Jordan Board hears plan to adopt Wayfinder curriculum for elementary counselors

Jordan School District staff presented Aug. 12 on a proposed adoption of Wayfinder, an elementary counseling curriculum, and recommended a public input process before a contract decision. Presenters told the board Wayfinder is intended for K–6 counselors to deliver developmentally appropriate lessons tied to the district’s Portrait of a Graduate. Staff said the program aligns counselor lessons with district “pillars,” supports Multi‑Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and includes tools to measure student skill growth. Cost and procurement: Staff said Wayfinder would be a districtwide curriculum under administrative policy DE501 and that the administration was planning three years of access if the board moves forward. The district estimated an annual cost of about $150,000 for the district’s 41 schools; a donor has committed to cover half of the first‑year cost. Implementation and opt‑out: Staff recommended open houses with Wayfinder representatives and said materials and pre‑/post‑assessments would be shared in advance with parents. They said the district’s approach would be transparent and allow parents to opt their child out of specific lessons. Board questions and clarifications: Board members asked whether Wayfinder would replace other schoolwide initiatives such as Leader in Me; staff said Wayfinder is intended to support counselors and does not replace schoolwide programs. Members also asked whether the curriculum was sole‑source; staff said Wayfinder was selected as a sole‑source fit to district needs, and staff recommended a three‑year contract with an option to continue or discontinue at term. Next steps: Staff said they would host open houses that week and return later with final contract details after public input.