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Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching & Learning
Amanda Bollinger, Associate Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Traci Rindlisbach, Specialist, Computer Science & STEM

For the 2024-2025 school year, Superintendent Godfrey has allocated three additional planning hours per month for Computer Science ESPs participating in the Elementary Computer Science rotation. Hours will be turned in and processed quarterly by Digital Teaching and Learning.

Up to three hours per month may be used by the Computer Science ESP during the months they work. Additional hours must be worked before or after their regularly scheduled work hours.

If you have more than two Computer Science ESPs, you will be responsible for funding their additional monthly hours.

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Published on

DATE:
September 5th, 2024

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Employee Wellness Rep Training 9/18 & Last Call!

As a reminder, each school or department is invited to select an employee wellness representative! The Employee Wellness Representatives will support faculty/staff wellness efforts within your school or department. If you haven’t already, please nominate your Employee Wellness Representative for the 24-25 school year!

The first of two trainings for Employee Wellness Representatives will occur on 9/18 where each rep will be able to benefit from the following:

  • Time to plan the year with support from other Wellness Reps
  • Collect information about critical District resources to support your staff
  • Engage in personal wellness
  • Lunch will be served!

Please forward the attached invitation to your selected Employee Wellness Representative.

As a reminder, the cost of substitutes is covered by the school. One substitute is a worthwhile investment for improving wellness in your school or department!

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Published on

DATE:
September 5th, 2024

TO:
 All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Schedule Your School’s “Wellness Check-up!”

Student and Staff Wellness, as a pillar of the Board’s Strategic Plan, continues to be a priority in our District and schools. In support of this priority, the Wellness Team will be conducting “Wellness Check-Ups” to deeply understand the current wellness efforts of the hardworking people in JSD (like you!).

The Wellness Team wants to learn from you! We would like to stop by in person to let you show off your wellness work. This might include visits to wellness rooms, meeting staff members, hearing about curriculum offerings, understanding current needs and programs, or any other concern or celebration. Mostly, we’ll be admiring your hard work!

Our intention with Wellness Check-Ups is not to take a lot of time, or add anything to your plate, it is to more deeply understand our school’s efforts, needs, and goals. This will allow the Wellness Team to better advocate and support you in your work!

Calendar a time at this link or email McKinley Withers (mckinley.withers@jordandistrict.org, 801-567-8245) for alternative arrangements.

We look forward to learning from your school!

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Published on

DATE:
Thursday, September 5, 2024

TO:
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Record of August 13th Professional Learning Day Attendees
________________________________________________________________________________
School administrators may access a Tableau dashboard that contains a record of all educators who signed in using the QR codes for both the morning keynote sessions and the afternoon breakout sessions during the August 13th professional learning day. The dashboard may be accessed here. Administrators may also filter the list by conference location.

For questions about this dashboard, please refer to Ben Jameson in Assessment, Research & Accountability.

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Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Kaye Rizzuto, Consultant in Teaching and Learning

Principals,

The Teaching and Learning Department will be providing some training to K-6 teachers about the new elementary social studies standards. These new standards should be implemented this year. Please select one teacher from each grade level in your school to attend. It could be a team lead or someone on the grade level team who could use some extra training on teaching social studies.

Please complete this form: https://forms.gle/9eBjhUjto5esWV6dA

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Published on

TO:
All Secondary Principals

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Special Education Administrator

Please see the attached document for the 2024-2025 special education PLC schedule.

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Published on

TO:
All Administrators
Finance Departments
School and Department Administrative Assistants

FROM:
Steffany Ellsworth, Support Services Manager, Information Systems

We are excited to announce that we will implement Google as a convenient and secure way for users to access our Skyward systems on September 6, 2024. This new method will streamline your login process and enhance the overall security of your Skyward account. 

In the Skyward Finance system, logging in with Google will be REQUIRED for departments, administrators, and school office staff, and optional for employee access users. In the Skyward Student system, logging in with Google will be optional for all staff. 

Two Easy Methods to Login to Skyward Using Google

  • Navigate to the Skyward login screen and select the “Staff Login with Google” button. If you are already logged in to your JSD Google account, you will be immediately logged in to Skyward. If you are not already logged in to your JSD Google account, you will be taken to a Google login screen where you will need to login to your JSD Google account.

  • After logging in to your JSD Google account, click the waffle menu in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Scroll down and select “Skyward Finance” or “Skyward Student”.

Benefits of Using Google for Skyward

  • Enhanced Security: Google provides a more secure login process by eliminating the need to remember and manage multiple passwords. Also, because you are logging in to your JSD Google account, you will be using multi-factor authentication.

  • Convenience: With Google, you can access Skyward with a single click, saving you time and effort. 

If you encounter any issues accessing Skyward with your Google account or have questions, please contact the Information Systems help desk at (801) 567-8737.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 2024

TO:
Secondary Principals
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator, Teaching and Learning Department
Norman Emerson, Fine Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:
Ballet West 2024-25 Student In-Theater Presentations

Ballet West is again providing free presentations of the following ballets in the Capitol Theater:

  • Pictures At An Exhibition (Grades 4-12)
  • The Nutcracker (Grades 1-12)
  • Cinderella (Grades 2-12)
  • Fairy Tale Theater: Alladin (Grades 1-12)
  • The Rite of Spring (Grades 5-12)
  • Works From Within (Grades 5-12)

 Each program begins with an educational introduction and is followed by a portion of the repertoire currently being performed for the general public.

Further information may be found at Ballet West Student In-Theatre Performances and in this flyer.

If any of your teachers are interested in having their classes attend any of the performances, please have them contact Sydney Hamblin at sydney.hamblin@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8296. Seating is limited and performance slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis.

Transportation fees and bus scheduling are to be taken care of by individual schools. Neither Ballet West nor the Teaching and Learning Department will cover transportation costs.

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Published on

TO:
Administrators

FROM:
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

We are excited for our annual Fall Family Fair on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 4 - 7 p.m. at the the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan. All Jordan District students and their families are invited to come celebrate back to school with us and become familiar with the District and the Community.

Special music guests, "Superintendents of Rock", featuring our very own Dr. Godfrey, will be performing. Come out with your family, enjoy snacks from the food trucks, win prizes, and get to know the district community.

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Published on

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Becky Gerber, Administrator of Schools
Garett York, JAESP Committee Member

Please submit concerns to be discussed by JAESP committee and cabinet by September 4, 2024. Send items to be discussed to Ann Pessetto at Westland, Megan Cox at Midas Creek, Kaleb Yates at Juniper Elementary, or Garett York at Southland. All items are discussed anonymously as we work to provide clarification and solutions to concerns of elementary administrators.

Notes of the discussions will be published on a Google Doc titled "JAESP Committee Notes 2024-25" which will be shared with Elementary Administrators following this school year’s first meeting.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29th, 2024

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
PBIS Stipend Clarification

Administrators,

This memo is an update to a previous JAM regarding PBIS and Suicide Prevention Funds. There were no other changes to this information other than the stipend amount received, stipends have been amended to account for the benefits cost on our grant. The original Positive Behaviors Plan 2024-2025 form stated a $3000 stipend is available to pay up to three licensed individuals. $3000 is the amount before benefits are deducted. 

 Individuals will receive the following amounts:
You may select one person to receive-$2250.00
You may select two people to receive- $1125.00 each
You may select three people to receive-$750.00 each

The stipends will be paid out in November or March. Please submit the form to Janie Hyde by October 2, 2024, to have the stipends paid on the November paycheck, or please submit it by February 4, 2025, to have the stipends paid on the March paycheck.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 2024

TO:
Middle School Principals
High School Principals
Health, CTE, and Psychology Teachers

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

SUBJECT:
Required Law and Policy Training for Teaching Sex Ed Topics

Law and policy training is mandatory for all new or newly assigned educators of sex education topics and must be renewed every three years. All health and certain CTE, science, and psychology educators must complete this training. CTE, science, and psychology teachers should complete this training if they teach eligible courses like Child Development, Health Science, Medical Anatomy, Human Development, Genetics, or any course with instruction on sex education as defined in Utah Code 53G-10-403. The USBE offers a free online training which can be found on the health education webpage.

A list of courses the USBE staff believe require law and policy training can be found below. Principals, please direct the teachers who teach these courses to do the training.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 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 (SECURE)

Our monthly drill preparation will be held on September 4th at 3:00 PM with a second session at 3:30 PM. This month we will be covering SECURE.  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 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 SECURE response protocol can be found in the Jordan School District Safety Manual on pages 8-11.  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.

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Published on

TO:
Directors
Administrators
Administrative Assistants

FROM:
June LeMaster, Administrator of Human Resources
Rebecca Lee, Administrator/Evaluations

Please take a look at the September Evaluations newsletter below.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 2024

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

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Planning & Enrollment

SUBJECT:
Enrollment of Returning Charter School Students

In the February 2022 Principal Meeting, school principals were directed to consult with and receive permission from their AOS before denying enrollment to a student who lives in the school's boundary and wishes to return at any point in the school year from a charter school. This guidance remains in effect for principals and assistant principals at all levels.

This information should be communicated to individuals who have responsibility for enrolling students at each school location.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 2024

TO:
Principals and Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Michelle Reyes, Attendance/Prevention Specialist

SUBJECT:
Attendance Resources for Labor Day

Thank you for your tremendous efforts to warmly welcome our students and families back into our buildings and back to school. Attendance Works notes that these warm, welcoming environments make a big difference with attendance:

“Research and experience shows that attendance improves when a school community offers a warm and welcoming environment that engages students and families and provides enriching learning opportunities. Students are more likely to come to school when they feel safe, know that someone at the school cares about them, and when there are exciting and relevant lessons. Families are more likely to make sure their children are in class every day when they know school staff are looking out for their children’s best interest and when they understand the potentially adverse impact of absences, even just two days a month, on academic success.”

Help families plan ahead and make sure their child is back in school directly following a school holiday by posting alerts using Parent Square, school websites, and social media. Ready-made resources are available in English and Spanish here. If you would like to customize the announcement with your school logo or have any questions, please contact Michelle Reyes at michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org or (801)567-8205.

We still have FREE banners and stickers available in case you missed it in the last JAM.

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Published on

DATE:
August 27, 2024

TO:
All Jordan School District Principals (with bus route students)

FROM:
Scott Thomas, Administrator of Auxiliary Services
Paul Bergera, Director of Transportation
Kathy Jones, Transportation Trainer/Risk Coordinator

SUBJECT:
State Required Bus Evacuations and School Bus Safety 2024-2025

State-required semi-annual school bus evacuations have been scheduled for this September. This applies to those students who ride the bus daily to and from school.

The evacuations will be conducted during the week of:
Monday, September 9 through Friday, September 13, 2024

Your school’s regular bus drivers will perform this evacuation as they drop your students off in the morning, one day during that week. This procedure will take place at your school and within the student’s regular bus drop off/pick up zone. All professional school bus drivers who transport students are required to perform evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Bus evacuation will be through the rear door, side door, front door, or any combination of the three. Students will then, under the direction and supervision of the bus driver, evacuate and meet in a safe place approximately 100 feet away from the bus.

Your assistance is welcome but not mandatory to complete this required evacuation drill quickly, safely, and effectively.

We appreciate all you do to help us safely transport your students.

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Published on

DATE:
August 30, 2024

TO:
Elementary Principals

FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator, Teaching and Learning
Norman Emerson, Instructional Support Services/Fine Arts Consultant

SUBJECT:
JSD-Arts Representatives for 2024-25

This year we will continue to invite two District Arts Representatives (DARTS) to represent your school throughout the 2024-25 school year. We are pleased to be able to continue this program which received the Sorenson Legacy Exemplary Program Award in 2023. We have appreciated the work of past DARTS representatives and how they have helped strengthen arts instruction in your schools. Meaningful progress toward a greater level of arts integration has been made, and we wish this to continue.

DARTS meetings will be held on the following dates: September 11, November 13, January 22, March 26, and April 30. The meetings will be held at the Auxiliary Services Building Auditorium from 4:30-6:00 p.m. (the last meeting on April 30th will be a shorter meeting and will be from 4:30-5:30 p.m.). 

Please assign two classroom teachers to serve as your school’s DARTS representatives. The DARTS representatives will meet five times throughout the year to learn and collaborate. Teachers will be paid at the inservice rate and will earn relicensure points (Note: In addition to the two regular classroom teachers, your school's BTS arts educator will also be attending the DARTS sessions). 

Please email the names of your choices for the JSD DARTS Team for the 2024-25 school year to jana.shumway@jordandistrict.org or jacquelin.webster@jordandistrict.org by Monday, September 9, 2024 if possible.

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Published on

DATE:
August 29, 2024

TO:
Principals and Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Michelle Reyes, Prevention Specialist, Student Services

SUBJECT:
Attendance Awareness Month Materials 2024 & The Importance of September Attendance

We would like to invite your school to participate with us as we celebrate Attendance Awareness Month to shine attention on the importance of attending school every day. We have chosen Be Present, Be Powerful as our campaign slogan. You can find ready-made resources to help you plan and celebrate here. Teachers can access a teaching attendance toolkit from Attendance Works. Take advantage of Parent Square to send out information. Also included in the resources are attendance motivations and “Did you know?” facts you can share with your school community.

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Published on

DATE:
August 16, 2024

TO:
All Principals

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Brian King, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Special Education
Mike Trimmell, Ed.D., Special Education Administrator

SUBJECT:
Professional Development Opportunities for September and October

Below is a listing of all the professional development opportunities for Special Education Licensed Staff for September and October. A link to sign up for each training will be sent to all Special Education Licensed Staff Members.

 

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