Notices

Paradigm Schools has met the criteria for educational quality established by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission and is hereby presented this “Certificate of Accreditation” by the NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Northwest Accreditation Commission, and the SACS Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

Valid through 6/30/2021

As a parent of a public school student, you have certain rights and can make requests of the school that we will try to accommodate, if the request is reasonable. Our school values parental involvement and input – we are on your team when it comes to the education of your child. Let’s work together to help your child be successful.

Click here to download parental rights in public education

Paradigm High School prohibits discrimination of the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, or handicap as cited in Utah State Rule R277-112. The School’s policy on handling any related issues regarding claims of discrimination, of any kind, is to address every concern individually on a case-by-case basis, in cooperation with families and other parties involved, rather than considering the creation and implementation of school-wide policies to address the needs of one or a few. We work to balance the needs of individuals and the needs of the school.

Additionally, Paradigm endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities. Inquiries concerning perceived discrimination or requests for disability accommodations may be referred to the administration.

All information provided in official Paradigm Web sites is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute a legal contract between the school and any person or entity unless otherwise specified. Information on official Paradigm websites is subject to change without prior notice. Although every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, the school makes no guarantees of any kind.

Paradigm website may contain information that is created and maintained by a variety of sources both internal and external to the school. These sites are un-moderated forums containing the personal opinions and other expressions of the persons who post the entries. Paradigm does not control, monitor or guarantee the information contained in these sites or information contained in links to other external websites, and does not endorse any views expressed or products or services offered therein. In no event shall Paradigm Schools be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such site or resource.

Click here to download the asbestos annual notice

Click here to download our Acceptable Use Policy for Personal and School Electronic Resources

Click here to download the Data Governance Plan

Click here to download the IT Security and Privacy Plan

Click here to download the Technology Security Plan

Paradigm High School has implemented an emergency response plan, which is practiced at the school level during the school year (see below) and is presented and reviewed by its staff, administrators, students, parents, and local safety representatives. This plan includes running several drills throughout the school year – (4) fire drills, (1) earthquake drill, (1) active shooter drill, and (1) gas leak/chemical spill drill; placing evacuation maps and emergency binders (complete with student rosters) in each classroom; emergency supplies placed in each classroom; emergency food storage; and, a reunification site is in place for parents to pick-up their students after an emergency has occurred. Local safety representatives (South Jordan Police and Fire) have been notified of this emergency response plan.

Click here to Download our Active Shooter Drill

Click here to download our Earthquake Drill

Pursuant to UCA 53G-7-1304 and the Teacher and Student Success Act, Paradigm Schools adopts the following framework within which school administration may develop a Teacher and Student Success Plan (“Plan”). Upon approval from the Board, the Plan will become the school’s’ Teacher and Student Success Plan.

The school plan’s goal shall be to improve school performance or student academic achievement and may contain any number of the following strategies:

1. personnel stipends for taking on additional responsibility outside of a typical work assignment;
2. professional learning;
3. additional school employees, including counselors, social workers, mental health workers, tutors, media specialists, information technology specialists, or other specialists;
4. technology;
5. before- or after-school programs;
6. summer school programs;
7. community support programs or partnerships;
8. early childhood education;
9. class size reduction strategies;
10. augmentation of existing programs; or
11. any other strategy reasonably designed to improve school performance or student academic achievement.

Funding received pursuant to the school plan may not be used:

1. to supplant funding for existing education programs;
2. for board or school-wide administration costs;
3. for capital expenditures.

The TSSA Plan will be found in the School Policy Handbook beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

Land Trust Allocations for FY 2018-19 are as follows:

$31,598.00 – Salaries and Wages

$6,635.00 – Employee Benefits

$19,000.00 – Computers

$57,233.00 – Total

In reference to Board Rule R277-604

Homeschool or private school students who wish to take the 11th Grade ACT test provided by USBE: The deadline to register through Paradigm Schools is the first day of the 2nd semester (please refer to school calendar). Please contact our Assessment Director, Alicia Griffin, to register. There are no requirements, other than to be in 11th grade, to register for this exam.

Homeschool or private school students who wish to take other U-PASS assessment tests: Students must have an SSID number in order to take these assessments. A student has an SSID number if they have previously been enrolled in a Utah public school. If the student has not been enrolled in a Utah public school, the student will need to officially enroll at Paradigm, following our enrolling guidelines and policies (see school handbook). Please contact our Assessment Director, Alicia Griffin, to register.

The Utah State Board of Education issues three types of educator licenses: Associate, Professional and LEA-Specific. Associate licenses are for anyone who wants to become a Utah teacher, but has not completed an educator preparation program (university-based or alternate program). Associate license holders can then move up to Professional license after they have completed the appropriate training. Paradigm Schools was approved as an Alternate Pathway to Professional Educator License (APPEL) Program in July 2020. There is also an eminence designation available. The purpose of an eminence designation is to allow individuals with exceptional training or expertise to teach or work in the public schools on a limited basis (R277-301-8).

Utah educator licenses include the following licenses:

LEA-SPECIFIC LICENSE
An LEA-Specific educator license, including areas of concentration and endorsements, is issued by the state board at the request of an LEA’s governing body (example: local school board) that is valid for an employee to fill a position in the LEA if other licensing routes for the applicant are untenable or unreasonable.

ASSOCIATE LICENSE
The Associate Educator License is for anyone who wants to teach in Utah but has not completed an educator preparation program but has met the content knowledge proficiency requirement or has a major in the subject area and is going through an educator preparation program. (University-based or alternate program).

PROFESSIONAL LICENSE
A Professional Educator license is for teachers who have completed an educator preparation program. (University-based or alternate program)

The Superintendent may only issue only single active Utah educator license to an individual. An educator license shall include at least one license area of concentration.

Paradigm Schools employs educators with the following licenses, based upon total FTE:

• Associate Educator License – 16%
• Professional Educator License – 52%
• LEA-Specific Educator License – 32%

Paradigm Schools has adopted a policy regarding the requesting of LEA-specific educator licenses, which includes:

• Educator preparation and support, which has been established by Paradigm Schools and aligns with the Utah Effective Teaching Standards described in R277-530.
• Educators should meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for an LEA-specific license in a core subject
  • hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution; and
  • pass the appropriate Board-approved content knowledge test (Praxis II).
• Educators should meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for an LEA-specific license in a non-core subject:
  • hold an associate’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or professional skill certification relevant to the teaching assignment;
  • skills, talents or abilities specific to the teaching assignment, as determined by the LEA.

Paradigm employs individuals who will hold an LEA-Specific educator license. For the 2020-2021 school year, 13 individuals will hold an LEA-Specific educator license. 8 of the 13 educators on the LEA-Specific license will begin the APPEL program with Paradigm Schools in the 2021-2022 school year (this year was delayed due to COVID-19). All of our LEA-Specific licenses are held under the secondary education license area with endorsements in the following areas:

Chemistry
Dance (K-12)
English
Math Endorsement 2
Math Endorsement 3
Middle Level Science
Physical Education (K-12)
Physics
Science – Biological
Social Studies Composite
Visual Art (K-12)
Family and Consumer Science Basic
Robotics
Technology

Percentage (based on FTE) of types of licenses, license areas, and endorsements held by educators at Paradigm:

Licenses
Associate: 10%
Professional: 47%
LEA Specific: 43%

License Areas
School Counselor (K-12): 4%
School Leadership: 4%
Secondary Education: 82%
Special Education: 10%

Endorsements
American Sign Language: >1%
Chemistry: 1%
Computer Science Level II: 1%
Dance (K-12): 2%
English: 14%
English Language Learners: >1%
Family and Consumer Science Basic: 4%
French: 2%
General Financial Literacy: >1%
Health Education: 4%
History: 4%
Library Media: 4%
Math Endorsement 2: 4%
Math Endorsement 3: 2%
Math Endorsement 4: 4%
Middle Level Science: 3%
Mild/Moderate Disabilities: 7%
Music (6-12): 7%
Ornamental Horticulture: >1%
Physical Education: 4%
Physics: 2%
Psychology: >1%
Robotics: >1%
Science, Biological: 1%
Science, Earth: 1%
Science, Environmental: 1%
Social Studies Composite: 11%
Spanish: 2%
Technology: >1%
Visual Arts (K-12): 4%

Utah State Board of Education Educator Look-Up Tool

Click here to view our student data collection notice

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. 1232g; 34 CFR Part 9) is a Federal Law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Model Notice for Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Paradigm Schools with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, Paradigm Schools may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the Paradigm Schools to the contrary in accordance with Paradigm Schools procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Paradigm Schools to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;
The annual yearbook;
Honor roll or other recognition lists;
Graduation programs; and
Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [Note: These laws are Section 9528 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. § 7908) and 10 U.S.C. § 503(c).]

If you do not want Paradigm Schools to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the Paradigm Schools in writing by September 30th of each school year or within 1 calendar month of enrollment. Paradigm Schools has designated the following information as directory information:

Student’s name
Address
Telephone listing
Electronic mail address
Photograph
Date and place of birth
Major field of study
Dates of attendance
Grade level
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Degrees, honors, and awards received
The most recent educational agency or institution attended
Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user
A student ID number or other unique personal identifier that is displayed on a student ID badge, but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user.

For additional information, you may call (801)676-1018 or you may contact us at the following address:

Paradigm Charter Schools
11577 South 3600 West
South Jordan, UT 84095

Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school or school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer.

Paradigm does not create a physical or electronic directory that is accessible by parents, students or the public. However, any of these three entities can request the following information from the Paradigm office, with your permission:

Student Name
Address
Telephone Number
E-mail Address
Date and Place of Birth
Honors or awards received
Most recent previous educational agency or institution attended

This information is outlined in our school registration forms.

Paradigm will provide “directory” information to military recruiters and higher education institutions upon request unless purposely directed by the parents or guardians of individual scholars not to provide this information. Paradigm High School will provide parents an opportunity to deny permission for the release of this information.

Pending Board Approval – October 2021

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), 20 USC § 1232h, requires Paradigm High School to notify you and allow you to opt your child out of participating in certain school activities. These activities include a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following eight areas (“protected information surveys”):

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent
2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family
3. Sex behavior or attitudes
4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior
5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships
6. Legally recognized privileged relationship, such as with lawyers, doctors, or minister
7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent
8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility

For surveys and activities during the school year, Paradigm High School will provide parents, within a reasonable period of time prior to the administration of the surveys and activities, notification or the surveys and activities and parents will be provided an opportunity to opt their child out, as well as an opportunity to review the surveys.

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington D.C., 20202

If you wish to review any survey instrument or instructional material used in connection with any protected information, survey, or activity, please submit a request to the school director. The director will notify you of the time and place where you may review these materials. You have the right to review a survey and/or instructional materials before the survey or activity is administered to a student.

Transferring Student Records

1. 1. Within 14 days after enrolling a transfer student, and simultaneous with enrolling a child of active military personnel, a school shall request, directly from the student’s previous school, a certified copy of his/her record.
   2. Any school requested to forward a copy of a transferring student’s record to the new school shall comply within 30 school days of the request, and within 10 days of a request for a child of active military personnel records, unless the record has been flagged as a “Missing Child,” in which case the copy may not be forwarded and the requested school shall notify the police department.  Note:  A parent release is not required when transferring student records from one school to another.
      1. The permanent cumulative record folder, which includes all of the records created as part of the student’s instructional program, shall be purged of all outdated or irrelevant materials and of documents containing confidential medical information, social history, teachers’ notes, reports from outside agencies, or other sensitive information included as an insert in the file but not part of the cumulative/permanent record.  Items included in the cumulative folder are:
         1. Achievement test scores
         2. Birth certificate
         3. Copies of report cards
         4. Health records
         5. Pertinent information concerning the student
      2. The cumulative/permanent records, including directory information, schools and years attended, grades and credits earned, health records (Utah School Immunization Record), and test scores, and transcripts shall be forwarded to the receiving school as follows:
         1. The original records of students in grades kindergarten through eight shall be transferred.  Copies of the original records may be provided to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s), if a request is received prior to the time the original records are transferred.
         2. A certified copy of the cumulative/permanent record along with the original health record (Utah School Immunization Record) of students in grades 9 through 12 shall be transferred to requesting schools outside of Paradigm High School.
         3. The cumulative/permanent records and a copy of the health record (Utah School Immunization Record) of students in grades 9 through 12 shall be archived at the high school until three years after the student would have graduated.  Original records for ninth grade students whose records were requested and certified copies mailed, shall be delivered to the feeder system high school to be archived.
         4. Teacher files on students in resource or other special programs shall be kept until five (5) years after the student graduates or five (5) years after the student turns 22.
         5. The date the record transfer request was received and the date and school where the record was sent shall be entered on each archived file.
      3. It is permissible to transmit individual detailed student records between public schools and the Utah State Office of Education through the Utah eTranscript and Record Exchange (UTREx) (R277-404).
   3. The director shall not transfer the record of any student whose file is flagged as a “Missing Child” pursuant to Utah Code Annotated.  The principal shall immediately notify the police department of the transfer request.  The flag restricting transfer shall be removed from the student’s file and the transfer facilitated only upon official police notification that the child has been located.

In alignment with the purpose of ARP ESSER funding, Paradigm Schools intends, upon approval, to address the priorities cited by ARP ESSER. Namely, the school will utilizes this funding to address:
1. Student mental health and social emotional needs including student health foundations and protective factors.
2. Missing or disengaged Students in K-12
3. Literacy

The following explains and describes the school’s proposed and intended plans for utilization of ARP ESSER funding:

1. Technology

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the L.E.A….”

The school will utilize funding to procure additional Chromebooks and laptops for students and educators. The acquisition of this technology will assist with class instruction, personal students research and skill development, completing school assignments, teacher-student communication, and continuing school operations in the event of school closures due to the COVID pandemic or other events resulting in school closure. The funding will consequently help the school maintain its current 1:1 Chromebook-to-student program.

2. Summer Schooling and Programs

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months…”

The school will utilize funding to operate credit recovery summer schooling on site, including teacher compensation and instructional supplies and equipment  during summer school classes and summer educational programs and workshops.  The school has observed a decrease in student engagement and increased failed classes due to the negative effects of the COVID pandemic and will utilizes this funding to assist addressing learning gaps over the summer months and providing opportunity for credit recovery during the summer months. The summer and afterschool instruction will also provide accerlerated learning opportunities for students who are wanting to advance their education.

3. School Intercom system

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the L.E.A….”

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies…”

The school will utilize funding to improve, repair, and/or replace components (or entirely) the school’s outdated intercom system. This technology is essential to school operation, including but not limited school safety, school culture, and student engagement. The current system is over 10 years old and requires updating.

4. Student Motivation

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies…”

Student mental and emotional health is of utmost importance. The school will utilize funding to increase and improve student motivation efforts, including awards and recognitions, recognition events and ceremonies, and student recognition field trips and activities.
The school instituted a school wide initiative to address “missing assignments” and observed significant improvement in student school assignments submitted. The school will utilize funding to sustain momentum and improvements form these efforts by continuing and expanding student motivation and recognitions activities.

5. Indoor Air Quality

Cited approved and allowable usage of funding: “Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair   and replacement.”

The school will utilize funding to upgrade outdated HVAC units with units which will better filter and improve indoor air quality. Specifically, the funding will be used to repair or replace unit part or systems, and/or replace units entirely as needed. The current HVAC units are over 10 years old and require updating.