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Inclusion Week, Lunch Info, Hall Pass Update, and 8th Grade Career Day

INCLUSION WEEK! 

Come support Inclusion Week at SOJO! The purpose of this week is to be inclusive and supportive of everyone here at South Jordan Middle School. You can participate by dressing up or participating during lunch time activities! Let’s go SOJO!

  • MONDAY, 3/3 – “Marvel”ous Monday!  Wear something with Marvel on it.
  • TUESDAY, 3/4 – Team Sports Tuesday!  Wear your favorite sports jersey.
  • WEDNESDAY, 3/5 – Wild Hair Wednesday!  Wear a funky hair style.
  • THURSDAY, 3/6 – Gamer Thursday!  Wear some gamer gear.
  • FRIDAY, 3/7 – Fairytale Friday!  Channel your inner prince or princess.  

Inclusion Week is sponsored by Special Olympics and Unified Sports, and we love to see so many of you participate!

What Did My Student Get for Lunch?

Did you know that you can see what meal choices (and treat choices) your student makes? Just go to Skyward under Food Service. To the right of that screen, you can not only see what they buy, but you can also put a limit on ala carte options if you’d like to do so.

Digital Hall Pass

We’re in the early stages of using our new digital hall pass, and that includes getting the process to the point where we can call for a student and have all of the moving parts connect. We mentioned the ability to schedule your student to be ready for appointments, and we aren’t able to launch that until we can get the bugs worked out. Once it’s ready to roll, we’ll put it out in a ParentSquare message. Thanks for your patience!

8th Grade Career Day

Parents,

We need your help on Wednesday, April 9th at our 8th grade Career Day!  If you love your job and would be willing to tell our 8th graders about it, please let us know.  We are looking for a large variety of jobs to be represented.  Parent volunteers would offer two 20-minute presentations to eighth graders. If you are available from 1:00-2:15 on Wednesday, April 9, please fill out the form below.  We would love to hear from you!

https://forms.gle/8U5RtPbtaAFpwaCa8

FAQ

  • What information would I present?  What the job looks like, why it’s fun or intriguing, needed or helpful skills, & how to prepare for the job.
  • Can I bring a co-worker to help present?  Yes!
  • Is a college degree required?  No!
  • Does SoJo have technology to project my PowerPoint?  Yes, but bring your own laptop if possible.
  • Will I be the only adult in the room?  No, a teacher will also be there.
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8th Grade Career Day, Memory Book, BHS Sophomore Expo

8th Grade Career Day

Parents,

We need your help on Wednesday, April 9th at our 8th grade Career Day!  If you love your job and would be willing to tell our 8th graders about it, please let us know.  We are looking for a large variety of jobs to be represented.  Parent volunteers would offer two 20-minute presentations to eighth graders. If you are available from 1:00-2:15 on Wednesday, April 9, please fill out the form below.  We would love to hear from you!

https://forms.gle/8U5RtPbtaAFpwaCa8

FAQ

  • What information would I present?  What the job looks like, why it’s fun or intriguing, needed or helpful skills, & how to prepare for the job.
  • Can I bring a co-worker to help present?  Yes!
  • Is a college degree required?  No!
  • Does SoJo have technology to project my PowerPoint?  Yes, but bring your own laptop if possible.
  • Will I be the only adult in the room?  No, a teacher will also be there.

Voting is Open for ‘This or That’ & ‘Most Likely To’—Vote Now!

Hey SoJo!

It’s time to vote for ‘This or That’ and ‘Most Likely To’! 🎉

  • ‘This or That’: Choose between two fun options in each matchup!
  • ‘Most Likely To’: Help decide who in the 9th grade fits each category!

Both votes are in ONE Google Form, so you only need to vote once!

Important Information:

  • ✅ Only students can vote
  • ✅ One vote per person—multiple votes will be disqualified
  • ✅ Voting closes on Wednesday at 3:00 PM!

Please be kind and respectful when you vote. Let’s keep it fun, positive, and supportive for everyone!

Click here to vote now:
Vote Now!

Don’t wait—make your vote count, SoJo!

Final Chance to Pre-Order You Memory Book!  

Online sales end this Friday February 28! Pre-order now to guarantee your student gets a copy. We will order extra books, but they will be first come, first served on Signing Day—no holds, no guarantees.

The only way to be sure your student gets one is to pre-order—don’t miss out!

https://sojomiddle.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true

BHS Sophomore Expo is COMING UP!

Date & Time: February 26th, 6:00 PM
Location: BHS Auditorium

Event Details:

  • 6:00 – 7:00 PM: Presentation in the auditorium featuring performances by Bingham’s elite groups.
  • 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Activities Fair in the cafeteria, showcasing Bingham’s classes, sports, and clubs.

Presentation Topics:

  • Registration and scheduling
  • Graduation requirements
  • Introductions to BHS administration and counselors

Additional Information:

  • Presentation details will be available on the Bingham Counseling website after the event.
  • For questions, contact the Bingham Counseling Center at 801-256-5120.

The BHS Counselors and Administration look forward to seeing you there!

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Play Auditions & SPED Transition Fair

Auditions for Orphan Trains One Act Play

Auditions for the Spring One-Act Play Orphan Trains will be March 3rd and 4th with callbacks on March 6th. Auditions are open to all SOJO students. Performances will be May 8th and 9th. For more information or to sign up for an audition time, follow this link: https://sites.google.com/jordandistrict.org/sojochoirtheatre/orphan-trains-info

Special Education Transition Fair (High School to After High School)

The Special Education department is excited to announce an in-person, Special Education Transition Fair for 2025 and would love for you to join us! There will be over twenty community resources attending to help answer any post-secondary questions for our students and families.

The Transition Fair will be held on Wednesday, February 26 from 4pm to 7pm at South Jordan Middle School. We hope that you will be able to attend! 

For questions please contact Ashley Calhoun at 801-567-8208 or ashley.calhoun@jordandistrict.org.

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Parent Conferences, Digital Hall Pass

Parent Teacher Conferences – Wed Feb 12 & Thurs Feb 13

It’s time for parent-teacher conferences, and we can’t wait to see all of you. Our schedule is as follows:

  • In-Person, Wednesday, February 12 – 4:00-7:30 in the SoJo Gym/Cafe
  • Virtual, Thursday, February 13 – 4:00-7:30
  • No School, Friday, February 14 and Monday, February 17

For in-person conferences on Wednesday, you can simply come to the gym/cafe and find the teachers seated alphabetically by last name. Try to watch for teachers with open spots, and remember that if you don’t get a chance to talk to a teacher you need, we have access to teachers all year long via email, appointment, phone call or Parent Square. It’s never been easier to access a teacher, so please use any and all forms of communication to get whatever information you need.

NOTE: If you need translation services for conferences, please let us know ASAP by contacting the main office.

For virtual conferences, you can sign up for a 5-minute appointment by going to Parent Access in Skyward and choosing the Conference option on the left sidebar. At the time of the appointment, use this document to access the Zoom links for each teacher. If you have any questions, please contact the main office. For detailed instructions, click here. If you need more than 5 minutes with any given teacher, we encourage you to reach out and schedule an appointment with the teacher at any other time.

BHS Sophomore Expo Night – February 26

Current 9th grade SoJo students are invited to attend the Sophomore Expo Night at the Bingham High School Auditorium on Wednesday, February 26, from 6:00-8:00 PM. This is a chance to learn more about BHS including: graduation requirements, course requests, class scheduling, clubs, and activities. Bring your questions, BHS counselors will be on hand to help.

JATC Expo – Thursday, February 20

9th grade students will be participating in the JATC Expo from 1:20-2:10. Your student will sign up for sessions they are interested in, and it may be difficult to locate your student for check-out during that time, so please plan accordingly.

Digital Hall Pass

You may have noticed that we have started a digital hall pass that lets us manage hall passes across the school. Instead of teacher limits, each student gets a school-wide number of passes. Based on feedback from our school community council and our PTSA, we have landed on 2 passes per day and 8 per month as a starting point. This does not include teacher-initiated passes, passes to the counselor, check-ins, etc. If a student has an emergency, they always have access to the same process as before – asking the teacher and going. The teacher just documents the pass and it doesn’t count toward any limit.

Our first few weeks have gone well, and we look forward to some of the benefits we hope to offer in the near future, including the ability to schedule an appointment to pick up your student at a specific time and have the student ready and waiting for you when you get here. We are testing this feature now, and hope to roll it out to all parents in the near future.

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25-26 Course Selection, Ninja Kidz, Memory Book

8th to 9th Grade Course Selections

Current 8th grade students course selections are available in Skyward until 9 pm today, Monday, January 13th.  Please make sure your student has selected their courses.

7th to 8th Grade Course Selections

Current 7th grade students begin the course selection process on Tuesday, January 14th, in their Science classes. All course requirements, elective options, and how to select courses will be posted on the SoJo Counseling Website. Please work with your student to have their courses input in Skyward by Friday, January 17th.

Buy a Memory Book and Win

This week is the LAST CHANCE to buy a Memory Book and be entered to win gift cards and candy at lunch on Thursday, January 16! Check the list hanging in the front office to see if your name has already been entered. If not, scan the QR code next the list and purchase one before it’s too late!

Advanced Band and Choir Performance Photos for Memory Book

We need more Advanced Band and 8th and 9th Grade Choir photos from the performance. Close-up’s of the performance or candids after the shows. Questions? Email us at sojoyearbook@gmail.com.

UPLOAD HERE ASAP: https://photos.jostens.com/GDYR4Q

Ninja Kids Spirit Night

South Jordan Middle School PTSA is sponsoring a night of fun at Ninja Kidz for all students who go to our school! We’ve rented out Ninja Kidz, located at The District, from 9-11 PM on Thursday, January 16th. Ninja Kidz has a max capacity of 250 jumpers at a time so in order to make sure everyone can participate, please reserve your spot using this form. Then all you have to do is show up that night and we’ll check you in. Also, if you have grip socks please bring them but if not we’ll have some for you there.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfC2p9Z2RxptEK5jr1NqiE64FM_9w0sREq-o5Wv8LGhO_346g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Group Photos Tuesday, January 14

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2025-26 Course Selection, Ninja Kids, Memory Book

8th to 9th Grade Course Selections

Current 8th grade students begin the course selection process on Wednesday, January 8th, in their Science classes. All course requirements, elective options, and how to select courses will be posted on the SoJo Counseling Website. Please work with your student to have their courses input in Skyward by Monday, January 13th.

Ninja Kids Spirit Night

South Jordan Middle School PTSA is sponsoring a night of fun at Ninja Kidz for all students who go to our school! We’ve rented out Ninja Kidz, located at The District, from 9-11 PM on Thursday, January 16th. Ninja Kidz has a max capacity of 250 jumpers at a time so in order to make sure everyone can participate, please reserve your spot using this form. Then all you have to do is show up that night and we’ll check you in. Also, if you have grip socks please bring them but if not we’ll have some for you there.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfC2p9Z2RxptEK5jr1NqiE64FM_9w0sREq-o5Wv8LGhO_346g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Bingham High School Concurrent Enrollment Night

If you are interested in learning more about concurrent enrollment, a representative from SLCC will be at Bingham High School this Thursday at 6 pm in the Tech Atrium.

Buy Your Memory Book!

Memory Book Needs Your Photos!

Submit performance photos by Thursday, January 9th (all grades): Choir, Band, Dance, Orchestra, and 9th Grade Marching Band. 

Currently Accepting

  1. Clubs and Student Groups (all grades): NJHS, SBO, Clubs photos engaged in activities.
  2. Classroom Activities (all grades): If you did something great in class, we want your photos.
  3. Winter and Fall Sports Action Shots:(9th grade only) Photos at games, practices, or with SJMS teammates. Note: High school teams only. No club or rec teams accepted.
  4. Reflections Breakfast (all grades):Share your photos from this event!
  5. Candid Pics (all grades): Fun, natural moments with friends.
    • Reminder: Only allowed hand gestures per school signage.
    • Priority will be given to students not involved in school activities.

Upload Your Photos Here

No Longer Accepting

  1. Wizard of Oz Jr. – this page is complete.
  2. 9th Grade Baby – this page is complete.

Important Notes

  • Tagging Students: Please tag students when prompted; it helps us immensely!
  • Content Review: All submissions will be reviewed by the yearbook staff. Any inappropriate content will be reported to SJMS Administration.

Questions? Email us at sojoyearbook@gmail.com.

Student Check Out Helpful Hints

Checking out your student? Check our school’s Google Calendar to see if we are on a revised schedule. We always attach them as a pdf to the event so that you know when to arrive and what class we are pulling them from. Also, remember that when you check out your student during lunch, we’re calling for them over a speaker system in a loud cafeteria, and it can be tricky to find your child quickly.

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Fundraiser Extended

Holiday Fundraising Drive – Kauri Sue Hamilton School – EXTENDED THROUGH TUESDAY!

This year we are raising money for the Kauri Sue Hamilton School through Coin Wars!  So far we have raised over $2,100!  Students have been donating coins and cash, but now you can donate online by scanning the QR code below or clicking on this LINK!  We are raising money in collaboration with Bingham High School.  Donate today and help us reach our goal of $5,000!

Lost & Found – Clean Out Friday, Dec 20

Missing that Stanley mug or your favorite sweater? Check our lost and found. We’ll be cleaning it out and donating it on Friday, December 20th.

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Holiday Fundraiser & Memory Book Submissions

Holiday Fundraising Drive – Kauri Sue Hamilton School – ALL THIS WEEK!

This year we are raising money for the Kauri Sue Hamilton School through Coin Wars!  Each grade competes against each other by donating coins throughout the week.  We are raising money in collaboration with Bingham High School.  Donate today!

Vision Screening Volunteers Needed – Wed, Dec 11

Vision Screening Volunteers needed for this Wednesday, December 11th from 8:30am – 11am. Anyone can help with this, you’ll be trained when you get here. Sign up through the link below. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4BA9AF23A0F49-53560661-vision#

Memory Book Photo Submissions Needed
We’re calling on parents and students to help make our Memory Book amazing by submitting photos for consideration.

Currently Accepting

  1. Performance Photos (all grades): Choir, Band, Dance, Orchestra, and 9th Grade Marching Band.
    • Please note: We are no longer accepting school play pictures.
  2. Winter and Fall Sports Action Shots:(9th grade only) Photos at games, practices, or with SJMS teammates.
    • Note: High school teams only. No club or rec.
  3. Reflections Breakfast (all grades):Share your photos from this event!
  4. Candid Pics (all grades): Fun, natural moments with friends.
    • Reminder: Only allowed hand gestures per school signage.
    • Priority will be given to students not involved in school activities.

Upload Your Photos Here

No Longer Accepting

  1. Wizard of Oz Jr. photos – this page is complete.
  2. 9th Grade Baby Photos – this page is complete.

Important Notes

  • Tagging Students: Please tag students when prompted; it helps us immensely!
  • Content Review: All submissions will be reviewed by the yearbook staff. Any inappropriate content will be reported to SJMS Administration.

Questions? Email us at sojoyearbook@gmail.com.

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Parking Lot Reminders, Canvas, Other Reminders

It’s Thanksgiving Break starting tomorrow, and we hope you have a wonderful holiday. We have a few reminders and tips to send you off with this holiday:

Parking Lot Reminders

We’ve been observing traffic flow, and the south parking lot gets backed up quite a bit in the mornings. We ask that, if you use the south lot in the morning, you plan to turn right as you exit the parking lot. The majority of the backup happens because people are waiting to turn left. This isn’t a problem during the day, or even really in the afternoons during pickup. However, it would help tremendously during drop off if you could plan to turn right if you use the south lot. Thank you for your patience, and we will continue to monitor the situation and work with the district and city to ensure a good experience for everyone.

Canvas Observer

SoJo continues to expand the use of Canvas as a communication tool. Many of you likely view Canvas when your student logs in. You can also view Canvas with your own account as a Parent Observer. Becoming a Canvas Parent Observer is a two-step process. The links below will take you to the instructions to set up a Parent Observer Account. 

1. Student generates an Observer Code 

2. Parent uses the Observer Code to Create an Observer Account

Submit Your Photos for the Memory Book – We Need Your Help!

We are currently in need of the following photos. Parents and students please upload yours today! 

  • Freshman Sports Collage: Candid shots from fall or winter sports (practice, games, post-game).
  • Performing Arts: Photos from plays, choir, dance, orchestra, or band (on stage, backstage, post-performance).
  • Collage Pages: Everyday moments of students not in activities. Photos at school (before/after school, passing time, lunch) are best. Group shots outside school are okay, but avoid home, vacation, or non-school backgrounds.

How to Submit: Upload photos here and include student names if possible.

Note: Photos will be reviewed for consideration but are not guaranteed to be included.

Students Must Be Checked Out to Leave Campus

We’ve started seeing more students just walking out of the building and not getting checked out – especially when parents are the ones picking them up. Please remember that we need to verify your identity and document that you have picked them up for safety reasons. If students choose to leave without being checked out – even if it’s with their parents, we have to mark their attendance accordingly.

Locks and Lockers 

It is the time of year when students start to bring coats, gloves, umbrellas, etc. PLEASE encourage your students to use their lockers! Each student was assigned a locker at the beginning of the school year. Their locker number and combination can be found in Skyward. This is also a good reminder to secure valuables throughout the school. Do not leave items unattended in the locker room, lunch room, halls, etc. If you ride a bike, LOCK it up. If you put items in a locker – LOCK it. 

Pictures with Santa at BHS!

We are excited to invite you to Bingham’s first annual Pictures with Santa which will take place during our True Blue Carnival!! This event is a wonderful opportunity to create cherished memories while supporting a great cause.

Event Details:

  • Date: December 10th
  • Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Location: Bingham HS Cafeteria

For just $15, you can have a professional photo taken with Santa. These photos will be delivered digitally, allowing you to share and cherish them with friends and family.

This year’s fundraiser will support the Kauri Sue Hamilton School, helping to provide essential resources and opportunities for students. Your participation will make a significant difference in their lives.

We look forward to seeing you there and capturing the holiday spirit together!

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Citizenship, Feedback Surveys

In this ParentSquare, we have important information about Citizenship grades in each course, and about a chance for you and your student to give the school and district input about your experience in Jordan School District.

Sharing Citizenship with Parents

In an effort to better communicate important information about your child’s citizenship (learning behaviors and social behaviors) in class, we are in the process of making some improvements to how we communicate citizenship to parents. Please be patient as we roll these changes out over the next few weeks.:

  • Citizenship Number in Every Class as an Unweighted Assignment
    • In both Skyward and Canvas, you will see an assignment in its own category called citizenship. Just like other assignment grades, citizenship is graded during the term in every class with the same 1, 2, 3, 4 you see on assignments. You’ll find this as an unweighted category in every class (meaning it doesn’t affect the academic grade).
    • These numbers correlate directly with U, N, S, and H that you will see at the end of the term as a citizenship letter grade, but allows us to communicate more specifics during the term with a rubric as described below.
  • Citizenship Rubric in Canvas
    • If a student has a 3 (S), it means they are doing everything they should in every category of our citizenship rubric. If they have anything other than a 3 (S), you can now go into Canvas and see where they have lost points (or gone above, for a 4).
    • To access this, go to the Canvas course and choose the Citizenship assignment for that course. You’ll be able to see the entire rubric, including where your student excelled or can improve. You can find a direct link to the Canvas assignment in the description of the assignment in Skyward.
  • Citizenship Categories on the Rubric
    • The academic grade shows what they know and can do as it relates to the content of the class, and the citizenship grade shows how they perform in class as a part of a school community, as well as how they contribute (positively or negatively) to the learning of others. Those categories are:
      • HOW I LEARN (Work Skills & Habits)
        • On-Time Work Completion
        • Academic Integrity
        • Readiness to Learn
      • HOW I ACT (Human Interactions)
        • Respect for Adults
        • Respect for Peers
        • School-Appropriate Language
  • Communication Goals
    • Whenever a citizenship grade is dropped, the teacher will communicate with the student and parent why the grade was dropped. This will be a phone call, an email, a parentsquare message, or a comment on the assignment in Canvas/Skyward. If you have any questions about the change and how to improve the grade, you can reach out to the teacher directly.

We believe strongly that collaboration with parents makes a huge difference when it comes to the learning environment at school, and we appreciate your help and involvement in what happens in the classroom. If you have any questions about a citizenship grade marked on a rubric in Canvas, don’t hesitate to reach out to the teacher for specifics on how to improve their citizenship in class.

Student Input Surveys

We would love to have your children’s input on the student version of the stakeholder feedback survey described below. You were able to opt-in to this survey during registration, but if you were unable to complete registration and/or would like your student to participate, please complete this form and return it to the main office or email the form to danielle.sosa@jordandistrict.org. We plan to administer the survey during Prowl on November 26th, so it is essential that you return the form ASAP so that we can ensure your student gets the chance to take the survey.

Parent Stakeholder Feedback Survey

Dear Parents/Guardians: 

We want to hear about your experience with your student’s education. We invite you to participate in completing Jordan School District’s Stakeholder Input Survey. This survey includes questions about your student’s learning environment, academic support, school safety and school security. It also includes questions specific to individual educators who support your student’s education such as teachers, school administrators, counselors, and others.  Your responses will be very helpful in improving learning conditions and supports in your student’s school as well as school safety and security.

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.  Please submit your responses by Tuesday, November 26th. The survey is completely confidential.  Survey results will only be reported as group responses. There are no right or wrong answers. We just want to know about your personal experiences and observations. 

As you respond to each item, think about your own personal experiences as a parent, caregiver or guardian at your student’s school. Please answer all of the questions.  The survey allows you to answer questions about multiple teachers and support staff.  Even though taking this part of the survey will require extra time, your feedback will be invaluable to teachers as they strive to meet the needs of their students.

Please complete the survey by Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

The link to complete the survey will be sent directly to your email by the district.

Thank you for your time and participation!

SnowBlitz Backup ChaperonesSnowBlitz is happening once again, and they are looking for potential volunteers to ride up and back with the bus. You get a free pass and transportation, so it’s not a bad gig if you’re into snow sports. You will need your own ski/board equipment. If you’re interested, let Mr. Jenson know by replying to this post or emailing him at curtis.jenson@jordandistrict.org. There are two sessions. Session 1: Jan 8, 15, 22, & 29., with a makeup between Feb 6-8. Session 2: Feb 12-Mar 7, with a makeup day between Mar 12-14.