Beginning of the Year Interims are due October 31, 2020. Remember that this includes the following: self-evaluation, 3 required goals (UETS goal, JPAS goal, Stakeholder & Student Growth goal), and administrator approval with date. Interims for all educators (teachers, teacher specialists, psychologists, secondary counselors, etc.) will be found on JPLS.
Category: Other Administrators
Student Data Privacy Updates and Reminders – October 2020
DATE:
Thursday, October 15, 2020
TO:
All Principals
All District Department Heads and Directors
FROM:
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Kurt Prusse, Director of Purchasing
Michael Heaps, Director of Information Systems
SUBJECT:
Student Data Privacy Updates and Reminders
Principals are asked to read and then communicate the following information to their faculty.
We cannot buy or use websites, apps, or software without checking into how they collect, manage, and use student data. If we do, we run the risk of breaking state and federal laws. Because of this, we are asking that all purchases related to website subscriptions, apps, or software go through Purchasing. This includes purchases made with teacher money and p-cards.
We cannot let children under 13 use websites or apps that collect their data without parent notification. This can be done in disclosure documents, emails to parents or other means of communication. Some websites, software, and apps do not allow children under 13 to use their services even with parent permission. These are prohibited by the district for grades K-7. Some websites, software, and apps do not allow children under 18 to use their services. These are prohibited by the district for all students.
Current processes for purchasing websites, apps, and software: 2020-2021
- The school submits the requisition for the purchase of an app or program to Purchasing.
- Website, app, or software is vetted for student data privacy.
- Purchasing will send the district’s data privacy agreement (DPA) to the vendor to sign if needed.
- Once the vendor signs the DPA, the purchasing process is completed.
- If a vendor chooses not to sign or does not respond, the purchase of the app or program is halted and Information Systems is asked to block the website or application. There are currently two apps that have been blocked because of student data privacy reasons:
- Quizlet
- Beano
At a later date, Evaluation, Research & Accountability will be contacting digital teaching and learning coaches at each building in order to train them on vetting apps and programs. In addition, together with Teaching & Learning, we are working to develop an interactive website where schools and teachers may go to see what apps and programs have been approved and denied.
Please email the district student data privacy managers if you have any questions.
Holly L. Allen: holly.allen@jordandistrict.org
Steven Harwood: steven.harwood@jordandistrict.org
Important October 2020 Payroll Information for All Employees
Due to the District Office closing for Fall Recess at the end of the day on Thursday, Oct. 22, and not returning until Monday, Oct. 26, the Payroll Department is making the following recommendations:
- If you need to close your bank account, please call Payroll immediately.
- If you are a True Time employee, make sure your time is submitted. If you are a True Time approver, please make sure all time is approved.
- Paychecks are available for viewing in Employee Access on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Please review your pay check and call Payroll immediately with any questions or concerns. (801) 567-8155.
If you need help logging into your Employee Access, call the help desk at 801-567-8737. - Payday is on Oct. 22nd.
The Payroll Department will resume work on Oct. 26, 2020 and will be available if you have any questions.
Thank you for your efforts in assisting Payroll.
Updated Quarantine Protocol – This Change Takes Place Immediately
Dear Administrators,
The Utah Department of Health, under the direction of Governor Herbert, has approved adjustments to the 14-day quarantine. Students and employees who have been quarantined due to an in-school exposure, while wearing a mask, may return to school if they are symptom-free, and have a negative test result after day 7 of quarantine. The test may be taken on day 7. State officials and medical experts indicate that this new guidance aligns with the best medical practice.
The following are key points provided by the State:
- Masks are effective at preventing transmission in classroom settings
- This only applies to mask on mask exposure
- Only applies to exposures that occurred in school
- % of individuals who will develop symptoms do so on:
- Day 7 -75%,
- Day 9 - 90%
- Day 11- 95%
- Testing picks up positive cases two days before symptoms onset; therefore, testing on day 7 means there is less than a 10% chance that an individual will contract after day 7
- This is for individual exposures, and does not pertain to the threshold recommendations for classroom or school virtual learning
The COVID-19 School Manual will be updated to reflect this change but the change takes effect immediately.
Please carefully read the attached Low Risk Test and Return guidance document found below.
More information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.
Interviews for Principal Positions – November 2020
Cabinet members will be interviewing all administrators currently employed by Jordan School District who wish to be considered for an elementary, middle or high school principal position between now and October 2021. Your participation in these interviews is the way for you to declare your interest in a principalship. Similar interviews will be held each fall for anyone who has not interviewed previously. This year’s interviews will be held on Thursday, November 19th and Friday, November 20th.
Any administrator interested in being interviewed this year should email Angela Montague at angela.montague@jordandistrict.org by Monday, October 19th at 5:00 p.m. Please indicate whether you would like to be considered for an elementary, middle or high school principal position. This process is not designed to select principals for newly-constructed schools nor any school in particular. No application or documentation is required.
Any questions should be directed to a Cabinet member. We look forward to getting to know you better.
STAR Program for Students Struggling with Substance Abuse 2020-21
Please see flyer below for more information regarding the STAR Program - Short Term Adolescent Recovery Program
Common Trauma Symptoms in Students and Helpful Strategies for Educators – October 2020
Trauma can have a detrimental impact on students' functioning in the school setting. Educators need tools to identify and support students who may have experienced or are currently experiencing traumatic stress. Please see the attachment below for helpful information and strategies.
Last Opportunity for Office and Administrative Staff to attend the Optional Training by Business and Auxiliary Services Departments – October 15, 2020
The final session of the optional training for office and administrative staff of schools and District offices will be held Thursday, October 15, 2020, beginning at 8:00 a.m. There is space available for an additional 50 attendees. If you would like to participate, please send an email to Jeri Clayton at jeri.clayton@jordandistrict.org and let her know you would like to sign-up to attend. Attendees will receive an email the day prior to the training with instructions for connecting to the Zoom meeting. The agenda is attached.
Custodial Share – Winterizing Evaporative Coolers 2020-21
Administrators/Directors/Principals:
Please share this post with your building custodian(s). Thank you!
Custodial Share – Winterizing Sprinklers 2020-21
Administrators/Directors/Principals:
Please share this post with your building custodian(s). Thank you!
Questions and Answers for K-12 Public Schools in the Current COVID-19 Environment – October 2020
Administrators, Special Education teachers, those that work with building access, those that deal with 504's, and other compliance issues please take special note of this document.
The document below is from the Officer for Civil Rights and is regarding K-12 public schools in relation to meeting the needs of all students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guidelines for Who Should Attend the State’s Title IX Training
Please see the attached document for information on who should attend this training.
For the previously shared JAM, regarding this training, click HERE.
Principal Verification Needed for “Pandemic Work” Educator Grants 2020-21
The Board of Education has approved $4 million for the Educator Grant program. Please make your faculty aware that all licensed educators can now apply for pandemic and innovative work grants.
As part of the pandemic work grant application, Principals will need to verify the pandemic work completed in the Spring of 2020, so we want you to be aware of this process:
1) The individual applies for a Pandemic Work grant.
2) They must request Principal Confirmation of work completed.
3) This form in the grant application will automatically send you an email to verify their work. You will be able to click on a link to a description of the work and then click to confirm that the work was completed within the Pandemic work period.
The deadline for Principal Confirmation is October 30, 2020. We ask that you complete these quickly, as applicants will not receive a pandemic award if there is no verification by this date.
4) If you are not the Principal that was working with this individual during the Spring of 2020, please forward this Principal Confirmation email to the correct Principal.
For more information please see the memo below.
So You’ve Been Asked to Quarantine….. Here Are Some Ideas to Help Maintain Wellness and Increase Happiness
Click on the links below to access handouts, from our Wellness Team, that can be given to students as they are quarantined.
ELS Fall 2020 Newsletter
Click HERE to access the newsletter.
Help Us Deliver Your Mail in 2020-21!
In order to ensure that your District mail is properly delivered, please include the following on all items:
- First and last names
- Full school or department name
- Full building name (for items not delivered to schools)
Thanks! This will help ensure that all of your items are delivered quickly to the proper location.
Save-the-Date: Incident Command Training 2020-21
This course will be a review of the Jordan School District Incident Command System Action Plans and roles for responding to a critical incident. The course is available for school/location administration and anyone else that has a key response position, as to be determined by the administrator. It is recommended that new administrators attend.
The course is being repeated on 4 different dates, and will be led by JSD Emergency Operations Manager Lance Everill.
Auxiliary Services Building, Auditorium – Entrance A
- Wed., Oct. 28, 2020, 8:30am-10:00am
- Thurs., Oct. 29, 2020, 8:30am-10:00am
- Wed., Nov. 4, 2020, 1:30-3:00pm
- Thurs., Nov. 5, 2020, 1:30-3:00pm
Register on JPLS
50-person capacity for each class
Masks required
Social distancing will be observed
Safety Share – Fire Code & Safety Issues, Simplified and Clear Definitions – October 2020
Fire Code & Safety Issues, Simplified and Clear Definitions
See document below.
Important Payroll Dates for October 2020
Please see document below for important dates and reminders.
District Office, Auxiliary Services Building, and Transportation Facilities Halloween Activities 2020
DATE:
September 28, 2020
TO:
Employees in the District Office, Auxiliary Services Building, and Transportation Facilities
FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Shelley Nordick, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
SUBJECT:
Halloween Activities
Some departments and buildings have had a tradition of employees bringing their children and grandchildren into the building on Halloween for trick-or-treating. This activity has many merits and benefits to our groups and teams. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to maintain safety for all employees and their family members, we will not be having these types of activities this year.
We know this may be a disappointment to many who look forward to this each year. However, many employees and/or those they go home to each evening have health concerns that make such activities unwise during a pandemic.
If you have questions or concerns regarding the cancellation of these Halloween activities, please communicate them through your supervisor to their Cabinet level supervisor.
As a general reminder:
- do your best to maintain a six foot distance between yourself and others;
- always wear a mask when you are around others and/or when you move about the building;
- wash your hands thoroughly and regularly; and
- never come to work if you feel ill or exhibit symptoms as indicated in the attached document
