Dear Colleagues,
I hope you each had a productive week. Last night, I had a chance to attend the speaker event at WHS, where best-selling author, Harlan Cohen, engaged our school community on the subject of college selection and admissions. (Thank you to WEF for sponsoring this event!) Given how important this topic is to our community, a large number of parents—and some students—were also in attendance. I appreciated a number of critical points that Mr. Cohen stressed in his comments. The first, and perhaps most important, was that it matters less where students go to college and matters much more what they do when they get there. He acknowledged the pressure that often exists to attend the most competitive schools and then challenged the validity of this notion if students don’t feel like they fit in and the opportunities to engage in their existing or new interests are not available. There so many higher education options that exist for students today, and Mr. Cohen strongly advised that students consider what is most important for them, not just academically, but also what they will be able to do outside of the classroom to develop friendships and social networks, and pursue their interests.
Given that the pressures of college selection and admissions are significant in Wellesley, I thought Mr. Cohen’s remarks were well-suited for his audience. In particular, I appreciated his observation that good state schools with strong honors programs represent an incredible value to students in terms of their relative affordability, high quality preparation, and serving as a gateway to post-baccalaureate opportunities. Mr. Cohen offered reassurance to families that no matter where students go, they can have amazing experiences, even when it’s not their identified “dream school.”
Thanks for everything you do to support our students and enjoy the weekend.
Best, David
Lane Changes 101
Changing lanes in the 2024-2025 school year?
The Wellesley Educators Association Agreement for Unit A, under Article 13, describes the process whereby professional staff may advance to higher-paying salary lanes. Educators may make a salary lane change by completing a stand-alone degree program or earning credits piecemeal. The administration of the process is described here. Deadline to send in your intent to change is November 1st (no exceptions).
Questions? Email Diane Zinck
Calendar
November 10th (Friday) – Veterans Day – Schools and Offices Closed
November 22nd (Wednesday) – Early Release – Schools and Offices Closed
November 23rd & 24th (Thursday & Friday) Thanksgiving Recess – Schools and Offices Closed
November 27th (Monday) Professional Day – Schools Closed
December 25th – January 1st December Break – Schools Closed
Human Relation 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.