Jordan School District
"A Better Understanding of Your Native American Students"- An interactive PD opportunity for our teachers and administrators to learn about Native Communities and Cultures, Cultural Appropriation, and insight on teaching sensitive historical topics.
Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the ASB Presentation Room. Please scan the QR code on the flyer to RSVP.
DATE:
April 27, 2023
TO:
Building Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
SUBJECT:
Utah’s “Safe at Home” Program & School Enrollment
The State of Utah has created a confidential address program for victims of abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking, or sexual assault. The program, now called “Safe at Home,” is authorized by Utah Code 77-38.
Participants in the program are issued a legal substitute address that they may use for any purpose, including receiving mail and school registration, to keep their actual address confidential. The substitute address is the address of a state office building and includes an “apartment number” unique to each participant. It is anticipated that this program will begin in late summer or fall of 2023.
Participants in the program are issued an authorization card that will include their name, substitute address, and contact information for the Safe at Home program. Schools are required under Utah Code 77-38-611 to accept this address and use it for school enrollment. When presented with a card, school staff should call the number of the Safe at Home program on the card. Program staffers will verify for the school that the individual lives within the boundaries of the school but will not release the actual address. School staff should then enter the substitute address as the legal address for the family in Skyward. It will likely be necessary for schools to manually add the “H” permit code to the student’s record to avoid Skyward flagging the student as living outside the school’s boundary. School staff MAY NOT ask or require the program participant to reveal their actual address.
At enrollment, schools may ask if the family lives in the bus eligible areas of the school boundary, when applicable. If the family is bus eligible, the school may assist the family in identifying nearby bus stops, either using a map of current bus stops or by identifying stops by a landmark or other location in the vicinity of the family’s address.
Schools may not see large numbers of participants in the program, but should prepare all those who process new enrollments to be aware of the program so they can respond appropriately.
Additional information on Safe at Home can be found at https://crimevictim.utah.gov/safe-at-home/
Principals:
Please pass this information to the appropriate teachers.
Dates: July 11-14 (Tuesday-Friday)
Cost: $700
Location: Farmington High School
Website for registration: tinyurl.com/intermountainAPSI2023
Contact: Christopher Hall
Email: chall@dsdmail.net
DATE:
April 20, 2023
TO:
All Administrators & Threat Assessment Teams
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
Angie Rasmussen, Student Safety & Wellness Specialist
SUBJECT:
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Level 1 Workshop Opportunity
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) is a school violence prevention program. Training consists of two (2) levels and both levels must be completed by all administrators and is recommended for school threat assessment team members.
Structure: The CSTAG Level 1 training consists of six (6) hour web-based training from Navigate360.
Target Audience: In addition to administrators, this workshop will benefit teachers, mental health clinicians, school psychologists, school resources officers, and counselors, or any school employee who serves on the school’s threat assessment multidisciplinary team.
Content: CSTAG level 1 can assist in developing an awareness of threat assessments and use of the CSTAG model at your school. Here are specific descriptions of the six modules that will be taught in the training.
Why: This workshop will increase awareness about school violence prevention, provide procedures/methodology for determining threat levels, assist in determining responses to threats, and will give your school trained educators to include on a threat assessment team.
Registration: If you are interested in having any staff trained in CSTAG Level 1, please direct them to complete this form. Student services will be funding the tuition for each participant as long as they are registered by the end of this school year. Once registered, the participant will receive an email with information about how to access the training. Those who complete level 1 before June 9th can then register for CSTAG Level 2.
An upcoming session for the level 2 workshop will be offered as an in-person training on June 9, 2023. Select the link for JPLS to register for a session of CSTAG Level 2 training. The course number is 101883. Section # 117422
Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.
As we approach the end of the 2022-23 school year, it is important to make sure your location has reported all drills, actual emergencies, and related planning and debrief meetings for this school year using the Google Form, link: 2022-23 REPORT EMERGENCY - DRILLS, ACTUAL EVENTS, or MEETINGS. Please include all related details.
The Board of Education has asked to receive quarterly reports on all drills and actual emergencies throughout the district. Information submitted using the report form will be used for this purpose.
For help or questions, contact Facility Operations at Auxiliary Services:
Judy Bird, Administrative Assistant: 801-567-8625, judy.bird@jordandistrict.org
Teresa Lyon, Administrative Assistant: 801-567-8626, teresa.lyon@jordandistrict.org
Jeff Beesley, Risk Management Coordinator: 801-567-8876, jeffrey.beesley@jordandistrict.org
Lance Everill, Emergency Operations Manager: 801-567-8623, lance.everill@jordandistrict.org
Date:
April 17, 2023
To:
Applicable School Principals and Administrative Assistants
All Area Administrators of Schools and Administrative Assistants
From:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Daniel Ellis, Director of Accounting and Audits
Natalie Grange, Accounting Administrator
Subject:
External Audit Visits
The external auditors (Squire & Company, PC) will be visiting the following schools on the dates indicated. They will be reviewing school fees (appropriate amount charged, waivers, etc.) and financial information. Once finished, the auditors will want a few minutes with the Principal. If the Principal is unavailable, an Assistant Principal may meet with them. The auditors are planning on coming to the schools in the order listed. Exact times of arrival will vary depending on length of stay at earlier schools and travel time. If you have any questions or if your administrative assistant will not be available, please call Natalie Grange at (801) 567-8312.
We have created training videos for every sweeper route and posted them to our Custodial Website.
You will also find other training videos that will help all of our employees become knowledgeable in their field.
We also have under the Documents/Forms/Logs tab, a link to all the forms the Head Custodian, Lead Custodian and/or Adult Night Supervisor should be using to check on the sweepers and adult custodians to make sure they are getting their jobs done each night.
The following are new administrative assignments:
New Assignments effective July 1, 2023:
Transfers effective July 1, 2023:
New Elementary Administrative Intern Assignments effective July 1, 2023:
DATE:
April 12, 2023
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 and School Psychology Interns Meeting
A meeting for school psychologists and school psychology interns has been scheduled for Friday, May 5, 2023, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Auxiliary Services Building (7905 South Redwood Road). We will start at 12:00 p.m. with a luncheon. Jamison Law, Ed.D., Director of Clinical Education for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at UVU, will provide us with a presentation that addresses Secondary Trauma and Compassion Fatigue.
Part-time Staff: I would appreciate it if you could adjust your schedules in order to attend this meeting.
cc:
Principals
DATE:
April 12, 2023
TO:
Administrators
All Current or Future Panorama Users
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
SUBJECT:
Panorama for Positive Behavior Training Sessions
Training sessions for Panorama’s Positive Behavior have been scheduled to assist all schools using or interested in using the Positive Behavior module in Panorama. The sessions are designed to provide navigational support for teachers and administrators. Each session will include a demonstration from a Panorama product expert and former educator, practice time, and valuable leave behind resources to support immediate action in your daily work.
Please see memo below for dates and times of the training sessions.
The attached document has more detailed information and may also be accessed here.
DATE:
April 6, 2023
TO:
All Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
SUBJECT:
You and your staff are invited to a Wellness Accelerator Event!
You and your staff are invited to a Wellness Accelerator Event at JATC South Auditorium on April 14th, from 1:30-3:30.
The 2023 Wellness Accelerator is an opportunity to learn from passionate educators like you. There will be a variety of topics covered through brief, prepared table-top discussions from educators around Jordan District on strategies for student and staff wellness. Participants should plan on walking away with practical ways to enhance wellness for yourself and others!
Who should attend? You! Jordan School District administrators, school leaders, and staff committed to SEL/wellness initiatives (substitutes can be provided upon request) are invited to attend.
Review the attached flyer and share with those that would benefit from attending.
Please contact McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org) for additional information and questions.
A notification was sent in the Jordan Employee Memos on March 2, 2023 indicating the need to submit a request for the lottery to use Annual or Personal leave for the day before/after the April 24, 2023 Mid Spring non-contract day.
Due to the nature of this new leave day, employees WILL NOT be required to request the day before/after April 24, 2023 as part of the lottery process. Any employee requesting to use an Annual or Personal leave day before/after April 24, 2023 may do so without penalty.
Those who submitted a lottery request for April 24, 2023 will also be emailed individually. We apologize for any inconvenience this miscommunication may have caused.
2022-23 Personal Leave Before/After a Holiday - Updated
Surplus of School Chromebooks and iPads:
Surplus Chromebooks and iPads, along with their associated charging cord, cases, etc., may be given (not sold) to students (not staff) if all of the following are done:
All other surplus technology items are to be sent to the surplus warehouse as normal.
DATE:
April 5, 2023
TO:
All Administrators and Administrative Assistants
FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Sarah Palmer, Director of Payroll
SUBJECT:
Substitute Bonus (extra pay) Charged to Budgets
Each month, substitutes can receive a bonus (extra pay) based on the number of days they substitute for the District without cancelling a scheduled day. This bonus is intended to increase the wage rate for substitutes who work these extra days. As such, this bonus is charged proportionately to the budgets which paid for the base substitute wages during the month. Therefore, you may see a charge to your budgets for this extra pay for substitutes your budget paid for during the month if the substitute qualified for the bonus.
The 2023 Wellness Accelerator is an opportunity to learn from passionate educators like you. There will be a variety of topics covered through brief, prepared table-top discussions from educators around Jordan District on strategies for student and staff wellness. Plan on walking away with practical ways to enhance wellness for yourself and others!
See the flyer below for all the details.
DATE:
April 6, 2023
TO:
All Administrators & Threat Assessment Teams
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
Angie Rasmussen, Student Safety & Wellness Specialist
SUBJECT:
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Level 2 Workshop
CSTAG training consists of two (2) training levels and both levels must be completed by all administrator’s and threat assessment team members. The CSTAG Level 2 workshop is for all who have completed the Level 1 training (the six (6) hour web-based training from Navigate360). This workshop will build upon your knowledge of threat assessment by providing practical application and implementation of the CSTAG process in your school. If you have already completed level 2, you are welcome to attend this training as a refresher.
The Level 2 workshop will;
An upcoming session for the level 2 workshop will be offered June 9, 2023. Select the link below to register for a session of CSTAG Level 2 training.
In-Person Training:
Friday, June 9th (In-Person)
JATC South Auditorium
10:00am-12:00pm Section # 117422
Please sign up using JPLS for the session you will be attending on JPLS
The course number is 101883.
If you are not certain about having completed the CSTAG Level 1 course or should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.
DELAYED - 2023- 24 Special Calendar Request Information – Licensed Only
Once approval is granted for the 2023-24 JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT Employee Calendars, the HR Department will provide Special Calendar request information to principals and licensed employees. Please continue to watch for information in JAM and JEM.
We want to make sure we are able to meet the needs of our growing Languages in our District. As our numbers grow, our procedure has to change to better utilize the staff we have. Please share this with your Administrative assistants and reach out to Nicole in LCS for any questions.
DATE:
Thursday, April 6, 2023
TO:
All School Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
Research Project
The Research Review Committee has reviewed a research project in which your school has been asked to participate.
Project Title: Advancing Evidence-Based Policy through Measured Understanding of Implementation: A Focus on Statewide School Breakfast
Applicant: Lori Spruance, Brigham Young University-Provo
The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. The applicant has been directed to contact you to discuss the extent of the project and to obtain your permission to conduct the study at your school. Participation in the study is at your discretion. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.
The project will involve school employees and lunch managers participating in a brief survey. Participants who meet the eligibility requirements as determined by the survey will also participate in an interview.
Thank you for your assistance.
April showers will bring us May flowers (at least that's the hope)! A lot is happening in April -- testing season is upon us, we finish up the month of Ramadan, earth day, and Easter will soon be here. Our days are getting longer and we will soon see those flowers begin to crawl out from their winter hibernation. Hopefully, our very snowy winter will give our valley some much needed hydration and life this summer (without too much flooding). We at LCS hope you and your loved ones can enjoy the sun and the holidays this April!
The full newsletter can be found at the link below. Stories include:
ELLevation Tips and Tricks
Create your own dashboard or add a new tile to your current dashboard. Dashboards allow you to quickly access the most relevant and important data in Ellevation all in one place, and a Dashboard Tile is a bite-sized representation of key data about your ML students. When you first log in to ELLevation, you see our district's main dashboard, and all the different information squares are the tiles. You can create a Tile from any Student List configuration, and you can arrange one or more Tiles on a Dashboard to see relevant data points all in one place. You can customize your own ELLevation Dashboard with the Tiles of data that are relevant to you. Simply click the link or scan the QR code below for step-by-step instructions and videos to walk you through this process. Make sure you are logged into ELLevation before clicking or scanning so that it takes you straight to the help page!
Teaching Strategies Supporting Newcomers
As intimidating as it may be for teachers to have students new to the country with no English, imagine how scary it is for your new student. Here are a few things you can do to help your newcomers feel welcome:
Culture Corner
The "Racial Justice Challenge" organized by the YWCA begins April 17th. The challenge runs through the month of April to help raise awareness of systemic racism. It is "designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The Challenge works to foster personal reflection, encourage social responsibility, and motivate participants to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination. Daily challenge activities (reading an article, listening to a podcast, reflecting on personal experience, etc.) are posted in the Challenge app and website, allowing participants to connect with one another, discover how racial and social injustice impact our community, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination."
Reflective Questions
ELD Lead Celebration
April Winegar is a teacher and ELD lead at WJHS. She is passionate about teaching, and works hard to implement programs that support the MLs at her school. She started up a Task Force long before we began doing it district-wide. She has a New ELD Lead folder with great information that she shares with new ELD Leads to guide them in their role. She goes above and beyond to promote and recruit students for the Seal of Biliteracy, and she is always striving to improve the ELD culture school-wide. But most of all, her students know she cares. She is always smiling, always willing to help, and one of the kindest people you will ever meet.
