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Welcome back to another exciting school year! A lot is happening this quarter. Winter is closely approaching us, along with all the holidays. Daylight savings has made our days seem shorter.We will soon start to see colder weather, and hopefully some rain and snow.

We at LCS hope you and your loved ones can enjoy this holiday season that is quickly approaching us.

The full newsletter can be found at the link below. Stories include:

  • ELLevation Tips and Tricks - Did you know??? If you have an activity that you like, you can choose the Example tab, and select a grade level and content area. It will then give you ideas for incorporating that activity into your lesson!
  • Culture Corner - Teaching about different cultural holidays helps promote awareness, acceptance and diversity in our classrooms. How can you incorporate more culture in your classroom? November: Native American Heritage Month December: Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hannukah
  • Teaching Strategies - Have you ever used the Magic Switch setting on Canva? This allows you to translate a document that was made within Canva by a click of a button. You can choose from 130 different languages. Also, it allows you to translate certain part of your document, while other parts can be in a different language. This really allows educators to translate documents for our ML students easily.
  • Reflective Questions - How much do I really listen to my learners? Do I engage in active observation in my classroom, paying attention to subtle nuances and dynamics among my learners? In my interactions with my learners? Can I describe my own cultural conditioning? For example, what cultural values affect how I behave and communicate with others? What are some of my core beliefs and how have they been culturally influenced?
  • ELD Lead Celebration - Heidi Rivera is a kindergarten teacher & ELD Lead at Riverton Elementary. She works closely with the ML students and helps them develop language proficiency and prepares them for WIDA. She has done a great job of creating a sense of belonging among the ML students and has contributed to a great sense of community and culture among Riverton Elementary.
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DATE:     
December 1, 2023

TO:   
High School and Center-Based School Principals
High School Special Education Team Leaders

FROM:  
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education

SUBJECT:  
Destruction of Special Education Records

As of January 31, 2024, such notice will have been advertised to parents for students whose birthdates are prior to September 1996 (i.e., students who are 27 years of age). Any records for students over the age of 22 will be stored off site until they are ready to be destroyed when the student turns 27 years of age.

See the full memo below.

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DATE:  
December 7, 2023

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:   
Attendance Holiday Messaging Strategies

As we approach winter recess and near the end of the second quarter, we would like to offer some messaging strategies to help maintain regular attendance. Absences tend to increase prior to and following a holiday break from school. By this point in the year some students are struggling to get to school on time or at all. Panorama is a great resource for delving into attendance data. It provides easy access to data showing which students are struggling with attendance. You can locate the attendance report in Panorama under Student Success for your school.

As a school you can be proactive by communicating early and often with families about dates and expectations surrounding the upcoming winter recess. Attendance Works provides the following ideas to help with communication:

  • Send a letter out weeks before the longer winter break urging students and families to avoid unnecessary absences. (Sample letter included that you can modify for your needs.)
  • Let students and families know the date when the break will start and when school will resume. (Resources provided for your use to post on Facebook or Instagram.)
  • Include the name and contact information for the school, and organizations that can provide support to families if needed.
  • Consider sharing health guidance flyers (Health guidance flyers from Attendance Works included)
  • Plan a special event for the first day after the holiday break to welcome the students back to school. Send out text messages, phone calls, emails, social media notifications, etc. right before school resumes to remind them of special plans.

For more information on holiday messaging activities, review the holiday messaging guidance from Attendance Works here.

Should you have questions or would like editable copies of the social media resources please contact Michelle Reyes at michelle.reyes@jordandistrict.org or 801.567.8205.

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DATE: 
November 30, 2023

TO:  
All Administrators
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM: 
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT:
Standard Response Protocol (SRP) Schedule of Drills/Evacuations and Trainings 2023-24

A uniform, planned, and practiced response to any incident is the foundation of a safe school. Effective school safety measures require schools to anticipate the unthinkable and practice how they will respond, react, and behave when a crisis occurs. Consistent ongoing emergency safety training and practice is required to adequately educate students, staff, and parents.

Beginning January 2024, monthly SRP emergency safety drills will be implemented district-wide at each school. Each month a different SRP safety drill will be assigned by the District and conducted by the school. Schools will schedule the specific date and time the drill will be conducted during that month. (i.e. If “HOLD” is assigned for the month of February, the school will schedule the date and time during the month of February to conduct the dill.) Currently schools are required to conduct four (4) emergency evacuation drills annually – the number of evacuation drills will not increase unless the school chooses to do so (see March below).

Training will be provided monthly to assist schools in implementing the monthly SRP safety drill. Beginning Wednesday, January 3, 2024 – and every first Wednesday of the month, two (2) virtual training sessions will be held (3pm and 3:30pm) to train on the monthly SRP safety drill (links will be provided in a JAM prior to the first Wednesday of each month). Administrators over safety and School Safety Specialists should attend. Following the monthly virtual training, the resources used in the training will be shared with schools to train their staff and students. Schools should communicate frequently with patrons about emergency safety drills and procedures. It is expected that the School Safety Specialist will assist in all safety training and education efforts.

After school staff and students are trained, the school should conduct the assigned SRP safety drill for that month. (i.e. – If ‘Fire Drill’ is the drill assigned to January, then the administrator/school safety specialist will attend the training on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at either 3pm or 3:30pm. After the Zoom training the administrator and school safety specialist will receive the materials to train school staff – the school staff will then be trained. School staff will then educate and train their students. After school staff and students are trained the school will then conduct the drill.)

The schedule of SRP safety drills & trainings for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year is as follows:

Month SRP Safety Drill Virtual Training

(1st Wednesday at 3 or 3:30pm)
January Fire Drill (10 days after winter break) - Evacuation Wed. January 3
February Hold Wed. February 7
March Lockdown – Evacuation Optional Wed. March 6
April Great ShakeOut – Evacuation

April 18, 2024

 Wed. April 3
May Shelter Wed. May 1

Schools should adjust their current plans to match the schedule provided.

The updated District safety manual, printable posters, and other SRP materials may be found on the Jordan School Safety webpage. Additional resources including printable signs, guidebooks, videos, and parent handouts may be found on the I Love Your Guys website.

Please contact Matt Alvernaz (matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org) or 801-567-8623 should you have any questions or would like any help or training.

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DATE: 
Thursday, December 7, 2023

TO: 
All School Administrators

FROM:  
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language & Culture Services

SUBJECT: 
WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Test Administration Training for Schools

School administrators are asked to pass this information on to anyone who will be proctoring or coordinating the WIDA Access testing in your school this year.

As part of a federal requirement and the state’s accountability system, districts are required to administer the WIDA Access 2.0 annually to all ML students who have earned a Language Proficiency Level (LPL) of less than 4.2 and a Speaking score of less than 3.5. The 2023-24 WIDA test administration window begins on January 8 and ends on March 8, 2024.

All school personnel who will assist with WIDA Access test administration are asked to attend a mandatory test administration training. Participants may choose to attend any one of six training sessions, including one online training. Training participants will need to bring a device. Please note that if schools choose to send a classroom teacher, principals will need to cover the cost of the substitute teacher. Test pool hours may also be used for this.

Those who are to be trained to administer the WIDA should register in JPLS so that we may create their accounts in the testing and training platforms prior to their selected training date. Following are the training dates and times:

Date Time Location Additional Information
Wednesday, Jan. 10 8-11 am  

Presentation Room

 

Entrance C

 

Auxiliary Services Building (7905 S. Redwood Rd)

 All participants should register on JPLS – Course #102001.

 

Participants should bring a laptop/device.

 

If schools choose to send a classroom teacher, principals will need to cover the cost of a half day sub.
1-4 pm
Thursday, Jan. 11 8-11 am
1-4 pm
Tuesday, Jan. 16 8-11 am
1-4
Wednesday, Jan. 17 8-11 am
1-4 pm
Friday, Jan. 12 8-11 am Zoom

Please contact JoLynn Snelgrove in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with questions about the WIDA Access test administration and training.

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Language and Culture Services is excited to open our second Family Engagement Center for Jordan District.

Please join us as we celebrate the opening of our West Jordan location on Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. in the Joel P. Jensen media center.

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Our next ELD meeting is Dec. 14 in the Auxiliary Services Building Auditorium from 1-3 p.m. There will be resources, tools and strategies shared. We also have ELD Meetings scheduled for March 7 and May 9.

Please give time during your faculty meetings after for your ELD lead to share the information.  For additional questions, please contact your Teacher Specialist or Michelle Love-Day in Language and Culture Services.

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DATE:   
November 29, 2023

TO: 
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
FREE! Well-Being Course with Practical Strategies

Jordan District educators are invited to participate in our 2024 FREE Educator Well-Being Continuing Ed Courses for administrators, teachers, counselors, and specialists. This course is an opportunity for all JSD employees to address their own well-being by exploring practical strategies associated with connection, happiness, self-care, conflict resolution, growth mindset, problem-solving, and more! Participants will collaborate, learn from, and connect with other educators throughout the District as they work towards meeting their own wellness goals.

This course is FREE for JSD employees and Winter, and Summer sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited for this great opportunity!

The class will meet on Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 over Zoom:

January 11, 18, 25
February 1, 8, 15, 20
March 7, 14, 21

Participants can earn continuing education, lane-change, and re-licensure hours from SUU (up to 3 college credits).

Sign up using the attached flier and share this information with professionals in your schools who may be interested in this opportunity.

 

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DATE:
November 30, 2023

TO:
Principals
Assistant Principals

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT: 
Safe Routes to School Updates

Safe Routes Utah very recently created a new website, Safe Routes Utah. The designated contact for Safe Walking Routes that each school had on file should have been sent an email on November 14th with a new username and login information to access the new site. If you or your designee for safe walking routes did not receive this email or if there is a new contact or person assigned to safe walking routes at your school, please contact Kristen Hoschouer at khoschouer@utah.gov as soon as possible to request the login information.

All 2023-24 Safe Route to School maps, regardless of their last approval, must be re-approved by the district on the new site by December 22, 2023. Any changes that were made to your schools 2023-24 Safe Routes to School map after July 10th of 2023 were not included in the new site transfer and will need to be updated on your school’s map on the new mapping site and submitted for approval on or before December 22, 2023.

Schools should begin the Safe Route to School process for the 2024-25 school year as soon as possible. Your schools Safe Routes to School map for 2024-25 must be entered on the new site on or before Friday, January 26, 2024 for approval.

The mapping process on the new website has been updated as well. Instructions on the website state that schools should:

  1. Identify their Safe Routes Committee
  2. Create/update their Safe Routes Map and submit for district approval
  3. Once the map is approved, they will create/update their Safe Routes plan report

All of this information, including guides and video tutorials, can be found on the new Safe Routes website.

The updated district Safe Routes To School Form can be found on our Jordan School Safety website or click this link for direct access. The document requires you to make a copy. Please change the title to reflect your school and share it with the district School Safety Coordinator, Matt Alvernaz, once it is complete and ready for review.

Please reach out to Matt Alvernaz (matt.alvernaz@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-5623) with any questions.

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Update to policy DP380 Maternity/Parent Leave

Last night, after careful consideration, the Board has reduced the length of the contract requirement following the use of maternity/paternity days.

Retroactive applied to 07/01/2023, an employee using maternity/paternity leave days shall agree in writing to repay compensation at his/her daily rate of pay for maternity/parent leave used or granted if he/she terminates employment with the District for other than medical reasons before completion of the current contract year. All other provisions listed in the Maternity/Parent Leave Policy still apply.

If you have further questions, please see the updated policy DP380-Maternity/Parent Leave or contact the HR Generalist at rebecca.eastman@jordandistrict.org.

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If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave on a Critical Day before or after the MLK recess for any reason not listed in policy DP335NEG or DP335B, you must submit a request as follows:

How to Request

During the window, the employee must send the request through email. Please include your name, school, position, and the date you are requesting the leave. Requests left on voicemail or over the phone will NOT be accepted.

Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

The employee will receive an email confirmation within two working days after submitting the request. If the employee does not receive a confirmation email, then Human Resources has NOT received your request and your leave will not be approved.

School Holiday Date of Holiday Critical Days Window
Martin Luther King Jr.

ESP

 January 15, 2024 Jan. 12 and 17, 2024 Dec. 1 – Dec. 11, 2023
Martin Luther King Jr.

Licensed

 January 15, 2024 Jan. 12, 2024 Only* Dec. 1 – Dec. 11, 2023

*Licensed Only - January 17, 2024 will not be considered a Critical Day for the 2023-2024 school year.

Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day 2023-2024

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On behalf of Jordan School District (JSD), the HR Department will apply for a small surplus of USBE funds in Educator Licensing to support Utah educators seeking their professional educator license. In anticipation that JSD will receive some grant funding, HR will be contacting associate level educators who are in the process of obtaining their professional educator license and asking them to submit expenses they incurred from 7/1/2023 through 6/30/2024 while pursuing their professional license. APPEL educator PPAT expenses are currently reimbursed by school fund; therefore, do not qualify. All additional expenses may be eligible for reimbursement, if the employee submits their proof of enrollment in classes taken toward their professional educator license. This information from the employee must be received by December 8, 2023 and prior to the submission of this grant by the HR Department.

If you have questions regarding this grant or for a list of qualifying educators at your school/department location, please contact Brittany Bauer (secondary) at brittany.bauer@jordandistrict.org or Jane Olsen (elementary) at jane.olsen@jordandistrict.org.

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Holiday decorations add a joyous and festive mood to the holiday season, but when holiday decorations are not used properly they can turn from festive to fiery in a split second.

Jordan School District would like everyone to follow a few safety tips when decorating to avoid a tragic holiday and keep everyone safe.

See the flyer below for more information.

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DATE:  
November 27, 2023

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
Other Administrators

FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
Matt Alvernaz, School Safety Coordinator

SUBJECT:  
Standard Response Protocol (SRP) Training - REQUIRED

All schools are required to implement the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) tools in conjunction with the Incident Command System (ICS). To facilitate implementation and ensure that all administrators are trained in SRP four (4) trainings sessions have been scheduled. This is an opportunity to get in-person knowledge and clarity on SRP and how it may improve safety for students, staff, and patrons.

Administrators are required to attend one (1) of the training sessions listed below. If you attended one of the SRP training sessions held on Nov. 15th or 17th your attendance is NOT required.

Please sign up for one (1) of the following SRP training sessions by clicking on the link associated with the session. Each session will contain the same information.

  • Wednesday, December 6th, 2023
    8:00 AM to 9:00 AM at the ASB Presentation Room
    Sign up here
  • Wednesday, December 6th, 2023
    3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at JATC South
    Sign up here
  • Wednesday, December 13th, 2023
    3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at JATC South
    Sign up here
  • Thursday, December 14th, 2023
    8:00 AM to 9:00 AM at JATC South
    Sign up here

School Safety Specialists that were unable to attend one of the sessions in November may sign up for one these sessions. Schools are responsible to cover the cost of a substitute if one is needed.

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