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We wanted to make you aware of a few staffing changes in Human Resources.

Brittany Bauer has moved to the “HR Licensing Specialist” position and will be assisting the HR Administrators with underqualified teacher tracking/progress.

Jane Olsen replaced Brittany Bauer as the “HR Reporting & Data Analyst” providing HR reporting data.

Rebecca Eastman is new to JSD and will be replacing Jane Olsen as the “HR Generalist” responsible for FMLA and leave processing. Rebecca has a Bachelor's in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor's in Psychology. She comes to us from a small company called Vista Treatment Centers where she assisted in HR related functions. Please direct employees with questions regarding leaves to Rebecca at 801-567-8249 or rebecca.eastman@jordandistrict.org.

If a volunteer is interested in volunteering in a class or at the school, the following process must be followed:

Step 1
The volunteer watches the Code of Conduct video, completes the "Volunteer Application Form" and turns it into the principal BEFORE they schedule an onboarding appointment. Do not ask Volunteers to schedule a fingerprint appointment without principal approval.

Step 2
The Principal determines if the volunteer will have "Significant Unsupervised Access" to students. Not all volunteers need a background check.

Significant Unsupervised access includes field trips, one-on-one or small group classroom volunteer or other related volunteering.

Volunteer assignments which may not be considered "significant Unsupervised Access" may include a holiday party or an event with a large number of adults present at the school.  In these instances, the school office would collect the volunteer application and code of conduct form and retain those at the school.

Step 3
If the principal determines there will be "significant unsupervised access", the principal must sign the volunteer form, give it to the volunteer and have the volunteer schedule a volunteer fingerprint appointment with Human Resources.

In order for HR to complete the background check, the volunteer MUST bring the volunteer form (SIGNED BY THE PRINCIPAL) with them to HR.  Please do not allow volunteers to schedule a fingerprint appointment without a principal signing the volunteer form.

Volunteers who schedule an appointment without providing to HR the principal-signed volunteer application may be asked to reschedule their appointment.

Step 4
Once the volunteer is fingerprinted, HR will email the school once we receive the results.  Please plan on at least two weeks prior to any volunteering event.  Volunteers not completing the process prior to a field trip may not be allowed to attend.

We invite parents who are newcomers (refugee, immigrant, or asylee) to our school district to attend this months’ parent orientation, at the ASB, Entrance C -- Presentation Room, to receive information on how they can best help their child in school. Interpreters will be provided. To best be prepared for families attending, please fill out this RSVP form. If a parent would like to attend virtually, that is also an option. There are translated flyers here. Please distribute to your community.

 

Educators and community members,

COVID-19 BOOSTER appointments are available now!  Please feel free to share with anyone you know.  Follow the scheduling link below to find where Community Nursing Services is offering opportunities within SLCO.

Following formal recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)/CDC and in line with direction from the Utah Department of Health, Community Nursing Services (CNS) Immunization Program began offering COVID-19 BOOSTER doses to eligible individuals 10/22/2021.

PFIZER and Moderna

Both PFIZER and Moderna COVID-19 booster doses are recommended for people at highest risk for severe COVID-19 including:

  • people who are 65 or older, and
  • people 18 and older who live in a long-term care facility, and
  • people 18 and older with underlying medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and
  • people 18 and older who live or work in a setting that puts them at a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as healthcare workers and teachers.

Note that recommendation applies to individuals who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 or Moderna vaccine for their primary series at least 6 months prior.

“Data reviewed by the FDA and ACIP showed booster doses can prevent further hospitalizations and death for those individuals who are at highest risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Data shows that the vaccines continue to provide very good protection against severe COVID-19 illness in the general population. Most Utahans do not need a booster at this time, but a booster can help add another layer of protection to those people at the highest risk of severe COVID-19,” said Dr. Leisha Nolen, UDOH state epidemiologist.

Note the underlying conditions below.  As with initial roll out, individuals will need to self attest to eligibility for such conditions.

  • Cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Chronic lung diseases
  • Neurological conditions, such as dementia
  • Diabetes
  • Down syndrome
  • Heart conditions
  • HIV infection
  • Liver disease
  • Overweight
  • Pregnancy and recently pregnant
  • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
  • Smoking, current or former
  • Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
  • Stroke or cerebrovascular disease
  • Substance use disorders
  • Weakened immune system

Johnson and Johnson

For the nearly 15 million people who got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

Options

There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others, may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots without preference.

Though CNS will not be providing individual on-site BOOSTER clinics within schools similar to the initial roll out, we would like you to be aware of some CNS locations in SLCO where appointments are now available for those eligible.  Note that BOOSTER doses are readily available throughout the state at varied locations including pharmacies, health departments, providers offices, etc.

COVID-19 vaccine appointment scheduling link

The Utah State Board of Education is pleased to announce that the Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) Service Site application submission is available October 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Math

Science areas (specifically identified)

Computer Sciences

Deaf Education

The Qualifying Educational Background requires educators to have a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in the content areas listed in statute to qualify for a supplement. Educators working less than a full-time assignment teaching in one of these courses could receive a partial salary adjustment based on the number of hours worked in the course. In addition to the $4,100 salary adjustment, the Legislature appropriated funding to cover the employer- paid benefit costs associated with retirement, worker's compensation, Social Security, and Medicare. Qualifying teachers that received the supplement are required to pay all personal payroll deductions as they do with their standard based salary.

Before submitting an application at the TSSP Service Site, please review the Utah State Board of Education website regarding the program details, qualifications and legislation.  Participants are responsible to know and understand the TSSP Terms and Conditions found at the USBE website below:

Utah State Board of Education Website TSSP Terms and Conditions

 

Please read the following message from the Salt Lake County Health Department

Dear Educator or School Staff Member:

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are now available for all vaccine brands AND you may now receive a booster of a brand different from your original vaccine.

Everyone who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine at least 2 months ago is eligible for a booster.

You may get a booster if you received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech OR Moderna vaccine at least 6 months ago AND you are:

If you have questions about whether you should receive a booster, please consult with your personal health care provider.

A booster is available from your local pharmacyyour health care provider, by appointment or on a walk-in basis at one of Salt Lake County Health Department’s five immunization clinics, or via one of three community vaccination sites offered by Community Nursing Services (CNS).

If you don’t know which vaccine you initially received, your vaccine’s brand is listed on your vaccination record card. If you don’t have your vaccination record card, request your personal immunization record via one of the methods listed on the Salt Lake County Health Department’s immunization webpage under “Records.”

Thank you,
Salt Lake County Health Department

If you have any questions please contact Mike Anderson, 801-567-8316 or michael.anderson@jordandistrict.org.

Based on policy AA421B, education support professionals may request to take a course to improve their skills or learn new skills that support their work. Please encourage your ESP staff to review courses through organizations such as  Ed 2 Go/Salt Lake Community College or Fred Pryor Institute Courses. The ESP Professional Improvement Committee (ESPPIC) will cover the cost of approved courses up to $300. Visit the ESPPIC website for more information and instructions for registering for a course. Please post the attached informational flyer for your ESP staff.

To all schools that have participated in the spelling bee in years past, as well as those who would like to participate: The registering portal is now open to sign up to participate.

ENROLL HERE FOR THE SPELLING BEE

They are hoping to have at least 120 Schools participate this year.

51 schools from Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Wasatch and Summit Counties have signed up to participate. The more the merrier.

DATE:
October 26, 2021

TO:
District Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Fall Enrollment as of October 1, 2021 - Revised


Please see revised memo below.

Cyprus Credit Union Mini-Grants are now available for teachers to fund innovative and creative classroom projects that enrich standard curriculum and enhance learning opportunities for students. Funds may also be used to purchase supplemental supplies.

Cyprus will fund up to $250 per teacher/educator. The grants can be combined for use toward a larger grant amount if specified. For example, four teachers can combine and apply for a $1,000 grant for a group project with each teacher submitting a separate application for their $250 allotment. Applications are limited to one $250 grant per teacher for the school year and two applications per school per month, either individually or with a team.

Mini-Grant applications will be accepted from Monday, August 9, 2021 through Thursday, April 15, 2022. Up to eight Mini-Grants will be awarded each month, and all applications must be received prior to the 15th of the month to receive funding the following month.

Restrictions: The following categories are not eligible for funding: Salaries, professional development, honorariums, stipends, and educator travel.

The Mini-Grant program is exclusively available to licensed educators in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties.

If you have any questions about the application or funding process, please call the Relationship Development Department at (801) 260-7600, ext. 5951 or ext. 5952

Apply online at the Cyprus Credit Union Educators Mini-Grant Site.

Dear Teachers,

We are very aware of the increasing challenges facing educators due to a statewide shortage of substitute teachers. Jordan School District is taking several measures to help alleviate the problem. We are excited to announce the implementation of a new Temporary Substitute Teacher Incentive Pay Program.

The program will provide temporary incentive pay for substitute teachers who work a required number of days between October 25, 2021 and December 15, 2021 without cancellations.

We hope this program will relieve some of the impact on teachers by attracting new substitute teachers, incentivizing and increasing the availability of current substitutes, and reducing cancellations.

Temporary Substitute Incentive Pay Program

  • The following incentives will be paid to substitute teachers on their December paycheck:

    • $500 for substitutes who work 30 of 35 days without cancellations

    • $300 for substitutes who work 25 of 35 days without cancellations

    • $200 for substitutes who work 20 of 35 days without cancellations

    • $100 for substitutes who work 15 of 35 days without cancellations

  • NO CANCELLATIONS – Substitute teachers will not receive the incentive pay if they cancel a job.

Benefit-Eligible Substitutes

Schools are authorized to use school funds to hire benefit-eligible substitute teachers. The District will pay half the cost of the benefited substitute.

Benefit-eligible substitutes will be contracted to work 180 days/year with starting pay $141.44 per day plus benefits. Positions can be posted now for the job starting January 3, 2022. 

Full Pay on Fridays and Shortened Days
Substitute teachers will receive a full day of pay on Fridays and shortened days, even though they may leave 15 minutes after students are dismissed.

We are excited to offer our annual Utah Skyward User Conference virtually this year!  This conference is an opportunity to learn about Skyward directly from the source as most sessions are being presented by Skyward staff. There are some fantastic sessions being offered this year for teachers and administrators, including Administrator Boot Camp, Tips & Tricks for Teachers, Secondary Gradebook Features, Standards Gradebook Features, and Teacher Tracking.

The conference has been scheduled for the week of October 25th.  The Monday-Thursday sessions are dedicated to Skyward presenters and Friday is focused on state-specific sessions.

You can access the website for the Skyward Virtual User Group now, to view the agenda and begin registering for sessions. You can filter the sessions by date, product (SMS - which is the Skyward system we currently use in JSD, and Qmlativ - which we currently do not use), and Skyward area, i.e. Food Service, Student Management, Human Resources, and Special Education.  **Important Note** All times listed for the sessions are Central Standard Time.  Registration closes two days before the beginning of each session so make sure you sign up in advance.  If you find that you are not able to attend a session that you are interested in, still register for it. Skyward will be recording every session and will email links to the recording to anyone who registered.

To register for sessions on this site, you will need to select "Register for SMS 2.0" in order to view the session for the Skyward system we currently use.  If the button "Register for SMS 2.0" is not available, that session is not offered for our current Skyward system.  Once you select the option to register, you will be prompted to select your state and school district, then enter your login credentials for Skyward (credentials for both Student Management and Finance will work).  Select "Confirm".  You will be taken to a new screen where you need to enter your first name, last name and email address, then select "Register".  You will receive a confirmation email after you register for each session.  You will also receive an email one business day prior to the session you registered for that will include instructions on how to attend the virtual session.

During the virtual sessions you will have the opportunity to ask questions via chat or Q&A periods throughout the sessions.   However, if you have a problem that will take a bit longer to resolve, we suggest that you call our help desk to get further assistance.

As always, we hope you get the best out of this virtual conference and are able to see new things, learn new tips and tricks, get some of your questions answered, and see some of the new possibilities in Skyward.  If you have any questions about attending the conference, please feel free to reach out to me.

Steven Harwood
Application Development and Support Manager
steven.harwood@jordandistrict.org
801-567-8737

You are invited to the Learning Edge Conference on November 9, 2021, at the Provo Marriott Hotel. The theme is “Leadership: Tools for Today.” The conference will provide sessions addressing innovative leadership, community connections, and creativity. See attached flyer for more information.

 

The District website will be down for scheduled maintenance on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 1 - 10 p.m. This maintenance will only affect the main District website. Department and school websites as well as online services such as Skyward will not be effected.

You can go to websites.jordandistrict.org to access most of the features of the website. The full site, including documents and forms, will be available when the maintenance has concluded.

We invite parents who are newcomers (refugee, immigrant, or asylee) to our school district to attend one monthly parent orientation to get information on how they can best help their child in school. Different dates and Interpreters will be provided. Please fill out this RSVP form.

 

Microsoft has recently updated their Microsoft Office software, and it’s time to move forward with Microsoft Office 2021! Office 2019 is no longer available to purchase, and we are now required to purchase the 2021 version of the program for new computers or any computers at your school running something older than Microsoft Office 2019.

Please use the following information to purchase Microsoft Office 2021 software licenses moving forward:

  • Part# 021-10696 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for PC, per device. $50.67/each
  • Part# 3YF-00731 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for Mac, per device. $50.67.each

There is no shipping as these are electronically delivered. The vendor is Insight Public Sector.

Please note that Information Systems has not had an opportunity to test out this software. There could be a few issues with the software once you have it loaded on your machines. Information Systems will do their best to troubleshoot any problems that may arise. If significant issues occur, they may have to move you back to Office 2019 for a time until the bugs can be worked out, and then have Office 2021 reinstalled. Please be aware of this possibility.

Please contact Tonya Hodges in Purchasing at tonya.hodges@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8706 if you need assistance with these software licenses.