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DATE:    
Thursday, June 15, 2023

TO:   
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:   
2023 EOY Acadience Reading Results Now Available in Tableau


The Acadience Reading summary dashboard has been updated in Tableau with end of year benchmark results. School administrators and instructional coaches will be able to see the following 2022-23 results for each benchmark period:

All of these dashboards are equipped with various demographic filters to help you analyze and interact with your school’s data.

Please direct questions about these dashboards to Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability.

The Transportation Moratorium Field/Activity Trips Dates 2023-24 have been revised to reflect ACT testing in March 2024. March 5 was originally scheduled as a moratorium date. However, due to a high school calendar change, the moratorium date has changed from March 5 to March 13, 2024. Please plan accordingly. (High School Calendar Change for 2023-24)

You'll notice a slight moratorium time change in the morning from 9:00 am to 9:15 am Monday - Thursday. This allows bus drivers to complete their elementary school runs with sufficient time to make it to the school requesting a field/activity trip without arriving late. Therefore, field/activity trips will not start prior to 9:15 am. Please plan accordingly.

 

Teacher mentor lists will be distributed to principals through email on Friday, June 16.

School administrators will want to identify the school administrator over mentoring, school coach over mentoring, and any other school leader that will need to have access to this list. Please update that information on your school spreadsheet on the instructions tab.

If you have questions about your spreadsheet, contact Michelle Williams (michelle.williams@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8365) in Teaching and Learning.

Spreadsheets will be sent through email on Friday, June 16.

DATE:  
June 7, 2023

TO: 
Principals

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Teaching and Learning Administrator
Chris Richards-Khong, Teaching and Learning Staff Assistant Administrator
Amanda Bollinger, Teaching and Learning Staff Assistant Administrator

SUBJECT: 
Save The Date - Coaching Kick-Off with Principals


Who:
Building principals and instructional and digital coaches

What:
The JSD Instructional Coaching Institute (ICI)
This will be the first meeting of the year. We will have principals bring their coaching teams to 1) receive further implementation training on the JSD coaching and mentoring model, 2) discover how applying the ten research based coaching roles leads to greater student impact, and 3) design a unique building coaching plan for the year.

When:
Elementary
Friday, August 25, 2023
8:30 am - 11:30 am

Secondary
Wednesday August, 30, 2023
8:00 am - 11:00 am

Where :
Auxiliary Services Building
Auditorium
7905 S. Redwood Road
West Jordan, Utah 84088

On August 10th, from 9-12 we will be having our first annual "Wellness Welcome." Our topic is "Restoring a Culture of Connection." We welcome all educators who would like to add to their wellness toolkit for themselves and their students. Our target audience is classroom teachers, but everyone is welcome!

If you are interested, fill out the brief form and we will keep you updated as the event gets closer. A stipend may be available for licensed employees.

DATE:
June 8, 2023

TO:
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Student Mental Wellness Opportunities and Reminders


Throughout the 2023 summer, Jordan District’s Clinical staff will offer mental wellness groups focused on coping, connections, and community, as well as individual check-ins, screenings, and mental health consultations. If a student or staff member would benefit from these services, please share the attached flyer with them so they can schedule an appointment.

As a reminder, emergency services and mobile crisis teams remain available throughout the summer through 988 and SafeUT.

The new English Language Arts Standards for elementary grades have been approved and are now available on the UEN website. It is common protocol for instructional standards in the state of Utah to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. The new standards have gone through rigorous revisions and state board approval. They will be in effect for the 2023-24 school year and can be viewed on the UEN website. Please share the attachment with the links with teachers to help them in the planning process for the 2023-24 school year.

Use the following links to access the new English Language Arts standards for the 2023-24 school year:

Step by Step Guide to Finding the New 2023 ELA Standards

New 2023 ELA Standards

Dear Administrators,

Each year parents must reapply for a space available permit for their student(s). This process will no longer be done by filling out a paper form issued by the school.

All space available permit requests will now be submitted online. Please see the instructions/tutorial on how parents can access and complete this online form.

Space Available Guideline Reminders:

  • Students who live within 1.5 miles of an elementary school and 2.0 miles of a middle or high school are identified as ineligible for transportation.
  • If space is available, students who live too close to the school to qualify for state supported bus service may be allowed to ride from the nearest existing approved bus stop.
  • Space available passes may be withdrawn at any time if an increase in eligible riders reduces the number of seats available.
  • Parents are responsible for the safety of their student(s) traveling to and from the bus stop. Bus stops will not be added to accommodate space available riders.
  • Space Available Passes will be issued within 15 calendar days after the school year begins.

WHO? YOU!
Are you looking to improve your ability to address the "elephant in the room"? Want to be able to better handle difficult conversations? Join members of the Culture and Diversity Team to hone your skills in a relaxed, open environment.

WHAT?
We'll be reading and discussing "Don't Feed the Elephants" by Sarah Noll Wilson and using her techniques to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

WHEN?
Meeting Dates: June 15th, July 6th, July 27th, and August 10th

Time and Location TBA
Zoom Option Available

Email gwen.creelerickson@jordandistrict.org to reserve your spot.

DATE:
June 1, 2023

TO:
Elementary Principals
Elementary Head Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Jill Durrant, Administrator of Schools

SUBJECT:
Elementary Administrative Assistants Optional Summer Hours


Elementary school administrative assistants have up to eighty (80) hours of additional time to use during the summer months after the 206 contract ends June 13, 2023 and before the contract begins July 26, 2023. These hours remain optional and flexible and are to be used in coordination with the school principal. No other assistant (full or part time) may use these additional hours.

It is suggested the hours be spread out over the summer months when the administrative assistant is off contract and be used to keep registration current in Skyward and address other matters that typically build up over the summer months (voicemails, purchase verifications, time sheets, etc.). The hope is that these summer hours will aid the school in a successful opening for the students.

The hours should be reported through True Time under the heading “Summer Office Hours” and will be charged to account number: 10 E xxx 0050 2483 152.

DATE:
June 1, 2023

TO:
All School Administrators 

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

SUBJECT:
Summer Content Monitoring


During the summer months, from June 5th until August 22nd, content monitoring and notifications will have some temporary changes.

  • Notifications to schools will only include administration and not counseling or mental health professionals. This allows for 12-month employees to still receive notifications and not those who are off contract. The notifications will go to the entire team of admin at each school in case there are administrators that are out of the office.
  • Notifications that are not considered emergencies or urgent will not be sent after 2pm to ensure that intervention is reasonable and timely for school personnel.
  • Content monitoring will be checked once per week while school is not in session. 
  • We will continue to receive imminent alerts and will continue to work with administrators when immediate intervention is required.

Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org

District Cabinet has approved a change to the end-of-year schedule for Kindergarten testing beginning May 2024. Kindergarten teachers will still have six testing days; however, the testing window will be divided into a five-day block with a scheduled day for makeup testing on the last day of the school year. The second-to-last day of the school year will become the last day of school for Kindergarten. This change will impact both full-day and half-day students.

The calendars at http://planning.jordandistrict.org/calendars/ for 2023-24 and 2024-25 have been updated to reflect the change.

If June 2nd is the last day True Time employees and approvers are working before summer break, please make sure all True Time is submitted and approved on time to avoid a delay in receiving June paychecks.

True Time employees MUST clock out and submit all of their True Time on their last day of work this week, no later than Friday, June 2nd.

True Time approvers MUST approve all of their True Time by the end of the day on Friday, June 2nd.

We have been approved to move over to a new IEP platform. We will be moving from Goalview/EdPlan to Embrace. Embrace is a program that has multiple programs under one. We will use the system as our IEP system, Medicaid system and 504 system.

Goalview will be decommissioned and no longer operate as of June 30, 2023. Embrace will be in place as our system for documenting and maintaining compliance for IEPs, Medicaid, and 504s. We will begin the migration of data over the summer and provide training during the Special Education Summer Conference.

Training for School Psychologists, Counselors, and Clinical Staff on the 504 components of Embrace will be conducted at another time.

You are strongly encouraged to attend the Embrace training in person on August 8th.

We will also have administrative sessions to highlight what administrators will want to know about Embrace on August 8th as well. We are excited about the new system and the opportunities moving forward.

If you have questions, please contact your Teacher Specialist.

 

Administrators: Please share the attached flyer with those in your building who might be interested in becoming a principal.

Apply by August 25, 2023 at the BYU Aspiring Principals Academy page.