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Date: September 24, 2021

From: Special Education Department

Subject:  Paraprofessional Training Courses

Basic Paraprofessional Course

All special education paraprofessionals that are new to the district (As of the 2021-22 school year) must take the Basic Paraprofessional Course. This course aligns with the Utah State Board of Education Paraprofessional Handbook on the critical understandings for a paraprofessional. It is a 5-hour Canvas course that the paraprofessional should complete off contract time. They may receive payment for up to 5 hours and will have 3 months to complete the course from the date they are invited to the Canvas course. Payment for the course follow verification of course completion.

Advanced Paraprofessional Course

All paraprofessionals that are assigned in a support classroom or special school must take the Advanced Paraprofessional Course. The objectives of this course focus on additional information on behavior, data collection, instruction, and the application of the coursework in their placement. This is a 35-hour course, with 20 hours of coursework on Canvas outside their school day and 15 hours of practical project. The para will get paid an hourly rate for up to 20 hours for the off-contract coursework. They are not eligible for payment for the 15-hour practical project because that time will occur during their contract time. It is anticipated that the completion of this course should take place over an extended period of time, but must be completed within six months of the date of the invitation to the course. Paraprofessionals will receive payment for the course and credit of completion after receipt of their timecard and verification of course completion.

*Paraprofessionals that have completed both courses and have worked for the district for at least one year may be eligible for a lane change from Lane 2 to Lane 3 if they meet the highly qualified requirement. Lane change requests must include the Lane Change form (attached in the Canvas course Completion Module) and a copy Certificate of Completion that the paraprofessional will receive via district mail after verification of course completion. The lane change request and certificate of completion should be emailed to Amanda Hamblin at amanda.hamblin@jordandistrict.org.

Goalview Paraprofessional Training

Secondary clerical paraprofessionals must complete the Basic Canvas course and the Paraprofessional Goalview training course before they are given access to Goalview.

Registration for All Courses

To register for any of the paraprofessional courses, the paraprofessional’s supervising teacher or team lead should email Malynda Tolbert at malynda.tolbert@jordandistrict.org with the paraprofessional’s name, school, assignment (e.g., cluster paraprofessional, resource paraprofessional, clerical paraprofessional), and the course that the paraprofessional should be registered. The paraprofessional will get a Canvas email invitation and an invitation from Malynda within 48 hours of the request. The supervising teacher or team lead will be cc’d on the invitation.

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The District website will be down for scheduled maintenance on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 1 - 10 p.m. This maintenance will only affect the main District website. Department and school websites as well as online services such as Skyward will not be effected.

You can go to websites.jordandistrict.org to access most of the features of the website. The full site, including documents and forms, will be available when the maintenance has concluded.

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Administrative Leadership Conference - August 2, 2022 - To be held at Mountain Creek Middle - All Administrators

Principal Meeting - August 4, 2022 -  To be held at the ASB - Principals only

District-wide Professional Development Day - August 11, 2022 - To be held at the Mountain America Exposition Center - For all licensed employees

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The final session of the optional training for office and administrative staff of schools and District offices will be held Thursday, October 14, 2021, beginning at 8:00 a.m.  There is space available for an additional 50 attendees.  If you would like to participate, please send an email to Lisa LeStarge at lisa.lestarge@jordandistrict.org and let her know you would like to sign-up to attend.  Attendees will receive an email the day prior to the training with instructions for connecting to the Zoom meeting.  The agenda is attached.

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The elementary progress reports have been changed to reflect the move from trimesters to quarters. As you work to help your teachers prepare for parent teacher conferences, please use the information in the September 2nd edition of JAM and this Elementary Progress Report table.

The content of the progress report has not changed. Please encourage your teachers to refer to the progress report rubric in order to provide a score for each indicator, including “Reads grade level text.” Teachers can determine if a student is reading at grade level by evaluating each student’s performance on a variety of tasks, including, but not limited to, student reading materials in Journeys, benchmarks, other formative assessments, and Acadience.

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We have been so excited to visit schools and see the great work you are doing with the implementation of Really Great Reading (RGR) and 95% Walk to Read. We have heard many teachers express their appreciation for the skills and knowledge they are gaining in LETRS training. We are working to ensure that all teachers receive their compensation in a timely manner and we appreciate your patience in this process. The following is an update on the payment processes:

  • All teachers should have received compensation for attending the summer literacy launch training. 
  • We anticipated RGR compensation would be included in the September paycheck; however, we’ve heard from some teachers that it was not and we apologize. All RGR timesheets have been turned in and should be in the October paycheck at the latest.  
  • We are currently processing the timesheets for the extra day that was given to teachers for implementation purposes.  
  • Compensation for LETRS training will be provided after completion of each unit (includes online modules, bridge-to-practice, and in-person training). Teachers are asked to submit this form upon completion of a unit. Submitted forms will be processed at the end of each month to be paid the following month. Teachers completing unit 1 by the end of October will receive a $100 incentive.

Please feel free to reach out to T&L if you have questions or concerns:

Sara Henderson 801-567-8161  |  Michelle Lovell 801-567-8087  |  Mandy Thurman 801-567-8119  |  Ronna Hoffman 801-567-8242  |  Shelley Nordick 801-567-8122

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We invite parents who are newcomers (refugee, immigrant, or asylee) to our school district to attend one monthly parent orientation to get information on how they can best help their child in school. Different dates and Interpreters will be provided. Please fill out this RSVP form.

 

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We will be having a Kindergarten Night Out on October 13th at 4:15 in the ASB Auditorium. Please invite all kindergarten teachers to join us! We will be talking about interventions for letter names and sounds and Acadience. The class is voluntary and teachers will not be paid, but they will receive relicensure points. 

 

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Utah State Senate Bill 150 requires schools to assess students three times per school year (fall, winter, & spring) and inform first, second, and third grade parents/guardians of whether or not their child is reading on grade level. Please send the attached letters home with your students to inform parents of their student’s beginning of year Acadience results by October 31. You may copy the letters onto your school letterhead and send the letters home with students.

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Microsoft has recently updated their Microsoft Office software, and it’s time to move forward with Microsoft Office 2021! Office 2019 is no longer available to purchase, and we are now required to purchase the 2021 version of the program for new computers or any computers at your school running something older than Microsoft Office 2019.

Please use the following information to purchase Microsoft Office 2021 software licenses moving forward:

  • Part# 021-10696 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for PC, per device. $50.67/each
  • Part# 3YF-00731 Microsoft Office 2021 Standard lifetime license for Mac, per device. $50.67.each

There is no shipping as these are electronically delivered. The vendor is Insight Public Sector.

Please note that Information Systems has not had an opportunity to test out this software. There could be a few issues with the software once you have it loaded on your machines. Information Systems will do their best to troubleshoot any problems that may arise. If significant issues occur, they may have to move you back to Office 2019 for a time until the bugs can be worked out, and then have Office 2021 reinstalled. Please be aware of this possibility.

Please contact Tonya Hodges in Purchasing at tonya.hodges@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8706 if you need assistance with these software licenses.

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DATE: October 7, 2021

TO: District Administrators

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

SUBJECT: Fall Enrollment as of October 1, 2021

Attached to this memo is District enrollment as of October 1, 2021. This report is subject to revision based on the USBE final review, expected by mid-October.

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School LAND Trust Items Due by October 1

Required school website postings
For detail see links to the Timeline and Requirements for School Websites. (Hard copy attached below)
Link to Timeline and Requirements for School Websites

Online Council Membership Form
From the LAND Trust State Office: Consistent with Utah Code and State Board rule, the Council Membership is due to be submitted on the website by October 1. To the extent possible, please complete that entry as soon as possible. The Principal Assurance statement is required but not by October 1. It is not working and is not saving data. Please let that go for a later entry. We expect that it could be submitted with the Final Report after the Winter Break.

Link to 2021 Fall School LAND Trust Timeline and Deadlines - previous JAM

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DATE:
September 30, 2021

TO:
All administrators

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

SUBJECT:
G Suite Content Monitoring (BARK) notification procedures

The G Suite content monitoring software (BARK) is now active. As the program begins roll-out and we get an idea of the implementation, you will begin receiving communications from Angie Rasmussen, the Student Safety and Wellness Specialist. Once an alert is received, an organized process will be followed and the attached document is an overview of how BARK alerts will be processed and communicated. Please review the attachment. Additional training and information will be provided as needed in coming weeks.

It will be critical that all administrators keep Angie Rasmussen’s contact information readily available (we would encourage you to keep her contact information in your cell phone contacts). Her contact information is:

Email:     angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org
Work Phone:     801-567-8197
Cell Phone:     801-859-5022

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we implement this critical safety and wellness measure. Please direct any questions directly to Angie.

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DATE:
Thursday, September 30, 2021

TO:  
Middle School Administrators
Elementary School Administrators

FROM:  
Shelley Nordick, Ph. D., 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: State Cohort Evidence Exchange: Utah Math Technology
Applicant: Emily Barton, University of Virginia on behalf of the STEM Action Center

The project has been approved by the District Research Review Committee. The applicant has been directed to contact you to discuss the extent of the project and to obtain your permission to conduct the study at your school. Participation in the study is at your discretion. If you have questions or concerns relating to participation, please contact Ben Jameson at 801-567-8243.

The project will involve teachers in your building who teach math all or part of the day. They will be asked to take two surveys on the use of math technology in their instruction.

Thank you for your assistance.

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DATE: 
September 23, 2021

TO:  
Principals
Assistant Principals

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

SUBJECT:  
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) – Assessment and Response

A threat is a behavior or communication of intent to harm that may be spoken, written, gestured, or expressed in some other form, such as text messaging, email, or other digital means. Expressions of intent to harm is considered a threat regardless of whether it is communicated to the intended target or if the intended target is aware of the threat. When in doubt, treat all communication or behavior as a threat and conduct a threat assessment.

When conducting a threat assessment, the communication or behavior is assessed to determine the level of response and/or intervention required. A transient threat means that there is no sustained intent to harm (exclusionary practices would not typically be used) and a substantive threat means the intent is present (or not clear) and therefore requires action (that may include exclusionary practices).

Schools are encouraged to use CSTAG assessment and response protocols for any threatening behavior or communication that is serious enough to generate an office referral or enough concern that the student may intend to harm someone in the future. Threat assessments do not need to be conducted for minor incidents or situations that are immediately resolved.  All CSTAG assessment and response protocols/forms are documented and retained by the school according to the records retention schedule for student records and are administered according to FERPA.

The CSTAG Forms are available on the Student Support Services website at:

https://studentsupport.jordandistrict.org/cstag-forms/

All forms are for your use and Jordan District has the necessary permissions allowing you to adapt them to your needs (the word version is also available online at www.SchoolTA.com). Please note that the administration of the Mental Health Assessment requires prior written parent/legal guardian consent (AA441-Privacy Rights-Students and Family).

It is important to remember that threat assessment is not a crisis response. If there is an indication that violence is imminent (e.g., person has a firearm at school or is on the way to school to attach someone), a crisis response is appropriate. Take immediate action such as calling 911 and follow the school crisis response plan.

Additional CSTAG manuals ($50) and/or Level 1 trainings ($85) are available at school cost. Please contact Travis Hamblin (801.567.8439) in Student Services should you have any questions or want any additional CSTAG manuals or Level 1 trainings for your staff.

All questions regarding threatening communication and behavior should be directed to Sharon Jensen (801.567.8187) in Student Support Services.

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DATE:   
September 30, 2021

TO:  
Building Principals
Administrative Assistants
Secondary Attendance Office Staff
Secondary Registrars

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

SUBJECT: 
Revision to Policy AS61 – Student Records and Transcripts

A revision to Policy AS61 - Student Records and Transcripts, was approved last night by the Board of Education. The text of the revision is attached to this memo. The change brings the policy into compliance with the requirements of FERPA and Utah law. Specifically, a non-custodial parent may now be added to Skyward as Family 2 and granted their own login and password to access grade information. Family 1 does not have the legal ability to consent to or approve this access. Schools must verify the identity of the individual requesting to be added as Family 2 and confirm their parental rights. This verification can be done through the student’s birth certificate and/or through court orders that confirm that the individual holds these rights.

Schools may elect to notify Family 1 when an individual with parental rights requests their access as Family 2 as a courtesy and to verify that there are not any updates to court orders that would prevent the access from being granted.

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Reminder:

Please complete the attached CPR/First Aid certification form and return it to the Nursing Services office (Nadine Page) by November 16, 2021.

Verify that at least three of the people listed will still be certified by the end of the 2021-22 school year. The certifications need to stay current for the entire school year.

Information regarding the CPR/First Aid certification process can be found here.

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DATE: 
October 1, 2021

TO: 
All Medicaid Time Study Participants
Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Aides, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapist Aides, School Psychologists, Elementary Counselors, Elementary School Social Workers, Audiologists, Speech and Language Pathologists and Assistants, RNs, LPNs, Augmentative/Assistive Communication Teams, and all Special Education Staff and Assistants Providing Direct Services

FROM:
Lisa Robinson, Administrator of Schools
Kim Lloyd, Director of Special Education
Kami Ridd, Coordinator - Health Services Department

SUBJECT: 
Procedures for the 1st Medicaid Random Moment Time Study of 2021-2022 School Year

MEDICAID RANDOM MOMENT TIME STUDY
Friday, October 1, 2021
and continue through the end of the day
Friday, December 31, 2021

You have been identified as a participant in the Medicaid Time Studies during the 21-22 school year.

This year, the State of Utah has transitioned to a new way of completing the time study. Instead of entering codes for activities that you are doing for a 5-day week, for 3 different times during the school year, we will be using a model called “Random Moment Time Study”.

This model will ask you what you are doing for a 15 minute “moment” in your work day. Our vendor will randomly select a participant from our district participant list and send out an email asking simple questions about what you were doing during the “moment” selected.

If you are randomly selected, you will receive an email notification 24 hours prior to your selected moment in time. The emails will come from utmac@pcgus.com.

The email notification will provide you with a link to access the on-line Random Moment Time Study form. The hyperlink to respond to the moment will be included in the email. Email notification will be sent 24 hours before the moment and again at the exact time of the moment.

Notifications for completion will continue to be sent at 24 hours, 48 hours, and again at 68 hours after the moment has passed. After the 3rd reminder notice you will only have 4 hours to complete the study. Failure to complete the time study within the 3-day timeframe eliminates our ability to include that portion in our time-study reimbursements.

The first-time study window is from October 1 through December 31, 2021. You may be chosen multiple times or not at all. You will receive a randomly generated time study email anytime during this window. Please check your email each work day during normal work hours. 

We are excited that this new method for required participation is available and more conscientious of your time and hope that it will ease the burden that has existed in the past. We so appreciate all your efforts to document these crucial services to students. Your efforts assist us in helping to secure beneficial funds for our students and programs. Thanks again for all you do.

Questions – please reach out to Kami or Ruth in the Health Service office:

Kami Ridd
801-567-8516
kami.ridd@jordandistrict.org

Ruth Hendriksen
801-567-8515
ruth.hendriksen@jordandistrict.org

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