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Category: High School Action Required

Published on

DATE:    
July 1, 2016

TO:   
Principals

FROM: 
Administrators of Schools
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Clyde Mason, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT: 
2016-17 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures

Instructions, materials, and documentation forms for the required 2016-17 Testing Ethics professional development, are being sent to schools via the Jordan Administrative Memo (JAM).  These materials will also be available online at http://assessments.jordandistrict.org/ethics/ .  The four required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2016-17 Principal’s Test Ethics Checklist” form provided in the materials.

It is important that all school leaders and teachers be reminded that the professional testing ethics required for all State-mandated assessments such as SAGE, ACT, and WIDA Access, also apply to all District-mandated assessments such as benchmark tests, SLO assessments, and other District-created assessments including MasteryConnect® assessments.  Students must not be given secured assessment questions as homework or discussion items.  Any use of secured assessment questions for instruction, discussion, or homework compromises the validity and integrity of the assessment questions and constitutes a violation of professional testing ethics protocol.

Principals are to make sure that teachers understand that professional testing ethics must be followed when working with District-mandated as well as State-mandated assessments. Principals are also to remind teachers that any potential disciplinary action specified for violating professional testing ethics on State-mandated assessments, also applies to any violation of professional testing ethics on District-mandated assessments.

Published on

DATE:
June 28, 2016

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator, Curriculum and Staff Development
Rebecca Lee, Administrator, Jordan Evaluation Systems

SUBJECT:
UETS-based JPAS Bubble Sheet Changes

Beginning the 2016-2017 school year, Jordan School District will be using a new scantron bubble sheet for UETS-based JPAS evaluations.  Attached you will find a sample of the changes.  All changes will be found on the front page of the bubble sheet.  Below are the changes to make note of.

Teacher Number:
We will no longer be using social security numbers.  Cactus ID numbers will be used for all employees.  Evaluators need to write the number and then fill the rest of the spaces in with zeros.  Correction: Evaluators need to write the cactus ID at the end and fill in zeros in the front (see attached example). 

Teacher Status:
There are now five choices for teacher status.  Evaluators will need to select only one for each teacher evaluated.

 

Published on

DATE:  
June 21, 2016

TO: 
All School Principals
All School Financial Secretaries

FROM:  
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Heather Ellingson, Director of Accounting, Budgets and Audits
Daniel Ellis, Accountant/Internal Auditor

SUBJECT: 
School Bank Account Balances for June 30, 2016

Please send the following information for each bank account balance as of June 30, 2016 to Accounting by July 29, 2016.  If you have multiple bank accounts, please list each account separately.

School Name
Name of Bank
Type of Account (checking, savings, money market)
Account Balance

The balance requested is the balance from your June bank statements, not Skyward.  This information is required annually and will be used to complete reporting requirements for Utah Money Management Council.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Dan Ellis at (801)567-8389.

Thank you.

Cc:
Michael Anderson, Administrator of Schools
Jill Durrant, Administrator of Schools
Anthony Godfrey, Administrator of Schools
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Teri Timpson, Administrator of Schools

Published on

DATE:   
June 21, 2016

TO:  
All School Principals
All School Financial Secretaries

FROM: 
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Heather Ellingson, Director of Accounting, Budgets and Audits
Daniel Ellis, Accountant/Internal Auditor

SUBJECT:  
Quarterly School Financial Report for April, May and June 2016

Each school is asked to report the quarter end account balance and transaction detail with the Apple Volume Purchase Program and return with your bank reconciliation.  If your school has no Apple account, please so indicate and return.

Please include the account balance with Apple on the reconciliation sign off form and print a report or screen shot(s) of the balances and quarterly transactions from Apple’s website.  If you need assistance, please contact your Curriculum Technology Specialist – Bonnie, Deana, Harrison, Nancy.

Please photocopy the selected elements and send to Accounting by July 22, 2016.

Please include:

  • The signed attached memo to Accounting
  • A copy of your April, May and June 2016 Reconciliation Worksheets
  • A copy of your April, May and June 2016 Bank Statements
  • A copy of your April, May and June 2016 Skyward Balance Sheets
  • A copy of your April, May and June Outstanding Check Reports
  • Screen shot(s) of your June 30, 2016 Apple Volume Purchase Program transaction history and balance

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Liz Robins at (801)567-8267.

Thank you.

Cc:
Michael Anderson, Administrator of Schools
Jill Durrant, Administrator of Schools
Anthony Godfrey, Administrator of Schools
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Teri Timpson, Administrator of Schools

Published on

DATE:
May 31, 2016

TO: 
All Special Educators
All Principals

FROM: 
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curric./Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist

SUBJECT:
Woodcock Johnson IV Training

Jordan School District has purchased the Woodcock Johnson IV Test of Achievement to replace the Woodcock Johnson III, which will no longer be on the approved list for achievement testing for the 2016-2017 school year. All special educators must attend this mandatory training.  Special educators must have completed all aspects of training before they will be able to conduct achievement testing with students. Registration is available through JPLS (course number 101079). The schedule of training dates is attached.

Special educators will either be paid at inservice rate, or if you are on contract, may request a substitute using budget code 1292.

Published on

DATE:
May 20, 2016

TO:
All Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant for Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT:
Student Residency Questionnaire

Enclosed is a copy of the Student Residency Questionnaire form in English and Spanish.  This questionnaire has been developed to assist in the process of enrolling homeless students and to keep the district in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act.  This notification must be included with the 2016-17 registration materials that you send to all parents/students.  Please send both a copy in English and a copy in Spanish. 

The forms will be included in the elementary, middle and high school registration information and the Skyward online registration materials.  Please make sure that the forms are returned with other registration materials.  The form isn’t optional.  All students are required to complete and return the questionnaire.

Please make additional copies of both the English and Spanish versions. (The two versions may be run back-to-back.)  These copies should then be given to the registrar, attendance office, and/or counselors to give to those students entering your school during the school year who did not receive the initial registration materials.  It is imperative that the parents of every student who attends your school, anytime during the school year, complete this residency questionnaire.

At the bottom of the questionnaire are instructions for the parents and the school.  If the school has any of the questionnaires returned that indicate a temporary residence, please forward the forms to the Jordan School District Homeless Liaison (Hilda Lloyd) in Alternative Language Services or call Hilda at 567-8308 or 567-8116.

Thank you for your help.

Enclosures

 

Published on

DATE:  
May 20, 2016

TO:  
All Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:  
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant for Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification
The attached Annual Notification was revised in 2016-17

Enclosed is a copy of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Annual Notification and Directory Information disclosure.  Please note that the notification has been revised to include language concerning release of information when a student poses an articulable health or safety threat.  By law we are required to annually notify eligible students and parents of their rights under this act.

This revised notification must be included with the 2016-17 registration materials that you send to parents/students.  Please send both a copy in English and a copy in Spanish.  (The two versions may be run back-to-back.)  The forms will be included in the elementary, middle, and high school registration materials and the school online registration materials.

Please make additional copies of both the English and Spanish versions.  These copies could then be given to the registrar, attendance office, and/or counselors to give to those students entering your school during the school year who did not receive the initial registration materials.  It is imperative that the parents of every student who attends your school, anytime during the school year, be given a copy of this notification.

You must notify me immediately if you receive written notification from a parent or eligible student indicating they refuse to let the school disclose any or all of the information designated as “Directory Information.”   All requests for student information from any branches of the military or from other outside agencies must be processed through Planning & Student Services. Please do not release information from your school.

Merely stating that the student does not want to be listed in the school directory does not qualify as written notification for FERPA purposes and does not need to be sent to this office.

Thank you for your help.

Enclosures

Published on

DATE:
April 28, 2016

TO:
All Principals, Directors and Coordinators

FROM:
June LeMaster, Ph.D., Administrator, Human Resources
Brent Burge, Human Resource Administrator - Classified

SUBJECT:
Classified Assistant Employment Evaluations for the 2015–2016 School Year

As the end of the school year is fast approaching, it is time to complete employee performance evaluations for all part-time assistants.  The evaluation documents are crucial in justifying employee terminations or unemployment claims.

All forms are available on the HR website on the “Admin Only” or the “Secretary Connections” page under the “Part Time Classified Evaluations” link.

You will find the following forms:

  • Part-Time Classified Assistant Evaluations Guideline -outlining the procedure for evaluating part time employees in your school/department.
  • Assistants-Employment Review/Status form

It is important you meet with each assistant for his/her evaluation. In each evaluation, the employee must be informed of his/her employment status for the upcoming year and the employee’s signature is required.

As part of your meeting with each assistant, please remind them that part-time employees with Jordan School District are considered "at will". That is, either the employee or Jordan School District may end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, or for no reason.  There is no expectation of continued or guaranteed employment.

If you have any questions or if you need additional help, review the evaluation guideline on the website or you may contact our office at 801-567-8224.

Thank you for your assistance.

Published on

All Principals (K-12):

Please share the flyer, Workshops Presentations for Teachers and Students with all of your teachers.   This is put on by SHIFT, a program of the Utah Film Center that offers educators high-quality professional development on the filmmaking process (digital storytelling) and how to integrate it into the core areas.
Workshops and instructional materials provide comprehensive, standards-linked lesson plans to guide educators on how to produce documentaries, public service announcements (PSAs), instructional videos, personal narratives, and other short film projects with their students.  There is a strong emphasis on writing.
*There is a FREE 2-day workshop on Filmmaking in the Classroom on Feb. 19 & 20 at Thanksgiving Point.  You may find registration information in the attached flyer. 

Published on

High School and Middle School Principals:

Any dance teacher that is teaching Ballroom Dance is invited to attend a Ballroom Dance Inservice on Feb. 9th from 7:00-2:00 p.m. in the JATC South Auditorium. Elaine Crane, former BYU Ballroom instructor, will be providing instruction from 7:00-11:00 a.m. with 11:00-2:00 teacher collaboration and planning to determine how this curriculum will be taught in JSD. Curriculum will pay for subs.Have teachers enter sub code as 5413. Please have your teachers email Mary Ann Erdmann, maryann.erdmann@jordandistrict.org, to let her know that they will be in attendance.

Published on

DATE:   
January 15, 2016

TO: 
Principals
Elementary and Middle School Resource Team Leaders
High School Special Education Team Leaders

FROM:      
Laura Finlinson, Admin. of Curriculum/Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist

SUBJECT: 
Projected Caseload Data and Staffing Needs Survey for 2016-17

High School Principals: See attached memo.

 

Published on

DATE:
January 4, 2016

TO:   
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator

SUBJECT: 
January 11 and 22 Business Meeting for Administrative Assistants

This is a reminder about the business meeting for administrative assistants that will be held at the District Office in Room 129 on the following dates:

Monday, January 11, 2016 – 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Friday, January 22, 2016 – 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Meeting attendance is voluntary and not required; however, we hope you will take advantage of this specialized training.  A copy of the agenda is attached.  While the topics that will be discussed in these sessions are geared more towards school-related matters, District administrative assistants are welcome to participate.  The meetings are also open to administrators and/or others that may benefit from the topics being presented.

If you haven’t already provided Jeri with the date you plan to attend, please choose one of the two dates that will work best with your schedule and send an email to Jeri Clayton (jeri.clayton@jordandistrict.org) to let her know which date you will attend so that we can plan for the number of attendees at each session.  You can also call Jeri at 801-567-8120.

We look forward to seeing you.

/jc
Attachment

Published on

DATE:    
January 6, 2016

TO: 
Principals

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Clyde Mason, Director of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability

SUBJECT:
2016 Summative SAGE School Administrator and Test Coordinators’ Training, Feb. 23 and 24, 2016

School Testing Coordinators and Administrators preparation training for the 2016 Summative SAGE assessments is scheduled for February 23, 2016 (secondary) and February 24, 2016 (elementary).  Two sections of training are being provided on each date.  Registration for this training is required through JPLS.  If you, or your assigned school administrator, and your 2016 SAGE Test Coordinator have not yet registered for this training, please do so through JPLS: https://jpls.truenorthlogic.com/U/P/Channel/-/Guest/Login  utilizing the JPLS course and section information provided in the table below:

SAGE-Training-Course

Principals, please note the following:

  • School testing coordinators are required to attend.  Please make sure they attend even if they cannot sign up through JPLS.
  • Testing coordinators and administrators will be expected to train school faculty members and other school personnel who will be administering 2016 Summative SAGE assessments.
  • Training materials will be made available online at http://assessments.jordandistrict.org/

 

Again, principals please make sure that your SAGE test coordinator and you, or your school administrator assigned to oversee 2016 Summative SAGE Assessments, register for, and attend one of the above SAGE training sections.  Please direct any questions regarding this training to Brooke Anderson, 801-567-8393 brooke.anderson@jordandistrict.org.