Category: Elementary Action Required

TO:
Administrators
Directors

FROM:
June LeMaster, Administrator Human Resources
Jane Olsen, Recruiting, Licensing & Hiring in Human Resources

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Reserve your Job Fair Table!

Please see the documents below for all of the information!

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning

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Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning Academy 2023-2024

The LPDL Academy is designed specifically for administrators to lead schools toward blended and digital learning through research-based content and job-embedded experiences. Upon completion, you may receive USBE's Educational Technology Endorsement.

The LPDL Academy will follow the blended-learning model; online course expectations in Canvas, five face-to-face meetings, completion of a digital implementation roadmap, and consultations as needed. As a participant, your school will receive professional development grant money to build the capacity of teachers and leaders, $5000 per school.

The face-to-face sessions will primarily be held at the ASB in Room 112 from 8:00 am - noon on the dates listed below. Mark your calendar and look for the Canvas course invite coming soon. If you have questions, please contact Jared Covili, Digital Teaching & Learning Consultant, at  801-567-8191 or jared.covili@jordandistrict.org 

Sign up today at: https://bit.ly/jordanLPDL

Session 1: Blended Learning

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 

• Session focuses on personalized learning models (competency-based, blended, etc), digital leadership, and an introspective look at you as a digital leader.

Session 2: Culture & Change Management

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

• Session focuses on understanding school leadership and cultural interactions, a framework for leading school change, and engaging stakeholders.

Session 3: Shifting Teaching & Learning
Wednesday,  November 14, 2024

• Session focuses on personalized learning and teaching, supporting all students, and the leader's role in observing and evaluating.

Session 4: Human Capacity and Professional Learning

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

• Session focuses on effective elements of professional learning, digital learning competencies, distributed leadership, and professional learning models

Session 5: Systems for Transforming to Personalized and Digital Learning

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

• Session focuses on technology and infrastructure systems, devices, budgets, learning spaces, and rethinking current structures to facilitate change.

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning

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The district-wide professional development day is on August 13th, 2024.

All licensed personnel are required to select and attend a keynote speaker in the morning and are required to attend a corresponding session to their assignment in the afternoon.

Please remind your teachers to sign up for a keynote ASAP if they haven’t already.

Please contact your AOS if questions arise about teachers with unique assignments. Administrators who are NOT hosting at a particular location should be in attendance with teachers. Divide your administrative team accordingly.

To register for a morning keynote:

1. Please choose a speaker and then register for a keynote speaker using this link. Keynote speakers are NOT content specific. The topics and location information for each keynote speaker are included in the registration information.

Review Your Assigned Afternoon Grade Level/Content Area Schedule

2. Please review the following flyer to see the lineup of presenters at your content area location. The afternoon breakout sessions on August 13th, ARE specific to content area and grade level. You do not need to pre-register for the afternoon breakouts. You will have time to eat lunch and transition to your content location after the morning keynote.

 

DATE:
Thursday, July 18, 2024

TO:
All School Administrators
District Department Directors/Consultants

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

SUBJECT:
2024-25 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Education Support Professionals

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For the 2024-25 school year, administrators will need to conduct a training for all licensed educators as well as any education support professionals (ESPs) who will assist with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing on the state’s testing ethics policy. All licensed educators will need to be trained on the policy. Administrators will want to consider including 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 or Math 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 “2024-25 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for ESPs” form, which is due to Assessment, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 20, 2024.

As has been done in the past, administrators may provide the testing ethics training themselves using the Google slide deck linked in this memo. Alternatively, administrators may show the YouTube video linked below to school personnel. The video provides the same information as the slide deck. Once school personnel have been trained, either by a school administrator or using the video, they are required to sign the “2024-25 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Administrators are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

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

• 2024-25 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist – This form needs to be filled out and sent to Assessment, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 20, 2024.
• Testing Ethics Presentation, 2024-25 – This is the slide deck if administrators choose to present the training in-person.
  2024-25 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy – This document should be distributed to every licensed educator as well as any ESPs that assist with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing.
• Testing Ethics Video – This is the training video that may be used in lieu of a school administrator providing the training, though it is still recommended that school personnel view the video together. The video may also be found at this YouTube link.
• Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training Signature Form, 2024-25 – Administrators should retain a signed copy of this form for all licensed educators as well as any ESPs who assist with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing.
• Testing Ethics Policy FAQ – Administrators should distribute this FAQ document to all licensed educators and any ESPs that assist with district-, state- or federally mandated testing.

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

TO:
Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager in Information Systems

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Introducing ParentSquare: Our New Communication Platform Launching July 1st!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new school communication platform, ParentSquare, which will be available July 1st! Does this mean that Skylert is no longer available? That’s correct, Skylert will no longer be accessible after June 30, 2024. The good news is that ParentSquare is capable of so much more!

See the document below for all the exciting details!

 

DATE:
June 13, 2024 

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:
UPDATED: HB182 Compliance Regarding Surveys and Preferred Pronoun Use

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Utah Code §53E-9-203 prohibits schools and school employees from administering any “psychological or psychiatric examination, test, or treatment, or any survey, analysis or evaluation” (emphasis added) where the purpose is to cause a student to identify information in one of the following eight areas:

1. political affiliations or, except as provided under Section 53G-10-202 or rules of the state board, political philosophies;
2. mental or psychological problems;
3. sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes;
4. illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
5. critical appraisals of individuals with whom the student or family member has close family relationships;
6. religious affiliations or beliefs;
7. legally recognized privileged and analogous relationships, such as those with lawyers, medical personnel, or ministers; and
8. income, except as required by law.

HB 182, which passed in the 2024 Utah legislative session and takes effect on July 1, 2024, amends the third item in this list to read as follows (emphasis added):

1. sexual behavior, orientation, gender identity, or attitudes;

To ensure compliance with HB 182 after July 1, 2024, the following guidance for “beginning-of-year” activities or documents should be noted and communicated to staff:

• Students should not be asked or otherwise surveyed (including questions on “About Me” or “Getting to Know You”-style assignments and activities) as to their sexual or gender identity or preferred pronouns.
• Documents or disclosure statements that include this type of survey question about gender identity or preferred pronouns should not be approved by administrators when conducting annual reviews and approvals as required by District Policy AA 432 - Student Attendance and Teacher Disclosure Statements. 

Additionally, staff should be reminded that HB182 also establishes a requirement that any survey related to an early warning system (i.e. Panorama), social emotional learning question, or the school climate system requires parental OPT-IN during registration at the beginning of the school year, adding an additional clearance step to the prohibitions listed above. The opt-in information is included in summer registration materials for District-sponsored surveys.

 

DATE:       
June 6, 2024

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:   
Monthly Drill Schedule

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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 applies only to elementary schools.

It is important to make sure your location reports all drills, actual emergencies, and related planning and debrief meetings for this school year using the Google Form, 2024-25 REPORT EMERGENCY - DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS.  Please include all related details.

Two virtual Drill Preparation trainings will be held back-to-back on the first Wednesday of each month at 3:00 PM and again at 3:30 PM. The ZOOM LINK will remain the same for each session throughout the year. School Safety Specialists and Administrators over safety 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 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 6, 2024

TO:    
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:   
School Safety Specialists

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53G-8-701.6 which requires each school to designate a school safety specialist from the employees of the campus was updated this last legislative session. The intent of the memo below is to assist in the process of determining who will fill this role at your school. Please take note of what needs to be done to select the individual needed.

DATE:  
June 6, 2024

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:
Incident Action Plans

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Beginning the 2024-25 school year schools are required to create an action plan for each new incident of bullying.

Each action plan must include:

• A communication plan to keep each parent updated on the implementation of the plan;
• For the victim of the incident and in direct coordination with the student’s parent:
  • A tailored response that addresses the student’s needs;
  • Accommodations the student may need for decreased exposure or interactions with the offender;
  • Notification of the consequences and plan to address the behavior of the offender;
  • Supportive measures to preserve the student’s access to educational services and opportunities; and
  • Access to other resources the parent requests for the student.
• For the student who caused the incident and in direct coordination with the student’s parent:
  • A range of tailored and appropriate consequences, with a reasonable effort to preserve access to educational services and activities;
  • A process to determine and provide resources for the underlying cause of the incident;
  • Supportive measures to preserve educational access while protecting the safety and well-being of other students; and
  • A process to remove the student from school.

The action plan may not require the victim to change their educational schedule or placement; or participation is a school sponsored sport, club, or activity. (§53G-9-605.5)

This memo is intended to provide notification only. Resources and training will be provided in the fall regarding action plans and other prevention efforts to help implement and manage this new requirement.

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Staff Assistant in Teaching & Learning

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As principals plan their building schedules they should prioritize attendance for building coaches on these dates. Please share the finalized schedule with current instructional coaches, BYU/UVU facilitators, Title I coaches, digital coaches, and those employees who have been given coaching assignments for the 2024-2025 school year. The ICI will continue to offer assigned coaches job embedded professional development and options to earn the coaching endorsement during the contract day.

Principals, please mark your calendars to attend the Kickoff and Closing sessions with your coach(es).

2024-2025 Elementary Instructional Coaching Institute Schedule

2024-25 Secondary Instructional Coaching Institute Schedule

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Staff Assistant in Teaching & Learning

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FALL Mentor Training will be available online through Canvas August 5 - September 6. Mentor Training will be provided to new mentors based on administrator recommendation. After checking with potential mentors, please complete the Google Form by Friday, August 30, to add names of mentors you would like to have complete mentor training. We have a limited number of seats. Educators will be added first come, first served. You may add up to three mentors per form. Teachers will get paid $150 stipend for completing the mentor Canvas training.

You can access a list of currently trained mentors on your school’s mentor list shared with you via Google sheets and your school coaching plan. If you need help accessing your mentor list, please contact your district coaching specialist.

Google Form Link

DATE:  
May 9, 2024

TO:  
Principals
All Certified Special Education Staff

FROM:   
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:   
Year-End Checkout for Special Education

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The items listed below need attention as you prepare to close out the 2023-24 school year. Any questions or concerns that arise should be directed to your school’s Teacher Specialist for clarification.