Jordan School District
DATE:
April 10, 2025
TO:
Jordan District Administrators, Directors
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Administrators of Schools
SUBJECT:
Time Schedule for the Last Day of School
Please review this memo carefully for your school dismissal time, and convey this information to your students and parents.
DATE:
April 9, 2025
TO:
School Administrators
School Safety Specialists
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator
SUBJECT:
April Safety Drill – Great Utah ShakeOut 2025
On Thursday, April 17th 2025, at 10:15 A.M. a million Utahns will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the annual Great Utah ShakeOut Earthquake Drill.
All schools are encouraged to participate in this drill during the designated time, or to conduct an earthquake drill sometime in the month of April. This is an opportunity to incorporate emergency preparedness in classroom lessons and to include proper ways to protect oneself during an earthquake.
The Jordan School District has registered as a whole to participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut. You can find more information at: www.ShakeOut.org/Utah.
Please review the Jordan School District Safety Manual - Earthquake Action Plan and Standard Operating Guidelines on pages 28-31 for planning, drilling and responding to an earthquake.
For additional information or guidance please contact the District School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at 801-567-8623.
DATE:
March 28, 2025
TO:
Principals
FROM:
Lisa Dean, Chair, Licensed Educator Advisory Committee (LEAC)
SUBJECT:
LEAC Elections and Meeting Date
The Jordan Board of Education is pleased to announce that the Licensed Educator Advisory Committee (LEAC), which is made up of licensed employees from every school in the District, will resume meeting next month. The purpose of this committee is to give the Board information and feedback regarding issues that affect licensed employees.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, from 4 - 6:00 p.m. at JATC South, 12723 South Park Avenue (2040 W.) in Riverton.
REPRESENTATIVES
Elections will need to be held as soon as possible after spring break. The Board requests that the LEAC representatives elected from your school have not previously served on the committee.
Committee members will meet once this year and at least twice next year.
Elementary and special schools, Valley High School, virtual schools, JATC North and JATC South will send one representative, middle schools two representatives, and high schools will send three representatives. Help us by selecting the assigned number of representatives from your school using the following process. Please adhere to these procedures as outlined.
NOMINATION
DATE:
March 25, 2025
TO:
Principals
Staff Currently Trained in Mandt
FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Melanie Dawson, Program Administrator of Behavior
SUBJECT:
Mandt Recertification Training
All staff members who were certified in Mandt in June, July, or August 2024 must attend one of the following recertification sessions to keep their certification current for the upcoming school year. Registration is on Canvas Catalog, and the classes will be capped based on trainer to learner ratio requirements. Please register ASAP for your preferred date. Please see attached memo for dates and registration information.
DATE:
March 26, 2025
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator
SUBJECT:
School Safety Specialist List Update/Confirmation
Please review the attached spreadsheet and confirm that the information for your assigned School Safety Specialist is correct. If it is not, or there is a change, please update the information on the form. The information needs to be accurate in order for them to receive their stipends the end of April.
This needs to be completed by end of day on Wednesday, April 9th 2025. The list will be submitted as is after this date.
2024-2025 School-Based Safety Specialists
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to:
Matt Alvernaz
School Safety Coordinator
matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org
(801)567-8623
DATE:
February 26, 2025
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness Consultant
SUBJECT:
Prevention Plan Update 2025-26
School administrators and teams are expected to update prevention plans annually and post them on their school’s website. Prevention plans address overall prevention efforts and include suicide, bullying, and violence prevention information. Additional information on updating your school’s prevention plan can be found at wellness.jordandistrict.org/preventionplan.
The template for prevention plans has been updated and school administrators can use this link to make a copy and update their plan for 2025-26 by filling in the highlighted areas.
The Wellness Team would gladly visit your school (upon request) to attend a team meeting and support you in completing your prevention plan!
If you’d prefer to take time away from your building to complete your prevention plan with the wellness team present, reach out to request “office hours” and we will schedule time at a District conference room that works for your team. Contact McKinley Withers (88245, mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org) to arrange for in-person support at your school or through District “office hours.”
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Administrators of Schools
As we plan both the June Administrator Training and the August Leadership Conference, we would like to identify specific training and professional development needs/wants that you may have. Please take a minute to complete the survey by choosing up to 3 topics of interest. If you have a topic that wasn't represented please feel free to add it to the short answer question (not required). Please complete this survey by March 24, 2025.
If you already completed this survey at the Principal or AP meeting you do not need to repeat it.
DATE:
March 20, 2025
TO:
All Principals
Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Administrators of Schools
SUBJECT:
Stipend for Department Chairs and Team Leaders
Stipends for Department Chairs and Team Leaders will be paid in May.
A Google timesheet roster will be shared with principals and administrative assistants and should be completed by Friday, April 25, 2025. Department Chairs or Team Leaders will be paid out of the same program number from which their salary is paid.
Kauri Sue, River’s Edge, South Valley, and JATC will be paid as middle schools. If a school houses an additional special education program (cluster or preschool program), it will have an additional team leader allocation.
Budget Code
10 xxx xxx 2216 131
10 xxx 7551 2216 131 (Special Education)
TO:
Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning
The USBE Digital Teaching and Learning (DTL) Grant provides opportunities and tools for teachers in Jordan School District to address and close student achievement gaps through the use of high quality instruction that integrates technology. This survey will help us determine technology training and hardware/software needs for the 2025-2026 school year. Use the links below to complete the end of year DTL Survey from USBE. Survey is due April 9, 2025.
Admin Link for Survey - https://www.metirisurveys.com/se/601EA2D53C7D99AC
Teacher Link for Survey - https://www.metirisurveys.com/se/601EA2D57A84FAFE
TO:
High School Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Consider sending at least one P.E. teacher to represent your school for a professional development day dedicated to enhancing assessment practices in physical education. This session will focus on developing consistent and reliable assessment tools that align with shared learning objectives and standards. Participants will collaborate to create assessments that accurately measure student progress and performance. By unifying our assessment approaches, we aim to ensure fairness and clarity in evaluating student achievement, ultimately supporting improved outcomes in physical education. The district will provide funding for a substitute for ONE P.E. teacher per school, but all high school P.E. teachers are welcome. Please share this information with your P.E. teachers.
TO:
Secondary Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
On April 10, 2025, Middle School and High School Health teachers will work collaboratively on vertical alignment, pacing, and instructional strategies in Health. The district will provide funding for a substitute for ONE Health teacher per school, but all secondary Health teachers are welcome. Please share this information with your Health teachers.
DATE:
February 27, 2025
TO:
All School Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
SUBJECT:
Parent Seminars in English and Spanish to Share!
Jordan District has partnered with the Cook Center for Human Connection to provide ongoing mental health education for parents and caregivers. This collaboration offers FREE access to live, virtual educational sessions covering various topics. A calendar for March sessions is attached. Sessions are offered in both English and Spanish. Previously recorded seminars can be accessed through a comprehensive library of sessions and resources for each topic. You can access the library of recorded sessions at any time by visiting this site: https://parentguidance.org/mhsindex.
For the month of March, we want to highlight the webinar titled What Parents Need to Know About Suicide Prevention. Suicide prevention is a critical subject, and we often receive requests from parents and stakeholders for more information and resources. We encourage you to share this vital information with your communities. This webinar takes place on Thursday, March 20th at 5 p.m. AND 7 p.m.
If parents register and can’t make it, they will have access to the recording. More information and the link to register can be found here.
Please share the attached fliers with your school community.
Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org
TO:
Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Spring Mentor Training will be available online through Canvas from March 31 to May 12. Training is provided to new mentors based on administrator recommendation. Complete the Google form for each mentor you wish to enroll. We have limited seats, first come first served. Teachers will be paid a $150 stipend for completing the mentor Canvas training.
Please confirm the following before completing this form:
The Google Form to submit names for mentor training is now open! Please submit your names by March 31st.
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Mike Haynes - Director, Jordan Education Foundation
It's that time again! The JEF Rising Star Scholarships will recognize one resilient student from each high school with a $2,000 scholarship to the college, university, or trade school of their choice.
This is your opportunity to recognize a student who has faced significant challenges impacting their schooling, yet has shown remarkable improvement in their academic performance.
To submit your nomination, click HERE and select the “Administrators Nominate Here” button.
Submissions are due by March 10th.
DATE:
January 29, 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 (SECURE)
Our monthly drill preparation will be held on February 5th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering SECURE. 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 opened 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 SECURE response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 8-11. 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.
TO:
Administrators
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Following the release of the 2025-26 FTE V2.0 enrollment projections, the HR Department will provide training for all principals who may need to complete a Reduction in Staff (RIS).
See the document below for all the details and the LINK to sign up for the training.
DATE:
January 16, 2025
TO:
Principals
Special Education Staff
FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Kristin Norris, Teacher Specialist-SLP/A, ESY Coordinator
SUBJECT:
Extended School Year (ESY) Qualification Procedures and Timelines
Attached: ESY Eligibility Facts, Tips and Documentation
IDEA directs us to consider all students for Extended School Year (ESY) services. However, ESY services should only be provided if the IEP team determines that it is necessary for the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).
Please see the attached memo and information.
DATE:
Thursday, January 9, 2025
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 preserves a student’s civil right to an equitable education and the federal government has chosen to use the WIDA Access as a way to hold school districts accountable for providing an equitable education to English learners.
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? USBE has provided the following guidance:
“Parents/guardians can elect to exclude students out of language services, but they cannot exclude students from WIDA ACCESS. LEAs must provide the student with the opportunity to test. LEAs should document everything if parents/guardians refuse to allow their student to test. Parents/guardians always have the ultimate right, but LEAs cannot provide parents/guardians a testing exclusion form to sign in order to opt the student out of testing. The only way a student can be deemed proficient and be reclassified as a former EL is by taking ACCESS.”
The following are the recommended procedures to follow when a parent/guardian wants to opt their student out of the WIDA Access:
Please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability with any questions or concerns regarding these procedures.
DATE:
January 1, 2025
TO:
High School and Center-Based School Principals
High School Special Education Team Leaders
FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
SUBJECT:
Destruction of Special Education Records
School districts are required to keep special education records until the student’s twenty-seventh birthday. In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Jordan School District must notify parents and afford them the opportunity to receive special education records before destruction of those records can occur.
As of February 28, 2025, such notice will have been advertised to parents for students whose birthdates are prior to September 1997 (i.e., students who are 27 years of age). Any records for students over the age of 22 will be stored off site until they are ready to be destroyed when the student turns 27 years of age.
If you have questions, please call the special education teacher specialist assigned to your school, or Sandra Rhees at 801-567-8294.
cc:
Renee Sass, Placement Office
Caleb Olson, Student Services
Sandra Riesgraf, Communications
DATE:
January 9, 2025
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Panorama Survey Coordinators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
SUBJECT:
Winter Panorama Student Feedback Surveys
The winter Panorama Student Feedback Survey window is January 22, 2025 through February 21, 2025.
Panorama (Early Warning System) and social-emotional surveys may only be administered to students whose parents have opted-in. Parents are asked to opt-in to the student feedback survey during the registration process. When the online registration process closes on Oct. 1 schools will manually enter the opt-in information into Skyward. Student opt-in lists have been provided to Panorama already and a mid-window upload of students will also occur.
The following information is provided to inform and assist you as you administer student feedback surveys:
Survey coordinators and administrators should view the Administering Panorama Survey presentation for information, instructions, and guidance regarding the student feedback surveys. Other Panorama information may be found on the Student Serves website here.
Other survey information including the Spring survey window may be found here.
Should you have any questions please reach out to Travis Hamblin (travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org) or Michelle Reyes (michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org).
