Skip to content

Published on

4th Quarter 2022 Blomquist Hale Newsletter CoverThe Blomquist Hale Newsletter for the quarter has arrived.  In this issue, you will find articles on:

  • Blomquist Hale App - We are excited to announce our NEW phone app! You can now download the Blomquist Hale app to your smart phone! The Blomquist Hale app gives you direct access to mental health resources such as webinars, informational handouts, articles and more!
  • Blomquist Hale YouTube - Did you know that you can access over 100+ workshop recordings on our YouTube page? To access these videos, simply search Blomquist Hale on YouTube.

  • How Well Do You Manage Stress? - The holidays can be filled with good food, celebrations, parties and wonderful music. It can also be a time of stress. Take a quiz that is a quick measurement of your ability to resist stress.

Published on

Effective January 1, 2023, Kroger Pharmacies (Smith's) will no longer be part of the network of pharmacies that are offered through Express Scripts. You will be receiving notification from Express Scripts with additional pharmacy options in your area. They have a comprehensive network of pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart to provide close access for most individuals.

Kroger and Express Scripts are unable to come to an agreement on their standard terms and conditions, including market competitive rates. Many times, these issues work themselves out before the effective date. If that happens, we will update you.

Published on

Nov. 2022 ML Monthly MemoWelcome to the Language & Culture Services Teacher Specialist Newsletter – The ML Monthly Memo! Our goal is to have one place that updates you on important information all staff should know and help to share tips and tricks for working with our district's incredible multilingual learners (ML)! We welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out to your teacher specialist with any questions or concerns. We are here for you and the students!

The full newsletter can be found at the link below. Stories include:

  • ELLevation Tips and Tricks - Under the student's profile, click on the "Can Dos" tab. You will see what your student can do for each modality and level of their English. Bonus-Look at the "Successive Descriptors" to help them set goals for language growth.
  • Teaching Strategies - Visuals: Both images and videos can be incredibly helpful to students learning English. Pre-Teach Vocabulary: Say the word, have students repeat it, model use of the word, have students practice using it, and use visuals to help students fully understand the new word. Utilize graphic organizers.
  • Culture Corner - With Thanksgiving coming up, it is important to remember that not all of your students celebrate or know about the holiday. Make sure you are giving all students the space to share about their own country's or culture's traditions and celebrations while discussing our upcoming holiday and break. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know your students even better!

Published on

Literacy Matters Issue 4The Literacy Matters newsletter contains helpful information for teachers and administrators.  This newsletter includes:

  • Teaching Blending in Kindergarten - At this point in the school year, kindergarten students should
    receive phonics instruction in blending the sounds in closed syllables (CVC words). The Teaching Blending lessons from 95% are an effective method for teaching this skill. All schools have access to these materials.
  • Grades 4-6 Lexia Licenses Reminder - The Lexia grant is for students in grades K-3 this year. The grant is very specific; We cannot place students in grades 4-6 on Lexia through the grant, even if there are extra school licenses. At year's end, USBE will work with Lexia to determine how many licenses were used at each school. If a school chooses to place students in grades 4-6 on Lexia, they will need to purchase additional licenses for those students. For help with purchasing additional licenses, please contact Michelle Lovell for more details.
  • Walk to Read Canvas Course Survey - Click this link to access the short survey. Our team is seeking feedback on the Walk to Read Canvas course that provides Walk to Read training for paraprofessionals, teachers, and coaches. If you need access to the course, contact the teacher specialist connected to your school.

Published on

Nov. 2022 EMI Be Well Newsletter CoverCheck out the Nov. 2022 Be Well newsletter from EMI. Stories include:

  • Boost Brain Health - To reduce your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) it may help to limit screen time that involves sitting. Excessive TV viewing and leisure time screen use have been linked to CHD. Limiting leisure screen time to less than one hour a day could help prevent more than one in ten cases, regardless of your genetic makeup, according to recent University of Cambridge research.
  • Celebrate Healthy Eating -  Holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends, and many events revolve around food. Sometimes this can be challenging for people who have special dietary needs or follow a rigid eating pattern. The influx of treats, sweets and celebrations focused on eating can be overwhelming.
  • Brain Benefits of Music - To exercise your brain, turn on some music. Research has shown that listening to music can help reduce anxiety, control blood pressure and relieve pain, as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness and memory.
  • Defusing Family Feuds - Along with a festive meal, something else can be served up this time of year — family squabbles. Long-held resentments, political differences — lots of things can boil over around the turkey platter. Plan how you’ll navigate around sensitive topics, cool down any potential arguments and steer conversations into a positive direction.

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

Published on

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 2023-24 Sabbatical and Educational Leaves are due Feb. 1, 2023. Additional questions can be referred to Chris Westra, 801-567-8657.

Published on

AP Educator Dinner FlyerWe want to share exciting new opportunities in Utah for teachers, campus leaders, students, and families and also take time to celebrate the great work that you are doing to provide early college opportunities in your communities.

This information is for AP teachers, AP coordinators and site education leaders who should make their dinner reservation prior to Nov. 28, 2022. See more details in the attached flier.

Published on

2023 Elementary Math Tournament FlyerPlease see below for more information about the Jordan District Elementary Math Tournament.  All schools are invited to participate!  Contact Rebecca Smith @ 801-567-8368 or Taryn Cox @ 801-567-8468 with questions you may have.

Jordan District Elementary Math Tournament @ Daybreak Elementary

  • Date: April 7, 2023
  • Time: Approximately 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Registration: Registration forms and detailed information will be entered in JAM in January 2023.
  • Entry Fee: Gifted and Talented will cover all registration fees.
  • Transportation: Schools are responsible for transporting students to the event.
  • Teams: Teams are composed of five high-level math students from grades 4, 5, or 6. Most teams are composed of 6th grade students. However, 4th and 5th grade students commonly attend and do well. The number of teams schools can send depends on interest. Participating schools can usually send 2-3 teams.
  • Format: The tournament has 2 rounds—individual and team. All students compete in both rounds. Each round has 10 questions.
  • Supervision: Adult chaperones and scoring help are required from each participating school.
  • Lunch: All participants and adult helpers bring their own lunches.
  • Preparation: Practice complex problem solving. After registration, schools will receive practice problems from previous tournaments.

Published on

Show Up for Teachers FlyerBelow is a note from First Lady Abby Cox about an upcoming virtual symposium on Nov. 12 that will continue the conversation about educator wellness. We hope you will be able to attend and share this opportunity with any educators in your circle!

Hello Friend,

Thank you for your continued support of teachers as an Educator Advocate. As a team, we are constantly striving to uplift and sustain the educators of Utah. We received great feedback from our first ever in-person conference this summer and are so grateful for your participation. I have included the impact report from that event that contains specific feedback from the participants. I hope you will be able to take a look.

I want to continue the conversation around educator well-being and mental health in an online virtual symposium on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 12. As an Educator Advocate, you are welcome to attend, and encouraged to share this opportunity with the educators in your life. This three-hour symposium will include incredible speakers, a panel discussion with legislative and policy leaders, and a live Q&A session with a licensed therapist.

Thanks to our partnership with the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah State Legislature, this symposium is free to attend for all Utah educators and staff. USBE will offer three relicensure points to qualified attendees. Attendees can register to join us on Nov. 12 at 8:30 a.m. by going to ShowUpUtah.org.

Utah First Lady Abby Cox

Published on
  • Kindergarten Night Out will be held on Nov. 9 at 4:15 p.m. in the ASB auditorium. Kindergarten teachers, coaches and administrators are invited to attend.
  • First-Grade Night Out will be held on Nov. 16 at 4:15 p.m. in the media center of South Jordan Middle. First-grade teachers, coaches and administrators are invited to attend. 
  • The last sessions for LETRS training for Unit 4 through USBE for teachers who started LETRS training last year will be held on Nov. 4, 9, and 30. The Midas course number is 60079. Please remind teachers to sign up for a training if they have not done so already. The book work and online work should be completed prior to attending the full-day training. 
  • The Information Systems department will be changing the usernames and passwords for Lexia on Nov. 7. If there are any questions about this process, please contact Michelle Lovell.

Published on

Professional Development on Nov. 4 | Afternoon PD options for teachers from the Gifted & Talented program in the Teaching & Learning department.

Join us on Zoom for a session specific to secondary or elementary teachers.

Secondary

  • Differentiation in Secondary School: Strategies to Engage All Learners
    Planning a lesson/unit is much like planning a road trip from one city to another. This session will provide teachers with strategies for the creation of differentiated tasks - tasks that are designed with different routes to the same destination!
  • Facilitator: Frankie Walton
  • Target Audience: Middle & High School Teachers
  • Time: 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
  • Zoom Link
  • Meeting ID: 865 5200 4517
  • Passcode: 277148
  • Contact: Frankie Walton @ 801-567-8319

Elementary

  • ByrdseedTV: Lessons That Get Kids' Brains Sweating!
    Looking for lessons full of rigor and engagement that take very little time to prepare? Join us for an interactive, hour-long workshop to explore a resource available to all teachers in Jordan District.
  • Facilitators: Rebecca Smith and Taryn Cox
  • Target Audience: Teachers in Grades 3-6
  • Time: 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
  • Zoom Link
  • Meeting ID: 881 6057 5638
  • Passcode: 794090
  • Contact: Rebecca Smith @ 801-567-8368

Published on

New York Life FlyersNew York Life offers programs for all Jordan School District benefit eligible employees. These services include employee assistance, wellness support, financial, legal & estate support.  If you have any questions, please contact Insurance Services. Check out the flyers below for more information. 

Published on

Do the Write Thing Challenge InstructionsThe Office of the Governor and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) together invite seventh and eighth grade students and teachers to participate in Utah’s 23rd Annual Do the Write Thing Challenge where students examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and communicate in writing what they think should be done to prevent this type of violence.

Published on

Laptop with lock screenFor our fourth and final week of Cybersecurity Awareness we are discussing something that is easy, takes only a few seconds to perform, and makes a massive impact in the realm of cybersecurity. We are talking about locking computers before you walk away.

Locking your machine when you are away, even if you aren't leaving the classroom or general area, is a must. Your machine and account have access to sensitive student and district data, and, according to FERPA law, we must be diligent in protecting student data. Leaving a computer unlocked and unattended can violate FERPA law. Not only that, but it could violate other laws as well, such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). The district’s content filter is designed and set up to have more restrictions for students than for staff. If a student were to access a computer logged in as a staff member, they would have access to all the same things that staff member could access. This includes personal and professional files, file shares, web apps or sites that the staff member has set to “remember” or “auto login,” and internet-based content they normally wouldn't be able to access under their own student login.

Time for a thought experiment! Think about the last time you left your computer unlocked (We’ve all done it). Think about the kind of data and information that was left on your screen. Was it an email to a parent, colleague, or administration about a student or sensitive data? Was it a presentation that you had finished? Was it Skyward? What kind of data could be stolen, and how much damage could be done if a passerby decided they wanted to take a picture of your screen? How much damage could they do if they decided to sit down and comb through the apps that were left open and unattended? Let’s all recommit to locking our computers when we are stepping away, no matter how close or far away we will be.

  • How To:
    • If you are on a Windows PC, you can lock your computer as easy as holding down the ⊞ Windows key and pressing L.
    • If you are on an Apple computer, press and hold ^ Control, ⌘ Command & Q keys. If this keyboard shortcut does not work, your computer is out of date and needs an update.
    • If you are on a Chromebook, press and hold the 🔍 search key, which is the magnifying glass where the Caps Lock key would be, and press L.

Published on

Leonardo | Art Through Experience
Educators throughout the state are invited to visit the immersive art experience now playing at the IDEA Space within The Leonardo Museum located in downtown Salt Lake City at Library Square (209 E. 500 South).

To receive two free tickets, simply follow this link and use code TeachArt22 to check out Van Gogh 360, Monet to Kandinsky, Italian Renaissance, Great Impressionists, or Monet To Kandinsky En Español.

The code is good for two complimentary admissions through the month of November 2022.  Art Through Experience programming is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Published on

As outlined previously in JEM, all employees are required to complete the Crucial Policy Review by Nov. 1, 2022.  Don’t delay in completing this important training.  Please see below for instructions.  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).

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, 2022.

Please see the tutorial below if you need additional assistance in accessing or completing the policy review.

Crucial Policy Review
To complete the required Policy Review, login to your Employee Access account. If you need help with your login ID or password, contact the Help Desk at 801-567-8737.

If you have not completed your Policy Review, you will see the screen below. Click the Policy Review link.
Policy Review Window
The Policy Review can also be accessed by selecting Employee Information/Online Forms.
Online Forms Menu

Published on

Oct. 2022 Literacy Matters CoverThe Literacy Matters newsletter contains helpful information for teachers and administrators.  This newsletter includes:

  • RGR Spanish Resources
  • Teacher Night Out Dates
  • District PD Day Info
  • 2022-23 Acadience Goals for K03
  • Kindergarten Letter Names & Sounds