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March is here, which means St. Patrick's day, spring, and (hopefully) warmer temps. It is also Women's History Month, which began the week of March 8th, after President Jimmy Carter declared it Women's History Week. Then, in 1987 congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.”

The full newsletter can be found at the link below. Stories include:

Culture Corner
St. Patrick's day is coming up. Remember that many of your ML students may not know the holiday or why they celebrate in class (if you plan on doing this). Teaching about the holiday, informing parents about your plans, and giving them some information about the day is incredibly helpful to those students and their families who have never celebrated.


Teaching Strategies Small Groups

  • Why? More time to talk encourages oral language growth (speaking & listening). It gives students a small, safe group to practice with Builds classroom community.
  • For Success - Teach students how to work in small groups. Assign roles so they know what to do. Give sentence stems for language support (bonus points for helping them practice saying those things out loud in the hallway). Guiding questions or printed out steps can help guide them.

Reflective Questions
At this point in the year, what have I learned about: my students’ lives, families, and past experiences? my colleagues? my school community? my local community? myself?

What more do I want to learn as we end 3rd quarter (March 24) and move into 4th?


ELLevation Tips and Tricks
You can use the Student List to make targeted instructional recommendations for students who meet specific criteria. To batch recommend Activities for multiple students at once from the Student List, found in the full newsletter below.


ELD Lead Celebration
Melanie Nixon is both the coach and ELD Lead at Mountain Point Elementary. She has established great relationships with both teachers and students. Not only does she know what is happening at her school, she knows students by name. She is a great resource for teachers who need language and culture support for MLs as she helps teachers with RtI, language strategies and data. Melanie is very organized and on top of things and the MLs at Mountain Point are lucky to have her as an advocate.


DATE:   
March 9, 2023

TO:
High School Principals
High School Assistant Principals

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Student Support Consultant

SUBJECT: 
Teen Center Grant


Student Support Services has been awarded a grant to fund Teen Center efforts in each high school and is immediately available for schools to use. The bulk of the grant money will go to one high school to create a fully-functioning teen center. The funding includes a 0.50 FTE salary match for a classified employee to staff the teen center. This year Herriman High School has been awarded the bulk of the grant funds to establish a fully-functioning Teen Center operational in Fall 2023. All other high schools were awarded $8,000 to supplement their existing Principals Pantry and supports for homeless/at-risk students.

Please see the memo below for all of the details!

 

DATE:
Thursday, March 9, 2023

TO: 
High School Administrators

FROM: 
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, 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: Noyce Professional Engagement for Educators in Math and Science

Applicant: Max Longhurst, Utah Valley University and 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 and to obtain your permission to conduct the study at your school. 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.

The project will involve Noyce scholars who are student teachers or interns in your building.

Thank you for your assistance.

DATE:   
March 3, 2023

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:   
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Consultant Student Support Services
Michelle Reyes, Prevention Specialist, Student Support Services

SUBJECT: 
March Attendance Newsletter


As we approach Spring and into the final quarter of the year, you are encouraged to take a moment and reflect on student attendance at your school. Many students are struggling to get to school, on time or at all. Sometimes attendance lags because of issues the family is having at home. The newsletter this month asks families in your community what challenges they are facing and lists some resources that may help them find solutions to these challenges. It addresses possible issues with transportation to or from school, affordable childcare and mental health. Wrap around support can play a role in improving student attendance at school.

Spring recess is at the end of March. Trends show that attendance drops before and following a big break from school. In the days and weeks leading up to Spring Break, schools have the opportunity to communicate with parents about the importance of attending. A best practice to increase attendance is planning a school activity immediately following a break. This encourages students to attend when school resumes.

Included is the March Attendance Newsletter. It is being sent out to parents in Peach Jar in both English and Spanish. This is a great resource send out with your attendance letters as well.

Should you have questions about attendance please contact Michelle Reyes at (michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org) or 801.567.8205.

We are moving closer to the launch date for the new Brightly/Asset Essential work order system which will be replacing Sprocket effective April 3rd, 2023, we ask that you continue to use Sprocket until that date.

Most of our custodians and administrative assistants have had the opportunity to attend a training for the new system.

Please notify those who were unable to attend any of the scheduled trainings of these additional opportunities.

3/14/2023   
Principal Meeting – time certain during breakout sessions

3/21/2023  
Make up Training Date – ASB Presentation Room    2-4 pm
Open to Custodian and Administrative Assistants

3/28/2023 
Make up Training Date – ASB Presentation Room    9-11 am
Open to Custodian and Administrative Assistants

We appreciate your support as we work toward a smooth transition. If you have any question please reach out to our Brightly Team:

Teresa Lyon  :  801-567-8876  :  teresa.lyon@jordandistrict.org
Judy Bird  :  801-567-8625  :  judy.bird@jordandistrict.org
Jeff Beesley  :  801-567-8876  :  jeffrey.beesley@jordandistrict.org

Greetings!

We are anticipating a HIGH volume of substitute requests for the following dates: March 22nd, March 23rd, and March 24th. To increase coverage for those absences we ask that teachers who will be absent any of the above listed dates, enter their absences AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in Skyward and Frontline.

Thanks!

March 1, 2023

Clearing out & Closing School EARS Budgets (program 5336)

School Administrators:

As you are aware the EARS grant is not a guarantee and is determined on a year to year basis. Please take some time to review your school’s spending, for the 2023/24 school year, to ensure you are covered using all of your other funding sources.

The following information will help you finalize your EARS funding for the current school year: 

CLEARING OUT:
ALL teachers and aides that are being paid for through your 5336 EARS budget will need to be moved to another program for next school year.

  • It will be your responsibility to transition them over to another program after their final paycheck for this school year.
  • Your options could be School Land trust or TSSA

CLOSING:
Program 5336 will have a NO MORE NEW/ADDITIONAL SPENDING date of April 15, 2023. (Personnel already being paid will continue until the end of the 2022-23 school year.)

  • It will be your responsibility to make sure that all your purchases will be cleared by this time. Do NOT open a PO on April 14th to secure $$ for spending.
  • It will also be your responsibility to MOVE MONEY to program 5336, from one of your other programs, if you have overspent.

We hope to procure this money next year to help you continue supporting our “At Risk” students. More information regarding this funding will be available during the early months of next school year and will be disseminated in a timely manner.

Thank you,

Michelle Love-Day

If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave before or after the mid-spring recess for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:

How to Request
During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

School Holiday Date of Holiday Window
Mid-Spring Recess April 24, 2023 Mar. 10 – Mar. 20, 2023

Annual/Personal Leave Taken Before or After a Holiday 2022-2023

Schools should update current hiring totals for 2023-24 on their enrollment dashboards as soon as possible so that accurate districtwide data can be monitored and appropriate adjustments made. Hiring totals should be kept current with changes made throughout the summer as needed. Positions do not need to be filled to be counted (i.e., a position that is planned for next year but not yet filled should be recorded on your dashboard as FTE that has been used). Contact Planning & Enrollment with questions about updating staffing totals.

DATE: 
February 27, 2023

TO:  
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns

FROM:  
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Fulvia Franco, Program Specialist – Guidance

SUBJECT:  
March School Psychologist and School Psychology Interns Meeting


A school psychologist meeting has been scheduled for Friday, March 10, 2023, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). Terisa Gabrielsen, Ph.D., BYU professor, will provide us with a presentation on Demystifying Identification of Nuanced Autism in Females in School Settings.

Part-time Staff: I would appreciate it if you could adjust your schedules in order to attend this meeting.

cc:       Principals

The March Assistant Principal meetings will be held on March 16 (8:00-11:00am) and March 21 (8:00-11:00am). All meetings will be held in-person at the JATC-S. All assistant principals and intern assistant principals are invited. A beverage service will be provided, beginning at 7:30 am at each of the meetings. As a reminder you only need to attend one of the sessions offered per month. Both sessions will provide the same information. Please CLICK HERE and it will take you to the Google Doc to sign up for which day you would like to attend. If you have any questions please call Nadine Page at 801-567-8182 (x88182). Thank you!

DATE:   
Thursday, February 23, 2023

TO: 
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:   
2022-23 USBE School Climate Survey


HB 120 (53G-8-802) and R277-623 mandate the administration of a statewide school climate survey. For this year, the USBE School Climate Survey will be administered in place of the district’s Stakeholder Input Survey.

Please see the memo below for all the details.

DATE:  
Thursday, February 23, 2023

TO:   
All High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Tableau Dashboards for School LAND Trust and TSSA Planning and Reporting


The following Tableau dashboards may be helpful to school administrators as they plan for the 2023-24 school year LAND Trust and TSSA plans. As you look at each of these dashboards, please remember to change the School Name filter to your school.

Assessments:
ACT (11th Grade Administration)

Utah Aspire Plus English/ELA Proficiency, Growth and Predicted ACT Scores

tah Aspire Plus Reading Proficiency and Predicted ACT Scores

Utah Aspire Plus Math Proficiency, Growth and Predicted ACT Scores

Utah Aspire Plus Science/STEM Proficiency, Growth and Predicted ACT Scores

WIDA Access Overall Composite Scores
WIDA Access Language Domain Scores

AP Distribution of Scores and Pass Rates

Growth Measure (beginning of year only)

School Accountability:
2021-22 TSI Calculations for All Schools and All Demographics

Breakdown of TSI Identification Data (for TSI schools only)

Other Relevant Data
Advanced Course Taking

Attendance

Behavior & Discipline

Demographics

Grades

Graduation and Dropout Rates

JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT is offering Elementary and Secondary paid administrative internship openings for the 2023-24 academic year. Applications are open now through February 28, 2023 at midnight.

Please refer to the details below:

  • Applicants must select level of preference (elementary, middle or high) and submit only one application.
  • Selected applicants will be interviewed.
  • Assignments are for 1-year only, with no guarantee of a permanent administrative position.
  • Internal applicants, if selected, will be treated as an employee on a leave of absence for the current school year. Internal applicants chosen as an administrative intern will have the right to return to a comparable licensed position at the end of the internship.
  • Applicants must:
    • 1) be enrolled in a university administrative/leadership program, OR
    • 2) have a current in state or out-of-state administrative license, OR
    • 3) be in the JSD Administrative Pool
  • Administrative Interns are paid on a teacher salary schedule – 187-day contract plus 20 additional days for elementary and 10 additional days for secondary. A night stipend will be added according to level assignments.
  • Assignment locations are to be determined.

If you are interested in a full time, paid Administrative Internship Position, click HERE to apply!

Click HERE for a Frontline application tutorial.

 

The Jordan Ethnic Advisory Committee is pleased to announce a Parent, Guardian, and Student Open House event at JATC South, which will take place on March 1st, from 5 - 6:30 p.m. The purpose of this event is to provide a platform for families to share their ideas with administration and teachers, and to engage in meaningful dialogue about the challenges and opportunities facing our students.

Through this event, we hope to foster a sense of community and collaboration, and to work together to build a stronger, more inclusive school environment for all students.

To that end, we would like you to extend an invitation to school communities electronically, and to personally invite four families to participate in this open house. Principals will receive paper invitations in District mail.

We would be honored to have schools support in this initiative, and we believe that your participation will have a positive impact on our district as a whole.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions or concerns, please email jeac@jordandistrict.org.

KSL News Radio and Cyprus Credit Union are honoring Utah Teachers! Now more than ever, we recognize the incredible ways that educators go above and beyond every day.

Once each month, a lucky featured teacher will be picked at random to receive a:
$500 Visa gift card from Cyprus Credit Union
Season tickets to Hale Centre Theatre
$250 gift card to Harmon's

Nominate a teacher now by clicking on the Teacher Tribute Wall

CYPRUS CREDIT UNION - YOUR FUTURE IS OUR FUTURE - HARMONS NEIGHBORHOOD GROCER HALE CENTRE THEATRE KSL NEWSRADIO 102.7FM

 

The final version of the 2023-2024 TSSA Plan is due to be completed in your School Planning folder by March 24, 2023. Your budget allocation can be found on the "TSSA Plan" tab.

The JSD Board’s TSSA Framework establishes three priorities schools are to use in developing a TSSA Plan. The priorities include coaching, professional development, and school-based initiatives.

Each school has a personally-created School Planning folder in Google Drive that includes both last year’s and this year’s plans. TSSA Plans and the School Planning Folder can be accessed from 2023-2024 School Planning Tools. Following the School Planning Tool will ensure compliance with TSSA requirements.

The first tab in the School Planning Tool labeled “TSSA Overview and Checklist” provides guidelines and a checklist for completing plans. A quick checklist is provided below. The actual plan is found in the tab labeled “TSSA Plan.” 2023-2024 allocations are pre-loaded into each school’s plan.

Quick TSSA Plan Checklist

  • Share planning tool if desired. (Currently only principals have editing access.)
  • Summarize 2022-2023 TSSA Plan. (Focus on implementation and growth if limited data is available.)
  • Review data. (Review data that is available.)
  • Determine school goal(s) for 2023-2024.
  • (TSI Schools) Complete TSI data review, identify needs, and create goal(s).
  • Record plans and action steps for instructional coaching, professional development, and school-based initiatives.
  • Complete budget.
  • Add in your approximate carry-over in the correct spot.

Reminder that both your School LAND Trust and the TSSA Plan needs to be completed by this date of March 24, 2023.

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your AOS.
If you have technical issues, please feel free to contact Chris Westra at 801-567-8657 or Nadine Page at 801-567-8182.

Please see the link below for everything you need to know about “TSSA”.

TSSA Program