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Category: High School Info

Published on

DATE:
September 3, 2026

TO:
All School Administrators 

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Angie Rasmussen, Student Services Specialist

SUBJECT:
FREE Mental Health Education for Parents and Caregivers

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. Student Services will share these links to Parent Square for all JSD school communities to access. Please print, post, and assist families with access as you work with parents in your schools. 

  • A calendar for September’s Mental Health Series 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. 
  • September is Suicide Prevention Month. A topic that is highlighted for parents this month is “What Parents Need to Know about Suicide Prevention.”
    • In this session, parents will gain an understanding of the dynamics surrounding suicide, including its underlying reasons, warning signs, and appropriate responses. We’ll explore what to say, what not to say, and where someone who might be contemplating suicide can go to seek help. By addressing suicide openly and empathetically, parents can de-escalate suicidal ideation and guide their children toward appropriate support and intervention. Unwavering support and understanding are essential in helping children navigate life’s challenges.
  • Ask a Therapist live virtual event. This is an anonymous opportunity to ask questions from a licensed family therapist about your child’s mental health. It is a live event on Sept. 29th at 6 pm with access to the recording afterwards. Registration Link: https://cookcenter.info/ATLSept29
  • Included in the mental health series is a "Watch Together Series." While the Mental Health Series is designed for parents, these “Watch Together” events are for the whole family, especially teens and young adults. In each episode, you'll meet a new animated character facing real challenges that teens and young adults experience. Together, you and your family can watch their story and learn how to start meaningful conversations at home.

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

Published on

DATE:
August 27, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists 

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

SUBJECT:
Monthly Drill Preparation (SECURE)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on September 2nd at 2:40 PM, 3:10 PM, and again at 3:40 PM. Each session will last about 20 minutes. This month we will be covering SECURE.  Each school safety specialist is expected to attend.  All other administrators are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested as well. 

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.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators & Program Directors

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant

At we start the 2026-27 school year, we want to remind you about the master calendar for the District. You can find it on mastercal.jordandistrict.org. This calendar is intended to inform principals, administrators & District personnel of district events and due dates (it does not include individual school events).

If you would like to copy anything on this calendar to your personal google calendar, simply click on the “see more details” link and then copy it using the three vertical dot (options) button.

To search for an item in the master calendar, you can use Command+F (Apple) or Control+F (PC). This will bring up a search bar where you can type a few key words to help you find the information you are seeking.

If you would like to add a district event or make a revision to the master calendar, please contact Lisa LeStarge at 801-567-8120 or lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org.

Published on

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services

The Fall Panorama student feedback survey window previously scheduled to open on Monday, September 8, 2026, has been delayed to accommodate an update to the survey questions and subsequent online data dashboard. This update will include Portrait of a Graduate indicators.

The full survey will now open Monday, October 5, 2026 and will close on Friday, November 6, 2026. Student Services provides the opt-in list to Panorama the week prior to the window closing and at least one time midway through the survey window. Survey response rates may be accessed through your Panorama login and results are typically available the week following the last day of the survey window.

The winter survey window is January 22, 2027 - February 19, 2027
The Spring survey window is April 19, 2027 - May 11, 2027

Schools wanting additional Panorama training should reach out to Buddy Alger.

Published on

TO:
Elementary, Middle & High School Administration

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Brandon Larsen, Consultant, Performing & Fine Arts

We have established a centralized master calendar to provide a clear, comprehensive view of all major school and district events across Jordan School District.

Key Information & Updates:

  • Live Access: The live master calendar is now available here: CLICK HERE
  • Annual Calendar Rollover: To keep information accurate for long-term planning, updated dates for the upcoming academic year will be added to this calendar at the end of every school year.
  • Board Communication: Information regarding this calendar resource and its annual update cycle has also been shared with the Board of Education.

Please save or bookmark the link for easy reference when planning activities and reviewing district-wide schedules. If you have any questions or need to submit new dates, please reach out to Brandon Larsen, Performing & Fine Arts Consultant.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Assistant Director Talent Development

 SUBJECT:
Crucial Policies for New Hires

With recent updates with Qmulativ and Vector, we are working through crucial policies for new hires. The Vector course new hires are assigned is based on the new hire sheet submission date. 

New Hire Sheet Submission Date Before 8/10/26: Crucial policies were completed as part of onboarding. The only course that must be completed after onboarding is the “Child Abuse Mandatory Reporting” course in Vector. This single course will be assigned in Vector. 

New Hire Sheet Submission Date After 8/10/26: Crucial policies will be completed through Vector after onboarding. This is for every employee hired after 8/10/26 moving forward.    

Also, please note that due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees should be given time to complete crucial policies while on the clock. 

If you have questions regarding Crucial Policies, contact Mike Trimmell, Ed.D. in Human Resources:

Phone: 801-567-8462
Email: michael.trimmell@jordandistrict.org

Published on

TO:
Directors, Administrator & Administrative Assistants

FROM:
McKinley Withers, Administrator of Employee Experience & Wellness

SUBJECT:
Support & Planning for Pregnant Employees: “Expecting Jordan” Consultations

Dear Employees, 

Navigating maternity leave, insurance changes, and sub coverage shouldn’t feel overwhelming. “Expecting Jordan,” is an initiative led by the Employee Experience and Wellness Team. One-on-one consultation sessions are offered to help pregnant district employees through their leave and transition process. 

What we cover in our consultation:

  • FMLA & Leave Applications
  • Substitute Coverage 
  • Insurance & Dependent Coverage
  • District Childcare & Benefits
  • Lactation Accommodations and Mental Health Resources
  • Other wellness needs and resources

If you are currently expecting and planning your leave, please sign up for a 1-on-1 consultation time with Paige Wightman using our online form. 

Congratulations on your growing family!

Link to flyer: 

Published on

DATE:
August 20, 2026

TO:
All 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: Cooling Adequacy & Heat Preparedness in Utah Educational Infrastructure

Applicant: Stacia Ryder, 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. 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.

Thank you for your assistance.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

We want to provide you with one place to find the information to support the Language and Culture in your school. Here you will find:
1. Information on commgap
2. How to prepare for Title III compliance
3. Fall Family fair
4. Giraffe club, presentations and other school support.

 

Published on

DATE:
August 20, 2026 

TO:
Principals and Assistant Principals 

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Jodee Packer, Student CARE Specialist 

SUBJECT:
Wellness Centers

As we prepare to support students in Wellness Centers around the district, student services is here to help train and support new and returning wellness room coordinators. 

This session will cover foundational operational standards, student privacy laws, mandatory reporting procedures, and data collection practices designed to measure student impact. 

Training Details 

  • Date: August 28th 2006
  • Time: 2:00 pm
  • Location: District Office Training Room 129 (7387 S. Campus View Drive West Jordan, UT )
  • Target Audience: Wellness Center Coordinators
  • Agenda:
  1. FERPA & Student Data Privacy
    ○ Clear guidelines on maintaining student privacy compliance. 
  1. Mandatory Abuse & Neglect Reporting
    ○ Mandated reporter obligations, recognizing signs of child abuse/neglect, site-level reporting protocols, and documentation best practices. 
  1. Room & Environmental Standards
    ○ Physical safety, supervision protocols, creating a welcoming and trauma-informed space, and room capacity/sign-in procedures. 
  1. Data Collection & Best Practices
    ○ Tracking student visits, measuring outcomes, maintaining confidentiality in logbooks/software, and utilizing data to support school-wide wellness goals. 

Action Requested from Principals 

  • Confirm Attendance: Please ensure your Wellness Center staff are registered and scheduled to attend by clicking here.

For questions or additional details, please contact Jodee Packer 801-567-8193.

Published on

TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Odette Desmarais, Administrator of Schools
Meredith McPhail, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools

The following information is being provided for your awareness and to share with staff members as needed. While we are still finalizing some aspects of this rollout, please feel free to begin moving forward with these guidelines as you consider the needs of your students and programs. Lunchroom managers are already in compliance with food served in cafeterias.

Please make note of the exceptions to State Code included on the attached flyer. We've also included a template that you may share with teachers who would like to request permission from parents to provide food in the classroom. Principals should approve any permission slips as well as any personalized information about food usage in the classroom that is sent home by teachers. If your teachers have already incorporated this permission into their disclosures, there is no need to change their process at this time.

If you have further questions, please contact your AOS.

Published on

DATE:
August 20, 2026    

TO:
All Administrators    

FROM:
Ian Roberts, Director of Facility Services   

SUBJECT:
2026-2027 Facility Services Contact Updates 

Facility Services has a number of updates to personnel for the 2026 – 2027 school year. You  will find the updated contact information and area responsibilities within the facilities department below. Refer to Facility Services web page for any additional information. Please  share these updates with your administrative assistants and custodians.

 

 

Published on

TO:
Administrators and Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Sarah Palmer, Director of Payroll

Annual Leave During the Contract Days Before School Starts
All Licensed Employees

8/10/26-8/17/26
Licensed employees may not use annual/personal leave during the contract days before school starts. However, they may, through correlation with the principal, arrange to exchange one of these days for another non-contract day.

Annual or Personal Leave During the First Five Days of School
All Licensed and ESP Employees

8/19/26-8/25/26 Elementary Schools
8/18/26-8/24/26 Secondary Schools
8/18/26-8/24/26 District Offices Auxiliary Services

DP335NEG-Annual Leave-Licensed
DP335B-Annual Leave-Education Support Professionals

Per District policy, annual or personal leave days may not be used during the first five days of school, unless the leave reason is listed in policy as an exception. If any of the exceptions do apply, you must provide both the leave reason and the policy exception in the time off description. If the leave reason does not meet the policy exceptions, Licensed employees will be docked $170 and ESP employees will be docked 40% of their daily rate.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, August 20, 2026

TO:
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Record of August 11th Professional Learning Day Attendees

School administrators may access a Tableau dashboard that contains a record of all educators who signed in using the QR codes for the morning keynote sessions during the August 11th professional learning day.  The dashboard may be accessed here.  Administrators may also filter the list by conference location.

For questions about this dashboard, please refer to Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

TO:
High School Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Curtis Jenson, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning
Nate Foster, Health & P.E. Specialist

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, all PE Test-Outs will be in the form of Physical Education Demonstrated Competency Assessments and will be coordinated through the Jordan Credit Center. This includes the following courses:

● Participation, Skills & Techniques (PST)
● Fitness for Life (FFL)

Students interested in completing a PE Demonstrated Competency Assessment must sign up through their school counselor. Counselors will coordinate the registration process with the Jordan Credit Center. There will be no study guide assigned for the DCA. Once registered, students will complete the written portion of the assessment at the Jordan Credit Center. Successful completion of the written portion qualifies Fitness for Life students to participate in the physical portion of the assessment at their high school. The physical assessment will be conducted by high school staff. Each high school should pick and advertise 1-2 dates in the testing window and use the approved test out rubric during these assessments.

Important 2026–2027 Deadlines:
Quarter 1
● October 2: Written Test Completion Deadline for Quarter 1
● October 5–16: Fitness For Life Physical Tests conducted by High School Staff

Quarter 2
● December 17: Written Test Completion Deadline for Quarter 2
● January 4–14: Fitness For Life Physical Tests conducted by High School Staff

Quarter 3
● March 12: Written Test Completion Deadline for Quarter 3
● March 15–25: Fitness For Life Physical Tests conducted by High School Staff

Quarter 4
● April 14: Final Day to Sign Up for All Demonstrated Competency Assessments
● April 23: Written Test Completion Deadline for Quarter 4
● April 26–May 7: Fitness For Life Physical Tests conducted by High School Staff

Please help ensure that students and families are aware of these deadlines, especially the final April 14 sign-up deadline for all Demonstrated Competency Assessments.

If a student does not pass their Physical Education DCA they will be unable to attempt another Physical Education DCA until the following school year. Please work with counselors to ensure that students planning on using the DCA have a backup plan in case they don’t pass it - especially if attempted during their senior year.

Questions regarding student registration should be directed to school counselors and/or Beth Lewis at the Jordan Credit Center (Elizabeth.Lewis@Jordandistrict.org).

Questions regarding the physical assessment process may be directed to Nate Foster - District
Physical Education Specialist (Nate.Foster@Jordandistrict.org)

Published on

DATE:
August 13, 2026

TO:
All Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Jordan District Nurses

SUBJECT:
Medication Administration Training

Utah State Law and District Policy requires that all school personnel delegated to administer medication to students in schools must complete Medication Administration Training. 

New employees who will be giving medication are required to attend the live training on Friday, September 11, 2026. 

For the 2026-27 school year, all medication training and sign-ups will be done through Canvas. Everyone in the district has a Canvas account through your district email. You must sign up using the links in this email. If you need help, contact your nurse. ( If you are not able to add the class after logging in, you may already have it in your cart)

If you are a new staff member administering medications in our district, please register for the In-person Medication class. If you are a returning staff member who has completed in-person training in our district in the past, you may sign up for the Online Medication Training.

As a note, we have added a section to this training that includes reminders for the health room and treating common injuries/conditions seen in the health room. This addition must also be completed to receive your certificate. As a friendly reminder, be sure to view the video in its entirety before taking the quiz. Your certificate should be emailed to you from Canvas. The attached instructions also go over how to find your certificate if it is not emailed to you.
Please make sure to print your completion certificate for your school nurse to sign.

Please forward to any staff who need to complete the training. 

Medication Administration Training
Friday, September 11, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
District Office Room 129

Published on

DATE:
August 13, 2026

TO:
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Jordan School District Nurses

SUBJECT:
Immunization Policy and Guidelines, Skyward and USIIS In-service

Jordan School District Nurses will be conducting this in-service on:

Friday, September 18, 2024
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
ASB, PDC Room 101

This in-service is open to all office staff and administrators. If you are involved with new student registration, this in-service will be of benefit to you. 

Class size is limited. Please contact your school nurse if you are planning to attend. See attached nurse assignment list for 2026-27.

Published on

DATE:
August 13, 2025

TO:
All School-based Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director, Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Student Services

SUBJECT:
August 2026 Discipline Code Update

Two new discipline codes have been added for the 2026-27 school year. Please begin using these codes immediately:

IES: Indecent Exposure (Self) – Used when a student exposes their own private parts to others.
IEO: Indecent Exposure (Other) – Used when a student causes another student’s private parts to be exposed (through any means, including “pantsing” another student)

New discipline code cards should be arriving shortly via district mail for all administrators.

Published on

DATE:
August 13, 2026

TO:
School Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director, Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Student Services

SUBJECT:
Third Party Information Release Opt-Out

Parents (and students over the age of 18) have the right to opt-out of the release of their student’s directory information to third parties. This right is communicated to parents annually in the FERPA, PPRA, and Directory Information notices in the online “Registration for Schools” process.

To opt-out, parents must provide a written request to the school principal within the first ten school days of the year.
Parents (and students over the age of 18) should be encouraged to use the “Request to Withhold Information” form. The request (whether on the form or by other written means) must be uploaded to the student’s cumulative folder in Skyward. Once received and uploaded to the cumulative folder, the request is entered in Skyward on the Profile screen. The fields are located at the bottom of the screen (as shown below):

The field meanings are as follows:
• Military: Allow release of information to military recruiters
• Higher Ed: Allow release of information to post-secondary institutions
• Public: Allow release of information to local media or public source (schools must still obtain permission before posting student images or information on social media, websites, or before participation in media interviews and stories)
• District: This field is not used and can remain “YES”.
• Local: Allows use of information in items such as yearbooks, performance programs, and sports rosters.

Requests for opt-out must be processed promptly, as various agencies and entities are already submitting requests for
information. The written request can be filed in the student’s cumulative folder. When entered in Skyward, the opt-out
will remain from year-to-year until the parent submits a request reauthorizing the release of information.

Parents may opt-out after the first ten days of the school year but should be informed that information may already
have been released prior to their request.

Published on

DATE:
August 13, 2026

TO:
School Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director, Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Student Services

SUBJECT:
Annual Reminder of Memos from Planning & Enrollment

School staff are requested to review the following memos that contain reminders of time-sensitive information from Planning & Enrollment. The content of these memos has not changed and remains applicable to schools.

• Initial Enrollment Without Birth Certificate
• Assigning Discipline Officers and Counselors for New-to-School Secondary Students
• New Student Grade Level Placement
• Enrollment of Returning Charter School Students