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Category: Middle Schools

Published on

DATE:
January 22, 2026

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Melanie Dawson, Program Administrator of Behavior

SUBJECT:
Emergency Safety Interventions Documenting and Reporting

In accordance with the rules and guidelines provided in the Least Restrictive Behavior Intervention (LRBI) Technical Assistance Manual (2023) as well as guidance from the Utah State Legislature (R277-608 and 53G-8-301), the following is updated guidance on the use and reporting requirements of Emergency Safety Interventions (ESIs), including reporting requirements in Jordan School District.

What is an Emergency Safety Intervention? Emergency Safety Intervention or ‘ESI’ is the use of seclusion or physical restraint when a student presents an immediate danger to self or others. An ESI is not used for disciplinary purposes. ESIs are emergency measures of last resort to prevent imminent serious harm to an individual in a school setting. Even in these circumstances, ESIs should be avoided if less restrictive means of managing the student’s behavior and ensuring safety are available.

How do I provide notification of the use of an Emergency Safety Intervention?

1. Notify your administration within 15 minutes of the beginning of the use of an ESI.

2. Notify the student's guardian within 15 minutes of the beginning of the use of an ESI. This must be done by email, and includes the required notification that guardians may receive a copy of the student's ESI documentation upon request. Please use the wording in this template email.

3. In addition to the email notification, you may communicate with guardians by phone or in-person.

How do I submit Emergency Safety Intervention documentation?

1. Fill out an Emergency Safety Intervention Report to document the event.

2. Using a district device, submit the information from the ESI Report into the digital database.

3. Scan a copy of the paper ESI report to jbat@jordandistrict.org (or send a copy to JBAT at River’s Edge School via district mail).

4. Forward the parent notification email to jbat@jordandistrict.org (or print it and send the hard copy JBAT at River’s Edge School via district mail).

5. For students with an IEP, all original copies of the Emergency Safety Intervention Report and a copy of the parent notification email should be placed in the student’s special education file. For all other students, upload these documents to the cumulative folder. (See JAM from 1/8/26)

6. Take time to debrief with your team.

Please refer to the Jordan School District Emergency Safety Interventions Manual or contact a member of the JBAT team for more information.

Published on

DATE:
January 21, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
District Inter-City SRO Training

The District Inter-City School Resource Officer training will be held as shown below and is strongly encouraged for each SRO and all administrators.  At least one administrator is desired if possible.  This is a great opportunity for the cities to collaborate and discuss students and/or issues of concern that cross borders.

Date: January 30, 2026
Time: 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Location: Riverton High School Tech Atrium

Please contact District School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623 if you have any questions.

Published on

TO:
All Principals
All Directors
All Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Tonya Hodges, Senior Buyer, Purchasing

With the excitement of AI and the increased demand for data centers worldwide (think OpenAI, Meta, Google, Microsoft, xAI, Anthropic, etc.), the demand for processing chips, RAM memory and storage is exceeding the availability in the production markets.

HP is warning customers to expect pricing on any equipment needing processors, memory or storage to increase significantly in 2026. We may also start seeing longer manufacturing lead times as they wait for parts to become available. For instance, the basic HP Fortis G10 11.6” Chromebooks (part# 9R3A9UT#ABA) will soon be replaced with a newer model and will no longer be available. There are currently about 75,000 of these units still available in the HP distribution channels. Since these have already been built, price should not fluctuate too much, but supplies may dwindle quickly. It is recommended if you have funds available in your budgets to start purchasing devices for the 2026-27 school year as soon as possible to take advantage of the cost savings. January pricing is $206.47/each for this model.

The replacement for this model (part# B69P5UT#ABA) is at $289.75/each for January. As price increases on the parts come into play, this model is expected to see additional price increases during the year.

We encourage you to consider placing orders soon to take advantage of current pricing and availability. Please contact Tonya Hodges in Purchasing if you need assistance with ordering.

Published on

DATE:
January 22, 2026

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators
Middle School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
RISE Summative Training

The RISE summative testing window is from April 9-May 28, 2026. RISE passwords get reset each year, so please be sure your teachers log in and reset their passwords for this year at utahrise.org.

Please make sure all testing teachers complete the yearly RISE test administration training. Many teachers only use the RISE systems once a year, so yearly training on how it all works is needed. Only teachers who will administer the RISE test need to be trained. For your reference, here is a link to the Testing Ethics Policy.

School administrators are responsible for making sure all RISE-tested teachers get trained in RISE test administration. Should you choose to hold a training at your school, this fulfills the training requirement. Teachers have two additional options to be trained for RISE testing:

RISE Canvas Course
The RISE test administration training requirement can be fulfilled by completing the Canvas course online. Teachers can self-enroll in the course using this link: Enroll in RISE Summative Test Administration Training 2025-2026.

Access to the course will be available starting on February 2, 2026. A certificate of completion will be available for download at the end of the course.

Zoom RISE Training
Teachers can attend one of the following Zoom RISE trainings to fulfill the training requirement. Here is the Zoom link for these trainings.Meeting ID: 526 613 4800.

  • Friday, March 6 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM
  • Friday, March 13 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM
  • Friday, March 20 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM
  • Friday, April 10 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM
  • Friday, April 17 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM
  • Friday, April 24 @ 8:45 AM or 1:30 PM

For questions about RISE training or test administration, please contact Kassidy Towery in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
January 22, 2026

TO:
Middle School Administrators
High School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Utah Aspire Plus Summative Training

The Utah Aspire Plus summative testing window is from March 2-May 8, 2026.

Please make sure you complete the yearly Utah Aspire Plus test administration training. Only teachers who will administer the Utah Aspire Plus test need to be trained. For your reference, here is a link to the Testing Ethics Policy.

School administrators are responsible for making sure relevant teachers get trained in the Utah Aspire Plus test administration. Should school administrators choose to hold a training at their schools, this fulfills the training requirement. There are two other training options available:

Utah Aspire Plus Canvas Course
The Utah Aspire Plus test administration training requirement can be fulfilled by completing the Canvas course online. Teachers can self-enroll in the course UT Aspire Plus Summative Test Administration Training.

Access to the course will be available starting on February 2, 2026. A certificate of completion will be available for download at the end of the course.

Zoom Utah Aspire Plus Training
Teachers can attend one of the virtual Utah Aspire Plus trainings through Zoom to fulfill the training requirement. Here is the Zoom link for these trainings. Meeting ID: 526 613 4800

  • Friday, February 27 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM
  • Friday, March 6 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM
  • Friday, March 13 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM
  • Friday, March 20 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM
  • Friday, April 10 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM
  • Friday, April 17 @ 8:00 AM or 2:15 PM

For questions about Utah Aspire Plus training or test administration, please contact Kassidy Towery in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
January 15, 2026

TO:
Principals
Special Education Staff

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Kristin Norris, Teacher Specialist-SLP/A, ESY Coordinator

SUBJECT:
Extended School Year (ESY) Qualification Procedures and Timelines
Attached: ESY Eligibility Facts, Tips and Documentation

IDEA directs us to consider all students for Extended School Year (ESY) services. However, ESY services should only be provided if the IEP team determines that it is necessary for the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).

Please see the attached memo and information.

Published on

TO:
School Administrators

FROM:
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
Odette Desmarais, Administrator of Schools
Meredith Doleac, Administrator of Schools
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools

PRINCIPAL MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE JORDAN LEARNING CENTER (JLC - 3706 W 9800 S, SOUTH JORDAN).

A beverage service will be provided at 7:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!

Published on

TO:
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent

The February Assistant Principal meetings will be held on February 5 (8:00-11:00 am) and February 10 (8:00-11:00 am). All meetings will be held in person at the Jordan Learning Center (3706 W. 9800 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. Both sessions will provide the same information. Please sign up for the day you would like to attend. If you have any questions, please call Shannel Hooper at 801-567-8204 (x88204).

Published on

TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning

Mark your calendar and save the date to attend the Literacy Promise Conference. There are some fantastic presenters in attendance this year that you will not want to miss.

T & L will pay registration fees for up to three individuals from each school to attend the Literacy Promise Conference held on March 12-13, 2026. This can include administration, coaches, or teachers. Schools are not required to participate or may choose to send fewer than three individuals. Responses will be accepted through March 4th. Please click on the link below and fill out the form to list the individuals who will be paid through T&L. If your school would like to send more than three individuals, registration can also be done at the school or individual level using the QR link on the enclosed flyer. Schools are responsible for substitute costs as needed.

The conference is March 12-13, 2026 at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo, Utah.

LINK to register individuals to be paid by T&L.

Published on

DATE: 
January 22, 2025

TO:
Elementary School Administrators
Middle School Administrators
High School Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Stacee Worthen, School Counselor Consultant

SUBJECT: 
February School Counselor Training and Professional Development

February School Counselor training and professional development opportunities. Please direct any questions to Stacee Worthen, School Counselor Consultant, at 801-567-8309.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, CSCP Q3 In-Service Training, JATC-South, Auditorium
All School Counselors attend session 1 or 2
Session 1 -- 8:00 am - 10:00 am; Session 2 -- 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

Thursday, Feb. 5, CSCP BRISC Training - Consult Call, Zoom
All New Counselors and Interns
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Thursday, Feb. 5, Herriman Feeder Meeting, Copper Mountain MS
Copper Hills Feeder Counselors K-12
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Tuesday, Feb. 10, Riverton Feeder Meeting
Riverton Feeder Counselors K-12
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Wednesday, Feb. 11, CSCP Steering Meeting, District Office, Room 129
All Secondary Lead Counselors
8:00 am - 12:30 pm

Wednesday, Feb. 18, CSCP Counselor Collaborative Committee, District Office, Room 129
Only School Counselors appointed to this committee
8:00 am - 11:30 am

Wednesday, Feb. 25, USBE Training: Updates and Essentials, JATC-South, Auditorium
All School Counselors and Administrators due for required training renewal
8:00 am - 2:30 pm

Friday, Feb. 27, CSCP FEB Small Group ELEM PLC, Various Schools
Elementary School Counselors
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Published on

DATE: 
January 22, 2026

TO:
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns

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

SUBJECT:
January School Psychologist Guidance Meeting

A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). Matthew Wappett, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Institute for Disability Research and Policy and Practice, at Utah State University will provide us with a presentation on surviving stress, burnout, and becoming more resilient.

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

Published on

TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning

On February 12, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., we will be hosting a professional learning session on “Leveraging Language Objectives” in your math class.

This hands-on workshop will equip teachers with practical strategies to foster academic language and deepen students’ conceptual understanding. Participants will learn how to design lessons that integrate math vocabulary and encourage meaningful classroom discourse, supporting student success. Middle school teachers have received invitations via email, and district-covered substitutes will be provided.

Here is a link to a flyer with registration information.

Thank you for your support in reminding teachers of this opportunity!

 

Published on

Date:
January 15, 2026

To:
All School Principals

From:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant

Subject:
LAND Trust and TSSA Plans Available for Entry

The School LAND Trust program Final Report for 2024-2025

is now available for entry on the State website. Reports must be submitted on the School LAND Trust reporting site no later than Friday, February 13, 2026.

Final Report expenditures will not be entered by the principal, but will be displayed and space will be available for principals to enter an explanation for those expenditures.

The 2026-2027 Upcoming Land Trust Plan can be submitted after the final report is completed, submitted, and finalized by the District Office. The due date for submitting 2026-2027 Land Trust and TSSA plans is March 20, 2026. This allows sufficient time for plans to be approved by the Board prior to receiving funds for the 2026-27 school year.

TSSA Plan and Folder LINKS: 2026-2027 School TSSA Plans.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, HR Specialist

We are pleased to announce an important update regarding the license renewal process; the Board has changed administrative rules to reduce the burden for active educators. Educators holding a Professional Educator License with experience in a Utah educational agency, school, school district or charter for the past five (5) years are no longer required to complete the license renewal form or obtain an administrator’s signature.  Educators complete more than 100 hours of professional learning and collaboration within the context of their jobs. Use this quick tool to determine if the form is required for you. For additional information, you may refer to the Step-by-Step Guide to Educator License Renewals.

Steps to Renew

  • Complete renewal form with administrator signature, if required (Do I have to complete the renewal form? tool).
  • Login to USIMS.schools.utah.gov.
  • Complete the USIMS Professional Educator License Renewal Process (Link to detailed steps - Google Doc). 
    • Utah Educator Ethics Review
    • Complete ALL CHECKLIST TASKS
      • USBE Student Data Privacy Course is no longer required. You may check the box indicating, “I have completed the student data privacy course” in USIMS even though you have not done it. This is a temporary work around.
    • Report 100 renewal hours completed, if required.
    • Complete/Finalize “Professional License Renewal”.
    • Go to “License Info/Print License” to verify your license has been renewed; new expiration date will be 6/30/2030.

If you have not worked for all of the previous five (5) years, you must complete the Professional Educator License (PEL) Renewal Form to renew your license. The form may be completed either digitally (PDF) or printed and filled out manually. The educator must document a minimum of 100 hours of renewal activity. 

Complete the online renewal process in Utah Schools Information Management System (USIMS). Educators should only finalize the renewal in USIMS once ALL requirements have been completed and the form has been reviewed and signed by a licensed administrator or other approved authority. The signed/approved form is then maintained by the educator and is not submitted to USBE unless the educator is notified of a monitoring review. Failure to maintain documentation and follow licensing procedures may result in a repeal of your license renewal and referral to the USBE Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC).

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Angela Montague, HR Administrative Assistant Lead

New for the 2025-2026 school year, administrative substitutes should be requested under the following guideline:

• Principals (all levels) who will be absent from the building for three (3) or more consecutive days.
• Assistant Principals (elementary level) who will be absent from the building for three (3) or more consecutive days.
• Assistant Principals (secondary level) who will be absent from the building for five (5) or more consecutive days.

All requests for an administrative substitute should be made through the following link on the Admin Only HR webpage.

• Under HR Resources, select Substitutes – the google form to submit your request is found under Tutorials.
• Under Information, you can view a list of Current Admin Subs or any Admin Sub Bio’s.
• All admin sub requests will be filled by Angela Montague, HR Administrative Assistant.
• You will receive an email confirmation when the assignment is filled and Angela will enter the sub assignment in Frontline as well as request badge access for the admin sub.

Please contact Angela directly with any questions at 801-567-8222 or angela.montague@jordandistrict.org.

Published on

TO:
Principal

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning

On January 26, 2026 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., we will be hosting a professional learning session on “How the Brain Learns Math” in the Presentation Room at the ASB. Middle and High school teachers have been invited via email to attend this session and substitutes will be covered by the district.

The session includes an engaging workshop with Dr. Amber Gardner focused on how the brain learns math. Your support in reminding teachers about this valuable professional learning opportunity is greatly appreciated. This session will provide the opportunity for teachers to collaborate, with a focus on enhancing instruction, increasing student engagement, and improving student achievement.

Here is the link for the registration.

Thank you for your support!

Published on

DATE: 
January 15, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Survey Coordinators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services

SUBJECT:
Panorama Student Feedback Survey Window – Winter 2026

The winter 2026 Panorama student feedback survey window will open on Thursday, January 29, 2026 and will close on Friday, February 27, 2026. Schools may access their student opt-in list by running this data mining report. 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. For additional information and resources please see the Panorama Student Feedback Survey Dates and Opt-In Report JAM sent on July 17, 2025. Other resources for administering surveys, survey questions, or general information about Panorama may be found on the Student Services website here.

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. Panorama has recently expanded the survey reporting tools and schools now have access to detailed disaggregation by demographics, cohort, trending, etc.

The Spring survey window is April 20, 2026 - May 15, 2026.

Schools wanting additional Panorama training should reach out to Travis Hamblin (travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org).

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Kaye Rizzuto, Social Studies Consultant

The America 250 Student Awards program is an exciting opportunity for students and their families to celebrate the founding of the United States through creative projects, community service, and more. This initiative is open to all K-12 students.

Key Details:

* How to Participate:
• Students select activities from the official list.
• Activities can be completed individually or with family involvement.
• Students collect signatures as they complete each activity.
• Completed forms must be submitted (by photo or scan) by April 10, 2026.

* Recognition:
• Awards will be presented at a special celebration in May (details forthcoming).

* Action Steps for Principals:
• Share this opportunity with students, teachers, and families.
• Encourage school-wide participation.

Let’s help our students make history and show their American pride. More information, including submission links and the official activity list, will be provided as available.