Colleagues,
This has certainly been a busy week! We completed two days of baseline coronavirus testing for staff today with more than 1,000 tests being processed by our amazing WPS nurses. Many thanks to everyone for your participation. If for some reason you were not able to be tested, we do have a limited number of testing slots open this weekend during the student testing window. Please click here for availability.
I’ve been thinking a great deal this week about justice in our country based on two separate events. The first was the news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing. RBG was a trailblazer her whole life and served as a tireless advocate for equal rights. Diminutive in physical stature, RBG was nonetheless a towering figure on the Supreme Court, whose legacy and example will, I hope, inspire our students.
The second event is far from inspirational. A Kentucky Grand Jury failed to charge two police officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year old emergency room technician. Ms. Taylor was shot 6 times in her own apartment. She was also black. For communities of color, this decision only reinforced a lack of confidence in a legal system that has continued to be plagued by racist practices and disproportionate treatment.
Inspiration and frustration. That’s what I’m feeling right now. Until we have justice for all in our country, none of us should feel complacent. Let’s continue to challenge our students with events like those of this week, as they consider what justice means to them and to our nation.
Best,
David
Calendar
09/28/20 – Yom Kippur – No School
09/29/20 – School Committee Meeting – Remote Online – 6:30 pm
10/1 & 10/2/20 – In-person Learning Begins for Hybrid Model – All schools
Signi
ng in to WPS Buildings
You may have noticed signs at the entrance of our schools that look like the picture below. This is an electronic way of signing into the building and attesting that you are feeling well. Please take a picture of the sign. This will prompt you to fill out your information on a Google form attesting that you are well. If you do not have a cell phone, you will still be able to sign in to the building using the paper sign in log.
Salary Lane Change News: Letters of Intent to change lanes in SY2020-22 are due by November 1, 2020.
All professional staff who expect to receive a Masters, M+30, or M+60/Doctorate at the beginning of the next school year 2021-2022, must send formal notification of intent to change salary lanes to Addie Doherty dohertya@wellesleyps.org, no later than November 1, 2020. The notification should include: current lane, proposed lane, and the school year (2021-22) in which you hope to change lanes. This early notification deadline is required so that provisions for anticipated salary lane changes may be included within the new fiscal year budget. Please note: The list does not carry forward. You must provide written notice each year until you have achieved the desired lane change.
Fraudulent Unemployment Claims
Unfortunately, many of our employees have been affected by a data breach and false unemployment claims have been filed on their behalf. The Human Resources Office has contacted all employees who were impacted. If you have been contacted by the Human Resources Office and informed that your information has been used to file a false unemployment claim, please follow the steps below to report unemployment benefits fraud.
1. Report the fraud to the unemployment office.
2. Report it to your local police department.
3. Report it to the credit bureau.
4. Report it to the social security administration by calling 1-800-269-0271
Voice Fatigue?
Attached is helpful information to prevent vocal fatigue from wearing a mask. This information has been shared with us from our friend Liz Wheeler, WPS Teacher of the Hearing Impaired.
Human Relations Services
The Human Relation Services (HRS) can help. Wellesley Public Schools has contracted with HRS to provide up to ten free counseling visits for you and/or your family members. This program is designed to help you deal with stresses of life and work –including personal and family issues, drug or alcohol problems, and job related tension. It offers prevention and intervention to reduce these stresses and improve coping skills.
HRS is located at 11 Chapel Place in Wellesley and can be reached at 781-235-4950. This is a confidential service. Wellesley Public Schools is not aware of the names of employees or their family members who utilize this service.
New DESE License Call Center Hours
The DESE Licensure Call Center will offer an additional five hours per week of service to educators and prospective educators. Effective Monday, January 6, 2020 the Licensure Call Center (781-338-6600) will be open each business day from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Almost 50 percent of the responses from a recent survey favored these new hours over other options.
Do you have a question for the WPS Human Resources Department? Email AskHR@Wellesleyps.org. The Human Resources Department is happy to assist you.
WPS Internal Job Postings on District Website
For all Internal Job Postings, please go to “Internal Job Postings” under the Faculty tab of the District’s website.