Tuesday Tidbit
September 22, 2020
COMMUNICATIONS & COMMUNITY RELATIONS
100 Days of Hope
September 22 marks 100 days left in 2020, so we are kicking off "100 Days of Hope" and inviting staff, students, families and our community to join us in our #hopehandoff as we spread hope, positivity, gratitude, inspiration and more to our #WSDfamily. What will you do to spread hope?
Staff Covid Notifications
As you know, providing a safe and healthy working and learning environment for staff and students is always our primary concern. Prior to this week, our notification protocol to staff was limited to those notified through the contact tracing investigation. In an effort to balance being fully transparent with also maintaining confidentiality, we will be expanding those notifications to include all staff in a building when there is a staff or student positive in your building. We will continue to copy building administrators and individual teachers on any parent notifications that are sent, and we copy David Wilson if those notifications involve a positive case on a bus (and he then shares with the appropriate driver and aide). Please understand that we are obligated to maintain confidentiality and cannot divulge specifics about any individual staff or student.
An updated dashboard related to the number of District-wide staff and student positive cases and exposures can be found under the COVID-19 information on the WSD website. Thank you for your continued cooperation completing the daily screener and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation wiping down surfaces in your work space or classroom, staying home when you are not feeling well, and practicing frequent handwashing to help prevent the spread of the virus.
TEACHING & LEARNING
iReady Parent Information
Thank you to all teachers who have assigned the iReady diagnostic in Grades 1-10 in Reading and Grades 1-8 in Math. We also appreciate your time spent answering parent questions. The iReady Diagnostic is an amazing tool for teachers to determine their students’ individual learning needs and growth. We want our teachers and parents to be as informed as possible regarding this diagnostic, especially since this first administration is being done at home. Please read through and share the following document with your students’ families. Once the testing window has closed, you will be able to send home a report for families that discusses their child’s performance and levels. As always, we are here to help in any way possible. Thank you again for all you do!
Google Meet Updates
This document will walk you through all of the new features for Google Meet.
We were able to gain early access to these features due to our status as a Google Reference District. Our goal is to give Google feedback on these features as we are able to use them. There is always a chance with these new features that certain items may not work 100% of the time.
Feel free to reach out to any of your instructional technology coaches if you have any questions or need some help with Google Meet!
Please note: If you (or your students) have any Google Meet Chrome extensions installed, please uninstall them, as they may interfere with Google Meet and the new features.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Wednesday Work and COVID Reporting
If you are an employee who does not have work on Wednesdays and would like to be considered for Wednesday work, please complete this form. If you are a Bus Driver or Bus Aide, David Wilson has a separate list at the Transportation Department.
If you have new symptoms or become aware that you have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please do not come to work. You should enter your absence into AESOP or the portal and call in for a substitute if you normally get a sub. Please make sure you email your direct supervisor as well as Jen Hecktor and Pam Glidewell in the Human Resources Department. You should consult a healthcare provider who will advise you on next steps. Once you submit documentation from your healthcare provider (proof of a test, or results of a test) your sick leave will be changed to COVID-19 leave. Each employee is covered under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act until December 31, 2020. This Act is to protect employees who are quarantined, seeking a diagnosis for new, COVID-related symptoms, or who have tested positive for the virus.
"Who is considered a close contact in terms of exposure to COVID-19?"
Per the CDC, a close contact is any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before the onset of illness.
"If there is a positive case in my building, should I isolate and stay home?"
We have many staff members who have coursework or certification in contact tracing including our school nurses, and these people are directly involved as soon as a positive case is reported. Anyone who is a close contact is notified immediately and those individuals are sent home to seek guidance from a healthcare professional. If you are not notified personally, you do not need to do anything different than what you are doing right now--continue to wear your mask, socially distance, and monitor your health.
FINANCE & FACILITIES
Join the WSD Finance Committee
For instance, where does District revenue come from? How is the tax rate calculated? What is the largest District expenditure?
These are just a few of the items the Finance Committee will analyze. The committee will also work to answer any questions you may have about school finance. There will be three meetings throughout the school year. If you are interested in being involved, please contact Pat Jolley in the WSD Finance Department
BENEFITS
Virtual Doctor Visits through LiveHealth Online
With LiveHealth Online, you get:
- Immediate doctor visits through live video.
- Your choice of board-certified doctors. apple.com play.google.com/store
- Help at a cost of only $49 per visit, or the cost of your copay depending on your chosen health plan.
- Private, secure and convenient online visits.
To learn more about LiveHealth Online, read this flyer.
To learn how to use LiveHealth Online on your computer and mobile device, read these instructions.
WELLNESS
FREE Flu Vaccine Clinics are Coming to WSD Soon - Updated Schedule
The WSD TrustWellness program is once again sponsoring FREE Flu Vaccines to WSD Insured employees. Each WSD Location will have a Flu Vaccine Clinic date, administered by the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). You are encouraged to receive your vaccine at your main work building location, but if circumstance prevents you from attending, you may attend another location. Social distancing and masks are required.
Please click here to register below to reserve your Flu Vaccine, so that we can be prepared with the proper amount of vaccines. If you have questions, please contact your building's School Nurse or the TrustWellness representative. The School Nurse or the TrustWellness building representative will provide you with a Flu Vaccine consent form to present to the VNA nurse the day of the flu clinic. For employee identification, please bring a photo ID and your insurance card.
Due to time restraints, BioMetrics Screenings are only offered at certain locations.
Offbeat Yoga Offering Virtual Yoga Classes
Offbeat Yoga & Trust Wellness will be providing three weekly livestream classes to all WSD employees: Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.; and Thursdays 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
1. Visit the Offbeat Yoga Streaming page.
2. Create an account on our online platform using your school email address. Or you can log in using Facebook or Google.
3. Purchase your free yoga program sponsored by Trust Wellness.
4. Access the livestream classes 5-10 minutes before the designated start time through your online portal.
5. Upon entering the livestream, enter the your first and last name along with your school district in the chat box to help record attendance.