Dear Colleagues,
I hope you each had a productive week. We had some fun for a very good cause this week as the Wellesley Education Foundation hosted its annual Spelling Bee at Wellesley High School. This was our first “Bee” back in person and it felt terrific. As always, the competition was stiff, and I want to give a big shout-out to the WMS faculty, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” team of Drew Bourn, Kari Sciera, and Valerie Stark, whose early round showdown with another community team may have set a new record for the number of words spelled correctly. They stayed in costume and character throughout, frequently stopping for selfies and to text friends. So much great community spirit at the event and of course the proceeds of the event will be used to fund innovative work across the District. Thank you WEF!
I also want to highlight the great work of the WMS Social Studies team, led by Adam Blumer, as they engaged a number of community leaders on Friday as part of the run-up to capstone projects for the 8th grade civics course. More than ever, we want to support our students strong understanding of federal, state, and local government and inspire them to be fully engaged citizens who use their voice to shape important policies that affect us all. I was especially pleased to see some of our WHS students, who are newly-elected Town Meeting Members, participating and who encouraged their peers to become involved in town government.
Finally, on either Monday or Tuesday night of the coming week, Town Meeting is expected to take up Article 44, which is a citizen’s petition calling for a greater focus on academic excellence in WPS. As you might imagine, we share a very different perspective on this issue, as academic excellence has always been a priority for our district and we don’t believe our success should be measured against a set of standards that don’t come close to measuring the depth and breadth of our work. I urge everyone to remain engaged on this issue as is touches directly upon our Core Values as a school district.
Thanks for all that you do to support our students each day. Have a great weekend!
Best Regards,
David
Calendar
4/11/22 – Annual Town Meeting – 7 pm
4/15/22 – Good Friday – No School
4/18-4/22/22 – April Break
4/30/22 – Applications Due for WPS Enrollment of Staff Children
5/03/22 – School Committee Meeting (TBC)
5/10/22 – School Committee Meeting (TBC)
Condolences to Meghan McLaughlin (PAWS Paraprofessional) on the passing of her grandfather, George T. McLaughlin III on March 18, 2022; and to Rosemary Kelley (Fiske Gr. 1 Teacher) on the loss of her father, Dr. Joseph Kelley on April 3, 2022.
Open Enrollment for Benefits is here until April 29th!
Open Enrollment begins on April 4th and ends on April 29th, 2022. Click here for more information on plan details and offerings. All benefit-eligible employees should have received a letter with details about open enrollment and the various benefit offerings. If you have not received the letter, have questions, or need assistance enrolling online, please email benefits@wellesleyma.gov or call 781-431-1019, ext. 2244.
Note: If you do not complete the enrollment process, the only benefit that will roll over will be your health insurance plan if you are enrolled in one at the time of open enrollment. If you have a Fallon plan, you will be enrolled in the corresponding BCBS plan that matches your current plan tier (individual or family) and your current plan type (Benchmark or High Deductible).
Tutors needed for K-12 WPS Academic Tutoring (April – June 2022)
Wellesley Public Schools will offer K-12 Academic Tutoring for WPS students in ELA, Math and Science, from April through June 2022
WPS is seeking applicants for Tutors (several positions available at the elementary, middle and high school) $44.47/hour.
Please click here to apply to the internal posting. ** You must create your account in TalentEd to view the Internal Postings.
- Tutoring may occur before/after school and/or weekends and April break.
- Tutoring will be held in WPS schools during building hours and/or on WPS Zoom. Students are recommended for tutoring by teachers and administrators based on their classroom performance.
- Students will utilize their current school work during tutoring sessions.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Sandy Trach, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning trachs@wellesleyps.org with any questions.
Timeline for WPS Enrollment of Faculty Children (Kindergarten – Grade 12)
Children of Unit A and B members residing outside of Wellesley shall be entitled to attend Wellesley Public Schools without charge for tuition on a space available basis (Article 12, WEA, Unit A and B Contract).
Below is the timeline for submitting applications:
March 1: Interested applicants may submit a letter of intent with the one-page application to Marissa Capone, District Registrar, at registrar@wellesleyps.org.
Eligible staff members can also access the application on the WPS website.
April 30: All applications are due to Marissa Capone, District Registrar at registrar@wellesleyps.org. Late applications will not be accepted.
Mid-to-late May: Placement decisions will be made. Once notified of a determination, applicants will be provided with access to the online registration forms. Registration of students is not completed until all forms have been received and approved by the District Registrar and Nurse.
If there are any questions, please reach out to Marissa Capone District Registrar, at registrar@wellesleyps.org. A survey will be sent out in mid-March to confirm currently enrolled faculty children will be returning in school year 2022-2023.
Coaches Still Needed for Spring Season:
- WHS Freshmen and Part Time Varsity Assistant Coach for Boys Volleyball
- WHS Assistant Track Coach
Season: Monday, March 21st through Friday, May 27th
Questions or to apply, please contact: Athletic Director John Brown brownj@wellesleyps.org or 781-446-6290, ext. 4614
Tuition Reimbursement Info and Deadline
Just a reminder that Unit A members seeking tuition reimbursement for graduate coursework in accordance with the Unit A collective bargaining agreement must submit the completed application for reimbursement, along with evidence of enrollment into a program and course cost, proof of payment and transcript, no later than June 1, 2022. The Tuition Reimbursement form can be found on the HR page of the WPS website.
The contract states:
Course reimbursement for graduate courses taken by staff who are without master’s degrees and/or who are seeking professional licensure as required by the Massachusetts Department of Education or when a specialist teacher’s immediate supervisor, subject to the approval of the Assistant Superintendent, verifies that there are no further in‐district courses available for recertification in that specialist’s field, that specialist may apply for tuition reimbursement. Any Unit A member for whom no DESE license exists, including but not limited to occupational and physical therapists, so long as that member maintains appropriate certification and/or licensure required to perform his or her duties, shall be eligible to apply for tuition reimbursement.
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.
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.