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Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, March 26, 2020

TO:
High School Principals

FROM:  
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT: 
Vouchers for 11th Grade Students Needing to Take the ACT

The districtwide 11th grade ACT test administration date was Tuesday, March 3, 2020.  Most of our 11th graders were able to take the test on this date; however, we have a handful of 11th grade students at our high schools who were going to take the ACT during one of the other test dates in April made available by the state.  With the soft closure of schools being extended until May 1st, those April test dates have been cancelled.

However, USBE and ACT have provided another flexible option for those 11th graders that missed taking the ACT on March 3rd and would still like to participate in their “free” ACT test.  Here are the options that are currently approved by ACT:

  • Students can used serialized vouchers to take the ACT on one of two national testing days – either June 13th or July 18th.
    • Serialized vouchers will be distributed by USBE to the district and by the district to students. More information on this process will be released at a later date.
  • USBE and ACT are working on a fall solution as well where this year’s 11th grade students can take the ACT at a national testing site or a local site in the fall, likely in October.

More specific and concrete information will be forthcoming over the next few weeks.

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Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, March 26, 2020

TO:    
Middle School Principals
High School Principals

FROM:   
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
Spring 2020 AAPPL Testing for Foreign Language Students

With schools in a soft closure until May 1st, several educators have reached out to us regarding AAPPL testing for foreign language students.  For the spring of 2020 only, AAPPL testing for foreign language students is optional.  LTI, the software platform vendor of the AAPPL test, has made it possible for students to take the AAPPL online at home.  Here are the conditions that would have to be met for this to happen:

  • Foreign language teachers and schools would need to order AAPPL tests as they have done in years past.
  • The student must have access to audio and a microphone on the testing device at home.
  • A parent or another adult at home would have to sign the AAPPL proctoring agreement available here and adhere to its stipulations: https://www.languagetesting.com/pub/media/wysiwyg/remote-admin/aappl-testing-proctoring-agreement-signable.pdf
  • Once the proctoring agreement has been signed and returned digitally to the teacher, the teacher would then send login information to get into the testing platform.
  • Once a student logs into the test, he/she must complete the test within 48 hours.

For more information regarding at-home AAPPL testing, please follow this link: https://www.languagetesting.com/k-12-covid-response

Foreign language teachers have already been sent this information, including guidance on how to use Canvas to have parents download and then upload a signed proctor agreement.

For more information, please contact Brooke Anderson at 801-567-8393 or via email at brooke.anderson@jordandistrict.org.

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Published on

DATE:   
Thursday, March 26, 2020

TO:  
High School Principals
Middle School Principals

FROM:   
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Pam Su’a, Consultant, Social Studies

SUBJECT:    
Civics Test Administration

Passing the U.S. Civics test is still a state-mandated graduation requirement and, under the circumstances where schools are in a soft closure, it can be administered at home and unproctored. The test items are public anyway, and there are few other administration guidelines, unlike other mandated tests. U.S. History I and U.S. Government & Citizenship teachers have already received instructions on how to administer the unproctored test in their Canvas courses.

Counselors received a list of seniors who have not yet passed on Friday, March 20, along with further information about unproctored testing. Students who will take this outside of a Canvas course should use the jordan.utips.org site to test.

Student instructions for accessing the test:
https://assessments.jordandistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/Student-Instructions-US-Civics-Test.pdf

To view your students’ passed/not passed status at any time, go to Skyward → Office → Curriculum & Assessment → Educational Milestones → Reports. From there, you can run a report on the “Passed Civics Test” educational milestone.

Please reach out to Brooke Anderson at 801-567-8393 or brooke.anderson@jordandistrict.org with any question or concerns and thank you for your efforts.

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Dear Administrators,

Thank you for your patience in regards to teacher evaluations during this time of change and uncertainty.  Many have asked what will be the next steps in the evaluation process.  In order to help relieve the stress for both administrators and teachers the following changes will be made, effective immediately.  Please contact Rebecca Lee with all questions and concerns at rebecca.lee@jordandistrict.org or (801) 567-8369.  Thank you for all your continued help and support.

Career Educators on Full – Not Completed Yet

Career educators who are a full cycle for the 2019-2020 school year and have not been through the evaluation process, or have begun but not finished one or more pieces of the process (missing an in classroom observation, interview), will be placed on an interim.

Action Required: Administrators will need to contact all career teachers and have them

complete the interim on JPLS.  This will include the beginning of the year activities and then the end of the year reflection.  What will need to be completed by the teacher: three goals, self-evaluation, reflection on all three goals. Lists will be updated to reflect the change.

Provisional Educators

All provisional educators that have already had one full evaluation will be considered complete. If you have a provisional educator that has not yet received a full evaluation we will place them on a full Teacher Specialist evaluation on JPLS to complete the one full required evaluation. Lists will be updated to reflect this change.

Action Required: Notify any provisional that have not been through one cycle and let them know they need to complete the teacher specialist online.  Note: Teacher Specialist evaluations will need to be manually added and may take until Monday, March 30th to appear.

Educators Currently on an Interim

Educators currently on an interim will have no change.  Please remind these teachers to complete their reflection piece so that they may be acknowledged by the assigned administrator.

Action Required:  Send out reminder emails to teachers on interims reminding them to complete the reflection piece of the interim.

Note:  Each administrator will receive an email with a list of changes for their schools by Monday, March 30, 2020. It will indicate who they need to contact in regards to the above changes. 

 

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The Utah Legislative Session wrapped up a week ago. The Utah State Board of Education adopted an amended rule yesterday with changes related to appropriate expenditures for the School LAND Trust Program. This link will take you to a more detailed description. You can also see the document below.

https://site.utah.gov/slt/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2020/03/Attachment-to-End-of-Session-Email.pdf

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Paychecks

All paychecks that are not direct deposited will temporarily be mailed to your address on file in Skyward. This will take effect today, March 13th, until further notice.

To avoid possible delays in receiving your paycheck, please log in to your Skyward Employee Access to verify that your address is correct, or to make any changes to your address.

  

1 - Log in to Skyward Employee Access (call 801-567-8737 for login assistance if needed)
2 - EMPLOYEE INFORMATION tab
3 - PERSONAL INFORMATION (under Employee Information heading)

Address
View and/or change your address online:

  • ADDRESS (under Demographic heading)

View and/or change your address by telephone:

  • Call Human Resources at 801-567-8150

Direct Deposit
View and/or change your direct deposit online:

  • DIRECT DEPOSIT (under Payroll heading)

Paper Direct Deposit Authorization form:

  • Call the Payroll Department at 801-567-8154, or email carolyn.bevan@jordandistrict.org
  • Do NOT email your completed Direct Deposit authorization

W-4
View your W4 information online (you cannot change your W-4 online):

  • W4 INFORMATION (under Payroll heading)

Paper W4 Form:

  • Call the Payroll Department at 801-567-8154, or email bevan@jordandistrict.org
  • Search for 2020 W-4 Form online
  • Do NOT email your completed W4

W-2
View your W2 online

  • W2 INFORMATION (under Payroll heading)
  • VIEW W2 FORM button

Paper Copy of W2:

  • Call the Payroll Department at 801-567-8154
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Progress Report, School LAND Trust Plans, Council Membership and Signature Forms will now be due on April 3, 2020. Please work with your Administrator of Schools if you have extenuating circumstances. Please follow the guidelines listed below:

  • In keeping with the Governor’s directive to facilitate the ability of public bodies to conduct meetings electronically, we have given approval for all School Community Councils to hold electronic meetings. 
    • The meetings must be noticed as usual including instructions for how the public may attend virtually. 
    • Meetings may be held via phone call or any digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, Canvas and others.
    • Minutes should be taken and posted in the usual manner. 
    • Keep a record of attendance, voting, and how people voted. 
    • Please update your council member list and how the council voted on the school plan so that the LAND Trust Plan and the “Council Membership and Signature Form 2019-20” will match the website.
    • Collect digital signatures (see next bullet point) by using the electronic signature form found on the State website. 
      • If you will send the emails while holding the electronic meeting, (when approving the Upcoming School LAND Trust Plan) you can ask members to let you know if they do not receive the emails. 
      • If a SCC member doesn’t receive the email the principal can troubleshoot with that person directly to get the problem fixed, such as an incorrect email. 
    • Please click the green “Send Emails” button to send the emails to the SCC members as soon as possible, as this step takes the longest time to complete. We must have an 80% response rate from voting members to mark this form completed.
    • Please be certain that budget numbers from the State website and your plan match. There can’t be any negative balances.
    • Check the JAM website for more information
    • Contact Nadine Page or Mike Anderson with questions on the process. 
    • Contact your Administrator of Schools if you have extenuating circumstances.
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Earlier today, the USBE voted to suspend all state testing for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. This action would take place even if in-person school sessions were to resume. This suspension would include the following state assessments:

    • Summative RISE
    • Summative Utah Aspire Plus
    • EOY Acadience Reading
    • KEEP Exit
    • PEEP Exit

Please refer to the attached letter from Ben Jameson

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Teaching and Learning will continue to update online learning content for teachers. Please continue to refer to Curriculum.jordandistrict.org or content specific pages for updates. 

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Please continue to work with your staff members who desire to work from home. Direct any questions or concerns to your Administrator of Schools.

    • State officials will make any decisions regarding any change to the state-wide school dismissal.
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Please take the time to review the following time-sensitive Action Item.

As schools transition from a Year Round (YRE) to a traditional schedule, select employees may be required to transition to a traditional pay frequency (September to August) if they have not yet done so.

Click on this link for information if you are a:
· Licensed or Support Professional at Fox Hollow Elementary on a YRE pay schedule and have not requested to change to a traditional pay frequency for the 2020-2021 school year. You must transition to a traditional pay frequency for the 2020-2021 school year.

Click on this link for information if you are a:
· Bus Driver or Bus Attendant on a YRE pay schedule and have not requested to change to a traditional pay frequency for the 2020-2021 school year. You must transition to a traditional pay frequency for the 2020-2021 school year.

Click on this link for information if you are a:
· Licensed or Support Staff employee currently assigned to a YRE school and have not requested to change to a traditional pay frequency. You have the option of remaining on a YRE pay frequency, or transitioning to a traditional pay frequency for the 2020-2021 school year.

If you have further questions, contact HR at 801-567-8150.

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Stacee Worthen, secondary guidance specialist, has created a list of tips, ideas, and best practices for counselors during the school dismissal. The attached memo will be sent to all school counselors.

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Associate Academic Vice-President John Rosenberg has sent this email out to all Teacher Education programs at BYU and asked them to forward the letter to every current student teacher. This does not apply to intern teachers.

Dear UCOTE members and EPP program coordinators,

As you are aware, information on COVID-19 continues to be generated and actions taken to control the spread of the coronavirus. As we have considered the most recent information about how the public school districts and state universities are handling the situation, we have decided that our student teachers may return home immediately, consistent with the instructions we have given all BYU students. However, since the semester is not over and the students are still enrolled as student teachers, they are asked to remain actively engaged with their host schools in delivering instruction remotely under the direction of their mentor teachers. Major program coordinators and university supervisors should reach out to individual students to address their questions and to discuss the remaining requirements for bringing the student teaching experience to a successful conclusion.

Thank you for your patience at this difficult time.

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Published on

DATE:  
Thursday, March 19, 2020

TO:  
All Principals

FROM:    
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability

SUBJECT:  
State Data Gateway Operational

The state’s Data Gateway is now fully operational. School administrators may find the following data for the 2018-19 RISE and Utah Aspire Plus testing and school accountability:

  • Proficiency and growth
  • Proficiency over time
  • Proficiency movement
  • Demographically similar school report
  • Student level data that will include overall proficiency and growth, proficiency by reporting category and a comparison to teacher, school, district and state data.

Teachers may also access all of the above information as well as their previous students from last year or their current students’ data on the Data Gateway. They just need to register for an account using their Cactus ID number, if they haven’t already done so.

To access the Data Gateway, please use this link: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/

If you are having trouble logging into the Data Gateway, please contact Ben Jameson.

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Jordan District Appeal Hearings are postponed until students return back to school.

Home & Hospital

  • H&H teachers should not be going out to homes or libraries working with students.
  • Schools that are providing the H&H teachers for their students may want to consider directing their students to do the online work from their assigned classroom teachers.
  • At this time, if any parent is requesting H&H services for their student, please direct them to the online instruction that is being provided by their current classroom teachers.  After students return back to the school, those students will be placed on Home & Hospital if it is still needed.
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SafeUT is still available as a resource for students, parents and schools during this stressful time. There are master's level clinicians available to chat or call 24/7/365 and will continue to be available throughout the outbreak.

With schools closed they will be following the summer protocol until further notice.

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