Jordan School District
On August 10th, from 9-12 we will be having our first annual "Wellness Welcome." Our topic is "Restoring a Culture of Connection." We welcome all educators who would like to add to their wellness toolkit for themselves and their students. Our target audience is classroom teachers, but everyone is welcome!
If you are interested, fill out the brief form and we will keep you updated as the event gets closer. A stipend may be available for licensed employees.
DATE:
June 8, 2023
TO:
All School Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
SUBJECT:
Student Mental Wellness Opportunities and Reminders
Throughout the 2023 summer, Jordan District’s Clinical staff will offer mental wellness groups focused on coping, connections, and community, as well as individual check-ins, screenings, and mental health consultations. If a student or staff member would benefit from these services, please share the attached flyer with them so they can schedule an appointment.
As a reminder, emergency services and mobile crisis teams remain available throughout the summer through 988 and SafeUT.
WHO? YOU!
Are you looking to improve your ability to address the "elephant in the room"? Want to be able to better handle difficult conversations? Join members of the Culture and Diversity Team to hone your skills in a relaxed, open environment.
WHAT?
We'll be reading and discussing "Don't Feed the Elephants" by Sarah Noll Wilson and using her techniques to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
WHEN?
Meeting Dates: June 15th, July 6th, July 27th, and August 10th
Time and Location TBA
Zoom Option Available
Email gwen.creelerickson@jordandistrict.org to reserve your spot.
We have been approved to move over to a new IEP platform. We will be moving from Goalview/EdPlan to Embrace. Embrace is a program that has multiple programs under one. We will use the system as our IEP system, Medicaid system and 504 system.
Goalview will be decommissioned and no longer operate as of June 30, 2023. Embrace will be in place as our system for documenting and maintaining compliance for IEPs, Medicaid, and 504s. We will begin the migration of data over the summer and provide training during the Special Education Summer Conference.
Training for School Psychologists, Counselors, and Clinical Staff on the 504 components of Embrace will be conducted at another time.
You are strongly encouraged to attend the Embrace training in person on August 8th.
We will also have administrative sessions to highlight what administrators will want to know about Embrace on August 8th as well. We are excited about the new system and the opportunities moving forward.
If you have questions, please contact your Teacher Specialist.
Principals,
Please share the following information and attached flyer with any faculty that may be interested.
Dear Colleague:
Are you interested in shaping the future of Utah education?
Join us for the 2023-2024 BYU Education Policy Institute.
Engaging in education policy is crucial if you are interested in. . .
Together we are empowered to make a difference!
See the attached flyer for details and registration information.
I hope to have you join us.
Bryan Bowles
Professor, Educational Leadership & Foundations
Brigham Young University
Looking to navigate Skyward like a pro? Check out the following videos or tutorials for time-saving tips gathered specifically for Administrators!
All administrators, please take note that New Educator Induction is scheduled for Friday, August 11th from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at West Jordan Middle School.
See the attached PDF. More details to come.
Throughout the summer, Spencer Campbell, Principal at Kelsey Peak Middle School, will provide weekly virtual workshops for administrators on using Google tools to increase productivity and efficiency. The schedule of topics is listed below, along with the Zoom link and agenda. He will answer questions in the live session; timestamped recordings will be available in a shared drive folder afterward.
What: Google Training for Administrators and Admin Assistants
When: Tuesday from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. (Except the week of the fourth)
Schedule:
June 6th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Gmail/Chrome Add to Calendar
June 13th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Google Calendar Add to Calendar
June 27th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Drive/Docs Add to Calendar
July 6th, 10-1 (Thursday) Forms/Sheets Add to Calendar
July 11th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Chat/Sidebars/Contacts Add to Calendar
July 18th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Keep/Tasks/Reminders Add to Calendar
July 25th, 10-11 (Tuesday) Chrome Extensions and AI tools Add to Calendar
Who: All administrators looking for productivity tips and time-saving tools using Google Workspace.
Where: Zoom https://uetn-org.zoom.us/j/89395769701 Passcode 221862
Agenda: Click Here (Zoom link is included on the agenda)
Google has limited the amount of cloud storage that is allocated to the district. As a result of this change, Google Photos for Jordan School District Google accounts will be discontinued this summer. This does not affect the use of Google Photos with a personal account.
To determine if this affects you, go to google.com or mail.google.com on a district device and log in with your Jordan School District credentials. Click on the “waffle” icon in the top, right corner of the screen, then select “Photos” from the available applications. If you find photos and want to keep them, you will need to move those photos to a different account or location.
If you have any questions, you can call the Information Systems Help Desk at 801-567-8737.
The following are new administrative assignments:
Spring has arrived, and with it comes a sense of renewal and hope for a brighter future. As we move into the month of May, we have much to look forward to in our schools and within our community. Enjoy our newsletter as you learn about Asian and Pacific Island Heritage Month, gain some teaching tools to assist students in reading in a different language other than their native language, and celebrate our bilingual psychologists with us.
The full newsletter can be found at the link below. Stories include:
Student Monitoring - After students score proficient on their WIDA test, they are monitored for four years. If you have any students in monitoring, you will be asked to complete a monitoring form each quarter for them. This quick check-in allows you to communicate any concerns you might have with students who have exited EL services but who continue to be monitored for four years after their exit date. When you log into ELLevation, you will see a red flag above the "Monitoring" tab on your screen. This tells you how many forms you need to complete, and when you click, it will take you to your unfinished forms. Make sure you complete these before the year ends!
Immersive Reader in Canvas - The Immersive Reader is an add-on in Canvas that students can set up to help them understand your Canvas content. Immersive Reader will do the following:
Culture Corner - May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This month is an opportunity to learn about the rich history, diverse cultures, and significant contributions that AAPI individuals and communities have made throughout our country's history. It's a time to reflect on the challenges faced by AAPI people, including discrimination and racism, and to promote inclusivity, understanding, and respect for all individuals, regardless of their background. As a district community, let's take this month to celebrate the AAPI heritage and continue to work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.
Reflective Questions - As we end the year, think about the following:
Celebrating our Bilingual Psychs this year! - We have 747 ML's in our district who have IEP's. To help with testing, we have two wonderful bilingual psychologists working nonstop to help test our multilingual students throughout the district. Monica Amador and Angie Mar Velez Matias have had their busiest year yet trying to get students tested for special ed services.
They've tested nearly 300 students this year between the two of them. They do new student referrals and re-evals for students from out of district, state, or country. They are a valuable connection between Special Ed and Language and Culture, and we couldn't do it without them!
Beginning July 2023, Skylert will have an updated look! From the new interface you can create templates, view the success rate of recent broadcasts, quickly access favorite broadcasts, and create one message to go out via phone, email, and text. Take a sneak peek at the new Skylert!
DATE:
May 5, 2023
TO:
All Principals and Directors
FROM:
June LeMaster, Ph.D., Administrator of Human Resources
Brent Burge, Human Resource Administrator
SUBJECT:
Education Support Professionals (Non-Exempt) Employee Overtime Reminder
Please see the memo below.
The administration of the Jordan School District, in consultation with the Board of Education and employee groups, is pleased to begin observance of the official state holiday for the Juneteenth National Freedom Day. This year, Juneteenth National Freedom Day will be observed on Monday, June 19, 2023. District offices and locations will be closed on this day. This change will impact the current year calendar for contracted and hourly employees on 242- and 245-day contracts, as well as CTE Coordinators on 207-day contracts.
Utah Code 63G-1-301(1)(f) outlines the scheduling of Juneteenth in Utah:
(f)(i) The Juneteenth National Freedom Day holiday is on June 19, if that day is a Monday.
(ii) If June 19 is on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, the Juneteenth National Freedom Day holiday is on the immediately preceding Monday.
(iii) If June 19 is on a Saturday or Sunday, the Juneteenth National Freedom Day holiday is on the immediately following Monday.
Updated employee calendars may be accessed at https://planning.jordandistrict.org/calendars/. Employees should direct questions to their immediate supervisors.
National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting.
Administrators: How do you celebrate National School Nurses Day? Please help our School Nurses know that they are loved and appreciated for all they do for you and our students!
As you are planning Professional Development in your schools and departments please plan as follows: Principal-Directed School Level Professional Development will be held in the morning hours and District-Level Professional Development may begin at 1:00 pm.
22,000 students responded to the winter Panorama SEL Survey and reflected on belonging, self-management, social awareness, emotion regulation, and self-efficacy. The attached document highlights the results for the District. You may access your school's results directly in the Panorama dashboard. See the District highlights attached.
Let's Celebrate National School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 5th! Remember to show appreciation for your lunch staff and the great job they do! See the flyer below.
"A Better Understanding of Your Native American Students"- An interactive PD opportunity for our teachers and administrators to learn about Native Communities and Cultures, Cultural Appropriation, and insight on teaching sensitive historical topics.
Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the ASB Presentation Room. Please scan the QR code on the flyer to RSVP.
DATE:
April 27, 2023
TO:
Building Administrators
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Secretaries
Secondary Registrars
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Consultant, Planning & Enrollment
SUBJECT:
Utah’s “Safe at Home” Program & School Enrollment
The State of Utah has created a confidential address program for victims of abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking, or sexual assault. The program, now called “Safe at Home,” is authorized by Utah Code 77-38.
Participants in the program are issued a legal substitute address that they may use for any purpose, including receiving mail and school registration, to keep their actual address confidential. The substitute address is the address of a state office building and includes an “apartment number” unique to each participant. It is anticipated that this program will begin in late summer or fall of 2023.
Participants in the program are issued an authorization card that will include their name, substitute address, and contact information for the Safe at Home program. Schools are required under Utah Code 77-38-611 to accept this address and use it for school enrollment. When presented with a card, school staff should call the number of the Safe at Home program on the card. Program staffers will verify for the school that the individual lives within the boundaries of the school but will not release the actual address. School staff should then enter the substitute address as the legal address for the family in Skyward. It will likely be necessary for schools to manually add the “H” permit code to the student’s record to avoid Skyward flagging the student as living outside the school’s boundary. School staff MAY NOT ask or require the program participant to reveal their actual address.
At enrollment, schools may ask if the family lives in the bus eligible areas of the school boundary, when applicable. If the family is bus eligible, the school may assist the family in identifying nearby bus stops, either using a map of current bus stops or by identifying stops by a landmark or other location in the vicinity of the family’s address.
Schools may not see large numbers of participants in the program, but should prepare all those who process new enrollments to be aware of the program so they can respond appropriately.
Additional information on Safe at Home can be found at https://crimevictim.utah.gov/safe-at-home/
