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Category: Middle School Action Required

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Trauma-Responsive Learning Modules:

 Trauma-Responsive Learning Modules:

Through a collaborative effort between the USBE Safe & Healthy Schools Team, USBE Prevention Team, and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH), we are excited to announce the release of Phase 2: Trauma-Responsive Learning Modules online coursework in Canvas. The Trauma-Responsive Learning Modules are a continuation of the Trauma-Informed Learning Modules (Phase 1) and are designed to move participants from being trauma-informed to developing a trauma-responsive approach.

Both Phase 1: Trauma-Informed Learning Modules and Phase 2: Trauma-Responsive Learning Modules are open to all school personnel (certified and classified) and are designed to support students Pre-K through Grade 12.  More details, including registration information, can be found on the Trauma-Sensitive Schools Professional Development page of the USBE website (https://www.schools.utah.gov/safehealthyschools/resources/eventstrainings).

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DATE: 
August 13, 2020

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals
Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Administrators of Schools
Travis Hamblin, Planning & Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Consultant, Student Support Services
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT: 
Marking Attendance for Quarantining or Isolating Students

Until the resolution of the current pandemic, it is highly likely that students will be excluded due to quarantine or self-isolation from in-person participation in classroom instructional activities. Many of these students and their parents will desire continued access and participation in these instructional activities during their quarantine or self-isolation periods. It is imperative that students who temporarily cease in-person attendance but continue participation in instructional activities are appropriately marked in Skyward so that they are counted in attendance for average daily membership (ADM) totals.

Please read the complete memo below.

 

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To assist all users logging in jsd.instructure.com Canvas, a Google single sign-on authentication has been enabled. When navigating to jsd.instructure.com the landing page will have the option to login as a student, teacher, or parent. When logging in as a teacher or student you will use your JSD provided email username and password. With this change, a new site has been set up for all
https://digitallearning.jordandistrict.org/canvaslogin/ If you are already logged into your JSD email and navigate to jsd.instructure.com you will be automatically signed in. Additionally, as a Google user, you will be able to access jsd.instructure.com by clicking on the Google waffle icon and locating the Canvas icon.

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DATE: 
July 1, 2020

TO:  
Principals
Special Education Teachers (Preschool and School-Age) Speech-Language Pathologists

FROM:  
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:  
Extended Year Special Educator Stipends 2020-21

Please read the attached information and instructions carefully. There is a different procedure for submitting Extended Days for payment than previously used.

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DATE:
August 5, 2020

TO:
Secondary Principals
Secondary Media Specialists

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Shelley Nordick, Administrator, Curriculum/Staff Development
Norman Emerson, Instructional Support Services/Fine Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:
Networking Meetings for Secondary Media Specialists

In order to prepare and train secondary library media specialists to effectively provide services to their schools and to build consistency across the District’s library programs, several networking meetings have been scheduled for the 2020-21 school year. The participation of your media specialists in these meetings is appreciated.

The meetings will be held on the following dates from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.:

  • September 9, 2020
  • October 14, 2020 (Viridian Center)
  • November 18, 2020
  • January 13, 2021
  • February 17, 2021
  • March 2020 (UELMA Conference)
  • April 14, 2021
  • May 19, 2021

Please feel free to contact Norman Emerson (801-567-8364) if further information is needed. Thank you for your continued support of the library media programs in Jordan District.

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Nutrition Services – Principal Start-up Reminders for the Cafeteria

  • Please remember that meals must also be available for ‘Electronic Learners’. These students will need to pick up meals from the cafeteria.
  • You have received a Friday Schedule Outline. Please note that in regards to student meals offered, breakfast will only be served at your school if you are ‘normally’ a breakfast serving site.
  • To better ensure student safety in the cafeteria, students will not enter lunch numbers (their student ID number) into keypads. Nutrition Services will provide elementary lunch clerks with all the supplies needed to make ‘meal’ cards for their schools. These cards will show the students name, Teacher, ID# (numerical), grade and the barcoded ID#. Clerks will scan the barcoded ID number into our meal counting system. Elementary school clerks will also be offered ‘binders’ with printouts, by class, of all students with their barcoded ID# next to their name. Clerks with the support of their site manager and principal can choose this ‘card less’ meal counting option.

Secondary students will be using their Student ID cards when receiving meals in the cafeteria. Cashiers will scan the barcode student ID into our meal counting system. Please be aware that students must have their student ID cards with them when they receive meals (electronic learners must also have their ID cards with them to receive meals). Please ensure that students have their ID cards the first day of school and remind them that they will need their ID cards with them when receiving meals in the cafeteria.

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When enrolling new students, the Entry/Withdrawal screen in Skyward should be reviewed to ensure that August 17th is the official start date for the 2020-2021 school year. Students should be enrolled in courses with the official start date of August 17th, as well. After August 17th, students shall be enrolled using their actual start date.

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As outlined in the State Public Health Order, employees, students, or visitors, on school property or on a school bus shall wear a face covering unless a medically directed exemption is in place. 

Schools have the responsibility to enforce this order. 

Individuals who are unwilling to comply with the order may be excluded from school after reasonable efforts have been made.

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As you are aware, the Board delayed the start of school by 5 days. Up to 8 hours of principal-directed professional development or training may be used during the week of August 17-21. Faculty meal time is not counted as part of this time. 

School plans for the week of August 10-14 may remain in place. Please remember to give as much time as possible to teachers for classroom preparation.

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Classroom assistants are being allocated to help with any needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This may include covering classes when substitutes are not available. These positions are being funded through the CARES Act for the 2020-21 school year. Principals may post, interview, and hire immediately. Hiring ratios are as follows:

Elementary: One 25-hour assistant

Middle: One 25-hour assistant and one 17-hour assistant

High: Two 25-hour assistants

Specialized Schools: One 25-hour assistant

The position will be a lane 1, 2, or 3 depending on their highly qualified status. The normal process will decide the lane placement.

Budget Code:   10 E xxx 7211 1084 165

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Access the Google document HERE to see an outline of components to include as you plan your Friday schedules. These plans should be reviewed with your AOS prior to sharing the plan with employees and parents/guardians.

The attached lunch schedule will be in effect for the week of August 17-21 only. See notes in Friday Schedule Outline.

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1) Rubber bands are being delivered to schools to wrap around the necks of the large hand sanitizer bottles to limit the amount of sanitizer coming out with a single push.

2) Although students are expected to bring masks from home, USBE provided masks intended for student use which will be distributed to schools from the warehouse. We did not receive sufficient quantities for every student. We will be distributing these masks to schools based proportionately on their 2.1 enrollment projections. These masks can be distributed or used at the Principals discretion. For example, they could be held at the office for students who forget a mask or to be given to students who may have a harder time obtaining a mask. Important - Elementary Schools - please remove the paper insert in the masks which show underwear before handing out to students.

3) Although staff are expected to bring masks from home, the District is providing 2 masks with a white "J" on the right cheek for each employee. The warehouse will be delivering these masks to schools and buildings soon.

4) Lighter, more temporary face masks continue to be available for order by schools or departments from the District Warehouse.

5) Please work with your head custodian to see that each classroom has a paper towel dispenser, with paper towels, and a cleansing spray bottle.

6) If you have a need for a clear face mask contact your AOS.

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DATE:   
June 20, 2020

TO:  
All Elementary, Middle, and Traditional High School Principals

FROM:     
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Derek Anderson, Director of Accounting, Budgets, and Audits

SUBJECT:  
New School Budget Allocations Transfer Process

Starting for School Year 2020-2021, a new process for school allocation budget transfers will be in place. If you are needing to do a school allocation budget transfer you may do so at any time.

There is now a form on the District website on the accounting page. The web address is https://jordandistrict.org/departments/accounting/.

Please see attached memo for full instructions and sample accounting page.

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DATE:   
Thursday, July 9, 2020

TO:  
All Principals

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

SUBJECT:   
ELL Assessment Profile Dashboard

An assessment profile for ELL students has been created with next year’s projected enrollment data included. Those with a Tableau Viewer account may look up individual EL students to see longitudinal WIDA, SAGE/RISE, Utah Aspire Plus, ACT, and Acadience Reading assessment data all based on next year’s enrollment at your school.

This dashboard will be useful as schools identify and target EL students for extra support, remediation and enrichment for the 2020-21 school year.

Tableau users may access this dashboard here:
https://10az.online.tableau.com/ - /site/benstableau/views/ALS_NextYear_Student_Profile/ALSNextYearStudentProfiles?:iid=1

Explore > Student Profiles > ALS Next Year Student Profile

Please contact Brooke Anderson or Ben Jameson with questions about understanding or using this dashboard.

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DATE:  
Thursday, July 9, 2020

TO:   
All Principals

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

SUBJECT:     
Formative Assessment Trainings as Preparation for Fall School Reopenings

Student's prior learning and current needs vary a lot in a good year; under current circumstances, those differences will likely be more profound. There are no pre-packaged tests that will figure out what each student needs, but teachers can use formative assessment processes to build responsive instruction. The Evaluation, Research, and Accountability Department is offering a course on building and using assessments. The Canvas course, JPLS course #101586 - Assessment for Learning, will be open for enrollment on July 17 with three modules to start with. Each module is designed as a stand-alone learning experience and they do not need to be completed in order:

  1. RISE Benchmarks: Teachers will learn how to select and administer these tests, as well as how to view the results. A protocol to help teachers use benchmarks to examine student learning gaps is included. Completion time should be 2-3 hours.
  2. Learning Progressions: Teachers will isolate an essential skill or concept from an essential standard, then develop a hierarchy of what must be learned first, next, last, etc. By the end of the module, teachers will produce an anchor chart for use with students, as well as formative assessment and enrichment opportunities that can be immediately implemented for fall instruction and remediation. Completion time should be 4-5 hours. This complements the information presented by Kim Rathke, formative assessment specialist at USBE, in her course:https://usbe.midaseducation.com/site.php?page_id=1210&subpage=1275&course_id=58224
  3. Pre-Assessment: Teachers will learn the various forms and purposes of pre-assessment, and follow steps to create a pre-assessment of their own. The emphasis of this module is using pre-assessments to see student needs and support differentiated instruction. Completion time should be 4-5 hours.

The self-enroll link for teachers is https://jordanpd.instructure.com/enroll/D4PT6K and the course number in JPLS is 101586. If you would like to arrange in-person or blended (recommended!) training for faculty, please email Brooke Anderson at brooke.anderson@jordandistrict.org with dates and times.

Principals may wish to consider allocating professional development funding to incentivize teachers to take these courses over the summer as they prepare to identify and fill learning gaps this fall.  Principals are encouraged to send this information to their teachers.

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DATE:  
Thursday, July 9, 2020

TO:  
All Principals

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

SUBJECT:    
Assignment Completion Dashboards

A new series of dashboards have been published to your Tableau Viewer accounts. Brooke Anderson mined assignment completion data for the 2019-20 school year. You will be able to see aggregate assignment completion percentages for all students as well as at-risk demographics, particularly for the months of March, April and May when instruction was provided remotely.

These dashboards are meant to help administrators view trends of student assignment completion and points earned from August 2019 to May 2020. Student demographic filters are included so viewers can explore varying outcomes between different student populations. An individual student profile is included, along with a sortable list of students with the highest missing assignment rates to aid school administrators in identifying students for learning support.

Secondary Assignment Completion dashboards may be found here:
https://10az.online.tableau.com/ - /site/benstableau/workbooks/1632219/views

Explore > Student Profiles > COVID_AssignmentCompletion_Gaps_Sec

 

Elementary Assignment Completion dashboards may be found here:
https://10az.online.tableau.com/ - /site/benstableau/workbooks/1637091/views

Explore > Student Profiles > COVID_AssignmentCompletion_Gaps_Elem

Brooke also created a screencast for the elementary and secondary dashboards that explains how they function and how school administrators might use them to target students for extra learning support as schools reopen this fall. Those screencasts are available on the Evaluation, Research & Accountability website under the tab entitled Tableau Dashboards or you may use the direct link here:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tCzj7mfwlKVbVD7feamUhXqNkJrLJFNz?usp=sharing

Please contact Brooke Anderson at brooke.anderson@jordandistrict.org with any questions or to request additional information metrics added to the views.

Principals may also contact Brooke or Ben Jameson if you would like to meet virtually to go over your school’s data and start developing support lists with one of them.

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Check out the new location for the elementary and secondary student registration books. They can now be found online! This replaces the books that were previously printed each year. You can access calendars, parent information, fee waiver application and forms from USBE, JSD fee schedules, nutrition information, student/guardian signature pages, etc. This information can be found in two areas:

jordandistrict.org > Parents & Students > Registration and Enrollment

jordandistrict.org > Resources > Forms & Documents > Registration Information & Materials

 

 

 

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DATE:      
June 17, 2020

TO: 
Principals
New and 2nd Year Special Educators

FROM:  
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist

SUBJECT: 
Special Education New Teacher Induction Training

The Special Education Department has scheduled a series of trainings for special educators that are new to Jordan School District as well as other trainings for Special Educators in their 2nd year with Jordan School District. Please release these special educators so that they may attend these important training opportunities. However, attendance is at the principal’s discretion. Special education will cover the substitute costs for trainings that occur during the school day (Budget code: 1292). If the training occurs after school, the special educators will be paid at inservice rate.

Currently all trainings are planned as in-person trainings, with the exception of August trainings. However, as we progress through the yearly meetings and trainings, we may move to an online platform. We will contact teachers as the dates get closer, to let them know if the venue has changed to online. We will do this a week prior to each training. If you have questions or concerns please let us know.

Please see the attached training schedule for details on dates, locations and registration information.

For more information, please contact Robin Silatolu at robin.silatolu@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8352.