Skip to content

Category: Elementary Action Required

Published on

Students will have the option to have text read to them on the RISE Summative and Utah Aspire Plus Summative testing systems once again this year. For students in grades 3-6, the Acadience Reading Daze test will also have audio functions. Principals or their designee are encouraged to place an order for student earbuds. Please place your order by Friday, August 27, 2021.

To place an order, please click here.

Earbuds may be used for other district- or state-mandated tests, but schools will need to create a system by which the same student uses the same earbuds throughout the year as there is no additional funding to purchase more than one pair of earbuds per student in grades 3-10.

If schools wish to purchase additional earbuds for other uses, school administrators are welcome to contact Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability at 801-567-8185 who can share the purchasing information and quotes used to acquire these earbuds.

Published on

Hello Administrators:

We have a few forms we would like you to fill out to give our department a better way to assist you this year.

  1. Please fill out this form to indicate who your ELD lead, compliance lead, and any Diversity clubs you will have.
  2. For an update on the amount of EARS funding you used, please indicate the information on this form.  You can also view the application and the goals that were sent in to the state here.

Published on

DATE:  
August 2, 2021

TO:   
Principals and Administrative Assistants

FROM:  
John Larsen, Business Administrator

SUBJECT:
Legislative Classroom Supplies Appropriation for 2021-22

In preparation for the new school year, we are providing you with Record of Receipt envelopes for distribution to teachers. Teachers should use these envelopes to record and keep receipts for supply purchases made throughout the year. This year each eligible teacher will receive $175.00 for supply purchases. As in the past, teachers working less than full-time will receive a portion of the $175 based on the FTE rate listed on the school’s Skyward FTE report. The language in paragraph two of the Guidelines (printed on the back of the envelope) was revised to reflect the change in the amount. If you have envelopes left from the previous school year, please discard them and issue only the new envelopes dated 5/20/21.

It is anticipated that the legislative supply funds will be deposited to teacher’ bank accounts on about the 24th of September. The supply money is not included in a paycheck, but rather as a separate deposit to the bank account the teacher provided to the Payroll Department. If you have teachers that received permission to carry over funds from the prior year, please write the amount in the box entitled “carry-over funds” on the teacher’s envelope so it can be added to the “new funds-current year” amount. If a teacher with a carry-over amount transferred to a different school within the District and your principal gave the teacher permission to use his/her carry-over amount at the new school, please communicate this information to the administrative assistant at the new school so they can record the information on the teacher’s envelope. If a teacher with a carry-over amount resigns, the teacher will need to return the funds to the school either via a payroll deduction, check, or cash payment.

Immediately following the September 24 distribution of supply money, you will receive 1) an FTE report which lists the teachers assigned to your school and 2) a disbursements report which lists the amount of money each received. These documents should be kept for reference throughout the year.

One last reminder: If a teacher resigns during the year, please insure that they turn in their legislative supply envelope prior to leaving. If the resigning teacher has a balance remaining of unspent funds, a request for a payroll deduction should be sent to Sarah Palmer, director of Payroll Services. The teacher can also return the funds by check or cash made payable to the school.

As always, if you have questions or need additional envelopes, please feel free to contact my administrative assistant, Lisa LeStarge, at 801-567-8120 or lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org.

Thank you for your assistance with the legislative supply money.

jl/jc
Enclosures

cc:
Anthony Godfrey
Mike Anderson
Cody Curtis
April Gaydosh
Jill Durrant
Rebecca Gerber
June LeMaster
Lisa Robinson
Brad Sorensen
Dan Ellis
Jason Mott
Mike Heaps
Jeri Gamble
Sarah Palmer
Kelly Giffin, JEA

Published on

DATE:      
July 22, 2021

TO:  
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Educator Wellness Representative Opportunity!

During the 2020-21 school year, Health and Wellness began a new initiative that allowed schools to select an “Educator Wellness Representative.” Almost all of our District’s schools selected a representative. This group of wellness reps met monthly throughout the school year and collaborated with PEHP, Blomquist Hale, and others to offer opportunities to enhance individual wellness for employees. Wellness reps led efforts across the District that were tailored to their school and several schools secured additional grant funds through this initiative to support their fellow educators.

For the 2021-22 school year we will be able to offer this again!

The purpose of the Educator Wellness Representative initiative is to increase educator wellness by enhancing wellness education and mental health awareness among the school’s adult staff. As part of the initiative, each school may nominate one or two adult staff members (non-administrative) per school as “Educator Wellness Representatives.” Review the information below if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity:

  • Each school will receive up to $500 in stipends paid directly to their wellness reps (each wellness representative will receive $250)
  • Each school that selects wellness representatives will have access to a set of wellness supplies that could be used to support your teacher wellness initiative. Your school's representative will work with your school and the health and wellness team to identify and use supplies according to school needs.
  • Representatives will attend monthly meetings/trainings beginning with a virtual kick-off on September 8th from 4:00-4:30. Wellness reps can split meetings/trainings as their schedule requires if there are two per school.
  • It will be expected that your school's wellness representatives will work with your school's administration to set goals and be a resource in communicating essential wellness information and supporting wellness initiatives with your school's staff.

We are excited to use this group to disseminate great information and provide tools and strategies to help your school staff maintain wellness throughout the school year.

To select your wellness representative(s), please fill out this short Google Form by September 3rd. If you have questions, please contact McKinley Withers, 801-567-8245.

Published on

The Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning (LPDL) Academy is designed specifically for administrators to lead schools toward personalized and digital learning through research-based content and job-embedded experiences. Sign up today for the 2021-22 cohort. Open to principals and assistant principals. There will be both an elementary and secondary cohort. For questions contact Jared Covili, 801-567-8191.

Cohort 3 LPDL Academy 2021-22 Plan

Published on

We have had many requests from kindergarten teachers to bring back the kindergarten support groups formerly known as “Flurry in a Hurry” .  We are happy to announce that all kindergarten teachers in our district are invited to join us for “Kindergarten Night Out”.   This will be a time for kindergarten teachers to meet together, get some freebies for their classrooms, and share tips to have a successful year.  Please make sure all kindergarten teachers in each building get the attached flyer and video.  We hope to see everyone there!

Kindergarten Night Out Video

Kindergarten Night Out Flyer

Published on

Please fill out your summer school information on the ESSER II Worksheets for your school ASAP. Each school is in google drive under:

"(School Name) ESSER II Worksheets". It was originally shared with you by Shelley Nordick.

Be sure to fill out the names and number of teachers and ESP who were paid for Summer School, the number of students served, and the data you collected. Please also include the name of the person you're paying from ESSER funds. Please do this for each session your school participated in.

Thank you!!!

Published on

DATE:   
Thursday, July 29, 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 and Acadience Math Canvas Training for Coaches and Teachers

As has been noted in previous JAM memos, the district assessment team will be administering the newly required Acadience Math individual measures in kindergarten and first grade for every school. Both Acadience Math and Acadience Reading will be administered at the same time on the same testing day(s) for each school.

While we have been able to recruit enough assessment assistants comparable to pre-pandemic numbers, we still don’t have enough assessment assistants to administer both the reading and math assessments in the same time period. For this reason, we will once again need the help of building instructional coaches. In order to get them trained on the Acadience Math assessment in a timely manner, elementary school administrators are asked to forward the following training information to their building coach:

Acadience Reading and Math Asynchronous Trainings
We appreciate the priceless assistance coaches offered the assessment team in helping us complete Acadience Reading testing in schools last year. We will once again need help from coaches to complete both Acadience Reading and Acadience Math (new mandate from the state) testing this year.

Acadience Math Training
Acadience Math asynchronous trainings are now available in Canvas. Coaches may access the course using the link below and should enroll in both the kindergarten and first grade modules. Upon completion of the grade level module, participants can complete a form and receive a certificate of completion for that module. This training will need to be completed by the coach prior to the assigned day that district assessment assistants will come to your school to administer the Acadience Reading and Math measures.

Coaches may access the Acadience Math Canvas course here: https://usbe.instructure.com/enroll/96NGXW

After completing the Acadience Math Canvas course, if coaches feel that they need more practice, Evaluation, Research & Accountability will be holding practice sessions with district assessment assistants on Tuesday, August 17th any time between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm in PDC 101, 102, and 103.

Acadience Reading Training
Acadience Reading asynchronous trainings are also available in Canvas. Those who are new to coaching this year will also need to enroll in and complete this course before assessment assistants come to test on your school’s assigned testing day(s).

Coaches may access the Acadience Reading Canvas course here:
https://jordanpd.instructure.com/enroll/E4MAF7

Please contact Ben Jameson (801-567-8243 or ben.jameson@jordandistrict.org) or Shannon Johnson (801-567-8873 or shannon.johnson@jordandistrict.org) with any questions.

 

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, July 29, 2021

TO:      
All Principals and District Department Directors/Consultants

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

SUBJECT:  
2021-22 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Education Support Professionals

Licensed teachers will do their testing ethics training as part of their annual crucial policies and procedures review. Principals do not need to train their teachers on testing ethics for the 2021-22 school year; however, principals will need to conduct a training for any education support professionals (classified employees) who will assist with district, state or federally-mandated testing. This will include computer lab assistants who function as the school’s test coordinator, any classroom aides that assist with testing, literacy aides who assist with Acadience Reading testing or progress monitoring, or any office staff that assist test coordinators with district, state or federally-mandated testing.

The three required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2021-22 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for ESPs” form, which is due to the Evaluation, Research & Accountability Department by Friday, September 17, 2021.

As has been done in the past, principals may provide in-person training on testing ethics using the pdf slide deck attached with this memo. Alternatively, principals may refer education support personnel to the YouTube video that provides the same ethics training. Once education support personnel have been trained, either in-person or using the video, they are required to sign the “2021-22 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Principals are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

There are several materials attached with this memo for your use:

  • 2021-22 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist or ESPs – This form needs to be filled out and sent to Evaluation, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 17, 2021.
  • Testing Ethics Presentation, 2022-21 – This is the pdf slide deck if principals choose to present the training in-person.
  • 2021-22 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy – This document should be distributed to every Education Support Professional that assists with state or federally-mandated testing.
  • ESP Testing Ethics Video – This is the training video that may be used in lieu of in-person training. The video may be found at this link:  https://youtu.be/WW1wXObXPQo
  • Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training Signature Form, 2021-22 – Principals should retain a signed copy of this form for all Education Support Professionals who assist with district, state or federally-mandated testing.

Please contact Ben Jameson or Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions.

Published on

DATE:    
Thursday, July 29, 2021

TO:  
Elementary School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
KEEP Entry Administration and Materials

Principals are asked to pass this information, along with the materials included with this memo, to their kindergarten teachers as soon as possible.

KEEP Entry administration for the 2021-22 school year is still required by the state.  The KEEP Entry window ends on Monday, September 6, 2021.  Data entry into the Data Gateway is due by Thursday, September 30, 2021.  Those who are administering the KEEP Entry (including kindergarten teachers and classroom aides) should have been trained.  Test administrators can access training in one of two ways:

Included with this memo are the following materials:

  • KEEP Entry Test Administration Manual (TAM) – Kindergarten teachers should use this manual to access the script they should read while testing. The manual also contains instructions on how to administer and score the assessment.
  • KEEP Entry Student Materials – Schools will be responsible for printing their own student materials booklet for each KEEP Entry test administrator. No changes to the assessment have been made, so teachers may use last year’s student materials.
  • KEEP Entry Score Sheet – Kindergarten teachers may fill out the scoring sheet online in their Data Gateway account while administering the assessment. They may also fill out the attached scoring sheet and then enter the data in the Data Gateway at a later time.
  • KEEP Entry Data Entry – Getting Started – This document provides a brief explanation of how to enter KEEP Entry data into the Data Gateway.

If you have questions about the KEEP Entry, please contact the following people:

  • For Data Gateway or test administration questions: Ben Jameson, Evaluation, Research & Accountability: 801-567-8243 or jameson@jordandistrict.org
  • For test administration questions: Liz Williams, USBE Assessment & Accountability: 801-538-7542 or williams@schools.utah.gov

Published on

If you are a building administrator and  haven’t had the opportunity to come to the Literacy Launch day 2 training, there is still time!  In this training you will receive all the information you need to set up a successful tier 2 structure using the 95% Walk to Read materials.  The following dates are still available:

  • July 27, 8:00-4:00, ASB Auditorium 
  • July 29, 8:00-4:00 ASB Auditorium 

There are also some dates that have been set aside for classroom assistants.  Building administrators are welcome to attend any of the following sessions:

  • August 11, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
  • Wednesday August 11 12:30-4:00 PM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
  • Monday August 16, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
  • Tuesday August 23, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Auditorium (100 people)

There is no need for administrators to sign up in JPLS.  Just come and learn with us!

Published on
Attached you will find information and guidelines regarding the Extended Year Stipend that is available to Special Education Teachers and SLP's. Please be sure to read the instructions carefully. The state has allotted 4 extra days to work either two weeks before or two weeks after your contract ends. The eligible timeline for these days is July 26-Aug 6, 2021 and/or June 7-20, 2022. You can work them all before, all after, or a combination of both. The days you work are turned in on a Qualtrics survey that the state sends us to generate the payroll information. The link will be emailed to you as soon as we receive it.

Published on

Thank you for your efforts to make summer school a positive experience for your students. I have loved hearing stories of what a difference it has made. Please continue to share them! As you finish up your summer school sessions, it is important that the steps below are completed so reimbursements are not held back.

  • Ensure your teachers are getting paid! You must report hours worked to payroll through one of the following:
    • Print the timesheet from your school ESSER II Worksheet and send to payroll
    • Have teachers fill out individual timesheets and send to payroll
    • Complete a group timesheet and send to payroll
    • Have teachers use True Time
  • Provide a list of all teachers and assistants working summer school on your school ESSER II Worksheet. 
  • Provide a summary of summer school to include:
    • Number of students participating
    • Number of credits recovered (9th - 12th grades only)
    • Summary of summer school results such as pre/post scores OR number and list of courses offered OR a written description, etc. (Elementary, 7th, and 8th grades only)  

Please feel free to contact Shelley Nordick (ext. 88122) if you have any questions

Published on

Please see the JAM on June 17 and/or July 9, 2021 for information regarding the Level 1 training. An invitation email from NAVIGATE360 was sent on June 30, 2021 (please check your junk/trash folders).

Please contact Travis Hamblin travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org with any questions or concerns.

Published on

DATE:
July 22, 2021

TO:
Building Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries

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

SUBJECT:
Attendance Code Update and Training Opportunities

For the 2021-22 school year, each school will use an updated set of absence type codes in Skyward, plus a reduced list of absence reason codes and a standard method for entering attendance comments. These codes are uploaded for each school thanks to significant work by Information Systems. An updated code list is attached to this memo.

A brief training is required for all attendance staff. Building administrators may attend at their discretion, but participation by at least one administrator per school site is encouraged. Trainings will provided via Zoom to allow staff to participate with the least degree of disruption to the workday during one of the busiest times of the year.

Eight training session are available:
• Friday, August 6: 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM
• Tuesday, August 10: 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM

Participants are asked to select a training and sign up in advance at the link below so that school participation can be recorded. Training sessions may be canceled at 9:00 AM on the same day if no participants have signed up.

Training Sign-Up Link

Please contact Planning & Enrollment with any questions or concerns.

Published on

While you may be taking a vacation this summer, the NEED for blood donations is not.

Blood Donations have fallen to their lowest point ever this summer. Donating blood takes less than 1 hour and can help save up to 3 lives. An ARUP Blood Services blood donation center is only 20 minutes away.

Your Blood Donation is needed NOW! Please share the attached "Bleed to Feed" flyers to faculty, staff, PTSA members, school social media, family and friends.

Published on

School/Department Administrators and Administrative Assistants:

The Human Resource department is excited to roll out the new recruiting system (Frontline Recruiting/Hiring).

This new system provides the following advantages:
- A more streamlined process to recruit and hire new employees
- All positions will be on the same recruiting system
- A fully electronic recruiting process
- The same recruitment system for both licensed and ESP employees

We are now live with all ESP and non-licensed positions. Effective October 1, 2021, all Licensed positions will be posted on Frontline.

We will be providing additional training opportunities for administrators and administrative assistants. All trainings will be at the District Office room #129. Please bring a laptop for the hands-on training. For available dates/times and to schedule a training session, visit the link below.

http://my.setmore.com/bookingpage/f57956d4-89fa-4c97-a0c8-2c23dae48da6/class/9341c005-61de-42fd-b6c5-f59e3a75c1ce

Also available on HRConnections and AdminOnly are the training videos and tutorials. Contract Brent Burge at #88224 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Human Resources

Published on

Principals and Administrative Assistants:

The Elementary and Secondary Student Registration books are now posted online and all documents will be linked to Skyward registration for new students.

You can find these books on the Student Services webpage by clicking on the Registration and Enrollment tab under "Parents and Students" on the Jordan District website or by using this link: https://planning.jordandistrict.org/enrollment/ . At the bottom of the page you will find both the English and Spanish versions for Elementary and Secondary schools.

Feel free to print hard copies of any forms or documents found in the books. Hint: If you click on the document page in the table of contents, there is a link to take you directly to that page.

Please bookmark this site as once new student Skyward registration is closed, you will need to access the documents in this book when students come into your school to register.

Published on

We ask that you allow for your classroom assistants to attend a Literacy Launch training where they will learn to use the assessments and lessons from 95% Group that will be used for reading interventions in the Walk to Read program for each school. The training will take place at the ASB on the dates and times listed below. Please invite any assistant who would benefit from this training to sign up on JPLS.

Wednesday August 11, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
Wednesday August 11 12:30-4:00 PM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
Monday August 16, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Presentation Rm (50 people)
Tuesday August 23, 8:00-11:30 AM, ASB Auditorium (100 people)