A Web-based newsletter for the staff of Everett Public Schools
Jan. 28, 2011 (NewsLinks articles are now archived on Docushare)
· New mileage rate – IRS increases rate by a penny
· Wellness message – take the “wobble” out of your resolutions
· A request from the maintenance department – how to process requests
· More students than ever need shoes – PTA Shoe Fund is running low
· News around the district – good work happening everywhere
· Opportunities for staff and students
· Key dates you won’t want to miss
MILEAGE – IRS increases rate per mile
WELLNESS MESSAGE – Starting to feel the “wobble” of your new year’s resolutions? Get back on track
The Wellness Challenge: A Web-based health incentive program that includes health coaching. Earn up to $200 for staying on track with your health in 2011.
Take the Health Risk Assessment by Jan. 31 and receive a FREE copy of “Healthy Wise” a valuable self-care book chock full of resources to help you deal with common health problems, partner with your doctor and live better with chronic disease. Learn more about the Wellness Challenge, instructions for enrolling, and visit the Wellness Challenge official site.
Weight Management Programs: We offer two weight management programs for EPS employees – Weight Watchers at Work and Mind Body Weight Management Program (Mind Body Program is FREE to EPS employees!!). There is still space in both programs.
Move More: If your new year’s resolution was to MOVE MORE this year, take advantage of the fitness classes we offer after school at several district locations. One fit pass allows you to take unlimited classes over 10 weeks … A DEAL! Did you know that local gyms offer discounts to EPS employees. Learn more.
Wellness in action featured in the Snohomish County Tribune. See how one district employee is putting wellness strategies into practice.
MAINTENANCE WORK ORDER REQUESTS – process matters
If you have a maintenance request or concern, please share it directly with your head custodian or school principal. Requests phoned or emailed to other maintenance staff end up outside of the work order process and thus can end up falling through the cracks. Because they are not processed, they are not tracked and may not be addressed in a timely fashion that meets the department’s quality standards.
All maintenance concerns are evaluated by your head custodian. He or she may be able to remedy the request or determine if a work order is necessary. He or she is responsible for submitting any necessary work orders. Following the process can help your head custodian manage all work order requests and assure needs are met.
MORE STUDENTS NEED PTA SHOE FUND HELP – almost 500 students helped so far this year
For 35 years, the Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) within Everett Public Schools have provided needy students with vouchers for new shoes in partnership with Payless Shoes in Everett. Students needing shoes are identified at schools by teachers or counselors and given the cards and information about the Payless location to choose their shoes. Each voucher card is worth $15 for elementary students and $20 for middle and high school students.
Since September 2010, the Shoe Fund committee has distributed 494 shoe cards to students in the district’s 26 different schools. “This is a 33 percent jump from the same time period last year when we had given out 393 cards from September through December. As we saw with last fall’s urgent need for school backpacks and supplies, students need basic clothing as well, and our Shoe Fund is running low,” explains Shoe Fund chairperson Angela Steck. <more>
NEWS AROUND THE DISTRICT – information about good work everywhere
01.27.2011 North Middle School to be national demonstration site for
AVID
01.27.2011 What IS Lighthouse
Cooperative? Open house Feb. 15
01.25.2011 Jackson High School Jazz Ensembles to perform at
Jazz Alley
01.25.2011 Just what IS
Everett Public Schools Homeschool Alternative?
01.23.2011 Schools look at whether animals belong
there
01.21.2011 "Dare to Dream"
Students of Color Career Conference at EvCC
01.21.2011 Penny Creek Elem food & nutrition staff nominated
for Excellence Award
01.20.2011 Cascade High's DECA members heading to state
conference
01.14.2011 Teachers using cell
phones and texting as teaching tools
OPPORTUNITIES – for staff and students
1. Upcoming retirement seminars are held at Cascade High School. No reservations are required. Spouses are welcome.
Session I — Wednesday, Feb. 2 (4-6 p.m.)
Welcome and overview of seminar series
How to use your VEBA Plan
District Procedures
PEBB (Public Employees Benefit Board)
Session II — Wednesday, Feb. 9 (4-6 p.m.)
WSSRA (Washington State School Retirees’ Association)
Social Security Retirement and Medicare
Session III — Wednesday, March 2 (4-5:30 p.m.)
State Retirement Plan 1
Session IV — Wednesday, March 9 (4-5:30 p.m.)
State Retirement Plans 2 and 3
2. New online courses now available
· Google Quick Start - Google Docs is a perfect tool for classroom collaboration. You can create research groups so students can share their findings easily at home and school, use it for group projects or peer review. You will learn how to create spreadsheets, documents, presentations and surveys for your classroom as well as how to share finished products with parents and other classrooms.
· Creating a Student Portfolio with Google Sites - Portfolios can serve as a vehicle for enhancing student awareness of the processes and strategies involved in writing, solving a problem, researching a topic, analyzing information, or describing their own observations. Electronic portfolios that use digital storage processes allow students to present information, sound, motion, and color. Learn how you can use our EPS Google Sites to promote students creating a personal portfolio that can be private or shared with a limited audience.
· Delving into Design - Want to make your print or Web project effective and user friendly? Explore the four design principles: proximity, alignment, repetition and contrast as well as the design elements of images, color and typography. Hands-on projects will reinforce the concepts as you learn them.
Register on the Course Registration System. Navigate to June 30 on the calendar and enroll in the course of your choice.
Other available courses include:
· Blog Blog Blog
· Building a CMS website
· Moodle Magic
· Working with Digital Images
Questions? LauriBeth Hull
3. Future Teachers of Color Conference, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. Do you know a student of color in grades 7 through 9 who might be interested in becoming a teacher? This is a great way for that student to learn more about the challenges and rewards.
4. Evergreen Middle School Health Fair for Teens, Tweens & Parents Feb. 19.
On Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011, first ever Evergreen Middle School Health Fair for Teens, Tweens and Parents is destined to draw families and teens from around the region for a free and activity-packed day focused on exercise, healthy eating, good habits and health awareness.
Basic health screenings – blood pressure, body mass index and more – will be free options that day for everyone. Vaccinations will be available for $15 or less (cash or check only) and there is a fee adjustment available for families in financial need. It slides down to zero for high need families, so there should be no barrier to any child or youth who needs a vaccine.
Every fifth-grader in the district will be given a vaccination registration form to take home to parents or guardians. Returning that form to fifth-grade teachers will help ensure there is enough vaccine for all who want them and enough health staff to administer the shots.
At the “career corner,” students can learn about future career options in health care. Zumba, ballroom dance, martial arts and other “get up and go” activities are also slated as are demonstrations and food tastings. Read full news release …
5. Dr. Cohn will drop the puck on Friday, Feb. 11 at the Silvertips’ match against the Spokane Chiefs. Special discounted tickets for all EPS staff and students that night. Tickets normally going for $15 will sell to district staff for just $10. This is the Silvertips way of saying “thank you” and “great job” for the important work we do each day. Order online early for the best seating available! Or call, 425‑609‑2804.
6. FREE Foundations of Early Literacy mini conference, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Evergreen Middle School, for teachers and reading specialists, ELL specialists and principals who work with preschool, kindergarten and first‑grade children. Clock hours available.
Taught by David Matteson, a former classroom teacher and a Reading Recovery Teacher. He presents a research-based program on creating early readers and writers. David has been working with Edmonds School District and a number of districts in Skagit and Whatcom Counties along with their Pre-K partners.
Primary teachers are thrilled with what they are seeing in student progress and learning. The workshop is funded by a Gates grant supporting alignment of early literacy practices Pre-K through grade 3.
Foundations of Early Literacy is presented through a partnership between the NWESD, Everett Public Schools, and VOA Child Care Resource & Referral.
Questions? Email Lynn Lahey or call x4089. Preregistration required - send name, phone number, email, address, school and position to cwebb@voaww.org or mail to Volunteers of America, P.O. Box 839, Everett, WA 98206.
7. Opportunity for educators to travel to China. Applications due Feb. 28. In addition to guided tours of historical landmarks, this program includes many opportunities to meet Chinese school teachers, educators, parents and students. As noted by many past participants, these informal interactions with Chinese people allowed them to gain a better understanding of modern China and Chinese people - a perspective that cannot be provided by any textbook.
8. “Dare to Dream” Students of Color Career Conference – scholarships available! Middle and high school students of color are invited to attend EvCC's annual Students of Color Career Conference (SOCCC) on Thursday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Encourage students of color to complete the SOCCC scholarship – it just may that extra help for students to achieve their educational and/or career goals! Contact Esther Moss at 425-388-9306 for more information.
9. PUD art contest for K-12 students. Guess My Renewable Resource poster contest. Entries due March 18. Details and entry forms online.
10. WSU 4H Experiential Education workshop, April 1, 2 and 9, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Adopt A Stream, McCollum Park. Full details about this three day intensive workshop designed to increase your knowledge about facilitating team building and leadership development.
11. Camp Invention to be held again this June at Cedar Wood Elementary. Elementary students will be taking home copies of the flier now online. Think about students in your class who might benefit by this summer enrichment.
OPPORTUNITES IN BRIEF – quick reminders from past issues
1. Mentoring Children of Promise (MCP) is a community-based mentoring program for children of parent(s) involved in the criminal justice system. MCP is looking for adult volunteers, 21 and over, to share activities with such a child for eight hours a month. To learn more, email Joell Coltrane or call 425‑259‑2973 ext. 2717.
2. Life in a Fish Bowl – a WAEOP workshop, Saturday morning, Feb. 26, at Shawn O’Donnell’s restaurant in south Everett. Guest speaker is Kathy Lech, President of NAEOP (National Association of Educational Office Professionals) presenting “Life in a Fish Bowl.” Great opportunity to earn points toward Professional Standards Program Certification.
3. ELL students need your 2010 calendars! Karen Stolworthy at Eisenhower Middle School uses the pictures in calendars to help her students learn English. Instead of recycling those old 2010 calendars to the paper bin, give them one more useful spin by sending them to Karen for her students. She received a lot of calendars last year from a NewsLinks request. Her students say “thank you” for that response and “thanks in advance” for sending calendars their way again this year.
KEY DATES – important dates and celebrations you won’t want to miss planning for now!
POLICY & PROCEDURE INFO – links to all policies and procedures are online
Everett Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. Designated to handle inquiries about nondiscrimination policies are: Affirmative Action Officer, Carol Stolz, 3715 Oakes Ave., Everett, WA 98201, 425-385-4106; Title IX Officer, Randi Seaberg, 3715 Oakes Ave., Everett, WA 98201, 425-385-4104; ADA Coordinator, Kristine McDowell, 202 Alder St., Everett, WA 98203, 425-385-5250; Section 504 Coordinator, Becky Ballbach, 4730 Colby Ave., Everett, WA 98203, 425-385-4086. (Email address for each is FirstInitialLastName@everettsd.org.)