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

 
May 8, 2015Dear Colleagues,

With temperatures in the 80’s again, winter finally appears to be behind us!  This was an important week throughout the nation as we celebrated teachers and the important work you do in our classrooms every day.  Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions possible and those who make the decision to become teachers do so knowing that their path will not likely bring wealth or fame.  Instead, teachers make that choice with the knowledge that they have a chance to shape the future.  Having seen so many of you in your classrooms, I know that sense of mission is alive and well in Wellesley and that our staff is second to none in its expertise and commitment to children.  It continues to be my honor to serve such an outstanding group of colleagues.
One quick reminder:  Today is the open enrollment deadline for health insurance and everyone needs to submit a new enrollment form even if you plan to stay with your current provider.  If you haven’t done so already, please turn in your paperwork to Town Hall ASAP! 
Finally, I’m sure no one needs a reminder that Sunday is Mother’s Day!  Many thanks to all of our mothers, who are often our first and most important teachers. 
Enjoy the weekend! 
Best regards,
David 

Calendar
5/8/15 – Deadline for Health Insurance Enrollment
5/11/15 – Fingerprinting Session for those Cancelled on 4/27/15
​5/12/15 – School Committee Meeting – 7 pm – Town Hall
5/25/15 – Memorial Day – No School

Congratulations to Rachel Finnegan (WMS Science Teacher) on the birth of her son, James Bear, on May 2, 2015.HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD IN PROGRESS
PARTICIPATION MANDATORY FOR ALL WHO ARE SUBSCRIBED IN A TOWN HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
Deadline to Enroll:  May 8, 2015

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. ​Some 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.Special Education Strategic Plan
Committee Participation
2015-2016 SY
The Wellesley Public Schools is seeking the participation and input of community members as we develop a strategic plan for Special Education.  If you are interested in providing insight and recommendations on the important issues that face special education, please consider joining the committee.  While the bulk of the work will take place during the 2015-2016 school year, we plan to hold an orientation meeting on June 4th, from 4-6 pm.  Our goal is to present a strategic plan on Special Education to the School Committee in early Summer 2016.If you are interested in serving on the committee, please submit a letter of interest that introduces yourself, your interest/investment in special education and what contribution you feel you can bring to the strategic planning process.   As Special Education encompasses many areas of education, we are seeking to build a diverse committee that will represent educators and parents from across the district.Committee members will be asked to make a commitment to attend all meetings throughout the year. Please submit your application of interest no later than May 22, 2015 to Lori Cimeno, Director of Student Services, Wellesley Public Schools, 781-446-6210 ext. 5629 or cimenol@wellesleyps.org.Associate Supervisors and Proctors Needed!Associate Supervisors are needed to administer SATs for June 6, 2015.  Proctors are needed to monitor the halls, direct students to their classrooms and assist the Main Office staff with running the test center, as needed.  Both positions are paid positions so you will be compensated for your time. Associate Supervisors and Proctors need to report to the test site at 7:15 a.m.  A brief training for those who have never administered the SAT will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2015.  The length of the test day will vary depending on the proctoring assignment. Please note the following:  According to College Board guidelines, Associate Supervisors and Proctors must be current or retired faculty or other professional staff of WPS or from a neighboring institution or a graduate student.Also, according to College Board guidelines, an Associate Supervisor or Proctor cannot administer any SAT Program test that will be taken by a member of their household or immediate family at any test center nation wide.If you are interested in any or all of the dates and are eligible according to the College Board guidelines, please contact Kyle Getz (x4888) at the high school via email or phone.  In your correspondence, please indicate which position you would be most interested in filling.  Please also indicate what dates you’d be available for.  IMPORTANT:  Indicating interest doesn’t guarantee a position as the number of Associate Supervisors and Proctors required to run the test center is based on the number of students testing as well as their needs.  Every effort will be made to make positions available to as many people as possible.

WELLESLEY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ANNOUNCES 
LOTTERY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY IN WELLESLEY

The Belclare Wellesley is a new condominium development located at 580 Washington Street and 53 Grove Street, Wellesley, MA.  The development is located in Wellesley center, at the former site of the Wellesley Inn.   There will be five (5) affordable units with three in the carriage house, and two in the cottage. The new carriage house and new cottage will replicate the ones that were on the site when the Inn was there. There is one 1BR unit, three 2BR units and one 3BR unit.  The sales prices range from $173,100 to $216,000.  The purchasers of the units will be chosen through a lottery to be held among all qualified applicants.There will be an information meeting on the lottery process on May 6th at 7pm in the Arnold conference Room at the Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482.  Applications are due May 27th. For more information on the units, the timing, and the process, and for an application form go to http://www.maloneyrealestate.com/the-belclare-lottery Robert Kenney, Chair, Wellesley Housing Development Corporation

Fingerprinting Rescheduled for May 11, 2015

Anyone who was originally scheduled to be fingerprinted on April 27th will automatically be rescheduled for the same time slot on May 11th.  The Human Resources Department will send out reminders to those employees who were scheduled on April 27th to confirm the time.  We are working with the fingerprinting company to schedule more onsite dates – potentially in May or June 2015.  Please be aware that all school employees in Massachusetts’ 351 school districts must be fingerprinted by September 1, 2016.  If you have had your fingerprints taken in Massachusetts after July 1, 2013, please disregard this notice – we have your fingerprints on file.

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    

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.
 
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 5/8/15