Connie Farr, literacy facilitator at East Midvale Elementary, is one of 10 teachers selected as Outstanding Educators. Outstanding Teachers      Each year the Jordan Education Foundation selects 10 extraordinary teachers to be recognized as Outstanding Educators of the Year. This year’s award winners each receive $1,000, and their school receives $500. They will also be recognized at the Foundation’s Recognition Banquet May 10. Following are the 2007 winners and comments from their nomination forms: Sally Matsen, peer leadership, Brighton High       “Ms. Matsen is highly regarded by current and former students…Even if students seem ready to give up on themselves, she never gives up on them.” Sharon King, literacy facilitator, Brookwood Elementary       “Mrs. King turns struggling readers into confident believers in themselves…She has a genuine concern for individuals, both academically and emotionally.” Elyse Pearmain, dance, Copper Hills High       “Ms. Pearmain performs magic as she transforms young, inexperienced dancers into graceful, confident performers. She teaches them to value the worth of each individual, and that they carry within themselves the potential for greatness.” Connie Farr, literacy facilitator, East Midvale Elementary      “Ms. Farr is a master teacher who willingly shares her talents. She has a way of helping others feel successful, while offering constructive support and feedback.” Ben Jameson, language arts, Elk Ridge Middle      “Mr. Jameson engages students in their learning and takes extra effort to engage parents–opening lines of communication and holding students and parents accountable for their education.” Patricia Boswell, fourth grade, Quail Hollow Elementary       “Mrs. Boswell involves her students in many curriculum projects that make significant differences in their lives. Her students will never forget what they learned...” Donna Hunter, language arts, Riverton High       “Ms. Hunter’s sense of humor enhances her ability to make her classroom an enjoyable haven, and helps students learn more than they would otherwise.” Camie Lloyd, art, Union Middle       “The schools special education and at-risk students thrive in art with Ms. Lloyd. She makes her lessons relevant by learning about her students’ interests in advance and tailoring her plans to those interests.” Dave Kempner, social studies, Valley High       “Mr. Kempner uses history to foster respect for the past and instills in his students a sense of personal civic responsibility…He instills in his students the belief that they can have an impact on what goes on in the world.” Laura Taylor, ID cluster unit, Willow Canyon Elementary       “Ms. Taylor is an amazing teacher who touches the lives of intellectually disabled students…Working in a cluster unit can be difficult, but Ms. Taylor handles it calmly and effectively.”

Fellowship Award
      Jenicee Jacobson, history and government teacher at Riverton High, received the James Madison Fellowship award. The award allows her to pursue a master's degree with a focus on the Constitution. This fellowship is highly competitive, with only one awarded in the state of Utah each year.

Walking the 'Red Carpet'
      The student council at Willow Canyon Elementary (Sandy) sponsored a "Drive-In Movie Premiere Night" as a service project. Many students designed their own car for the night and came down the red carpet to enjoy a movie night full of fun and food. Admission was free, however, everyone was asked to donate bars of soap, washclothes, or gently used jeans, T-shirts and shoes. The student council put together more than 300 hygiene bags and raised an additional $1,200 to assist a school being built in Zambia, Africa.

Walking the Walk
      Teachers and staff from several Jordan District elementary schools including Majestic (West Jordan), Oquirrh (West Jordan), Quail Hollow (Sandy), Riverside (West Jordan), Silver Mesa (Sandy), Sprucewood (Sandy) and Sunrise (Sandy) participated in this year’s “Walk the Walk.” The competition, sponsored by Educators Mutual Insurance Association of Utah, provided pedometers to elementary teachers, administrators and classified employees at more than 130 schools throughout Utah in an effort to help leaders set a healthy example for students. In its second year, “Walk the Walk” experienced participation from about 700 teachers, administrators and classified employees who recorded nearly 98 million steps or about 49,000 miles.

Scholarship Offered
      Kennecott Land announced it has created five Jordan District teacher scholarships, valued at $25,000 total. The scholarships will be awarded to teachers who are pursuing a Master’s Degree at Western Governors University. Teachers who currently teach kindergarten through grade 12 within South Jordan City limits are eligible to apply. In addition, each applicant for the Kennecott Land Sustainable Community Scholarship must meet all Western Governors University (WGU) eligibility requirements and finalists will submit an essay. The deadline for applications is May 7. For detailed scholarship application information, visit www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/specific_audience.asp.

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• Payroll Reminders
• All employees should make sure the correct address is on their April deposit statement since many summer deposit statements will be mailed. To make an address change or correction, please submit information to the Payroll Department on an employee change of address form (available from each school office or at www.jordandistrict.org/depts/payroll).
• Any changes for summer pay, such as tax shelter or credit union deductions, adjustments to W-4s or bank accounts, must be in place for the June pay period (due June 10). Employees with contracts beginning in August or September should not close accounts or change financial institutions during July or August as the deposits for those months are processed in June.
• Employees at traditional calendar schools who plan to resign or take a leave of absence at the end of the 2006-07 contract year may receive their summer pay early. To have pay for July and August added to your June check (which can result in additional taxes), submit a letter of resignation or leave request to the Human Resources Department, along with a written request for early summer pay to the Payroll Department by June 10. The early pay does not apply to year-round employees since work will not be completed by payday, June 25. Those retiring at the end of the contract year will receive their final paychecks in June.
• Jordan District employees are paid once a month. IRS regulations require that extra checks have taxes adjusted to the regular paycheck or are withheld at a 25 percent rate. Please note that any employees receiving two District paychecks in July or August will have the second check figured with federal withholding at 25 percent.

• Retirement Information
• Employees who plan to retire must give 30-days notice prior to their last contract day or be subject to a $500 fine. For traditional-calendar locations, this deadline is May 8. Year-round location deadline dates are May 8 for A Track and June 1 for all other tracks. Those employees who have submitted retirement letters to the Human Resources Department by May 1 will be invited to a retirement dinner on May 15, 6 p.m. at Little America, hosted by the Jordan Board of Education.
• Anyone planning to retire should attend a retirement information class. The next scheduled class is April 26, 4-6 p.m. in Board Room A at the District Office. You must register to attend by calling (801) 567-8211. Once a retirement letter is received, the Payroll Department will schedule an appointment to finalize all District benefits and payouts. If you are planning to purchase years for the Utah Retirement System, please contact them 90 days in advance of retirement to meet all deadlines. Utah Retirement Systems can be reached at (801) 366-7770.
• To get an estimate of your Jordan District post-retirement benefits, go to www.jordandistrict.org/calculator. For an estimate of your Utah Retirement System benefits, visit www.urs.org.
• A retirement information center has been established in the lower level of the District Office. To contact the center, call Joy MacKay, (801) 567-8211. Please call prior to visiting the office.

Five-Star Award Recognition
      Timothy Strebel, fourth-grade teacher at South Jordan Elementary, was recognized April 17 by the South Jordan mayor and city council for winning the 2006-07 Jordan Board of Education Year-Round Elementary Five-Star Award. The 2007-08 Five-Star Award nomination deadline is May 25. Anyone can nominate an employee in one of six categories: elementary, middle and high school teachers; certificated employees at-large; classified employees; or administrators. In addition, two schools will be honored for public relations efforts. Awardees receive $2,500, are recognized during a Board of Education meeting in October and are honored at a recognition banquet. Criteria and nomination forms are available on the District Web site at www.jordandistrict.org/award. For more information, contact the Office of Communications, (801) 567-8290.

Media Center Grant
      The media center at Joel P. Jensen Middle (West Jordan) received a $4,729 Library Services and Technology Act grant. The grant will be used to purchase a multi-media presentation cart for use in the library and the school. The school’s library media specialist is Kathryn Minson.

Science and Engineering Fair
      Twelve Jordan District secondary schools participated in the Central Utah Science and Engineering Fair Mar. 29. Jordan District students won several awards including a full-tuition scholarship to UVSC, the BYU College of Engineering Deans Award, two CEU Tuition Waivers, and a one-year scholarship to BYU. Five students, representing Midvale Middle, Albion Middle (Sandy) and Hillcrest High (Midvale) won trips to the International Science Fair in Albuquerque. Thirty-four students received cash prizes for category awards.

FCCLA Competition
      The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) held its annual state competition March 29-30. Twelve Jordan District students placed first in their competitions, and 10 qualified to move on to compete at the national level. A student from West Jordan High won the FCCLA Scholarship.

Utah History Fair
      Five Jordan District students won awards at the Utah History Fair, held at Fort Douglas April 11. The students were from Midvale Middle and Peruvian Park Elementary (Sandy).

Sharing Blankets and Soccer Skills
      The Brighton High (Cottonwood Heights) boys’ soccer team tied 20 fleece blankets and donated them to youth residents at the Christmas Box House. On March 31, the team delivered the blankets and conducted a soccer clinic for about 70 youth residents. The team also picked out their six best soccer balls and gave them to the facility.

Students Teach, Perform Shakespeare
     A Midsummer Night’s Dream came alive at Quail Hollow Elementary (Sandy) thanks to some Brighton High (Cottonwood Heights) Drama students. Sixth-grade students stayed after school for two months to work with the high school students memorizing parts, learning choreography and making scenery.

Classified Employee Award Nominations
      The Jordan Education Foundation is now accepting nominations online for 2006-07 Outstanding Classified Employee Awards. Up to 10 outstanding classified employees will receive $500 to $1,000 and a certificate of recognition. For nomination criteria and applications, visit www.jordaneducationfoundation.org/classified.html. The deadline for nominations is April 20. For more information, contact Sue Weaver, (801) 567-8376, or Dianne Hyde, (801) 567-8125.

Create a Positive School Climate
      For the past two years, Jordan District has participated in a pilot project through the Utah Personnel Development Center (UPDC) with money from the State Improvement Grant (SIG). The project was designed to help schools create positive school climates within their buildings. This spring two of the seven participating schools will graduate from the project, leaving two openings. Elementary, middle and high schools are invited to apply. The grant requires a three-year commitment from the faculty and administration. Participating schools receive both financial and training support from the state as well as from the District. Interested administrators should contact Candace Dee, (801) 567-8242 or candace.dee@jordan.k12.ut.us, for more information. Additional information and an application form are available at: www.updc.org/ubi. Applications are due by May 5.

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Retirement Dinner
      The Jordan Board of Education will host a retirement dinner for retirees on May 15, 6 p.m. at Little America. Those employees who have submitted retirement letters to the Human Resources Department by May 1 will be invited to the dinner.

Teacher of the Year
      Julie Webb, science teacher at South Jordan Middle, was honored as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the South Jordan Chamber of Commerce.

Teacher of the Year Finalist
      Barbara Springer, English teacher at South Jordan Middle, has been named one of three finalists for Teacher of the Year sponsored by the Utah Council of Teachers of English (UCTE). Springer will be honored at a banquet May 5 when the winner is announced. The three finalists receive a cash award and plaque from UCTE.

Middle Level Awards
     West Jordan Middle’s leadership team received the Utah Middle Level Association’s (UMLA) “Team of the Year” award at the recent UMLA annual conference. The team consists of Joanne Mattes, principal, and teachers Carolyn Cartmell, Lauren Flygare, Amy Geilman, Janet Howe, Lisa Morey, and Katie Palfreyman. The team members were recognized for their vision and commitment to promoting and sustaining middle-level practices in their school.
      Kerrie Naylor, executive director of the Bingham K-12 Feeder System, was the 2007 recipient of the UMLA “Friend of Middle Level Education” award. She was recognized for her outstanding efforts in guiding Jordan District’s middle schools toward more effective middle-level philosophies and practices.

Easter Baskets to Assist Youth Groups
      Peer Leadership Group students at Valley High (Sandy) are participating in a service learning project to collect money and items for 155 Easter baskets to be donated to the Boys and Girls Club in Midvale. Students have collected toys, candy, coloring books, crayons, pencils, games and more. Leading the students in this effort are counselors David Tangaro, Raylene Glover and Valorie Brandt and school psychologist Vicki Bork. The goal of the students and their leaders is to build community ties and increase self-esteem in students.

Distinguished Educator
      Kelly Dumont, curriculum technology teacher specialist in the Information Systems Department, was selected to join the Apple Distinguished Educator program as a member of the Class of 2007. The program consists of educators who utilize technology to improve teaching and learning. Dumont is one of just 100 selected worldwide for the 2007 program.

Celebrating Spring
      First-grade students at Copper Canyon Elementary (West Jordan) are celebrating spring. The Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program and the J. Leland Behunin Horticulture Institute have teamed up to teach the children about trees and their importance to our environment, especially as paper for books. Each student was given a book, a cross section of a tree trunk to show the age of the tree and their own sapling.

Helping Children in Ethiopia
      Students at South Jordan Middle raised $8,340 for Village of Hope, a foundation that helps poor villages in Ethiopia. The money will provide food, shelter and clothing for 13 high-risk children for one year. The children will also have the opportunity to attend a private school where they can receive the education they need to become successful adults. Because students reached their goal, teachers and administrators will participate in a dunking machine April 4 at 2 p.m.

Penny War
      The student council at Copperview Elementary (Midvale) sponsored a Penny War Week in March. Students brought pennies for their own grade’s jar and silver coins for other grade’s penny jars. Students raised more than $340 which student council members used to purchase needed items for the Midvale Lifestart Village.

Jazz Player Visits School
      On March 27, Jazz Player C.J. Miles visited Majestic Elementary (West Jordan) where he was greeted by students singing their school song. Miles read two stories, answered questions and encouraged students to study hard to reach their goals. Each student received an autographed picture of Miles.

Diaper Drive
      The Alta High (Sandy) German Club collected more than 3,000 diapers during a Diaper Drive service project. All of the diapers were donated to the Salt Lake Christmas Box House.

HOSA Competitions
      Students from the Jordan Applied Technology Centers won an overwhelming number of places in the annual Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) competition. Five students from the Jordan Applied Technology Center, Sandy Campus, are advancing to the national level after winning HOSA state honors. Just six positions were available. Students from Jordan Applied Technology Center, West Jordan Campus, won first place in 10 categories, second in eight categories and third in nine categories at the HOSA competition.

Health and Career Fair
      Eighth-grade students at Indian Hills Middle participated in a career fair March 28. Presenters included Intermountain Therapy Dogs, Friends for Sight, NAMI Utah, Sandy City Public Utilities, Huntsman Cancer Center, Jordan District nurses, Salt Lake County Mosquito Abatement, Questar Gas, Alta Canyon Recreation Center, Jordan Applied Technology Center, Sandy City Fire Department and more. The program was designed to apply the academic learning of health to available technical careers.

Sub System
      Teachers are reminded that the phone number for the Sub System is (801) 493-8116. This number can also be found at www.jordandistrict.org/hr.

No Current Next Week
      Due to the Spring Break recess, there will be no Current next week. The next issue of Current will be sent by e-mail and available online April 17. Please submit items for this issue by April 13.

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

ARCHIVED NEWS

To submit an item for Current, send an e-mail to Michael Kelley at michael.kelley@jordan.k12.ut.us or contact him at (801) 567-8337.