Category: Elementary Info

1. 2019-2020 WIDA scores will be used for ESL students who did not take this year's test. Please assure parents they do not need to opt out of the program if students were not tested. Thank you for your efforts with WIDA testing this year.
2. Please complete the monitoring forms for 4th Quarter for levels 5 and 6.
3. We are having a parent open house for our "Giraffe Club-Culture talk". We have had parents interested to see what we talk about to students in grades K-6. We are providing time for them to log in and learn. Please share the flyer to the event. Thank you!

In continuation of our 19 year tradition of celebrating prevention and resilience in Utah schools, the state-wide program, Resilient Utah and KUTV Channel 2 are proud to host 2021 Resilient Utah Month in May!  Our month-long celebration will feature the 2020-21 Resilient Utah Education Shield Awards, which will be presented to select schools and individuals that have set extraordinary examples in building resilience and spreading hope within their schools, homes and communities.

NOMINATE NOW! 

Here’s an opportunity to recognize efforts in your schools that strengthen and promote resilience in these challenging times!  Each nomination should take less than 10 minutes to complete.  Feel free to nominate in any of the 8 categories.  Nominations are due Friday, April 23, 2021.  Please pass this on to your staff, volunteers or networks. 

Awards will be announced on KUTV Channel 2, in addition to being publicized through social media and education networks. Award recipients will receive an honorary plaque, in addition to a special gift package.

To nominate, click on the following link:
https://www.resilientutah.org/nominate/

Thank you for all you do to strengthen the lives of Utah families!

The Resilient Utah Team
www.ResilientUtah.org

 

 

DATE:    
April 8, 2021

TO:   
Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT: 
Updated Process for Non-Transferred Student Records

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This memo supersedes previous memos on the handling of non-transferred student files (commonly known as “dead files”).

The approved retention scheduled for non-transferred student files (GRS-1497) does not require these files to be advanced to the high school and transferred to the State Archives for permanent retention. Rather, it requires the files to be retained for three years after separation prior to their destruction.

To comply with this retention schedule, please follow the updated procedure below to process non-transferred student files:

Grades K-8:

• At the end of each year, separate non-transferred files from active files. Mark the files with a destruction date three years after the student left the school.
• Non-transferred files should not be advanced with their age cohort. Retain the files at the school of origin.
• On a regular basis, check non-transferred files against the UTrex database. If the student is active at another Utah location, contact their new school to ask the school to request the file.
• When the three-year retention has elapsed, check files in UTrex one final time before destroying. Follow the procedures on the “Records Maintenance and Retention” document (April 2021 revision) from Planning & Enrollment to appropriately destroy the files.

Grades 9-12:

• If the student did not earn credit, follow the process listed in the “Grades K-8” section of this memo.
• If credit WAS earned, the transcript becomes the official record and is retained with other transcripts for the age cohort. The cumulative folder materials are retained with the age cohort and destroyed as outlined in the “Records Maintenance and Retention” document (April 2021 revision) from Planning & Enrollment.
• On a regular basis, check non-transferred files against the UTrex database. If the student is active at another Utah location, contact their new school to ask the school to request the file.

DATE:   
April 8, 2021

TO:    
Principals
Assistant Principals
Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT:   
Processing Record Requests and Subpoenas

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There has been an increase in recent months in the number of parent/guardian requests for records and in subpoenas for student records. Please follow the guidelines below when responding to these types of record requests (subpoenas regarding employees should be directed to Human Resources).

Per District Policy AS61 – Student Records and Transcripts, the principal is the custodian of student records at the school level. This means that record requests and subpoenas for student records directed to the school should be filled at the school. Planning & Enrollment will assist schools when subpoenas involve records housed at multiple locations.

Record requests must be from a parent, legal guardian, or the student. Requests must be made in writing. When the identity of the requestor cannot be confirmed locally, the request must be notarized. Once received, the school has 45 days to respond to the request. If the requestor is a non-custodial parent, a courtesy call to the custodial parent should be made. Additional guidelines can be found at http://planning.jordandistrict.org by searching for “Request to Access/Amend Records”.

An official subpoena will be sent by an attorney or court official and does not necessarily require a judge’s seal. Subpoenas must be answered within 10 business days of receipt. The individual whose records have been subpoenaed must be notified by the school and given a window of time in which to pursue (if desired) court action to prevent the disclosure of records. This notification should be logged and kept with a copy of the subpoena and the records requested.

When complying with subpoenas or record requests, only records that currently exist may be accessed. Records and reports may need to be generated and printed in Skyward but schools should never create new sources of data in response to a request. Schools should only provide the records requested and should not volunteer or create additional information.

Records requests and subpoenas should be answered in the manner they were received or in the manner requested. When sending files via email, records must be transmitted via MoveIt. Records sent via the mail must be sent as certified mail with a delivery receipt.

Planning & Enrollment staff are also always available to consult with school staff on filling record requests or subpoenas and can consult on questions schools may face when working with these types of documents.

DATE:  
April 8, 2021

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT:
New Records Retention Schedule

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A revision to the records retention schedule has been prepared and is now available from Planning & Enrollment. The new document includes information on record maintenance and state requirements for record destruction. Changes have been made to the retention requirements of certain types of documents to align with current retention requirements from the State Archive.

The new document is available at the Planning & Enrollment website (http://planning.jordandistrict.org) on the “School Resources” page of the “Resources/Forms” tab. It can also be accessed by searching “Records Retention” on the Planning & Enrollment website.

If school staff cannot find a specific record or report on the new retention schedule, they may contact Planning & Enrollment for direction and to have the report added to the schedule. As the list of reports may change, school staff should refer to the report electronically rather than printing a hard copy.

With District and Health Department approval, beginning April 14^th, 2021, JSD Nutrition Services will transition from our current meal service as follows:

• Discontinue the use of hinged Styrofoam containers (except curbside/door-side meal service and ‘grab and go’ meals offered to virtual learners and students who are not able to eat in the school cafeteria.)
• School cafeterias will return to a pre-COVID meal service utilizing serving lines.
• Meals will return to an offer vs serve format, where students may choose or refuse some menu choices. Menu items that students choose/pick up themselves must be wrapped or in a portion cup with a lid.
• Nutrition Workers will monitor students in serving areas, so students touch only the item(s) they are choosing.
• Manual meal counting will continue for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year (No registers will be in use.)
• Elementary schools will return to serving lunches on washable trays.
• Secondary schools will return to serving meals on disposable plates, boats etc.
• Cafeterias will maintain current district social distancing guidelines.

Good housekeeping is one of the surest ways to identify a safe workplace.

Please see tips and hints below.

 

Hope you were able to register for the Instructional Leadership Conference, “Teaching Begins with the Learner.” In the next week, participants will receive an email from “Summit Events” with a username, password, and information to access the conference sessions. You will have access to the sessions from April 3 - April 12.

Visit Session Summaries for a small collection of questions to guide your viewing.

Principals/Building Administrators should continue to store unused or surplus PPE at their school. Further information on how to dispose of surplus PPE will be coming in a future JAM memo.

Job postings can be viewed at: https://www.teachers-teachers.com/employer/jordan-school-district-5390

As per, District Policy DP304 -Teacher Transfers, principals will interview at least two (2) qualified transfer candidates if available through June 1.

During screening, Principals will consider both internal/current applicants listed on the Teacher Transfer Request Report, which is generated by email each Monday, and external applicants listed in K12jobspot. Human Resources will also review both lists to ensure this policy is followed before approving any new hire request.

Applicant Process:
Internal (Transfer) - Current JSD teachers apply by submitting a request through the Teacher Transfer Request located in Skyward Employee Access. A Teacher Transfer Request Report is emailed to Principals each Monday.

External - New applicants apply through K12jobspot and these applications are immediately available to principals and/or designated administrators.

For additional assistance, please contact
Stacy Krahenbuhl, Elementary - stacy.krahenbuhl@jordandistrict.org,
Jill Lisonbee, Secondary - jill.lisonbee@jordandistrict.org

DP304 NEG Teacher Transfer Policy

COVID-19 safety protocols will remain in place until the COVID-19 School Manual changes. Please contact Nadine Page or Mike Anderson with any questions.
https://movingforward.jordandistrict.org/plan-documents/

DATE: 
March 11, 2021

TO:    
Principals
Assistant Principals
Attendance Secretaries
Financial Secretaries

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

SUBJECT:   
Accepting and/or Denying Late Enrollment Permit Applications

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Permit applications submitted after the third (3^rd) Friday of February for the following school year or any permit for the current school year must be determined by the “adjusted capacity” of the school. The adjusted capacity is the total number of students who could be served in a school if each teacher were to have a class size based on the staffing ratio for each grade level (§53G-6-401).  Late enrollment permit acceptance is determined by the staffing ratio as follows:

• Elementary schools use the student to teacher ratio for each grade level to determine if there is space available.
• Secondary schools use the student to teacher ratio for each core class within each grade level to determine if space is available.

Schools must use the following standards for accepting and/or rejecting an application (§53G-6-403):

The standards for accepting or rejecting an application for enrollment may include:

1. For an elementary, the capacity of the grade level;
2. Not offering, or having capacity in, an elementary or secondary special education or other special program the student requires;
3. Maintenance of reduced class sizes (Title I, or school trust money used to reduce class sizes);
4. Willingness of prospective students to comply with district policies; and
5. Giving priority to intradistrict transfers over interdistrict transfers.

The standards for accepting or rejecting an application for enrollment may NOT include:

1. Previous academic achievement;
2. Athletic or other extracurricular ability;
3. The fact that the student requires special education services for which space is available;
4. Proficiency in the English language; or
5. Previous disciplinary proceedings, except as follows:
   1. There has been a serious infraction of the law of school rules;
   2. The student has been guilty of chronic misbehavior which would, if it were to continue after the student was admitted:
      1. Endanger persons or property;
      2. Cause serious disruptions in the school; or
      3. Place unreasonable burdens on school staff.

Using the waitlist in PowerSchool and the standards listed above, permit applications are granted (seated) by the school on a first-come, first-served basis for the entire school year.

Regardless of acceptance or denial, all applications submitted from December 1 to February 19 must be notified of the status of their application by April 2. Applications submitted after February 21 must be notified within two weeks. All applications are notified of their waitlist position when their permit application is processed. While this should satisfy the notification requirements, schools may desire to send an additional notification if they do not plan to accept any permits. Please contact Caleb at x88251 should you have any questions.

The date for the 2021 Jordan School District High School Graduation exercises is Thursday, June 3, 2021. Valley High School graduation exercises are scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, 2021. School graduation plans and times will vary from school to school.

Principals and Directors are encouraged to provide flexibility to parents or grandparents requesting the opportunity to attend the graduation ceremonies of family members.

Licensed employees are responsible for requesting a substitute through the Frontline Absence Management System (formerly AESOP), if applicable. In the blue “Notes to Administrator” box, the employee should add “graduation” along with his/her relationship to the graduate.

For additional assistance, please contact Juli Martin at juli.martin@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8219.

If you have 2021 graduating interns assigned to your location, please see the attached document.

Special Calendar requests for the 2021-22 academic year are being collected at this time by the HR Department. If you have a licensed employee currently on a special calendar at your location, you will receive an email with a list of those employees along with instructions to follow. If you do not receive a Special Calendar Request email, there are no licensed employees at your location and you may disregard this information.

Please note that failure to submit a Special Calendar Request for a licensed employee on a special calendar, may cause an employee to be paid incorrectly. All questions regarding special calendar requests should be directed to Kim Richins, HR Senior Assistant, at kim.richins@jordandistrict.org or (801) 567-8220.