Category: Middle School Info

PURPOSE
Ensure compliance with state law and district policy

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• Please share with your SCC
  • Creating School Community Councils and holding the first meeting, 6:00 minute video - Video
  • Here’s what’s new, 2:00 minute Training Video  -  Video
  • Updated Timeline with Website Information - Timeline
  • Jordan District - Beginning of Year Documents
  • Folder with sample documents from JSD schools can be found in the “Beginning of the Year Documents”

RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE
Feedback from State LAND Trust Office: 

• Each SCC needs to hold elections according to  R277-491 and 53G-7-1202
• Minimum number of parents/school employees on an SCC is in UTAH CODE, and is under 53G-7-1202 (4).
  • High School - six parent members and four school employee members, including the principal.
  • Elem & Middle - four parent members and two school employee members including the principal. 
• A SCC may determine the size of the SCC by a majority vote of a quorum of the SCC provided that: the membership includes two or more parent members than the number of school employee members; and there are at least two school employee members on the SCC. 
  • Any change takes place for the following year and should remain in effect for four years. 
• Clarify how many parents and school employees will serve and add the election process into the Rules of Order and Procedure.
  • Be specific in how many seats. Don’t use “at least” or “maximum number”. All seats that are listed in the Rules of Order and Procedure must be filled each year. Look at even and odd years. Assign if necessary. If all seats are not filled during the election then parents need to be appointed. Review this document yearly at your first meeting.
• Clarify how many spots will be open every year. It wouldn't hurt to also put in more information about their election process. When and how do they post notices? What is the format for applying to be a candidate, and how are ballots managed. 
• No email voting. 

 Elections of School Community Council Members: A Checklist

PAYING FOR TEACHERS
Reminder: If you state in your plan that you will be paying for a math teacher then you must pay for a math teacher. It can be the lowest paid math teacher but must match what subject matter is in the goal.

RECOMMENDED TIMELINE
Can be found in the Beginning of Year Documents

WEBSITE UPDATE
Must be completed no later than October 20th. See attachment in JAM and also in Beginning of the Year Documents

CARRYOVER

• Best Practices Sheet - found in Beginning of the Year Documents
• No more than 10% of allocated monies every year. 
• As a reminder TSSA funds should also follow the 10% carryover guidelines. 

APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURES
Reminder: No food, no memberships, no school store items from either Land Trust or TSSA.

FUNDING CHANGES - AMENDMENTS

• All principals need to look at the 2023-24 Land Trust Plan on the State Website, at the bottom of the plan for comments. 
  • Not all need to make changes to their plan
    • State is requiring us to be more specific in what is listed within the plan as well as at the bottom under “Funding Changes”. 
  • Most comments are asking for more clarification on:
    • PD
    • Software 
    • Field trips
    • Technology purchases
  • The State is asking for more exact clarification on what is being purchased. They are requesting that amendments be done if you weren’t clear enough in your action steps and/or Funding Changes portions of your Land Trust Plan.

• Steps for Amendment: 
  • Add it to your Plan on the State Website
  • Notify Nadine that you have an amendment waiting
  • AOS reviews the amendment
  • The amendment is sent to the Board member over your area for review. 
  • The amendment is placed on the next Board Meeting agenda as a consent item.
  • The State LAND Trust Committee is notified that there is an amendment waiting for their approval
  • Once the State has done their approval you may start to spend the money as outlined in the amendment. 

REVIEW WITH SCC MID-YEAR
If it looks like you won’t be spending as planned, “We can’t hire assistants…what are we going to do differently”? Review in your SCC meeting, come up with a new plan, and do an amendment if needed. Don’t wait until the end of the year to decide you need to spend your money differently. This depends on the wording under “Funding Changes” on your current plan. 

Hilda Lloyd has requested your McKinney-Vento Aide's attendance at the Mckinney-Vento Aides Training Meeting for Elementary, Middle, and High School aides.

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Time: 1:30-3:00 pm
Where: District Office - Training room 129

If your aide is unable to attend, please send an assistant principal to receive the 23-24 information and training. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Common issues or frequently asked questions regarding discipline logging that have been identified by the Discipline Review Committee or raised by administrators will be communicated monthly (or as needed) in a "Discipline Notes" document. The documents are accessible by current school administrators only.

September's "Discipline Notes" may be accessed at this LINK.

Administrators may access previous "Discipline Notes" via this LINK to the Discipline Notes folder.

DATE:   
Thursday, September 14, 2023

TO:   
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
2022-23 Accountability Data

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The Assessment & Accountability section of USBE released the following statement:

After releasing the Tableau 2023 State Education Research File (SERF) on August 25th one of our LEAs identified some missing student RISE test event records when comparing the Tableau SERF with reports available in the TIDE platform. We have been investigating these omitted student test records and discovered the source and scope of the event. The source of the event was the USBE incorrect use of a return file that included test event records that were in a “pause status” at the end of the testing window. This event effected 0.5 % of records or about 5000 tests. Applying the solution will require some rework and result in updates to the related (RISE) Data Gateway reports, a delay of the release of the 2023 school report card and school accountability determinations. Once the updated timelines are available, that information will be shared.

Since Jordan School District was impacted by this error, proficiency and growth scores currently in the Data Gateway will not be accurate. USBE plans to release accountability data using the following timeline:

• Sept. 16^th – USBE will re-release proficiency and growth scores in the Data Gateway and SERF file. Evaluation, Research & Accountability uses data from the SERF file to update proficiency and growth data in RISE and Utah Aspire Plus dashboards on Tableau.
• Oct. 4-19 – School Accountability Report Cards will be securely released to school and district leaders to preview before the public release.
• Oct. 24 – School Accountability Report Cards will be released to the public.
• Oct. 27 – TSI and CSI school designations will be released.

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

DATE:  
September 1, 2023

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 2023-2024

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

The evacuations will be conducted during the week of:

Monday, September 11 through Friday, September 15, 2023

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 drill will take place at the 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.

DATE:   
August 31, 2023

TO:  
Secondary Principals
Elementary Principals

FROM:   
Carolyn Gough, Administrator, Teaching and Learning
Norman Emerson, Fine Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:   
Ballet West 2023-24 Student In-Theater Presentations

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Ballet West is again providing free presentations of the following ballets in the Capitol Theater:

• Dracula (Grades 5-12)
• The Firebird (Grades 1-12)
• The Nutcracker (Grades K-12, One and Two-Hour Presentation Available)
• Swan Lake (Grades 1-12)
• Fairy Tale Theater (Grades 1-12) 

Each program begins with an educational introduction and is followed by a portion of the repertoire currently being performed for the general public. 

The link to Ballet West’s website with further information (including dates and times) on all of the student performances is Ballet West Student In-Theatre Performances .

If any of your teachers are interested in having their classes attend any of the performances, please have them contact Susy Peterson at susanlyn.peterson@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8296. Seating is limited and performance slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis.

Please be aware that transportation costs must be covered by individual schools. Neither Ballet West nor the Teaching and Learning Department will be covering the costs of transportation.

September has been designated as Founder’s Month by the Utah State Legislature. The bill states that public schools are encouraged to recognize and observe this occasion. You can do this through programs and teaching in class about the Founding Fathers and important founding documents. September 17^th is also Constitution Day and all public schools who receive federal funding are asked to observe this day.

You may have received a Founder’s Month Curriculum in the mail. Please remember that all curriculum should be approved before use. It will not be mailed directly to you. Teachers have access to materials on the district website: Social Studies

Jordan District currently has a team of teachers K-6, who have been asked by USBE to create curriculum for the whole state on the new elementary social studies standards. These teachers have been working on great lessons that teachers can use for Founder’s Month and Constitution Day that are grade level appropriate.

We want to make sure that we are following all state and federal mandates and guidelines. You will be notified of these important dates through JAM and teachers will receive notifications through JEM. When teachers have questions, please direct them to the district website or you can contact Kaye Rizzuto, JSD Social Studies Consultant at kaye.rizzuto@jordandistrict.org (801) 567-8320.

DATE: 
Thursday, August 31, 2023

TO:   
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Record of August 15^th Professional Learning Day Attendees

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School administrators may access a Tableau dashboard that contains a record of all educators who signed in using the QR code for the August 15^th professional learning day. The dashboard may be accessed here. Administrators may also filter the list by conference location.

For questions about this dashboard, please refer to Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability.

DATE:     
September 1, 2023

TO:  
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
BARK Content Monitoring

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Now that school is back in session, here is a review of our districtwide content monitoring system which runs through a software system called BARK. BARK monitors all student Google accounts across all JSD schools and levels. This is different from iboss and Lanschool and does not detect student internet searches. Here is a summary of the notification protocols and procedures for this school year.

• BARK uses an AI to scan student Gmail messages, Google chats, Google documents, and Google slides, regardless of the device or IP address that is used. As long as the student is logged into and using their Jordan District Google account, the content can be monitored.
• Notifications and alerts are categorized as non-severe, severe, and imminent.
• The alerts are monitored primarily by Angie Rasmussen, JSD Student Safety and Wellness Some alerts will require additional investigation at that level to determine the context and to weed out false positives.
• Notifications to schools will include administration, counseling, and other mental health teams. This allows for several adults to receive notifications in case they are somewhat time sensitive.
• Notifications will come in an email from Angie unless it is urgent, then a phone call or text message will be communicated.
• Notifications that are not considered emergencies or urgent will not be sent after 3pm on a school day to ensure that intervention is reasonable and timely for school personnel.
• Content alerts are not monitored over the weekend or on days students don’t attend, but emergency alerts will still be sent when immediate intervention is needed.
• We will continue to receive after hours imminent alerts and will continue to work with administrators when immediate intervention is required.
• Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

Additional information that may be useful:

The Bark Community Partnership Program is LIVE . This program helps serve your PTA's in supporting your parent and family communities in an effort to better protect our children online (and in the real world). The program is optional and is free. It is easy to sign up. If you or your PTA are interested in this additional resource for parents about all things kids and technology, click here Sign-up Here