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Category: Middle School Info

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning

This is a reminder to all principals that you may grant up to 2 credit hours of salary level change credit to any teacher for work done outside of contract time to support a school goal that addresses student learning. (AA421) This is a way to incentivizing extra work in your building. Inservice credit may or may not include a stipend. To set up principal directed inservice credit please review the attached guidelines. Contact Chris Westra in Teaching & Learning at 801-567-8657 with questions.

LINK to Guidelines

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning

The LPDL cohort is designed specifically for administrators to lead schools toward blended and digital learning through research-based content and job-embedded experiences. Upon completion, you may receive USBEs educational technology endorsement.

Please see the attached document for all the details.

Published on

DATE:   
June 26, 2025

TO:  
Principals
Administrative Assistants

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent

SUBJECT:  
Fee Waiver Materials 2025-26

Schools need to collect and maintain the following, which may be requested as part of the school fees monitoring visits:

  • Students given waivers
  • Students denied fee waivers
  • Students who worked in lieu of a waiver

All USBE School Fees Notices and School Fee Waiver Applications can be found by clicking HERE.

Forms can be found under Grades K-6 and Grades 7-12 in multiple languages. The Fee Waiver Application, for both elementary and secondary was revised March 2025. Use the current form when having parents fill out the application.

Attention: Students who previously showed verification of eligibility do not need to resubmit documentation. It may be necessary for the principal (or designee) to contact the previous school of transferring students for verification of fee waiver status. Kindergarten students coming into the school, new students to the District, and students with extenuating circumstances will still be required to submit documentation.

Published on

TO:
School Level Administrators

FROM:
Dan Ellis, Director/CPA in Accounting
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems

We’re excited to announce that we are upgrading to a new version of e~Funds for Schools! This upgrade will be implemented with the Skyward Student Rollover on July 8th, 2025.

What's Changing?
Point of Sale (POS) Payments
POS payments will no longer be a two-step process of making the payment in e~Funds and entering the payment receipt in Skyward. This applies to both Food Service Payments and Student Fee Payments.

With POS 2.0, you’ll enter the payment in e~Funds POS 2.0, and it will be automatically applied to the student’s Skyward account—saving time and reducing errors.

Online Student Fee Payments
The online payment process for guardians is also improving.

Current Process: Guardians create a “shopping cart” in Skyward, then are redirected to e~Funds to complete the payment.

New Process: Guardians will create their “shopping cart” and complete the payment—all within e~Funds for Schools.

What Do Schools Need to Do?
In preparation for the transition to POS 2.0, secondary schools must review their bill codes and deactivate any codes that are no longer in use.

Will Training Be Offered?

Yes! We will offer multiple opportunities for office staff to be trained on e~Funds POS 2.0. Dates will be announced in a future JAM. We are also working on a tutorial to share with your parents that details the new functionality available when paying fees online.

What Do Schools Need to Do?
Call Information Systems at (801) 567-8737 or Ext 88737, if you have any questions as we prepare for a smoother, more efficient payment process.

Published on

DATE:
June 26, 2025

TO:
All Administrators
All Admin Assistants

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems

SUBJECT:
We're Upgrading our Current Finance System with Skyward Qmlativ in May 2026!

We are thrilled to announce a milestone in our district's technological evolution: the implementation of Skyward's Qmlativ finance system! Mark your calendars, and May the Fourth be with us as we go live with Qmlativ Finance on May 4th, 2026!

With Qmlativ our district will advance to a more streamlined and efficient financial system. Get a glimpse of the potential awaiting us by watching this brief overview:

Qmlativ Finance System Video

With Qmlativ Finance, district departments and school staff will experience:

● Increased Flexibility: Navigate the complexities of budgets, employee management and purchasing with agility.
● Redefined Processes: Our finance processes will be optimized for maximum efficiency.
● An Easy-to-Use Interface: Qmlativ’s intuitive design will make daily tasks a breeze.
● Customizable Dashboards: Tailor your dashboard to display the data that matters most to you, giving you unparalleled insight.
● Efficient Reporting & Data Extraction: Pinpoint crucial information with laser accuracy! Screens can be filtered with ease, allowing you to quickly find and extract the data you need for insightful information.

Further information regarding implementation and training will be communicated as it becomes available. Should you have any questions, call the helpdesk at (801) 567-8737 or ext. 88737.

Published on

TO: 
Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning

Join us in celebrating our new educators at the upcoming New Educator Induction event! A special "clap in" session will mark the highlight of this event, where we come together to extend a warm welcome to the newest members of the Jordan School District community.

Event Details:

  • Date: Friday, August 8th
  • Time: 7:30 am to 8:15 am (estimated 8:30 am departure)
  • Location: Outside Bingham High School, Entrance TBD

What to Expect:

This occasion is not just an opportunity to welcome our new educators but also a chance to showcase the spirited community of Jordan School District. Let's make it memorable!

Suggested Activities:

  • Dress to Impress: Wear your school or JSD attire with pride.
  • Mascot Magic: Bring along your school mascot to spread cheer.
  • Capture the Moment: Snap a selfie with a new educator at one of our two selfie booths.
  • Cheerful Welcome Lines: Join the welcome lines to cheer on our new educators.
  • Traffic Assistance: Help direct traffic as new educators find their way to the Bingham Student Parking.

Due to the amount of swag and other takeaways new educators will be receiving, we ask that you do not give them presents of any kind during the clap-in. 

Show Your Support:

We encourage you to attend with your team. If your school has new educators, aim to have two to three staff members present to offer a personal cheer for your new colleagues.

Parking Reminder:

Please gather at the North (back) entrance of Bingham High starting at 7:30 am. To ensure optimal parking for our new educators, consider carpooling and using the South parking lot.

Join us in making Jordan School District the district of choice for the best and brightest educators. Let's show them the warmth and enthusiasm that sets our district apart!

We look forward to seeing you there as we kick off an exciting new academic year.

Thank you, 

Jane Olsen, HR Specialist, JSD HR
April Gaydosh, Administrator of HR

Published on

DATE:
June 19, 2025

TO:
Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Parental Consent Required for Student Surveys

Prior consent from a student’s parent for any non-academic survey must be obtained annually. This includes any survey that is a psychological exam, test, analysis, or any survey, analysis, or evaluation where the student may reveal information, whether personally identifiable or not, concerning the student or student’s family members political affiliation, mental or psychological philosophies, sexual behavior/orientation/gender identity or attitudes, illegal/anti-social/self-incriminating or demeaning behavior, critical appraisals, religious affiliations or beliefs, legally privileged and analogous relationships (such as lawyers, medical personnel, or ministers, or income (except as required by law) (§53G-9-702)

Prior written consent must be obtained at the time a student registers at a school for surveys related to the early warning system (Panorama), surveys that include social emotional learning questions, and school climate surveys. Written consent must be obtained for any student who registers at a school, even when they are transferring from one school in the district to another. Rewards for participation or consequences for non-participation in surveys is prohibited.

The early warning system (Panorama) student feedback survey consent form is included in the registration process. To view the consent form, click here. Surveys not related to the early warning system (Panorama), social emotional learning, or school climate are not required to be included in registration. However, a minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice must be provided prior to the administration of any other survey and only those students whose parents have given written consent may take the survey.

Schools should inform their staff annually regarding parental consent requirements for surveys.

Published on

DATE:
June 19, 2025

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Resource Officers

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT:
2025-26 Required Annual Administrator and School Resource Officer (SRO) Training

The annual administrator and SRO training will be held as shown below. This annual training is required for each SRO and at least one administrator from each school.  Additional administrators are welcome to attend.

Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Location: ASB Presentation Room

Please contact District School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623 if you have any questions.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning

Power up your technology skills with the Big Six. Join Spencer Campbell and Jared Covili for a six-week technology workshop on Wednesdays at 10 am beginning on June 25. We'll explore how you can use the Big Six efficiently in your daily world. See the attached flyer for the schedule and Zoom link.

Published on

DATE:
June 19, 2025

TO:
All Administrators & Threat Assessment Teams

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

SUBJECT:
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Level 2 Workshop

Basic CSTAG training consists of two (2) training levels and both levels must be completed one time by all administrators and threat assessment team members. The CSTAG Level 2 workshop is for those who have completed the Level 1 training (the 9-module web-based training from Navigate360) or would like a threat assessment refresher. The Level 2 workshop will build upon your knowledge of threat assessment by providing practical application and implementation of the CSTAG process in your school.

The Level 2 workshop will;

  1. Review CSTAG level 1
  2. Focus on the implementation and use of the threat assessment process
  3. Focus on sustainable ways to use CSTAG in your school.
  4. Review of and training on the CSTAG decision tree
  5. Review the CSTAG forms and best practices
  6. Practice using real-world scenarios.

This July, a CSTAG 2 training will be offered to those who have completed Level 1 and to new administrators and administrative interns.

Select this link to register for this session of CSTAG Level 2 training.

Wednesday, July 30th
District Office Room 129
8:30 am-10:30 am

Should you have any questions, please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

 

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, June 19, 2025

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
2024-25 Assessment Results Now in Tableau

All state assessment results for the 2024-25 school year are now available in Tableau.  Viewers will be able to see results for the district, schools and individual students.  Where relevant, viewers may also see results by classroom teachers (except with the ACT, Utah Aspire Plus, and the WIDA Access, which are not connected to classroom teachers).  The links below will help administrators navigate directly to the updated results for each assessment:

AAPPL for DLI

Acadience Math

Acadience Reading

ACT 11th grade administration

6th grade CogAT

RISE (ELA and growth scores will be available in the fall)

Utah Aspire Plus (growth scores will be available in the fall)

WIDA Access (growth targets will be available in the fall)

AP exam results will be available in Tableau by the end of July (pending a release date from the College Board of July 14th).  The state will release DLM results for students with significant cognitive disabilities sometime in the fall.

For questions about these dashboards, please contact Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.  To request additional data or to see these results in another way, please contact the district’s data scientist, Brooke Anderson, in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

Published on

DATE:
Thursday, June 19, 2025

TO:
Elementary School Administrators
Middle School Administrators

FROM: Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Assessment, 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: Computational Thinking Assessment and Classroom Observation

Applicant: David Feldon, Utah State University

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 solicit your participation in a survey. 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 students in 6th-8th grades, who will take a pre- and post-test on computational thinking. The research team will also work with participating teachers to arrange a time to observe a lesson on computational thinking.

Thank you for your assistance.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Jared Covili, Consultant in Teaching & Learning

With our recent district upgrade to Google for Education Workspace Plus, Digital Teaching and Learning/Info Systems has started a 60-day pilot to explore some of the new tools in this expanded Google platform. We currently have approximately 30 slots for interested administrators or digital coaches who would like access to these tools before they are released to the entire district. If you have an interest in participating in the trial, please complete the attached form.

Google Pilot Interest Form

Published on

DATE:
May 21, 2025

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT:
School Safety Needs Assessments

State legislation now requires schools to conduct a School Safety Needs Assessment (SSNA) every three (3) years.  Every school completed the first SSNA 2024.  Moving forward, schools will now be assigned a year in which to complete the next SSNA.  The SSNA needs to be completed by October 15th of the assigned year and must be done with Law Enforcement and the assessment tool provided by the State Security Chief.  Additional information regarding the SSNA tool will be shared when it is received from the State. Any questions or concerns, please contact the School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at malvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8623.

Please see the attached memo for the year that your SSNA will be due.

 

Published on

DATE:
 June 4, 2025

TO:
All School Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness Consultant
Angie Rasmussen, Student Wellness and Safety Specialist

SUBJECT:
Summer Content Monitoring (BARK) Alerts

During the summer months, from June 6th until August 11th, content monitoring (BARK) notifications will have the following changes:

  • Notifications to schools will only include administrators and not counseling or mental health professionals during this time. This change is to remove notifications for those who are off contract.
  • Notifications will go to ALL administrators (rather than to students within an assigned caseload) at each school.
  • Notifications that are not considered urgent will not be sent after 2pm to ensure that intervention is reasonable and timely for school personnel.
  • Content monitoring (BARK) alerts will be reviewed twice per week in June (while school is not in session) and once per week in July. Notifications will be sent to administrators on those days before 2pm.
  • Imminent or urgent alerts will continue to be handled, and we will work directly with administrators when immediate intervention is required.

Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.