Jordan School District
TO:
Administrators
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Rebecca Eastman, Human Resources Leaves Specialist
Please find attached the Leave Overview for each employee group: Administrators, Licensed staff and ESP (Eductional Support Professionals). If you have questions please contact Rebecca Eastman, Human Resources Leaves Specialist.
DATE:
October 29, 2026
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
SUBJECT:
Suicide Prevention Funds and Conference Registration
Administrators,
Suicide Prevention Grant funds are available for allowable expenses up to $1,000 per school. Schools may use these funds to pay for HopeSquad or Sources of Strength program renewal fees or to conduct suicide prevention training. These funds cannot be used to purchase supplies or food related to suicide prevention programming (NO T-shirts, incentives, fidgets, etc.). For questions, contact Buddy Alger (buddy.alger@jordandistrict.org) in Student Services.
As part of this allocation, schools may choose to register relevant staff members (school psychologists, school counselors, school-based therapists) for the Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference and code the P-Card registration fee to the grant.
Schools may register one individual for elementary, three individuals for middle school, and up to five individuals for high school, using the grant. Administrators can code the expense to program 5674 on the P-Card Reconciliation. There will not be District personnel registering school staff this year.
Here is the registration link for the Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference. It is held on December 1st and 2nd at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo, UT.
If school staff have already been registered and your school would like to be reimbursed, contact Carmen Covarrubias (carmen.covarrubias@jordandistrict.org).
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Ami Shah, Compliance Officer
The Jordan Native American Program invites teachers to bring authentic Indigenous perspectives to their classrooms. We are now booking engaging, age-appropriate presentations to build cultural awareness and enrich your curriculum.
We know classroom time is precious. Our presentations can be fully tailored to your unit, and all we ask for is 30 to 45 minutes of class time.
While November is Native American Heritage Month, these conversations matter every day. If your schedule cannot accommodate a guest speaker this November, schedule us for a later winter or spring date.
Click Here to Request a Presentation
Thank you for helping broaden our students' perspectives. We look forward to visiting your classroom!
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Cherie Oliver, Jordan Education Foundation
Costa Vida is hosting a fundraising event that supports the whole district! On November 4th, eat at one of three Costa Vida locations and 20% of proceeds will come back to Jordan Education Foundation. Details on attached flyer.
TO:
All principals and administrators responsible for facility assessment
FROM:
Ian Roberts - Director of Facility Services
Starting at the beginning of November, Facility Services will be reaching out to arrange a meeting with principals and custodians to discuss and review facility needs. This event typically takes place from January through February, however, recent changes in legislation will result in additional time needed to meet time line requirements for the Division of Facilities and Construction Management oversight.
The purpose of the annual facility assessment is to provide a collaborative opportunity for the principal, custodian, and facilities coordinator to review and prioritize the building’s most critical needs. Guided by the prioritization philosophy established by the district and Board of Education, the team works together to make strategic, responsible decisions with a primary emphasis on student and staff safety. The assessment also helps schools identify significant facility improvement needs, such as roof replacements or major mechanical and building system upgrades. In addition, the process provides an opportunity to discuss other facility concerns, needs, and desired improvements and to categorize them appropriately—for example, as routine work orders, school-funded special projects, or larger capital projects for future consideration.
We understand the demands on administrators' time, particularly with the upcoming holidays and their numerous responsibilities. That said, we respectfully request that principals prioritize this assessment review.
DATE:
October 15, 2026
TO:
All Administrators and Administrative Assistants
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
SUBJECT:
Administrative Assignments
The following are new administrative assignments:
New Assignments effective Oct. 20, 2026:
TO:
Principals
FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Brian King, Director of Special Education
Maddie Karanevich, Assistant Director of Special Education
Attached is the Special Ed Newsletter for October 2026.
TO:
Administrative Assistants
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services
We have a few spots open for Spanish for Office Staff. Our goal is to provide tools and resources for office staff so that you can sharpen the Spanish skills, whether this is your first time being exposed to Spanish or you learned in high school, we encourage all office staff who have students that speak Spanish to take this 5 week course from our DLI educators. Please sign up here.
TO:
Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language and Culture Services
Language & Culture Services wants to provide you with one place to find the information to support the language and culture in your school. In this newsletter you will find:
Culture & Diversity - Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15 - Oct.15 | Recognize the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Hispanic Heritage Month Information Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Nov. 1 -2 | a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated to honor, remember, and welcome back the spirits of deceased family and friends. Day of the Dead Resources.
TO:
All School Principals
FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant
The School LAND Trust team will host a virtual training session for School Community Councils on November 10, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. It is highly encouraged that principals and SCC chairs attend this training.
Join the session using the link below:
Join the School Community Council Training Zoom Meeting
This training will cover essential topics, including:
• Program implementation: School LAND Trust Program requirements and practices
• Council responsibilities: Roles and expectations for council members
• Plan development: How to develop a School LAND Trust Plan
• Support resources: Guides and tools available to support your council
A recording of the session will be posted afterward for council members to review at their convenience. If you have already completed local training at your school covering these topics, you have fulfilled the annual training requirement and are not required to attend this session.
TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Psychologists and School Psychology Interns
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Fulvia Franco, School Psychology Administrator
A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for
Friday, October 30, 2026 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). Please bring your laptops to this meeting. Buddy Alger and Jeff Morris will provide us with training on Ken Ginsburg’s Reaching Teens materials. Julia Connelly, Ph.D., Director of Spectropolis, will provide us with a presentation on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).
Part-time Staff: I would appreciate it if you could adjust your schedules in order to attend this meeting.
TO:
All Employees
FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent
The 6th annual Health and Wellness Day is back again, will be bigger than ever, and will be here before we know it! Employees can look forward to connecting with colleagues and prioritizing their well-being through a variety of wellness offers across the District. Mark your calendar because you won’t want to miss this!
DATE:
October 15, 2026
TO:
All Administrators & Threat Assessment Teams
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Angie Rasmussen, CARE Team Specialist
SUBJECT:
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Training
CSTAG training consists of two (2) training levels, Level 1 and Level 2. Both levels must be completed by all administrators and threat assessment team members. CSTAG Level 2 training is for all who have completed the Level 1 training (the web-based training from Navigate360). Level 2 training builds upon your knowledge of threat assessment by providing practical application and implementation of the CSTAG process in your school.
New Administrators and Administrative Interns are encouraged to attend.
Select the link to register for a session of CSTAG Level 2 training.
In-Person CSTAG Level Two Training:
Friday, November 13th (In-Person) 1-3PM
District Office Room 129
Registration Link
Other important CSTAG reminders: If your school wants to train a staff member or threat assessment team member that is not an administrator in CSTAG level 1, please email angie.rassumussen@jordandistrict.org the request with the person’s name, title, and email address. CSTAG Level 1 is web-based through Navigate 360 and costs $100 per person. A request for reimbursement will be sent to the school after the staff member has been added.
To access CSTAG documents and resources use this link: CSTAG Resources
We look forward to learning more about your school's violence prevention initiatives and CSTAG implementation, or assisting you with customized training needs. To schedule a meeting, please contact Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.
TO:
All School Administrators
All School Admin Assistants
FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Steffany Ellsworth, Assistant Director, Information Systems
ParentSquare Pointers – New Feature Alert!
New Contact Log for Principals and School Admin
Need to confirm a parent received the message? The Contact Log puts 60 days of communication history right at your fingertips. Principals and School Admins can easily search contact history for staff, parent, or student’s – filtering by type, site, and date range to verify what was sent in seconds.
To find this new feature make sure you are in the Admin tab, located in the upper left-hand corner, then follow these four steps:
If you have any questions please reach out to Information Systems Help Desk, (801) 567-8737 – ext. 88737. Or for Contact Log FAQs from ParentSquare just click here!
TO:
Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
JSD Content Proficiency Scales
Following Jan Hoegh’s presentation to school-level administrators at the Principals Meeting on October 6, we would like to reshare our JSD Content Proficiency Scales.
Together, district teacher teams and Teaching & Learning have developed power standards and corresponding proficiency scales for Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, PE, Health, and Music. These scales serve as exemplars and anchors for grade-level expectations, ensuring Level 3 indicators align precisely with the depth and rigor of the Utah Core Standards.
To access the standards, scales, and integration resources for planning, instruction, assessment, and feedback, enroll in the new JSD Content Proficiency Scales Canvas course.
⚠️ Important Note on Math Standards: The State Board of Education (USBE) is currently reviewing math standards and is expected to release updates soon. Consequently, the development of math power standards and proficiency scales is paused until those official updates are released.
TO:
JSD Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Curtis Jenson, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning
We had the chance in this week’s Principal meeting to spend the day with Jan Hoegh talking about how our work over the past year with Proficiency Scales translates into next steps with assessment and reporting. While we do that work, we have the unique chance to participate in a book study with Jan this spring using her book Planning & Teaching in the Standards-Based Classroom.
The book study will happen during three 75-minute virtual sessions with Jan Hoegh. While dates are still being finalized, they will occur in February, March and April of 2027. We will provide all participants with a copy of the book to use throughout the book study and beyond. All JSD administrators are invited to participate in this optional book study.
Interested? Let us know here and we’ll get you a copy of the book.
We’ll keep you posted on exact dates and times for the book study. We just want it to be on your radar while it’s fresh. It’s unusual to get the chance to talk in this setting with the leading expert in the field while we’re actually doing the things she’s writing about. If you’re interested, let us know and we’ll get the book for you. If the final dates for the book study don’t work for you, at least you have access to the source material.
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
McKinley Withers, Administrator of Employee Experience and Wellness
Administrators,
You’re invited to a special 30-minute mindfulness session created FOR YOU, the hard-working leaders of our schools and district. The Employee Experience & Wellness Team is offering a quick virtual mindfulness reset for Administrators once per month throughout the school year, come once or come every month. Each session will be led by Anna Smyth and will occur live, virtually, from 12:30-1:00 on the dates listed below.
We acknowledge that there isn’t an easy time for administrators to attend to their own wellness, but we hope that you can carve out 30-minutes one time per month to center on your needs. If multiple administrators would like to attend from a school site, we suggest rotating supervision obligations to accommodate attendance on different months. We hope to see you sometime this year!
Use this link to add October’s session to your Google Calendar.
Come as you are! No experience necessary. Zoom information and future dates are pasted below:
Mindful Leadership: A Monthly Reset
Give yourself 30 minutes to pause, recharge, and reconnect with how you want to lead. These monthly drop-in Zoom sessions offer school and district administrators a space to rest, reset, and gather practical tools for navigating challenges with greater clarity, steadiness, and compassion.
Anna Smyth is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Mindful Leadership: A Monthly Reset
Time: Oct 14, 2026 12:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://slcc-edu.zoom.us/j/89897030325?pwd=DLw8BU3IIb9BUpJlqO1aeiB4adtABt.1
Meeting ID: 898 9703 0325
Passcode: 990803
| October 14, 2026 @ 12:30-1:00 | February 17, 2027 |
| November 11, 2026 | March 17, 2027 |
| December 9, 2026 | April 21, 2027 |
| January 13, 2027 | May 19, 2027 |
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, Administrator of Data & Operations
Administrators who are resigning or retiring effective at the end of the current contract or calendar year may be eligible for a tiered early-notification incentive. To qualify, administrators must submit their official resignation or retirement notification online on or before the applicable deadline listed below.
The incentive amount will be based on the date the official online notification is received.
Mid-Year Resignation (December) Notification:
End of Contract Year Resignation (June) Notification:
The incentive will be paid on the last regular paycheck. Notifications of resignation or retirement received after the dates listed above will not qualify for an incentive. The official District resignation/retirement notification form is found in Qmlativ under “Employee Access”. Please see District policy DP318 or DP319 for more detailed information regarding resignations and/or retirements. If you do not know your Qmlativ username or password, please contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.
TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants
FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of HR
Rebecca Eastman, HR Generalist
If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave before or after Thanksgiving on a “Critical Day” for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:
How to Request
During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.
Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org
Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org
The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.
*Critical Days are the first student attendance days before or after a school holiday. If a non-student attendance day falls before or after a school holiday, the Critical Day is the day before or after that non-student attendance day when students are in attendance.
Licensed
Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 26-27
DATE:
October 8, 2026
TO:
Principals and Assistant Principals
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator
SUBJECT:
Wearable Emergency Alert Devices
2026 Utah H.B. 84 requires silent wearable alert devices in schools. The District has elected to work with Centegix for the new wearable emergency alert devices. We want to make you aware that as part of the grant process, individual school administrators were listed as points of contact per the form requirements. However, this grant and rollout will be handled at the district level through Student Services, Facilities, and Information Systems. More information regarding the rollout, training, and implementation of the devices will be coming in the future. No action on the part of the schools is required at this time.
If you are contacted by Centegix or USBE directly, please refer them to Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator, or Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services.
For questions or concerns, contact the School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz, at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623.
