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Category: High Schools

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On Thursday, April 20, 2023, 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, 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.

Schools can register to participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut, at: www.ShakeOut.org/Utah.  After registering your school, you can also review the “PLAN YOUR DRILL” section at the bottom left of the Webpage.

Please review the Jordan School District Incident Command Manual - Earthquake Action Plan and Standard Operating Guidelines for planning, drilling and responding to an earthquake.  The manual is located in the JSD Incident Command Folder on Google Drive, link: Incident Command Folder.   Bookmark for future reference.

Please plan and prepare to take part in this statewide earthquake drill.  Remember to report your drill and related meetings using the Jordan School District, link: 2022-23 REPORT EMERGENCY - DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS on Google Drive.  Bookmark for future reporting.

Please contact the JSD Emergency Operations Manager Lance Everill with questions, etc.:    Office 801-567-8623, lance.everill@jordandistrict.org

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The following are new administrative assignments:

New Assignments effective July 1, 2023:

  • Julie Scherzinger, assistant principal at Herriman High appointed CTE consultant in the Career & Technical Education department.
  • Michael Trimmell, principal at Riverside Elementary appointed consultant in the Special Education department.
  • Amanda Edwards, principal at Bastian Elementary appointed principal at Riverside Elementary.
  • Jessica Stowe, assistant principal at Heartland Elementary appointed principal at Bastian Elementary.

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Principals,

All open special education paraprofessional positions that you have will be closed on Friday, March 24, 2023. You will have to reopen them on Monday, April 3, 2023. We need to close the current para positions so that we can post the new job descriptions and pay lane since our new salary schedule goes into effect on April 3, 2023.

Also, Teacher Specialists will be bringing your paraprofessionals’ individual letters and a progression pay chart around to each of you to give to your paraprofessionals. These letters have where each individual was on the past pay scale and where they will be moved to. There is a possibility that a few will not move based on time and experience or that they haven’t yet completed the training. Please feel free to give them to your folks as soon as possible. Hourly employees will see the effect of the increase on the May paycheck. Contracted employees will see the change on their April paycheck. 

 

Please let us know if you have questions.

 

Thanks,

 Kim Lloyd
Special Education Director
Jordan School District

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Every student deserves to be taught by an accomplished teacher. National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. It’s the highest certification a teacher may obtain in addition to being the most respected one.

Perks for teachers:

  • Jordan District will pay NBCTs a stipend of $2,400 per year
  • USBE offers grants through TSSP funds to cover costs
  • USBE provides classroom teacher bonus for NBCT: $1,000 for classroom teacher, $2,000 for Title 1 classroom teachers.
  • USBE Educator Incentive Programs
  • NBPTS Support

Teachers who have gone through the Board certification process say that it is the most valuable and transformative professional development they have ever received. The opportunity to connect professional learning with classroom practice brings to life a teacher’s experience, helping them reflect on individual student learning needs.

Contact Amy Wood with questions: amy.wood@jordandistrict.org

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Click below to complete the end-of-year Digital Teaching & Learning Survey from USBE. This survey will help us determine technology needs for the 2023-2024 school year. The survey is due by 4/28/23.

USBE Survey Link

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The Leading School Summit will include administrators from across the state who are looking to strengthen the impact of digital learning and PCBL in their schools. This is a FREE conference, so sign up today!

Click HERE for more information and to register.

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As you plan your April 21st, PD day, let Language and Culture services help you in filling in areas of conversation you need for your ML learners and climate and culture of your school. We have 3 different PD's to chose from. Your school can select all three or just one. You can have grade levels join together or individually. We hope we can be a resource for you and your school. Please RSVP by clicking HERE

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Dear Principals,

We recently met with the State LAND Trust office to review findings from a recent audit review. Overall the district is doing very well and the report was complimentary of the great work you are doing with your School Community Councils and LAND Trust budgets. They also shared some recommendations based on best practices for you to consider implementing as you complete your 2023-24 LAND Trust Plans.

  • Be specific in which area(s) you are targeting for each of your goals.
    • State a measurable goal. Measurable goals need to include a number; such as raise scores 3%.
  • When a goal involves paying for an employee in a specific subject area, the budget must pay for an employee within the subject the goal addresses.
    • For example, if your plan includes hiring someone to help address a math goal, the LAND Trust budget must pay a math teacher or math assistant. It can be the lowest paid math teacher in your building, but it cannot pay for someone outside of the math area.
  • If your goal is school-wide and you will be paying for a teacher, you can use your budget to pay for the least expensive teacher, but you must tie that teacher into the goal. 
    • For example, if you have a new PE teacher and want to pay them because they would cost less, you need to tie that teaching position into your goal and explain how they will support that specific goal.
  • Mini-Grants – If your plan includes Mini Grants for teachers, your plan must include who is receiving the money and how it will support the goal. Consider the following two options:
    • Have the teachers pre-apply (now) and then include the specific awarded mini grants into your plan.
    • (Or) Once the mini grants come in and you have approved them, you will need to amend your plan to explain which grants were awarded and how they support that goal. The amendment must be approved by your AOS and the Board of Education.
  • A main concern raised in the audit was regarding carryover amounts. To address these concerns please include a backup plan in case you are not able to purchase the equipment/supplies or hire the assistants/teachers you have put into your plan. 
    • In order to not have to do an amendment, use the “Funding Changes” portion of the plan. 
    • Consider putting language like, “If we are not able to hire (or purchase) as planned for goal #, we will… (insert plan here) to reach our goal”.
  • Confirm that your 2023-24 plan does not show a carryover of more than 10% before you submit. It also may not show a negative balance.
  • NEW FOR THIS YEAR! Districts are required to distribute their own signature pages. Signatures may be collected on paper or digitally and copies should be provided to LEA leadership prior to approving the School LAND Trust Plans. Send your signature pages to Nadine Page. A template is provided below. You can either use the hard copy and have SCC members sign at your meeting or make a copy of this Google Doc to use electronically.
  • In an effort to not have more than 10% carryover, please review your current budget to be certain you are on track to spend your budget as intended.
    • If you are on track to have a carryover of more than 10%, contact Nadine or your AOS to determine ways to spend and/or move money in a way that supports your plan.

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DATE: 
March 9, 2023

TO:  
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Wellness Accelerator Event

You and your staff are invited to a Wellness Accelerator Event at JATC South Auditorium on April 14th, from 1:30-3:30.

The 2023 Wellness Accelerator is an opportunity to learn from passionate educators like you. There will be a variety of topics covered through brief, prepared table-top discussions from educators around Jordan District on strategies for student and staff wellness. Participants should plan on walking away with practical ways to enhance wellness for yourself and others!

Who should attend? You! Jordan School District administrators, school leaders, and staff committed to SEL/wellness initiatives (substitutes can be provided upon request) are invited to attend.

Review the attached flyer and share with those that would benefit from attending.

Please contact McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org) for additional information and questions.

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We are excited to announce our in-person, Jordan School District Special Education Transition Fair for 2023 and would love for you to join us! There will be over twenty community resources attending to help answer any post-secondary questions for our students and families.

The Transition Fair will be held on Monday, April 10, 2023 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services building (7905 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, UT 84088).

We hope that you will be able to attend! For questions please contact Ashley Calhoun Transition Specialist at 801-567-8208 or ashley.calhoun@jordandistrict.org,

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Criminals are getting more and more creative and bold and are finding new ways to try to steal freight from our schools.

One of our schools had an incident recently after receiving several boxes through UPS from Apple Computers. The boxes legitimately belonged to the school, and all shipping labels had the school name on them. An unidentified woman came in shortly after the delivery claiming she was instructed by the freight company to pick up her items from the school. She had a printout of tracking numbers that matched the computers! Long story short, the school did not give her their computers even after she threatened to get the police involved. If this ever happens at one of your schools or locations, yes, call the police!

Please watch for this or similar situations to happen at your location. The picture below is what the fraudster tried to provide to the school as “proof” the boxes were hers. Note that she is not showing the “entire email”, and there is no reference to Apple or UPS with a legitimate looking email address.

If in doubt, please contact Purchasing, as we may have additional shipping or tracking information from the vendors or can help you obtain it to verify that a shipment belongs to your school or department and not a person coming in off the street. We also recommend locking unopened freight in a room until it can be opened or distributed, and not in easy reach of those coming into the building.

Stay aware and stay safe! Please contact Purchasing if you need assistance or have questions on receiving freight or if you need help legitimizing claims such as this.

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DATE:
March 13, 2023

TO:
All Jordan School District Principals (with bus route students)

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kathy Jones, Transportation Trainer/Risk Coordinator

SUBJECT:
State Required Bus Evacuations and School Bus Safety 2022-2023

State required semi-annual school bus evacuations have been scheduled for this spring. This applies to those students that ride the bus daily to and from school.

The evacuations will be conducted during the week of:

Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14, 2023

Your school’s regular bus drivers will perform this evacuation as they drop your students off in the morning, one day during that week. This drill will take place at the school and within the students’ regular bus drop off/pick up zone. All professional school bus drivers that transport students are required to perform evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. This year, bus evacuation will be through the side door, front door, back door or any combination of the three. Students will then, under the direction and supervision of the bus driver, evacuate and meet in a safe place approximately 100 feet away from the bus.

Your assistance is welcome but not mandatory to complete this required evacuation drill quickly, safely and effectively.

We appreciate all you do to help us safely transport your students.

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DATE:
March 9, 2023

TO:  
All Administrators

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
Angie Rasmussen, Student Safety & Wellness Specialist

SUBJECT:  
Management of SafeUT and BARK Monitoring Tips

SafeUT alerts - After hours, holidays, and weekends
SafeUT may still send text and email alerts after hours or during blackout periods when they are deemed urgent. Most tips and alerts are deemed as non-urgent and are batched for 7am the next school day.

When a text/email alert is received after school hours or on a weekend, it should be addressed as soon as reasonably possible. In some cases, SafeUT will call the District’s on-call contact, through Health and Wellness, to obtain information immediately. When SafeUT contacts the after-hours staff member it will be logged in the disposition notes in SafeUT for schools to address the next school day. SafeUT may still send urgent alerts to schools after hours or during blackout periods without contacting the on-call staff. These alerts are managed by the school.

BARK after-hours alerts
A BARK content monitoring alert that comes in after 3pm will not be forwarded to school staff until the next school day if it is non-urgent. Urgent notifications that come in after 3pm are sent to the Student Safety & Wellness Specialist, Angie Rasmussen for triage.

Documentation and closing SafeUT tips
It is essential to assign, document interventions, and close each SafeUT tip. This effectively communicates the status of the tip to all parties involved. Here are some helpful tools for this process:

All school administrators are set up in the SafeUt dashboard to receive alerts. If you are not getting SafeUT emails check your SPAM. There is an email filter in place to ensure that SafeUT alerts are not sent to SPAM. If you have checked your SPAM folder and are still not getting notifications, please email Angie Rasmussen.

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

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DATE:  
March 9, 2023

TO: 
All Building Principals

FROM:  
Kurt Prusse, Director of Purchasing/Warehouse

SUBJECT: 
Large Surplus Sale End of School Year 2023

With the closure of West Jordan Elementary School (WJE), the surplus warehouse will be holding a large public surplus sale at WJE this summer. After schools have a chance to select any items they desire, the public surplus sale for any remaining items will be held. In conjunction with that sale, we would also like to add any surplus items you currently have or will be disposing of by the end of the year. Please note: you do not need to wait for any of the below dates or deadlines to surplus your unwanted items between now and the end of the school year. The surplus warehouse will still make their regular pick-ups after receiving your surplus paperwork.

To successfully do this large of a sale, we ask for your assistance by separating your surplus, including your paperwork, into three categories:

  • Furniture & Equipment,
  • Electronics, and
  • Books

Each category is treated differently. We are working with our electronics and books recyclers to possibly pick-up directly from the schools. But, we cannot make those arrangements until we know the quantities available. However, we can pick-up all your items by the dates indicated below.

June 9
Due date for schools to submit surplus paperwork to AOS

June 12
Due date for surplus paperwork to be received by surplus warehouse in order to guarantee a pick-up for the WJE Surplus Sale

June 12 - July 7
Pick-ups of surplus furniture and equipment from schools

July 10 - July 11
JSD schools may visit WJE and request transfer of surplus items

July 13 - July 14
Other LEA schools may visit WJE and purchase surplus items

July 15
Public may visit WJE and purchase surplus items

July 17 - Aug 4
Pick-ups of surplus electronics or textbooks from schools

If you have any questions, or special requests, please contact Steve Oldham either by calling x88709 or emailing steven.oldham@jordandistrict.org .