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DATE:
January 3, 2024

TO:
All Principals
All Certified and ESPs

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Melanie Dawson, Program Administrator of Behavior

SUBJECT:
ETT: Cultivating Classroom Management Skills


Seats are limited and fill quickly, so learners need to register on JPLS as soon as possible.

Beneficial for: All general education and special education teachers.
Also welcome: Specialists, mental health providers, ESPs.

 

Each year, the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals (UAESP) gives the Jordan Association of Elementary School Principals (JAESP) the opportunity to celebrate elementary principals for the great work they are doing in their schools.

If you feel that a principal or assistant principal has done exceptional work, we invite you to nominate them for National Distinguished Principal of the Year or Assistant Principal of the Year through this survey.

All nominations are due January 17, 2024. Please remember this is for elementary principals and assistant principals only. The following administrators are ineligible to be nominated, because they have received the award: Teresa Christensen, Nick Hansen, Joel Pullan, Ronna Hoffman, Meredith Doleac, and Beth Pollock.

Thank you for taking time to nominate exceptional elementary administrators!

Nominate on the link in the attachment.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities - LICENSED TEACHER TRANSFER FAIR

Valued Licensed Employee:

The Human Resource Department is contacting you with important information regarding upcoming events and opportunities.

TEACHER TRANSFER FAIR

This year, the annual Teacher Transfer Fair is open to all CURRENT JSD teacher/educators AND student teachers, interns and those on a 1-year agreement. This event is for current Jordan School District teachers/educators seeking a new teaching/assignment opportunity! The transfer fair will be combined for both elementary and secondary teachers/educators.

Please come prepared with:

  • Your JSD ID badge – required to gain entry, AND
  • Copies of your resume available to distribute.

Come explore your options in JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT! (SEE THE ATTAHCED FLYER)

Upcoming Events and Opportunities – LICENSED EARLY NOTIFICATION

Valued Licensed Employee:

The Human Resource Department is contacting you with important information regarding upcoming events and opportunities. Please see the document below for all the details!

REMINDER: There is a 30-day window at the beginning of the school year and then the window shortens to 10 school days for your school to begin the "Task Manager" process and for the LCS & Evaluation departments to test and enter scores into Skyward.

The attached cards are for quick reference but as always please reach out to Nicole Woodburn 801-567-8124 if you have questions.

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Events and Opportunities – LICENSE RENEWAL 

Valued Licensed Employee:

The Human Resource Department is contacting you with important information regarding upcoming events and opportunities. Please see the document below for all the details!

The mileage reimbursement rate is based upon the IRS rate. Effective January 1, 2024, the reimbursement rate is $0.67 per mile. Please use the attached form when submitting for mileage reimbursement. All 2023 mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted as soon as possible. Click HERE to access the mileage form online.

DATE:
January 2, 2024

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
District Enrollment as of January 2, 2024


Please see the attached memo.

DATE:   
Thursday, January 4, 2024

TO:  
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

SUBJECT: 
Navigating Parental Exclusion Requests with the WIDA Access


The annual administration of the WIDA Access is mandated by the federal government, which uses this assessment to hold schools accountable for providing an equitable education for multi-language learners. This accountability stems from the 1974 Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols where a California school district was sued because it was not providing language services to many of its ML students. This Supreme Court case essentially ensures that students’ civil right to an equitable education and the government has chosen to use the WIDA Access as a way to hold school districts accountable for doing so.

The WIDA Access is federally mandated, which means that parents cannot opt their students out of taking the test. Because of the part this assessment plays in a student’s educational rights, parents do not have the power to revoke a student’s civil right to take the WIDA Access. Thus, the state was required to remove the WIDA Access from the parental exclusion form a few years ago.

So, what happens when a parent insists that their child not take the WIDA Access? Basic procedures are outlined below:

  • The school administration should discuss any or all of the attached talking points with the student’s parent.
  • If the parent still insists that their child not participate in the WIDA Access, then the school should document the parent’s refusal. Schools should use their school opt out log already available to school test coordinators to note the parental exclusion.
  • Schools may accept a parental exclusion in writing, but they cannot provide an opt out form to exclude students from the WIDA Access.

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions or concerns regarding these procedures.

DATE:   
January 4, 2024

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
Required Fire Drill Within the First 10 School Days


All schools are required to conduct a fire drill within the first 10 days of the school year. This provides a great opportunity to review plans, emergency response/Incident Command assignments, evacuation maps, outside rally locations, communications, and related supplies.

Please take special care to orient new students and staff, individuals with special needs and younger students that may not have been exposed to fire alarms/strobes and emergency response protocols. Please be sure to clearly announce that it is a “drill”.

Please call the Jordan School District 24-hr. Alarm Response 801-567-8865 at least 30 minutes in advance of the drill, so the fire department is not dispatched.

Use the JSD Incident Command System Manual - Fire Action Plan as your drill guideline. Jordan School District Safety Manual

Report the drill and any related meetings using the JSD report form on Google Drive. Link: 2023-24 REPORT EMERGENCY — DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact Matt Alvernaz the District Safety Coordinator at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8623.

Please submit all school allocation budget transfer forms to Natalie.Grange@jordandistrict.org, no later than January 26, 2024.

Budget transfers for this school year cannot be made after January 26. The budget transfer form is attached.

If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave on a Critical Day before or after President’s Day for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:

How to Request

During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org 

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

School Holiday Date of Holiday Critical Days Window
President’s Day February 19, 2024 Feb. 16 and 20, 2024 Jan. 5 – Jan. 15, 2024

Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

DATE:  
Thursday, January 4, 2024

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Rebecca Smith, Consultant, Gifted & Talented

SUBJECT:  
6th Grade CogAT Tableau Dashboard Updated with 2023-24 Results


The 2023-24 6th grade CogAT results are now available in Tableau viewer accounts. Elementary school administrators may access the dashboards here. Results are available at both the district and school level. School administrators may also filter the data by student groups (economically disadvantaged, ML, race/ethnicity, and students with a disability). Finally, individual student results are also available here.

Hard copy results and interpretation guides will be sent to schools at a later time.

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with questions about these dashboards.

The Utah State Board of Education Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) qualifications and application deadlines are available for 2023-2024. The application deadlines are printed below.  Information regarding the TSSP program and qualifications is found at the following Utah State Board of Education (USBE) link:

Application Term Dates
An application term indicates a preference of when and how often the educator would like to receive any bonus. Applicants may select one of the following terms before the respective deadline:

 

Term      # of Payments      Application Available & Accepted   Application Deadline

Trimester               2              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Wednesday, November 15, 2023 11:59 PM

Semester               1              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Wednesday, January 31, 2024 11:59 PM

Annual                   1              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Tuesday, April 30, 2024 11:59 PM

Principals,

The following information and attached flyer outline a unique pilot with Jordan School District, BYU's School Leadership Program, and the School Leadership Alliance. Please share with those licensed employees you think may be interested in becoming a future school administrator.

Jordan School District is partnering with the BYU School Leadership Program and the School Leadership Alliance to pilot an administrative endorsement program with courses held during the school day during the 2024-2025 school year. While this day program is open to students from any district, Jordan School District has agreed to allow those who are working as full-time administrative interns and who are also admitted to the BYU program to attend these day courses. BYU will award a generous half-tuition scholarship to any student who attends this accelerated 14-month day program. Courses start May 2024 and will run through June of 2025 so that participants will be job ready by July 2025. Day program students will be invited to attend Deloitte’s Courageous Principals Program in Dallas, Texas, where each participant will work on real problems of practice and receive instruction, support, and coaching from a trained mentor principal, district leadership, and BYU professors. In addition to this day program, BYU will continue to offer a 14-month evening program. Evening students will be invited to attend the UASSP or UAESP Mid-Winter Conference in St. George, Utah. Applications to both the day and evening cohorts are due February 15 with final admissions decisions being made in March. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to join these fantastic cohorts of aspiring school leaders!

Thanks!

We ask all West Jordan, Copper Hills, and Herriman feeder schools to send the flyer out to their students using Skylert or Peachjar.

Pizza dinner will be served! Space is limited, RSVP HERE to secure your spot!

The JEF Outstanding Educator Award Application is now open!

Nominations are due January 16, 2024.

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.

Guidelines and additional information can be found on the JEF Website here: JEF Outstanding Educator Awards

DATE:  
December 13, 2023

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:   
Wellness Rep Training - January 19, 2024


The wellness team is excited to announce the in-person Employee Wellness Rep Training for your school or department’s designated Employee Wellness Representative on January 19, 2024 at JATC-S. There will be two sessions for this training:

  • Elementary Reps will meet from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Secondary Reps will meet from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Wellness Rep Training will be full of great information that your school’s rep won’t want to miss! Wellness Reps should come ready to share data, plan the rest of the year, discuss Wellness Day, get information on a new grant opportunity, and collaborate with your fellow reps! Lunch will be provided.

Review the attached flyers and share it with your school or department’s representative: