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Category: Middle School Action Required

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Spring Mentor Training will be available online through Canvas March 4 - April 5, 2024. Mentor Training will be provided to new mentors based on administrator recommendation. After checking with potential mentors, please complete the Google Form by Friday, March 22, to add names of mentors you would like to have complete mentor training. We have a limited number of seats. Educators will be added first come, first served. You may add up to three mentors per form. Teachers will get paid $150 stipend for completing the mentor Canvas training.

You can access a list of currently trained mentors on your school’s mentor list shared with you via Google sheets and your school coaching plan. If you need help accessing your mentor list, please contact Michelle Williams in Teaching and Learning: 801-567-8365

Google Form Link

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Following the release of the 2024-25 FTE V2.0 enrollment projections, the HR Department is providing RIS training to all principals in a RIS situation. All training sessions will be held at the District Office, room 129 on the following dates and times:

  • 9 A.M. on Friday, February 16th
  • 2 P.M. on Tuesday, February 20th
  • 10 AM on Thursday, February 22nd
  • 2 P.M. on Thursday, February 22nd

To sign up for the RIS Training, please click on the following link: Sign Up

Please refer to the RIS Flowchart & Timeline for guidance with the RIS Process and/or review the RIS/RIF resource information at: employment.jordandistrict.org/AdminOnly.

Lastly, you may remind teachers/educators resigning at the end of the current school year, 2023-24 of the $200 Early Notification Incentive, if he/she submits their notification prior to February 15, 2024.

For a list of employees at your school location who have submitted a resignation notice in Skyward, please contact Jane Olsen jane.olsen@jordandistrict.org or Brittany Bauer brittany.bauer@jordandistrict.org

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Prior to the TEACHER TRANSFER FAIR on February 12, principals may post available positions for the 2024-25 school year on a Google Form. Please click here to advertise your transfer openings for teachers and other licensed employees. This will allow teachers to view your postings prior to the Teacher Transfer Fair.

Teacher Transfer Fair Link 

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DATE:   
February 1, 2024

TO: 
Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
Standard Response Protocols (SRP) Communication

Communication with staff, students, and parent(s)/guardian(s) is a central theme of the Standard Response Protocols (SRP) for safety. With the implementation of SRP, it is critical that each school communicates with these vital stakeholders frequently about school safety efforts.

Communication regarding SRP begins with the monthly safety training for School Safety Specialists (SSS) and Administrators over safety. Using the training, school staff should be trained by the SSS and Administrator about the monthly SRP drill and how to communicate with students. After staff are trained, they should teach their students about the SRP drill (in February it will be HOLD). At some point during the month, whether before or after the safety drill, the school should communicate with parent(s)/guardian(s) (including, but not limited to, the PTSA and Community Council) informing and educating them on the specific monthly SRP drill. Resources for communication will be shared at the monthly SRP training provided by Matt Alvernaz, the School Safety Coordinator, as they become ready.

Each school should begin SRP communication by sending information to parent(s)/guardian(s) introducing them to SRP as soon as reasonably possible. The following resources are provided to assist with that effort:

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DATE:   
February 1, 2024

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:   
Monthly Safety Drill Preparation (HOLD)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on February 7th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering HOLD. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrations assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrations are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested.

Information regarding the HOLD response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 5-7. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over Zoom so please join using this link.

 

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DATE:     
Thursday, February 1, 2024

TO:  
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
2023-24 Stakeholder Input Survey Results

48,306 students, parents and educators participated in the 2023-24 Stakeholder Input Survey, which was administered in November 2023.

The Stakeholder Input Survey results have been released on Tableau. Those with Tableau accounts will be able to see aggregated responses to each of the questions items that were administered to K-3, 4-6 and 7-12th grade students as well as parent and faculty responses.

Those with Tableau accounts may access school and district survey results by clicking here or through the Explore menu: Explore > Surveys > Stakeholder Input Survey.

As a reminder, the Stakeholder Input Survey fulfills state statute (53G-11-507) requiring that LEAs seek for student and parent input (and employee input for school administrators) as part of an educator evaluation program. Printed reports containing school, principal, assistant principal, and individual educator effectiveness ratings will also be distributed to principals in the coming days. Those reports will need to be distributed to educators who may choose to use those results as part of their educator evaluation. It may also be beneficial for principals to meet with individual educators to discuss their results.

Educator effectiveness ratings were calculated for employees that had 10 or more complete responses to the survey. Most of the ratings were calculated solely off student responses as there were generally insufficient parent responses for individual educators. Educator effectiveness ratings used the following scale:

  • 3 = Highly Effective
  • 2 = Effective
  • 1 = Minimally Effective
  • 0 = Not Effective

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with questions.

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The Department of Language and Culture Services and the Office of EDI are excited to offer a PD series on 'Understanding your Diverse Students'. Our second PD of the year is on February 8th, 2024 at the JATC South from 4-6 PM, focusing on our Refugee students. All licensed employees will receive 2 hours of in-service pay. The administrators are encouraged to attend.

Link to Register (also on the flyer below)

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Principals and Department Directors should arrange for lunch or breakfast for all your employees one day from February 5th–8th . Please do not schedule meals on February 9th so all employees feel free to participate in the Health and Wellness Day activities occurring that day.

Traditional schools (i.e. the 41 elementary schools, 13 middle schools and 7 high schools) will receive an additional $13 per employee in the school’s supply budgets. Traditional schools may then charge the cost of this meal to 10 E xxx 0050 1090 639 by submitting the receipt to Accounting through the normal P-Card or NPO process.

All other schools (i.e. Kauri Sue Hamilton (including the Child Development Center), River’s Edge (including the Jordan Family Education Center), South Valley, JATC North, JATC South, Valley High School, and Southpointe Adult High) will also have $13 per employee available. However, these schools will need to charge the cost of this meal to 10 E xxx 9054 1090 639 by submitting the receipt to Accounting through the normal P-Card or NPO process.

District departments will also have $13 per employee available. Departments should charge the cost of this meal to 10 E xxx 9054 yy90 639 by submitting the receipt to Accounting through the normal P-Card or NPO process. The “yy” listed in the account above will differ for each department as follows:

Superintendent – 24
Associate Superintendent – 24
Administrators of Schools – 24
Accounting, Budgets, and Audits – 25
Auxiliary Services – 26
Business Administrator – 25
Career & Technical Education – 22
Central Warehouse – 26
Communications – 28
Custodial and Energy – 26
Equity & Compliance – 21
Evaluation, Research & Accountability – 10
Facilities – 26
Human Resources – 28
Information Systems – 28
Instructional Support Services – 22
Insurance Services – 25
Jordan Education Foundation – 22
Language and Cultural Services – 21
Nurses – 21
Nutrition Services – 26
Payroll – 25
Purchasing – 26
Transportation – 27
Special Education – 22
Student Services – 21
Teaching and Learning – 22
Transportation – 27

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Take note of the following monthly newsletters with important communication about the School LAND Trust (SLT) Program.

Please share the January newsletter with your school community council members.

The newsletters are also accessible online on the USBE website with different language options.

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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 for up to three individuals from each school to attend the Literacy Promise Conference held on March 20-22. This can include administration, coaches or teachers. Schools are not required to participate or may choose to send less than three individuals. Responses will be accepted through March 8th. Please click on the link below and fill out the form to list the individuals who will be paid for 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.

The conference is March 20-22, 2024 at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo, Utah.

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

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DATE:
January 11, 2024

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

In order to afford parents the opportunity to exercise their due process rights, the process outlined is to be followed beginning January, 2024 to March 20, 2024.

Please read the entire memo to ensure proper implementation of all existing and new procedures.

Some procedures and documentation requirements have changed.

Data for ESY should be current from this school year and reflect ongoing needs of the student.

The 2024 ESY Memo and forms will be available on the Special Education Forms website.

If you have questions you can talk with your Teacher Specialist or reach out to Kristin Norris at kristin.norris@jordandistrict.org.

If you are interested in working with the ESY program, applications are currently being accepted (application available online on the SpEd Forms page for current employees). The number of staff hired will be based on the number of eligible students who will be participating in the program. No staffing decisions can be made, until the programming needs and the numbers of participating students are determined. If you have questions, please contact the appropriate ESY coordinator as identified in the attached memo.

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DATE:   
January 3, 2024

TO:
Administrators
Administrative Assistants
Registrars
DLI Teachers

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Kaye Rizzuto, Consultant Dual Language Immersion
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:   
DLI Student Permits and Movement Between Levels

The following guidelines will assist schools in identifying where DLI students should be placed when moving between levels within a feeder.

DLI students will generally attend school through the feeder where they began the program. As long as the student remains in the DLI program, a seat will be available for them at each level through high school. This means that a middle school or high school may receive a DLI student who may not live in their boundaries.

  • Students in DLI who are out-of-boundary should be granted a permit manually in Skyward using the “D” reason code.
  • Please do NOT use PowerSchool for DLI out-of-boundary permits, otherwise students must legally be allowed to remain at the school through the last grade offered even if they choose to end their participation in the DLI program.
  • Every year by mid-January, a “sending” DLI school should prepare a list of DLI students who are planning to continue in the program at the next level. This list should specifically identify the students who do not live in the boundaries of the “receiving” school but who qualify to attend because of their participation in the DLI program. This will allow the “receiving” school time to pre-enroll these students in Skyward by the end of January and have these students counted in their yearly 2.0 FTE allocation. An administrative assistant or registrar should review and send this list to the “receiving” school for enrollment.

Additional Considerations:

  • If a student begins a program in one pathway and later becomes a boundary student of a school in a different DLI pathway for the same language, they may enroll at their new boundary school and join the pathway for that school; however, doing so will forfeit any seat or claim on the previous DLI pathway.
  • If a student begins a program in one pathway and later wishes to move to a school in a different DLI pathway for the same language but has not moved into the boundaries for the school they wish to attend, they may do so only if A) space is available in that school’s DLI program, AND B) an out-of-boundary permit seat (in Skyward) is available and can be granted to that student. In this instance, established out-of-boundary permit priorities and waitlist orders must still be followed.

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DATE:
January 3, 2024

TO:
All Principals
All Certified and ESPs

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

SUBJECT:
ETT: Cultivating Classroom Management Skills

Seats are limited and fill quickly, so learners need to register on JPLS as soon as possible.

Beneficial for: All general education and special education teachers.
Also welcome: Specialists, mental health providers, ESPs.

 

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DATE:   
Thursday, January 4, 2024

TO:  
All School Administrators

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

SUBJECT: 
Navigating Parental Exclusion Requests with the WIDA Access

The annual administration of the WIDA Access is mandated by the federal government, which uses this assessment to hold schools accountable for providing an equitable education for multi-language learners. This accountability stems from the 1974 Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols where a California school district was sued because it was not providing language services to many of its ML students. This Supreme Court case essentially ensures that students’ civil right to an equitable education and the government has chosen to use the WIDA Access as a way to hold school districts accountable for doing so.

The WIDA Access is federally mandated, which means that parents cannot opt their students out of taking the test. Because of the part this assessment plays in a student’s educational rights, parents do not have the power to revoke a student’s civil right to take the WIDA Access. Thus, the state was required to remove the WIDA Access from the parental exclusion form a few years ago.

So, what happens when a parent insists that their child not take the WIDA Access? Basic procedures are outlined below:

  • The school administration should discuss any or all of the attached talking points with the student’s parent.
  • If the parent still insists that their child not participate in the WIDA Access, then the school should document the parent’s refusal. Schools should use their school opt out log already available to school test coordinators to note the parental exclusion.
  • Schools may accept a parental exclusion in writing, but they cannot provide an opt out form to exclude students from the WIDA Access.

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions or concerns regarding these procedures.

Published on

DATE:   
January 4, 2024

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT: 
Required Fire Drill Within the First 10 School Days

All schools are required to conduct a fire drill within the first 10 days of the school year. This provides a great opportunity to review plans, emergency response/Incident Command assignments, evacuation maps, outside rally locations, communications, and related supplies.

Please take special care to orient new students and staff, individuals with special needs and younger students that may not have been exposed to fire alarms/strobes and emergency response protocols. Please be sure to clearly announce that it is a “drill”.

Please call the Jordan School District 24-hr. Alarm Response 801-567-8865 at least 30 minutes in advance of the drill, so the fire department is not dispatched.

Use the JSD Incident Command System Manual - Fire Action Plan as your drill guideline. Jordan School District Safety Manual

Report the drill and any related meetings using the JSD report form on Google Drive. Link: 2023-24 REPORT EMERGENCY — DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact Matt Alvernaz the District Safety Coordinator at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8623.

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The Utah State Board of Education Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) qualifications and application deadlines are available for 2023-2024. The application deadlines are printed below.  Information regarding the TSSP program and qualifications is found at the following Utah State Board of Education (USBE) link:

Application Term Dates
An application term indicates a preference of when and how often the educator would like to receive any bonus. Applicants may select one of the following terms before the respective deadline:

 

Term      # of Payments      Application Available & Accepted   Application Deadline

Trimester               2              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Wednesday, November 15, 2023 11:59 PM

Semester               1              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Wednesday, January 31, 2024 11:59 PM

Annual                   1              Sunday, October 1, 2023 6:00 AM        Tuesday, April 30, 2024 11:59 PM

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We ask all West Jordan, Copper Hills, and Herriman feeder schools to send the flyer out to their students using Skylert or Peachjar.

Pizza dinner will be served! Space is limited, RSVP HERE to secure your spot!

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Admin, please share this information with your teachers.

Many of your teachers are pursuing a STEM endorsement (see our EIP website for a full list of endorsements). USBE WILL REIMBURSE THEM FOR THEIR EDUCATION! This is called the STEM Endorsement Incentive Program (EIP). See the attached flyer and link to our EIP website for more information.

The next round of reimbursement applications is due January 8th, 2024 for teachers who completed STEM courses in Summer/Fall 2023 (courses through December 31, 2023). If you have any questions, please reach out to the content consultant. We would love to talk to you!

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DATE: 
December 19, 2023

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT: 
January Drill Preparation (Fire)

The first monthly drill preparation will begin on January 3rd at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrations assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrations are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested. Use meet.google.com/ntp-szhs-yvn to join.

Information regarding fire response and evacuation protocols can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on page 15 (Evacuate) and page 32 (Fire). We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.