A "Human" Resource
December/January 2019-20 Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Good Bye 2019, Hello to a New Decade...2020
I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. I made sure to remember to give thanks for the amazing, supportive staff we have here at Hudsonville Public Schools. Looking into the busy December and January months both personally and professionally, it is a good time to reevaluate our wants versus needs, our DEFCON 5 versus DEFCON 1 rankings, and the "to-do" lists that just never seem to end. As we get closer to the holidays, please remember the trickle-down effect of our verbals and non-verbals on students and our own families. Apps like Breath2Relax, Calm, and HeadSpace are a great way to take a one to five minute refocus break and bring a little levity to ourselves. Many times I have found myself in an office with an anxiety-filled student where we did a one minute breathing exercise. In the end, they were calm enough to talk, and I was refocused to listen.
This holiday season enjoy your families and friends for who they are to you. Try not to worry about the perfect gift, the meals and sweets that need to be prepared, or the cleanliness of the home that you will be using for entertaining. Here at work, the more we stay focused on our mission of the district, "to educate, challenge, and inspire learners...," and not on the holidays, both theirs and our days will stay "normal."
~Anne Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
Professional Certification
You may renew your certification after January 1, 2020. You do not have to wait until June. It is imperative that you have your certificate renewal completed and to our office by August 1, 2020, to avoid, at best, any financial penalty, or at worse, loss of employment.
New Year, New You?
The Personal Advantage Website has many options. It could help assist in financial planning if saving up for a great purchase or trip in 2020. There are recipes and tips on how to lose weight and stay healthy. Find a variety of health assessments for your physical and emotional health, as well as legal and relationship advice.
It is impossible to reach those goals and resolutions without support, reassurance, and accountability. Let this tool be a way to provide some of that help. Remember, the "username/password" for the site is HudsonvillepsEAP.
2020 Tax Time
If you are a new employee to Hudsonville Public Schools and have never accessed your W-2 documentation, you find the form in SF Web under the "Payroll" tab. Colleagues that are aware of new employees, I ask you to offer assistance finding this information the first time around.
Also, remember with a new year, sometimes those first few paystubs might look different due to new federal and state taxes or HSA contributions. Be sure to check your paystubs to ensure your contributions are accurate.
Why Its Imperative We Practice Self-Efficacy
Within education, John Hattie's research shows a 1.57 effect size for collective teacher efficacy, the belief of the staff of their faculty's ability to positively affect students (visible-learning.org). Collective efficacy comes first from believing in our abilities. Many times our self-doubt and behaviors influence our abilities in our jobs. You can build your self-efficacy by setting SMART goals and reaching them. Enhance your self-management, eat the elephant one bite at a time, don't take on more than you know isn't reasonable. Utilize your mentor, colleagues, or professional development opportunities to increase your capacities. Use the room and be the room; no one person is smarter than the ideas generated from the group when in doubt, find a group and ask. Stop self-criticism. "Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love."-Brene Brown
Having high self-efficacy as a professional and collective efficacy within buildings and departments not only increases student achievement but also creates a better working environment for all.
Central Office Staff Highlight- Robin VandenBerg
Robin has been in the district for nineteen years, five of which she served as an administrative assistant at Riley Middle School, prior to moving into the Office of the Superintendent. She and her husband Bob celebrated 32 years of marriage this year. They have three children, Trevor, Kendall, and Madison and a daughter in-law Katie. She is also "Nina" to two grandsons Jeremiah and Hendrick.
Robin enjoys going to the beach, taking walks, cooking, and hostessing get-togethers. She is a proud graduate of Hudsonville. This holiday season, she will enjoy listening to her favorite holiday song "Mary Did You Know" and watching "The Grinch" with her grandsons.
Email: rvandenb@hpseagles.net
Website: https://www.hudsonvillepublicschools.org/
Phone: 616.669-1740