 2006-07 Annual Report Students’ ACT scores again topped state and national averages, graduating seniors earned nearly $23 million in scholarships, the percentage of teachers holding a master’s degree or higher is approaching 50 percent. These are just a few of the statistics contained in the 2006-07 Jordan District Annual Report. The complete report is available online at www.jordandistrict.org. Individual school U-PASS report cards are also available by clicking on the “Test Results” link. These report cards, prepared by the Utah State Office of Education, show test scores, ethnic breakdown of students, educational level of staff and other information for each school in the District.
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PE Teacher of the Year
PE teacher Cindy Lloyd was recognized as 2007-08 Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year during the Utah Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance conference in Park City. Lloyd teaches half-day at Indian Hills Middle and works half-day as a teacher specialist in the Curriculum Department.
Students Benefit from Foundation Awards
The 100% For Kids Credit Union Education Foundation awarded $8,100 to three Jordan District schools. Butler Middle received $4,145 to purchase equipment for the school’s pottery and ceramics class. Hayden Peak Elementary received $1,700 to purchase a highly diverse spelling and language arts program designed to meet the distinct learning needs of each student. Sandy Elementary received $2,255 to build an audio take-home library for the school’s ESL students.
Student Trees at Festival
Camie Lloyd’s 3-D design class at Union Middle will again participate in Festival of the Trees at the Southtowne Expo Center. This year the students created two trees, a safari tree and a snowboard tree. The safari tree consists of plaster masks, mosaic decorations, animal-themed boxes and feather accents. The snowboard tree comes with a snowboard donated by Rome snowboards, six season passes and several day passes donated by Park City Mountain Resort. Ornaments include stained glass snowflakes, handmade hats, scarves and cups of cocoa.
Football Player Addresses Boys
Anika Hoybjerg, guidance counselor at Alta View Elementary, invited Utah Blaze player Aaron Boone to speak to 24 boys at the school. He told them about the importance of getting good grades, avoiding drugs and not bullying younger kids. He also taught them about football and played a game with them.
Nutrition Services Cookbook For Sale
Workers in the Nutrition Service Department have compiled favorite recipes in a cookbook. The cost is $10 with proceeds going to the Jordan Chapter of the School Nutrition Association to help provide members with nutrition education and training. To purchase the cookbook, contact Donna Bodell, Nutrition Services, (801) 567-8762, donna.bodell@jordan.k12.ut.us.
Teaching Materials Available
The Curriculum Department is cleaning out its storeroom and has a variety of surplus items such as vendor samples, books, teaching aids and professional development materials. These items will be available at the District Office, free of charge, for any schools or teachers Nov. 26-Dec. 7. After that date they will be discarded.
Seeking Textbooks
Student Intervention Services (SIS) is looking for textbook materials for use with youth-in-custody students at Bingham High. SIS needs Practice Masters Booklets for Mathematics Connections (ISBN 0-02-824796-5, Teachers Edition) and the supplementary materials for World History Connections to Today (ISBN 0-013-434326-3). Please contact Gale Curran, Bingham High, gale.cole@jordan.k12.ut.us.
No Current Next Week
Due to the Thanksgiving recess, there will be no Current next week. The next issue of Current will be sent by e-mail and available online Dec. 4. Please submit items for this issue by Nov. 30. The next print edition will be delivered to all employees Jan. 25.
Governor’s Medal Winner
Paul Nance, District elementary teacher specialist in the Curriculum Department, was selected for a Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in science education. The award will be presented at a dinner this evening (Nov. 13) at the Clark Planetarium.
Paraeducator Award
Stephanie Hansen, instructional assistant at South Valley School, received the 2007 Utah Outstanding Post Secondary Transition Paraeducator Award during the Utah Paraeducator Conference. Hansen was nominated for the award by peers based on her significant professional accomplishments, contribution to improving the image of paraeducators throughout the state, and significant impact on students.
Teacher Selected to Praxis Committee
Jenni Perkins, instrumental music teacher at Albion Middle, was invited to participate on a National Advisory Committee for the Praxis music test. She is the only representative from Utah on the 16-member committee.
Outstanding Mentor
The Jordan Education Association recently recognized Colleen Davis, third-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary, for her outstanding work as a mentor. Davis has been teaching 32 years.
Risk Management Award
Jordan District received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Utah State Department of Administrative Services Division of Risk Management for its consistent and proactive risk control program. Kevin Ray, Risk Management coordinator in the Maintenance Services Department, accepted the award which was presented during a Board of Education meeting.
Students Helping Students
The boys and girls basketball teams from Riverton High visited Rosamond Elementary for a STAR (Stand Together at Rosamond) assembly. The high school students taught their elementary peers about the wisdom of good choices and the power of positive peer pressure.
Training Saves a Life
Two students from the Certified Nursing Assistant program at the Jordan Applied Technology Center, West Jordan Campus, recently found themselves using their training sooner than they expected. While working in an externship program at Jordan Valley Hospital, their patient’s heart failed. Having recently completed training, the students instinctively began CPR and revived the patient in the presence of hospital medical staff.
Education Support Professionals Day
Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. declared tomorrow (Nov. 14) Education Support Professionals Day. The day is designated to honor and recognize classified employees for their contributions to Utah’s public schools. The Jordan Board of Education also expressed appreciation for the services of its classified employees during a recent Board meeting.
Mini-Grant Meeting Canceled
The Service Learning Mini-Grant meeting scheduled for Nov. 19, 3:00 p.m., has been canceled. Please watch Current for the rescheduling of this meeting in January 2008. Please call Student Intervention Services, (801) 412-2950, with any questions.
Safety Tip
Today’s safety reminder: Make sure to keep the windows on classroom doors uncovered at all times. These windows are necessary to maintain a reasonable line of sight into the classroom and ensure the overall safety of students and teachers.
Safety tips are provided by the District Safe Schools Committee to remind teachers and staff about ways to keep our schools and work areas safe for students and employees. Additional information about safety in Jordan District is available at www.jordandistrict.org/general/studentsafety.
Remember to Vote
Today is Election Day. In addition to local city council races and other issues, voters will decide on two education-related items: school vouchers (Referendum 1 statewide) and creating new school districts (Question 1 in Alta, Cottonwood Heights, Draper, Midvale, Sandy and West Jordan). Sample ballots and polling locations for residents of Salt Lake County can be found at www.clerk.slco.org/elections.
Milken Award Winner
At a surprise assembly Nov. 2, Butler Middle U.S. history and language arts teacher Jennifer Van Haaften was awarded a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. The prize comes with a $25,000 check. Van Haaften was one of only 80 teachers across the country to win the award and the only Utah teacher to win this year. She is the 25th Utah teacher and third Jordan District teacher to win the award since the state joined the program in 1997. Teachers are chosen for exceptional educational talent, outstanding accomplishments and long-range potential and for an engaging and inspiring presence that motivates students. Van Haaften is also this year's Jordan District Teacher of the Year and a Five-Star Award winner.
Outstanding FACS Teacher
Katie Borgmeier, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Riverton High, was named Outstanding New FACS Teacher of the Year by the Utah Association of Utah Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Special Olympics Hall of Fame
Greenhouse teacher David Neeley was inducted into the 2007 Special Olympics Hall of Fame. The South Valley teacher has donated countless hours to the Special Olympics athletes. He will be honored at a Hall of Fame dinner Nov. 9.
Football Team Tutors Elementary Students
The entire Jordan High football team and coach Alex Jacobsen visited Willow Canyon Elementary, but it was not to play football. They came to help students read, practice math facts, and participate in P.E. Small groups of students throughout the school circled players as they helped tutor students.
Reality Town
Ninth-grade students at South Hills Middle participated in the school’s annual Reality Town, beginning with completing resumes in English classes, learning how to balance check books in math classes, filling out forms in social studies classes, and having instruction from work-based learning coordinators. Sixty volunteers from the Riverton community manned booths selling homes, cars, insurance, child care, medical and dental care and other necessities for adult life. Students were given jobs according to their GPA. Students went from booth to booth purchasing items and paying the bills adults regularly do each month. Their goal was to have a balanced budget.
Service Learning Helps Women in Poverty
Each year Jodi Ide’s women's history classes at Brighton High conduct a service learning project. This year they spread awareness concerning women in impoverished and war-stricken areas of the world. As a result of their efforts they raised $3,316, which will be matched and become $6,632 for Women for Women International.
Books for Fire Victims
Faculty at Copper Canyon Elementary donated dozens of new books in a one-day collection to help victims of the California fires. The books ranged from picture books for younger children to chapter books for any age. The books were hand delivered the weekend before Halloween.
School to Present Musical
Brighton High will present the musical Anything Goes Nov. 15-19, 7 p.m., with a matinee Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. Tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at the door. Tickets can be purchased from the office. Call (801) 256-5273 for more information.
International Reading Association Conference
Jordan District is well represented on the Utah Chapter of the International Reading Association (IRA). Suzette Johnson, first-grade teacher at Columbia Elementary, is president elect and Gerri Hixenbaugh, a literacy facilitator in the Curriculum Department, is vice president. Both serve, along with Laurie Christensen, first-grade teacher at Daybreak Elementary, on the committee for the upcoming annual conference of the Utah Council of the International Reading Association, Nov. 16-17. The conference will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Salt Lake City. Presenters include national literacy leaders Susan Zimmermann (Mosaic of Thought and Seven Keys to Comprehension) and Linda Hoyt (Interactive Read Alouds; Snapshots; and Revisit, Reflect, Retell) along with authors Shannon Hale and Janet Stevens. Presenters will be holding breakout sessions for all grade levels (K-12). Register online at www.utahreading.org.
Assistance with Health Insurance
If you are aware of students or their families who may be without health insurance or proper health care, contact Azure Thompson, Health Services Department, (801) 412-2519, or visit departments.jordandistrict.org/healthservices/index.htm.
Employment Opportunities
See current job openings posted by the Human Resources
Department at www.jordandistrict.org/hr.
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.