Category: Information Items

Ballet West is pleased to offer a FREE First Look opportunities to students and teachers in Jordan School District.

First Look targets Jr. High and High school students, and educators, offering them a unique sneak peek into Ballet West's ongoing productions. Prior to the public opening, students attend pre-performance offerings, gaining insights into ballet's inner workings.

• Ballet West First Look Presentations Information

The program aims to familiarize students with ballet's evolution by showcasing complete ballets and repertory programs. Ballet West grants students an exclusive view of a performance's final dress rehearsal. A member of the Ballet West education staff lead pre-presentation discussions and intermission chats which enable students to recognize audience attributes, evaluate authenticity, substance and excellence, and engage in aesthetic activities.

Digital study guides align with the content of shorter school-hour performances, enriching students' experience. Overall, First Look enhances students' understanding of ballet, fostering aesthetic appreciation and personal growth through intimate exposure to the art form's intricacies.

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. You may request attendance at multiple offerings as well.

All Performances are at the Jesse Quinney Eccles 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 at pchristie@balletwest.org

Groups of 40 or more may request a student/teacher workshop to supplement their attendance at a Ballet West First Look presentation. Availability is limited.

We would love to hear from you with any questions or comments regarding our programs, or for information, you can reach us at pchristie@balletwest.org or by calling us at 801-869-6911.

PDF available here: Ballet West First Look 2025-2026

Romeo & Juliet
Timeless Shakespearean Tragedy! Romeo & Juliet featuring rebuilt sets and costumes, creates a visceral, immersive experience with dramatic sword fights, passionate pas de deux, and Prokofiev's memorable score. Choreographed by the acclaimed Michael Smuin, this theatrical production showcases why the narrative ballet has endured the test of time since its 1930 premiere.

• Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, 6:30 p.m.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Mendelssohn’s enchanting score in the comedic adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream blends seamlessly into a magical forest filled with mischievous fairies and a comedic love story. Stravinsky’s dramatic arrangement sets the stage for the powerful masterwork of Les Noces, a revolutionary work by Bronislava Nijinska, one of the few prominent female choreographers of her era who empowered women and challenged cultural norms.

• Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m.

Peter Pan
Soar into Neverland! This enchanting reimagining of Peter Pan features spectacular aerial choreography set to Sir Edward Elgar's sweeping score while delving into the adventurous story where shadows dance, mermaids enchant, and pirates entertain, all sprinkled with a magical layer of pixie dust. With costumes from Broadway great Jeanne Button, imaginative sets, and ethereal lighting, this spellbinding adventure will captivate audiences of all ages.

• Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, 6:30 p.m.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
A new Family Classics Production! Witness the thrilling tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow come to life on stage in this family-friendly performance, complete with narration and running just over an hour.

• Thursday, Mar 26, 2026, 6:15 p.m.

West Side Story: Broadway and Beyondz
Broadway on Stage with Legendary Choreographers! This captivating program brings legendary choreographers Jerome Robbins and Christopher Wheeldon paired with beloved musical scores that will stir the soul. From the theatrical West Side Story Suite to the heart-warming Carousel (A Dance) and mesmerizing gems of Antique Epigraphs and After the Rain Pas de Deux, comes a diverse evening of dance.

• Thursday, April 9, 2026, 6:30 p.m.

*All performances are subject to change

**Romeo & Juliet: Principle Artists Katlyn Addison & Jordan Veit, The Dream: Artists of Ballet West, Peter Pan: Demi Soloist Lexie McCloud & Corps Artist William Lynch, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: Artist of Ballet West II, West Side Story Suite: Artists of Ballet West, and Photography by Beau Pearson

Teachers,

Unlock the power of your math classroom with upcoming professional development opportunities. Please see the links below for additional details and instructions on how to register for the course. Please note that registration closes on Sept. 22, 2025.

Math Brilliance: Unleashing Student Strengths: Dive into asset-based teaching inspired by Transform Your Math Class Using Asset-Based Teaching.

Sparking Engagement: Turning Talk into Action: Discover research-backed strategies to spark student engagement and rich conversations.

BTC Next Level: Collaborate and Create: Collaborate with peers to design dynamic BTC lessons that deepen student thinking.

Join us to elevate your impact, foster inclusivity, and ignite a culture where all learners thrive. Don’t miss this opportunity to reimagine math education together!

• Math Brilliance: Unleashing Student Strengths
• Sparking Engagement: Turning Talk into Action
• BTC Next Level: Collaborate and Create

K-5 Teachers,
Join our professional development session on Sept. 26 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the ASB. Our training will focus on using iPads to teach the Open Up curriculum. Discover how to make your math teaching mobile, collect student work, and display and discuss student work in real time. Empower your students and transform your instruction. Please use the link below to register for the course.

We look forward to learning and growing with you!

• Register for Mobilize Math Instruction
• Mobilizing Math Instruction Flyer

The Wellness Team is excited to invite JSD employees to optional PD-day workshops designed to help you unwind, recharge and learn new skills to be Stress-LESS. 

Each PD Day afternoon from 1:30-3 p.m. there will be workshops with practical skills for managing stress in four key areas:

• Money: Take control of your finances to reduce stress.
• Mind: Find inner calm with mindfulness and mental health strategies.
• Movement: Re-energize your body with physical activity.
• Maintenance: Learn how to prioritize self-care and maintain a life that fosters wellness.

Expect practical tools and time to practice for each offering!

The following workshops are on Friday, Sept. 26 for Elementary PD Day and, again on Friday, Oct. 3 for Secondary PD Day:

Money	Mind	Movement	Maintenance
Reducing Financial Stress and Navigating Credit with Cyprus Credit Union	Cultivating Inner Peace to Reduce Stress	Restorative Yoga for Stress Relief	Time Management Tips for Stress Reduction
Reserve your spot on Eventbrite: Sept. 26 Oct. 3	Register for the class and receive reminders.	Reserve your spot on Eventbrite: Sept. 26 Oct. 3	Register for the class and receive reminders.
Cyprus Credit Union will offer an in-person seminar about managing your credit with prizes, swag, snacks and important information.	Attend an introspective virtual stress-reducing experience to help in navigating a turbulent world, presented by McKinley Withers.	Join us for an in-person restorative yoga session for all experience levels, led by Annie Larson.	Learn time management strategies with Michelle Reyes to help you find more balance and intention with your routines in a virtual class.
Cyprus Credit Union in Jordan Landing 3876 Center View Way, West Jordan, UT 84084	On Zoom	South Jordan Middle School Yoga/Dance Portable10245 S 2700 W, South Jordan, UT 84095	On Zoom

Location changes or any other necessary information will be sent to those who register for classes. We kindly ask any participants who change their plans to please cancel your Eventbrite registration so waitlisted employees may attend. 

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• STRESS-LESS Seminars - PD Day Wellness Offerings Flyer

What's happening in Work Based Learning?
Doc Brown and Marty McFly stopped by to kick off the Professional Development Day for the 2025-26 school year. The audience was encouraged to take "Back To Their Future" to heart and guide students towards meaningful work based learning experiences. Read on to check it out!  Here's what else is inside:

• PD Day: WBL
• CTSO Summer Comps
• Junior Livestock Show
• Internships
• Teacher Resources
• Curriculum/Training
• Elementary Lessons
• WBL Activity
• YouScience
• CTE Events
• Social Media Links

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• Sept. 2025 Work Based Learning Newsletter

Schools who are using UFLI this year are invited to join Teaching & Learning for a special UFLI collaboration meeting. Teachers and coaches will be able to connect with other educators throughout the district to share effective strategies for UFLI instruction. Reserve your spot by signing up at pd.jordandistrict.org.

• Date: Sept. 26
• Location: Auxiliary Services Building
• Times: Grades K-1: 1:15-2:15 p.m. or 2:30-3:30 p.m. | Grades 2-3: 1:15-2:15 p.m. or 2:30-3:30 p.m.

When you are using the health plan, the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) is the most important document when it comes to the billing side of your care.  You either receive the EOB in the mail or you have access to them through the PEHP online portal. You elect how you receive this document.

Once you receive this document, match it up with a bill you receive from your provider and pay what PEHP states is "Your Responsibility".  It may not match what your provider's bill is showing but your provider receives the same information from PEHP.  If there is a portion that is not being covered it could be that PEHP needs additional information or your provider needs to write off the balance.

• Billed Amount - The medical provider’s (e.g., doctor, hospital, or clinic) bill for your service.
• Allowed Amount - The maximum fee allowable for a given procedure, test, device, or medication established by PEHP and accepted by In-Network Providers. Also referred to as “In-Network Rate.”
• Amount Eligible - This is PEHP’s In-Network Rate. This is the most we allow in-network providers to charge for this service. However, out-of network providers may charge more than the In-Network Rate. Avoid paying more by using only providers in your network (go to www.pehp.org).
• Deductable - The set amount you pay for eligible charges in a plan year before cost sharing takes place.
• Coinsurance -  The percentage of the cost you must pay under your plan. You may already have paid this amount when you received services. If so, the provider’s bill may be lower than what’s shown on the EOB.
• Copay - The fixed dollar amount you must pay under your plan. You may already have paid this amount when you received services. If so, the provider’s bill may be lower than what’s shown on the EOB.
• Plan Payment - The part of the bill PEHP paid.
• Claim Number - Keep this number as reference if you call PEHP about your claim.
• Your Responsibility - The amount of the bill the provider expects you to pay. This is between you and the provider.

Please contact Insurance Services with any questions or concerns 801-567-8285 or insurance@jordandistrict.org

• PEHP Explanation of Benefits Flyer

Express Scripts is the pharmacy benefit manager or administrator of our drug benefit program. Evernorth is the parent company of Express Scripts. You may start seeing the name Evernorth more often. Nothing is going to change as far as the way you access your pharmacy benefit.   We simply want to make you aware so when you start seeing the name Evernorth you won't be confused.

If you have any questions, please contact  Insurance Services at insurance@jordandistrict.org or 801-567-8146 and we will be happy to assist you.

The open enrollment and migration to PEHP's new system should now be complete.  There have been many challenges and thank you so much for your patience.  Many employees received multiple PEHP Member ID Cards.  The Member ID Number should be the same on all cards.  If you received a set of cards that does not match the plan you enrolled in, please log into PEHP and verify the correct plan is showing in their system.

If for some reason you see it is not correct, please contact Insurance Services / 801-567-8285 / insurance@jordandistrict.org.

Jordan School District takes great pride in your work and the role you play in education. We are pleased to continue honoring you for your time spent working in the District with “Years of Service Pins.”

As you reach your next employee milestone, please visit the Years of Service Pins website to request the pin representing your completed years of service. Employees can receive a different pin for every five years of service up to 50 years. Remember to include part-time and full-time years!

All employees can request their next pin using the link below.  Here are the guidelines:

• Full or part time employee years are eligible, but not as a volunteer or a student.
• Every employee can request a first pin after they are hired. As you complete every five years of service, you are eligible to receive another pin.
• If you have problems with the form, please send an e-mail to pins@jordandistrict.org.

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• Jordan School District Years of Service Pins Website

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

• Romeo and Juliet (Grades 3-12)
• The Dream (Grades 1-12)
• The Nutcracker (Grades K-12)
• Peter Pan (Grades 1-12)
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Grades 2-12)
• West Side Story Suite (Grades 4-12)
• Choreographic Special: Spotlight Utah! (Grades 4-12)

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 flyer below.

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

Transportation fees and bus scheduling are covered by individual schools. Neither Ballet West nor the Teaching and Learning Department will cover transportation costs.

• Ballet West Student In-Theatre Performances Flyer

Attention Elementary Math Teachers
Get ready to add some real-world fun to your math lessons!  We've created an exciting new math worksheet and career story for your elementary students, directly related to the monthly career banner hanging by your cafeteria. This month's resource connects math concepts directly to the job of a school counselor.

Each month, you'll find a new worksheet and career story, helping you show students how math is used in different jobs. You can find this month's lesson and all future ones by visiting the Elementary Career Exploration Lessons page at cte.jordandistrict.org. We can't wait to see how you use these fun new resources in your classrooms!

• CTE Elementary Math Career Exploration Lessons

Language & Culture Services is providing another opportunity for you to become certified as a District Interpreter. This course is for employees at the school level that have been hired to be interpreters in the front office, classroom, or for conferences. Through HB 302, a legislative bill passed in Utah to strengthen family engagement in education, this bill focuses on the need for schools to effectively communicate with parents and guardians so they can fully participate in their child’s education.

In this course, you will develop skills needed to handle complex school interactions with professionalism and accuracy. You will discuss interpretation in the contexts of ethics, cultural awareness, special education, parent-teacher conferences, language access laws, and learn best practices for interpretation.

• Date: Friday, Sept. 26
• Time: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Location: To Be Determined

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• Register for the Interpreter Certification Course

Important Reminder for URS Members
Be cautious of any outside advisor who claims to represent URS or have expertise in URS benefits.

URS doesn’t discourage members from using third-party advisors. However, be cautious of any non-URS advisor or financial planner who claims to represent URS or have expertise in URS benefits. URS does not contract with or otherwise outsource investment advising to any third-party for any reason.

Don’t confuse third-party advisors with URS employees. URS Advisors (who are employees of URS) will only meet with you at URS, at your agency, or a nearby agency, during business hours. URS Advisors will not visit your home or set up evening/weekend appointments.

To make sure you’re acting in your best interests, talk to us first before making any decisions about your retirement benefits or moving your money out of URS Savings Plans. Schedule a free URS Individual Retirement Planning Session at www.urs.org/us/irps.

URS is a nonprofit trust, and our low fees reflect that. Our advisors never earn commissions.

Remember...

• URS Advisors can explain the basics of claiming your Social Security benefits. Be careful of advertisements that create “fear of missing out” (FOMO) of thousands of dollars by warning of a supposed “incorrect” Social Security decision.

• A URS pension benefit is like an “annuity” in that it provides lifetime income. You likely also have a second “annuity” called Social Security (more lifetime income). Do you really need a third? Commercial annuities can have much higher costs than URS and Social Security and can be too complex to easily understand.

You can keep your funds in URS Savings Plans throughout your retirement. You’re never required to move your funds.

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• URS Outside Advisors Warning Flyer

In order to maintain a professional work atmosphere for students and staff members, respect staff time, and to avoid ethical and fraudulent conflicts of interest with vendors, building administrations are asked to abide by the following:

1. Vendors are not allowed into District schools/facilities to solicit business from employees during business hours. Building administrations may allow vendors to leave promotional materials (e.g. brochures, business cards, posters, etc.) with the front office and request these materials be placed in an area, such as the employee break room or bulletin board, so staff may view them and take one, if they so choose. Materials may not be placed in staff boxes. Vendors are not allowed to make sales pitches during faculty or staff meetings. Vendors are not to provide a snack, treat, or meal for employees in the break rooms while the vendor remains to solicit business. Building administrations may allow a vendor to leave a snack, treat, or meal along with promotional materials and a note indicating who brought the items and who employees should contact if more information is desired. Employees, including building and district leadership, should never feel like they are required to meet with vendors and hear their sales pitches.
2. Decision makers are advised to avoid gifts from vendors in order to guard against the appearance of misconduct. A vendor providing a gift or meal for the staff or large groups is a very nice gesture of thanks and support. A vendor providing a special, private gift or lunch to only the decision maker(s) can create an ethical conflict of interest that can influence decision making.
3. Vendors must follow the same protocol expected of all other visitors to District buildings by checking in at the front office and proceeding beyond the front office only after being invited to do so.
4. If an employee desires to meet with a vendor at a District location to discuss services the vendor may offer to them personally, the employee and vendor must meet outside of normal business hours for that building. For schools, this means no contact between one-half hour before school starts and one-half hour after school ends, including lunch time and prep time. These hours are considered work hours and must be respected by the employee and vendors.
5. The District’s finance system is not to be used to pay for employees’ personal business (e.g. mortgage payments, utility payments, insurance payments, donations to churches, credit card payments, etc.). Payroll deductions are not permitted for non-Jordan District purposes unless the funds are tax sheltered through a District-allowed plan (see #6 below). It is not appropriate for the District to engage in employee personal bill pay at taxpayer expense. Any payment arrangements made by employees with vendors should be done using the employees’ personal financial institution.
6. As a taxpayer funded subdivision of the State of Utah, Jordan School District participates in the Utah Retirement Systems (URS). While employees have the private option of authorizing financial advisers or others to manage their retirement funds, there are inherent risks associated with any investment strategy. Jordan School District and Utah Retirement Systems does not and has not endorsed, contracted out, authorized, advocated, recommended, sponsored, or vetted other entities, including 403b agents, to represent them in these matters. Instead, URS employs retirement advisors, with a URS email and phone number, who will meet with and advise JSD employees free of charge. URS is a nonprofit trust and their advisors never earn commissions. If you want help with URS questions, please contact URS and if you choose to go outside of URS, please compare commissions and fees.
7. As a taxpayer funded entity, Jordan School District, its departments and schools must only work with businesses that have first gone through the proper procurement process. Competing vendors are to be treated fairly without personal preference or bias.

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• Guidelines For Vendors Soliciting Sales From Jordan District Employees

The District will be excluding the following dates in its application of DP354B NEG - Attendance Incentive - Education Support Professionals. Therefore, employees will not be penalized for absences taken on these dates when the District calculates the July 2026 Low Absence Incentive payments.

For the 2025-26 school year, these exclusion dates will only apply to our ESP employee group.

• Elementary Schools Professional Development Day - Sept. 26, 2025
• Secondary Schools Professional Development Day - Oct. 3, 2025
• Health and Wellness Day - Feb. 6, 2026
• Professional Development Day - March 6, 2026
• Professional Development Day - April 17, 2026

The following are new administrative assignments:

New Administrative Internships for 2025-26:

• Sarah Burton, instructional coach at Copper Canyon Elementary assigned administrative intern at Bastian Elementary.
• Tori Domaleski, teacher in Canyons School District assigned administrative intern at Columbia Elementary.
• Kimberlee Hill, instructional coach in Granite School District assigned administrative intern at Heartland Elementary.
• Addie Lund, teacher at Hawthorn Academy assigned administrative intern at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy.

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.

• Licensed employees submit their request to licensedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org
• Education Support Professionals submit their request to classifiedpersonalleave@jordandistrict.org

 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. 21-24, 2025	Oct. 17 and 27, 2025	Sept. 6 – Sept. 16, 2025
Fall Recess ESP	Oct. 23-24, 2025	Oct. 17 and 27, 2025	Sept. 8 – Sept. 18, 2025

• 2025-26 Licensed Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day
• 2025-26 ESP Annual/Personal Leave Taken on a Critical Day

Join us for a fun, engaging, and interactive EdCamp. Learn, get new ideas, and network with teachers and administrators from all over Utah!

Never been to an EdCamp? Come find out what makes these non-conferences the best way to add a spark to your school life.

• Saturday, Sept. 13
• 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Timpanogos High School in Orem
• Keynote Speakers: Utah Teacher Fellows
• You can include as part of your 32 hours PD plan!

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• Register for UCET EdCamp Utah 2025