Wellesley Public Schools
Learning • Caring • Innovating
Superintendent’s Bulletin
September 18, 2015
Colleagues,
I hope everyone is settling in to the new school year as our routines become more established and we get to know our students.  As you know, one of our areas of focus this year is social and emotional learning (SEL).  This is certainly not a new topic for us, but one that we want to deepen and expand.  The benefits of this approach are becoming increasingly apparent, as evidenced by the growing literature on SEL.  I invite you to review three resources that provide some insights into the importance of SEL: 

  1. The Missing Piece: A National Teacher Survey on How Social and Emotional Learning Can Empower Children and Transform Schools
  2. The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning
  3. The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions           

I am particularly struck by what Timothy Shriver and John Bridgeland have termed, “the heart payoff.”    They define these benefits to include “reductions in child aggression, substance abuse, delinquency, and violence; lower levels of depression and anxiety; and increased grades, attendance, and performance in core academic subjects.”  In short, the connections between SEL and what we have traditionally considered teaching and learning are many.
Finally, I want to remind everyone of two important events taking place tomorrow (9/19).  The first is a Diversity Summit being hosted by World of Wellesley from 8:30AM to 2:30PM at the Wellesley Community Center.  The second is the Fiske “Wild West” taking place from 10AM to 2:00PM. 
Have a great weekend and thank you for all that you do every day for the children of Wellesley.
Best regards,
David

​Calendar
9/19/15 – Fiske Wild West:  10 am – 2 pm
9/23/15 – Yom Kippur – No School
9/28/15 (Monday)  – School Committee Meeting – 7 pm Great Hall, Town Hall
9/29/15 – School Committee Interboard Meeting (SFC recommendations for facilities work at Hardy, Hunnewell & Upham Schools) – 7:30 pm Town Hall
                                                                                                        Join the Fall Walking Program

You are invited to join the Wellesley Walkers for our Fall Walking Program beginning on Sunday, October 4, 2015.  The kick off meeting is scheduled for September 29th at 3:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s meeting room in the Wellesley Town Hall.  The program will run through October 31st and is free, fun and filled with benefits.  All program participants will receive a goody bag at the start of the program and will be eligible for random prize drawings throughout the program.

Sponsored by the Wellesley Health Department and the Human Resources Department, the walking program is geared for individuals from all walks of life.  If you are a serious walker, a casual walker or a walker “wanna be”, please consider joining the Wellesley Walkers for our Fall Walking Program.  Proven benefits of walking include the following:
  • Weight management by boosting metabolism
  • Blood pressure control
  • Reduced heart attack risk
  • Boost of  “good” cholesterol
  • Relief from arthritis and back pain
  • Lowered stress levels
  • Improved sleep
  • Improved mood and sense of well-being
  • Lengthened lifespan
  • Improved ability to focus, make decisions and solve problems
Please let Cheryl Daebritz know by Thursday, September 24, 2015 at (781) 431-1019, ext. 2246 or cdaebritz@wellesleyma.gov if you are interested in participating and whether or not you will be attending the kick-off meeting.

 Your body is the baggage you must carry through life.   The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip.

Professional Development Opportunities
WellesleyPD
  • Your username for WellesleyPD now matches the format of your WPS gmail address (lastnamefirstinitial).
  • Fall course offerings may be viewed by selecting “Offerings” from the menu on the left side of the screen.

Primary Source

  • Click here to view the 2015-2016 Primary Source Course Offerings.
  • If you’re interested in registering for a course, please submit the Primary Source Registration Request form by Tuesday, September 29th.

For more information, go to Primary Source on WellesleyPD.
​
IDEAS 1 Course
Wellesley expects (and pays for) all licensed educators to take the IDEAS 1 course, “Anti-Racist School Practices to Support the Success of All Students”, in their second or third year in the district. (This course was formerly known as “EMI”.)     Registration for the fall offerings closes on September 23rd.   If you’d like to register, please contact Chelsea Bailow.
IDEAS 1: Anti-Racist School Practices to Support the Success of All Students 
This course is designed to introduce educators to the complex issues raised by race and racism and their impact on student engagement and achievement. This course will provide educators with an understanding of racial identity and the importance of building authentic student teacher relationships. This course will also help educators increase their skills of cultural proficiency.

  • Fall Section A
    Saturdays, October 24, November 7 and 21 and December 5, 2015, 8:30am-3:30​pm
Instructors: Johnny Cole and JoAnne Kazis
Location: Needham High School
  • Fall Section B
    Wednesdays, October 7 and December 2, 2015, 8:30am-3:30pm & Wednesdays, October 21, November 4 and 18, December 16 2015, 3:45pm – 6:45pm
Instructors: Leslie Smart, Rebecca Smoler, Doug Weinstock
Location: Wayland High School
Interested in Afterschool Work for Extra Pay?
The Student Services Department is seeking teachers, paraprofessionals and teaching assistants who are interested in supporting students through tutoring and afterschool activities for extra pay.  Immediate openings for afterschool reading tutoring.  Assignments will vary and be posted through an email list of interested parties.  If you desire to be on the email list, please email Lori Cimeno, Director of Students Services, at cimenol@wellesleyps.org.
​​​​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 9/18/15