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Tired of SPAM? This new feature will give you greater control over the spam emails you receive. 
This summer, we upgraded our email security system to better protect you from malicious emails. We’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of the "End User Digest," which will give you greater control over the spam emails you receive.

You may have noticed some emails with "SPAM?" in the subject line. These emails will no longer appear in your Google inbox; instead, they will be quarantined. Each morning, you’ll receive an “End User Digest” email listing any new quarantined messages.

If you wish to receive a specific email from this list, simply click the “Release” link. To allow future messages from the same sender, select the “Release and Allow Sender” option. If you choose not to act, emails will remain in quarantine for 30 days before being permanently deleted.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Information Systems help desk at 801-567-8737.

Quarantine Message Sample

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URS Tier 2 Required Contribution Webinars FlyerIf you choose the Hybrid Option, you’ll be required to make a member contribution equal to 0.7% of your salary to fund your benefit in 2024-25.

As you weigh your retirement benefit decision, be aware of an upcoming change that affects one of your options.

If you choose the Hybrid Option, the yearly pension contribution rate directly impacts your benefit. If it exceeds a set amount, you’re required to contribute from your paycheck to help fund your retirement benefit.

(Go to www.urs.org/rates to learn more about contribution rates, how they’re determined, and how they impact the Hybrid Option benefit.)

*Effective July 2024, the pension contribution rate will increase into the range to require a member contribution equal to 0.7% of your salary.

This means you’ll have to pay a small amount from your paycheck to fund your benefit if you choose the Hybrid Option.

Your retirement system was designed from the beginning to require a member contribution in the event of rising costs. For perspective, nearly all public employee pension plans throughout the country require employees to contribute.

Questions? Consider These Free Webinars:

Tier 2 Choice Overview - Join us if you have questions about contribution rates or want to better understand your Tier 2 retirement choice.

Member Contributions - How the Tier 2 system is designed to ensure adequate funding and why member contributions will be required.

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2024-25 Ballet West-First Look Performances FlyersIn addition to daytime performances for students, Ballet West offers "First Look" evening performances for middle and high school students and all educators. Before the public openings of each production, students may attend pre-performance offerings, gaining insights into ballet's inner workings. They accept groups as small as one or two students, teachers attending on their own, or large groups attending together. Parent chaperones are welcome as well. This must be arranged through the teacher of any particular group. The program showcases complete ballets and repertory programs. Ballet West grants students an exclusive view of a performance's final dress rehearsal. A Ballet West education staff member leads pre-presentation discussions and intermission chats. In order to arrange for these performances, teachers need to contact Ballet West on their own, as instructed on the informational flyer (attached).

First Look is a program aimed at Jr. High and High school students. Each year, students are invited to a preview performance of Ballet West’s current show. Students get an inside look at the inner workings of a ballet performance before the show opens to the public, a unique opportunity to sit in on Dress Rehearsals of Ballet West active repertory.

This invitation is extended to Students from Grades 7 and Higher, as well as Teachers from any level of teaching.

First Look features the entire evening of repertory, with a pre-performance discussion led by a member of the Ballet West Education staff. We have the ability to accept groups as small as one or two students, teachers attending on their own or large groups attending together. Parent chaperones are welcome as well. We’re very flexible. This must be arranged through the teacher of any particular group. Please share this opportunity with other faculty members who may be interested in taking advantage of this unique event for their students and themselves.

All Performances are at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theater, 50 West 200 South, SLC, Utah Reserve early - seating is limited. To reserve seats or for questions, please contact us at 801-869-6911 or education@balletwest.org

JEKYLL & HYDE (REQUIRED 18+) - Based on the 19th-century story by Robert Louis Stevenson comes a new, full-length ballet of Jekyll & Hyde. Following the smash success of last year’s Dracula comes the next gripping production exploring the dark side of the human psyche. Come witness the dynamic portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and his evil split personality in this horror classic. Seating limited to Public school Faculty, University Students also invited Oct 24, 2024, Thurs. 6:30

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - Featuring Alexei Ratmansky’s intimate suite of dances to Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition This provides a unique opportunity to connect across curriculums for dance, music and art. How do we use multiple disciplines of art to inspire and create new and unique perspectives? The notable and recognizable music of Mussorgsky, along with Kandinsky’s “Color Study: Squares with Concentric Circles” help to set the backdrop for Ratmansky’s unique and exciting choreography. Nov 7, 2024, Thurs. 6:30

CINDERELLA - In a world where anything is possible, Cinderella comes to life in the hopes of a lowly maid, with the love of a prince and the magic of a wand. Sir Frederick Ashton’s world-renowned production of Cinderella is a lavish and extravagant telling of the classic fairytale, with comedic twists and turns. FEATURING NEW SETS AND COSTUMES, from London’s Royal Ballet, never before seen in Utah. This production is a treat for the entire family. Feb 6, 2025, Thurs. 6:30

FAIRY TALE THEATER: ALADDIN - Join us as the world-famous Ballet West dancers bring one of the most beloved of fairy tales to life through the magic of ballet. This lively and entertaining performance will provide proof that there’s more than one way to help our children understand how and why a classic fairy tale becomes a “classic”. Mar 27, 2025, Thur. 6:00

THE RIGHT OF SPRING - An Evening of Stravinsky! Three incredible ballets in one night: Apollo, Balanchine’s 1928 ballet of a young God coming into his own, the Ballet West premiere of Jiří Kylián’s emotional Symphony of Psalms (Ballet West premiere), which takes us on a spiritual journey with a full chorus of singers and orchestra, and the return of Nicolo Fonte’s popular The Right of Spring a primal exploration of life, death, and rebirth with contemporary choreography. Experience Stravinsky’s extraordinary range of evocative music that breathes life into captivating dance narratives. April 3, 2025, Thur. 6:30 pm.

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2024-25 ELD Meetings FlyerELD Leads, please mark your calendar. The information shared in these meetings are encouraged to be shared at your faculty meetings.

  • ELD Lead
    • Nov. 13 |  Juniper Elementary | 12:30 - 1 p.m. Secondary PLC | 3 - 3:30 p.m Elementary PLC
    • March 26 | JATC South | 12:30 - 1 p.m. Secondary PLC | 3 - 3:30 p.m Elementary PLC
  • Task Force
    • Sept. 25 | ASB Auditorium | Secondary 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Elementary 1:30 - 3:30 p.m
    • Jan. 29 |ASB Auditorium | Secondary 7:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Elementary 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

The sub code is 7628 for half-day sub only. For additional information or questions, please reach out to your Language Teacher Specialist at lcs.jordandistrict.org/language.

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The following are new administrative assignments:

New Assignment effective Sept. 17, 2024:
Megan Daly, administrative intern at Mountain Ridge High, transferred as administrative intern at Copper Canyon Elementary.

New Assignment effective Oct. 28, 2024:
Jacob Rollins, teacher at Copper Hills High, appointed assistant principal at Mountain Ridge High, replacing Megan Daly.

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How to Get a Pro Zoom Account FlyerAll educators in Utah can receive a Pro Zoom account through Utah Education and Telehealth Network.  Pro Zoom accounts help you to work with students and parents online during Parent Conferences or Virtual Learning Days, without time limits for your sessions.

To get a FREE Pro Zoom account please fill out the following Google Form. For additional information or questions please contact Deanna Taylor at dtaylor@jordandistrict.org

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Aiberry Signup PagePLEASE NOTE: This service is only for employees who are using their JSD medical insurance benefits.

Insurance Services has been working with Blomquist Hale to make your employee benefits package more robust, and the most recent addition is Aiberry.

Aiberry is an AI mental health assessment tool that allows you to quickly check-in and monitor your mental health, anytime, anywhere, with only your cell phone! No boring forms, just Botberry!

In just 1-3 minutes, a Botberry check-in provides personalized wellness insights, tracks your progress, and offers access to extra support if needed.

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A Universal Reading Screener is used to help students in grades 7-12 improve their literacy skills in a fun way and help determine where students are in their reading journey. Jordan School District has used a Universal Reading Screener since 2008, however the contract for our current reading screener expires soon.

Star Reading by Renaissance is the assessment we recommend as our new Universal Reading Screener.

We are providing a demo screener for students and their parents. The link below gives them access to the demo, along with instructions for logging in.

After using the demo screener, parents can provide input by emailing Brandee Bergum, Secondary Language Arts Consultant, at brandee.bergum@jordandistrict.org or by contacting their Board of Education member.

A contract for the Universal Reading Screener will be voted on at the Sept. 24 Board of Education meeting.

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Fall 2024 ML Support PD FlyerLanguage And Culture Services has an opportunity for educators to join us to learn strategies for teaching Multilingual Students. If you missed our summer SIOP workshop, then this is the professional development for you! Please use this link to register:

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Screencast IconOur YuJa contract is set to expire on Oct. 1, 2024.  District administration has chosen not to renew the contract, as there are many new options available to teachers and students to create screencast learning videos.  Here are some of the best options for creating a video:

  • Screencast by Google - This tool has recently been made FREE on any Chromebook device.  The videos save directly into Google Drive and you have unlimited access to create and store videos.  Unfortunately, you can only create ScreenCast videos on a Chromebook device, not using Google Chrome on a Mac or PC. Learn more about creating videos using Screencast.
  • Canva - One of underutilized tools from Canvas is a video creation tool.  You can use AI to help you create some elements of videos and use the Canva collections to add callouts, text, etc. to your projects. Check out a Canva video tutorial.
  • Loom - This tool allows you access to a pro educational account for creating videos.  Simple to use and edit your videos, loom is a great option for teachers using their Mac or PC.  Find out more about Loom.
  • Built in Tools on your Mac or PC - Both Mac and PC provide options for you to create screencast videos.  You can use QuickTime Pro or Command +Shift+ 5 to create a quick video as well.  These must be uploaded into Google Drive or Canvas to share with students. Similar options are available for the PC - here’s an article describing some of your options on the PC.

Please note you can still download any videos from YuJa you need for your classroom.  These must be downloaded by Oct. 1, 2024 to ensure you have access to your video content. Instructions on downloading videos can be found on the YuJa website. 

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2024 Flu Shot Clinic PosterFlu Shots Provided by CNS. Please bring your photo ID and insurance card. Spouses and dependents (6 months and older) are welcome. Don’t forget to wear a short sleeve shirt!

There will be a limited number of COVID vaccinations available.  If you would like to reserve one, please contact Insurance Services (801) 567-8146.

  • District Office, Room 100A - Sept. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Auxiliary Services Building, Room 105, Entrance A - Sept. 24, 3 to 6 p.m.

 

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ML Family Night FlyerLanguage & Culture Services wants to celebrate our 2024 WIDA graduates. Our students work hard and we want to celebrate their linguistic greatness in reaching level 4.2 overall and 3.5 on the speaking section in WIDA. Please come out and celebrate with your students and their families. Each feeder system has a special date.

  • Sept. 23, Mountain Ridge High, 7 p.m.
  • Oct. 9, Bingham High, 7 p.m.
  • Oct. 30, Herriman High, 7 p.m.
  • Nov.7, West Jordan High, 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 21, Copper Hills High, 7 p.m.
  • Dec. 2, Riverton High, 7 p.m.

You can access your individual feeder system flyer using this link:

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Fall Recess Critical Day Annual/Personal Leave Lottery Request
If you are a contracted employee and need to take Annual/Personal Leave on a Critical Day before or after Fall 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.

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
Fall Recess
Licensed		 Oct. 21-25, 2024 Oct. 18 and 29, 2024 Sept. 7 – Sept. 17, 2024
Fall Recess
ESP		 Oct. 24-25, 2024 Oct. 18 and 29, 2024 Sept. 10 – Sept. 20, 2024
  • 2024-25 Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day
  • 2024-25 ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day

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Safe EmailSafer Email inbox coming your way
Information Systems is excited to announce that on Sept. 12, we'll be implementing a new email security system to enhance your online safety. This upgrade will reduce the amount of spam and scams you receive. As we fine-tune the system, some emails will have "SPAM?" in the subject line.

If you're expecting an email that hasn't arrived, please don't hesitate to contact the Information Systems help desk at 801-567-8737. We're committed to providing you with the best possible email experience.

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Teaching & Learning 32 Hour FlyerTeaching and Learning (T&L) is here to help you with your 32 hours of educator-directed learning.  You'll find lots of great classes, workshops, and conferences that can provide you with the learning and hours you'll need to meet the 32-hour stipend requirement.

32 Hour Educator-Directed Paid Professional Hours - 2024
Are you looking for professional learning opportunities to fulfill the 32 hours Educator-Directed Paid Professional Hours PLAN? Teaching & Learning Can Help. Professional hours are due Sept. 30.

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T&L Sept 2024 NewsletterCheck out the links below for the latest updates from Teaching & Learning for September.  Learn Tips and Tricks, Sign Up for Upcoming PD, and Learn about Important Updates from the T & L team.

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Aug. 2024 Incidental Learning NewsletterThe 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:

Using Amplification in Your Classroom - It isn’t about how loud your voice carries, it is about the student’s ability to process the frequency of your voice. When you notice a DHH student is having trouble focusing on your instruction, take a moment to make sure you are connected and that the system is working. Watch Tips for Working with Deaf & Hard of Hearing Students below to get a better idea of how the system works for a DHH child. Your instruction is important, please make sure it is accessible.

Un-amplified Comments - Allow the speaker to use the mic if possible. Identify who is speaking so the DHH student can face them. Repeat the comment or question again using the amplification system.

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

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September has been designated by the Utah State Legislature as American Founders Month in HB 179.  All public schools are asked to do something to honor the American Founding Fathers and the Constitution.  Sept. 17 is designated by Congress as Constitution Day.

Elementary Teachers have access to resources that fit their social studies standards.  All 5th and 6th grade students will receive a “Why I Love America” pamphlet that teachers can use as a resource.  One of the lessons on the resource page for 5th and 6th grade teachers is a lesson specifically about the pamphlet.

Secondary social studies also have lessons and activities that they can do during the month.  The resources for American Founders Month can be found at socialstudies.jordandistrict.org/american-founders-month/.

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

  • Pictures At An Exhibition (Grades 4-12)
  • The Nutcracker (Grades 1-12)
  • Cinderella (Grades 2-12)
  • Fairy Tale Theater: Alladin (Grades 1-12)
  • The Rite of Spring (Grades 5-12)
  • Works From Within (Grades 5-12)

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

Further information may be found at Ballet West Student In-Theatre Performances and in the link below.

Transportation fees and bus scheduling are to be taken care of by individual schools. Neither Ballet West nor the Teaching and Learning Department will cover transportation costs.

If any of your teachers are interested in having their classes attend any of the performances, please have them contact Sydney Hamblin at sydney.hamblin@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8296. Seating is limited and performance slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis.

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Money Saving Ideas FlyerHow can you easily save money for yourself and our health plan?
There are so many ways that we can all be good consumers and keep our overall plan costs down. In the long run, this will save you money and avoid higher premium costs in the future.

  • Take advantage of preventive visits on both your medical and dental plans. If issues are caught early, there is an increased chance of a positive outcome and lower costs for both you and our health plan.
  • Always ask for generic drugs.
  • Talk to your pharmacist and ask if there is a lower cost options available that they would recommend.
  • If you need the name brand prescription, take advantage of CRX International. (Web ID: JORDANSD)
  • Take advantage of mail order or 90 day fill at Walgreens.
  • If you are on a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker such as Humira, ask your pharmacist about the biosimilars and if they are right for you.
  • Use the cash back program with PEHP. Opt to get care at a clinic instead of a hospital and get cash back. Please see the tutorial on the Insurance website.
  • “Know Before You Go” – Take a few simple steps beforehand to get the right care at the best value to avoid unnecessary large bills.
  • The “Latest and Greatest” drug on the market doesn’t mean it is right for you. These drugs are usually very expensive and have not proven there are additional benefits over the drugs that have been out there for years. Talk to both your physician and pharmacist for the lowest, most effective option for you.
  • Move your body! Regular physical activity, even in low doses, is proven to reduce overall costs, reduce stress, increase happiness and overall wellbeing.

If you have found other ways to save money, please let Insurance Services know and we will feature it in a future JEM.