Jordan Employee Memos

The Blomquist Hale Newsletter for the quarter has arrived. In this issue, you will find articles on:

Better Sleep: Why It’s Important - Sleep has become a precious commodity. We love it, we need it, yet many of us rarely get enough. Busy schedules, family responsibilities, stress, and technology can all interfere with a good night’s rest. Getting sufficient sleep is essential for maintaining both your physical and emotional health. How you feel during the day is closely connected to how well you sleep at night. While you rest, your body works hard to support healthy brain function and restore your overall well-being. Quality sleep promotes growth, heart health, weight management, stronger immunity, sharper focus, and better memory. It allows your mind to repair, recharge, and process the day’s experiences, preparing you to function at your best. Developing habits that promote better sleep is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your health. In this newsletter, you’ll find practical strategies and simple tools to help you improve your sleep hygiene, enhance your well-being, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. 5 Steps to Improve Your Sleep Better Sleep - Why It’s Important Relaxing or Wind-Down Techniques

5 Steps to Improve Your Sleep - Keep a regular wake-up time. Power down devices. Limit naps. Make it dark. Keep it cool.

Relaxing or Wind-Down Techniques - Creating a relaxing bedtime routine helps signal to your body and mind that it’s time to slow down and prepare for rest. Gentle relaxation techniques can reduce stress, calm racing thoughts, and make it easier to drift into a peaceful sleep.

• Q1 2026 Blomquist Hale Newsletter

Check out the links below for the latest updates from Teaching & Learning for the month. Learn Tips and Tricks, Sign Up for Upcoming PD, and Learn about Important Updates from the T & L team.

• Digital Discovery
• Jordan CTE
• Secondary Math
• Elementary Math
• Secondary Science
• Secondary ELA
• PE
• World Languages
• Elementary Science
• Elementary ELA
• Health
• Gifted & Talented
• Secondary Social Studies
• Elementary Social Studies
• Elementary Library
• Fine Arts
• Data & Assessment High School 
• Data & Assessment Middle School
• Data & Assessment Elementary School
• Jordan Credit Center

Jan. 2026 Teaching & Learning Newsletter

Human Resources is excited to announce that the application period for next year’s BYU CFA for Elementary is currently open! This is an incredible opportunity to become a core member of the Jordan/BYU partnership team. Join us in shaping the future of education and inspiring the next generation of educators attending BYU.

Application Process:
To apply, please ensure you submit an application to both the internal Jordan School District posting and the BYU posting. The links to these applications can be found on the respective websites.

Requirements:

• Educational Background: A Bachelor’s degree is required, with a Master’s degree being preferred.
• Experience: Demonstrated public school teaching experience in grades K-6. Previous experience as a mentor or cooperating teacher to teacher candidates is highly desirable.

Application Checklist:

1. Jordan School District Application:
   • Submit your application through the internal posting.
   • Attach three letters of recommendation.
   • Include a current resume or vita.
2. BYU Application:
   • Complete your application on the BYU Faculty Jobs website.

Important Deadline:

All applications must be submitted by 11:59 o.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. Don't miss this chance to be part of the BYU partnership committed to educational excellence.

For additional information about this position, please refer to the detailed description available on BYU Faculty Jobs website.

The Health & Wellness team knows this school year has asked a lot of you—professionally and personally. As part of our ongoing commitment to staff well-being, the team wants to make you aware of a free resource available to all JSD employees.

District employees can receive complimentary access to "Mindfulness for Humans," an evidence-based, self-paced program designed to help reduce stress, support emotional resilience, and promote sustainable well-being for educators and staff. Access to this course is usually $179!

The course is completely self-paced, so you can begin at any time and move through it as your schedule allows. For those who would appreciate additional connection and structure, Dr. Jared Warren (clinical psychologist and mindfulness researcher) will be facilitating an optional online JSD cohort beginning Monday, Jan. 26.

What to expect:

• Practical tools for managing stress and emotional fatigue
• Short lessons that fit into busy schedules
• Research-informed practices focused on real-life application
• An optional guided cohort/community for shared learning and support
• Participation is entirely optional, and there is no cost to JSD staff.>

Some District employees are familiar with this curriculum through research with Dr. Warren and Katelyn Jackman from BYU; the results of those studies confirmed significant reductions in teacher stress, anxiety, and depression, and significant increases in well-being, resilience, and life satisfaction.

Here are a few representative teacher comments:

“When I began this course, I didn’t expect to see immediate benefits. However, within a few days, I noticed a discernible decrease in anxiety around work-related matters.”
• “I have felt a genuine shift in my mental health and emotions through this course.”
• "When I was stressed after a week of online teaching and virtual parent teacher conferences, I knew where to find a calm reset. Knowing I have the tools to break a cycle of intensity and anxiety to allow rest and reflection was powerful. It is worth the time to practice additional tools for bringing a sense of calm and hopefulness amidst a busy day.”

If you’d like to access this proven resource for improving well-being and resilience, please email the Health & Wellness team at wellness@jordandistrict.org to get the enrollment link! The team hopes this resource is helpful and supportive as you navigate the remainder of the school year.

Let URS help you understand your benefits and plan a bright future. Whether you're age 20 or 90, whether you have three months or 30 years until retirement... This is for you.

Come learn about your URS benefits. Open to ALL full and part-time employees. Each session will cover URS savings plans along with Tier 1 and Tier 2 pension systems.

• Jan. 12, 2026 | Bingham High Tech Atrium | 4 -5:30 p.m.
• Feb. 11, 2026 | Herriman High Media Center | 5 -6:30 p.m.
• March 5, 2026 | Copper Hills High Media Center | 4 -5:30 p.m.
• April 13, 2026 Riverton High Media Center | 5 -6:30 p.m.

• Winter 2026 URS Retirement Presentation Schedule Flyer

Explore Adobe, Canvas, Google, Nearpod, and Canva, Mastery Connect, and SchoolAI with the DTL team.  Complete the Google Form below to express your interest in taking an online class from DTL.

Classes begin on Jan. 12, 2026 in Canvas. Contact Jared Covili, jared.covili@jordandistrict.org, with any questions.

• DTL Winter Tech Classes Application

This is the final reminder of the remaining ASPEN training sessions for the 2025-26 school year. ASPEN training is required during the 2025-26 school year for all licensed special education teachers, SLPs, school psychologists, elementary school counselors, as well as all Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in SEB and Autism self-contained support classrooms who do not have a current Mandt certification. Staff members working in any other special education setting may choose to attend ASPEN at the discretion of their building administrator and at the cost of their school.

Full ASPEN Certification (Full-day training)
Staff who have not previously completed the full ASPEN certification training and those who did not meet the yearly recertification requirement last school year must register for the in-person, whole-day training. Training dates, times, and Canvas Catalog registration links are attached to this memo. There are four remaining sessions this school year. Seats are limited, so please register for your preferred date as soon as possible.

ASPEN Recertification (Half-day training)
Staff who participated in a full certification or recertification ASPEN training last school year are required to take an ASPEN recertification class this year. Recertification courses will be offered both in-person and online. Register on Canvas Catalog for the preferred format as soon as possible.

In-Person Recertification: Two recertification in-person sessions remain for this year.
Enrollment is limited, and seats will be filled on a “first-come, first-served” basis for those who prefer this option.

Online Recertification: Those registered for an online recertification section will have two weeks during which they can complete the coursework at their own pace. The course is expected to take approximately 3 hours and should be completed during available contract time (licensed) or scheduled daily hours (ESPs). One online section is still available this school year. The date for this session is attached to this memo. This section is open for all settings.

Substitute Coverage (Licensed)
The Special Education Department will cover the cost of substitutes for licensed special education teachers who attend the full certification or in-person recertification. Please use budget code 1292. If there is more than one teacher or ESP who needs ASPEN training from the same building, please consider having them attend on different dates in order to maintain adequate coverage in your school. Part-time ESPs are ineligible for substitute coverage. Counselors and School Psychologists should coordinate ASPEN attendance with their principal to maintain adequate coverage in their building.

Claiming Hours (ESPs)
For the full-day ASPEN certification, part-time ESPs will be asked to use True Time to record their hours on the day of the training. Because the full-day training is 8 hours, this will require ESPs to work with their administrator to adjust their hours during the week of the training so they don’t exceed their allotted weekly hours.

For Administrators: If you are interested in accessing the ASPEN content, please contact Cassidy for the Totem ASPEN online version for principals.

ASPEN 2025-2026 schedule
Register for classes on Canvas Catalog using the links provided

Full Certification (In-Person Sessions)
For new employees and those who have never taken ASPEN

Recertification (In-Person Sessions)
For employees who have taken ASPEN full certification and prefer in-person recertification.

Recertification (Online Sessions)
For employees who have taken ASPEN full certification and prefer online recertification.

For questions, please contact: megan.ruff@jordandistrict.org or cassidy.hansen@jordandistrict.org

• Memo - Required ASPEN Training For Special Education Personnel, School Psychologists, and Elementary Counselors 2025-26

The Health & Wellness Team is offering a cohort of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to ALL employees on Tuesdays and Thursdays through January and February. This is an amazing opportunity to experience mindfulness, which is an impactful way to reduce stress. It's $35 to sign up and participants keep their cushion! This is an incredible value because an MBSR class is usually $200-$700! Sign up using this link or the QR code on the attached flyer.

MBSR is an interactive 8-session program that combines mindfulness techniques with movement and meditation to help us respond to stressors in a mindful way.

Class Schedule:

• Tuesday/Thursday Jan. 22 - Feb. 19, 4 - 6 p.m. (No class Feb. 12)
• All-Day Retreat Saturday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. -3 p.m.
• All Classes will be held at South Jordan Middle

Learning to practice mindfulness provides a way of relating directly with whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life, of consciously and systematically noticing and responding to your own stress and pain, and to the challenges and demands of living. This starts with cultivating present-moment attention in an open, nonjudgmental way. MBSR is a nonsectarian, scientifically researched approach that is in harmony with any faith-based tradition.

• "I had a life-altering experience at the MBSR Course"
• "I am so beyond grateful and changed by this experience"
• "(our instructor) said we would be changed after this course and I am. The changes pop up in the most interesting situations. A negative comment that doesn't trigger you like it did in the past, going on vacation and being so present versus worrying about all the details. It's all been so amazing and has helped me be so much more authentic. My true self has been buried beneath my burdens and she has finally found away to dig her way out of the hole that stress and anxiety has trapped her in. Just amazing!"

Learn more about MBSR at the link below.

• Brown University Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Cohort Flyer
• Sign up for the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through Eventbrite

Teachers, School Counselors, and Aides...

January's CTE Career Banner Spotlight is an Animal Nutritionist.

• CTE Elementary Career Exploration Lessons (including Math Lessons)

You can find this month's CTE Career Exploration lesson and math worksheets, and all future ones, by visiting the Elementary Career Exploration Lessons page at cte.jordandistrict.org.

Please reach out to angie.pommerening@jordandistrict.org if you need help with implementing these lessons or with career readiness activities at the elementary level. We are happy to help. We can't wait to see how you use these fun new resources in your classrooms!

Blomquist Hale has one workshop coming up in January.

• Topic: Work-Life Balance
  Date: Jan. 23
  Time: 12 – 1 p.m.
  Location: Online!

To register for any upcoming workshops, please visit blomquisthale.com/workshops/

Blomquist Hale also has two support groups coming up! See attached support group flyers and details outlined below.

• Topic: Relationship Improvement Group
  Dates: Jan. 6 and Jan. 20 (continues every other week)
  Time: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. MT
  Location: Online!
• Topic: We Are Here (LGBTQIA+)
  Date: Jan. 7 and Jan. 21 (occurs the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of every month)
  Time: 12 – 1 p.m. MT
  Location: Online!

To register for any upcoming support groups, please visit blomquisthale.com/support-groups/

• Jan. 2026 Blomquist Hale Workshops & Support Groups Flyers

If you have any questions, please contact Jordan Insurance Services at 801-567-8146 or insurance@jordandistrict.org.

Secondary Science, Health, CTE, and Psychology Teachers,

The updated parental consent forms (including translations) and law and policy course are available on the USBE Health Education webpage. Given the fact that there have been changes to the law, we highly recommend ALL educators teaching any aspect of sex education complete the updated Canvas course as there were significant law changes due to HB 281. This online training course is designed for Utah educators teaching sex education topics as part of health education, CTE, science, and psychology courses. This Canvas course covers Utah law and policy for sex education addressing Utah State Law (53G-10-402) and Utah State Board of Education rule (R277-474).  

Educators will enroll from the USBE Canvas Catalog and upon completion, they will be issued a certificate of completion in their Student Dashboard of the USBE Catalog. 

If you have any questions please reach out to the following;

• Nate Foster - Health/PE Specialist - Nate.Foster@Jordandistrict.org
• Lynsey Williams - Secondary Science Specialist - Lynsey.Williams@Jordandistrict.org

Jordan School District Board authorizes up to four (4) full-time employees to be selected for leave.

Sabbatical Leave
Sabbatical leave provides a 1-year leave for professional study. Educators who have completed at least 7 years of continuous service in JSD may apply. Employees on sabbatical leave receive one-half of their salary. Please read Policy DP333 Neg – Sabbatical Leave for complete information. Applications are reviewed by the Local Professional Improvement Committee and approved by the Board.

Educational Leave
Educators who have worked in Jordan School District for at least three (3) consecutive years may apply for an Educational Leave. Educational leaves are for continued study and must include an outline of studies along with the application. Please read Policy DP332 NEG – Educational Leave for complete information. Educational Leave is without pay.

Applications for 2026-27 Sabbatical and Educational Leaves are due Feb.1, 2026. Additional questions can be referred to Chris Westra, 801-567-8657.

Each year, the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals (UAESP) gives the Jordan Association of Elementary School Principals (JAESP) the opportunity to celebrate elementary principals for the great work they are doing in their schools. The categories are:

• Rookie of the Year (a principal in their first 3 years)
• Innovator of the Year
• Community Leader of the Year
• Student Advocate Principal of the Year
• Instructional Leader of the Year
• Principal Mentor of the Year

If you feel that an elementary principal has done exceptional work, we invite you to nominate them for an award by using the link below. 

• 2025-2026 Principal Recognition Award Form

This survey closes on Friday, Jan. 30 at 11:59 p.m.

The JSD Teachers for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Team has created a monthly newsletter.  The full newsletter for this month can be found at the link below. Stories include:

Building Community - Making friends is hard! Add a communication barrier, and it compounds the difficulty. Things you
can do: Choose agreeable and patient partners; Give an extra measure of time for group work; Provide communication tools
like a fingerspelling chart; Allow the interpreter to explain their role for interpreting among peers; Hold the DHH student accountable for their portion of the work; Encourage play vs isolation; Keep groups small, the interpreter isn’t part of the group; Explicitly teach the skills for clear communication.

Tips for Clear Communication - Always face the student you are addressing; Make sure you have the student’s attention before you start speaking; Do not speak too loudly or exaggerate lip movements for the student who is lip-reading; Repeat or rephrase the message if the student seems confused; Write down the message you are trying to communicate; Act out the message or use visual cues or symbols; Do not become frustrated, aggravated, or say “never mind” when communication is difficult; Look for activities where less talk is required, such as sports, puzzles, computers, or board games.

Closed Captioning - Just a friendly reminder to make sure all videos are accessible by turning on closed captioning or subtitles.

• Jan. 2026 Incidental Learning DHH Tips for Teachers Newsletter

The Jan. 2026 important Payroll information is now available and can be viewed using the following link:

January 2026 Important Payroll Information

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Information Systems wants you to be aware of upcoming, essential maintenance that will affect the availability of internet and core Skyward systems from Sunday, Dec. 28 through Wednesday, Dec. 31.

Technicians will be performing a major equipment upgrade to ensure continued system performance and reliability.

The following major systems will be inaccessible during the entire maintenance window:

• Skyward Finance System
• Skyward Student System
• Phone Systems Including Voicemail 
• Internet Connectivity
• Department and School Websites

Please know these systems will not be accessible until the upgrade is fully completed and systems are verified as operational.

We recommend all users ensure they have collected any critical information, reports, or documentation needed for year-end or beginning-of-year tasks prior to the start of the upgrade on Dec. 28.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as Information Systems completes this critical infrastructure upgrade to improve the performance and stability of our systems.

Jordan School District is implementing a new online benefit enrollment platform, Employee Navigator in Jan. 2026.  Previously we used InfinityHR/Arcoro to capture our employees' benefit elections.  Effective Dec. 23, 2025, this program will no longer be available to our employees.

If you were recently hired and have not completed your benefit elections, please complete the Employee Benefit Enrollment Form 2025-26 that can be found on the Insurance Services website.  Please bring the completed form to Insurance Services by Jan. 9, 2026.

If you are an existing employee and you have experienced a qualifying event and need to make changes to your benefits, please use the enrollment form referenced above and make the necessary change. Please bring the completed form to Insurance Services by Jan. 9, 2026.

If you have any questions or issues, please contact Insurance Services  at 801-567-8146 or insurance@jordandistrict.org. Insurance Services we will be back in the office on Friday, January 2nd.  Because of the system issues, if you have an event that is due during the holiday break, your new due date will be Jan. 9, 2026.

Have a wonderful holiday and feel free to reach out to us after the first of the year with any questions or assistance.