Magers Memo
December 15th, 2018
Don't forget to sign-up to purchase a "Team Nolan" shirt! These will be ordered next week! Also, please leave your money with Bri in the office!
Updates from Crystal:
- The Snowman Shop will be open next Monday-Thursday.
- I will be out Monday afternoon from 11:30 a.m.-2:45ish, to propose my doctorate at SBU! Woot, woot! Misty will be in the building.
- The Snowman Shop will be open next Wednesday evening for families!
- Wednesday is "wear your ugliest holiday sweater day"!
- Friday is a work day for teachers. If you want to come in early and leave early, please sign in and out in the office. Friday is the 12th day of Christmas and we will wrap this December fun up with a Pasta Express lunch on Friday! Lunch will be served at around 10:45 a.m.-please enjoy!
- I am confirming that Dark Stone Coffee will be available for purchase Friday morning as well. I will send out an email to confirm next week!
- Next week I will be sending out a survey. I would love to get some feedback from each of you. Please complete the survey by next Friday. Cheryl, Leadership Team and I are meeting on Friday to plan PL and would like input moving forward.
From Nurse Julie:
It's that time of year when those nasty bugs are upon us. I have been seeing a lot of Strep-like symptoms and just general yuckiness going around. Just a reminder to make sure you and your students are WASHING your hands, or using hand sanitizer. Washing hands is the NUMBER one way to prevent illness. I do have lots of lotion in my office is you need some for dry, cracked hands, FYI. Also, wipe down door handles, etc with wipes.
The other nasty bug going around is head lice. I have checked a couple of grade levels but unfortunately cannot check the whole school. Make sure you are reminding students NOT TO SHARE COATS, HATS....Also if you have pillows in classroom, take them home once a week and throw them in a hot dryer if you can. If you have rugs, please ask out janitors of they can vacuum those.
Next Year
Staff: If you plan to retire at the end of this year or plan to put in for a transfer...etc. please let me know as soon as possible. Also, if you wish to change grade levels (if the option presents itself) please let me know! It sounds early, but planning for next year will begin just after the new year. Please see the "early separation notice" below from HR.
To Eligible SPS R-12 Employees,
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!
Springfield Public Schools is dedicated to retain and recruit the best teachers and leaders for all of our students throughout the system. As part of our Strategic Plan, Focus 2, Goal 1: To create a culture that empowers employees and provides each student access to a qualified and effective teacher in every classroom, an effective principal in every school and an effective employee in every position, we want to show our appreciation to those who notify the district as early as possible about their intent to retire or resign. We greatly value our educators who teach our students every day; however, if we are going to lose you to, we would like to find the best fit for our students in a timely manner. We would like to have an advantage of securing the top available education talent and are committed to retaining and continuing to hire the best. For a fourth year in a row, we are offering an “Early Notification Incentive” for those in a school-based position which requires a teaching or administrative certification- teachers and principals who submit their separation notice early as listed below. The letter of separation would be active at the end of the employee’s 2018-2019 contract.
Eligible employees will be provided an opportunity to receive a:
- $1000 Early Notification Incentive if declared in writing to Human Resources by Friday, January 4, 2019.
- $750 Early Notification Incentive if declared in writing to Human Resources between Saturday, January 5- Friday, February 1, 2019.
- $500 Early Notification Incentive if declared in writing to Human Resources between Saturday, February 2- Friday, March 1, 2019.
All notices must be in writing and accompany the attached Early Notification Incentive form. Send it directly to Human Resources at humanresources@spsmail.org or via interoffice mail (blue bag) to: Attention: KAC/HR Services. A copy also needs to be provided to your principal/supervisor by the stated deadline. Human Resources will email the employee to verify the letter was received.
Our goal is to increase the likelihood of hiring highly qualified candidates by making hiring decisions as early as possible. The goal is not to increase the number of retirements or resignations. We strive to continue to have the very best for our school community. If you have any specific questions, please contact Human Resources at 523-4647.
Winter Parties
- From 8:30-8:45 a.m. all students will sing Christmas carols in the gym. Parties will begin at 9:00 a.m. (5th grade).
- When it is your specials time, take students to the gym. There will be PTA volunteers to explain the rotations to students. There will be a snack station, dance station, bounce house, craft station and game station. Students will rotate through each station for the hour they have parties. All 4 grade level classes will be together for that hour.
- Specialty teachers will report to the gym for supervision during parties (with the exception of your plan time). There will be parent volunteers assisting as well.
- Please let parents know in your weekly newsletters that they need parents to help with the parties on this day. PTA should be sending a Sign-Up Genius but sometimes it goes out late so if you could give parents a heads up now-that would be awesome.
- This is great for parents who have multiple students because they can attend both parties.
- Please have students take off their shoes and leave them under their desk prior to coming to the party. This will help PTA & our volunteers. Students should wear socks to the party. Also, you may want to give parents a heads up that students will be in socks so they can ensure students have matching socks that day (thinking as a parent here :).
- This is the only expectation of you during parties. Once you drop shoe-less students off, you can use your plan time like normal.
- Parties are on the last day before Winter Break (December 21st).
- If you have questions please let me know! I think you will love this new process!! It's a win for everyone.