Wellesley Public Schools
Learning • Caring • Innovating
Superintendent’s Bulletin
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April 17, 2015
Dear Colleagues,
I hope everyone has been basking in the spring weather that finally arrived last weekend. With April vacation about to start, I hope our run of nice days continues. Two important reminders before we head out today:
- Please don’t forget that all employees must re-enroll for health insurance by May 8th. I hope you have found the information sessions helpful. The WPS and Town HR offices remain available to answer any follow-up questions you may have. Click here for a link to the Town’s website where can you can find all of the information provided to date.
- The WPS HR office sent out a message earlier this week with information about the state-mandated fingerprinting requirement. We have arranged for on-site fingerprinting at Wellesley Middle School on April 27th and April 30th. Staff members need to register and pay online to secure a slot on one of these days. We are also working on arranging additional on-site opportunities at Wellesley High School and our elementary schools moving forward, so stay tuned for more information. See registration details below.
I also want to thank Janet Sozio and the team of staff and students who participated in Footnotes last night at Wellesley High School. What a great showcase of different dance genres and student talent!
Finally, I want to offer my encouragement to all of the members of our WPS staff who will be running in the Boston Marathon on Monday. I hope you feel a burst of inspiration as you run through Wellesley!
Thank you for all that you do in support of our students and I hope everyone enjoys a safe and restful vacation.
Best regards,
David
Calendar
4/20/15 – Deadline to Register for Fingerprinting at WMS location (see details below)
4/20-4/24/15 – Spring Break!
4/28/15 – School Committee Mtg – 7 pm
5/8/15 – Deadline for Health Insurance Enrollment
Condolences to Heidi Marquedant (Child Lab Director) and Holly Marquedant (Gr. 6 Math Teacher) on the loss of their dad/grandfather, Andy Boass, on March 24, 2015.
Condolences to Cathi Gordon, (WMS Assistant Principal) on the loss of her dad, Lionel Gordon, on March 31, 2015.
Congratulations to Alison Rogers (WMS Guidance Counselor), on the birth of her daughter, Zoe Apfel Rogers, born on April 16th, 2015.
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 ContributionPlease 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 pm
Representatives 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 Floor
If 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 Hall
Some Helpful Links:
Open Enrollment Announcement
Fallon Health Enrollment Form
Fallon At a Glance
Fallon Health Website
Fallon Health – Find a Doctor
Opt Out Application
Transition of Care Application
Long Term Disability Election Form
For a complete listing of the Health and Dental Insurance options available to you during the FY16 Open Enrollment period, please click HERE.
Fingerprinting Onsite at WMS 4/27 and 4/30 – Register by 4/20
On January 10, 2013, Governor Patrick signed a new law requiring all school employees to submit fingerprints for a national criminal background check. This law requires all school employees to be fingerprinted by September 1, 2016. For your convenience, I have scheduled the fingerprinting company to be onsite in the Faculty Dining Room at Wellesley Middle School on April 27, 2015 and April 30, 2015. Fingerprint appointments are available from 7:30 AM – 3:25 PM. The appointment will take approximately 10 minutes. The cost for licensed employees is $55 and the cost for non-licensed employees is $35.
Please be aware that all school employees in Massachusetts’ 351 school districts must be fingerprinted by September 1, 2016. Please take advantage of this opportunity to avoid the rush, as we get closer to September 2016. If you already had your fingerprints taken in Massachusetts after this law went into effect, please disregard.
Click here to view a pdf with detailed registration instructions and screenshots. Please be aware that you must register by April 20 in order to take advantage of this onsite opportunity. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Human Resources Department at 781-446-6210.
Registration Instructions
- Go to http://www.identogo.com/ and select “Massachusetts” from the map.
- Click on “Online Scheduling” and select “PreK- 12 Grade Education.”
- At the Application Details screen, insert Provider ID 03170000
- At the Appointment Details screen, do NOT enter your zip code. Instead click the drop down menu where it says “Central,” change the drop down to say “Special” and hit “Go.”
- At the bottom of the page where it says “Viewing Page 1 of 9” hit “Next” until you see SPECIAL Wellesley Middle School. Please make sure that the top of page indicates that you are viewing the weeks of April 27 or April 30. Click “Next Week” if needed to get to the correct week.
- Enter your payment information. You can pay by credit card or check. Finish and confirm your appointment.
- PDF Registration Instruction Sheet
WellesleyPD Summer 2015 Course Offerings
Instructions for Registration
All 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 Offerings
WPS 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 Reimbursement
Course 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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