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DATE:
October 7, 2023

TO: 
Principals
All Special Educators and Related Service Providers

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

SUBJECT:
Important Deadline--Please Read Immediately
SCRAM Data Due by the end of day Monday, November 6, 2023
Updating SCRAM for December 1 Funding Count


We are fast approaching our December 1 SCRAM count deadline. Special Education Resource and SCSC Team Leaders will soon receive a SCRAM report via District Mail of all students who are currently receiving services through your school’s special education program(s). Please pay special attention to the students with the “SCRAM School” highlighted. These students have obvious errors and will need a new SCRAM submitted. These errors are students who are new to your school and are not yet scrammed at your location, likely because they came from preschool or a different school in the district. All team members and service providers need to verify each student on this list as either correct, changed, exited/moved, and/or incomplete. Since only one copy is being sent per “team” (i.e., Resource and SCSC), it is important that resource teams, SCSC teams, SLPs, Guidance Specialists and other itinerant providers work together to check and complete the requested information. It is important to verify every student. Each team member must review and initial the report before returning it to the Special Education Department. Please only return the one original report with all signatures and updated SCRAM documents, please do not send in multiple copies of the report.

We realize that our timeline is VERY tight. Please only send in SCRAM documents for those students who have an error or need a change or correction in services, not those on the report that are already correct. The service provider can be changed on the report without sending in a new scram document by crossing out the current provider and writing in the new one.

All Corrections and SCRAM reports are Due:  By 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 6, 2023

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DATE:
Thursday, October 4, 2023

TO:
All School Administrators
All Administrative Assistants

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

SUBJECT:
2023-24 Stakeholder Input Survey – Preparation and Administration Details


The 2023-24 Stakeholder Input Survey will be administered to parents, school employees, and students in grades K-12 beginning Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and ending Tuesday, November 21, 2023. All parents, licensed educators, education support professionals and students should be invited and encouraged to participate in the survey.

Survey respondents have the opportunity to take part of the survey for school individual principals, assistant principals, classroom teachers and licensed support staff (i.e., instructional coaches, counselors, school psychologists, speech language pathologists, library media coordinators, cluster leaders, etc.). Thus, we need to ensure that the survey contains an accurate list of each school’s licensed educators for whom respondents can take the survey.

The table below contains a unique link for each school that will direct viewers to a list of licensed staff that has been downloaded from Skyward. Administrative assistants are asked to verify the accuracy of that list, adding or deleting licensed educators as necessary. Staff verification lists need to be verified by Friday, October 13, 2023. This will allow enough time for Evaluation, Research & Accountability to upload the staff lists into the survey. Once the survey begins, we will be unable to add or delete any staff, so it is essential that administrative assistants carefully verify the accuracy of these lists.

The staff verification list should contain all licensed educators:

  • Principal
  • Assistant principals
  • Counselors and social workers
  • Teachers
  • School psychologists
  • Speech language pathologists
  • Library media specialists/coordinators
  • Cluster leaders
  • Instructional, technology, literacy, Title I or any other licensed academic coaches (non-licensed or athletic coaches need not be included unless they fill one of the above listed roles)
  • Any other licensed and certified educators at your school

Please see the table in the attachment to access your school’s staff verification list.

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DATE:
October 2, 2023

TO:
All Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
FREE! Teacher Well-Being Course with Practical Strategies


Jordan District educators are invited to participate in our 2023 FREE Educator Well-Being Continuing Ed Courses for administrators, teachers, counselors, and specialists. This course is an opportunity to address your own well-being by exploring practical strategies associated with connection, happiness, self-care, conflict resolution, growth mindset, problem-solving, and more! Collaborate, learn from, and connect with other educators throughout the District as you work towards meeting your own wellness goals.

This course is FREE for JSD employees and Fall, Winter, and Summer sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited for this great opportunity! 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:
September 22, 2023

TO: 
Principals
Special Education Teachers (Resource & Cluster)

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

SUBJECT:
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Testing Checklist


You are required to complete and return the checklist to Jen Birrell for all elementary teachers and Mikaylee Krebs for all secondary teachers at the District Office by Thursday, December 21, 2023. This form is also available online at specialed.jordandistrict.org/staff/forms on the Special Education website.

If you need help completing any portion of this checklist, please contact the Teacher Specialist assigned to your school.

Please direct any questions or concerns to Jen Birrell at 801-567-8905 or Mikaylee Krebs 801-567-8356. jennifer.birrell@jordandistrict.org, mikaylee.krebs@jordandistrict.org

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The BYU CITES Learning Edge Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, 2023. The theme of the conference is “Building Relationships, Connecting Through Content.” Our own Dr. Godfrey will be a featured presenter, along with national and local voices. The conference flier is attached, and you can also learn more about it at this link.

This is an optional conference. Teaching and Learning will cover the registration for one admin per school. Contact Camille Kartchner to submit the admin name for registration: camille.kartchner@jordandistrict.org or 88138. Additional registrations and any incurring substitute costs will be paid from school funds, such as TSSA.

 

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DATE:
Thursday, October 5, 2023

TO:
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:
Earbud Orders for State Testing


Students will have the option to have text read to them on the RISE Summative and Utah Aspire Plus Summative testing systems once again this year. For students in grades 3-6, the Acadience Reading Daze test will also have audio functions. Principals or their designee are encouraged to place an order for student earbuds. Please place your order by Wednesday, November 1st.

To place an order, please click here.

Earbuds may be used for other district- or state-mandated tests, but schools will need to create a system by which the same student uses the same earbuds throughout the year as there is no additional funding to purchase more than one pair of earbuds per student.

If schools wish to purchase additional earbuds for other uses, school administrators are welcome to contact Gaylene Miller in Evaluation, Research & Accountability at 801-567-8185 who can share the purchasing information and quotes used to acquire these earbuds.

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DATE:  
Thursday, October 5, 2023

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators

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

SUBJECT: 
Research Project


The Research Review Committee has reviewed a research project in which your school has been asked to participate.

Project Title: Teacher Self-Efficacy in the Moral Work of Teaching

Applicant: Sarah Clark and Rich Osguthorpe, BYU-Provo

The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. Teachers will receive an emailed invitation to participate in a survey. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.

Thank you for your assistance.

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Employee Health and Wellness Day is back for 2024! There will be free offers, discounts, in-person, and virtual activities on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.

We are very appreciative of community partners who are supporting our Health and Wellness Day!

More details for Health and Wellness Day will be coming soon. Watch for updates in JAM!

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One way to streamline communication despite language barriers is by showing parents and guardians how to translate Skyward into any language. Each user can translate the Skyward site into their preferred language with just a few clicks in Google Chrome. Check out the video below to see how.

Skyward in Any Language

*Hint - This tool works on other websites too! Be sure to share this link with families and guardians.

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DATE:    
September 27, 2023

TO:  
School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
SRO Training Follow-Up


A training for School Resource Officers (SRO’s) was held on September 8, 2023 in the ASB presentation room. Below is the video recording of that training for your convenience.

ACCESS THE VIDEO HERE

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DATE: 
September 28, 2023

TO: 
Principals
Assistant Principals
School Safety Specialists

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

SUBJECT:  
Standard Response Protocol (SRP)/Incident Command Training **SAVE THE DATE**


Training for the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and Incident Command will be held at the JATC South on the following dates (choose one date and one time):

  • Wednesday, November 15, 2023
    • 11:00am – 1:00pm
    • 1:30pm – 3:30pm
  • Friday, November 17, 2023
    • 8:00am – 10:00am
    • 10:30am – 12:30pm

This training is for any who have responsibility within the Incident Command system (including schools, the District Office, ASB, Transportation, or other location). Administrators assigned as the school safety administrator and all School Safety Specialists should attend.

The training will be focused on SRP and Incident Command as well as the roles/responsibilities of the School Safety Specialist and school administrator. School-based safety administrators and specialists will receive materials and information to conduct SRP/Incident Command trainings in schools.

No sign up required to attend. Please mark on your calendars the date and time that best works for you and your school.

Please forward this information to your School Safety Specialist or others you deem appropriate.

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DATE:  
September 29, 2023

TO: 
All School Administrators

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

SUBJECT:  
Suicide Prevention Conference Opportunities


Student Services is continuing to offer training opportunities for school mental health team members with suicide prevention funds. We will be sponsoring the registration fees for school-based mental health staff for either the upcoming UVU Conference on Mental Health (taking place during Fall Break) or the Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference (register for one of the two days or both days). It is expected that staff members receive permission from their administration before registering and ensure that their schools have adequate coverage. An email will be sent to school-based mental health team members with a form to register for one or the other. Please be advised that we are not sponsoring the online or virtual option. This is for in-person attendance only which may be verified after the conference as per grant requirements.

Here is more information about each conference.

2023 UVU Conference on Mental Health, October 27

Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference,  December 4 & 5 at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo UT

The deadline to respond is October 18, 2023 by 5:00 pm.

If any of your school’s mental health team members (school counselors, school psychologists, or clinical support/social workers) would like to attend, please share the form or have them reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.

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Deadline for submissions is now October 4, 2023

Interviews will be held on Friday, October 13, 2023 - Interview Application Link

See the attached flyer for all the details and the link to the interview application.

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DATE: 
Thursday, September 28, 2023

TO: 
Elementary School Administrators

FROM: 
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
Rebecca Smith, Consultant, Gifted & Talented

SUBJECT: 
6th Grade CogAT Test Administration Training


The test administration window for the 6th grade CogAT opens October 23rd and closes December 1st. 6th grade teachers, in collaboration with school test coordinators, can administer this assessment to their classes.

A test administration training is being offered to school test coordinators as well as 6th grade teachers. School administrators may attend a training session, but it is not required. Testing pool hours may be used for ESPs who are attending a training session outside of their usual hours. There is no funding for substitutes; thus, schools will need to cover the cost of a substitute if a classroom teacher is attending a training session. Attendees should bring a device to the training.

Below are the training session dates, times, and locations. Those who are planning to attend a training session should sign up here.

Date Time Location
Tuesday, October 17 9:00 – 10:30 am Presentation Room

7905 South Redwood Rd., West Jordan

Entrance C

12:30 – 2:00 pm
Wednesday, October 18 9:00 – 10:30 am
12:30 – 2:00 pm

Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability or Rebecca Smith and Taryn Cox in Gifted & Talented with questions.

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