Colleagues,
I hope you each had a productive week and Shanah Tova to all of our staff members who observed Rosh Hashanah! I’d like our school community to be extremely mindful that the upcoming, one-year anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel will likely engender strong emotions among our students, staff, and families. The subsequent war that followed these attacks has claimed many lives and I recognize that both our Jewish and Muslim communities remain deeply affected by these events. To this end, last Saturday, WMS Social Studies Department Head Adam Blumer and I attended a forum on Islamophobia sponsored by the Islamic Center of Boston. Throughout this informative event, we heard the pain that students and staff can feel in schools when they feel like they don’t belong or, at times, are targeted. Similarly, our district team continues to work with our colleagues at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and we have discussed their deep concern about the growing antisemitism in this country and their desire to be proactive within our community. What does this mean for our work in WPS? It means we all have to strive to create a culture in our district where everyone feels they are welcomed and belong. WPS must remain a safe space for the members of our school community to share their thoughts, view these world events with a critical lens, and support one another, particularly those with family and/or friends in the Middle East. I thank you each for your efforts to support these ideas and our district’s core values in the days and weeks ahead.
If you are looking for something to do this weekend, our football team will be taking on Brookline for a “Friday Night Lights” matchup tonight at 6pm at the WHS track and field. Tomorrow, Bates Elementary School will be hosting its annual Pumpkin Fair from 12pm-4pm.
Thanks for all that you do to support our students each day and have a great weekend!
Best, David
Calendar
October 8 – School Committee Meeting
October 14 – Indigenous Peoples Day (Schools and Offices Closed)
October 29 – School Committee Meeting
November 1 – Diwali (Schools Closed)
November 7 – Early Release PreK-5 (Parent Conferences)
Condolences to…
Sara Toppelberg, Spanish Teacher at Bates Elementary, on the passing of her mother on September 30, 2024.
Congratulations to…
Kevin McDonald, on his third straight recognition as a semifinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award!
COVID-19 Tests
Order your 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests by clicking this link.
MAALANA Affinity Group
Sponsored by
(IDEAS) INITIATIVES for DEVELOPING EQUITY and ACHIEVEMENT for STUDENTS &(M.A.S.S.) MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION of SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS
INVITATION TO IDEAS AFFINITY GROUP FOR EDUCATORS OF COLOR 2024-2025
(Updated 7/11/2024)
The IDEAS MAALANA affinity group provides a space for educators of color to network. The conversation is organic; there is typically no set agenda. Participants bring their willingness to engage, support, and brainstorm on school-related issues, process scholarly articles, and promote social justice. MAALANA also provides an opportunity to share each other’s company, and enjoy light refreshments when we meet in person. Meetings occur ten times over the school year. An email reminder is sent out each month to remind folks as to whether the meeting will be virtual on Zoom or in person, and a summary is sent after each meeting with links to articles on related topics. There is no commitment to attend all meetings. The meeting time is generally from 4:00 PM EST – 6:00 PM EST once a month, most often on the Second Friday. The physical location may change but it typically off 128/95 in the Waltham, MA area.
MAALANA is an affinity group designed to provide opportunities for educators of color from various communities in (or connected to) Massachusetts. We share school experiences regarding topics of race, culture, ethnicity, power/ privilege, culturally responsive teaching practices, and systemic social change to create educational equity. Strategies for addressing the academic achievement of children of color, preparing all students to successfully navigate a culturally diverse society, and collaboration techniques among colleagues are discussed.
MAALANA educators are Multiracial, Asian, Arab, African Descent, Latino/a, and/or Native American (Indigenous) educators, advisors, counselors, administrators, staff, consultants, tutors, and retired educators of color. We are people who are the only or one of few of their racial/ ethnic group in their building or school system. Claudia A. Fox Tree has facilitated the monthly meetings since the 2006-2007 school year. Please do not confuse us with MA-ALANA (with a hyphen), the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association (MTA) committee that formed in 2020.
Two (2) Contact hours will be awarded for attendance per meeting These may be combined with the IDEAS Book Group for a “bundle” of 10.
We typically meet on the lands of the Pawtucket, Agawam, Nipmuc, Massachusett, and Wampanoag.
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DATES: Please “pencil in” our 10 Dates for the 2024-2025 School Year Summer dates will be determined at the April meeting. Unless otherwise noted, we meet on Fridays (typically the second Friday of the month), usually in the Waltham Area from 4:00-6:00 pm EST. 2024-25 Dates are: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. (skip), Jan. 10 (likely to be virtual), Feb. 13 Thursday due to Feb. break (likely to be virtual), March 14, April 11, May 9 (Bring Your Ally), July (TBD), and August (TBD). Summer dates will be determined at the April meeting.
There is no commitment to attend all meetings.
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Please email cfoxtree@gmail.com, to join the mailing list. You will receive reminders, announcements, and summaries, whether or not you attend.
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WHS Child Lab
The WHS Child Lab is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year. Children who will be three years old or four years old by September 1st, 2025 are eligible to apply. Please contact Heidi Marquedant at marquedanth@wellesleyps.org for an application. All applications are due by October 31st.
Opportunities from the Town of Wellesley
Teachers and Department Heads – Apply for a Wellesley Cultural Council Grant!: The Wellesley Cultural Council (WCC) is now accepting grant applications to help fund visual arts, performing arts, and more! The WCC is the local presence of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) and is a grassroots funding network supporting community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. Apply for a 2025 grant here. The WCC expects to have between $7,000 and $8,000 to award this year. All grant applications must be received by Wednesday, October 16, 2024. For questions or information, contact the Wellesley Cultural Council at culturalcouncil@wellesleyma.gov
Get your event featured!: The Town of Wellesley has a new Community Events Calendar on its website. Schools or departments hosting events are welcome to submit an event for inclusion on the town-wide calendar. Send details via the event submission form.
The WELLesley Employee Newsletter
Please click here to view the October edition.
DATE: October 3, 2024
TO: Active Members of the Wellesley Contributory Retirement System
FROM: Lynn Whynot, Retirement Administrator
RE : Important Information on Veterans’ buybacks
If you are an active member of the retirement system, meet the Chapter 32, Section 1 definition of veteran and, for any reason, have not entered into an agreement with the Wellesley Retirement System to purchase your military service time, or, you have entered an agreement, but have not completed the purchase, please read this notice closely as there have been significant changes to veterans’ buybacks signed into law.
Passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Healey on August 8, 2024, Chapter 178 of the Acts of 2024, commonly referred to as The HERO Act, removes the 180-day statutory deadline for purchasing military service. It institutes a deadline of within a year of vesting in the retirement system, effectively 11 years of creditable service. It also creates a one-time, one-year grace period for anyone who has not purchased their military service, giving them the opportunity to do so.
If you are a veteran and have already completed your military service purchase, you do not need to take any action.
In each following scenario, these parameters have not changed: You may purchase up to four years of your military service. The cost is 10% of your salary when you last became a member of a retirement system for each year of military service you want to purchase. (Unless you left the system and took a refund of your contributions, this will be your first salary when you entered public service). The Board sets the terms and conditions for the purchase, which could require a lump-sum payment or installment plan.
If you have NOT entered into an agreement, and you have completed more than 11 years of creditable service, you have a one-time grace period to do so until August 8, 2025. This date reflects one year after Governor Healey signed the HERO Act. Contact the Wellesley Retirement System to take action.
If you have NOT entered into an agreement, and you have completed less than 11 years of creditable service, you have until the later of the two following events to do so: you complete your 11th year of creditable service or August 8, 2025, which reflects one year after the effective date of the HERO Act. Contact the Wellesley Retirement System to take action.
If you have already entered into an agreement, but have not completed the purchase, you have until the later of the two following events to come to terms with the Retirement Board on the purchase: you complete your 11th year of creditable service or August 8, 2025, which reflects one year after the effective date of the HERO Act. The Wellesley Retirement System requires a lump sum payment or an installment plan not to exceed 60 months. In either case, some type of payment will be required either by the end of your 11th year of creditable service or August 8, 2025, whichever is later. Contact the Wellesley Retirement System to take action.
If you have any questions, please contact us at (781) 489-4238 or via email at lwhynot@wellesleyma.gov.
Human Relation Services
The Human Relation Services (HRS) can help. Wellesley Public Schools has contracted with HRS to provide up to ten free counseling visits for you and/or your family members. This program is designed to help you deal with stresses of life and work –including personal and family issues, drug or alcohol problems, and job related tension. It offers prevention and intervention to reduce these stresses and improve coping skills.
HRS is located at 11 Chapel Place in Wellesley and can be reached at 781-235-4950. This is a confidential service. Wellesley Public Schools is not aware of the names of employees or their family members who utilize this service.
Do you have a question for the WPS Human Resources Department?
Email AskHR@Wellesleyps.org. The Human Resources Department is happy to assist you.
WPS Internal Job Postings on District Website
For all Internal Job Postings, please go to “Internal Job Postings” under the Faculty tab of the District’s website. How to Apply for WPS Internal Job Postings as a New Internal Applicant