Category: Information Items

Apply now for the Elementary Mathematics Endorsement beginning in January And Register for November and January Stipend-based Professional Learning Opportunities

Don’t miss out on these amazing mathematics professional development opportunities!

We have many different ways to learn: in person, at home, with your coach! 

• 2021-22 Elementary Mathematics Professional Development Offerings and Elementary Mathematics Endorsement Application

Sign up today for Nearpod’s Camp Engage 2021.  It’s a FREE online conference for educators looking to enhance their skills in Nearpod.  Conference runs from Nov. 18 - 21, 2021.

• NearPod Camp Engage Website

If a volunteer is interested in volunteering in a class or at the school, the following process must be followed:

Step 1: The volunteer watches the Code of Conduct video, completes the "Volunteer Application Form" and turns it into the principal BEFORE they schedule an onboarding appointment.  Do not ask Volunteers to schedule a fingerprint appointment without principal approval.

Step 2 : The Principal determines if the volunteer will have "Significant Unsupervised Access" to students. Not all volunteers need a background check.

Significant Unsupervised access includes field trips, one-on-one or small group classroom volunteer or other related volunteering.

Volunteer assignments which may not be considered "significant Unsupervised Access" may include a holiday party or an event with a large number of adults present at the school.  In these instances, the school office would collect the volunteer application and code of conduct form and retain those at the school.

Step 3: If the principal determines there will be "significant unsupervised access", the principal must sign the volunteer form, give it to the volunteer and have the volunteer schedule a volunteer fingerprint appointment with Human Resources.

In order for HR to complete the background check, the volunteer MUST bring the volunteer form (SIGNED BY THE PRINCIPAL) with them to HR.  Please do not allow volunteers to schedule a fingerprint appointment without a principal signing the volunteer form.

Volunteers who schedule an appointment without providing to HR the principal-signed volunteer application may be asked to reschedule their appointment.

Step 4: Once the volunteer is fingerprinted, HR will email the school once we receive the results.  Please plan on at least two weeks prior to any volunteering event.  Volunteers not completing the process prior to a field trip may not be allowed to attend.

2022-23 Sabbatical and Educational Leaves
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 2022-23 Sabbatical and Educational Leaves are due Feb. 1, 2022. Additional questions can be referred to Chris Westra, 801-567-8657.

Unit 1 Trainings
Unit 1 trainings end in Feb. 2022. All K-3 teachers will need to have completed Unit 1 in-person training by then. If you are beginning the LETRS training in February, you will need to register for a February in-person training. We are working with USBE to offer the courses on Feb. 22, 23, 24, 25, and 28. These courses will be offered in Midas to JSD teachers only.

LETRS Form & Stipends
Please complete the Unit Course Completion Form (found on LETRS Information webpage) so we can submit for you to get paid the stipends. You can access the webpage from the Teaching & Learning Home page or the T&L Literacy page. Here is a link:

• Teaching & Learning LETRS Information

Check out the Nov. 2021 Be Well newsletter from EMI. Stories include:

• Breathe Easier - It’s time again for the Great American Smokeout. On November 18, thousands of people in the U.S. will take the first step toward better health and living tobacco-free.
• Diabetes and Your Plate - The foods you choose have a powerful role to play if you are managing type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes. Since diabetes is affected by diet, people often wonder about the changes they need to make in their eating patterns.
• Getting enough sleep? - Frequent lack of sleep can be very costly to your health and enjoyment of daily living.
• Know Your Family Health History - Thursday, November 25 is Thanksgiving Day — and Family Health History Day. The U.S. Surgeon General chose this date for good reason — many people will be at family gatherings or in touch with relatives in other ways on Thanksgiving. So, it’s a perfect time to check on your family’s health status and learn about any medical problems. In fact, this information can help you live a longer, healthier life.

To receive the monthly Be Well Newsletter via email and check out back issues, please visit the EMI Hope Health Newsletter page.

• Nov. 2021 EMI Be Well Newsletter

HOORAY for the final PEHP Wellness Challenge of the year. Healthy Holidays - Maintain Don’t Gain! PEHP's most popular challenge runs from November 15^th through January 7^th. See the attached flyer to register for 8 weeks of motivational emails including tools and tips to thrive this holiday season. The weekly topics are creative and fun and will keep you on track to enjoy the holidays even more! Participate and take the final survey to be entered into a drawing for a$50 Amazon Gift Card to use for a little post-holiday shopping!

• Nov. 2021 PEHP Wellness Monthly Challenge Flyer

The Office of the Governor and the Utah State Board of Education invites teachers and students to participate in Utah’s 22^nd Annual Do the Write Thing Challenge.

The Challenge offers 7^th and 8^th grade students across the State an opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and then write what they think should be done to change the culture of violence.  Personal responsibility is emphasized by encouraging students to make a commitment to do something about the problem.  The program ultimately strives to help them break the cycle of violence in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods.

Two writings per participating school will be selected as State’s finalists and will be invited to attend a recognition luncheon where the top two authors will be announced in April 2022.  State finalists will receive a scholarship deposit to Utah’s my529 Education Saving Account.  The top two writings will represent Utah as their essays will be published and placed in the Library of Congress.

Teachers are encouraged to incorporate the Challenge into their regular classroom curriculum.  Lesson plans can be found on the website at www.schools.utah.gov/prevention/dtwt.php. Rules, entry forms, and additional information are also available on this website.  The following is a list of ideas for the classroom:

• English: use as an essay or poetry-writing assignment;
• Health: discuss personal safety and well-being of others;
• Civics: conduct an exercise on personal and civic responsibility;
• History: use an historical perspective to examine youth violence.

The deadline for entries is January 14, 2022.  The 2021 challenge involved more than 1,100 students participating in classroom discussions about youth violence with more than 580 submitting essays from 22 different teachers.  We look forward to increasing these numbers in the 2022 Challenge.

If you have any questions, please contact Cuong Nguyen at cuong.nguyen@schools.utah.gov or (801) 538-7790.

We encourage your students’ participation and look forward to this year’s Challenge.

Sincerely,
Governor Cox

Dear Educator or School Staff Member:

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are now available for all vaccine brands AND you may now receive a booster of a brand different from your original vaccine.

Everyone who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine at least 2 months ago is eligible for a booster.

You may get a booster if you received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech OR Moderna vaccine at least 6 months ago AND you are:

• 65 years and older OR
• 18 or older and have underlying medical conditions OR
• 18 or older and live in a long-term care setting or a high-risk setting OR
• 18 or older and work in a high-risk setting, including teachers.

If you have questions about whether you should receive a booster, please consult with your personal health care provider.

A booster is available from your local pharmacy, your health care provider, by appointment or on a walk-in basis at one of Salt Lake County Health Department’s five immunization clinics, or via one of three community vaccination sites offered by Community Nursing Services (CNS).

If you don’t know which vaccine you initially received, your vaccine’s brand is listed on your vaccination record card. If you don’t have your vaccination record card, request your personal immunization record via one of the methods listed on the Salt Lake County Health Department’s immunization webpage under “Records.”

Thank you,
Salt Lake County Health Department

Join us in congratulating Katie Bastian, Dietitian in Nutrition Services, appointed Director of Nutrition Services effective Monday, November 1, replacing Jana Cruz who is retiring.

• Public Comment regarding Draft Utah Elementary Social Studies Standards

Jordan School District Employees are responsible for knowing and adhering to all District policies and procedures. The annual crucial policy review is available to District employees in Skyward through "Online Forms."   As a condition of continued employment, all employees, with the exception of minor students, are required to complete the crucial policy review by November 1, 2021.

Employees may access this policy review via their Employee Access in Skyward. If you need assistance in accessing Skyward, please call the help desk at 801-567-USER (8737).

2021-22 Crucial Concerns Annual Policy Review
Jordan School District Employees are responsible for knowing and adhering to all District policies and procedures. The crucial policy review is available to District employees in Skyward through "Online Forms." As a condition of continued employment, all employees (i.e. Licensed, ESP, Substitutes, Coaches, Miscellaneous adults, etc.), with the exception of minor students, will be required to complete this training. We ask your assistance in notifying your employees of this required training and ask that this training be completed by November 1, 2021.

A message will appear upon login of Skyward Employee Access for the employee to complete an “Online Form.” Employees can complete the steps at that time or can return to the review at another time by selecting “Online Forms” under “Employee Information.”

Reports of completion will be available through Skyward so you can verify that your staff members have completed this process. A tutorial is attached for your reference. If you or any staff members need technical help, please call the help desk at 801-567-USER (8737).

Cybersecurity is something we all need to be aware of throughout the year and Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a good time to reflect on everyone’s role regarding internet safety and security. Any employee can be a target, and cybercrime is more common than you might think.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Get to Know Phishing Email Red Flags
Ever get an email that just seemed off? An invitation to click on a link from a stranger or an odd request from a usually trustworthy source? Chances are these are cybercriminals attempting to manipulate, influence or deceive you into taking some action that isn’t in your own best interest or in the best interest of Jordan School District. Watch out for the following:

• An email coming from an unknown address is a red flag. If you know the sender (or the organization) but the email is unexpected or out of character, it’s a red flag. Also, pay attention to the “Reply-To:” address. If it doesn’t match the “From:” address, that’s a red flag.
• If you receive an email that you would usually get during normal business hours, but it was sent outside of normal business hours, this is a red flag.
• Any attachment you receive that you aren’t expecting or doesn’t make sense in relation to the rest of the message is a red flag. Attachments that want to “enable external access” or have you enter in your username and password before opening are red flags.
• Being asked to take some action to avoid a negative consequence is a favorite trick of hackers. So, if the sender is asking you to click on a link or open an attachment, be on alert—especially if the request is made with a sense of urgency.
• Look for misspellings in the link — for example, Arnazon instead of Amazon. Anytime you see a link that contains misspellings to make it look like a real link, that’s a red flag. Hover your mouse over the hyperlink. If the link address is for a different website, this is a BIG red flag.

Ransomware
What is ransomware and how can I protect the District from ransomware?

• Ransomware is a type of malicious software that takes over your computer and prevents you from accessing files until you pay a ransom.
• Although Information Systems maintains controls to help protect our networks and computers from this type of attack, we also rely on you to be our first line of defense.
• The most common way ransomware enters corporate networks is through email. Often, scammers will include malicious links or attachments in emails that look harmless. To avoid this trap, here are some simple things you can do:
  • Do not click on links or attachments from senders you do not recognize. Be especially wary of .zip or other compressed or application file types.
  • Do not provide sensitive personal information (like usernames and passwords or student data) if requested in an email.
  • Watch for email senders that use suspicious or misleading web addresses.
  • If you can’t tell if an email is legitimate or not, please share it with your school technician or forward it to security@jordandistrict.org.
  • Be especially cautious when opening attachments or clicking links if you receive an email containing a warning banner indicating that it originated from an external source.

If your computer is infected with ransomware, you will typically be locked out of all programs and a “ransom screen” will appear. In the unfortunate event that you click a link or attachment that you suspect is malware or ransomware, please notify Information Systems immediately.

To contact Information Systems, please speak with your school technician or call the Help Desk at 801-567-8737. Thanks for helping to keep our network and employees safe from potential cyber threats. Please let us know if you have any questions.

November is Native American Heritage Month.  Our newsletter will include some literacy activities that you can do in honor of this month.  In addition to Thanksgiving we have another important holiday, Veteran’s Day.  This is a great opportunity for elementary teachers to teach about patriotism and love of the country as we take time to honor the Veterans who defend and protect us.  This Veteran’s Day is also the 100th anniversary of Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  We have a fun lesson activity in the newsletter based off of a brand new picture book about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

This month you will find informational texts on Soldiers (1st Grade), Fry Bread (2nd Grade), Arctic Tundra (3rd Grade), Navajo Code Talkers (4th Grade), The Sugar Act (5th Grade), and WW1 Poppies (6th Grade). There is also a list of picture books that you could use to talk about the anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Veteran’s Day, and Native American Heritage Month. Teachers can find a visualization activity, an image analysis activity, and a comparing viewpoints activity that are tied to your literacy standards and a social studies picture book.

• Elementary Social Studies Newsletter

Cyprus Credit Union Mini-Grants are now available for teachers to fund innovative and creative classroom projects that enrich standard curriculum and enhance learning opportunities for students. Funds may also be used to purchase supplemental supplies.

Cyprus will fund up to $250 per teacher/educator. The grants can be combined for use toward a larger grant amount if specified. For example, four teachers can combine and apply for a $1,000 grant for a group project with each teacher submitting a separate application for their $250 allotment. Applications are limited to one $250 grant per teacher for the school year and two applications per school per month, either individually or with a team.

Mini-Grant applications will be accepted from Monday, August 9, 2021 through Thursday, April 15, 2022. Up to eight Mini-Grants will be awarded each month, and all applications must be received prior to the 15th of the month to receive funding the following month.

Restrictions: The following categories are not eligible for funding: Salaries, professional development, honorariums, stipends, and educator travel.

The Mini-Grant program is exclusively available to licensed educators in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties.

If you have any questions about the application or funding process, please call the Relationship Development Department at (801) 260-7600, ext. 5951 or ext. 5952

Apply online at the Cyprus Credit Union Educators Mini-Grant Site.

Check out the Oct. 2021 Be Well newsletter from EMI. Stories include:

• Wellness Checklist - Why care about wellness? Going well beyond lack of illness, personal wellness is pivotal to protecting your mental health, staying physically sound and maintaining balance in everyday life. Ultimately, wellness can help you build resilience against serious challenges, maximize your personal potential and enjoy your life to the fullest.
• One-Dish Meals - Saving time in the kitchen — but still getting a nutritious meal on the table — is a goal for many people. One quick solution is to make sheet pan dinners or one-pot meals. The idea is simple: All of the ingredients are conveniently cooked at the same time. It means fewer pots and pans, which leads to less cleanup.
• Home Office Ergonomics - Ergonomics is the way your body fits and functions in your workspace. Whether you are telecommuting or catching up on work at home, good ergonomics are important for productivity and your health.
• Helping a Family Member Who’s Depressed - Though it can be distressing to see a family member suffer from depression, there are many ways to help. First, learn about depression to better understand the symptoms and treatment. Surprisingly, some people don’t even recognize that they are depressed. Some feel ashamed or believe that they need to recover through sheer willpower.
• October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month - A reminder to learn how to protect your identity, passwords and other information when you shop, bank, socialize — everything you do online. The internet makes life easier but sometimes unsafe. Learn more about reducing your risk of becoming a cybercrime victim at cisa. gov/cybersecurity.

To receive the monthly Be Well Newsletter via email and check out back issues, please visit the EMI Hope Health Newsletter page.

• Oct. 2021 EMI Be Well Newsletter

If you are experiencing Anxiety, Nervousness, Stress, OCD or PTSD, Blomquist Hale has a wonderful program for you! This program is a research based program that involves some class and group work that will give you the tools you need. The therapist that is running the program will also meet with you individually to set up a plan for you. Group members will better understand anxiety in a closed, confidential and structured program. Members will also gain understanding of their own personal target issue, triggers, and coping skills through DBT and CBT techniques. The online Anxiety Group is open to all employees and their family members.

• Anxiety Group #1
  • Oct. 18 – Nov. 15 (5 Weeks, Mondays)
  • 5:30 – 7 p.m.
  • Location: Online!
  • Register at: blomquisthale.com/workshops/
• Anxiety Group #2
  • Oct. 22  – Nov. 19 (5 Weeks, Fridays)
  • 12:30 – 2 p.m.
  • Location: Online!
  • Register at: blomquisthale.com/workshops/

Each week, Group #1 and Group #2 will cover the same information. Participants only need to register for one group, but have access to attend either one that week (whichever is more convenient for their schedule).

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.

Utah Retirement Systems is offering one-hour presentations, via video conferencing, regarding retirement for Tier I and Tier II.

• Tier 1 Public Employees
  • (Hired prior to 7/1/2011)
  • October 4th 4:00-5:00
  • Join the meeting via Microsoft Teams
• Tier II New Employees
  • (Within 1st year)
  • October 29th 4:30-5:30
  • Join the meeting via Microsoft Teams

After the one-hour presentation, URS representatives will be available to answer questions.

• Oct. 2021 URS Tier Presentations Flyer

September-October Elementary Social Studies Toolbox Newsletter
September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month.  Our newsletter will include some literacy activities that you can do in honor of this month.  October is also the 135th anniversary of dedication of the Statue of Liberty.  Many of the Utah State Social Studies Core Standards for the younger grades teach about symbols of the United States.  October would be a great time to teach about the Statue of Liberty.  October is also the 160th anniversary of the transcontinental telegraph.  You could teach students about Samuel F. B. Morse, the invention of the telegraph, and Morse Code.  This topic would be a great time to do some cross curricular activities with social studies, science, and literacy.

This month you will find informational texts on Ellen Ochoa, the first Female Hispanic Astronaut (1st Grade), The Salad Bowl Theory (2nd Grade), The Telegraph (3rd Grade), Paiutes (4th Grade), Samuel F.B. Morse (5th Grade), and the Hammurabi Code(6th Grade). There is also a list of picture books that you could use to talk about the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, the transcontinental telegraph, and Hispanic Heritage Month. Teachers can find a comparing and contrasting activity, a personification activity, and an inference game that are tied to a social studies picture book.

October Elementary Social Studies Toolbox Newsletter

LETRS In-person Sessions
Schedule for LETRS Unit 2 in-person sessions is now available on MIDAS!! Use #60077

Update from USBE
Unit 2 in MIDAS is now available and is ready for enrollment, please use course #60077.    Sections are still being added - this unit will run through December 17^th.  When sharing this information with your participants kindly remind them of the following:

• Unit 1 face-to-face training must be completed prior to attending unit 2.
• Online work for Unit 2 must be completed prior to attending their face-to-face training.
• When participants enroll through MIDAS, they must:
  • Search for course ID #60077
  • Complete their registration (Check Out) from their MIDAS Cart
    • Participants must enroll for ONE section only - If a participant chooses to attend on a different date other than the one they originally enrolled in, they must first unenroll from the previous section before enrolling on to another.
    • Once a section has filled up to the max of 40, no additional participants will be allowed.
    • If a participant received an email stating they are Waitlisted, they are not enrolled and must find a different date to attend. No exceptions.
• Participants must NOT SHARE ZOOM LINKS.  Every participant must be logged in to Zoom from their own laptop.  No sharing screens, or zoom links is allowed.
• To be awarded USBE credit a participant must be successfully enrolled in MIDAS, being waitlisted does not count.

LETRS Update
Please check the LETRS Information web page often, as this is how we can communicate the most updated information as changes happen. Look through the various tabs. The two that get updated most frequently are the FAQs page and our new newest tab, “Information from USBE”. You’ll also find links to the unit completion form, teacher survey, and more!! Access the page from the Teaching & Learning Home page. 

Most importantly, THANK YOU for the time and effort you are putting into LETRS and the other literacy initiatives this year!! What a positive life-changing difference you can make in the lives of our students!!