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Category: Student Services

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Happy April!  Hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and looking forward to some spring break plans or already enjoyed your spring break!  Below you will find some helpful attendance information and resources. 

Utah Attendance Success Stories/Celebrations 

This month we want to highlight Jordan School District and all of the amazing work they are doing to increase daily attendance and decrease chronic absenteeism across their district.  They have developed social media posts that schools and district leaders are regularly posting to help remind students and parents about the importance of being at school every day.  They have also developed a district attendance committee which includes the director of student services, an attendance/prevention specialist, a health & wellness specialist, a counselor specialist, an assistant high school principal, an assistant middle school principal, an assistant elementary principal, and two representatives from their information systems department.  They worked hard to develop an attendance flowchart that is beneficial to all schools across their district.  Thanks for being such a great example to districts all over the state! 

We would like to highlight Maria Montessori Academy for all of their efforts to increase daily attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism.  They send weekly newsletters with updates in them about attendance goals and offer transportation support to families.  They also sent a survey to parents about their beliefs around the importance of attending school and asked them to individually identify what motivates their children to come to school.  They also have a school attendance team which includes the school nurse, the student success specialist, the director, and the attendance secretary.  This team works hard to collaborate with families to reduce barriers for their students.  Thanks for your example to schools on engaging with stakeholders and keeping everyone included when it comes to attendance! 

Attendance Legislative Update 

Senate Bill 279 was passed during this last legislative session.  Please read this bill and update your lists of valid excuses to include the “competition in a rodeo sanctioned by an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the development of sportsmanship, horsemanship, and character in youth through the sport of rodeo;” Let us know if you have any questions regarding this piece of legislation.  

Attendance Webinar 

We loved seeing so many of you at our attendance webinar last month.  Our next webinar is coming up on May 12th at 10:30am.  We will send out more information later this month with the zoom link and topics that will be covered.  We hope to see you there!

Statewide Attendance Campaign 

We are so excited to announce that our slogan for our Statewide Attendance Campaign is going to be “Every Day Counts!”  Thank you to everyone for your input and for helping us decide on our slogan.  We will be developing resources and ideas to share with every LEA across the state to distribute this coming summer.  If you want to be a part of the planning and creating of this campaign, please email Megan Menlove at megan.menlove@schools.utah.gov.  

Helpful Articles/Podcasts 

Spring Slide Ideas- there are a lot of challenges in the spring with absenteeism.  This is a great time to run a targeted campaign and remind parents and students of the importance of being at school every day. 

Spring Slide Attendance Works Resources 

Part of increasing attendance in our schools is creating a positive school climate where students feel connected to others.  One way schools across Utah are starting to increase the positivity in their schools is through “Kindness Walls”.  See more information at https://youuplift.com/ and this KSL article. 

High Levels of Chronic Absence Affect All Kids, Not Just Those Missing School

Upcoming Dates/Information 

*2025-2026 Tier 1 Engagement and Attendance Cohorts- if your LEA is participating in our cohorts for the 2025-2026 school year, we are scheduling our onboarding meetings this month. 

*May 12, 2025 at 10:30am- 2025 Attendance Webinar Series #3. 

*July 16, 2025 at 10:30am- 2025 Attendance Webinar Series #4. 

We appreciate all you do. Please let us know how we can best support you and your schools. 

USBE Attendance Specialists 

https://www.schools.utah.gov/prevention/absenteeismtruancyprevention

Megan Menlove

Attendance Support Specialist

Utah State Board of Education

megan.menlove@schools.utah.gov

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Dear Team,

As we approach the summer months, we want to share some important information about our summer work schedule. During this period, our workweek will shift to four 10-hour days. This schedule provides a great opportunity for extended weekends while maintaining productivity.

Please keep in mind that if you need to take time off, PTO must be used for any hours not worked. Working only five hours in a day will not be considered a full workday. If you need to adjust your schedule, please coordinate with your supervisor to ensure coverage and compliance with our policy.

We appreciate your dedication and commitment, and we hope this schedule allows you to enjoy a bit more flexibility during the summer months. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for all that you do!

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25-26 SEL Curriculum requests

In order to support the Board priority of Social Emotional Learning, we offer SEL curriculum to each school who wants to use it to teach SEL skills to their students. As a school leader, you may choose to use other methods to teach these skills. Please think through your options and decide what will work best for your staff and your students then complete this form by April 22 to communicate how your school will support SEL instruction in the 25-26 school year.

Teaching SEL to every student is not optional! Regardless of the method, it is an expectation that every student in our district will receive direct instruction in SEL skills and that they will experience our Signature Practices every day. Please work with your Area Director if you need support making this happen.

Before continuing to the form, familiarize yourself with the three programs available through district funding:

  1. Inner Explorer - Inner Explorer programs are audio-guided and require no training or preparation from school staff. The “press play” format allows school communities to easily implement and maintain a daily mindfulness practice on any device. Our practices build on traditional Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) framework, utilizing daily mindfulness as the foundation and creates foundational support across all aspects of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). Additionally, Inner Explorer programs are approved by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and recommended as one of the top ten programs for increasing executive function by Brain Futures.
  2. Move This World - This platform is designed to ignite a powerful transformation in students, teachers, and families, empowering them to embrace and implement essential social emotional skills that transcend the boundaries of traditional education. Their dynamic, participatory approach to Student and Educator wellness, merges the esteemed CASEL core competencies with evidence-based research and the visionary expertise of a team of educators, innovators, and mental health experts.
  3. Second Step - Committee for Children’s research-based Second Step® programs give teachers an easy-to-implement, engaging way to teach social-emotional skills and concepts. Second Step programs are designed to help children thrive and be more successful in school—ultimately setting them up to be thoughtful and productive adults.

Mindfulness Practice Program | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Inner Explorer is a completely reliable mindfulness practice program. Get rid of anxiety and bring peace of mind with our 5-10 minutes audio practice.

web1.innerexplorer.org

Move This World: Social Emotional Learning Company

Move This World is the leader in social emotional learning (SEL) for PreK-12 schools to help students better engage & express themselves.

www.movethisworld.com

Social-Emotional Learning for PreK-12

Discover Second Step, an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum that fosters students' emotional intelligence, empathy, and problem-solving skills.

www.secondstep.org

In solidarity,

Alli 

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We are excited to share our SLS Summer Learning Series with you! Throughout this summer, we want to support you with learning opportunities addressing the needs we are seeing in our schools. Each session is optional, but we would love to get an idea of how many folks to expect, so please register via Kickup asap.

SLS Summer Learning Series 

Time: 2:00PM – 4:00PM Location: District office, room 1016 

Date Title Description Facilitator 
June 19 Supporting students with habitual disruptive behaviors This session will focus on understanding the process to support students with habitual disruptive behaviors including using your SSC, creating/evaluating behavior plans, and accessing district supports. Alli Martin
June 25 Addressing bullying Learn how state law has changed the way we document and address allegations of bullying. This session will focus on developing practical SEL skills and tools to improve school climate. Alli Martin
July 9 S-3/discipline processes  New admin are highly encouraged to attend! We will review guidance for log entries vs incidents and practices around S-3 violations. Alli Martin
July 16  De-escalation and trauma-informed discipline  This session will focus on how trauma impacts student behavior and how to develop restorative disciplinary practices that lead to positive behavioral change. Alli Martin

Please reach out if you have any questions.

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StudentSquare

We will be launching StudentSquare for students in grades 9-12 in the next couple of weeks.  Students will receive an invitation email from parent square that looks like this.

This is the next step in our ParentSquare rollout.  Teachers and staff will be able to send monitored/logged direct messages to students.

Thank you,

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We are increasing our security safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to PowerSchool SIS.  Starting March 28, PowerSchool SIS will only be available from district networks and district devices.  This change will only affect the administrative side of PowerSchool and will not affect Parent/Student portal or PowerTeacher.  If you need to access PowerSchool SIS from home or a remote location, you will need to use an approved district device. 

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Dear Team,

I hope this message finds you well. As we work together to ensure the smooth operation and continued improvement of our school system, I would like to remind everyone of the importance of adhering to the proper leadership channels when corresponding on district matters.

Lines of Authority and Responsibility
The lines of direct authority are those approved by the Board of Education and are reflected in our district organization charts. These lines represent not only a clear direction of authority and responsibility but also serve as important pathways for communication and collaboration within the district. By following these established structures, we ensure that all staff members are informed and that matters are addressed at the appropriate levels.

Referral of Matters
When an issue or matter requires administrative action, personnel should refer it to the administrator to whom they are directly responsible. If needed, the matter can then be referred to the next higher administrator. It is essential that all personnel keep their immediate administrator informed of their activities, as transparency and communication help us maintain a cohesive and efficient district.

Complaint Resolution Process
It is also important to note that School Board Policy G-18 outlines how we resolve complaints here in SLCSD.  This ensures that all staff members have access to a fair process in case they wish to challenge a decision, while also respecting the established leadership channels. The district highly encourages individuals to try to resolve their concerns at the lowest level. To that end, the district suggests that the individual making a complaint discuss the relevant issues with the person about whom s/he is complaining if the complainant feels s/he cannot approach the person with whom s/he has a concern, s/he can fill out the G-18: Complaint Resolution Request Form and submit it to Respondent’s supervisor.

Two-Way Flow of Communication
While the lines of authority represent direction, they also serve as avenues for the two-way flow of ideas and feedback. Collaboration and open communication are key to continuously improving the programs and operations of our school system. I encourage everyone to use these channels not only to report issues but also to share ideas and suggestions that can benefit our students and staff.

Thank you for your continued dedication to maintaining clear and respectful communication, and for your commitment to supporting the success of our students and schools. Together, we can ensure that our leadership processes function smoothly and that we work collaboratively toward our shared goals.

If you would like a refresher for which area director is responsible for which school, it can be found here.

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Hello!

We have some important updates to share about the organizational changes within our district.

Effective March 5, 2025, the Teaching & Learning Department and the Special Education Department will merge to create the Teaching & Learning Division. This move reinforces the district’s commitment to an inclusive, data-driven, and instructional-focused approach to serving students with disabilities while improving collaboration between general education and special education teams.

By combining our special education and general education leaders into one division, we will be better able to:

  1. Ensure that special education is fully integrated into district-wide instructional strategies and supports.
  2. Create a system where general education and special education teachers collaborate more effectively to support diverse learners.
  3. Embed special education expertise into PLCs to ensure teachers have access to strategies that support students with disabilities.
  4. Foster and support shared responsibility for the success of each student.
  5. Demonstrate a commitment to both legal and instructional excellence.

Change is inevitable and brings with it both opportunities and challenges. We are committed to a smooth transition that will support our ongoing collaboration and clear communication. We are excited about the possibilities that our new configuration will bring.

  1. Teaching & Learning Division:
    1. The Special Education Director will now report to the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning.
    2. The Extended Learning Programs (ELP) department has been renamed as the Advanced Academics department. This will better reflect the K-12 focus of the department.
    3. The STEM Department will coordinate math, science, and digital learning.
    4. The Literacy Department contacts will be updated when a Literacy Supervisor is hired.
    5. The Enriched Learning Department will coordinate Fine Arts programs, Health/PE, Social Studies/Civic Readiness, and National Board.
  2. The Evaluation and Assessment Supervisor, when hired, will report to the Executive Director of School Leadership & Support. The E&A Supervisor will liaison with T&L and Information Technology to coordinate evaluation projects and assessment administration.
    1. The Supervisor and Evaluation & Data Insights team are based in the School Leadership & Support wing.
    2. The Assessment team, under the direction of the Chief Information Officer, will move from Beardsley into the district office at the end of the year. They will be based in the central section of the T&L wing and have shared space at Beardsley.

As we navigate this transition, we appreciate your adaptability, professionalism, and dedication to ensuring a smooth process. Your commitment to our shared goals and to supporting one another during this time reflects the strength of our team. Together, we will continue to create an environment that fosters collaboration, efficiency, and excellence. Thank you for your patience and hard work as we move forward.

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Dear Team,

We hope this message finds you in good spirits! We wanted to take a moment to share some important updates regarding the upcoming organizational changes within our district.

Effective 3/5/2025, the School Leadership & Performance Department and the Educational Equity & Student Services Department will officially merge to form the new School Leadership & Support Division. This strategic integration is aimed at strengthening our collective efforts to support schools more holistically, with a unified focus on leadership, performance, and equity.

By combining our strengths and expertise, we will be better equipped to:

  1. Provide seamless and consistent support to schools, students, and families.
  2. Prioritize equity and inclusivity in leadership decisions and student services.
  3. Ensure that all students receive the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.
  4. Streamline our processes for greater efficiency and effectiveness across the board.

We understand that change can present both opportunities and challenges, and we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition. In the coming weeks, you will receive more detailed information about structural changes, team roles, and next steps as we move forward. Our leadership team will also be available to address any questions or concerns you may have.

We are confident that this merger will enhance our ability to provide meaningful support to schools and students throughout the district. Your continued dedication and hard work are essential to this success, and we look forward to the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.

While this may not directly affect most of you, we wanted to keep you informed about this organizational change. Additionally, I’ve provided a summary of the changes from the district reorganization, which may be helpful should you need any assistance.  Please note the following:

  1. The School Leadership & Performance Department, Evaluation & Assessment and the Educational Equity and Student Services Department will merge to form the new School Leadership & Support Division.
    1. The Student Services Director, Educational Equity & Access Director, SEL & Prevention Director (formerly titled Director of SEL and MTSS), and the Evaluation & Assessment Supervisor will now report to the Executive Director of School Leadership & Support (formerly titled Executive Director of School Leadership & Performance).

Thank you for your continued dedication to the success of our students and to the important work we do together. I look forward to our upcoming discussions and the exciting opportunities ahead for our new division.

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