Colleagues,
This was a very busy week and in particular, I want to thank the many WMS and WHS colleagues who attended the joint PTO/PTSO meeting in Boston on Tuesday night. Each year, this is a chance to maintain an important dialogue between and among our families and staff. At the meeting, I mentioned the important difference between being a district with a METCO program and being a METCO district. The former is grounded in the operational details of managing a program. The latter represents a much broader commitment to equity that everyone both recognizes and feels a responsibility for maintaining. While I hope we collectively aspire to be this latter district, we are not there yet. I think it’s too easy for our community and district to feel self-congratulatory that we are among the original districts to participate in the METCO program, which we have continued to do for more than 50 years. Beyond that, what are our measures of success? We should all be shocked that the percentage of METCO students identified for IEPs shifts from 12 percent at the elementary level to 28 percent at the middle school, to 51 percent at the high school. Just over 70 percent of this year’s graduating class of METCO seniors has an IEP. As I’ve noted about other examples of disproportionality in the past, these data suggest less about our students and their ability and much more about us as the educators and the expectations we have for our students. Being a METCO district means that we should find these data unacceptable and feel an urgency to act in each of our respective capacities.
The parents I met in Boston Tuesday night are counting on us to do our very best for their students each day. As we head into this Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend, I challenge all of us to consider how we can better keep this promise to these parents and their children.
Best regards,
David
Calendar
01/20/20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No School
01/21/20 – School Committee Meeting – Town Hall – 6:30 pm
01/28/20 – School Committee Meeting – Town Hall – 6:30 pm
News from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is pleased to announce it has launched its website! Click here to learn more about the District’s DE&I efforts. Also, follow @WellesleyDEI on Twitter.
Important Lane Change/Course Approval Process Changes
Please be aware that new wording in the WTA bargaining unit contract, Article 13, Section 4 (p. 22), reads: All teachers have until June 30, 2020 to submit transcripts for all approved courses commencing prior to July 1, 2019.
This means that all courses taken, either in-district or for graduate credit, must be submitted to Addie Doherty on the attached course approval form by June 30, 2020 in order for the courses to be considered for a future lane change. If administration does not receive, by June 30, 2020, the proper documentation (course approval, description, proof of completion) for any courses taken prior to July 1, 2019, those courses cannot be considered toward a lane change.
Moving forward, course approval forms must be submitted 30 days in advance of the course start date in order for the course to be considered. In addition, tracking sheets will be maintained by the individual working towards a lane change. The course approval form, frequently asked questions page, and tracking sheet may be found on under the Human Resources General Forms section of the Wellesley Public Schools’ website. If your are currently working with Addie on a lane change, please reach out to her for a copy of your tracking sheet.
Van Drivers Needed – Employee Referral Bonus $300
Wellesley Public Schools is looking for full time/full year Special Needs 7D Van Drivers. No 7D license, no problem. We will train and assist the right candidates to obtain their 7D license to drive special needs students. Current 7D or CDL license holders can start now. $15.65 to $16.51 per hour depending on experience. If you refer someone and they are hired and work at least 6 months in the position, you will receive a $300 referral bonus after the 6 month waiting period. Interested candidates should contact Deane McGoldrick at RMcgoldrick@wellesleyma.gov. The applicants should mention that you referred them when they apply.
Seminar Day 2020 – Presenters Needed!
The holiday season is upon us, and on behalf of Student Congress at Wellesley High School, we would like to offer you an opportunity to avoid all those divisive conversations about politics around the dinner table. Instead, might we recommend you invite your loved ones to participate in this year’s Seminar Day!
If you’re a new teacher or need a refresher on what Seminar Day is, please scroll to the bottom of this post and read the short description. If you already know the gist, please consider presenting a passion of yours or reaching out to those who may have something valuable, interesting, and/or exciting for our students to hear about. We have included the sign-up form below for you. If you would like us to personally reach out to someone (family, friend, or acquaintance) who may have a topic to present to our students, please pass along any information to us. You can also feel free to send the link along to them as well. Speakers can speak for one block, two blocks, or all three! We are now pleased to be able to offer 10 PDP’s for presenting at Seminar Day!
Thank you!
Zach Nicol and Carly Matarazzo
What is Seminar Day?
Seminar day occurs on the March half day every year at WHS. Instead of classes, we plan three one-hour blocks of seminars, and our students (and staff) attend the ones that align with their interests and passions. The schedule for the day is as follows:
Block A: 8:20-9:20am
Block B: 9:25-10:25 am
Block C: 10:30-11:30 am
Do you have a question for the WPS Human Resources Department? Email AskHR@Wellesleyps.org. The Human Resources Department is happy to assist you.
New DESE License Call Center Hours
The DESE Licensure Call Center will offer an additional five hours per week of service to educators and prospective educators. Effective Monday, January 6, 2020 the Licensure Call Center (781-338-6600) will be open each business day from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Almost 50 percent of the responses from a recent survey favored these new hours over other options.
Human Relations Services
As we enter the holiday season, stress can increase. 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.
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.