Bulldog Bytes
A Newsletter for Employees of the Mexico59 February 24, 2016
V is for Violin
100 Days at ECC
Congratulations to FBLA
Congratulations to the following FBLA members who received honors at the District Competition in Moberly this past Friday:
Rachel Owings with 3 First Place wins at FBLA Districts!
Securities and Investments
Business Plan
Economics
Ethan Prior with a 5th place in Public Speaking 1
Michael Stremke with a 2nd place finish in both:
Introduction to Financial Math
Impromptu Speaking
Elisabeth Gooch earned a 5th place medal in the Help Desk event.
Rachel Owings advances to the FBLA State Competition and must choose 2 of her 3 winning events. (as per FBLA rules)
Michael Stremke will also advance to FBLA State Competition in the Introduction to Financial Math event.
FBLA State Contest is April 24, 25 and 26 in Springfield, Missouri.
Help tell the GREAT stories
Hart Career Center partners with Elementary Schools for "Be Smart, Look Smart"
Congratulations Mexico Wrestlers!
Congratulations to the Mexico Bulldogs on a Great Finish @ the State Wrestling Championships. Kellen Ekern @ 160 State Champion & Brit Wilson @ 170 State Champion. 1st two State Champions for Head Coach Gayle Adams. Jordan Jones @ 138 4th place finish, Terrese Aaron HWT 4th & Dylan Patton @113 6th place. The Bulldogs finish 5th Place as Team
GDrawing at EF
Project Lead the Way
Project Lead the Way at EF
FFA Supporters Lunch
HCC League of Legends team update
Slime time in Ms. Hartz's Class at HAW
Random Acts of Kindness at MCM
Eighth graders & parents attend Find Your Path nigh at MHS
Congratulations Grace Troesser
Community Teachers Association raises money for Scholarship with Turkey Turnover Dinner
Two masks for True False Film Festival
Computer safety
Please remember when looking at emails - be VERY cautious of clicking on links or opening attachments. If you are not expecting the attachment, or you do not know the email source, or you are not expecting the message/link/attachment - - then please do not click or open. Hackers and phishers are very slick in their message to get you to open/click. Become more and more wary please.
Last week, Thursday night, the district was hit with a version of the Ransomware virus. Our best guess is that someone received an email with a Microsoft Office attachment and they opened it and it immediately spread like wild-fire throughout the whole Career Center, hitting all computers that were turned on and had Microsoft Office installed, which is every computer. The only way to remove it is to wipe the entire computer. In a sense, we were lucky. The virus was not very sophisticated, our IT department staff were able to limit and contain it to some degree and it didn't cost us anything except lost files and time. However, the people who were hit lost everything on their hard drive.
Let Dana Hunt know if you have a suspicious email, especially if you are thinking maybe you need the email but you are not sure. Also, please talk to Dana and her staff about the best way to save and backup your files. There are several options to save your work.
Request from Margie Vandeven, Commissioner of Education, DESE. Deadline March 4, 2016.
To all Administrators:
I wanted to provide you with a quick update on where we are with the Missouri Learning Standards and ask for your assistance. At the State Board of Education meeting last week, staff presented updated proposed Missouri Learning Standards for English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies based on the standards from the work groups. We are down to the wire and are doing all we can to ensure that these proposed standards are designed to better prepare Missouri students for college, the workforce and life. The State Board is expected to vote at their board meeting on March 15, 2016.
Things you should know:
- The proposed standards include changes from our current standards in all four content areas, i.e. the Common Core State Standards are not being recommended in English language arts and mathematics.
- Revisions were made in accordance with state statute. The Department's attempt to get input from stakeholders went above and beyond the dictates of state statute.
- Upon receipt of the work group recommendations, Department staff made necessary alignment and formatting changes drawn from the 3,000 comments received from educators, the public, the Joint Committee on Education and academic researchers.
Request for assistance:
I am requesting that you ask your staff to review the proposed standards this week. If concerns are identified, please provide specific recommendations for rectifying. Comments may be sent to 1490Comments@dese.mo.gov by Friday, March 4. The proposed standards are posted here: https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/ProposedStandardsFeb2016.pdf. You will be linked first to the board presentation for an overview; the proposed standards follow in their entirety.
Thank you for your continued support of this critical work. Many of your staff have already contributed countless hours to the work group product, while others have provided valuable input through the commenting process. We are grateful for the many dedicated educators working on behalf of Missouri students every day. I am very aware of how busy schools are at this time of year. Yet, it is critical that you have the opportunity to review the proposed standards before they are adopted in March. Thank you in advance for any help you and your staff can give. As always, feel free to contact me or Blaine Henningsen atblaine.henningsen@dese.mo.gov if you have any questions.
Thanks again,
Margie Vandeven
Commissioner of Education, DESE
Transfers Request Process (updated 2/24/16)
Teachers -- it is nearly hiring season again. There is no longer a March 1st deadline to request a transfer to another building. Instead, all openings will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Process: (Transfer requests are now done on TalentEd. No paperwork needs to be sent to the principal)
A. If an opening becomes available in your own building that you are interested in, you just need to talk to your principal about the process.
B. If an opening becomes available in a different building, then you need to fill out an internal application in TalentEd so that principal and Central Office know you have an interest.
There are no guarantees on transfer requests. Every situation is different and we will try to do what is best for kids in the long run.
Please contact Bethany Collins if you have questions on filling out an internal application. x2401.
Administrative Policies regarding social media
If you would like a Facebook page of your own, for your classroom/need, please fill out the form, have your building administrator sign it, and return to Jo Ann Diffenderfer.
SUMMER TIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY for Mexico 59 Summer School
Applications are now being accepted for Summer School 2016!
June 1st through June 24th
SUMMER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS:
Brad Ellebracht - Mexico High School
Desiree Pezley- Mexico Middle School
Julie Lower - Eugene Field Grades 3rd through 5th
Brandon Schafer - Hawthorne Grades K through 2nd
CERTIFIED STAFF APPLICATION:
https://docs.google.com/a/mexico.k12.mo.us/forms/d/1zCKzGQg1oIRfgY_dkj-_YwaZT9UR5anGeu_tO-0njaE/viewform?usp=send_formSUPPORT STAFF APPLICATION:
https://docs.google.com/a/mexico.k12.mo.us/forms/d/1dQdEo-tpOaC7zWx0y9cxr66dGqq3nkF8NfWsnXm3u6s/viewform?usp=send_formOnly online applications will be accepted. For more information, please call Jan Dempsey at 573-581-3773 x2404. Anyone interested in substituting also needs to complete this process.
Please make sure any employees who do not access the email system are made aware of this opportunity.
Application deadline is Monday, February 29th, 2016!!!
Considering Retirement?
In order to be paid for your sick leave (maximum 100 days); anyone wishing to retire must have their notice into the Superintendent's Office by one of the following days, per Board Policies GCPC and GDPC:
Certified Staff: March 1, 2016
Support Staff: March 21, 2016 (for those retiring on the last day of school).
Those retiring on any other day then the last day of school will need to give 60 days notice in order to receive payment for sick leave.
Mexico School District 59 Position Openings
2015-2016
CERTIFIED
Part-Time Evening welding
Speech Pathologist/Speech Language Pathology Assistant(4)
SUPPORT STAFF
Summer Paint Crew
Bus Drivers & Substitute Bus Drivers
Substitute Food Service Workers
Substitute Nurses
Substitute Teachers
2016-2017 School Year
CERTIFIED
Mathematics Teacher - MHS
Spanish - MHS
English - MHS
Early Childhood Teacher- ECC
SUPPORT STAFF
Food Service Worker
Bulldog Bytes
Email: jdiffenderfer@mexico.k12.mo.us
Website: www.MexicoSchools.net
Location: 2101 Lakeview Road, Mexico, MO, United States
Phone: 573.581.3773
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mexico-School-District-59/692521830775778
Twitter: @MexicoMoSchools