent insists that their child not take the WIDA Access? USBE has provided the following guidance:

“Parents/guardians can elect to exclude students out of language services, but they cannot exclude students from WIDA ACCESS. LEAs must provide the student with the opportunity to test. LEAs should document everything if parents/guardians refuse to allow their student to test. Parents/guardians always have the ultimate right, but LEAs cannot provide parents/guardians a testing exclusion form to sign in order to opt the student out of testing. The only way a student can be deemed proficient and be reclassified as a former EL is by taking ACCESS.”

The following are the recommended procedures to follow when a parent/guardian wants to opt their student out of the WIDA Access:

  • The school administration should discuss any or all of the attached talking points with the student’s parent.
  • If the parent still insists that their child not participate in the WIDA Access, then the school should document the parent’s refusal using their school opt out log already available to school test coordinators to note the parental exclusion.
  • Schools may accept a parental exclusion in writing, but they cannot provide an opt out form to exclude students from the WIDA Access.

Please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability with any questions or concerns regarding these procedures.

Published on

DATE:     
January 9, 2025

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals
Panorama Survey Coordinators

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

SUBJECT:  
Winter Panorama Student Feedback Surveys

The winter Panorama Student Feedback Survey window is January 22, 2025 through February 21, 2025.

Panorama (Early Warning System) and social-emotional surveys may only be administered to students whose parents have opted-in. Parents are asked to opt-in to the student feedback survey during the registration process. When the online registration process closes on Oct. 1 schools will manually enter the opt-in information into Skyward. Student opt-in lists have been provided to Panorama already and a mid-window upload of students will also occur.

The following information is provided to inform and assist you as you administer student feedback surveys:

  • The list of students who may take the survey (opted-in) will be provided to Panorama prior to the administration of the survey by Student Services. Only opted-in students will be able to log in and take the survey.
  • Schools should print out the list of students who have opted-in and provide teachers with the list of students in their classes that have opted-in. The registration opt-in information can be accessed through Skyward using this data mining report.
  • Using the list provided to them by the main office, teachers will be able to manage the administration of the survey. Using the opt-in list, teachers will be able to identify why students may not be able to log in and take the survey.
  • If there are students wishing to take the survey and they are on the opted-in list, but are having log-in issues – the school survey coordinator should contact Panorama directly for assistance at support+utahjordan@panoramaed.com. Student Services does not have the ability to manage access to surveys.
  • Students may choose to not take the survey even though their parents have opted them into the survey. Student feedback surveys administered through Panorama are never required and are always optional.
  • Parents/Guardians should always be informed/notified regarding the administration of any survey.

Survey coordinators and administrators should view the Administering Panorama Survey presentation for information, instructions, and guidance regarding the student feedback surveys. Other Panorama information may be found on the Student Serves website here.

Other survey information including the Spring survey window may be found here.

Should you have any questions please reach out to Travis Hamblin (travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org) or Michelle Reyes (michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org).

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, January 9, 2025

TO:  
All School Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
Stakeholder Input Survey Effectiveness Rating Reports

2024-25 Stakeholder Input Survey results may be found in Tableau here or by navigating to the Explore menu in your Tableau account: Explore>Surveys>Stakeholder Input Survey.

As a reminder, 53G-11-506 requires that stakeholder input be included as a component of educator evaluation. For this purpose, educator effectiveness ratings have been calculated for each school, principal, assistant principal, classroom teacher, and licensed support professional for whom at least 10 parents or students responded in the Stakeholder Input Survey. Effectiveness ratings were not calculated for personnel with less than 10 survey respondents. Educators have the option to include their effectiveness rating report in their JPAS portfolio.

Effectiveness rating reports may be accessed by clicking on the applicable school below (see next page). Only school principals have access to the effectiveness rating reports, but they may share access with other school administrators as they deem necessary. A hard copy of the reports addressed to principals will be sent via district mail and should arrive within a day or two of the date of this memo. These hard copy reports should be distributed to all personnel.

It is recommended that school administrators meet with each educator and go over their effectiveness rating report as well as the survey response data for that educator available in Tableau:

For classroom teachers:

For licensed support staff:

For questions about the Stakeholder Input Survey or the effectiveness rating reports, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

(See the memo below which has the links provided on page 2)

Published on

DATE:      
January 9, 2025

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:   
School Safety and Support Grant

On January 6, 2025 USBE sent out a notification regarding the availability of the 2025 School Safety and Support Grant. This is grant is not completed by each school and you should disregard the School Safety Support Grant email from USBE. This grant will be completed at the district level for all schools according to the safety needs assessments that were conducted at each school. Individual schools do not apply for this grant.

Published on

DATE:     
December 19, 2024

TO:     
Principals
School Safety Administrators
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:  
January Drill Preparation (Fire)

*DRILL MUST BE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE FIRST 10 DAYS AFTER BREAK*

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on January 8th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering FIRE. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrations are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested. Most of you will have likely already completed this drill prior to the training so it will be more of a debrief and clarification as needed.

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding the FIRE response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 32-33. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over Zoom so please join using this link.

Published on

DATE:     
December 19, 2024

TO:   
Elementary Principals
Middle School Principals

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

SUBJECT:  
Annual Safe Routes to School Updates

Last year, Safe Routes Utah created a new website https://saferoutes.utah.gov/school-mapping/. If any schools need help getting log in information, contact Kristen Hoschouer at khoschouer@utah.gov to request what you need. If there is a new contact at your school, then explain that in the email so it can be updated on their end.

All maps will need to be approved by the district on the new site after submission by the school. The system is still undergoing statewide issues on their end so the maps may or may not reflect what you have submitted. Consider saving a screenshot of your map for your record.

The mapping process on the site has been updated as well. Instructions given to us state that schools should:

  1. Identify your Safe Routes Committee
  2. Create/update your Safe Routes Map and submit for district approval
  3. Create/update your Safe Routes plan report

All of this information, including guides and video tutorials, can be found on the new state website as you scroll down.

Separately, the District Safe Routes to School (SRTS) forms from last year have been updated and placed in a shared drive by the corresponding city (below). Follow the appropriate link below and find your school. You will see last year’s information entered by the school still on it for reference and convenience. Make updates to the form as needed and complete the “SURVEY” indicating it is done.

Once they have all been completed, these same forms will be shared with city governments for review and response. With it being shared, you will be able to see the city’s responses to better prepare for our meetings (DATES TBD). The due date for completion is Wednesday, February 19, 2025 but the sooner the better. If you have any questions please contact the district School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org

West Jordan Schools    South Jordan Schools

Herriman Schools       Riverton Schools

Bluffdale Schools

Published on

TO: 
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Brandee Bergum, Secondary Language Arts Consultant

As we begin to prepare for the 2025-26 school year, we would like to collect our mid-year 6th grade Acadience and Star Reading 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 Star Reading in December, with the deadline being Friday Jan. 10, 2025. The mid-year testing window for Star Reading opened December 2, 2024. 

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. 

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, December 19, 2024

TO:
All School Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

SUBJECT:
WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Test Administration Training for Schools

School administrators are asked to pass this information on to anyone who will be proctoring or coordinating the WIDA Access testing in your school this year.

As part of a federal requirement and the state’s accountability system, districts are required to administer the WIDA Access 2.0 annually to all ML students who have earned a Language Proficiency Level (LPL) of less than 4.2 and a Speaking score of less than 3.5. The 2024-25 WIDA test administration window begins on January 7 and ends on March 7, 2025.

All school personnel who will assist with WIDA Access test administration are asked to attend a mandatory test administration training. Participants may choose to attend any one of six training sessions, including one online training. Training participants will need to bring a device. Please note that if schools choose to send a classroom teacher, principals will need to cover the cost of the substitute teacher. Test pool hours may also be used for this.

Those who are to be trained to administer the WIDA should register in Canvas Catalog so that we may create their accounts in the testing and training platforms prior to their selected training date. Please see the dates and times in the attached memo.

Please contact Ben Jameson or JoLynn Snelgrove in Assessment, Research & Accountability with questions about the WIDA Access test administration and training.

Published on

We have adopted Open Up Resources K-5 Math as our new math curriculum for the 2025-26 school year.

We are kicking off our new K-5 math adoption of Open Up K-5 Resources with a district-wide Professional Development series. All K-5 and special education teachers will engage in 2 full professional learning days with an optional planning day.

Teachers will receive TWO comprehensive professional learning sessions, delving into effective routines, math practices, and student discourse on Day One and focusing on scaffolding, engagement, and rigor on Day Two. These sessions offer evidence-based strategies to enrich your student-centered learning environment and refine lesson structures.

Additionally, there is an opportunity to sign up for an optional 3rd full day of team-based planning to integrate your new insights into the curriculum, ensuring a dynamic and inclusive classroom experience.

See the attached flyer for more detailed information with a link at the bottom to sign up for training.

Published on

DATE: 
Thursday, December 12, 2024

TO: 
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, Research and Accountability
Brandee Bergum, Secondary Language Arts Consultant

SUBJECT: 
Star Reading Account Logins

The Star Reading assessment, replacing the retired Growth Measure, is now up and running. The middle-of-year assessment window opened on December 2nd and will close on February 14, 2025. This assessment is optional for students. However, Star Reading is a required assessment for 6th grade students in the middle-of-year window as the results are used with other assessment results to determine 7th grade reading placement. 6th grade testing should be completed no later than January 10, 2025.

Teachers and students may login to Star Reading using their Google waffle. They should look for this Renaissance tile (see the memo below for a picture of the Renaissance tile).

School administrators and other non-teaching staff may login here. For the first time logging in, users will enter the following Renaissance ID: 252187-11TN. The username is the firstname.lastname part of district email addresses. Then users will need to go through the Forgot Password procedure to set up a new password. After the first time logging in, return users will only need to enter their firstname.lastname and their password to login.

For more information on the Star Reading assessment, take a look at the Star Reading Quick Start Guide.

For any other questions about Star Reading, please contact Kassidy Towery in Assessment, Research & Accountability or Brandee Bergum in Teaching & Learning.

Published on

DATE:   
November 26, 2024

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT: 
Monthly Drill Preparation (HOLD)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on December 4th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering HOLD. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrations are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested.

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding the HOLD response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 5-7. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over Zoom so please join using this link.

Published on

TO:
Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Sarah Palmer, Director of Payroll

Due to the last working day at the District Office, Payroll changed payday to Dec 20th.

Because of this change, we also need to change the Frontline Deadline.

Sub Pay Period -  Dec 1-13, 2024

Schools and Dept Deadline - Dec 13 - 5:00 p.m.

Payroll will pay what is in Frontline on Dec 13 @ 5:00 p.m.

Any changes afterwards - an Absence Management Form will need to be submitted.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services

The safety of our students, teachers, and staff is our #1 priority.  These few slides will remind all of us to slow down, be aware of our surroundings, and how we can all do our part in making the district a safe place to work.

Please take a minute in one of your upcoming staff meetings to review this information with your staff.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services at 801-567-8285.

Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals
Elementary Assistant Principals

FROM:
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Schools
JAESP Committee Members

Each year, the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals (UAESP) gives the Jordan Association of Elementary School Principals (JAESP) the opportunity to celebrate elementary principals for the great work they are doing in their schools.

The categories are:
*Distinguished Principal of the Year
*Distinguished Assistant Principal of the Year
*Rookie of the Year
*Innovator of the Year
*Community Leader of the Year
*Student Advocate Principal of the Year
*Instructional Leader of the Year
*Principal Mentor of the Year

If you feel that an elementary principal or assistant principal has done exceptional work, we invite you to nominate them for an award by clicking this link.

This survey closes on December 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm.