Colleagues,
In my opening remarks at our District Professional Development Day in November, I referenced the recent trip I took to China with other American educators. The program in which we were participating is called “China Bridge” and is aimed at developing a better relationship and understanding between the United States and China by connecting educators, students, and schools. In my remarks that day, I also shared my sense of irony that I was heading to a foreign country—one not known for its democratic traditions or human rights record—interested in building bridges, while much of the political rhetoric in our own country was focused on building walls. The juxtaposition of these two ideas, bridges and walls, is one that I continue to think about, particularly as we approach a day honoring Dr. King and we move closer to inaugurating a new president.
Dr. King’s legacy is one of building racial bridges in a country and at a time where few existed. His ideas continue to inspire those who choose to see and act on the many things that unite us as a nation. As educators, we carry on that work each day.
Unfortunately, our recent election has surfaced a number of partisan fault lines in the United States that would seem to suggest that we are a nation deeply divided. Turn on the news on any given night and you will see first hand the ideological walls that continue to be built as all sides fiercely protect and advocate for their beliefs. Watching all of this, it’s hard not to believe that some of the progress Dr. King helped advance is being eroded in plain sight.
As troubling as the current times appear, I am reminded of the important role that you play teaching students about critical inquiry, empathy, and collaboration. Our WPS Core Values of Academic Excellence, Commitment to Community, Respect for Human Differences, and Cooperative and Caring Relationships are perhaps more important than ever before and will continue to drive our work.
As we reflect on Dr. King’s legacy on Monday, it is my great hope that our nation can once again turn to building bridges and not walls.
Best,
David
Calendar
1/16/17 – Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
1/16/17 – World of Wellesley MLK Breaksfast (See Details Below)
1/24/17 – School Committee Meeting and Budget Public Hearing – 7 pm – Town Hall
1/31/17 – School Committee Meeting – 7 pm – Town Hall
2/07/17 – School Committee Meeting – 7 pm – Town Hall
2/09/17 – Conversation on Race with Prof. Pash Obeng (See Details Below)
03/10/17 – Deadline for WEF Spring Grant Applications
Congratulations to Linda Corridan, Department Head of Nursing, on the arrival of her grandson, Myles John Fisher, born on January 11, 2017.
World of Wellesley/Wellesley College 17th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Breakfast – January 16, 2017, 8:30 – 10 am
The World of Wellesley and Wellesley College are sponsoring the 17th Annual MLK Jr Breakfast at Alumnae Hall on Wellesley College Campus. Breakfast will be available beginning at 8 am and the program will run from 8:30 to 10 am. This year’s keynote speaker is Chuck Collins, researcher, campaigner, storyteller and writer based at the Institute for Policy Studies where he co-edits Inequality.org. The MLK celebration will also include Black music performances by the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College and a performance by the WHS Thunder Step Squad. Individual tickets are $30 – Reservations should be sent to World of Wellesley, PO Box 812381, Wellesley 02482 or email worldofwellesley@yahoo.com. Please RSVP by January 15, 2017.
Conversation on Race with Professor Pash Obeng – February 9, 2017 – WHS Caf, 7:00-9:00 pm
The event will open with a welcome from Kalise Wornum, METCO K-12 Director for Wellesley Public Schools and other members of the celebration committee, followed by a brief keynote from Rev. Dr. Pashington Obeng, Wellesley resident of 29 years, Associate Minister at Wellesley Hills Congregational Church and Professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College. The evening will include table conversations facilitated by Wellesley Public School faculty, parents and community members. Our hope is that by coming together and providing a space for dialogue and learning we will build stronger relationships and understanding.
Wellesley METCO Celebration Committee
RSVP to worldofwellesley or eventbrite link.
Graduate Course Reimbrusement Guidelines/Deadline
Course reimbursement funding of $30,000 is available to distribute in FY18 among qualified teachers. This funding is for graduate course work done to obtain a master’s degree and/or a teacher’s professional license. Newly added benefits this year allow course reimbursement for specialists including physical therapists and occupational therapists to recertify their professional or allied health license. The Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning must verify in advance that there are no further in-district specialist courses available in order for the specialists to apply for course reimbursement. To apply for this course reimbursement, please send by no later June 1, 2017, 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 Director of Human Resources, spruillv. You will be notified of the amount awarded to you some time prior to the first paycheck in September 2017. Please note: all information must be received by June 1, 2017 or you will be disqualified for reimbursement. All courses must have occurred in the summer of 2016, fall of 2016 and spring of 2017 and have been completed by June 1, 2017. Any courses taken prior to the summer of 2016 will not count for reimbursement.
Attention Core Academic Teachers: Important Licensure Information
If you are a core academic teacher and you currently hold a preliminary license, you must take the RETELL course and obtain the SEI Teacher Endorsement in order to renew your license as an initial license. For RETELL purposes, a core academic teacher is an early childhood, elementary, special education, English, reading, mathematics, science, civics and government, economics, history or geography teacher. The requirement to take the RETELL course applies to teachers with preliminary licenses, regardless of whether or not they had an ELL student in their classroom.
If you are unsure about what type of license you are working under (preliminary, initial or professional), please go on your DESE ELAR account and check your license type. https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/elar/common/EducatorWelcomePagePageControl.ser
RETELL Information
Working in collaboration with the Wellesley Teachers’ Association, tentative arrangements have been made to offer the RETELL course in-District during the Spring 2017 semester. Please watch for additional information in upcoming Superintendent’s Bulletins.
All Benefits Information
Benefits information is handled by the Town Hall Benefits Office. All benefit inquiries should be directed to Joanne Liburd at JLiburd or by calling 781-431-1019 extension 2244.
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.