Category: Information Items

One of the most significant threats we face today in a digital world is keeping our information and accounts safe from intrusion. The single best action we can take to combat this individually is to have exceptionally strong passwords.

The challenge we all face is that cyber attackers have developed sophisticated and effective methods to guess passwords. This means bad guys can compromise your passwords if they are weak or easy to guess.

An important step to protecting yourself is to use strong passwords. This can be done by creating complex passwords. However, these can be hard to remember, confusing and difficult to type. Instead, we recommend you use 'passphrase'. A passphrase is a series of random words or a sentence. The more characters your passphrase has, the stronger it is. The advantage is these are much easier to remember and type, but still hard for cyber attackers to hack.

Here are two examples of passphrases:

Sustain-Easily-Practice
Time_for_tea_at_1:23

What makes these passphrases so strong is not only are they long, but they use capital letters and symbols. (Remember, spaces and punctuation are symbols.) At the same time, these passphrases are also easy to remember and type.

You can make your passphrase even stronger by replacing letters with numbers or symbols, such as replacing the letter ‘a’ with the ‘@’ symbol or the letter ‘o’ with the number zero. If a website or program limits the number of characters you can use in a password, use the maximum number of characters allowed.

Applications are being accepted for the 2018-19 program. There will be 2 cohorts, one beginning in August and one beginning in January.

Applicants will be placed based on critical need for Office of Civil Rights (OCR) compliance regarding English learners and timely application.

Because of the SUU process, applicants will not be added to a cohort within 30 days of the first night of class.

Find information regarding the endorsement and the application process.

If you are a good teacher who wants to be even better the S.T.E.P. It Up professional development opportunity is being offered in collaboration with Curriculum and JEA. It is open to all teachers interested in sharpening their skills.

See the attached information for details.

Discover wellness tips in the April edition of 'Be Well'.

Check out the 30-minute modules in the areas of academic language, English learners, culturally responsive teaching, engagement and more.

Win prizes for your school or for yourself for completing modules.

Please contact deborah.brey@jordandistrict.org with questions.

The Jordan School District Payroll Department encourages everyone to use the IRS' Withholding Calculator to perform a quick “paycheck checkup.” This is even more important this year because of recent changes to the tax law for 2018.

The Calculator helps you identify your tax withholding to make sure you have the right amount of tax withheld from your paycheck at work.

There are several reasons to check your withholding:

• Checking your withholding can help protect against having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time next year.
• With the average refund topping $2,800, you may prefer to have less tax withheld up front and receive more in your paychecks.

If you are an employee, the Withholding Calculator helps you determine whether you need to give your employer a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. You can use your results from the Calculator to help fill out the form and adjust your income tax withholding.

To access the IRS Withholding Calculator or for more information on tax withholdings follow this link.

 

Student Intervention Services is hosting a presentation focusing on the work of ICAC, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

All JSD administrators and parents are invited to attend.

The event will be held on March 8, 2018 from 6 – 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Jordan School District Auxiliary Services Building.

Discover wellness tips in the March edition of 'Be Well'.

Skyward will not be available during a system upgrade from 9 p.m. Friday, February 16 until 12:00 noon on Saturday, February 17.

This will affect both Student and Fianance systems including Family Access and Employee Access.

The Teacher Transfer Fair is open to all current Jordan School District teachers. It is a chance to explore all of your options in a no pressure, no obligation environment.

Bring resumes, references and ID badge.

• ELEMENTARY
  • February 20, 2018, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. - Columbia Elementary School, 7800 S. 3505 West, West Jordan
• SECONDARY
  • February 20, 2018, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Elk Ridge Middle School, 9800 S. 3659 West, South Jordan

Jordan School District provides employees with short-term, confidential counseling through Blomquist-Hale. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be used by you and anyone else in your household at no out-of-pocket expense to you.

Services provided include marital and family counseling, stress/anxiety/depression counseling, assistance with financial or legal problems, and coping with grief and loss.

The services are 100% confidential and are offered at convenient locations throughout the area.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call (800) 926-9619 or visit the Blomquist-Hale website.

Welcome to JEM, the brand new Jordan Employee Memo!

JEM is an electronic newsletter for all District employees aimed at providing time sensitive information regarding Jordan School District employment. JEM is a resource for employees to better understand District policies and be informed about important deadlines. We hope to provide information that will help employees keep up on crucial issues that impact their employment.

JEM will be emailed to all employees monthly.

The IRS said it expects to issue initial guidance on new withholding tables for payroll systems in January 2018, "which would allow taxpayers to begin seeing the benefits of the change as early as February."

Many employees may need to file new W-4 forms, but it isn’t clear when new ones will be ready.

"We are taking the initial steps to prepare guidance on withholding for 2018," the IRS said in a statement shortly before the congressional vote. The IRS also said it "will be working closely with the nation's payroll and tax professional community during this process." The IRS encourages wage earners to review their tax withholdings.

"By adjusting the Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, taxpayers can ensure that the right amount is taken out of their pay throughout the year," the IRS advised. "Having the correct amount withheld from paychecks helps to ensure that taxpayers don't pay too much tax during the year—and that they have money upfront rather than waiting for a bigger refund after filing their tax return."

Please mail your adjusted W-4 form to Payroll through the U.S. Postal Service or drop it off in person to the Payroll Department at the District Office.

The level of income that is subject to a higher tax bracket also can influence a number of decisions by employees, including how much salary to defer into retirement savings plan. __________________________________________________________________________________ Retirement Savings Plan Annual Contribution Limits

Pre-Tax Contributions (withdrawals taxed as income during retirement)
$18,500 *401(k), 403(b), 457
$24,500 Can contribute an additional $6,000 for age 50+

*401(k) and 403(b) plans share a combined annual limit 457 plan is treated as separate from the 401(k)/403(b) limits

After-Tax Contributions – may be tax deductible (withdrawals taxed as income during retirement)
$5,500 Traditional IRA
$6,500 Can contribute an additional $1,000 for age 50+

After-Tax Contributions (withdrawals are tax-free during retirement)
$5,500 Roth IRA
$6,500 Can contribute an additional $1,000 for age 50+

All of the above plans are available as a payroll deduction, and they are all with Utah Retirement Systems (URS), with the exception of the 403(b) plan. You may obtain information and/or forms by logging in to www.urs.org, or by contacting the Payroll Department. The 403(b) provider list and contact information is available on the Payroll Department’s website.
________________________________________________________________________________
$128,400 Social Security Wage Base ________________________________________________________________________________

Health Savings Account (HSA) Annual Contribution Limits (under qualified plans)
$3,450 Single Medical Coverage
$4,450 Can contribute an additional $1,000 for age 55+
$6,900 Family Medical Coverage
$7,900 Can contribute an additional $1,000 for age 55+

The Teacher Transfer Fair is open to all current Jordan School District teachers. It is a chance to explore all of your options in a no pressure, no obligation environment. Please take note of the dates, which have changed this year.

Bring resumes, references and ID badge.

ELEMENTARY

• February 20, 2018, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. - Columbia Elementary School, 7800 S. 3505 West, West Jordan

SECONDARY

• February 20, 2018, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Elk Ridge Middle School, 9800 S. 3659 West, South Jordan

Dear Employees,

We would like you to please be mindful of fraudulent emails.

When opening emails from unknown sources, you could fall victim to phishing attacks aimed at stealing your personal information. Hackers often use keywords like “sales giveaway” or “package delivery notification.” These emails may contain malicious clickable links designed to misdirect you to fake sites where attackers can steal your personal information.

Please remember that Jordan School District will not send emails requesting your login name or password.

Thank you.