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Category: Middle School Info

Published on

TO:
Secondary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning

Principals,

We are excited to offer three upcoming professional development opportunities designed to strengthen Tier 1 instruction for secondary math teachers. These sessions will provide practical strategies and collaborative learning experiences to support high quality math instruction for all students.

We shared this information with your teachers as well, but would love your support in reminding teachers of these valuable learning opportunities. Detailed information about each session, along with registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyers.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering instructional excellence!

 

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, September 18, 2025

TO:  
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Math and Science Growth Scores for RISE and Utah Aspire Plus Now Available

2024-25 growth scores for RISE and Utah Aspire Plus math and science are now available in Tableau. You can access these scores at the following links:

In addition, proficiency and growth scores for 2024-25 are also available on the state’s Data Gateway. Both the Student Proficiency and Student Growth reports now have scores for both math and science.

As a reminder, growth scores for RISE and Utah Aspire Plus are calculated by USBE in partnership with the Center for Assessment. For more information to help you understand how growth is calculated, please see this helpful video.

With the core change that prompted a change in the RISE assessment, RISE ELA recently underwent a standard setting to determine new cut scores. The state board of education is scheduled to review the new cut scores in their September board meeting. Thus, proficiency and growth scores will not be released until October. School accountability report cards and TSI/ATSI/CSI exits and designations will be released in January 2026.

For questions about the information provided in this memo, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:      
September 10, 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 2025-2026

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 22 through Thursday, September 25, 2025

Your school’s regular bus drivers will perform this evacuation procedure as they drop your students off in the morning, one day during that week. The 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 procedure quickly, safely and effectively.

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

Published on

DATE:  
September 9, 2025

TO:  
Principals and Assistant Principals

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness Consultant
Michelle Reyes, Attendance/Prevention Specialist, Student Services

SUBJECT:
Proactive Tools for Addressing Attendance Throughout 2025-26

Districtwide data indicates that chronic absenteeism is a growing problem. Throughout the school year, Student Services will be providing resources, tools, and reminders to help our District address this critical issue. Research consistently shows that regular school attendance is directly linked to higher academic achievement, improved social-emotional development, and a greater likelihood of on-time graduation. When students are present, they are more engaged in learning, build stronger relationships with their peers and teachers, and don’t fall behind on foundational skills.

In short, attendance is important! Together, we can make an impact on students’ futures by addressing attendance. As part of this collective effort, using the State’s Every Day Counts Attendance Initiative, we’ve developed the following attendance theme:

Attendance Campaign Theme: “We’re Better When You’re Here”
(Use this link for PDFs to print or email Michelle for prints)

September 2025 Attendance Resources and Reminders

  1. Proactive Communication on the importance of attendance is essential and impactful at the beginning of the year, use one of these links to communicate with your school community.
    1. Attendance Essentials (Spanish)-Parent handout with essential attendance information
    2. Stay At Home Checklist (Spanish)
    3. Beginning of the Year Attendance Nudge/Social Media Message (Spanish)
  2. Review current data.
    1. Start by reviewing the previous school year's attendance records. Look at metrics like average daily attendance (ADA), chronic absenteeism rates (students missing 10% or more of the school year), and attendance rates by grade level, demographic group, and teacher. This data will serve as your baseline and help you identify specific problem areas. For example, you might find that chronic absenteeism is higher in a particular grade or among a certain student population.
    2. Employing Panorama to acquire and review attendance data is the most efficient way to access chronic absence rates and drill down into attendance issues with certain demographics. Find a Panorama attendance how-to guide here.
  3. Review additional resources relevant to your school’s needs!

Questions? Contact Michelle Reyes at michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8205.

Published on

The following are new administrative assignments:

New Administrative Internships for 2025-26:

  • Sarah Burton, instructional coach at Copper Canyon Elementary assigned administrative intern at Bastian Elementary.
  • Tori Domaleski, teacher in Canyons School District assigned administrative intern at Columbia Elementary.
  • Kimberlee Hill, instructional coach in Granite School District assigned administrative intern at Heartland Elementary.
  • Addie Lund, teacher at Hawthorn Academy assigned administrative intern at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy.

Published on

DATE:
September 4, 2025

TO:
All Principals
All Licensed Staff

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

SUBJECT:
ETT: Cultivating Classroom Management Skills

Effective Teacher Training (ETT) is available for a Fall 2025 cohort! Seats are capped at 50 and are only available to licensed educators who have never taken ETT previously. This course is not currently available to ESPs. This course is designed for: All general education and special education teachers. Also welcome: Specialists, interventionists, and mental health providers
(Not available to ESPs) Please register on Canvas Catalog to save your spot. See the attached memo for information.

Published on

DATE:  
September 2, 2025

TO: 
Secondary Principals
Elementary Principals

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

SUBJECT:  
Ballet West 2025-26 Student In-Theater Presentations

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

  • Romeo and Juliet (Grades 3-12)
  • The Dream (Grades 1-12)
  • The Nutcracker (Grades K-12)
  • Peter Pan (Grades 1-12)
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Grades 2-12)
  • West Side Story Suite (Grades 4-12)
  • Choreographic Special: Spotlight Utah! (Grades 4-12)

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

Further information may be found at Ballet West Student In-Theatre Performances and in this flyer.

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

Transportation fees and bus scheduling are covered by individual schools. Neither Ballet West nor the Teaching and Learning Department will cover transportation costs.

Published on

TO:
School Principals

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

The first ELD Task Force meeting is next Thursday, Sept. 11th, from 1:30 to 3:30 at the ASB Auditorium.

This meeting is for the admin over MLs, you as the ELD lead, an upper-grade teacher, and a lower-grade teacher. Instructional coaches are also welcome to attend. Admins, please invite the teachers on this Task Force. The half-day sub code for teachers is 7628.

If you need to be added to the ELD Lead Google calendar or if you (or your task force members) need to be added to the ELD Lead and Task Force course on Canvas, please reach out to your Language Teacher Specialist so we can add you.

Published on

TO:
Principals, Assistant Principals, Panorama Survey Coordinators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services

The Fall Panorama student feedback survey window will open on Monday, September 8, 2025 and will close on Friday, October 10, 2025. Student Services provides the opt-in list to Panorama the week prior to the window closing and at least one time midway through the survey window. Survey response rates may be accessed through your Panorama login and results are typically available the week following the last day of the survey window.

The winter survey window is January 29, 2026 - February 27, 2026
The Spring survey window is April 20, 2026 - May 15, 2026

Schools wanting additional Panorama training should reach out to Travis Hamblin (travis.hamblin@jordandistrict.org).

Published on

DATE: 
September 2, 2025

TO:  
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Transportation Activity/Field Trip Fee Schedule 2025-26

As you make plans for your school’s or department’s field/activity trips this year, please refer to the revised Transportation Activity/Field Trip Fee Schedule 2025-26, which can be found at Jordan Auxiliary Services - Field Trips and will become effective on September 15, 2025.

The Field Trip Office is committed to maintaining fees that reflect current personnel and fuel costs while still providing affordable trips to schools and departments.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kitt at 801-567-8851, Mike at 801-567-8809 or Michele at 801-567-8804.

Published on

DATE:   
September 4, 2025

TO:  
Administrators

FROM:  
Bonnie Brennan, Insurance Services
Brandon Conti, Risk Manager

SUBJECT:    
Reporting Injuries and Incidents

Jordan School District has methods for reporting incidents and injuries. The procedures have not changed, however, as we get ready to start a new school year it is a great time for a reminder/refresher on reporting. It is imperative that significant incidents are reported as quickly as possible, within 24-hours or by the next business day. All incidents, injuries and accidents need to be properly documented, to include photos, video when available and police reports when appropriate. Our priorities are life safety, incident stabilization and property preservation.

911: Always call 911 for all life threatening and severe injuries, incidents, accidents, threats, thefts and vandalism.

JSD 24-hr. Alarm Response (801) 567-8865: It is important to call this number in order to notify key administrators and personnel to expedite support, maintenance and repairs, etc. Alarm Response should always be called prior to conducting a fire drill and in the case of: power outages, floods, natural gas leaks, phone and utility disruption and alarm malfunctions.

Student and Staff Injuries/Accidents Reporting: Call 911 when necessary. Notify JSD Insurance Services and/or Risk Management. Student injuries must be reported using the REDCap online system. Staff injuries need to be reported to the main office at your school or location and you must complete and submit the First Report of Injury form to Insurance. Forms can be located here: Jordan Insurance Services

Asset Essentials Work Order Reporting: Incidents of damage, theft and vandalism should be entered/reported into the Asset Essentials Work Order system for documentation, to begin the repair process and assist with insurance claims. For assistance with using Asset Essentials system, contact Facility Services at: (801) 567-8862.

Thank you,

Bonnie Brennan, Director of Insurance Services
Brandon Conti, Risk Management Coordinator

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

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

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was used in many building materials. It is well-known that asbestos is linked to diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and digestive system cancers. See the flyer below for all the details.

Published on

DATE:     
August 28, 2025

TO:   
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

FROM: 
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems

SUBJECT:   
ParentSquare Transitioning to 10-Digit Number for Text Messaging

ParentSquare text messages will start to be sent from 10-digit phone numbers instead of the standard 5-digit short code, beginning August 21. This will change text messages from a single text thread to multiple threads organized by conversation and school, making it easier for parents and guardians to save contacts and organize conversations by providing distinct numbers for different types of messages. Direct messages, classroom posts, and school-wide posts will transition to 10-digit numbers with local area codes. Digests, district posts, and alerts will be unaffected.

You can find a sample communication post to send to parents and more detailed information in our help article.

Published on

TO:
All Adminstrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, HR Specialist

Salary Supplement for Highly Needed Educators (SHiNE)
We are pleased to announce the launch of the SHiNE program for Jordan School District teachers. SHiNE stipends will be awarded to teachers in designated high-need areas identified by Jordan School District. These areas will be reviewed annually and may change from year to year. The total award amount for each teacher will depend on the number of courses taught in the qualifying subjects and the number of applicants for the grant. Award amounts will be distributed based on the total grant amount received by USBE. Teachers will be notified of their award amounts via email by October 13, 2025.

Please see the information below regarding the qualifying subjects and application process for the 2025-2026 school year.

The application for the Salary Supplement for Highly Needed Educators (SHiNE) will be open August 28, 2025 and will close September 11, 2025. The application will be in Skyward Employee Access. See the attached tutorial.

2025-2026 Qualifying Course Subjects:
Special Education
Deaf Education
Mathematics
Science areas (specifically Physics, Chemistry, and Integrated Science)
Computer Sciences

Eligibility Requirements:
Only teachers are eligible for this funding per Utah Code 53F-2-504.
Teachers must hold a bachelor's, master's, doctoral degree or have taught as a Utah teacher for 10+ years in one of the content areas listed to qualify for the supplement.
Teachers must have a passing JPAS on their last 3 evaluations.
Those working less than full-time in these courses may receive a partial award adjustment.

Payment Information:
The SHiNE award amount will be included in each eligible teacher’s monthly paycheck as a stipend, divided equally across the remaining pay periods for the 2025-2026 school year.
Before submitting an application, please review Policy DP382 regarding program details and qualifications.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

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

The Language & Culture Services team is excited to announce a training on ways to conduct proper home visits. Principals, assistant principals, faculty, or staff are invited to attend. Teachers, please get permission from your principal before signing up. The team wants to ensure families are connected to school and the community. Research shows that home visits are effective ways to get parents active in our schools. Come to this half day training to learn more skills for effective communication.

  • Sept. 3, 2025 | ASB Auditorium
  • Morning Session 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. or Afternoon Session 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
  • Trainer: Dr. Michael Gary from Concentric Educational Solutions

Contact Toni Brown for more information.

Published on

TO:
Administrators
Teachers, Staff, and JSD community

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

The Language & Culture Services team is excited for the annual Fall Family Fair on Thursday, Sept. 18 from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan. All Jordan District students and their families are invited to come celebrate back to school with us and become familiar with the District and the community.

Come out with your family, enjoy snacks from the food trucks, win prizes, and get to know the District community.

Published on

DATE:  
August 28, 2025

TO:  
All Administrators
School Counselors
School Social Workers
School Psychologists

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

SUBJECT:  
Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Process

Utah Code 62A-4a-403 requires any individual with suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected to report their suspicion to the appropriate authorities. District policy AS70 – Child Abuse-Neglect Reporting by School Personnel further clarifies that employees should make an initial report of their suspicions to their principal/administrator (or designee). The principal/administrator (or designee) and employee should together make contact with the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and/or local law enforcement to report the suspicion.

If an oral report is made to DCFS via telephone call, there is no longer a need to also send a paper copy of the form to DCFS (note: DCFS has recently introduced an online reporting form; however, school employees are still required by DCFS to make their reports via phone call).

Administrators and employees should understand that reports made in good faith are immune from civil or criminal liability. Additionally, the responsibility for proving or verifying the suspicion lies with DCFS and law enforcement; if there is a question about whether or not an incident or situation should be reported, it should be reported.

USBE Board Rule R277-401-3(1) also requires employees to cooperate with investigations relating to charges of child abuse and neglect, to make no contact with the parents or legal guardians being questioned by DCFS or law enforcement about possible child abuse, and to maintain appropriate confidentiality. If a parent contacts a school employee with questions about if their child was interviewed by or reported to DCFS, the parent should be directed to contact DCFS. School employees may not provide additional information.

The process for reporting and documenting suspicions of child abuse and neglect should be as follows (see Policy AS70 for additional details):

  1. When an employee has suspicions of child abuse or neglect, they should report the suspicion to their own immediate supervising principal/administrator or designee.
  2. Together, the employee and principal/administrator or designee should make immediate contact with DCFS or law enforcement.
  3. Within 24 hours, the employee (alone or with the principal/administrator or designee) should complete the Report of Child Abuse or Neglect form. The form should include relevant details, particularly the time and date of all reports made.
  4. When signed by both the employee and principal/administrator or designee, a copy should be promptly sent to Student Services via secure district mail. The original form should be maintained in the principal/administrator’s office (separate from the student cumulative files) through the end of the school year.

The Report of Child Abuse or Neglect form (available at this link) has been updated to clarify this process and to indicate that a paper copy should no longer be sent to DCFS. The updated form is a fillable PDF. Schools may destroy any copies of previous forms.

Published on

DATE: 
August 28, 2025

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Wellness Room Staff PLC

JSD Administrators,

As we begin the new school year, we would like to invite your wellness center staff to attend District Wellness Center PLCs. Our first PLC of the year will be on Friday, September 5th, from 2:00-3:30 pm at Silver Crest Elementary in the Wellness Center. Your Wellness Center staff can RSVP to this link.

The remaining PLCs will be:

  • December 12th from 2:00-3:30 pm
  • March 13th from 2:00-3:30 pm

The Health and Wellness Team looks forward to helping your school with your wellness efforts this coming year. Please share the attached survey with your Wellness Center staff so we can personally invite them to our meetings.

Published on

TO:
Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Amy Lloyd, K-12 Math Consultant, Teaching & Learning

Principals,

The state has published a draft of the new math standards for public review and is seeking input from educators. We shared this information with teachers and have encouraged them to review the proposed standards and share their feedback through the survey. The survey window closes on September 17, 2025.

Draft P-12 Utah Core Mathematics Standards

Submit comments in this survey

Their expertise and perspective are essential in helping shape math education in our state. This is a meaningful opportunity to influence the standards adoption process at the state level.

Thank you for your support!