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Category: High Schools

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Students will have the option to have text read to them on the RISE Summative and Utah Aspire Plus Summative testing systems once again this year. For students in grades 3-6, the Acadience Reading Daze test will also have audio functions. Principals or their designee are encouraged to place an order for student earbuds. Please place your order by Friday, August 27, 2021.

To place an order, please click here.

Earbuds may be used for other district- or state-mandated tests, but schools will need to create a system by which the same student uses the same earbuds throughout the year as there is no additional funding to purchase more than one pair of earbuds per student in grades 3-10.

If schools wish to purchase additional earbuds for other uses, school administrators are welcome to contact Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability at 801-567-8185 who can share the purchasing information and quotes used to acquire these earbuds.

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Hello Administrators:

We have a few forms we would like you to fill out to give our department a better way to assist you this year.

  1. Please fill out this form to indicate who your ELD lead, compliance lead, and any Diversity clubs you will have.
  2. For an update on the amount of EARS funding you used, please indicate the information on this form.  You can also view the application and the goals that were sent in to the state here.

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DATE:  
August 2, 2021

TO:   
Principals and Administrative Assistants

FROM:  
John Larsen, Business Administrator

SUBJECT:
Legislative Classroom Supplies Appropriation for 2021-22

In preparation for the new school year, we are providing you with Record of Receipt envelopes for distribution to teachers. Teachers should use these envelopes to record and keep receipts for supply purchases made throughout the year. This year each eligible teacher will receive $175.00 for supply purchases. As in the past, teachers working less than full-time will receive a portion of the $175 based on the FTE rate listed on the school’s Skyward FTE report. The language in paragraph two of the Guidelines (printed on the back of the envelope) was revised to reflect the change in the amount. If you have envelopes left from the previous school year, please discard them and issue only the new envelopes dated 5/20/21.

It is anticipated that the legislative supply funds will be deposited to teacher’ bank accounts on about the 24th of September. The supply money is not included in a paycheck, but rather as a separate deposit to the bank account the teacher provided to the Payroll Department. If you have teachers that received permission to carry over funds from the prior year, please write the amount in the box entitled “carry-over funds” on the teacher’s envelope so it can be added to the “new funds-current year” amount. If a teacher with a carry-over amount transferred to a different school within the District and your principal gave the teacher permission to use his/her carry-over amount at the new school, please communicate this information to the administrative assistant at the new school so they can record the information on the teacher’s envelope. If a teacher with a carry-over amount resigns, the teacher will need to return the funds to the school either via a payroll deduction, check, or cash payment.

Immediately following the September 24 distribution of supply money, you will receive 1) an FTE report which lists the teachers assigned to your school and 2) a disbursements report which lists the amount of money each received. These documents should be kept for reference throughout the year.

One last reminder: If a teacher resigns during the year, please insure that they turn in their legislative supply envelope prior to leaving. If the resigning teacher has a balance remaining of unspent funds, a request for a payroll deduction should be sent to Sarah Palmer, director of Payroll Services. The teacher can also return the funds by check or cash made payable to the school.

As always, if you have questions or need additional envelopes, please feel free to contact my administrative assistant, Lisa LeStarge, at 801-567-8120 or lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org.

Thank you for your assistance with the legislative supply money.

jl/jc
Enclosures

cc:
Anthony Godfrey
Mike Anderson
Cody Curtis
April Gaydosh
Jill Durrant
Rebecca Gerber
June LeMaster
Lisa Robinson
Brad Sorensen
Dan Ellis
Jason Mott
Mike Heaps
Jeri Gamble
Sarah Palmer
Kelly Giffin, JEA

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DATE:      
July 22, 2021

TO:  
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Educator Wellness Representative Opportunity!

During the 2020-21 school year, Health and Wellness began a new initiative that allowed schools to select an “Educator Wellness Representative.” Almost all of our District’s schools selected a representative. This group of wellness reps met monthly throughout the school year and collaborated with PEHP, Blomquist Hale, and others to offer opportunities to enhance individual wellness for employees. Wellness reps led efforts across the District that were tailored to their school and several schools secured additional grant funds through this initiative to support their fellow educators.

For the 2021-22 school year we will be able to offer this again!

The purpose of the Educator Wellness Representative initiative is to increase educator wellness by enhancing wellness education and mental health awareness among the school’s adult staff. As part of the initiative, each school may nominate one or two adult staff members (non-administrative) per school as “Educator Wellness Representatives.” Review the information below if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity:

  • Each school will receive up to $500 in stipends paid directly to their wellness reps (each wellness representative will receive $250)
  • Each school that selects wellness representatives will have access to a set of wellness supplies that could be used to support your teacher wellness initiative. Your school's representative will work with your school and the health and wellness team to identify and use supplies according to school needs.
  • Representatives will attend monthly meetings/trainings beginning with a virtual kick-off on September 8th from 4:00-4:30. Wellness reps can split meetings/trainings as their schedule requires if there are two per school.
  • It will be expected that your school's wellness representatives will work with your school's administration to set goals and be a resource in communicating essential wellness information and supporting wellness initiatives with your school's staff.

We are excited to use this group to disseminate great information and provide tools and strategies to help your school staff maintain wellness throughout the school year.

To select your wellness representative(s), please fill out this short Google Form by September 3rd. If you have questions, please contact McKinley Withers, 801-567-8245.

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Secondary virtual students who attend some classes at Hidden Valley Middle or Majestic Elementary:

  • Eat at home
  • Make arrangements to pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from their home school.
  • Make arrangements to pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from Hidden Valley Middle or Majestic Elementary (Secondary and elementary students cannot eat in the cafeteria at the same time.)
  • Pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from one of three middle school curbside/door side locations; South Hills Middle, Joel P Jensen Middle, and Elk Ridge Middle.

Secondary totally virtual students:

  • Eat at home
  • Make arrangements to pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from their home school.
  • Pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from one of three middle school curbside/door side locations; South Hills Middle, Joel P Jensen Middle, and Elk Ridge Middle.

Elementary virtual students:

  • Eat at home
  • Make arrangement to pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from their home school.
  • Pick up ‘grab n go’ meals from one of three middle school curbside/door side locations; South Hills Middle, Joel P Jensen Middle, and Elk Ridge Middle.

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The Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning (LPDL) Academy is designed specifically for administrators to lead schools toward personalized and digital learning through research-based content and job-embedded experiences. Sign up today for the 2021-22 cohort. Open to principals and assistant principals. There will be both an elementary and secondary cohort. For questions contact Jared Covili, 801-567-8191.

Cohort 3 LPDL Academy 2021-22 Plan

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Jordan School District Employees are responsible for knowing and adhering to all District policies and procedures. The crucial policy review is now available to District employees in Skyward through “Online Forms.” As a condition of continued employment, all employees (i.e. Licensed, ESP, Substitutes, Coaches, Miscellaneous adults, etc.), with the exception of minor students, will be required to complete this training. We ask your assistance in notifying your employees of this required training and ask that this training be completed by November 1, 2021.

A message will appear upon login of Skyward Employee Access for the employee to complete an “Online Form.” Employees can complete the steps at that time or can return to the review at another time by selecting “Online Forms” under “Employee Information.”

Reports of completion will be available through Skyward so you can verify that your staff members have completed this process. A tutorial is attached for your reference. If you or any staff members need technical help, please call the help desk at 801-567-USER (8737).

Published on

DATE: 
July 29, 2021

TO:   
Principals
Assistant Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Registrars
School Counselors

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Stacee Worthen, Consultant, School Counseling
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:  
Enrolling Students at Part-Time

Each student must have an enrollment percentage in Skyward that matches the number of courses they are enrolled in during the day. If a student is part-time, they must not be given a full-time, 100% enrolled schedule using filler classes such as “Ed Release” or similar.

When a student switches from full-time to part-time enrollment, the appropriate school staff member (a principal or administrative assistant at elementary; a school counselor at secondary) must complete the Student Release Form and have it signed by a parent (the form should print double-sided or as two pages). This form ensures that the parent is aware of and approves of the change and understands their obligations for having the student leave or return to campus. Parents must also understand that a reduced schedule at the secondary level will leave the student credit deficient and at risk of not graduating.

When signed, the form can be processed by the appropriate school staff member (typically an elementary administrative assistant or secondary registrar) and the enrollment percentage changed to the percentage given on the form (rounded to the nearest whole number). Information Systems has prepared documentation on changing a student’s enrollment percentage in Skyward. That documentation can be found at this link. The original form is placed in the student’s cumulative folder; copies are given to the parent and sent to Planning & Enrollment at the District Office.

At the secondary level, the student should only be enrolled in the number of classes recorded on the form. If the student will not be instructed by a Jordan District teacher for one or more periods, they should not have a class on their schedule for those periods. “Ed Release” or similar courses may only be used as temporary placeholders while SEATS courses are processed and added to the student’s schedule; they may not be used long-term or to keep a student enrolled at 100%. For secondary students, one period per day (or per A/B cycle) of religious release time may be counted towards school enrollment.

The form remains in effect until superseded. “Superseded” will mean at the end date listed on the Student Release Form, the next school year (when the student would likely return to full-time status), or when a new form further adjusting enrollment is completed. The copy of the Student Release Form in the cumulative folder may be destroyed when it has been superseded.

Please contact Planning & Enrollment with questions or concerns (x88183).

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Please fill out your summer school information on the ESSER II Worksheets for your school ASAP. Each school is in google drive under:

"(School Name) ESSER II Worksheets". It was originally shared with you by Shelley Nordick.

Be sure to fill out the names and number of teachers and ESP who were paid for Summer School, the number of students served, and the data you collected. Please also include the name of the person you're paying from ESSER funds. Please do this for each session your school participated in.

Thank you!!!

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DATE: 
Thursday, July 29, 2021

TO:
School and District Administrators

FROM:     
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT: 
2021-22 Testing Bulletin Now Available

The testing bulletins for elementary, middle and high schools for the 2021-22 school year have been updated. They are updated throughout the year and may be found on the Evaluation, Research & Accountability website: https://assessments.jordandistrict.org/

For your convenience, individual level testing bulletins may also be accessed below:

Elementary School Testing Bulletin
Middle School Testing Bulletin
High School Testing Bulletin

Administrators will be notified if there is a change to any testing windows currently listed in the bulletins.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, July 29, 2021

TO:      
All Principals and District Department Directors/Consultants

FROM:
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
2021-22 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Education Support Professionals

Licensed teachers will do their testing ethics training as part of their annual crucial policies and procedures review. Principals do not need to train their teachers on testing ethics for the 2021-22 school year; however, principals will need to conduct a training for any education support professionals (classified employees) who will assist with district, state or federally-mandated testing. This will include computer lab assistants who function as the school’s test coordinator, any classroom aides that assist with testing, literacy aides who assist with Acadience Reading testing or progress monitoring, or any office staff that assist test coordinators with district, state or federally-mandated testing.

The three required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2021-22 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for ESPs” form, which is due to the Evaluation, Research & Accountability Department by Friday, September 17, 2021.

As has been done in the past, principals may provide in-person training on testing ethics using the pdf slide deck attached with this memo. Alternatively, principals may refer education support personnel to the YouTube video that provides the same ethics training. Once education support personnel have been trained, either in-person or using the video, they are required to sign the “2021-22 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Principals are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

There are several materials attached with this memo for your use:

  • 2021-22 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist or ESPs – This form needs to be filled out and sent to Evaluation, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 17, 2021.
  • Testing Ethics Presentation, 2022-21 – This is the pdf slide deck if principals choose to present the training in-person.
  • 2021-22 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy – This document should be distributed to every Education Support Professional that assists with state or federally-mandated testing.
  • ESP Testing Ethics Video – This is the training video that may be used in lieu of in-person training. The video may be found at this link:  https://youtu.be/WW1wXObXPQo
  • Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training Signature Form, 2021-22 – Principals should retain a signed copy of this form for all Education Support Professionals who assist with district, state or federally-mandated testing.

Please contact Ben Jameson or Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions.

Published on

DATE:            
July 29, 2021

TO:   
Secondary School Principals

FROM:   
Christen Richards-Khong

SUBJECT:     
2021-22 Advanced Placement Beginning of Year Planning Steps

Please note beginning of year planning steps for your Advanced Placement coordinator training, course audits, and student registration. If you have assigned a new AP coordinator for your school, please notify Chris Westra of the change. Please send Chris Westra  the contact information for your new coordinator.

Planning for AP 2021-22 School Year

  • AP Coordinator Training- Free 3-hour online workshops for new and experienced AP coordinators. These interactive workshops will allow participants to work in small groups. AP Coordinators can register now to reserve a spot; due to the format of this workshop, space is limited.
  • AP Course Audit - Teachers and a school administrator will need to complete and submit the AP Course Audit Form. Courses must be submitted for audit approval for a class section to be created in the AP Registration & Ordering System. Below are key links:
  • AP Registration and Ordering Access Codes-in August AP coordinators and principals on file will receive an email with your school’s unique AP registration and Ordering (APRO) access code. This code can be used to launch the new school year’s APRO.

CC:
Brad Sorensen, Cody Curtis, Shelley Nordick

CRK:cw

Published on

DATE:       
July 22, 2021

TO:       
All administrators

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

SUBJECT:   
Join our Wellness Center PLC

Are you interested in starting a wellness center at your school? Do you need some extra funds to jazz it up? Do you already have a room and would like to collaborate with other schools to make it better?

Health and Wellness is here to help! Please review these tips for wellness center implementation and consider joining our wellness center PLC!

During the 2021-22 school year there will be a quarterly PLC whose purpose will be to increase collaboration between schools who are implementing (or who are interested in implementing) wellness centers.

If you are interested in participating in this PLC or in sending a representative (or both!) please let McKinley Withers know (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org, 801-567-8245) as soon as possible and include the names of any individuals who you’d like to have participate. Dates and times will be coordinated according to the participant’s schedules. We look forward to working with you to enhance wellness in our District!

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Attached you will find information and guidelines regarding the Extended Year Stipend that is available to Special Education Teachers and SLP's. Please be sure to read the instructions carefully. The state has allotted 4 extra days to work either two weeks before or two weeks after your contract ends. The eligible timeline for these days is July 26-Aug 6, 2021 and/or June 7-20, 2022. You can work them all before, all after, or a combination of both. The days you work are turned in on a Qualtrics survey that the state sends us to generate the payroll information. The link will be emailed to you as soon as we receive it.

Published on

DATE:
July 21, 2021

TO:
Secondary School Principals
Secondary School Financial Secretaries

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Daniel Ellis, Director of Accounting and Audits
Jason Mott, Accountant/Internal Auditor

SUBJECT:
Unclaimed Property

“The Utah Unclaimed Property Act (Section 67-67-4a) requires that a holder report to the State Treasurer property which is presumed to be “abandoned” or “unclaimed” after the stated dormancy period.” For school purposes, unclaimed property is defined as property (checks, book refunds, lunch refunds, or other unclaimed balances, but not current school lunch balances) that is due to a payee but have never been cashed or collected and that are dormant for a period of one year as of June 30, 2021. Checks written BEFORE July 1, 2020 AND not cashed by June 30, 2021 are considered unclaimed property.

Every effort should be made to contact the payee and ensure that they receive payment that is due to them. If you cannot locate a payee, then the money must be sent to the State. It is preferable to void an old check and request the accounting department to reissue a new one. Schools may not simply “write off” a check and add the money back into school accounts just because it was never cashed, nor may a school take uncollected refunds and add the money back into school accounts.

Checks issued prior to July 1, 2020 that are currently outstanding should be voided in Skyward.  New this year: please include the general ledger account number on the attached reporting form so accounting can adjust the proper account in lieu of you writing a check to the District.

All individual items that are under $50 per item may be combined and reported in one lump sum. For example, if you have 10 checks and/or unclaimed book refunds individually each for less than $50, then you may have one line item on the report for the total of those items. You should put “aggregate” in the column requesting the owner’s name, the total aggregated in the column of amount due owner, and MS99 in the property code column. You do not need to report each item less than $50 individually.

The reporting form that must be completed and sent to Jason Mott by Friday, September 17, 2021. If you have no unclaimed property, report $0.00.

Please call Jason Mott at (801)567-8388 with any questions.

Published on

DATE:
July 21, 2021

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent

SUBJECT:
Monday, August 2, 2021 Principal Meeting

 

  • Principals only, Monday, August 2, 2021
  • All-day meeting, 8:00-3:30pm
  • ASB Auditorium
  • Light breakfast/beverage service beginning at 7:30am
  • Lunch on your own

Published on

DATE:
July 22, 2021

TO:
Building Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Registrars

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:
Initial Enrollment Without Birth Certificate

Utah Code (§53G-6-603) states that: Upon enrollment of a student for the first time in a particular school, that school shall notify in writing the person enrolling the student (parent or legal guardian) that within 30 days they must provide either a certified copy of the student’s birth certificate, or other reliable proof of the student’s identity and age, together with an affidavit explaining the inability to produce a copy of the birth certificate.

The original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics is required for initial enrollment into any Jordan School District school. A copy of the certificate should be made and kept in the student’s cumulative folder. When a student transfers between Jordan District schools, it is not necessary to have the parent again supply the birth certificate (especially when the school is able to confirm that a copy of the birth certificate is available in the student’s cumulative folder when it transfers); however, building principals may choose to require birth certificates from transfer students or students entering the initial grade offered by the building provided this requirement is consistently applied to all students.

When a parent or guardian cannot provide a birth certificate at registration, the following steps should be followed:

  • The student is enrolled and allowed to attend school.
  • The parent/guardian is immediately given the 30-day grace period letter. This should be provided in-person at the time of registration.
  • If a birth certificate has not been provided within 30 calendar days, the 10-day warning letter should be provided. If it cannot be provided in person, it should be sent via certified mail. An additional copy of the letter may be sent to the email provided by the parent at registration if delivered via MoveIt.
  • If a birth certificate has not been provided by the end of the 10-day window, the student should remain enrolled and allowed to attend. School staff should notify law enforcement by certified letter. Once notification has been sent, the school’s statutory obligation has been met.

In some instances, the parent/guardian may not have a birth certificate. In this case, “other reliable proof” may be used. The documentation provided must prove the student’s identity and age. The steps below should be followed when using other documentation:

  • The student is enrolled and allowed to attend school.
  • The 30-day and 10-day letters should be provided as explained above.
  • If other reliable proof is brought to the school, the “Affidavit of Birth” document must be completed and notarized. A copy of the documentation and the affidavit should be placed in the student’s cumulative folder.
  • Law enforcement should be notified if documentation is not provided by the end of the 10-day warning window.

Parents and guardians do not need to be sent to Planning & Enrollment for approval of their “other reliable proof” documentation; however, school staff are welcome to consult with Planning & Enrollment about the particulars of documentation provided to the school. Notary services are also available at Planning & Enrollment if they cannot be provided at the school.

The 30-day and 10-day letters, as well as the “Affidavit of Birth” documents, are available on the Planning & Enrollment website (http://planning.jordandistrict.org) in the School Resources section under the “Resources & Forms” tab.

Please contact Planning & Enrollment at 801-567-8183 with questions or concerns.