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Category: Other Admin Action Required

Published on

DATE:  
July 31, 2025

TO: 
District employees who qualify for mileage reimbursement

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Dan Ellis, Director of Accounting

SUBJECT:  
Defensive Driving Course Requirement for Mileage Reimbursement

Our insurance carrier, State Risk Management, has asked that every person who receives mileage reimbursement take the Utah Defensive Driving Course. We ask that you complete this free course as soon as possible using the instructions attached to this memo.

A new District Mileage Reimbursement form can be found at this link https://jordandistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/083_MileageReport.xlsx. This new form has a box under the title for the individual to enter the completion date of the course. Please note that beginning in January 2026, Accounting will only reimburse mileage that includes the completion date of the Risk Management Defensive Driving Course. The course must be completed every two years. Supervisors approving mileage reimbursement – please remind your employees to complete this course and enter the date at the top of their mileage reimbursement form to avoid delays in reimbursement in January 2026.

The link below provides access to the course in the Utah Learning Portal. Your username is your district email. Click “Sign Up” and fill out the required information. Note that the security key word is Jordan and you may create your own password.

https://utah-riskpool.sabacloud.com/Saba/Web_wdk/NA1PRD0101/index/prelogin.rdf#/login

Once you have passed the course, record the completion date on your mileage reimbursement form and print the certificate. You may use the print option at the top of the final page of the online assessment or print your certificate from the attachment that will be emailed to you. Retain the certificate at your location for audit purposes.

If you have questions regarding the mileage reimbursement form, please contact Dan Ellis, Director of Accounting, Budgets, and Audits at 801.567.8389. If you have questions about the Risk Management Defensive Driving Course, please contact Brandon Conti, Risk Management Coordinator at 801.567.8876.

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator Human Resources
Jane Olsen, HR Specialist

Greetings!

Continuing in the tradition of collaboration, building relationships and cultivating systems of support we will be having a Meet & Greet for departments, systems of support, sponsors and our partners on August 8 during the New Teacher Induction. This is an opportunity to interact with our anticipated 250 new teachers, connect them with resources, and develop relationships.

We would like to invite you to have a table or table(s) for the Meet & Greet during our lunch break. Arrival/setup can begin as early as 11:00 A.M. and take down time would begin at 12:50 P.M.

To notify us of your reservation and to assist us in planning, please see the invitation below and click the ‘CLICK HERE to Reserve a Table’ link. Please complete your reservation request by 8/4/2025 so we can source the appropriate number of table and chairs.

New this year, you will have the option to notify us if you need power for your table. Please indicate your need for power during your reservation process.

Tablecloths will not be available, please plan to decorate your table and have takeaways to provide to our new educators such as information, swag, manipulatives, or a link to resources connected to your department.

Help us show them that Jordan School District is the District of choice for the best and brightest educators.

Questions?
Please contact Jane Olsen, HR Specialist at jane.olsen@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8217.

Published on

DATE:
July 1, 2025

TO:   
Principals
Special Education Teachers (Preschool and School-Age) Speech-Language Pathologists

FROM:  
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:  
Extended Year Special Educator Stipends 2025-26

Please read the following information and instructions carefully. Submitting these days requires an online survey to be filled out and submitted.

This year the state has allocated 4 additional days available to work during the two weeks before or after your contract days. Please read the attached memo for instructions on when the days can be worked and how to submit them correctly. The link for submitting the days is included in the attached memo.

If you have questions please contact Amanda Hamblin at the Special Education office.

Published on

DATE:    
July 31, 2025

TO:     
All School Administrators and District Department Directors/Consultants

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

SUBJECT: 
2025-26 Required Testing Ethics Professional Development Procedures for Education Support Professionals

For the 2025-26 school year, administrators will need to conduct a training on the state’s testing ethics policy for all licensed educators as well as any education support professionals (ESPs) who will assist with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing. All licensed educators will need to be trained on the policy. Administrators will want to consider including computer lab assistants who function as the school’s test coordinator, any classroom aides that assist with testing, literacy aides who assist with Acadience Reading or Math testing or progress monitoring, or any office staff that assist test coordinators with district-, state- or federally-mandated testing.

The three required procedures for completing this testing ethics professional development are listed on the “2025-26 Principal’s Testing Ethics Checklist for ESPs” form, which is due to Assessment, Research & Accountability by Friday, September 19, 2025.

As has been done in the past, administrators may provide the testing ethics training themselves using the Google slide deck linked in this memo. Alternatively, administrators may show the YouTube video linked below to school personnel. The video provides the same information as the slide deck. Once school personnel have been trained, either by a school administrator or using the video, they are required to sign the “2025-26 Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy Training Signature Form.” Administrators are asked to keep these signed forms on file at the school.

There are several materials attached with this memo for your use:

Please contact Ben Jameson or Gaylene Miller in Assessment, Research & Accountability with any questions.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources

Jordan School District Employees are responsible for knowing and adhering to all District policies and procedures. The Crucial Concerns and Policy Review is now available to District employees in Skyward through “Online Forms.” As a condition of continued employment, all employees (i.e. Licensed, ESP, Substitutes, Coaches, Miscellaneous adults, etc.), with the exception of minor students, will be required to complete this training. We ask your assistance in notifying your employees of this required training and ask that this training be completed by November 1, 2025.

A message will appear upon login of Skyward Employee Access for the employee to complete an “Online Form.” Employees can complete the steps at that time or can return to the review at another time by selecting “Online Forms” under “Employee Information.” Attached is a tutorial to assist in completing the review.

Reports of completion will be available through Skyward and the Human Resources dashboard so you can verify that your staff members have completed this process. A tutorial is attached for your reference. If you or any staff members need technical help, please call the help desk at 801-567-USER (8737).

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning

The district-wide professional development day is on August 12th, 2025.

All licensed personnel are required to select and attend a keynote speaker in the morning and are required to attend a session on Portrait of a Graduate at their respective school in the afternoon.

Please sign up for a keynote ASAP if you haven’t already. Please remind teachers in back-to-school communications to sign up for a keynote.

Administrators who are NOT hosting at a particular location should be in attendance with teachers. Divide your administrative team accordingly.

To register for a morning keynote:

Please choose a speaker and then register for a keynote speaker using this LINK

Keynote speakers are NOT content specific. The topics and location information for each keynote speaker are included in the registration information.

Afternoon Portrait of a Graduate Presentation:

Attached is the link to the folder with the presentation and facilitator script along with other POG resources. Please review the documents in anticipation of the principal presentation on the afternoon of August 12, 2025. You can adjust your own copy of the slides to fit the needs of your faculty, but please keep the most important messages regarding POG in tact. Please contact Carolyn Gough ext: 88122 for questions about the presentation or resources.

Folder link

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning

FALL Mentor Training will be available online through Canvas from August 1 to September 7. Training is provided to new mentors based on an administrator's recommendation. Complete the Google form for each mentor you wish to enroll. We have limited seats; first come, first served. Teachers will be paid a $150 stipend for completing the mentor Canvas training.

The Google form to submit names for mentor training is now open! Please submit your names by Friday, August 22.

Please confirm the following before completing this form:
1) Potential mentor has not already completed training
2) Potential mentor is willing to complete the training

You can access a list of currently trained mentors on your school’s mentor list, shared with you via Google Sheets and your school coaching plan. If you need help accessing your mentor list, please contact your district coaching specialist.

Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/NaUpsFW2SJomBomQ8

Published on

TO:  
All Administrators

FROM:
Jordan School District Cabinet Members

Please review the important information below regarding the upcoming Administrative Leadership Conference.

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

  • Event: Jordan District Administrative Leadership Conference
  • Time: Breakfast at 7:30 AM, Conference begins at 8:00 AM
  • Location: Fort Herriman Middle School, 14058 S. Mirabella Dr (6200 W), Herriman

Keynote Book Order Information

The keynote address will feature a speaker from the Arbinger Institute, focusing on the book Leadership and Self-Deception. If you would like a copy of this book in your preferred format, please use the attached Google Form to place your order by June 20, 2025.

Published on

DATE:
May 14, 2025

TO:
Principals
Special Education Teachers (Preschool and School Age)
Speech-Language Pathologists

FROM: 
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:  
Extended Year for Special Educator Stipend Days 2024-25

The legislation allows a specific group of special educators to work up to 5 additional days for a $200/day stipend (plus applicable benefits). The Bill applies to Special Education Teachers (Preschool and School- Age) and Speech-Language Pathologists only (Speech-Language Technicians are not included). The number of days and stipend amount are based upon the educators assigned FTE equivalent. Teachers who have been hired with an Associate Educator License will count as licensed teachers and will be eligible for the stipend. Days can be worked 2 weeks before or after your contract.

Eligible staff that have days left to work, and did not work all of their allotted days in the fall, are required to complete an online survey to be paid for these days. After you have completed working the days, simply click on the link below to start the survey. Days worked must be full or half days and not a combination of assorted hours and must be worked in your assigned building(s).

The days available for you to work are: June 10-13th, 17-20th, and 23-24th. Please remember that June 9th is the last contract day and June 16th is a holiday. These days do not count toward Extended Year Days.

It is important to remember:
Below is the link to submit the days after you have worked. When asked for the approver for your submission do not put your principal or LEA. Please put amanda.hamblin@jordandistrict.org so that the submission can be approved through the Special Education office and be sent to the State Office for payment. If you list your building supervisor as the approver, your request will not be submitted for payment.

Link to USBE 2024-25 End of Year(EOY) Spring Extended Year for Special Educators (EYSE) Stipend Report

Please read the survey carefully, making sure you answer all of the questions listed, as you will be paid according to what the survey generates. Only those that complete the survey will be paid. Any timesheets submitted directly to the Special Ed. or Payroll departments will not be paid. Please note that the window for completing the survey closes June 26, 2025.

Please remember you cannot count the days you already worked and were paid for in the fall. You can only count the days you work after your last contract date at the end of the 2024-25 school year. The State Board of Education has discontinued any leniency on dates that you work. You may ONLY work and report the two weeks after your last contract day. Therefore, you will only be paid for dates that are between June 10 to June 24, 2025 (excluding weekends and holidays) and only the number of days you have remaining from fall 2024-25.

As you plan for the coming year, keep in mind the legislature will presumably award days for the 2025-26 school year, which you can begin working two weeks prior to your first contract day, which is August 11, 2025. More information about next year’s days will be forthcoming. If you have questions, or need help with the survey, please contact Amanda Hamblin at amanda.hamblin@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8177.

 

 

Published on

TO:
All Principals
All Assistant Principals

FROM:
Administrators of Schools

Please share the attached flyer with the future school leaders in your building.

The BYU School Leadership Program invites educators to learn from current school, district, state, and university leaders about becoming a principal. The Academy is a great way to get a taste of school leadership and learn best practices for applying to principal preparation programs and future leadership positions. The district will cover the cost of your substitute teacher, and BYU will award a $1,000 scholarship to any participants who are accepted to and attend BYU’s Masters of School Leadership Program.

APPLY BY AUGUST 29, 2024 - APPLICATION LINK

Published on

DATE:
May 1, 2025

TO:
Principals
All Certified Special Education Staff

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:
Year-End Checkout for Special Education

The items listed in the attached memo need attention as you prepare to close out the 2024-25 school year. Any questions or concerns that arise should be directed to your school’s Teacher Specialist for clarification.

Published on

DATE: 
April 10, 2025

 TO: 
Jordan District Administrators, Directors

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Administrators of Schools

SUBJECT:
Time Schedule for the Last Day of School

Please review this memo carefully for your school dismissal time, and convey this information to your students and parents.

Published on

DATE:   
April 9, 2025

TO:    
School Administrators
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:   
April Safety Drill – Great Utah ShakeOut 2025

On Thursday, April 17th 2025, at 10:15 A.M. a million Utahns will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the annual Great Utah ShakeOut Earthquake Drill.

All schools are encouraged to participate in this drill during the designated time, or to conduct an earthquake drill sometime in the month of April. This is an opportunity to incorporate emergency preparedness in classroom lessons and to include proper ways to protect oneself during an earthquake.

The Jordan School District has registered as a whole to participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut. You can find more information at: www.ShakeOut.org/Utah.

Please review the Jordan School District Safety Manual - Earthquake Action Plan and Standard Operating Guidelines on pages 28-31 for planning, drilling and responding to an earthquake.

For additional information or guidance please contact the District School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at 801-567-8623.

Published on

DATE:
March 25, 2025

TO:
All Principals
All Special Education Staff
School Psychologists
Elementary School Counselors

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

SUBJECT:
Required ASPEN Training for Special Education Personnel, Elementary Counselors, and School Psychologists 2024-25

This is the final reminder of the remaining ASPEN training sessions for the 2024-2025 school year. ASPEN training is required during the 2024-2025 school year for all licensed special education teachers, SLPs, school psychologists, elementary school counselors, as well as all Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in SEB and Autism self-contained support classrooms who do not have a current Mandt certification. Staff members working in any other special education setting may choose to attend ASPEN at the discretion of their building administrator and at the cost of their school. Please see the attached memo for class and registration information.

Published on

DATE:
March 25, 2025

TO:
Principals
Staff Currently Trained in Mandt

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

SUBJECT:
Mandt Recertification Training

All staff members who were certified in Mandt in June, July, or August 2024 must attend one of the following recertification sessions to keep their certification current for the upcoming school year. Registration is on Canvas Catalog, and the classes will be capped based on trainer to learner ratio requirements. Please register ASAP for your preferred date. Please see attached memo for dates and registration information.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
Administrators of Schools

As we plan both the June Administrator Training and the August Leadership Conference, we would like to identify specific training and professional development needs/wants that you may have. Please take a minute to complete the survey by choosing up to 3 topics of interest. If you have a topic that wasn't represented please feel free to add it to the short answer question (not required). Please complete this survey by March 24, 2025. 

If you already completed this survey at the Principal or AP meeting you do not need to repeat it.

LINK to Survey

Published on

TO:
All District Office Departments and Special Programs

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning

The purpose of the Curriculum Advisory Committee is to provide transparency and understanding in reviewing current primary instructional materials and to provide feedback to the Board in anticipation of adopting new primary instructional materials. See DE501

The membership of this committee is determined by policy and includes parents, teachers, and administrators. The current committee is planning to meet in February 2025. 

This is a reminder to all departments that any curricular materials that may be considered for use districtwide as primary instructional materials (except as listed below) should be presented to the committee for initial review before an RFP or an adoption by the Jordan Board of Education. This includes software programs for assessment and instruction used districtwide by students, e.g. Star Reading; Reading Horizons, Canvas; Mastery Connect.  

Primary Instructional Materials are defined in policy as: learning materials that a local school board adopts and approves for use districtwide for student instruction and assessment. Primary instructional materials do not include learning materials used to teach specific electives, concurrent enrollment, advanced placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Language Immersion (DLI), and technical education (CTE) courses.

Please contact Carolyn Gough if you have questions about curriculum adoption or if your department is contemplating an adoption within the 2025-2026 school year. 

 

Published on

DATE: 
January 1, 2025

TO:   
High School and Center-Based School Principals
High School Special Education Team Leaders

FROM: 
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:  
Destruction of Special Education Records

School districts are required to keep special education records until the student’s twenty-seventh birthday. In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Jordan School District must notify parents and afford them the opportunity to receive special education records before destruction of those records can occur.

As of February 28, 2025, such notice will have been advertised to parents for students whose birthdates are prior to September 1997 (i.e., students who are 27 years of age). Any records for students over the age of 22 will be stored off site until they are ready to be destroyed when the student turns 27 years of age.

  1. A process is in place to prepare files for off-site storage. To view this process, go to the Special Education website and click the Records Destruction tab.
  2. An electronic list must be submitted to Sandra Rhees at sandra.rhees@jordandistrict.org. The list must contain information which identifies each student’s name, birthdate, and student number for all files to be destroyed.
  3. Our office will review the list and notify the school team once it is verified that the records may be submitted for destruction and will schedule a pick up for the files.
  4. Records to be destroyed will be retained for 5 years at the State Archive facility, then they will be automatically destroyed. Records can be accessed during that five-year period.
  5. Please remember that the Utah State Records Retention Schedule mandates that student transcripts be retained permanently.

If you have questions, please call the special education teacher specialist assigned to your school, or Sandra Rhees at 801-567-8294.

cc:
Renee Sass, Placement Office
Caleb Olson, Student Services
Sandra Riesgraf, Communications

Published on

DATE:   
November 26, 2024

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT: 
Monthly Drill Preparation (HOLD)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on December 4th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering HOLD. Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety. All other administrations are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also opened to any staff who may be interested.

After each monthly training all school staff should be trained by the administrator over school safety and the School Safety Specialist. After being trained each month, teachers should educate their students on each safety drill. Additionally, schools should communicate with their patrons regarding Standard Response Protocol(s) (SRP) and the drill being conducted each month. Videos, handouts, and other resources can be found at the link(s) below.

Information regarding the HOLD response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 5-7. We will discuss how to implement and execute the drill. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas amongst the schools.

We will be holding this meeting over Zoom so please join using this link.