Jordan Education Foundation Awards Recognition Banquet

Another great Awards Banquet from the Jordan Education Foundation!   

 

Jim Thompson, Bingham, led the strings group for outstanding background music!

 

Evelyn Marse, Riverton High, Outstanding Special Educator!

 

Kauri Sue Hamilton School principal Rita Boullion almost always has a winner!

 

Natalie Walker, West Jordan Elementary, Outstanding Educator!

 

Bingham principal Christen Richards-Kong with Becky Wells, Outstanding Educator!

 

Margaret VanNess, Eastlake, Outstanding Educator!

 

Sonja Ferrufino, Riverton High, Outstanding Educator!

 

Valley principal Sharon Jensen with her student scholarship recipient!

 

Bingham student Shantel Harding, my former student, received a scholarship!

 

 

 

Budget Presentation at Foundation Meeting

Burke Jolley, Deputy Superintendent for Business Services, presented a budget update at the Jordan Education Foundation meeting this week.  While this chart has small print, you can look for some comparisons and understand Jordan District's position a little better. 

Some comparisons of note:  Jordan has the third largest enrollment in the state and received an A+ for transparency as far as readily available information from the district website.  Administrative costs per student are the 4th lowest in the state with overall costs per student being the lowest in the state of Utah.  Jordan is 14th lowest in teacher compensation, yet ahead of Canyons and Granite, including insurance, and Jordan is tied with Cache for the highest student/teacher ratio in the state.

In the budget presentation, Mr. Jolley pointed out that the district appears to have the GASB account fully funded and will be having an actuarial study done to verify that.  There are $17 million in "unassigned reserves", which Mr. Jolley indicated would be used to pay for the financial agreement.

Jordan Education Foundation Donor Appreciation Luncheon

The Jordan Education Foundation holds a donor appreciation luncheon each year.  A few JEA members were participants on the program on Wednesday.

Jacob Bradshaw directing the West Jordan High Drum Line!

 

Sandy King, Elk Meadows, speaking about the value of mini grants and how the money she has received over the years has benefited her students.

Rita Boullion, Kauri Sue Hamilton School, speaking about the Outstanding Educator and Special Educator awards and mini grants.

 

The Foundation Outstanding Educator and Outstanding Special Educator award nominations are now open.  Each school can nominate a teacher for each of the awards.  I encourage JEA members to nominate other outstanding JEA members for these awards.  Check with your principal to make sure s/he is not planning to nominate someone else.  

Jordan Education Foundation Mini Grants

The Jordan Education Foundation will be awarding over $84,000 to 168 teachers as part of their Mini Grant Program.  90% of applications will be funded.  This money comes from donors through various fund raising activities of the Foundation, including through employee donations from payroll deduction, Ashton Family Foundation, Doug and Kristy Young Family, Rio Tinto/Kennecott, Wheeler Foundation, CIT Bank and Dee Foundation.  Look for these awards to be presented in the next couple of weeks!

Outstanding Educator Awards

The Jordan Education Foundation honored 11 Jordan teachers as Outstanding Educators.  Six of them are JEA members!  Congratulations!

Lisa Craig, Riverton High

Janet Hoffman, South Jordan Elementary

Jeannette Clayton, Eastlake Elementary

Jen Adams, Columbia Elementary

Annette Fasselin, Elk Meadows Elementary

Becca Day, Kauri Sue Hamilton School

Winner Janet Hoffman and her daughter Neeley (my former student)

Jordan Education Foundation

How have you benefited from the Jordan Education Foundation?  Have you received a mini grant?  Are you teaching in a Leader In Me school?  Have you or one of your colleagues been recognized as an Outstanding Educator? 

Share your story about the Foundation with parents of students, your own family members and friends.  The Jordan Education Foundation does great things to help the students of Jordan District through raising money from donations.  If you know someone who would like to donate or be interested in serving on the Foundation board, send them to the JEF website.

Jordan Education Foundation Luncheon

I represented JEA at the Jordan Education Foundation Luncheon last week.  I was pleased to see JEA member Kelly DeHaan as he directed the West Jordan High Madrigals when they performed.  You can tell by watching Kelly that he loves his job.  Rita Boullion, principal at Kauri Sue Hamilton School, introduce her students who also performed.  JEA members are doing great work throughout the district.

Jordan Education Foundation Mini Grants

I attended the Jordan Education Foundation Board meeting this morning.  $76,000 will be awarded to teachers through the Mini Grant program.  Of the 129 applications received, 112 will be funded helping 168 teachers impact 17,000 students!  Awards will be presented by members of the Foundation Board over the next couple of weeks.

Congratulations to all JEA members who will receive a grant!

Jordan Education Foundation Award Winners

I attended the Jordan Education Foundation Awards Recognition Banquet last night.  Two of the Outstanding Special Educators and three of the Outstanding Educators are JEA Members. 

Shawn Colyer, Kauri Sue Hamilton School



Jared Denslow, Bingham High



Tiffany Rawlings, Bluffdale Elementary



Shauna Robertson, West Jordan High



Liz Taylor, Elk Meadows Elementary



Jana Brinton, Bingham, with Turnaround Scholarship Winner Zhenya Evenson

Vote for Jordan Education Foundation Video

The Jordan Education Foundation (JEF) had to submit a video to Kennecott about how the money they donated to JEF was used.  The video is now posted on their website.  Please click the link, watch the JEF video, and vote for it.  The video that receives the most votes will be given an additional $5,000! 

Jordan Education Foundation Awards

This morning I went with members of the Jordan Education Foundation Board to deliver balloons and an invitation to the awards banquet to 9 of this year's 11 winners of the Outstanding Educator and Outstanding Special Educator Awards.  Below are the JEA members who received these awards.

Jared Doslow at Bingham High - Outstanding Special Educator

Shawn Colyer at Kauri Sue Hamilton School - Outstanding Special Educator

Tiffany Rawlings at Bluffdale Elementary - Outstanding Educator

Liz Taylor at Elk Meadows - Outstanding Educator

Jordan Education Foundation

The Jordan Education Foundation Board met this morning.  This is a great group of business leaders who work to find donations to benefit the students and teachers of Jordan District.  The Fundraising Breakfast raised $18,000!  The Foundation Outstanding Educator Awards nominations are due Friday, March 16.  See this link to nominate a teacher at your school.  Giving detailed examples of the great things the teacher does will be considered over generalizations.  I hope to have many JEA members recognized by the Foundation!

Jordan Education Foundation Breakfast

JEA hosted a table at the Jordan Education Foundation Breakfast.  The program started with the awesome West Jordan High Madrigals under the direction of Kelly DeHaan, JEA member.  A big thanks to Kelly for providing wonderful entertainment!

A couple of JEF Board members spoke about the programs offered by the Foundation.  The focus this year was on the low income medical assistance program.  I appreciate those who attended including Senator Aaron Osmond, Chinese dual immersion teacher at Foothills Janet Craven, candidate for State House Seat 50 Chris Merrill, Zions Bank manager Lori Harding, Elk Meadows principal Howard Griffith, and Jordan UniServ Director Laura Black.

You can make monthly payroll deduction contributions to JEF, which are also tax deductible.  You can direct the funds to a particular program or school.  Contact Steve Hall at steven.hall@jordan.k12.ut.us 

The JEF Outstanding Educator Awards nominations are due March 16.  See the JEF Website for more information.

Jordan Education Foundation

This morning the Jordan Education Foundation Board met at Falcon Ridge Elementary.  The focus was on fundraising activities, including the upcoming breakfast on Thursday, February 16.  If you are on C track and interested in attending, please contact me.  I am a table captain and need seven people to join me that morning at Noah's. 

After the main meeting, we visited a couple of classrooms to learn more about the Leader in Me program that has been in place at Falcon Ridge for a couple of years. 

Jordan Education Foundation

I attended the Board Meeting of the Jordan Education Foundation this morning.  This is a great group of volunteers who work to solicit donations that help fund programs throughout the District.  I would encourage you to go to their website to learn more about what they do.  Teachers can donate through payroll deduction and earmark the money for their school.  Parent donations can also be set aside for a particular program or school.

Jordan Education Foundation

The Jordan Education Foundation has a great new website!  On the left side is where the link for mini-grant applications will be.  Mini-grant applications can start on Monday, September 12 and the due date is Friday, October 7.  They have budgeted $65,000 for mini-grants.  Submit your application soon.

The Foundation has also decided to fund the "Leader in Me" program at 10 elementary schools this year.

October is going to be Jordan Education Foundation Donor Drive Month.  Look for more information on that coming later.

Jordan Education Foundation Meeting

This morning I attended the bi-monthly Board meeting of the Jordan Education Foundation.  If you like to golf, the JEF fundraising golf tournament is on August 11 at Riverbend Golf Course.  See Foundation Website for more information to come.

Superintendent Johnson spoke about her meetings with mayors and what they see businesses looking for in students who are graduating from high school and looking for work.  She believes that Jordan District should be providing skills for all students to be successful when they leave high school, whether they are going to college, military service, trade school, or straight into the workforce.

These are the skills mayors said they are looking for:

• Science, technology, and math
• Comfortable with technology
• Noncurricular skills like professional dress and trade skills
• Social skills including appropriate behavior, respect for authority, teamwork, problem solving, setting and accomplishing goals, self discipline, personal responsibility, and leadership
• Financial management around credit and interest
• Job search skills
• Citizenship
• Foreign language
• Service

Jordan Education Foundation Awards Dinner

I love attending this event!  8 of the 11 Outstanding Educator and Special Educator Awards went to JEA Members.  In addition, Craig Peterson, Jordan Hills, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.  It is best to tell this story in pictures.  Sorry there are a couple that are blurry.

 Craig Peterson, Jordan Hills, Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

 Eileen Jensen, Kauri Sue Hamilton School, Special Educator Award with principal Rita Boullion

 

Jim Bernini, West Jordan High, Outstanding Educator Award

Kathy Bekkemellom, South Hills, Outstanding Educator Award

Kerry Simi, Eastlake, Outstanding Educator Award

Laura Packard, Elk Meadows, Outstanding Educator Award with principal Howard Griffith

Marla Deakins, Falcon Ridge, Special Educator Award

Melanie Fisher, Bluffdale, Outstanding Educator Award (sorry you are blurry)

 

Renee Sass, Oquirrh Hills, Special Educator Award

Laura Packard, Sandy King, Howard Griffith from Elk Meadows

Susan Tolman, Annette Huff from Jordan Hills and LeAnne Heagren, West Jordan Elementary

Brother and sister, Craig Peterson and LeAnne Heagren

Jordan Education Foundation Breakfast

JEA hosted a table and donated this morning at the Jordan Education Foundation Breakfast.  C-track teachers were invited to attend.  Michelle Jorgensen from Mountain Shadows along with Janet Craven and Beth Glattli from Foothills attended.

This was a good event where other JEA members spoke including JEF Mini-grant recipient Laurie Benson from Rosamond and Rita Bouillon, principal at Kauri Sue Hamilton School.  Each fall, JEF provides mini-grants of up to $500 per person or $1500 per team for classroom needs and projects.  Watch for information this fall.

This spring will be the Outstanding Educator, Outstanding Special Educator, and Outstanding Classified Employee awards sponsored by JEF.  You should consider nominating someone in your school for these awards.  See JEF website for more information.