Skip to content

Category: Elementary Schools

Published on

TO:
Directors
Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
June LeMaster, Administrator, Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, HR Recruiting

The Utah State Board of Education Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) qualifications and application deadlines are available for 2024-2025. 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 3 Tuesday, October 1, 2024 6:00 AM Friday, November 15, 2024 11:59 PM
Semester 2 Tuesday, October 1, 2024 6:00 AM Friday, January 31, 2025 11:59 PM
Annual 1 Tuesday, October 1, 2024 6:00 AM Wednesday, April 30, 2025 11:59 PM

Please note that the 2024-2025 school year will be the final funding opportunity under the current TSSP. The Utah Legislature has approved the new Salary Supplement for Highly Needed Educators (SHiNE) Program in the 2024 session that will go into effect July 1, 2025.

Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, November 7, 2024

TO:  
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:   
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, 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: Mindful Classrooms: Teachers Designing and Implementing Mindfulness Interventions

Applicant: Mary Phan, Utah State University

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 researcher is looking for 12 teachers to participate in the study and will require significant participation outside of contract time. Participants will be involved in an interview, take several questionnaires, and some mindfulness exercises.

Thank you for your assistance.

 

Published on

DATE:    
November 7, 2024

TO:  
Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM: 
June LeMaster, Administrator, Human Resources
Brent Burge, Human Resource Administrator, ESP

SUBJECT: 
2024 Winter Recess Critical Day Annual/Personal Leave Lottery Request

If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave on a Critical Day before or after Winter Recess 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
Winter Recess
(All Licensed)		 Dec. 23, 2024 -          Jan. 3, 2025 Dec. 20, 2024 and        Jan. 6, 2025 Nov. 9 – Nov. 19, 2024
Winter Recess

(All ESP)

 Dec. 24, 2024 -          Jan. 1, 2025 Dec. 20, 2024 and        Jan. 6, 2025

(245 works Dec 27, 30, 31)

 Nov. 10 – Nov. 20, 2024

Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2024-2025

ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2024-2025

Published on

TO:
All Kindergarten Teachers, Coaches, and Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Michelle Lovell, Consultant, Elementary Language Arts, Teaching & Learning

Prepare to explore Open Up Resources (O.U.R.), a top rated curriculum crafted to spark curiosity, enhance critical thinking, and promote active engagement.

Sign up HERE

Published on

DATE: 
Thursday, November 7, 2024

TO:   
Elementary School Administrators

FROM: 
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, 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: Improving Efficacy in Identification of Students’ Well-being and Behavioral Risks and Access to Services: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Applicant: Maggie Chan, Utah State University

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.

Teachers will be invited to participate in a survey about student well-being and a select few will also participate in virtual interviews.

Thank you for your assistance.

 

Published on

TO:
All Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Brian King, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Special Education
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Special Education Administrator

Please see the attached newsletter.

 

Published on

DATE:  
11/5/2024

TO:  
Principals
Special Education Teachers (Resource & Cluster)

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

SUBJECT:  
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Testing Checklist

Attached is the DLM checklist for all special education teachers who are administering the DLM assessment to any of their students for the 2024-25 school year. You are required to complete and return the checklist to Jen Birrell for all Elementary teachers and Mikaylee Krebs for all Secondary teachers at the District Office by Friday, December 20, 2024. This form is also available online at specialed.jordandistrict.org/staff/forms on the Special Education website.

Please direct any questions or concerns to Jen Birrell for Elementary Teachers and Mikaylee Krebs for Secondary teachers.

Jen Birrell: 801-567-8905 or jennifer.birrell@jordandistrict.org

Mikaylee Krebs: 801-567-8356 or mikaylee.krebs@jordandistrict.org

 

Published on

TO:
Elementary Administrators

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Amy Kinder, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning

Dear Administrators,

Jordan School District invites you to preview the Open Up Resources K-5 Mathematics curriculum, which is under consideration for adoption following the discontinuation of our current Math Expressions program. After 11 years, this transition reflects our commitment to providing the most effective educational tools for our students.

In making this decision, we took feedback from many different stakeholders, including math leads, principals, instructional coaches, and district specialists. This is something we took very seriously, and this is the next step in refining and advancing our teaching practices in mathematics, ultimately benefiting our students.

The open house will take place at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Building, Entrance D, 7905 S Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah, on the following dates:

  • Monday, Nov. 4: 7 a.m.  - 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 6: 12 - 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov.13: 12  - 7 p.m.

We encourage you to explore its features, which align with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards, emphasizing mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and conceptual understanding.

To further explore the curriculum and access additional resources online, please use the following links.

To access teacher materials, please sign up using your Jordan District email. It is quick and easy to sign up. 

Your feedback is invaluable as the Jordan School District School Board will make a final decision regarding this proposed curriculum at the Board meeting on November 26, 2024. Public comments are welcome in person or via email at the Board meetings. Email contact information for Board members can be found on our Board of Education page.

Thank you for your dedication to educational excellence and for participating in this important review process.

Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals
Elementary Assistant Principals

FROM:
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Schools
Garett York, JAESP Committee Member

Please submit concerns to be discussed by JAESP committee and cabinet by November 6, 2024. You may submit concerns or questions using the Google Form OR you may send items to be discussed directly to Ann Pessetto at Westland, Megan Cox at Midas Creek, Kaleb Yates at Juniper Elementary, or Garett York at Southland.

All items will be discussed anonymously as we work to provide clarification and solutions to concerns of elementary administrators.

Notes of the discussions will be published on a Google Doc titled "JAESP Committee Notes 2024-25" which will be shared with Elementary Administrators.

Published on

DATE: 
October 31, 2024

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT: 
Monthly Drill Preparation (SHELTER)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on November 6th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering SHELTER. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrators are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also open to any staff who may be interested.

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding the SHELTER response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 20-24. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over ZOOM so please join using this link.

 

 

Published on

TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Daniel Ellis, Director of Accounting and Audits
Natalie Grange, Accounting Administrator

District allocations for individual schools were updated in Skyward on October 29.

Adjustments were made based on the October 1 headcounts. The online schools were not adjusted. Carryforward balances and transfer requests are included in the total allocation. See the following attachments:

1) Estimated District Allocation compared to October 1 adjustment.
2) Student estimate compared to October 1 headcount.
3) Budget Transfer form.

Budget adjustments can be submitted, using the attached form, to Natalie.Grange@jordandistrict.org. Budget transfers must be submitted before February.

Please review these adjustments and contact Natalie Grange (801) 567-8312 with any questions or concerns.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators
All Office Staff

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems

Just a reminder that our annual Utah Skyward User Conference is scheduled for next Wednesday, November 6th. The conference will be held at Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building. Please see the attached agenda for additional details. We hope to see you there!

This conference is an opportunity to learn about Skyward directly from the source as most sessions are presented by Skyward staff. There are some fantastic sessions being offered this year, including Data Mining for Beginners, Data Mining for Advanced Users, Admin Bootcamp, Skyward Tips & Tricks, Grade Analysis, and Qmlativ Business sessions.

During these sessions, you’re welcome to ask questions. However, if you have an issue that may take more time to resolve, we suggest you call our help desk for additional support.

We hope you make the most out of this year's conference by discovering fresh insights, learning valuable tips and tricks, getting your questions answered, and exploring new possibilities within Skyward. If you have any questions about attending the conference, please feel free to call the help desk at ext. 88737.

Published on

DATE: 
October 31, 2024

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Suicide Prevention Funds & Conference Registration

Administrators,

This memo is an update to a previous JAM regarding PBIS and Suicide Prevention Funds.

Suicide Prevention Grant funds are now available for allowable expenses up to $1,000 per school. Schools may use these funds to pay for HopeSquad or Sources of Strength program renewal fees or to conduct suicide prevention training. These funds cannot be used to purchase supplies or food related to suicide prevention programming (NO T-shirts, incentives, fidgets, etc.). For questions, contact McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org) or Angie Rasmussen (angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org) in Student Services.

As part of this allocation, schools may choose to register relevant staff members (school psychologists, school counselors, clinical support/social workers) for the Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference and code the P-Card registration fee to the grant.

Schools may register one individual for Elementary, three individuals for middle school, and up to five individuals for high school using the grant. Administrators can code the expense to program 5674 on the P-Card Reconciliation. There will not be District personnel registering school staff this year.  

If school staff have already been registered and your school would like to be reimbursed, contact Carmen Covarrubias (carmen.covarrubias@jordandistrict.org).

Published on

DATE:   
October 31, 2024

TO:
Building Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
Clarification on Enrollment Releases for Students with IEPs

The District has seen an increase this year in requests from parents of students with IEPs to release the student from enrollment for a portion of the day. These requests can be for reasons directly connected to the disability documented on the IEP (such as therapy) or may be for traditional “non-academic” reasons.

When a student on an IEP is released from enrollment, the service minutes specified in the IEP do not decrease. As a result, the District is responsible for providing the same amount of service in a reduced amount of time (and with reduced funding due to the release).

When a release is requested for reasons connected to the disability identified in the IEP, the building principal and the IEP team should determine how those services can be provided during the school day. If the parent continues to desire outside providers to provide the service during the school day, the parent will need to check the student out each time the service occurs.

When a release is requested for “non-academic” reasons, the release should not be approved until after consultation with the IEP team on potential impacts to the services specified in the IEP.

Additional questions on this topic may be directed to the Special Education Department or Planning & Enrollment.

Published on

TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
June LeMaster, Administrator, Human Resources
Rebecca Lee, Administrator, Evaluations

NOVEMBER SUB INCENTIVE BONUS INFORMATION

Below is the information regarding the November 2024 Substitute Teacher Incentive Bonus. Remember, to qualify for this monthly bonus there are two eligibility requirements:

1) ZERO cancellations
2) Work the number of days to receive the associated bonus (see details for days and amounts below).

These bonuses are paid on the paycheck issued near the 10th of the month.

NOVEMBER 2024
15 days worked- $250
12 days worked- $150
10 days worked- $100
7 days worked- $50

If you have any questions regarding the substitute teacher incentive bonus please email the Sub Office at suboffice@jordandistrict.org.

Published on

TO:
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:
Mike Haynes, Director, Jordan Education Foundation

This virtual clinic is for all elementary classrooms in Utah. Classrooms can join via zoom* or participate as a school from your gymnasium. Kids and teachers will take part in various fun events following along with Utah Jazz player, dancers, coach, Bear, and others. There will be fun exercises you can do in place as well as other mental and physical activities. BE SURE TO SCAN THE QR CODE TO REGISTER!

*Note, the zoom link will be provided prior to the event.