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Category: Middle School Info

Published on

DATE:
May 1, 2025

TO:
School Administrators

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kitt Soumpholphakdy, Field/Activity Trips Coordinator

SUBJECT:
Alternate Field/Activity Trip Options for Schools

The Department of Transportation’s Field/Activity Trips Office is committed to doing its best to accommodate all of the district’s field/activity trip requests. However, there are times throughout the school year, particularly during spring sports season, when the demand for field/activity trips is greater than the supply of bus drivers and school buses. When this happens, schools have alternate options from local charter bus companies to accommodate field/activity trips.

The following local charter bus companies may be able to assist you with your field/activity trips needs when the Field/Activity Trips Office is unable to do so.

RedStar Transportation – https://redstartransportation.com/
Contact: Cate Murphy at cate@redstartransportation.com or 801-685-8560

Right Way Bus Lines – https://www.rightwaybus.com/
Contact: Tea Hafford at office@rightwaybus.com or 385-504-1443

Please keep in mind Jordan School District Transportation’s priorities. The first priority is school routes, the second priority is Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) related trips, and the third priority is all other field/activity trips.

Feel free to contact the Field/Activity Trips Office with any questions you may have.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

Published on

DATE:
May 1, 2025

TO:
All administrators

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

SUBJECT:
May 7th Ask a Therapist LIVE!

In partnership with the Cook Center for Human Connection, our customized May Mental Health Series calendar is now available.

Access to the ENGLISH / SPANISH May Mental Health Series Calendar
What’s Included:

  • Key Dates: Schedule of live webinars for May, with each event starting at 5 & 7 PM MT.
  • Topic Highlight: District-selected focus topic tailored to the needs of your students, families, and staff.
  • Access Details: Instructions on how to join live sessions.

You are encouraged to share this calendar with parents, staff, and members of your community. Especially the upcoming Ask a Therapist LIVE event on May 7th at 6:00 pm (MST), which is part of the Mental Health Series platform. This event takes place once a month and offers a unique opportunity for parents to engage directly with a licensed family therapist. Parents can ask questions anonymously and receive personalized answers in real-time.

Please utilize the following to promote the Ask a Therapist LIVE on May 7th event.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org or Mckinley Withers.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning

Check out the attached PDF for the latest updates from Teaching & Learning for the month. Learn tips and tricks, sign up for upcoming PD, and learn about important updates from the T & L team.

Published on

DATE:
April 30, 2025

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 Drill Preparation (Drill of Choice)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on May 7th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month, each school will conduct a drill of choice.  Administrators may choose to conduct any one of the safety drills previously covered throughout the year.  The training will be an overview of conducting drills and the use of SRP.  Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend, along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety.  All other administrators are welcome to attend as well. The meeting is also open to any staff who may be interested.

After each monthly training, all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding Standard Response Protocol and other emergency procedures can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual.  This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas among the schools.  Consider your school’s identified deficiencies and needed areas of improvement when determining which drill to select.

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

Published on

DATE:
May 1, 2025

TO:
All School Principals
School Administrative Assistants
Administrators of Schools

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator

SUBJECT:
Monetary Donation Protocol

If a monetary donation is made directly to a school, the school should give the donor a written receipt. If a school needs help printing a receipt from Skyward, please contact Information Systems or Accounting for assistance. Donations of $250 or greater where the donor receives no benefit, such as advertising on a banner, require that the donor receive a written acknowledgement of the donation for IRS purposes.

Please remember to contact Lisa LeStarge in Business Services at lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org so a letter can be written to acknowledge and thank the donor. When requesting this letter, schools should specify that no goods or services were given to the donor in exchange for the donation.

Published on

DATE:
April 30, 2025   

TO:
Secondary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Teaching and Learning Department Administrator
Norman Emerson, Fine Arts/Instructional Support Services Consultant 

SUBJECT:
Library Materials Review

District Policy AA440 outlines a process through which parents, teachers, administrators, students, or Board members may request sensitive materials reviews of library materials. A recent review resulted in the following books being categorized as “objective sensitive materials” and are in the process of being removed from school library collections: 

  • Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
  • Story of A Girl by Sara Zarr

Under the same policy, book removal decisions may be appealed. The policy states, “The Jordan School District Board of Education will review the appeal and vote in a public Board meeting to decide the outcome of a sensitive material review appeal. The appeals process for these titles is now underway. 

The District’s teacher librarians have been instructed to remove the books from their shelves and secure them until the appeal has been completed. Language arts department chairs have also been notified.  

You will be informed when the Board makes a decision.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director, Language and Culture Services

This endorsement program is open to K-12 contracted licensed personnel in Jordan School District. This does not include substitute teachers or paraprofessionals who are licensed.

IMPORTANT: As of August 2024, the JSD ESL Endorsement program has been updated to a competency based endorsement that aligns with TESOL standards and USBE requirements. This means the endorsement has undergone some changes and is formatted differently than in previous years. You will earn an endorsement with the Utah State Board of Education. A university credit option through SUU is available at your own expense. Language & Culture Services will not be paying for university credit.

NOTE: Your employee email that ends with "@jordandistrict.org" will be used for ALL correspondence.

Applicants will be placed in the order in which applications are received.

You can sign up for the endorsement using the link below. For more information, please contact your Language Teacher Specialists.

Request for Participation in the ESL Endorsement

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Brandon Conti, Risk Management Coordinator

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increases the risk of crashing. While all distractions can endanger drivers’ safety, texting is the most alarming because it involves all three types of distraction.

See the flyer below for more information.

Published on

DATE:
May 1, 2025

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT:
Home School Updates – May 2025

Please note the following updates on home school processes and procedures.

Home School Affidavit Requirement Eliminated
HB209 from the 2025 legislative session takes effect on May 7, 2025. This law eliminates the requirement that parents submit a written affidavit prior to starting home school with their children, replacing the affidavit with a “one-time initial notification, that may include a letter of intent, to the local school board.”

The following changes will take effect on May 7, 2025, and should be communicated to parents with questions about home schooling:

  • Parents no longer need to complete a written affidavit or visit Student Services to submit an affidavit; however, parents are still required to notify the District when they intend to home school.
  • Parents should be directed to send an email to homeschool@jordandistrict.org. In the email, we would request the parent provide the following:
    • Parent name
    • Address (for verification of district residency)
    • Student(s) name
    • Student date of birth or current grade
  • The parent will receive an automatic reply confirming their notification. The reply will also provide links to state curriculum and notify the parent that the District is no longer responsible for providing instruction or other services.
  • This information is also available for parents at http://planning.jordandistrict.org/homeschool/
  • When Student Services receives a notification from the parent of a current student and we ARE ABLE to verify the identity of the parent, the school of enrollment will be notified so that the student can be withdrawn.
  • When Student Services receives a notification from the parent of a current student and IS NOT ABLE to verify the identity of the parent, the school of enrollment will be notified so that the notification can be confirmed with the parent by the school and the student can be withdrawn.

The parent may also provide the notification to Student Services (801-567-8183) via phone call or in-person at the District Office.

Students who began home school prior to May 7, 2025 using an affidavit do not need to resubmit notification to the district.

Withdrawing Home School Students
When a school withdraws a student to home school, the student should be inactivated for the current and following school years and a withdrawal code of “TH” should be entered.

Utah Fits All Scholarship Students
Students who participate in the “Utah Fits All” (UFA) Scholarship are ineligible to enroll in Jordan School District for classes, including classes offered through the JATC. UFA scholarship funds for enrollment may only be spent with approved providers. At this time, the District has chosen not to become an approved provider, so any UFA student who chooses to enroll in District courses must return all scholarship funds.

Published on

DATE:   
May 1, 2025

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:  
April Attendance Newsletter & Resources

Please see the attached newsletter for Panorama attendance resources, training opportunities & truancy mediation.

Published on

TO:
School Principals
Administrators

FROM:
Katie Bastian, Director of Nutrition Services

When we say school nutrition professionals are heroes, we mean it! That's why we celebrate them every spring with the National School Lunch Hero Day. Join schools across the country that are recognizing the difference these team members make for every child who comes through their cafeteria.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director, Language and Culture Services

WIDA Scores will be available in early May. As you are reviewing data and preparing to send home letters to families, consider the following resources:

If you have any questions, please reach out to your school’s Language Teacher Specialist - lcs.jordandistrict.org/language.

Published on

TO:
Administrators
Teachers
Counselors

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director, Language and Culture Services

Language & Culture Services is providing a series of Professional Development throughout the summer, beginning in May!

May 19 & 20 - Addressing Discriminatory Language in Schools
For Administrators & Counselors only. Click on a date below to enroll.
Location: ASB Auditorium

June 17 & 20 - Family Engagement & Newcomer Support
For administrators/school leaders, teachers. Click on a date below to enroll.
Location: Juniper Elementary School

July 29 & 31 - Instructing Multilingual Learners
For educators and licensed staff working with & instructing MLs. Click on a date below to enroll.
Location: Juniper Elementary School

August 7 - Interpreter Certification Course
For JSD Employees providing interpretation in schools
Enroll here
  • Time: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Location: District Office, Room 129 - 7387 S Campus View Drive, West Jordan, Utah, 84084

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Chris Richards-Khong, Associate Administrator of Teaching and Learning

School-Based Associates Opportunity
The Jordan School District is excited to announce the School-Based Associates (SBA) program for the 25-26 school year. For many years, past CITES/ BYU Public School Partnership Associates participants have asked about bringing the powerful learning experiences within CITES/ BYU Public School Partnership Associates back to their colleagues in the classroom. JSD School-Based Associates will now make that desire a possibility!

The JSD School Based Associates mini grant awards will help schools nurture classroom teacher leaders (who are prior Associates alumni) as they facilitate cohort sessions for their school. The grant funds include a compensation stipend for teacher leaders. School cohorts explore ideas toward gaining a deeper understanding of education and the Partnership Commitments. Associates fosters collegial connections, exchange of viewpoints with one another, and builds lasting relationships.

The mini grant application process has been streamlined into a brief google form. Administrators or teachers can initiate this grant for a school. Use the application guide to help you keep things simple. Call Chris Richards-Khong with questions 801-567-8158.

Zoom Link Q & A Drop-in Sessions Available
April 29, 2025
11:00 - 12:50 PM
2:30 - 3:50 PM

April 30, 2025
8:00 - 8:30 AM
https://uetn-org.zoom.us/j/89348952593?pwd=1EfcVNujjKwKwWgzJbM2Djuy7Vikw0.1#success

ATTACHMENTS:
School Based Associates Flyer

School Based Associates Application GUIDE

Published on

DATE:   
April 22, 2025

TO:   
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns

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

SUBJECT:   
May School Psychologist & School Psychology Interns Meeting

A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for Friday, May 2, 2025, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Jordan Applied Technology Center—South (JATC-South). The address is 12723 South Park Avenue (2080 West) in Riverton. We will start at 12:00 p.m. with a pot luck luncheon. Kristin Francis, M.D., Child and Adolescent psychiatrist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, will provide us with a presentation on recognizing eating disorders in young people.

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

cc:
Principals

Published on

DATE: 
April 24, 2025

TO:   
All Administrators

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director, Student Services
Sharon Jensen, Consultant, Student Support Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Save the Date: Summer 2025 Discipline Trainings

See information in the attached memo on discipline training opportunities in the summer.

 

Published on

DATE:  
April 22, 2025

TO:  
All Jordan School District Principals (with bus route students)

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kathy Jones, Transportation Trainer/Risk Coordinator

SUBJECT:
State Required Bus Evacuations and School Bus Safety 2024-2025

State required semi-annual school bus evacuations have been scheduled for this spring. This applies to those students that ride the bus daily to and from school.

The evacuations will be conducted during the week of:

Monday, April 28 through Friday, May 2, 2025

Your school’s regular bus drivers will perform this evacuation as they drop your students off in the morning, one day during that week. This procedure will take place at your school and within the students’ regular bus drop off/pick up zone. All professional school bus drivers that transport students are required to perform evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Bus evacuation will be through the rear door, side door, front door or any combination of the three. Students will then, under the direction and supervision of the bus driver, evacuate and meet in a safe place approximately 100 feet away from the bus.

Your assistance is welcome but not mandatory to complete this required evacuation drill quickly, safely and effectively.

We appreciate all you do to help us safely transport your students.

Published on

DATE:     
April 17, 2025

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Important MHAP Updates

Due to changes in funding, the following updates to the Mental Health Access Program (MHAP) will take place in the spring and summer of 2025.

  • As of April 21st all MHAP referrals will be done by Kevin Mossel (even in secondary schools with a school-based clinician). This is because families referred for services to MHAP providers will NOT be authorized for $900 of services and we will be using new “end of year” forms and process to reflect this change.
  • The District will no longer be paying for MHAP services over the summer. MHAP services authorized will be covered through the end of the school year. After June 6, students and families will be transitioning to insurance or other forms of payment for services. Please do not set an expectation with students and their families that funds are available for services throughout the summer.
  • No new MHAP referrals will be accepted after Friday, May 16th, 2025. Kevin will follow up with families referred up until May 16th.

If you have any questions, please reach out to McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org, 88245) or Kevin Mossel (kevin.mossel@jordandistrict.org).

Published on

DATE:  
April 16, 2025

TO:   
Middle School Principals

FROM: 
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kitt Soumpholphakdy, Field Trip Coordinator

SUBJECT:  
Lagoon Day – Wednesday, June 4, 2025

We are looking forward to helping you provide an exciting, successful, and safe experience for your students this year. Following the same procedure as last year, it is okay to load the first bus at your school and let it depart without waiting for the other buses to arrive. As each bus is loaded and a chaperone is on board, please let it depart for Lagoon. Your assistance with this process last year helped alleviate some of the waiting on the bus and congestion at the ticket gates.

Your driver may ask you to verify the condition of the bus before boarding students, then again at Lagoon and when it returns back to the school. This is to ensure nobody or nothing is left on the bus. Please take everything off the bus. It is very likely that you will not be on the same bus at the end of the day.

This year, buses will arrive at Lagoon at approximately 5:00 p.m. For the safety of everyone involved, please ask the individuals you’ve designated as chaperones to report to their assigned school bus loading area at 4:45 p.m. Students will load at 5:00 p.m. All buses will depart by 5:15 p.m. 

As a reminder, there will be instructions and signs posted on the north side of Lagoon in the employee area. Look for your school sign, which will be placed on a large cone at the same location where buses unloaded students at Lagoon during morning drop off. Similar to last year, a hand-held paddle will be issued to a school advisor. When at least 50 students and one advisor are ready to board, they will be next to board. As students and the advisor are asked to board, the advisor will then pass the paddle to the next advisor.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.