Author: communications

Utah Retirement Systems will be available for one-on-one retirement planning sessions at the Jordan School District Office Building in the Payroll conference room on Friday, September 27, 2019 and Thursday October 10, 2019.

Advanced registration is required so please see the instructions below to register for an appointment on the URS website.  Appointments fill quickly so don’t delay.  However, counseling sessions are available at other locations that are also listed on the URS website.

1. Go to www.urs.org.
2. Log into your myurs account by clicking on LOGIN in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Click on the Education Tab.
4. Click on “Individual Retirement Planning Sessions”.
5. Find the session that works best for you.  Select the session to reserve your appointment.
6. Please be sure to bring your estimated annual salary (if close to retirement include your 3 or 5 highest years), any retirement plan balances outside of URS, and your Social Security statement (get yours at www.ssa.gov).

The Utah Council for the Social Studies annual fall conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 2 at South Jordan Middle School from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Register through Eventbrite

Registration options include: Individual registration $30, You & a friend $50, Social Studies Department or grade level team $100.  Lane change credit will be given and breakfast and lunch provided.

The keynote speaker is a former POW, held in a Vietnamese prison.  For details on other sessions, see attached flyer.

During the 2019-20 school year, the Department of Teaching and Learning, in partnership with Southern Utah University, will sponsor classes for a Gifted and Talented Teaching Endorsement.

How will a GT teaching endorsement benefit me?

• A GT endorsement will build a knowledge base about an important sector of education.
• A GT endorsement will help teachers build a repertoire of strategies to challenge all students by adding depth, complexity, higher-order thinking, and creativity to daily instruction.
• A GT endorsement will help teachers develop differentiation strategies to better meet the unique needs of high-ability learners in all classrooms.
• A GT endorsement will qualify educators to teach in an ALPS classroom and to hold other positions in gifted and talented programming.

What are the credit requirements for a GT endorsement?

• 16 semester hours of graduate-level course work is required for a GT endorsement.
  • Twelve semester credit hours earned in four core classes:
  • 5400 3 Credit Hours Education of the Gifted and Talented & Practicum
  • 5420 3 Credit Hours Identification/Evaluation in Gifted Education & Practicum
  • 5430 3 Credit Hours Curriculum/Materials in Gifted Education & Practicum
  • 5440 3 Credit Hours Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted & Practicum
• 4 semester hours of elective credit:
  • Elective credit can be obtained in a variety of ways, including conference attendance, credit earned in another endorsement, an optional class in creativity, and more.

What are the current costs for a GT endorsement?

• SUU Recording Fees: $23 per credit hour / $69 per 3-hour core class.
• Books: $50.00 (approximate) per core class.
• Elective Credit: Fees will vary depending upon the type of class(es) used for credit.
• Please note: These fees are set by outside entities and are subject to change.

What format will be used for instruction? When and where will the classes be held?

• Jordan School District instructors will teach classes in a blended format with two sessions each week:
  • One session will be held in a traditional face-to-face (F2F) format.
  • One session will be a virtual/online (V) session and will include practical applications.
• Face-to-Face classes will be held on Tuesdays from 4:30-7:30 in the PDC classrooms at the Auxiliary Services Building (ASB) on 7905 South Redwood Road.
• Each core class will last approximately eight weeks. Using a hybrid of face-to-face and virtual/online format, the four core classes can be completed in one school year.

Are you interested in joining the 2019-2020 GT Endorsement cohort?

• Please complete the online form
• Please contact Rebecca Smith at 801-567-8368 with any questions you may have.

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The Youth Mental Health First Aid Course will be held at Fort Herriman Middle School on Sept. 18 from 4 – 8 p.m.

You must register to take this course by emailing sharon.steadman@jordandistrict.org.

Ballet West is again providing free presentations of the following ballets in the Capitol Theater:

• Story Ballet: The Song of the Nightingale (Grades 2-12)
• Fairy Tale Theatre: Snow White (Grades 1-120
• The Nutcracker (Grades 1-12)
• Giselle (Grades 3-12)
• The Dream (Grades 1-12)

Each hour-long program begins with an educational introduction and is followed by a portion of the repertoire currently being performed for the general public.

Please refer to this spreadsheet for the dates, times, and Jordan District seating allotments of the performances. If any of your teachers are interested in having their classes attend any of the performances, please have them contact Verlene Jensen at 801-567-8296.

Please be aware that Ballet West will not be covering the costs of transportation.

You are invited to share the following information about the upcoming Jordan Parent University.

This event is free and open to the public and will help parents and students prepare for the future after high school. A wide variety of resources will be available at this open house to help guide you on a path to success for your student.

Jordan Parent University will be held Thursday, Sept. 19 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at JATC South, 12723 South Park Ave, Riverton.

The following new administrative assignments will be effective starting in September (as indicated below). An application for the consultant in Planning & Student Services position (currently held by Travis Hamblin) will be posted at workatjordan.org in the near future. Additional information regarding changes that have been made to the organizational structure will be shared soon.

• New Assignments effective Sept. 16:
  • Cody Curtis, principal at Copper Mountain Middle School, appointed Middle School Level Administrator of Schools.
  • Stacy Evans, staff assistant in Teaching & Learning, appointed staff assistant in Equity & Compliance.
  • Travis Hamblin, consultant in Planning & Student Services, appointed director of Student Services. 
  • Amy Kinder, achievement coach in Canyons School District, appointed administrator on special assignment in Teaching & Learning.
  • Christen Richards-Khong, principal at Bingham High, appointed staff assistant in Teaching & Learning.
  • Rodney Shaw, administrator on special assignment in Teaching & Learning, appointed principal at Bingham High School.
  • Lauren Peacock, assistant principal at Fort Herriman Middle, appointed principal at Copper Mountain Middle School.
  • Raimee Jensen, teacher specialist in Teaching & Learning, appointed intern assistant principal at Fort Herriman Middle School.
• New Assignments effective Sept. 27:
  • Michelle Kilcrease, assistant principal at West Hills Middle, appointed administrator on special assignment in Teaching & Learning.
  • Marni Davis, achievement coach in Canyons School District, appointed assistant principal at West Hills Middle School.

Here are the presentation materials from educator and author, Tim Kanold.

Mr. Kanold was the keynote speaker at last week's Professional Development Day for teachers, administrators and classified employees.

Slide & Note Handout Sheets for Tim Kanold's Presentation

District Policy regarding hours of work (DP343 NEG) has two changes for Classified Employees. Nothing else has changed for comp time except:

• Comp time will only be tracked in Skyward’s Employee Access, not by any other mechanism or on paper (trade time is not comp time, and is not tracked in Employee Access).  Instructions on how to enter comp time in Employee Access are attached.
• Comp time will be used during the next two successive pay periods.

Classified now reads as follows:

Classified employees who fall under the guidelines of the Fair Labor Standards Act (personnel included on the classified master salary schedule) must be paid at one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a work week or receive compensatory time off during the two successive pay periods (first to last day of the month in which work is done) at the rate of one and one-half times the actual overtime worked during any workweek.  Only compensatory time will be considered hours worked for the purpose of calculating the 40-hour work week.  All compensatory time earned must be pre-approved by the appropriate director, principal or supervisor.  The tracking of such earning and using of compensatory time will be done through Skyward Employee Access. 

Employees and supervisors should work together in a professional and reasonable manner when dealing with comp time and trade time.

Entering Comp Time in Employee Access

The Utah Education Network (UEN) and Jordan School District have collaborated to provide access to ALL APPS for K-12 in Adobe Creative Cloud. All teachers and 7th-12th grade students have access to Adobe Creative Cloud at work and at home. Please look for an email labeled "Access is granted. Enjoy All Apps for K-12 now." Click on Get Started and be patient as it could take time for the download.

Teaching resources and tutorials can be found at edex.adobe.com. District training coming soon!

Adobe Creative Cloud Announcement Flyer

Please read the following safety awareness message from Auxiliary Services.

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This month’s Safety Talk will provide suggestions for being more active and involved in improving the safety of our workplace.

• Maintaining a safe workplace requires everybody’s effort:
  • Never ignore unsafe conditions –correct it if you can, otherwise notify your supervisor;
  • Communicate unsafe conditions to your supervisor and colleagues;
  • Notify your supervisor if you feel that you can’t do your job safely;
  • Participate in safety activities such as the safety committees, monthly safety talk and other shop meetings;
• Know what the requirements are for do-ing your job – if you don’t know, then ASK.
  • Attend all of your required safety classes;
  • Immediately report injuries or illnesses and “near misses”; and Set a good example for your colleagues by following all safety requirements.
• Working too fast or rushing is a common behavior associated with an accident. When you are rushing:
  • Completing the job on time takes priority over completing the job safely;
  • Your thoughts are not on following proper safety procedures;
  • You are more likely to take shortcuts such as not using personal protection equipment (PPE);
  • Mistakes are more likely to occur;
  • Rushing is especially dangerous when per-forming an unfamiliar or non-routine task; and
  • You are less likely to stop and ask for help.
• Housekeeping is a commonly over-looked aspect of a successful safety program. Poor housekeeping can result in the following:
  • Trip and slip hazards: When there is clutter on the walking surface:
  • Fire hazards: When there are excess boxes and other combustible materials in other areas not designated for storage;
  • Buildup of debris on machines that could make it unsafe to use; and Not being able to find tools and personal protection equipment (PPE);
• Make some time to clean up after you perform your work!

Jordan School District policy requires employees to immediately report injuries or illnesses: You will NEVER be disciplined for reporting an injury or illness.

• Always report injuries no matter how minor you think it is;
• It is in your best interest to seek treatment immediately to prevent a minor injury from becoming more serious;
• Participate in any follow up investigations - they are accident prevention efforts to correct deficiencies and pre-vent similar incidents from reoccurring;
• Sometimes aches and pains associated with your job can be corrected by making adjustments to your work station or work practices.

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Safe Behaviors:

• Properly using required personal protection equipment (PPE)
• Asking for help to lift heavy or awkward objects
• Performing Lockout/Tagout
• Doing safety checks before using a tool or machine
• Cleaning up after finishing work
• Reporting injuries and near misses
• Not rushing to complete work
• Suggesting ideas for improving safety
• Correcting unsafe conditions
• Stopping others from doing unsafe acts
• Knowing and following work procedures

The most important thing is to go home safe and sound at the end of the day.

The deadline for insurance Open Enrollment is July 31, 2019.

If you wish to enroll in a plan or make any changes to existing plans, forms must be received by the JSD Insurance Department no later than July 31, 2019.

Forms can be hand delivered to the Insurance Department located in the District Office, emailed or faxed to 801-567-8070.  They can also be mailed and postmarked no later than July 31, 2019 to:

Jordan School District
Attn: Insurance Dept.
7387 S. Campus View Dr.
West Jordan, UT  84084

If you wish to participate in flexible spending you must elect new amounts each year.  Enroll online at www.pehp.org by July 31, 2019.

If you have any question about online enrollment contact PEHP FSA department at 801-366-7503 and they will be happy to assist you.

A final reminder that Dental Select will be the single source Dental Provider beginning 9/1/19.

If you are currently enrolled in Dental Select you will continue to be covered under your respective plan.

If you are enrolled in EMI or TDA you will need to complete a Benefit Change form available on the JSD Insurance web page, electing one of the plans offered.  If you do not submit a change for by July 31 you will be automatically enrolled in the plan most comparable to the benefit you are currently enrolled in.  See attached information sheet for plan designs and premiums.

Please don't wait until the last minute to make your changes.

Open enrollment information is available on the Jordan School District Insurance Department webpage.

Flexible Spending open enrollment can be found online at PEHP.org.  Log into PEHP for Members at www.pehp.org.  Click the Online Enrollment button at the top of the page to enroll in FLEX$ during open enrollment.  If you have any issues with online enrollment please contact PEHP Flex Department 801-366-7503.

Please review changes to the dental plan that may impact you and your family.

2019-20 Dental Update

Utah Retirement Systems will be available for one-on-one retirement planning sessions at the Jordan School District, District Office Building in the Payroll conference room on Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

See the instructions below to register for an appointment.  Appointments fill quickly so don’t delay!

1. Go to www.urs.org.
2. Log into your myurs account by clicking on LOGIN in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Click on the Education Tab.
4. Click on “Individual Retirement Planning Sessions”.
5. Find the session that works best for you and select the session to reserve your appointment.
6. Please be sure to bring your estimated annual salary (if close to retirement include your 3 or 5 highest years), any retirement plan balances outside of URS, and your Social Security statement (get yours at www.ssa.gov).

***Counseling sessions are available at other locations that are also listed on the URS website.