Jordan School District
DATE:
August 31, 2017
TO:
District Administration
FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Planning and Student Services
SUBJECT:
1st Day Enrollment vs. the Estimate
Traditional Schools
See attached memo.
DATE:
August 24, 2017
TO:
All Principals
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
Upcoming Changes to UTIPS
USBE has been working to update the UTIPS system to be aligned with the Utah Core. The item bank for English language arts is 100% updated and aligned with the core, the math item bank is 75% completed, and the science item bank will be updated later this fall.
Teachers will now need to check their assessments on UTIPS to be sure that they are aligned to the Utah Core as well. The standards bank in UTIPS will be updated in mid-September and all obsolete standards will be removed from the system. This will affect any teacher-created assessments that are not aligned to the current core.
We ask that all principals pass this information on to their faculties so that teachers may take the appropriate actions to ensure that they will still have access to their assessments on UTIPS and that those assessments are aligned to and assessing the current Utah Core.
If you have any questions, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.
DATE:
August 24, 2017
TO:
All Principals
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
2017 SAGE Data Release on USBE Data Gateway
Beginning August 25, 2017, the 2016-17 SAGE proficiency results will be released on USBE’s Data Gateway for principals, schools, and districts to review. The URL for the Data Gateway is https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/. The login prompt is in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
We ask that principals log into the Data Gateway and review their school’s SAGE results for accuracy as soon after August 25th as possible. The intent of the review is to address any data errors before the mid-September public release date. Please report any concerns or inaccuracies to the Evaluation, Research & Accountability department at 801-567-8185.
It is anticipated that USBE will release accountability data and school report cards in mid-September for principals, schools and districts to review. While the release date is still tentative, schools will have an opportunity to review their accountability data prior to public release.
If you need assistance navigating the Data Gateway or logging in, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.
DATE:
August 24, 2017
TO:
Secondary Principals
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Pam Su’a, Consultant, Social Studies
SUBJECT:
U.S. Civics Test and UTIPS
In order to facilitate record keeping more easily and lessen the burdens of social studies teachers, we will be administering the U.S. Civics test required for high school graduation (see Utah Code 53A-13-109.5 and Board Rule R277-700-8) via UTIPS.
The plan for administering the U.S. Civics test is as follows:
Social studies department chairs have already been trained on this updated process. Teachers have already received updated UTIPS accounts, with demo accounts, so that they can see what the student sees. They have also received the instructions and materials to administer the Civics test as needed.
Building principals will be receiving an individual email in the near future from the Evaluation, Research & Accountability department with individual UTIPS usernames and passwords. This account access for principals will allow for another level of completion tracking for this graduation requirement, at each principal’s discretion.
For more information on the Civics test administration, please visit the district’s assessment website under Assessments tab and US Civics Test: http://assessments.jordandistrict.org/assessments/citizenship-test/.
Please call the Evaluation, Research & Accountability department with any concerns or questions you may have at 801-567-8017.
If you are in need of additional Fountas & Pinnell kits, please email your request to becky.gerber@jordandistrict.org by September 8, 2017.
Please see attached flyer for upcoming Literacy PD. Direct questions to Becky Gerber (88087 or becky.gerber@jordandistrict.org)
DATE:
August 23, 2017
TO:
All Principals
FROM:
John Larsen, Business Administrator
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum & Staff Development
Ron Bird, Director of Information Systems
Michael Heaps, Support Services Manager, Information Systems
Mark Sowa, Instructional Technology Consultant
SUBJECT:
Canvas Licenses
Many of you may have heard that Canvas licenses have been purchased by the State for all students in Utah public schools. This is accurate. However, funding has only been committed for the current school year. There is no current plan or guarantee that the State will pay for licenses after this school year.
If you are interested in using Canvas at your school under the current free licensing, please contact Michael Heaps or Steffany Ellsworth in Information Systems (801-567-8140) for more information and instructions on how to begin this process.
You will also want to consider a professional development component to implementation. To discuss this further, please contact your respective Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist.
CTE purchased licenses for the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite through an agreement between the State and Adobe. 2017-18 is year 2 of the agreement.
See flyer below for details on how to request licenses.
Please remember that it is illegal to gather citizenship status information per the Office of Civil Rights in both the Department of Education and Department of Justice and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982 (Plyler vs.Doe - 457 U.S. 202). Please see the attached document from the Utah State Board of Education.
Please send the name of your GT Networking representative to Rebecca Smith (801-567-8368 / rebecca.smith@jordandistrict.org).
Please see the attached flyer with the 2017-2018 GT Networking schedule.
DATE:
August 17, 2017
TO:
Elementary Principals
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curriculum and Staff Development
Norman R. Emerson, Fine Arts Consultant
SUBJECT:
Assemblies by Artistic Resources for Teachers and Students, Inc. (ARTS, Inc.)
ARTS, Inc., now in its fifty-sixth year of operation, was founded in 1961 and has provided performances in all forty-one school districts in Utah, reaching more than 250 schools each year with professional arts and education programming. We welcome their artists in our schools again for the 2017-18 school year.
Click this link to find:
The artists have been instructed to contact you at least two weeks prior to their assembly to verify starting times and specific needs for their performance. If the date selected for the music group to perform at your school does not work with your schedule, please contact the music group as soon as possible to reschedule. The name and phone number of the contact person for each group has been provided.
If you have any questions, please contact Norman Emerson at 801-567-8364.
DATE:
August 16, 2017
TO:
District Administration
FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Planning and Student Services
SUBJECT:
1st Day Enrollment vs. the Estimate
Year-round schools, Tracks A, B, C & D
(August 16, 2017 count)
See attached memo.
DATE:
July 1, 2017
TO:
Principals
Head/Financial Secretaries
Special Education Teachers (Resource and Cluster)
Speech-Language Pathologists
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curric./Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist
SUBJECT:
Special Education Budget Allocations 2017-18
See attached memo and budget guidelines.
JPLS Reminder:
Administrators, please remind all administrative assistants to not create default accounts for new teachers on JPLS. New teacher accounts are created on JPLS within a week of HR updating information on Skyward. If you have questions please contact the JES office at (801) 5f67-8239 or (801) 567-8369. Thank you.
In compliance with our Employee Immunization policy (DP377) and State Health Regulation #38 (attached), many schools have arranged for Community Nursing Services (CNS) to come to their schools to provide immunizations for their staff. Attached is a list of dates, locations, and times for employee immunization clinics in our district. You may attend a clinic at a location other than your own.
If you are planning to attend, please bring your insurance card with you. You may want to bring proof of immunizations that you have already received, as well. CNS will enter them into the State website for you. These are not immunization clinics for students. If you have questions, contact Educational Support Services for additional information.
Introducing PD Bites, a professional development website to support English learners, diversity and best practices.
This site is accessible to Jordan employees who are logged into their jordandistrict.org accounts.
https://sites.google.com/a/jordandistrict.org/pd-bites/
The solar eclipse is an incredible event that many may want to witness. However, because of the dangers involved in viewing it, we have secured guidelines from the National School Nurse Association and from State Risk Management. If you, your classes, or your families plan to view the eclipse, please read and share the information in the two attached documents.
DATE:
August 14, 2017
TO:
Principals
New Special Educators
FROM:
Laura Finlinson, Administrator of Curric./ Staff Development & Special Programs
Lisa Robinson, Director of Special Education
Julie Brown, Program Specialist
Michelle Stewart-Chavez, Teacher Specialist
SUBJECT:
Special Education New Teacher Induction Training
The Special Education Department has scheduled a series of trainings for special educators that are new to Jordan School District. Attendance is at the principal’s discretion. Special Education will cover the substitute costs for trainings that occur during the school day (Budget code: 1292). If the training occurs after school, the special educators will be paid at inservice rate.
Please see the attached training schedule for details on dates, locations, and registration information.
For more information, please contact Michelle Chavez at michelle.chavez@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8295.
DATE:
July 15, 2017
TO:
All Principals
Elementary Administrative Assistants
Registrars
Attendance Secretaries
FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Planning and Student Services
SUBJECT:
Enrollment 2017-18
This memo is a reminder of the issues you may face when enrolling students for the upcoming school year. This should help when assisting patrons in enrollment.
Kindergarten: The student must be at least 5 years of age on or before September 1,
2017 to enroll in Kindergarten. Utah State Law 53A-3-402 which states: (6) Except as provided in Section 53A-1-1001, a board may enroll children in school who are at least five years of age before September 2 of the year in which admission is sought. Active military children are an exception.
Legal Guardians: Please make sure the child is enrolling with their Legal Guardian. Check the birth certificate and Identification to make sure the enrolling adult belongs to the enrolling child. If they are not their legal guardian, either a Durable Power of Attorney needs to accompany the paperwork or legal guardianship through the courts.
Custodial Parents: Please make sure you obtain legal documentation (signed by a judge) in divorce situations when necessary. The Court orders parents’ behavior in their enrollment decisions, not schools.
Foreign Exchange: Students coming from other countries without a legal guardian need to be referred to the Planning & Student Services Department for enrollment.
Please be consistent in your enrollment process with all students. Ask questions to determine individual situations, show patience and understanding and contact Planning & Student Services for any issues you may need help in resolving. We know this is a busy time for you and we are here ready to help with individual situations.
