The current Think Central platform for Literacy is being phased out by Houghton Mifflin. As a result, this will be the last year that Think Central for literacy will be provided by Teaching & Learning. This change will not affect Think Central for math. All Think Central accounts will remain in operation through the end of this school year. If you have any questions please reach out to Mandy Thurman or Michelle Lovell.
Category: Elementary Info
Additional Date for Literacy Launch Training – November 8 & 9, 2021
There have been a few teachers who have not had an opportunity to attend a Literacy Launch training. Teaching & Learning is opening an additional training that will be held on November 8th and 9th in the ASB auditorium. Any teachers who still need to attend this training are urged to attend.
Administrative Assignment – November 2021
The following is a new administrative assignment:
New Assignment effective November 1, 2021:
- Katie Bastian, registered Dietician in Nutrition Services, appointed Director of Nutrition Services, replacing Jana Cruz who is retiring.
Professional Learning Opportunities for your Educational Support Professionals (ESP)!
Based on policy AA421B, education support professionals may request to take a course to improve their skills or learn new skills that support their work. Please encourage your ESP staff to review courses through organizations such as Ed 2 Go/Salt Lake Community College or Fred Pryor Institute Courses. The ESP Professional Improvement Committee (ESPPIC) will cover the cost of approved courses up to $300. Visit the ESPPIC website for more information and instructions for registering for a course. Please post the attached informational flyer for your ESP staff.
2021-22 State Spelling Bee
To all schools that have participated in the spelling bee in years past, as well as those who would like to participate: The registering portal is now open to sign up to participate.
ENROLL HERE FOR THE SPELLING BEE
They are hoping to have at least 120 Schools participate this year.
51 schools from Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Wasatch and Summit Counties have signed up to participate. The more the merrier.
Fall Enrollment as of October 1, 2021 – Revised
DATE:
October 26, 2021
TO:
District Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Scott Festin, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
SUBJECT:
Fall Enrollment as of October 1, 2021 - Revised
Please see revised memo below.
2021 BOY Acadience Reading Dashboards Available in Tableau
DATE:
Thursday, October 28, 2021
TO:
Elementary School Administrators
FROM:
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
2021 BOY Acadience Reading Dashboards in Tableau
Beginning of the year Acadience Reading data and results are available in school administrator Tableau Viewer accounts. Administrators may view aggregate student participation, proficiency, growth (Pathways of Progress), and measure proficiency by school and grade level over time (2015-present). In addition, school administrators may view individual student data for the fall of 2021. Demographic filters are also available to help school administrators drill down to the data they wish to see.
The following dashboards are available:
School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-Present
Explore > Acadience Reading & Early Literacy > School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-2022 > 2-School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-Present
2021-22 BOY Student Level Data Dashboard
Explore > Acadience Reading & Early Literacy > School Acadience Reading Analysis, 2015-2022 > [School Name] 2021-22 BOY Student Level Data Dashboard
As a reminder, schools have at their disposal a Tableau Viewer account that teachers can access to see aggregate data only for the school and their grade level. No individual student or teacher data are available. Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability for more information about this tool and to obtain login credentials.
Cyprus Credit Union Educators Mini-Grant
Cyprus Credit Union Mini-Grants are now available for teachers to fund innovative and creative classroom projects that enrich standard curriculum and enhance learning opportunities for students. Funds may also be used to purchase supplemental supplies.
Cyprus will fund up to $250 per teacher/educator. The grants can be combined for use toward a larger grant amount if specified. For example, four teachers can combine and apply for a $1,000 grant for a group project with each teacher submitting a separate application for their $250 allotment. Applications are limited to one $250 grant per teacher for the school year and two applications per school per month, either individually or with a team.
Mini-Grant applications will be accepted from Monday, August 9, 2021 through Thursday, April 15, 2022. Up to eight Mini-Grants will be awarded each month, and all applications must be received prior to the 15th of the month to receive funding the following month.
Restrictions: The following categories are not eligible for funding: Salaries, professional development, honorariums, stipends, and educator travel.
The Mini-Grant program is exclusively available to licensed educators in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties.
If you have any questions about the application or funding process, please call the Relationship Development Department at (801) 260-7600, ext. 5951 or ext. 5952
Apply online at the Cyprus Credit Union Educators Mini-Grant Site.
Temporary Substitute Incentive Pay Program
Dear Teachers,
We are very aware of the increasing challenges facing educators due to a statewide shortage of substitute teachers. Jordan School District is taking several measures to help alleviate the problem. We are excited to announce the implementation of a new Temporary Substitute Teacher Incentive Pay Program.
The program will provide temporary incentive pay for substitute teachers who work a required number of days between October 25, 2021 and December 15, 2021 without cancellations.
We hope this program will relieve some of the impact on teachers by attracting new substitute teachers, incentivizing and increasing the availability of current substitutes, and reducing cancellations.
Temporary Substitute Incentive Pay Program
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The following incentives will be paid to substitute teachers on their December paycheck:
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$500 for substitutes who work 30 of 35 days without cancellations
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$300 for substitutes who work 25 of 35 days without cancellations
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$200 for substitutes who work 20 of 35 days without cancellations
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$100 for substitutes who work 15 of 35 days without cancellations
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NO CANCELLATIONS – Substitute teachers will not receive the incentive pay if they cancel a job.
Benefit-Eligible Substitutes
Schools are authorized to use school funds to hire benefit-eligible substitute teachers. The District will pay half the cost of the benefited substitute.
Benefit-eligible substitutes will be contracted to work 180 days/year with starting pay $141.44 per day plus benefits. Positions can be posted now for the job starting January 3, 2022.
Full Pay on Fridays and Shortened Days
Substitute teachers will receive a full day of pay on Fridays and shortened days, even though they may leave 15 minutes after students are dismissed.
Annual Utah Skyward User Conference
We are excited to offer our annual Utah Skyward User Conference virtually this year! This conference is an opportunity to learn about Skyward directly from the source as most sessions are being presented by Skyward staff. There are some fantastic sessions being offered this year for teachers and administrators, including Administrator Boot Camp, Tips & Tricks for Teachers, Secondary Gradebook Features, Standards Gradebook Features, and Teacher Tracking.
The conference has been scheduled for the week of October 25th. The Monday-Thursday sessions are dedicated to Skyward presenters and Friday is focused on state-specific sessions.
You can access the website for the Skyward Virtual User Group now, to view the agenda and begin registering for sessions. You can filter the sessions by date, product (SMS - which is the Skyward system we currently use in JSD, and Qmlativ - which we currently do not use), and Skyward area, i.e. Food Service, Student Management, Human Resources, and Special Education. **Important Note** All times listed for the sessions are Central Standard Time. Registration closes two days before the beginning of each session so make sure you sign up in advance. If you find that you are not able to attend a session that you are interested in, still register for it. Skyward will be recording every session and will email links to the recording to anyone who registered.
To register for sessions on this site, you will need to select "Register for SMS 2.0" in order to view the session for the Skyward system we currently use. If the button "Register for SMS 2.0" is not available, that session is not offered for our current Skyward system. Once you select the option to register, you will be prompted to select your state and school district, then enter your login credentials for Skyward (credentials for both Student Management and Finance will work). Select "Confirm". You will be taken to a new screen where you need to enter your first name, last name and email address, then select "Register". You will receive a confirmation email after you register for each session. You will also receive an email one business day prior to the session you registered for that will include instructions on how to attend the virtual session.
During the virtual sessions you will have the opportunity to ask questions via chat or Q&A periods throughout the sessions. However, if you have a problem that will take a bit longer to resolve, we suggest that you call our help desk to get further assistance.
As always, we hope you get the best out of this virtual conference and are able to see new things, learn new tips and tricks, get some of your questions answered, and see some of the new possibilities in Skyward. If you have any questions about attending the conference, please feel free to reach out to me.
Steven Harwood
Application Development and Support Manager
steven.harwood@jordandistrict.org
801-567-8737
Learning Edge Conference
You are invited to the Learning Edge Conference on November 9, 2021, at the Provo Marriott Hotel. The theme is “Leadership: Tools for Today.” The conference will provide sessions addressing innovative leadership, community connections, and creativity. See attached flyer for more information.
District Website Down for Scheduled Maintenance
The District website will be down for scheduled maintenance on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 1 - 10 p.m. This maintenance will only affect the main District website. Department and school websites as well as online services such as Skyward will not be effected.
You can go to websites.jordandistrict.org to access most of the features of the website. The full site, including documents and forms, will be available when the maintenance has concluded.
Monthly Parent Orientation for Newcomers (Refugees, Immigrants, etc.)
We invite parents who are newcomers (refugee, immigrant, or asylee) to our school district to attend one monthly parent orientation to get information on how they can best help their child in school. Different dates and Interpreters will be provided. Please fill out this RSVP form.
Kindergarten Night Out
We will be having a Kindergarten Night Out on October 13th at 4:15 in the ASB Auditorium. Please invite all kindergarten teachers to join us! We will be talking about interventions for letter names and sounds and Acadience. The class is voluntary and teachers will not be paid, but they will receive relicensure points.
Changes are here for Microsoft Office Licenses
Microsoft has recently updated their Microsoft Office software, and it’s time to move forward with Microsoft Office 2021! Office 2019 is no longer available to purchase, and we are now required to purchase the 2021 version of the program for new computers or any computers at your school running something older than Microsoft Office 2019.
Please use the following information to purchase Microsoft Office 2021 software licenses moving forward:
- Part# 021-10696 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for PC, per device. $50.67/each
- Part# 3YF-00731 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for Mac, per device. $50.67.each
There is no shipping as these are electronically delivered. The vendor is Insight Public Sector.
Please note that Information Systems has not had an opportunity to test out this software. There could be a few issues with the software once you have it loaded on your machines. Information Systems will do their best to troubleshoot any problems that may arise. If significant issues occur, they may have to move you back to Office 2019 for a time until the bugs can be worked out, and then have Office 2021 reinstalled. Please be aware of this possibility.
Please contact Tonya Hodges in Purchasing at tonya.hodges@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8706 if you need assistance with these software licenses.
October 1 Enrollment
DATE: October 7, 2021
TO: District Administrators
FROM: Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Scott Festin, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
SUBJECT: Fall Enrollment as of October 1, 2021
Attached to this memo is District enrollment as of October 1, 2021. This report is subject to revision based on the USBE final review, expected by mid-October.
Research Project – State Cohort Evidence Exchange: Utah Math Technology
DATE:
Thursday, September 30, 2021
TO:
Middle School Administrators
Elementary School Administrators
FROM:
Shelley Nordick, Ph. D., Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
Research Project
The Research Review Committee has reviewed a research project in which your school has been asked to participate.
Project Title: State Cohort Evidence Exchange: Utah Math Technology
Applicant: Emily Barton, University of Virginia on behalf of the STEM Action Center
The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. The applicant has been directed to contact you to discuss the extent of the project and to obtain your permission to conduct the study at your school. Participation in the study is at your discretion. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.
The project will involve teachers in your building who teach math all or part of the day. They will be asked to take two surveys on the use of math technology in their instruction.
Thank you for your assistance.
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Implementation and Resources
DATE:
September 23, 2021
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Student Support Consultant
SUBJECT:
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) – Assessment and Response
A threat is a behavior or communication of intent to harm that may be spoken, written, gestured, or expressed in some other form, such as text messaging, email, or other digital means. Expressions of intent to harm is considered a threat regardless of whether it is communicated to the intended target or if the intended target is aware of the threat. When in doubt, treat all communication or behavior as a threat and conduct a threat assessment.
When conducting a threat assessment, the communication or behavior is assessed to determine the level of response and/or intervention required. A transient threat means that there is no sustained intent to harm (exclusionary practices would not typically be used) and a substantive threat means the intent is present (or not clear) and therefore requires action (that may include exclusionary practices).
Schools are encouraged to use CSTAG assessment and response protocols for any threatening behavior or communication that is serious enough to generate an office referral or enough concern that the student may intend to harm someone in the future. Threat assessments do not need to be conducted for minor incidents or situations that are immediately resolved. All CSTAG assessment and response protocols/forms are documented and retained by the school according to the records retention schedule for student records and are administered according to FERPA.
The CSTAG Forms are available on the Student Support Services website at:
https://studentsupport.jordandistrict.org/cstag-forms/
All forms are for your use and Jordan District has the necessary permissions allowing you to adapt them to your needs (the word version is also available online at www.SchoolTA.com). Please note that the administration of the Mental Health Assessment requires prior written parent/legal guardian consent (AA441-Privacy Rights-Students and Family).
It is important to remember that threat assessment is not a crisis response. If there is an indication that violence is imminent (e.g., person has a firearm at school or is on the way to school to attach someone), a crisis response is appropriate. Take immediate action such as calling 911 and follow the school crisis response plan.
Additional CSTAG manuals ($50) and/or Level 1 trainings ($85) are available at school cost. Please contact Travis Hamblin (801.567.8439) in Student Services should you have any questions or want any additional CSTAG manuals or Level 1 trainings for your staff.
All questions regarding threatening communication and behavior should be directed to Sharon Jensen (801.567.8187) in Student Support Services.
Revision to Policy AS61 – Student Records and Transcripts – September 2021
DATE:
September 30, 2021
TO:
Building Principals
Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Office Staff
Secondary Registrars
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
SUBJECT:
Revision to Policy AS61 – Student Records and Transcripts
A revision to Policy AS61 - Student Records and Transcripts, was approved last night by the Board of Education. The text of the revision is attached to this memo. The change brings the policy into compliance with the requirements of FERPA and Utah law. Specifically, a non-custodial parent may now be added to Skyward as Family 2 and granted their own login and password to access grade information. Family 1 does not have the legal ability to consent to or approve this access. Schools must verify the identity of the individual requesting to be added as Family 2 and confirm their parental rights. This verification can be done through the student’s birth certificate and/or through court orders that confirm that the individual holds these rights.
Schools may elect to notify Family 1 when an individual with parental rights requests their access as Family 2 as a courtesy and to verify that there are not any updates to court orders that would prevent the access from being granted.
LETRS Information for Administrators and Teachers
- The schedule for the first in-person LETRS session for administrators is here!! You can register through MIDAS (see LETRS Information web page if you have questions about your MIDAS account). Use #60389 to register for the course. Here is a link to the schedule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oHGjzb46b4aD17XFTsJk3olP3PJfj-VGGq1nSUB_Ols/edit?usp=sharing
- Here is an update from USBE: Please make sure your teachers understand the following:
If a participant logged into MIDAS and only put the LETRS session in their cart, they have not checked out and therefore have not registered. Please remind teachers, coaches, and leaders that MIDAS is similar to the grocery store, and they must officially check out in order to be registered. If a participant is not registered in MIDAS, they won’t receive credit for completion/attendance, and therefore will not have proof of attending.
The links to the session cannot be shared, again for the reasons stated above, plus the courses cannot go over 40 participants or people will get kicked out during the session. Participants need to be logged in on their own device in order to receive additional resources in the chat box, ask questions, participate in engagement activities and discussions, and be marked for attendance. People cannot be sitting beside someone to “attend”. If a participant needs support logging in/checking out in MIDAS, please contact 801-538-7807 or midas@schools.utah.gov.
Participants can only enroll in 1 session for each unit. If you have educators who have enrolled in multiple sessions, please have them unenroll in the sessions they won’t be attending so others who are waiting for a spot to open can register.
Please be sure the employment tab is updated in MIDAS so that your current district/charter is accurate. For support, you may need to contact the MIDAS helpline - 801-538-7807 or midas@schools.utah.gov.
Additional units and sessions will be added to MIDAS as quickly as the company can schedule national trainers.
3. Please encourage your teachers (and yourselves) to visit the LETRS Information web page often, as that is the way we can communicate and keep everyone updated with all things LETRS.
4. Thank you for all you are doing!! Being an administrator can be overwhelming!! Thanks for hanging in there and supporting your teachers in supporting Jordan District’s goals. Together, we ARE making a positive difference for the kids we serve!!