MARCH 2004

March 2 | March 9 | March 16 | March 23 | March 30

Insurance Enrollment Change
     Jordan School District’s annual open enrollment period is changing from June, July and August to June and July. Insurance changes, new enrollments (except new hires) and cancellations will no longer be accepted during the months of August and September.
     The open enrollment period for the next insurance year will be June 1 through July 31, 2004, with an effective date of Sept. 1, 2004, through Aug. 31, 2005. Any changes in medical, dental, vision, cancer or long-term care plans can only be made during this time unless you have a qualifying event.
     What changes can be made during an open enrollment period?
          - Make a plan change (example: change from Exclusive plan to Summit plan or change from Dental Select to Total Dental, etc.),
          - Enroll in a medical, dental, vision, cancer or long-term care plan,
          - Cancel a dental or vision plan.
     What constitutes a qualifying event?
          - Marriage or divorce,
          - Addition of a dependent through birth, adoption or change in custody,
          - Death of a spouse or dependent,
          - Spouse or dependent involuntarily losing or experiencing a change in health insurance coverage through his/her own employment.
     Please call Insurance Services, (801) 567-8146, with any questions.

Flexible Spending Change
     Flexible spending elections for the insurance year Sept. 1, 2004, through Aug. 31, 2005, are due July 31, 2004, in the District Insurance Office. All flexible spending elections must be made on a yearly basis. If you had a flexible spending deduction this year, it will not carry forward to the next year. Forms will be available in May. Please call Insurance Services, (801) 567-8146, with any questions.

Publisher Donates to Media Center
     Herriman Elementary received $3,600 in cash and $716 in books for its media center from London-based Usborne Books. The school's students participated in the “Reach for the Stars” reading incentive program sponsored by the publisher. In addition, students earned more than $7,100 in pledge money for reading 300 or more minutes within a two-week period.

Authors Give Tips to Students
     Children’s book authors Caralyn and Mark Buehner shared ideas with students at Mountview Elementary on how to write and illustrate a book. The students gave Mr. Buehner a short story idea and he drew the illustrations. Mrs. Buehner read two of their books, Snowmen at Night and Super Dog, while showing slides of the illustrations.

30th Anniversary at Eastmont
     Eastmont Middle is bringing together past and present faculty, staff and administrators to celebrate the school’s 30th anniversary. A reception will be held April 21, 3:30-5 p.m., in the media center. Call Sharon Stewart, (801) 412-2000, with any questions.

Earthquake Drills Set for April 7
     The Utah Department of Comprehensive Emergency Management is coordinating activities in the month of April on earthquake preparedness. As part of its preparedness events, April 7 has been designated as a day for schools throughout the state to hold earthquake drills. For more information on earthquake preparedness, contact Bob Carey, Department of Comprehensive Emergency Management, (801) 538-3784.

District Calendar
      View the District Calendar at www.jordandistrict.org/calendar for upcoming events.

Employment Opportunities
      See current job openings posted by the Human Resources Department at www.jordandistrict.org/hr .

Facilities Planning Open Houses Scheduled
     Jordan School District’s Facilities Planning Committee is in the process of evaluating options for future facility planning for areas with declining enrollment. These alternatives may range from closing schools to operating special programs at under-enrolled schools.
     The public is invited to review information and provide feedback on these alternatives during four public open houses scheduled at the following high schools between 6-8 p.m.:
     • April 28: Bingham High Cafeteria, 2160 W. Miners Mile (10400 South)
     • April 29: West Jordan High Commons Area, 8136 S. 2700 West
     • May 5: Jordan High Commons Area, 95 E. Beetdigger Blvd. (9880 South)
     • May 6: Brighton High Cafeteria, 2220 E. Bengal Blvd. (7600 South)
     District representatives will be available to answer questions. Following public comment, the options will be revised and the committee will make its recommendations to the Board of Education in June.

Teacher Transfer Opportunities
     Positions available for teachers to transfer to other schools will be advertised on the Human Resources page of the District Web site at www.jordandistrict.org/hr from April 1 until May 15. Teachers must obtain transfer forms and signatures from their current principal. Forms may be submitted for advertised positions only and must be received in the Human Resources Department by the Monday following the date a job is advertised. To have a second advertised position added to your transfer form, contact Human Resources at (801) 567-8221 (for elementary) or (801) 567-8227 (for secondary).

Area Executive Director Position Available
     Jordan District has an opening for an area executive director (senior administrative District-level position) to replace Keith Wilson who will retire June 30. Qualified candidates must have a minimum of five years of administrative experience (with exemplary evaluations) as a building-level principal or district administrator. Interested persons who wish to be considered for this position must submit a letter of interest, a resume (not to exceed two pages), and a statement outlining the qualifications they possess, particularly their background in curriculum and instruction. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate excellent communication, public relations and organizational skills. Requested materials must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by 4:30 p.m. on April 2. Candidates will be screened and those selected will undergo interviews shortly thereafter. Questions are to be directed to George Welch, Executive Director, Human Resources, (801) 567-8150.

Retirement Seminar
     Due to an overwhelming response, an additional District retirement seminar has been scheduled for May 10. Cory Wood from the Utah State Retirement System will explain the state pension program; benefits of early investment choices such as the 401K, 403B and the newly improved 457 plan; how and when to retire for maximum financial earnings; and more. Judy Burton, director of Payroll, will also discuss District benefits. This class is presented by Jordan District. Please feel free to bring spouses. Register by calling Lorna Evans, (801) 256-5750.
          Location: Auxiliary Services Building
          Date: May 10
          Time: 4-6 p.m.
          Cost: $5 per person
     This will be the final seminar this school year. The next seminar is scheduled for Oct 4.

Board of Education Candidates
     The following candidates met the March 17 deadline to run for Jordan Board of Education positions:
     • Precinct 4: Brigham S. Latimer, Sandy; Greg Lloyd, Draper; Ernest "Ernie" Nielsen, Sandy; Sherril H. Taylor, Sandy.
     • Precinct 5: Drew Chamberlain, South Jordan; J. Dale Christensen, South
Jordan (i); Darrell J. Robinson, South Jordan.
     • Precinct 7: Randy Brinkerhoff, Riverton (i).
     Candidates for precincts 4 and 5 will be narrowed to two during the primary election June 22. The general election is Nov. 2.

Counselor of the Year
     Donna Newbold, counselor at Bingham High, was selected as the 2004 High School Counselor of the Year by the Utah School Counselor Association. This recognition is given to counselors who possess exemplary personal qualities desirable in a counselor, are responsible for innovative guidance and counseling programs, provide leadership in professional counseling associations, and make significant contributions to the counseling profession.

Elementary Film Festival
     The Jordan District elementary film festival will be held at Peruvian Park Elementary April 29. Screenings of all entries will be held 4:30-6:30 p.m., followed by an award ceremony at 7 p.m. Schools wanting to participate must submit entries by April 7. Entry forms and instructions can be found at t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/teacher_resources/filmfestival/film_festival_entry.html. Please contact Ann Bjorklund, (801) 567-8726, or Kelly Dumont, (801) 567-8758, with any questions.

Excellence in International Education Awards
     The Goldman Sachs Foundation announced its Excellence in International Education awards, which will award five $25,000 prizes to schools, higher education institutions, states, and media/technology organizations that are working to "put the world into world-class education." The Goldman Sachs Foundation and Asia Society created the prize program, the first ever of its kind, to promote international knowledge and skills in U.S. schools. Prizewinners and finalists will be invited to participate in the States Institute on International Education in the Schools in Washington, D.C.; may have the opportunity to work with Asia Society's network of international studies schools; and may be invited to speak at national education conferences. Asia Society is also planning the development of a best practices guide based on finalist and winning innovations. Information on the application process is available at www.InternationalEd.org/prizes.

Jazz ‘n’ Geography
     One hundred Alta View Elementary students will be attending Jazz games thanks to the Jazz ‘n’ Geography program sponsored by the Utah Jazz and the Deseret Morning News. Second place in the drawing, winning a Jazz Bear classroom visit and 50 Jazz game tickets, went to Alta View second-grade teacher Linda Dunning. Third place awards of 50 game tickets went to Copperview fifth- and sixth-grade teacher Kassi Christopherson, Alta View third-grade teacher Kathleen Atkinson, and Westland fifth-grade teacher Sara Andreason.

Easter Packages for Soldiers
     Cathy Spuck’s second-grade class at Crescent Elementary made baby chicks and Easter cards for Utah Air National Guard troops stationed in Iraq. The items were included in treat bags assembled and mailed to the troops. The class’ ongoing activities to cheer the guardsmen have been mentioned in the Utah Air National Guard newsletter.

National Driving Champs
     Transportation Department employees David Brown, driver, and Kathy Simmons, attendant, won first place at the National Special Needs TEAM Safety competition March 6-7 in Atlanta. They are now the National Champions for 2004 and are eligible to return to the event in 2005 to defend their title. The competition included a written exam, events in driving obstacles, student behavior, evacuation, wheelchair loading/unloading, mechanical pre-trip, railroad crossings, and operation of the bus and student management.

Mathematics Teacher Honored
     Patricia Nelson, mathematics teacher at West Jordan Middle, was among six Utah teachers named national finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Some 108 winners of the national awards will be announced later this month. Each teacher selected will be awarded $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and take part in a weeklong series of professional development activities during recognition events in Washington, D.C.

Employee of the Month
     The District Office Support Staff Advisory Committee selected Debbie Fairbourn, secretary in the Special Education Department, as Employee of the Month for March. She has 24 years of service with the District.

Utah Jazz player Carlos Arroyo joins sixth-grade teacher Bonnie Welch during his visit to Butler Elementary.

Jazz Players Read to Students
     Utah Jazz player Carlos Arroyo joined Butler Elementary students for an ice cream party after they read a combined 548,000 minutes to earn the honor. Jazz player Jaron Collins read two books and visited with students at Lone Peak Elementary in recognition of their reading more than 245,000 combined minutes.

Shakespeare at Willow Canyon
     Sixth-grade students at Willow Canyon Elementary are presenting Shakespeare's Macbeth March 18. Parent Carrie Wrigley has adapted the play for the students and written original music. Performances are at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for students, with an evening performance at 7 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium.

Miners Seeking Minors
     Bingham High is accepting enrollment registrations for its daycare and preschool programs. Preschool students must be four years old by Sept. 1. Contact Laurie deJong, (801) 256-5145, by March 31 to get on the preschool mailing list or for information on the daycare program.

Fitness Champs
     For the eighth straight year, Park Lane Elementary is Utah state champion for The President’s Challenge physical fitness awards program. Nearly half of the school’s 267 students achieved The President’s Challenge after being tested on such activities as curl-ups, pull-ups, push-ups and running. The achievement also ranked Park Lane as the No. 3 school in the nation. An awards assembly March 11 will feature the Jazz Bear as special guest.

Foothills Dedication
     A dedication ceremony for Foothills Elementary will be held at the school March 16, 7 p.m. The public is invited to participate in the event which will include remarks by District and PTA officials, a dedicatory address by Board member Randy Brinkerhoff and the introduction of the school song by a choir of Foothills students. A PTA-sponsored book fair will follow the dedication.

Educators of the Month
     The Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce and Jordan Credit Union honored Katherine Osborne, Sandy Elementary, and Leslie Demille, Jordan Applied Technology Center, Sandy Campus, as Educators of the Month for February. The awards were presented at a luncheon March 3.

Employee of the Month
     The District Office Support Staff Advisory Committee selected Shirley Ulibarri, Instructional Support Center, as Employee of the Month for February. She has 19 years of service with the District.

Cindy Hooper, Brenda Hales and Amanda Hansen, Curriculum Department, deliver treats to District Office staff on Dr. Suess’ 100th birthday.

Cats Invade District
     March 2 marked the 100th Anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ birth. Schools marked the occasion with reading events, book fairs and costumes.
     The teachers and staff at Canyon View Elementary dressed up in "Cat in the Hat" costumes created by Principal Sharon Okumura and her staff. A day-long celebration included guest readers, a Book Fair and green eggs and ham for lunch.
     At Copperview Elementary, students wore pajamas to school and were served a green-eggs-and-ham breakfast. They then participated in a sing-along assembly, including a medley of Dr. Seuss songs. At lunch, students ate pink cake and everyone received a Dr. Seuss treat at the end of the day.
     The Curriculum Department even brought some of the fun to the District Office. Staffers dressed as the famous cat delivered treats and other goodies, reminding everyone of the importance of reading.

Grants Support Westland
     The sixth-grade team at Westland Elementary received a total of $5,625 in grants this school year, including $1,100 from the Jordan Education Foundation and $4,825 from the Utah Credit Unions’ 100% For Kids program. Additionally, fifth grade received $350, first grade $400 and resource $400 from 100% For Kids.

Bear Drive
     Oquirrh Hills Middle recently completed its fourth annual "Bear Drive" for the Salt Lake County Children's Justice Center. Students, faculty and staff collected new bears and other stuffed animals for children served by the Center.

Retirement Open House
     Gordon Garner, hall monitor at Joel P. Jensen Middle, has announced his retirement after 30 years with the District. An open house will be held in his honor March 16, 2:45-5 p.m., in the school’s media center.

Jordan Ranks Second in Nation
     An analysis by Forbes Magazine ranked Jordan and Granite School Districts as offering the second-best big-city education in the country. Not bad considering the first-place finisher, Boston, spends more than double what Utah spends per pupil. To compile the list, Forbes looked at such factors as the high school graduation rate, affordability of housing and access to educational resources. The analysis considered the 100 largest school districts in the most populous cities in the country and selected the eight school districts that fared best in all three categories:
     1. Boston
     2. Salt Lake City
     3. Raleigh, N.C.
     4. New Orleans
     5. Philadephia, Penn.
     6. Austin, Texas
     7. Charlotte, N.C.
     8. San Diego
See the complete article at www.forbes.com/realestate/2004/02/13/cx_bs_0213home.html.

Administrative Appointments, Transfers
     The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments and transfers:
          • Herb Jensen, currently principal of Union Middle, appointed as Auxiliary Services staff assistant. He replaces Ray Jenson who is retiring.
          • Brett Wilson, currently a facilitator for the 21st Century Community Learning Center, appointed as assistant coordinator at South Park Academy.
          • Norman Emerson, currently principal of Sunrise Elementary, transferred to principal of the new West Jordan elementary located at 8525 S. Hilltop Drive. The school is scheduled to open in August and will be named at a later date.
          • Susan Turner, Ph.D., currently principal of Monte Vista Elementary, transferred to principal of the new West Jordan elementary located at 8917 S. Copperwood Drive. The school is scheduled to open in July and will be named at a later date.
          • Amy Cowin, currently a teacher at Brighton High; Teri Timpson, currently in the BYU Leadership Preparation Program; Terri Summers, currently in the BYU Leadership Preparation Program; and Travis Hamblin, currently a teacher at West Hills Middle, appointed as administrators with specific assignments to follow.

Bond Refinance Saves $1.5 Million
     The Board approved a resolution confirming the sale and authorizing the issuance of $30.6 million of general obligation refunding bonds at an interest rate of 2.629 percent. James Matsumori, the District’s financial adviser, said this is the lowest rate he’s ever seen. The refinancing will save Jordan District taxpayers $1.5 million.

Retirement Seminar
     Due to an overwhelming response, an additional District retirement seminar has been scheduled for May 3. Cory Wood from the Utah State Retirement System will explain the state pension program; benefits of early investment choices such as the 401K, 403B and the newly improved 457 plan; how and when to retire for maximum financial earnings; and more. Judy Burton, director of Payroll, will also discuss District benefits. This class is presented by Jordan District. Please feel free to bring spouses. Register by calling Lorna Evans, (801) 256-5750.
     Location: Auxiliary Services Building
     Date: May 3
     Time: 4-6 p.m.
     Cost: $5 per person

Bingham High teacher Jana Brinton was named Foreign Language Teacher of the Year. Photo: Scott Winterton, Deseret Morning News, deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590045234,00.html

Foreign Language Teacher of the Year
     Jana Brinton, teacher at Bingham High, was named the Utah Foreign Language Association's Foreign Language Teacher of the Year. She received a plaque and $200. The award recognizes outstanding teaching in the area foreign languages. In addition to teaching French, Spanish and English, Brinton takes a group of students to Europe each summer where they tour nations including France, Holland, Great Britain and Germany.

Teacher Feature Award
     Robyn Christopherson, sixth-grade teacher at Lone Peak Elementary, was recognized by Zions Bank and KSL Radio Feb. 17 on the "Teacher Feature" program. She was nominated for this recognition by a current student.

Donation Supplies Iraqi School
     Students from Sunrise Elementary donated 700 pounds of school and other supplies—including paper, pencils and combs—to schoolchildren in Iraq. Capt. Wyeth Anderson, son of retired Sunrise teacher Margaret Anderson, delivered the goods to the Iraqi school adopted by his logistical supply battalion several months ago. A Feb. 27 Salt Lake Tribune story (www.sltrib.com/2004/feb/02272004/utah/142945.asp) detailed the donation.