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Elementary and Middle School Principals:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Employees resigning/retiring at the end of the current contract year, that give official early notification of resignations/retirement, will be eligible for a tiered incentive. To qualify, notifications must be submitted online on or before the follow dates:

December 15, 2020 - $500.00
January 15, 2021 - $300.00
February 15, 2021 - $200.00

The incentive will be paid on the last regular paycheck. Notifications of resignation or retirement received after the dates listed above will not qualify for an incentive. The official District resignation/retirement notification form is found in Skyward under "My Access."  Please see District policy DP318 for more detailed information regarding resignations. If you do not know your Skyward username or password, please contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.

The purpose of the Educational Support Professionals Improvement Committee is to encourage, guide, and reward the professional development of education support professionals staff (https://policy.jordandistrict.org/aa421b/). We encourage ESPs to improve their skills and knowledge. As such, ESPs may find development opportunities on the following website:

Educational Support Professionals Professional Improvement!

If there is a course that ESPs would like to take that is within the realm of their position in the Jordan School District, they may submit a request to have the committee pay for the course (up to $300 per year). The committee meets once a month to review and approve requests.

If you would like to take a course, please fill out the following form and submit it to Chris Westra in the Teaching and Learning department:

https://tl.jordandistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020-21-Classified-Prof-Dev-Form-fillable.pdf

For further questions, please contact Chris Westra in Teaching and Learning at 801-567-8657 or christine.westra@jordandistrict.org.

DATE:  
December 10, 2020

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
Administrative Assistants
Attendance Secretaries

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

SUBJECT:  
Changes to Marking Attendance for COVID-19


This information supersedes the information given in the August 13, 2020 memo “Marking Attendance for Quarantining or Isolating Students 2020-21”

In most schools this year, there are as many as three instructional models in use:

  • In-Person Classes
  • Virtual Classes
  • Hybrid / Blended Classes (at student discretion, meaning the student is able to decide, on any given day, if they attend class in-person or virtually. A hybrid/blended class may also have mandatory instruction days.)

A student, particularly at the secondary level, may have a combination of in-person or virtual classes throughout the day. The way attendance should be marked will change based on the instructional model of the class the student is participating in at any given moment.

Attendance is a legal requirement to indicate a student’s compliance with compulsory education laws, and it may not be used to determine a student’s academic grade (attendance may impact participation in a course, which can in turn impact a grade, but the attendance marking by itself may not directly influence a grade).

Four attendance codes (E, G, H, and P) come into play when considering the impact of COVID-19 isolation and quarantines on the three instructional models. Other attendance codes continue to be used as warranted based on a student’s attendance and activity. Their usage and meaning is unchanged.

In general, remember the following when marking attendance for COVID-19 related absences:

  • E is an EXCUSED ABSENCE. It does not “count against” a student for average daily membership or for 10-day accounting. Work has – and should continue to be – provided to students marked with an E as requested by the parent. The school determines the process and timetable for gathering and providing work. This code will begin to be used effective December 14, 2020 to indicate certain parent-directed COVID absences (family-related quarantines and confirmed cases).
  • G is a GUARDIAN-EXCUSED ABSENCE. It does “count against” a student for average daily membership and excessive consecutive totals of G absences may result in a 10-day drop. Work has been – and should continue to be – provided to students marked with an G as requested by the parent. The school determines the process and timetable for gathering and providing work. This code will begin to be used effective December 14, 2020 to indicate certain times when a parent is opting their child out of participation in school that are not the direct consequence of a COVID illness or quarantine.
  • H is for HOME AND HOSPTIAL INSTRUCTION. It indicates – as it has always done – that the District is maintaining its obligation to provide instruction to this student. For quarantines at the direction of the Salt Lake County Health Department, this obligation can be met through packets of prepared work, work prepared and available in a digital platform, or synchronous learning activities.
  • P can be used to mean two things, depending on the context and date it is used, as outlined in the table included with this memo.

DATE: 
December 10, 2020

TO:  
Elementary Principals
Administrative Assistants

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

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 in December. A timely start to kindergarten registration will be especially important this year as we attempt to adjust FTE projections to account for the impacts of the pandemic.

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 (Skylert, social media, etc.).
  4. NOTE: New Student Online Enrollment (NSOE) for the 2021-22 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 the January pre-enroll, 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.

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.

Volunteer reports need to be submitted to Insurance Services.

Workers' Compensation insurance costs are based on numbers submitted by schools. It is important that this information be accurate and complete.

PTA figures must be separate from other volunteer hours.

Attached is a copy of the Volunteer Report for the period from August 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020.

Please complete this form and return it to Cheryl Matson, Director of Insurance Services, by December 22, 2020.

DATE:   
December 1, 2020

TO:
All Elementary, Middle, and Traditional High School Principals

FROM: 
Derek Anderson, Director of Accounting, Budgets, and Audits

SUBJECT: 
December 2020 Budget Transfer Request


If you would like to transfer budget between your postage, supply, textbook, technology supply and equipment budgets, please complete the form below, sign and return to Derek by January 4, 2021. If Derek does not receive this back from you by January 4, 2021, Derek will assume no transfer is requested. The next opportunity to make such a transfer is June 2021.

Attached is the DLM checklist for all special education teachers who are administering the DLM assessment to any of their students. The completed checklist must be completed and returned to Jen Birrell at the District Office by January 20, 2021.

Please direct any questions to Jen Birrell at 801-567-8905 or jennifer.birrell@jordandistrict.org

All Elementary and Middle School Principals:

It’s that time of year to start the process of developing your school’s Safe Routes Utah Plan for next school year.  The 2021-22 Safe Routes Utah Plan Form (Word doc) is attached, as well as a PDF form with municipal representatives contact information. Your school’s municipal representative (city engineer) would like to be included in the initial planning process if possible.  As you work with your safety team and school community council, please feel free to invite your municipal representative to the planning/SCC meeting.

The attached 2021-22 Safe Routes Utah Plan Form Word doc must be downloaded to begin working on it.

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

Due to Covid-19, this year Bluffdale, Herriman, Riverton, South Jordan and West Jordan schools plans will be reviewed in a virtual meeting with each respective city.  The District will schedule an approximate 15-minute virtual appointment with each school administrator for the day of the meeting.

Save the date:
South Jordan City schools will be on Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Riverton City schools will be on Wednesday, February 24, 2021
West Jordan City schools will be on Thursday, February 25, 2021
Bluffdale City schools will be on Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Herriman City schools will be on Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Please contact Risk Management Coordinator Jeff Beesley 801-567-8876 jeffrey.beesley@jordandistrict.org, or Administrative Assistant Judy Bird 801-567-8625 judy.bird@jordandistrict.org, with any questions.

For assistance with the Safe Routes Utah UDOT mapping software, contact Stacy Allen of Penna Powers, sallen@pennapowers.com, 801-487-4800, cell 801-694-7710.  Her contact information is also included on the attached Municipal Representatives Contact document.

All administrators will be moved to an interim evaluation for the 2020-2021 academic school year. The interim will be completed online in Perform. As part of the evaluation administrators will need to complete the Beginning of the Year form located in Perform under My Folder-Tasks. The form includes the self-evaluation and the required 3 goals in one complete form. Please review the attachment with this notice for logging in and more information. 

**Permission forms (see below) must be collected from the nominated families and input into the Thanksgiving’s Heroes website https://thanksgivingsheroes.wufoo.com/forms/sn0xagc0mosa2b/

 NO LATER THAN 12-NOON, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13TH, 2020

Dear Jordan School Liaisons,

Once again, Jordan School District & Jordan Education Foundation are facilitating Thanksgiving’s Heroes’ efforts to provide full Thanksgiving meals, a turkey, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, etc. for families to prepare during Thanksgiving week.

We are asking for your help to identify those families at your school who would likely need help this Thanksgiving Season.  Due to limited funding this year, Thanksgiving’s Heroes may not be able to provide a dinner for every family in need.  Meals will be provided as resources are available – first come, first serve basis.

  1. Please print and give each family a hard copy permission form to fill out and sign. The district requests that there is a signed permission slip from each family receiving a meal.
  2. Please enter the information of the nominated families electronically HERE.

Thank you for your help with this event!

Please contact Thanksgiving’s Heroes 801-901-0663 if there are any changes in plans on delivery day.

We are fast approaching our December 1 SCRAM count deadline. Special Education Resource and Cluster Team Leaders will soon receive a SCRAM report via Move-It of all students who are currently receiving services through your school’s special education program(s). All team members and service providers need to verify each student on this list as either correct, changed, exited/moved, and/or incomplete. Please check that the names, entry dates, scram school, service patterns, weekly minutes and providers are correct for each student on the printout. If a correction needs to be made, a new scram document should be submitted.

All Corrections and SCRAM reports are Due:
By 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2020

Special education funding and, therefore, school staffing/assistant allocations, etc. are contingent upon the accuracy of this data. Your timely and accurate response is critical! Thank you for all your efforts to get us the correct information in a very short time period. See memo below for more information.

Beginning of the Year Interims are due October 31, 2020. Remember that this includes the following: self-evaluation, 3 required goals (UETS goal, JPAS goal, Stakeholder & Student Growth goal), and administrator approval with date. Interims for all educators (teachers, teacher specialists, psychologists, secondary counselors, etc.) will be found on JPLS.

Cabinet members will be interviewing all administrators currently employed by Jordan School District who wish to be considered for an elementary, middle or high school principal position between now and October 2021. Your participation in these interviews is the way for you to declare your interest in a principalship. Similar interviews will be held each fall for anyone who has not interviewed previously. This year’s interviews will be held on Thursday, November 19th and Friday, November 20th.

Any administrator interested in being interviewed this year should email Angela Montague at angela.montague@jordandistrict.org by Monday, October 19th at 5:00 p.m. Please indicate whether you would like to be considered for an elementary, middle or high school principal position. This process is not designed to select principals for newly-constructed schools nor any school in particular. No application or documentation is required.

Any questions should be directed to a Cabinet member. We look forward to getting to know you better.