COLT CONNECTION
January 1, 2023
COLT Update
Dear DRRSD Staff,
Happy New Year!
Thank you for all that you do!
Together, We Are DR!
Bill
New Year's Resolutions and D-R's Wellness Program
As we head into a new year, many people commit to new year's resolutions focused on health and wellbeing. D-R's Wellness Program, MIIA Well Aware, can assist you with your wellness initiatives in 2023.
Some of the most common wellness resolutions are:
- Exercise more frequently
- Lose weight
- Save more money / spend less money
- Quit smoking
- Cut back on alcohol
- Reduce your stress and improve your mental health
- Get more sleep
- Commit to a healthy eating plan
Well Aware can provide assistance with the items listed above, and more! The program also offers Wellness Coaches if you feel you need more individualized attention and assistance in achieving your wellness goals.
Please continue to follow the weekly MIIA Virtual Wellness emails sent once per week to staff, if you feel a virtual approach to wellness is more suited to your schedule and lifestyle.
We wish you a happy and healthy 2023!
New #WeAreDR Apparel Store!
Some DR swag is a great gift for the holiday season! A new DR shirt, hat, or sweatpants would be perfect! Not sure where to buy? We have you covered. Our CTE Marketing program, under the direction of Ms. Laurene Plourde, has taken our School Store to new heights. Go to our new online Falcons Nest School Store to check out all of our new merch! My personal favorite is the DR crewneck sweatshirt (pictured).
DR Dispatch
Update on Rooms in Apptegy
As shared by your Principal yesterday, I am giving the message below to parents and families today. Please familiarize yourself with the information.
We have experienced a glitch with training some of our teachers, and this has caused me to reassess the rollout. Rather than have a district-wide rollout on December 1, we have had to modify the timeline (see below).
Starting Monday, December 5, we will initiate a Rooms soft launch. Family members listed in Aspen will receive an email with login information for Rooms. In this soft launch, teachers will have the option to utilize Rooms with their classes. This is not mandatory across the district. This will allow staff that feel prepared to get this off the ground. Doing so will allow us to assess the transition and have some of these staff members consider serving as unofficial trainers in their buildings.
In early 2023, the district will offer additional training opportunities for those staff who aren’t currently utilizing the Rooms tool.
At a date to be determined in late Winter/early Spring, Rooms will be implemented throughout the District. The Rooms tool does not replace District email; however, in time, all staff will be expected to use it in lieu of communication tools like Remind, ClassDojo, etc.
We thank you for your patience as we navigate this. It is crucial to do this right the first time. Taking our time will ease the transition for all.
Family Portal in Aspen
DReam Seminars Feedback
Overall, we received great feedback for the DReam Seminars…Dighton Rehoboth Educators Aspiring for Mastery on November 8th.
- Link to a few photos from the day! or see link below.
- Below, check out the feedback regarding the seminars.
Evaluation Committee Update
With all transitions come bumps. However, we have had a few regarding the updated evaluation forms that the District Evaluation Team created for use this year. As staff left and began new roles, these forms were never updated and added as our default educator plans in the system. So, when the administration initiated plans for each educator, the system pulled the old forms into the individual's evaluation plan for the year. Thus, as a result, our administrators started the evaluation process, they were selecting from the pre-populated list (the old forms). Once we realized the wrong forms were being used, we found and renamed the forms to be clearly identified with 22-23. Since meeting with the Evaluation Team in November, we have proposed that DRRTA schedule a voluntary hour virtual meeting to review the updated forms with all educators. Moving forward, the administration will make every effort to use these updated forms. Should we err, it isn't malicious. Just bring it to our attention.
Any questions or concerns, please contact Fred Souza or Steve Patrick.
Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum Coordinators, Department Heads, and Team Leaders are critical roles in the DRRSD. We are looking forward to supporting their work as they renew and develop curriculum and provide support to our dedicated staff.
Click the below link for the names of our staff in each of the roles.
Educational Technology Tips
- Are you overwhelmed with login credentials? Check out Dashlane! This free app can be used on any device, browser, or platform and allows you to safely store usernames and passwords. One important note - the free version only allows you to use Dashlane on one device, so choose wisely!
- Do you ever want to point someone to a specific part of a webpage (such as a certain part of the Student Handbook)? You can! Select text on a website, right click, and regular click on the words "Copy Link to Highlight." Click here for more information.
Tired of checking a Google Form for new responses? Let Google do the work for you! Click here to learn how to turn on Google Form email notifications.
Heads up! For reasons related to student data privacy, we are no longer using Grammarly in the district. Looking for an alternative grammar and spelling checker tool? Click here to add the Language Tool Chrome extension.
CBA Deadline Notice for Teachers - Lane Change for Next Year - FRIDAY January 6, 2023
It is the responsibility of the professional employee to notify the office of the Superintendent of the accumulation of credits that would change his/her position to a different lane. A transcript must be presented as evidence to support the change. If a transcript is not issued, a certificate of participation indicating number of contact hours will be accepted. Written notification of a planned lane change must be received by the preceding January. If notified before the commencement of the school year, the changes in lane will be granted in September. Thereafter, any other lane change will occur if notice is provided prior to February.
Please send Letter of Intent, Official Sealed Transcript or Certificate of Participation and Lane Change Form to klacaillade@drregional.org by the end of the day Friday 1/6/23.
MTRS Update - Mass PRIM
NOTICE OF PRIM BOARD ELECTION
Nominations for the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System (MTRS) representative to the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board will be open from November 17, 2022 to January 24, 2023. The PRIM Board is responsible for investing and managing the Pension Reserves Investment Trust (PRIT) Fund, which is used to assist the Commonwealth and participating local plans in funding their pension liabilities.
PRIM is an unpaid board consisting of seven appointed and two elected members. One elected member shall be an active or retired member of the State Employees' Retirement System, and the second elected member shall be an active or retired member of the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System.
Each elected member shall serve for a three-year term.
Nomination papers may be obtained from the Teachers' Retirement System's main office in Charlestown.
Nomination papers must be signed by no less than 75 active or retired members of the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System and filed at the office of the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m., January 24, 2023.
Official Ballots will be mailed on March 16, 2023 and must be returned on or before May 5, 2023.
Thank you!
Together, we are DR!
Bill Runey
Superintendent of Schools
Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District