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Category: Other Admin Info

Published on

TO:
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

We have a few spots open for Spanish for Office Staff. Our goal is to provide tools and resources for office staff so that you can sharpen the Spanish skills, whether this is your first time being exposed to Spanish or you learned in high school, we encourage all office staff who have students that speak Spanish to take this 5 week course from our DLI educators. Please sign up here. 

Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language and Culture Services

Language & Culture Services wants to provide you with one place to find the information to support the language and culture in your school. In this newsletter you will find:

  • We had an excellent turn out at our annual Multilingual Family Night! We celebrated multilingualism with great food, student performances, and by celebrating our MLs that tested proficient on WIDA last year! Thank you to our JSD employees that attended, Foothills Elementary DLI students, our other student speakers and performers, and all of you that support our Multilingual Learners!
  • Strategy Highlight - ELLevation has a catalog of high-quality strategies that can be implemented into Tier 1 instruction. Each strategy also provides scaffolding suggestions for Multilingual Learners. You can find the Strategy Catalog by logging into ellevationeducation.com, then use the “Strategies” tab, and go to “Browse Catalog.”
    This month we’d like to highlight the following strategy: Vocabulary Rating - Benefits for Multilingual Learners Develop Academic Language with Weighted Words: Increased exposure to and meaningful practice with vocabulary words and phrases will support a deeper understanding of language at all levels. How To: Identify a list of vocabulary to focus on during the lesson and have students self-assess their vocabulary knowledge. Best used for: Hook/Intro of a lesson, as an Assessment
  • Announcements - Reminder: ELLevation Tasks are due! Exit Letters: Any remaining letters left in “Not Started” should be printed & sent home. Exit Interviews: Interviews need to be conducted with parents/guardians of students that tested proficient last Spring. Quarter 1 Monitoring: Forms are due Oct. 16. For support, please reach out to your school’s ELD Lead, Admin over MLs, or Language Teacher Specialist!

  • Culture & Diversity - Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15 - Oct.15 | Recognize the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Hispanic Heritage Month Information Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Nov. 1 -2  | a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated to honor, remember, and welcome back the spirits of deceased family and friends. Day of the Dead Resources.

Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals and Elementary Assistant Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Todd Theobald, Teaching and Learning

Grade Transmittal Day is Oct. 19, and all elementary teachers are expected to review student evidence and record Quarter 1 proficiency levels in Skyward. Quarter 1 provides an important snapshot of where students are in their learning at this point in the year, even though a formal report card is not generated until Semester 1. Teachers should record a current proficiency level for each strand where they have enough meaningful evidence to make a reasonable determination, using the full-year proficiency scale as the reference point. Please review the JSD Elementary Grade Transmittal Expectations for a quick overview of what to record, why these snapshots matter, and how expectations progress throughout the year.

JSD Elementary Grade Transmittal Expectations
Grade Transmittal Day provides teachers with dedicated time to review student evidence, reconcile proficiency levels, and ensure that Skyward accurately reflects each student’s current learning. The goal is not to create a perfect or final judgment of student performance. The goal is to provide an accurate snapshot of where each student is at that point in time.

What should teachers do?
For each subject area, review the overall strand proficiency level in Skyward and ask: “Based on the evidence I have right now, what is the best description of this student’s current proficiency?”

The proficiency level recorded should reflect the student’s current performance in relation to the full grade-level standard and proficiency scale, even if every portion of the standard has not yet been taught.

Teachers should enter a proficiency level whenever they have enough meaningful evidence to make a reasonable determination. This does not require perfect or exhaustive evidence. If the evidence available provides a reasonable picture of where the student currently is, that information should be recorded.

A blank should generally indicate that there is not yet enough evidence to make a reasonable determination.

Why does this matter?
Quarterly proficiency levels create a record of student learning over time.

Even though elementary report cards are only generated at the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2, Quarter 1 and Quarter 3 scores still provide valuable snapshots. These records can:

  • Help document student growth across the year,
  • Provide useful information if a student transfers to another school or district,
  • Support communication with parents and future teachers, and
  • Ensure that reported proficiency levels accurately reflect what students currently know and can do.

Ideally, the information entered in Skyward should not be a surprise to families. Teachers should be communicating student progress early, often, and consistently throughout the year.

What should be recorded at each checkpoint?
Quarter 1 - Snapshot - Record current proficiency levels for the strands where you have meaningful evidence. Students are still early in the learning process, so Level 1 and Level 2 scores may be entirely appropriate.

Semester 1 - Semester Picture - Review and reconcile the Semester 1 proficiency level for each strand that has been meaningfully measured. In English Language Arts, students should have a proficiency level for all three strands: Reading, Writing, and Speaking & Listening.

Some areas in other subjects may still be blank if they have not yet been sufficiently measured.

Quarter 3 - Updated Snapshot - Update proficiency levels based on the evidence collected since Semester 1. The picture of student learning should continue to become more complete as the year progresses.

Semester 2 - Complete Picture - By the end of the year, the full grade-level core should have been taught, and teachers should generally have a proficiency level recorded for every strand.

There may be rare circumstances where an exception is appropriate. In those cases, teachers should work with their administrator.

One important reminder
A proficiency level is not based on whether a student is “on track for this time of year.” It is based on the full-year proficiency scale.

For example, if a student has successfully learned everything that has been taught so far but their current evidence places them at Level 2 on the full standard, Level 2 is the accurate proficiency level to report.

The purpose of Grade Transmittal Day is simple:

Review the evidence → Reconcile the overall proficiency level → Document where the student is right now.

Published on

TO:
All Employees

FROM:
Mike Anderson, Associate Superintendent

The 6th annual Health and Wellness Day is back again, will be bigger than ever, and will be here before we know it! Employees can look forward to connecting with colleagues and prioritizing their well-being through a variety of wellness offers across the District. Mark your calendar because you won’t want to miss this!

Published on

DATE:
October 15, 2026

TO: 
All Administrators & Threat Assessment Teams

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services
Angie Rasmussen, CARE Team Specialist

SUBJECT:  
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) Training

CSTAG training consists of two (2) training levels, Level 1 and Level 2. Both levels must be completed by all administrators and threat assessment team members.  CSTAG Level 2 training is for all who have completed the Level 1 training (the web-based training from Navigate360). Level 2 training builds upon your knowledge of threat assessment by providing practical application and implementation of the CSTAG process in your school.

New Administrators and Administrative Interns are encouraged to attend.

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

In-Person CSTAG Level Two Training:
Friday, November 13th (In-Person) 1-3PM
District Office Room 129
Registration Link

Other important CSTAG reminders: If your school wants to train a staff member or threat assessment team member that is not an administrator in CSTAG level 1, please email angie.rassumussen@jordandistrict.org the request with the person’s name, title, and email address. CSTAG Level 1 is web-based through Navigate 360 and costs $100 per person. A request for reimbursement will be sent to the school after the staff member has been added.

To access CSTAG documents and resources use this link: CSTAG Resources

We look forward to learning more about your school's violence prevention initiatives and CSTAG implementation, or assisting you with customized training needs. To schedule a meeting, please contact Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

Published on

TO:
JSD Administrators

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Curtis Jenson, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning

We had the chance in this week’s Principal meeting to spend the day with Jan Hoegh talking about how our work over the past year with Proficiency Scales translates into next steps with assessment and reporting. While we do that work, we have the unique chance to participate in a book study with Jan this spring using her book Planning & Teaching in the Standards-Based Classroom.

 The book study will happen during three 75-minute virtual sessions with Jan Hoegh. While dates are still being finalized, they will occur in February, March and April of 2027. We will provide all participants with a copy of the book to use throughout the book study and beyond. All JSD administrators are invited to participate in this optional book study.

Interested? Let us know here and we’ll get you a copy of the book.

We’ll keep you posted on exact dates and times for the book study. We just want it to be on your radar while it’s fresh. It’s unusual to get the chance to talk in this setting with the leading expert in the field while we’re actually doing the things she’s writing about. If you’re interested, let us know and we’ll get the book for you. If the final dates for the book study don’t work for you, at least you have access to the source material.

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
McKinley Withers, Administrator of Employee Experience and Wellness

Administrators,

You’re invited to a special 30-minute mindfulness session created FOR YOU, the hard-working leaders of our schools and district. The Employee Experience & Wellness Team is offering a quick virtual mindfulness reset for Administrators once per month throughout the school year, come once or come every month. Each session will be led by Anna Smyth and will occur live, virtually, from 12:30-1:00 on the dates listed below.

We acknowledge that there isn’t an easy time for administrators to attend to their own wellness, but we hope that you can carve out 30-minutes one time per month to center on your needs. If multiple administrators would like to attend from a school site, we suggest rotating supervision obligations to accommodate attendance on different months. We hope to see you sometime this year!

Use this link to add October’s session to your Google Calendar.

Come as you are! No experience necessary. Zoom information and future dates are pasted below: 

Mindful Leadership: A Monthly Reset

Give yourself 30 minutes to pause, recharge, and reconnect with how you want to lead. These monthly drop-in Zoom sessions offer school and district administrators a space to rest, reset, and gather practical tools for navigating challenges with greater clarity, steadiness, and compassion.

 Anna Smyth is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Mindful Leadership: A Monthly Reset
Time: Oct 14, 2026 12:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

 Join Zoom Meeting
https://slcc-edu.zoom.us/j/89897030325?pwd=DLw8BU3IIb9BUpJlqO1aeiB4adtABt.1

 Meeting ID: 898 9703 0325
Passcode: 990803

October 14, 2026 @ 12:30-1:00 February 17, 2027
November 11, 2026 March 17, 2027
December 9, 2026 April 21, 2027
January 13, 2027 May 19, 2027

 

Published on

TO:
All Administrators

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of Human Resources
Brittany Bauer, Administrator of Data & Operations

Administrators who are resigning or retiring effective at the end of the current contract or calendar year may be eligible for a tiered early-notification incentive. To qualify, administrators must submit their official resignation or retirement notification online on or before the applicable deadline listed below.

The incentive amount will be based on the date the official online notification is received.

Mid-Year Resignation (December) Notification:

  • August 15, 2026 $1,000.00
  • September 15, 2026 $600.00
  • October 15, 2026 $200.00

End of Contract Year Resignation (June) Notification:

  • December 1, 2026 $1,000.00
  • January 15, 2026 $600.00
  • February 15, 2026 $200.00

The incentive will be paid on the last regular paycheck. Notifications of resignation or retirement received after the dates listed above will not qualify for an incentive. The official District resignation/retirement notification form is found in Qmlativ under “Employee Access”. Please see District policy DP318 or DP319 for more detailed information regarding resignations and/or retirements. If you do not know your Qmlativ username or password, please contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.


Published on

TO:
All Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

FROM:
April Gaydosh, Administrator of HR
Rebecca Eastman, HR Generalist

If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave before or after Thanksgiving on a “Critical Day” for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:

How to Request

During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

*Critical Days are the first student attendance days before or after a school holiday. If a non-student attendance day falls before or after a school holiday, the Critical Day is the day before or after that non-student attendance day when students are in attendance.

Licensed
Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 26-27

ESP
ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 26-27

Published on

DATE: 
October 8, 2026

TO:
Principals and Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:  
Wearable Emergency Alert Devices

2026 Utah H.B. 84 requires silent wearable alert devices in schools. The District has elected to work with Centegix for the new wearable emergency alert devices. We want to make you aware that as part of the grant process, individual school administrators were listed as points of contact per the form requirements. However, this grant and rollout will be handled at the district level through Student Services, Facilities, and Information Systems. More information regarding the rollout, training, and implementation of the devices will be coming in the future. No action on the part of the schools is required at this time.

If you are contacted by Centegix or USBE directly, please refer them to Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator, or Buddy Alger, Director of Student Services.

For questions or concerns, contact the School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz, at matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or by phone at (801) 567-8623.

Published on

DATE:
October 1, 2026

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:
Monthly Drill Preparation (LOCKDOWN)

Our monthly drill preparation meeting will be held on October 7th at 2:40 PM, 3:10 PM, and again at 3:40 PM. Each session will last about 20 minutes. This month we will be covering LOCKDOWN.  Each School Safety Specialist is expected to attend along with administrators assigned to oversee school safety.  All other administrators are welcomed to attend as well. The meeting is also open 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 LOCKDOWN response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 12-14.  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.

 

Published on

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Buddy Alger, Director, Student Services
Scott Festin, Student Services Administrator of Planning

Student Services will be hosting training opportunities for staff to prepare for the 2027-28 permit season on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The Open Enrollment window opens on Sunday, November 15, 2026 this year. This training will be geared towards Administrators overseeing permits in their building and office staff that process applications. It is especially appropriate for administrators and staff that are new to permits. Sessions will not be targeted at any specific audience, so individuals are welcome to attend either session.

Both sessions will be held at the District Office, Room 129. Due to updated security protocols at the District Office, please remember to bring your ID badge.

Please register for all sessions using this link: 2027-28 Permit Training Signup

Date Time Location
Wednesday, October 28 9:00-11:00 AM District Office, Room 129
Wednesday, October 28 1:00-3:00 PM District Office, Room 129

Permit questions should be addressed to Scott Festin, Student Services Administrator of Planning, scott.festin@jordandistrict.org, x88370

Published on

DATE:
October 1, 2026

TO:
All Administrators
All Office Staff

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Michael Heaps, Director of Information Systems
Steven Harwood, Assistant Director of Application Development

SUBJECT: Skyward Student System Maintenance

The Skyward Student System, including Family and Student Access, will be unavailable during a system upgrade from 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30th, until noon on Saturday, October 31st.

We appreciate your patience while we perform this system upgrade.

 

Published on

DATE:
October 1, 2026

TO:
All Administrators
All Office Staff

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Michael Heaps, Director Information Systems
Steffany Ellsworth, Manager - Support Services, Information Systems

SUBJECT: 
2026 Utah Skyward User Conference

Happy fall, y’all! With fall comes the annual Utah Skyward User Conference. This year, it’s even more exciting as you’ll get a sneak peek at Qmlativ, the new student management system that we will be implementing! Join us on Thursday, November 5th at Canyons School District in their Support Services Center. Please see the agenda for the address and session times. 

This conference is a great opportunity to learn directly from Skyward experts, as sessions are taught by their staff. This year’s lineup includes several outstanding sessions focused on both Qmlativ Finance and Qmlativ Student. This conference is a great chance to preview how the Qmlativ Student system looks, operates, and can make your daily work easier. 

During these sessions, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. However, if you have an issue that may be more timely to resolve, we ask that you contact our helpdesk for assistance. 

We hope this year’s conference will inspire you with new insights, practical tips, and a deeper understanding of what’s possible in Skyward. There is no need to register in advance. For questions about attending the conference, please feel free to call the Help Desk at extension 88737.

Published on

TO:
Administrators and Administrative Assistant/ All Staff

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Sarah Palmer, Director of Payroll

With the beginning of the new school year comes new pay rates along with new deductions. All employees are encouraged to log in to Skyward Employee Access and review the following:

Salary placement and Hours Per Day (FTE)
• ASSIGNMENTS tile - make sure you are in the 2026-2027 (Current) year at the top of the screen
• Open the assignment by clicking the arrow to view the assignment details

Paycheck - insurance premiums, deductions, name, address, phone, tax exemptions (from your Form W4)
• PAYROLL CHECK HISTORY tile

Paychecks that are not direct deposit will be held in Human Resources for pickup. You can sign up for direct deposit through Employee Access (DIRECT DEPOSIT PRIMARY ACCOUNT tile).

Your actual paycheck is available to view up to two (2) days prior to payday each month in the PAYROLL CHECK HISTORY tile. If you have questions, please contact the following:

Help Desk: 801-567-8737 (Employee Access login & password assistance)
Payroll: 801-567-8154 or email payroll@jordandistrict.org
Insurance: 801-567-8146 or email insurance@jordandistrict.org
Human Resources: 801-567-8150 or email hr@jordandistrict.org

** This information and tutorials can also be found on Payroll’s website at payroll.jordandistrict.org/employee.

• Name Changes (EMPLOYEE NAME CHANGE REQUEST FORM tile)
• Address Changes (EMPLOYEE PROFILE tile - ’Edit by Online Form’ next to
EMPLOYEE DETAILS- CONTACT INFORMATION UPDATE tile)
• View W4 Tax Information (MENU/PAYROLL/TAX INFORMATION)

 

Published on

TO:
School and District Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Michelle Love-Day, Director LCS

Please enjoy the September Language and Culture Newsletter. In this edition you will find:

Dates for administrator compliance workshops (link)
ELLevation strategies (flyer attached)
Information about our ML Family night (flyer attached)

Published on

TO:
New Administrators & Interns
New School or Department personnel
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Lisa LeStarge, Administrative Assistant

Training will be provided by the Business and Auxiliary Services Departments on October 15, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Auxiliary Services Building Presentation Room. This training opportunity is for new administrators and interns; and new school or department personnel including principals, assistant principals, administrative assistants, clerks, aides or others with responsibilities correlating with the Business or Auxiliary Services Departments. The draft agenda is attached.

If you would like to participate in this session, please send an email to Lisa LeStarge, at lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org. The total number of participants in this session will be capped at 60 (plus presenters). Attendees will be provided with a link to hand-outs provided by the presenters so they can be viewed during the training or downloaded for future use.