West Goshen News
October 14, 2016
Goshen Community School’s Mission Statement:
Inspiring Innovation… Empowering Potential… Enriching our World
West Goshen’s Vision Statement:
At West Goshen Elementary School, we will develop students who have the thinking skills, character traits, and global awareness necessary to work together in a diverse world.
Enjoy your time off
Visitors to West Goshen
Special Visitors
Visitors to the book fair
Interra visitors
TLT Update:
Dressing up for Halloween
Steele Benefits Meeting
Highlights of the week:
We love our custodians
1st graders LOVE reading
Thinking hard about text features
Fire Awareness
West Goshen goes pink
Check out these cute kindergarten readers
Tier I and II papers
Central Office Updates:
Today’s Focus: Teams
“If he works for you, you work for him.”
– Japanese Proverb
Reflections to Guide Your Journey
Is a leader anything but a regular person if he or she does not have a team supporting his or her efforts?
How important are team-building activities and relationships within your organization?
How do your teammates know that you are there to help and to collaborate with them?
The United Way Campaign is ending soon! Turn in your PLEDGES. If you have not turned in a United Way pledge forms to the Admin Center, please do so by the end of the week! Send them to the attention of Lori Martin. Thanks in advance for your support of our neighbors in Elkhart County!
Attached is the Newly Created Professional Leave Request/Reimbursement Form. Beginning after Fall Break, this is the form that staff should use to request approval for professional leave and for reimbursement of expenses related to the professional leave. You will want to have the secretaries copy the form and procedures, back to back, on green paper. (I'll send the attachment in an e-mail!)
Overtime ALERT!!!! We have been closely monitoring the overtime costs and we all need to make a concerted effort to control these expenses. Administrators please be DILIGENT in communicating with your hourly staff that they should NOT be working over their approved hours UNLESS they have prior approval from you. We know that there is always more work to be done; but please be intentional about only approving overtime for priority projects and/or those things that have a looming deadline and cannot get done by adjusting hours or responsibilities. We will be communicating directly with principals to share data related to your individual schools in the near future.
Please share with ALL staff: A Retirement Planning Workshop sponsored by Elkhart County Retired Teachers’ Association will be held on Saturday, November 5th: 8:45 – 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Goshen. Whether your retirement is months or years away, you will gain valuable information needed to help plan for a successful retirement. Spouses are welcome and are encouraged to attend. Prior registration is not required. This is a no cost program for attendees. Please post/share the attached invitation.
Open Enrollment
The Steele Benefits Team will be here in October for group meetings and November for individual appointments related to Open Enrollment. This is the time to sign up for insurance and voluntary benefit products. Every employee that works 15 hours or more needs to meet with a representative or sign up through the ONLINE process. We are excited to offer an ONLINE option this year. Instructions will be given out at the group meetings. Please watch for the group meeting at your school and then choose the ONLINE option or sign up for an appointment. Please call Susan Stiffney or Marlene Penner at the Administration Office if you have any questions.
You are important members of our TEAM! Enjoy your Fall Break, taking time to do those things that give you joy.
Diane, Alan, Angela & Tammy
Upcoming Dates:
Monday, October 24th:
Everyone begins using willSub to report absences and request subs
3-5 grade teachers give NWEA skills mastery check this week
7:30-8:15 - Data Meetings
10:45-2:00 - K/1st to Pumpkin Farm from
3:00-4:30 - TLT meeting
6:00 - Board Meeting
Tuesday, October 25th:
1:15-2:45 - K/1 cluster
3:10 - Staff walk to evacuation site (West Goshen Church of the Brethren)
6:00-9:00 pm - TRIVIA NIGHT
Wednesday, October 26th:
7:00 - Administrative meeting (Cultural Sensitivity) - Lori
8:30-10:30 - District Master Teacher meeting (PV LGI Room)
1:15-2:45 - 2/3 cluster
Thursday, October 27th:
8:30-10:30 - District TLT meeting
1:15-2:45 - 4/5 cluster
4:30 - Strategic Planning Steering Committee (Lori)
Friday, October 28th:
FUTURE DATES TO GET ON CALENDAR:
November 3 - Steele Benefits Meeting
November 10 - WG Reading Night 6:00-7:30 (Aimee sent out an e-mail - sign up in lounge)