Wellesley Public Schools
Learning • Caring • Innovating
Superintendent’s Bulletin
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April 10, 2015Dear Colleagues,I have been thinking a lot about the two major news stories that have dominated the headlines this week and may have led to conversations in your classrooms and at your dinner tables. Both offer challenges to how we think about justice. The first story was the guilty verdict rendered by the jury in the Boston Marathon bombing case of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. This case felt very personal to many in our community given our proximity to this tragedy. With this verdict in hand, our attention now turns to sentencing and the question of whether or not the death penalty is the appropriate response to such a heinous crime. The second story was the shooting death of an unarmed African American man by a police officer in South Carolina. This event was made worse after a video surfaced that contradicted the official record of the incident and reinforced the fears of many in the minority community regarding their treatment by law enforcement.In each of these cases, is justice simply the appropriate punitive response to terrible crimes? That may be the case. However it’s not clear what outcome can truly balance our need for accountability with our desire for closure, healing, and moving forward. As educators, we play a key role in engaging and supporting our students as they process these events and make their own meaning from the complex questions that arise in the process. Separately, I want to remind all of our staff to attend one of the many health insurance information sessions being held throughout the District during the next few weeks. The open enrollment period is now open through May 8th. Whether you are changing your health insurance plan or not, everyone must re-enroll by May 8th! Please see additional details later in this bulletin.Thank you for all that you do in support of our students and enjoy the weekend. Best regards,
David
Calendar
4/17/15 – GLSEN Day of Silence
4/18/15 – WHS Moving Company “Footnotes” – 7 pm
4/20-4/24/15 – Spring Break!
4/28/15 – School Committee Mtg – 7 pm
5/8/15 – Deadline for Health Insurance Enrollment
Congratulations to Chelsea Bailow (WPS Prof. Dev. Coordinator) on the birth of her daughter, Marin Adelle, on April 3, 2015.
Congratulations to Carmen Rondash (WHS Instructional Library Assistant) and Cassidi Hardy (Hunnewell Teaching Assistant) on the birth of their daughter, Moxie Hardy Rondash, on April 10, 2015Condolences to Kathleen Dooley (WPS Technology Director) on the loss of her dad, Edward Fleming, on April 3, 2015. 5 Things that Faculty and Staff can do during the Day of SilenceAdapted from https://craiggay.wordpress.com/…/how-teachers-can-help-day-of-silence/On Friday, April 17, 2015, WHS students will take a stand against intolerance and hate by participating in GLSEN’s Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is a day in which to bring to light the bullying and issues faced by students who are LGBTQ or perceived to be LGBTQ. Listed below are a few things that faculty and staff can do during the Day of Silence: 1. Acknowledge the Silence. The easiest way to assist your students is to acknowledge the silence – please bring up the Day of Silence as a topic in your class or advisory so that others will be aware of its’ purpose. By explaining the purpose of the day you help other students to move beyond their initial thoughts: “Weird, why are all these kids so quiet? What’s with the buttons? Why would anyone feel alone at WHS?” 2. Show Your Support With a Button. Show your support by wearing a button stating that “no one is alone” at WHS. GloW will be selling buttons during lunch next week for $2.00 each. 3. Watch a short video on LGBTQ bullying. Nobody feels more like “a nobody” than a young person struggling with LGBTQ bullying, sexual orientation and/or gender identity issues. Read up on what the Massachusetts General Laws (Chapter 76 Section 5) say about the rights LGBTQ students and public education.4. Incorporate LGBTQ people/issues into your curriculum. Even if for only a day, try incorporating LGBTQ people and/or issues into your classes. By incorporating these into your curriculum, you are showing your students that you aren’t afraid to talk about homosexuality and that creates a more accepting environment in your classroom. There are LGBTQ people in all fields of study! 5. Show them this short video that WHS students created. Tell your students that you appreciate what they are doing, that you’re proud of them for standing up for something they believe in, or that you’re there to support them no matter what.
HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD IN PROGRESS
PARTICIPATION MANDATORY FOR ALL WHO ARE SUBSCRIBED IN A TOWN HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
The annual open enrollment period for Town of Wellesley employees and non-Medicare eligible retirees is April 10th to May 8th. All current health insurance subscribers must re-enroll in a health plan during open enrollment. This means that you must fully complete and return your health insurance enrollment form before the end of open enrollment: May 8, 2015. Forms must be brought to the Human Resources Office, Town Hall, 525 Washington Street, on or before May 8, 2015. If you do not submit an enrollment form by May 8th, your insurance will be cancelled effective June 30th. Even if you want to keep your current health plan, you still need to re-enroll. You do not need to re-enroll in your dental or long-term disability plan.Changes to your Health Insurance Contribution
Please be aware that the Town contribution to your health insurance premium has changed. However, there have been no changes to plan design, benefits or co-pays. Please review the new employee costs to determine which plan is best for you. The Town now contributes 80% to a Fallon plan, and 71% to the Harvard Pilgrim HMO, Tufts Navigator and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. All changes will become effective for July 1st. We encourage all subscribers to compare the plans, network coverage, co-pays, benefits and costs to you and your family. Mandatory information sessions regarding the Town’s health insurance program are scheduled in schools as follows:
High School April 9th 2:45 pm
Middle School April 13th 2:45 pm
PAWS April 9th 8:30 am
Bates April 29th 1:30 pm
Fiske April 15th 12:15 pm
Hardy April 29th 2:15 pm
Hunnewell April 15th 2:30 pm
Schofield April 29th 12:25 pm
Sprague April 15th 1:30 pm
Upham April 8th 1:30 pmRepresentatives from the Fallon Health Insurance Plan and the Human Resources Department will be available at the following locations:
April 27th 2:30 – 5:15 pm Wellesley Public Library
April 30th 2:00 – 4:00 pm Wellesley High School Cafeteria
May 1st 2:00 – 4:00 pm Department of Public Works Board Room, 2nd FloorIf you have questions about different health plans?
Representatives from Fallon, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Human Resources will be available to answer any of your questions on Wednesday, April 15th, from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, Wellesley Town Hall, Great HallSome Helpful Links:Open Enrollment AnnouncementFallon Health Enrollment FormFallon At a GlanceFallon Health WebsiteFallon Health – Find a DoctorOpt Out ApplicationTransition of Care ApplicationLong Term Disability Election FormFor a complete listing of the Health and Dental Insurance options available to you during the FY16 Open Enrollment period, please click HERE.
WHS PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT PRESENTS: MOVING COMPANY IN “FOOTNOTES”The Wellesley High School Performing Arts Department presents the Moving Company in “Footnotes” a collaborative dance performance bringing together dancers from local schools and professional dance companies in a sharing and informative setting. Student and faculty choreographies will be showcased. “Footnotes” will be held at the Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Auditorium at Wellesley High School in Wellesley, MA on Thursday, April 16, 2015 beginning at 7:00 PM. Admission: Adults $8.00; Students K-12 $5.00; WPS faculty/ staff and senior citizens free. For more information, contact the WHS Performing Arts Department at (781) 446-6250 x5720. WellesleyPD Summer 2015 Course OfferingsInstructions for RegistrationAll WellesleyPD course offerings and information is available online:
Registration for courses closes 2 weeks prior to the date of the first scheduled session of the course. Early registration is encouraged, as class size for each course is limited and a minimum number of participants is required in order for a course to run.The array of instructional workshops and courses scheduled to be offered this summer promises to engage teachers in opportunities that promote continuous inquiry leading to the advancement of student learning and improved practice.Content-Based Courses
- Using Thinking Maps to Enhance Student Performance
Participants: PreK-12 Classroom Teachers & Special Educators
- Understanding and Applying Differentiated Instruction
Participants: PreK-12 Educators
Art
- Wheel Throwing for Educators
Participants: PreK-12 Educators
- Discovering the Artist Within: Fostering Creativity in the Classroom
Participants: PreK-12 Educators, Non-Art Specialists
Literacy
- Close Reading
Participants: Grades 3-6 Classroom Teachers & Special Educators
- Writing Workshop K-5
Participants: K-5 Educators
Science
- Being Scientists & Engineers: Integrating Science & Engineering Practices in the Elementary Classroom
Participants: PreK-5 Educators
Technology
- iPad Boot Camp
Participants: PreK-5 Educators
- Designing Blended Curriculum Units for the Classroom in Canvas
Participants: Grades 8-12 Educators
- Google Apps for Education
Participants: PreK-12 Educators
CPI Restraint Training
- Full Course
Participants: PreK-12 Educators, TAs & Paras
Primary Source Summer 2015 Course OfferingsWPS has an annual membership with Primary Source through which we are allotted a certain number of seats in their courses. Click here to go to the WellesleyPD website and click ‘Primary Source’ from the right menu to access the 2015 Summer Course List and Registration Form. After completing the Form, please notify Anne Allieri via email at alliera@wellesleyps.org. The deadline for registering for summer course offerings is Friday, April 24, 2015.
WPS Upham Before School Program Coordinator needed to start immediately. The hours are 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Monday through Friday. Salary $13.88/hr for one hour per day. If interested, please contact Human Resources Director Gayle McCracken: mccrackeng@wellesleyps.org.
Are you interested in a Job Share? Would you like to be considered for a Transfer in the 2015-16 School Year?Teachers with Professional Teacher Status who would like to request a job share position or a transfer in the 2014-2015 school year must notify Gaylle McCracken in writing by May 1, 2015. Requests should be sent to: mccrackeng@wellesleyps.org .
Apply Now to Enroll Children of Non-Resident WTA Members in Wellesley Schools. Children of teachers or nurses residing outside Wellesley shall be entitled to attend Wellesley Public Schools without charge for tuition on a space available basis (Article 12, WTA Unit A Contract). If you are interested in this benefit for the 2015-16 school year, please contact spruillv@wellesleyps.org include your child/ren’s name, birth date, and current grade level. Application Deadline: May 1, 2015
Graduate Course ReimbursementCourse reimbursement funding of $30,000 is available to distribute in FY15 among qualified teachers. This funding is for graduate course work done as part of a master’s degree program to fulfill a teacher’s obligations for the Massachusetts Educators Professional License and for course work required to achieve the next stage of licensure culminating in a professional license. To apply for this course reimbursement, please send, by June 1, 2015, your name, evidence of your enrollment in an applicable master/doctoral degree program, name and description of the course, evidence of course cost (a billing statement), proof of payment (i.e. credit card statement, canceled check or receipt of payment), and transcript to Valerie Spruill, Administrative Assistant to the Human Resources Director, spruillv@wellesleyps.org You will be notified of the amount awarded to you sometime prior to the first paycheck in September 2015. Please note: all information must be received by June 1, 2015 or you will be disqualified for reimbursement. All courses must have occurred in the summer of 2014, fall of 2014 and spring of 2015 and have been completed by June 1, 2015. Any courses taken prior to the summer of 2014 will not count for reimbursement. 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. |
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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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