Wellesley Public Schools
Learning • Caring • Innovating
Superintendent’s Bulletin

 
December 19, 2014

Dear Colleagues,As we prepare to say farewell to 2014 and head off to a well-deserved winter break next week, I wanted to share a few reflections on the past year.  The budget override was certainly a major event for the Wellesley Public Schools, providing essential resources to make key investments in our staff and in our programs.  Similarly, the recent debt exclusion vote that passed earlier this month will allow us to make huge strides in long-overdue building renovation work.  Within our schools this year we have made the transition to full-day Kindergarten, reinvigorated our science and social studies curricula, launched a formal mentoring program for new teachers, and expanded our 1:1 technology effort to the Middle School.  In short, we continue to be a district on the move where innovation is occurring at every level! As I look forward to 2015, I know we will once again be faced with challenges and opportunities.  Whether it is working through a difficult budget process, continuing to refine our educator appraisal system, or considering how we can effectively implement World Language in our primary grades, I am confident that we will find solutions that will support the continued success of our students.   It remains my honor to serve the Wellesley Public Schools as Superintendent and to be engaged in this most important work with such outstanding colleagues.  See you in 2015!Best regards,David

Calendar
12/24/14-1/2/15 – Winter Break
1/13/15 – School Committee Meeting – Town Hall – 7 pm
1/20/15 – School Committee Public Hearing – FY16 Budget – Main Library – 7 pm
1/27/15 – School Committee Meeting – Town Hall – 7 pm

School Committee Meeting Notes 
At its meeting on December 16, 2014, School Committee:

  • Voted the WMS Program of Studies and the WHS Program of Studies
  • Heard a Presentation of Administration’s FY16 WPS Operating Budget 

The documents presented at School Committee meetings may be found on the School Committee page of the District’s website.Baby News!!!!Congratulations to Kirk Fredericks (WMS Fitness and Health Teacher)  and his wife Kristy on the birth of their twins boys, Tyler Jordan and Ryan Casey, born on December 17, 2014.

Save-A-Date: January 20, 2015Please join us to learn more about Social Security and how it relates to benefits offered through Massachusetts’ public retirement systems. Presented by Kurt Czarnowski, principal of Czarnowski Consulting, a retirement planning company which provides expert answers to your Social Security questions Session 1: Tuesday, January 20th, 12:00 – 1:15
Lunch and Learn (feel free to brown bag it)
Wellesley Library, Wakelin Room, 1st Floor Session 2: Tuesday, January 20th, 3:30 – 5:00
Includes 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Update
Great Hall, Wellesley Town Hall, 2nd Floor Who should attend? All Wellesley Town and School Employees, including members of the Wellesley Contributory Retirement System and the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System, interested in learning more about Social Security Benefits.Please RSVP to Caitlin Russo at crusso@wellesleyma.gov and indicate which session you plan to attend. 

WELLESLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S GAY, LESBIAN, OR WHATEVER CLUB
INVITES YOU TO THEIR ANNUAL

COFFEE HOUSEJanuary 30th from 6:30 to 8:30 at WHSCome have a refreshment and perform or watch!
Featuring performances by:
Wellesley High School’s Improv Troupe Robot and The Ready Readys
Wellesley High School Acapella Groups
Thunder Step SquadAll are welcome. No sign up necessary. Contact Alison Joyce at ali11896@yahoo.com with questions

Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club:  Call for Grant Applications

The Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club is beginning its annual review of applications for grants.  Each year we award grants to a variety of educational, elderly, healthcare, recreational, civic and community programs, with particular emphasis on those programs that have a significant impact on the Wellesley community as a whole and its individual residents.  An application is available on our website: www.whjwc.org.   If you are unable to download the application, please contact us at whjwcdonations@gmail.com. Please note this is a new email.Applications must be completed in full before submission.  Please be sure to identify the specific activity or program for which you are requesting funding and the dollar amount corresponding to your request.  Please feel free to include any supplemental information you feel will support your request.  If your organization produces an annual report, we request that you submit a copy with your application.  Please email your application by February 1, 2015 to: whjwcdonations@gmail.com

We will inform you of the Donations Committee’s decision in writing by mid-May 2015. You will receive a letter whether or not you have been awarded a grant. Our committee looks forward to your application. 

Lesley Robertson
2014 -2015 Donations Committee
Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club

2014-15 Professional Development Opportunities

RETELL SEI Endorsement Course: Spring 2015
There is a new opportunity for eligible educators to enroll in the no-cost RETELL SEI Endorsement course in the Spring.  

Participants must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of the SEI course:

  • Must be a Core Academic Teacher
  • Must currently be teaching in a classroom
  • Must have at least one ELL enrolled in one or more courses being taught

Click here to register.  Registration closes on January 15, 2015.
Please note that you will need your MEPID (Massachusetts Ed Personnel ID) number in order to register.   Register now for Winter/Spring Professional Development Offerings on WellesleyPD
WellesleyPD can be accessed from the WPS website. Under the “Faculty” tab, select “Professional Development”.  

  • Discovering the Artist Within
    Instructors: Lynne Johnson & Diane Redfield
    Participants: PreK-12 Educators and Non-Art Specialists
    Dates/Times: 1/31/15, 2/28/15, 3/21/15, 4/11/15, 9:00a – 3:45p (snow dates: 2/7 & 3/7)
  • Online Tools for Formative Assessment & Collaboration
    Instructors:  Ranjani Sriram & Brian Allieri
    Participants:  PreK-12 Educators
    Dates/Times:  Online Only – Weeks of 3/9-4/6; Project Due 4/17
  • Advanced iPad: 2nd Offering
    Instructors:  Rosey McQuillan & Ranjani Sriram
    Participants:  PreK-12 Educators
    Dates/Times:  Online Only – Weeks of 4/6/15 – 5/10/15
  • Using Thinking Maps to Enhance Student Performance
    Instructors:  Lizzy Floyd & Sarah Fontaine
    Participants:  PreK-12 Classroom Teachers & Special Educators
    Dates/Times:  6/23/15 and 6/24/15, 8 am – 5 pm;   6/25/15, 8 am – 4:30 pm
  • CPI Restraint Training – Full Course WINTER
    Instructors: Adam Diliberto, Elisa Buchsbaum & Jody Steinhilber
    Participants: PreK-12 Educators, TAs & Paras
    Dates/Times: 1/20/15, 1/21/15, 1/22/15, 3:45p – 6:45p
  • CPI Restraint Training – Full Course SPRING
    Instructors: Adam Diliberto, Elisa Buchsbaum & Jody Steinhilber
    Participants: PreK-12 Educators, TAs & Paras
    Dates/Times: 6/15/15, 6/16/15, 8:00a – 3:00p
  • CPI Restraint Training – Refresher Course SPRING
    Instructors: Adam Diliberto, Elisa Buchsbaum & Jody Steinhilber
    Participants: PreK-12 Educators, TAs & Paras
    Dates/Times: 3/31/15, 3:45p – 6:45p​
WPS Internal Job Postings on District Website

Please be aware that we added a new feature called “Internal Job Postings” under the Faculty tab of the District’s website.  We will post all of our internal jobs under this website tab. Therefore, you will no longer see internal job postings in the bulletin. This new way of posting will allow us to post internal positions any day of the week.
 
Wellesley Public Schools • Wellesley, Massachusetts www.wellesley.k12.ma.us/district/superintendent David Lussier, Superintendent

The Superintendent’s Bulletin is posted weekly on Fridays on our website. It provides timely, relevant information about meetings, professional development opportunities, curriculum and program development, grant awards, and School Committee news. The bulletin is also the official vehicle for job postings. Please read the bulletin regularly and use it to inform colleagues of meetings and other school news.

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Superintendent’s Bulletin 12/19/14