FY24 Coffee Corner
August 15, 2023
This week's issue of the Coffee Corner (highlights)
A HUGE warm welcome to all our new staff and all our returning staff!
For the newbies... this newsletter happens bi-weekly, includes information regarding your benefits, payroll, PATH, and any local events that are happening. If you wish to see a topic highlighted in the Coffee Corner, please email me at joellen.barton@wnesu.com
Happy reading!
Table of Contents:
Who's New!
Human Resources
- Health Care Rate Changes that were effective 7/1
- VSTRS Rate Changes Effective 7/1
Payroll Corner
FY24 Calendars
Healthy You (Path, Local Events, and more!)
Job Openings
CBA Copies
Mandatory Training - UPDATE!
Bernie Portal Access Link
Benefit Guide Copies
Link to all Benefit information
Facebook Social Media Links
Archived copies of these blasts will be available at the bottom of our upcoming newsletters and online under the HR portion of our new wnesu.org website.
WHO'S NEW AT THE SU!
Here are a few of the new faces at our schools this year
Rose Monahan - Mathematics Teacher, Bellows Falls Union High School
Paige Congdon - Elementary Teacher, Central Elementary School
Kimberly Kelly - Paraprofessional, Saxtons River Elementary School
Lloyd Daley - English Teacher, Bellows Falls Union High School
Cat Seltzer-Dean of Students, Bellows Falls Middle School
John Luce - Choral Director, Bellows Falls Union High School
Connor Bean - Director of Athletics, Bellows Falls Union High School
Joseph Tamiso - Custodian, Westminster Center School
Adrienne Long - Science Teacher, Bellows Falls Middle School
James Pecsok - Band Director, Bellows Falls Union High School
Jeffrey Reiser - Mathematics Teacher, Bellows Falls Union High School
Dani Wassertzug - Kindergarten Teacher, Athens Grafton School
HUMAN RESOURCES
Benefits and you!
We want you to be able to make the MOST out of your benefits.
Welcome back!
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN FY24:
Health Care Rates:
Even though our enrollment and activation period has changed, VEHI still follows the fiscal year. What does this mean for you? Anyone that is enrolled in our health care, this means your rates have changed as of July 1. Attached please find the updated rates and benefits guides. Note: Dental and Vision rates are calendar year. If there are any changes to rates they will be published with OPEN Enrollment the month of October.
Vermont State Teacher Retirement Rates:
Retirement is a mandatory benefit per the State of Vermont. Your rate is determined by your base salary wage as of July 1. The rate will not change throughout the school year even if your wage increases above the threshold. It is locked for the school year. (Note: Dept Heads, your rate includes your dept head stipend in the calculation)
VSTRS CALCULATION AND PERCENTAGE
> 40,000 - 6.10%
40,000.01-50,000 - 6.15%
50,000.01-60,000 - 6.25%
60,000.01-70,000 - 6.35%
70,000.01-80,000 - 6.50%
80,000.01-90,000 - 6.75%
90,000.01-100,000 - 7.00%
100,000.01 < - 7.25%
Vermont Municipal Employee Retirement Rates:
Retirement is a mandatory benefit per the State of Vermont. Your FY24 rates are:
Group B: Employee: 6.125% | Employer 6.750%
Short Term Disability has been eliminated as of 7/1/2023 for now...
All other plans; Group Life, Voluntary Life and Long Term Disability are still in effect with no changes to them.
Benefit Deductions for 22 pay or school year employees (Para's who choose 22 pays), Bus Drivers, non calendar year Food Service staff)
- Deduction(s) will be taken out of 20 pays instead of 22 as there are 2 pay months this year in the school year that we turn off the deductions on the 3rd pay of the month. Rates look higher however they are still the same rates as everyone else. Your annual rate is split up between 20 pays instead of 24. The reason for this is your first pay will be 9/1 and your last pay will be 6/21 which is exactly 22 pays per year.
Last year of separate benefit guides
- Next year (FY25) all health care benefits will be aligned to the VSA State Collective Bargaining agreement of an 80/20 split with the districts paying 80% of the premiums and employees covering the remaining 20%.
New Badges are coming!
- We are waiting for the finalization of the design and once approved, all staff ID badges will be re-issued.
- They will allow you to open the doors in your building (those with keyless entry) and release print jobs without entering your code.
*FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO SUBMIT A NEW PHOTO OR HAVE NOT SUBMITTED A PHOTO YET YOU CAN DO SO THROUGH: https://wnesu.org/staffphoto (Please see photo submission guidelines attached below)
Please note these are NOT the same ID badges that are available through the school student photo company. These badges are ONLY through the Admin Office.
Alternative Health Care Stipend
- This is an ANNUAL sign up. You can sign up now through October 31. This allows the board time to plan the budget for who they are paying out funds too. PLEASE FILL OUT THE ATTACHED IF YOU QUALIFY AND RETURN TO ME BY OCTOBER 31ST.
Be well everyone!
PAYROLL CORNER
What is happening this month with payroll
Happy FY24!
We are excited to announce we have moved to Infinite Visions/TYLER. This is our new payroll and accounting software as of July 1. We will be requesting that All staff hired before 2020 fill out new W-4's. (unless you have updated them in the last few years) This will ensure you are on the proper tax table for withholdings. Please see attached and return to JoEllen at joellen.barton@wnesu.com.
CHANGES THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
1. Direct Deposit account(s) cannot be a percentage
- The new software does not allow for percentages of your income to be deposited into an account. If you had a percentage before please update your direct deposit to a fixed number. If you have a question and can't remember please email payroll@wnesu.com for confirmation.
2. Timesheets will be changing
- We are moving away from Substitutes Online and are moving to Frontline.
- We are still in the early stage and will let you know when the actual change over will take place.
- For now continue your normal routine.
3. New Time Clock is coming!
- More details to come, our hope is for a November roll out
- Please continue your normal routine for now.
Timesheet quick links:
Regular Timesheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15QzlRfdkS5H2fuPUnM1dI98QFJyZqUqTRx0cwU__x4I/template/preview
Grant Funded Employees: (UPDATED FORM)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_8WreOGMYSh63PGNEi2Ml42MdRNAqvegJ3C1SzI_3Vg/template/preview
Transportation:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16v00WdonzMvWvIAI0j7dUze08NoFYqdT3tmpisSNorU/template/preview
Below please find a copy of our Current Payroll Schedule along with Timesheet Submission dates. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to Jason in payroll.
Any payroll related questions? Contact Jason Bishop at payroll@wnesu.com. During payroll weeks please allow 48-36 hour response time to emails. If it is an emergency please contact the central office at 802-463-9958.
PAY RUN SCHEDULE - DUE DATES FOR TIMESHEETS AND PAY DATES
FY24 Calendars
I know it is still early yet, but we wanted to share with you the FY24 school year, payroll and holiday calendars so you can plan accordingly
PAYROLL - BLANK W4'S AND DIRECT DEPOSIT FORMS
HEALTHY YOU!
PATH - Wellness and YOU!
GIFT CARD REMINDER!
PATH members who earned their $100 LL Bean gift card will receive them via email in September. Please make sure to log into your PATH account if you have changed your email address or retired and need to enter a personal address.
Path Building Leader Contact List
Building Leaders:
Athens Grafton School
Desirae Wilbur
Bellows Falls Middle School (Welcome to our new leaders for FY24)
Sierra Patterson
Jessica Illingworth
Bellows Falls High School
Open Positions - All BFUHS staff, we are looking for our next building leader(s). Please let me know if you are interested.
Central Elementary
Peter Lawry
Saxtons River Elementary School
Coleen Gillam
Westminster Center School
Patricia Gomez
WNESU
JoEllen Barton
Quick Link: https://secure.tomypath.com/wndnesu/dashboard/default
PATH Forms
CURRENT CBA COPIES
FY24 Mandatory Trainings
New Trainings will be coming out this year! The admin team has allotted time during the first 3 days for staff to complete your trainings. More information coming.
How do I log into my BerniePortal?
To log into your BerniePortal account (www.BerniePortal.com, Login button top right) using the User Name and Password you created previously. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it from the login screen.
Where can I find benefit information??
I have compiled a whole library of information for you accessible at anytime through our google drives.
Look here: G:\Shared drives\WNESU HR SHARED FORMS
For example you can find:
Employee Payroll Forms (W-2's, Direct Deposit forms)
School Calendars (past and present)
Collective Bargaining Agreements (past and present)
Benefit information (Dental, Health Care, Vision, Life, Retirement)
Employee Benefit Guides
Medicare Info
Job Descriptions
Path and Wellness
Sick Leave info
Workman's Compensation and Student Injury Forms
AND MUCH MORE!
FY24 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
Social Media Links for Schools
Windham Northeast Supervisory Union: https://www.facebook.com/wnesuvt
Saxtons River School: https://www.facebook.com/sresvt
Bellows Falls Middle School: https://www.facebook.com/BellowsFallsMiddleSchool
Central Elementary School: https://www.facebook.com/rockinghamcesvt
Bellows Falls Union High School: https://www.facebook.com/bfuhsvt
Grafton Elementary School: https://www.facebook.com/GESVermont
Westminster Center School: https://www.facebook.com/westminstercenterschool/
802-463-9958 x 114
802-460-1472 direct
802-460-0405 fax