Dear Colleagues, About 90 Wellesley staff attended yesterday's meeting to hear my presentation on proposed reductions to close three different potential budget gap numbers of: $772,346, $1,205,493, and $1,952,698. I very much appreciated the broad staff attendance, representing the diverse programs and grade levels of our school district despite limited parking, poor weather and it being the end of a delayed opening, following a no school day. Ninety-two percent of our operating budgets, excluding STTI, are made up of personnel costs. Any reduction list that reduces program will affect individual personnel. I will summarize the highlights of my remarks from yesterday in this writing, but want to express my appreciation for being able to share my thoughts more personally with the many staff members who attended the presentation yesterday at what was a difficult meeting. Since the December budget presentation, members of School Administration across the levels have been working hard on this process and have provided me with thoughtful input regarding prioritization and impact of reductions on programs. I have considered and incorporated their feedback and input, but not always in the way or order presented to me. I may have rejected some proposals or prioritization for operational reasons or from a pre-K-12 perspective. There is always a consideration to distribute reductions across grade levels and departments to spread out impact if possible. Ultimately, all decisions are made based on impact on teaching and learning, and what will be best for students. Major drivers of the budget continue to be supportive of a highly qualified and trained staff, maintaining appropriate class size, and breadth and depth of program. While I carefully consider all of the very thoughtful input received, ultimately, I alone am the one who makes and takes responsibility for the final decision of what is on these lists. These are clearly difficult decisions to make and unfortunately, need to be made at some level, given the context of our economic challenges. Despite the financial crash in the fall of 2008, we have been able to avoid significant reductions in current staff in each of the last three budgets. However, with the continued downturn in the local economy, the possibility of some reductions in staff is likely and some of our valued colleagues will lose their jobs with us at the end of this school year along with reduction of program. I, therefore, approach the creation of these lists of potential reductions with a great deal of seriousness, thought and heavy heart. At the same time, I have absolute continued confidence in the School Committee and the community's strong support for its schools and hope that any possible reductions will be significantly less than what is being currently contemplated.

Wellesley Public Schools 40 Kingsbury Street Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481

Bella T. Wong Superintendent of Schools

The Superintendent’s Bulletin is posted weekly on Fridays on our website. It provides timely, relevant information about meetings, professional development opportunities, curriculum and program development, grant awards, and School Committee news. The bulletin is also the official vehicle for job postings. Please read the bulletin regularly and use it to inform colleagues of meetings and other school news.

Superintendent’s Bulletin www.wellesley.k12.ma.us/district/bulletins.

Bulletin #17

January 14, 2011

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Next steps include my presentation of potential reductions to the School Committee on January 18. This presentation should be posted on the website the next day. The School Committee then plans to vote the FY12 Budgets on January 24, followed by a presentation to the Advisory Committee on January 26. The Advisory Committee public hearing on the budgets is scheduled for February 9.

Calendar

Monday 01/17 Martin Luther King Day – No School Tuesday 01/18 School Committee Meeting – 7:30 pm Great Hall @ Town Hall Wednesday 01/19 Teachers for Safe Schools Mtg – 3:30 pm WMS Rm 245 Thursday 01/20 Affordable Housing Units Info Session – 7:30 pm Town Hall Monday 01/24 School Committee Meeting – 9 am Town Hall

Monday 01/31 Deadline to Submit HRA (Healthcare Reimbursement Account) Receipts for 2009

Teachers for Safe Schools Teachers for Safe Schools will meet at the Middle School in Room 245, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: January 19, February 16, March 16, April 27, and May 18, 2011. The mission of Teachers for Safe Schools is to consciously create, support and encourage a safe professional and emotional school climate that allows for staff of all sexual orientations to be acknowledged and respected. Graduate Course Reimbursement Course reimbursement funding of $22,500 is available to distribute in FY12 among qualified teachers for graduate course work which is done as part of a master’s degree program to fulfill a teacher’s obligations for the Massachusetts Educators Professional License and for course work required to achieve the next stage of licensure culminating in a professional license. To apply for this course reimbrusement, please send, by June 1, 2011, your name, evidence of your enrollment in an applicable master/doctoral degree program, name and description of the course, evidence of course cost, proof of payment, and transcript to Valerie Spruill, Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent, Valerie_Spruill@wellesley.k12.ma.us. You will be notified of the amount awarded to you by July 1, 2011.

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Apply Now to Enroll Children of Non-Resident WTA Members in Wellesley Schools. Children of teachers or nurses residing outside Wellesley shall be entitled to attend Wellesley Public Schools without charge for tuition on a space available basis. (Article 12, WTA Unit A Contract). If you are interested in this benefit in the 2011-12 school year, please contact Valerie_Spruill@wellesley.k12.ma.us, include your child/ren’s name, birth date, and current grade level.

Affordable Housing

Three affordable housing units are being offered by the Wellesley Housing Development Corporation on a lottery basis for eligible applicants. Two are condominium units and one is a single-family house; all in Wellesley; all three-bedroom. WELLESLEY EMPLOYEES who meet other eligibility requirements will be given PREFERENCE for one of the condominiums and the single-family house. The

Wellesley preference also applies to a current resident and to a parent or guardian of a child in the Wellesley schools. This is primarily for FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS. Applications are available at the Town Clerk's Office or the Planning Board, or from the lottery agent (Sudbury Housing Trust) at www.sudbury.ma.us. There will be an information session on THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011 at 7:30 pm in the GREAT HALL. See attached flier for additional information.

2010‐2011 Professional Development Opportunities  

Professional Development opportunities for 2010- 2011 are posted at http://wps-professionaldev.wikispaces.com. Course descriptions and registration instructions are included. This link can also be found on the WPS website under 2010-2011 Professional Development Offerings.

News from the Collaborative for Educational Services: Discussion and Information Session rescheduled to Wednesday, January 26, 2011, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Cary Memorial Library (Learning Center), 1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington. MA.

CPI Refresher Training Prerequisite: Full CPI Training during the 2009-2010 School Year. The cornerstone of CPI since 1980, this program is considered the worldwide standard for crisis prevention and intervention training. With a core philosophy of providing for the care, welfare, safety, and security of everyone involved in a crisis situation, the program’s proven strategies give human service

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providers and educators the skills to safely and effectively respond to anxious, hostile, or violent behavior while balancing the responsibilities of care. Spring Offering: March 15, 2011 Time: 3:00–6:00 pm Instructor: Adam Diliberto PDPs: 3 Information regarding location will be posted on Wiki.

To register, go to http://wps-professionaldev.wikispaces.com/ to the online registration form. This is listed as a new course under “School Safety.”

BABY NEWS !! . . . . . CONGRATULATIONS to Jessica Mead on the birth of her son, Duke Kenward Mead, on January 4, 2011.

WINGS Summer Openings 2011 .

Registrar- March 1- July 5: Responsibilities include entering all registrations in the FileMaker Pro database, honoring parent requests while creating equitable classes, answering parent questions via the WINGS email address, creating class lists and the other documents necessary to begin Week 1 classes. $3500 stipend Data Manager 7/5/11-7/29/11: Maintain accurate registration information on a daily basis; create weekly class lists and daily student nametags. Must be present at WINGS from 8:15-9:00 each day with additional work and copying to be completed off site. $18/hr for 7 hrs. /wk Elementary Summer Lead Teacher Openings 7/5/11-7/29/11: The WINGS’11 Academic and Enrichment Summer Program is seeking Lead teachers ($39.49 hr based on ’10 rare) for both the morning (8:30-11:30) and afternoon (12:00-3:00) sessions. Academic courses are offered in the AM only and teachers must commit to all four weeks.

Enrichment courses are offered in both the AM and PM and teachers must commit to at least two of the four weeks. Academic courses will include concentrated courses in reading (basic literacy for either grade 1 or grade 2; comprehension/fluency for grades 2/3 or grades 4/5) math (skills/strategies for grades 1/2, 2/3 or 4/5), and written language (grades 3-5). Academic teachers will teach two sections a morning of the same grade level and content. Teaching experience and license required and familiarity with WPS learning goals is a plus. Applicants for positions within the academic strand must state their preferred grade level and whether they are interested in teaching literacy, math, or written language. Academic courses are not dependent on enrollment. Enrichment teachers will teach two sections a morning or an afternoon. You will define courses as the applicant so feel free to share your passions, special interests, and talents

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with students! Applicants must write an enticing description of their proposed course listing the grade levels (K-2, 3-5). The enrichment courses will not be run without sufficient enrollment so make your course description enticing. Enrichment teachers wishing to work a half-day must teach at least

two different courses for the four- week period. Applicants wishing to work both the AM and the PM sessions must submit proposals for at least four different courses for the four-week period. Courses must be written to target students in grades K-2 or 3-5.

2/4/11 is the deadline for Registrar, Data Manager and Lead Teacher applications. Preference will be given to returning WINGS staff, and to current WPS employees. Send you letter of interest explaining why your are qualified and your enrichment course descriptions to Dr. Gretchen Bravacos, WINGS Director, 63 Hastings St. Wellesley, MA 02481, or email wings@bach.wellesley.k12.ma.us

DO NOT USE Dr. Bravacos’ WPS email address to respond to this ad.

  Coaching Positions 

Spring Season 2011 Head Coach - Boys Outdoor Track Assistant Coach - Varsity Boys and Girls Tennis Junior Varsity – Baseball Coach Fall Season 2011 Head Coach – Varsity Boys Soccer Head Coach – Varsity Field Hockey Contact Athletic Director John_Brown@wellesley.k12.ma.us

    

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POSITIONS AVAILABLE 2010‐2011 OPENINGS 

Immediate Opening: WPS Assistant Business Administrator

Under the supervision of the School Business Administrator, the Assistant Business Administrator is responsible for assisting in the development and administration of the budget, providing support on building and capital projects, preparing monthly financial reports, maintaining accurate and audit-able financial records for all grants, managing procurement of district supplies, materials and services, and providing general support to the Business Administrator in all operational areas.

Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's Degree, in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or other finance-related field from an

accredited educational institution. Financial and budgeting skills and experience. Understanding of financial and business operations within a school district including, but not limited to,

School Finances, Purchasing, Payroll, Accounting, Food Service, Grant Management, Facilities, and Transportation.

Excellent communication skills Demonstrated ability to structure large amounts of information in a written document that is clear and easy

to understand Extensive knowledge of spreadsheets, database and accounting software applications. Ability to analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.

MUNIS software and school finance experience preferred. Salary commensurate with experience. Submit cover letter, resume, and three letters of reference to Salvatore Petralia, Assistant Superintendent, Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 by Friday, January 21, 2011.

Elementary Principal Wellesley Public Schools seeks an elementary principal to lead a 406 student K-5 school in a community that strongly supports its public schools. Our core values are academic excellence, cooperative and caring relationships, respect for human differences and commitment to community.

Candidates must have a Master’s Degree and be certifiable as an elementary school principal. Previous administrative experience at the building or district level is preferred. The work year is 214 days, effective July 1, 2011. Current salary range for FY 2011 is $111,927 - $128,408.

Please send a cover letter, resume, three letters of reference, transcripts, and licensure by January 28, 2011 to: Salvatore Petralia, Assistant Superintendent, Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481

Administrative Assistant to the Director of Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Under the supervision of the Director, the administrative assistant performs various accounting, administrative, secretarial and record keeping tasks to ensure the smooth, efficient operation of the office. The incumbent evaluates and analyzes current and anticipated expenses in relation to the departmental budget and ensures that all financial liabilities and payroll requirements are accurately

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processed. The incumbent projects year –end expenses in order to close the fiscal year without over expending the appropriation. In addition, the incumbent is responsible for hiring, supervising, scheduling and evaluating summer custodial staff and monitoring the schedules for the maintenance staff.

Reporting the to the Director of Facilities and Grounds Maintenance, the Administrative Assistant oversees the day-to-day operation of the office. The work involves managing the time commitments of the Director, and processing documents containing time sensitive, financial and/or procurement-related information. The incumbent will interact with school and town administrators and staff, federal and state officials, vendors and contractors, and the general public, requiring superior interpersonal and communication skills

Duties include: Managing day-to-day operations of Director’s office. Maintaining the department’s budget by assisting in preparation of the budget. Monitor the budget tracking expenditures, evaluate and analyze current expenses, provide budgetary reports and project year-end expenses. Assist in determining timely response to any and all emergency situations and dispatching personnel. Interview, hire, supervise and evaluate all summer custodial staff. Maintain department files and personnel records. Produce a variety of correspondence.

Minimum Qualifications: Strong organizational and problem-solving skills. Excellent telephone, computer and interpersonal skills required. Associate degree or equivalent experience required.

Work Year: 12 month position Salary Range: $40,013 - $59,858

Candidates who wish to be considered for this position should send a cover letter, resume, and three letters of reference to: Salvatore Petralia, Assistant Superintendent, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 by January 28, 2011.

LONG TERM SUBSTITUTES NEEDED:

Long-Term Substitute Grade 8 History Teacher needed starting March 4, 2011 until end of school year. Curriculum includes the Civil War and Reconstruction and experience with the “Facing History and Ourselves” curriculum is beneficial.

Long Term Substitute Preschool Special Educator needed to teach a substantially separate

preschool class beginning May 2, 2011 until the end of the school year and a six-week summer program, experience working with children with moderate to significant special needs using the principals of ABA required. Master’s degree and licenses in both early childhood and special education required. BCBA preferred. (Salary from May 2 to June 2011 $170.10/day). (Salary for the six-week summer program to be determined).

Long Term Substitute Preschool Special Educator needed mid-March to early June 2011 to teach

two integrated preschool classes and to function as a member of an assessment team. Must have experience assessing and teaching young children with special needs, Master’s degree and licenses in both early childhood and special education required.

Long-Term Substitute Special Educator needed to teach in moderate special needs classroom beginning February 28 2011 until May 27, 2011. Certification required Grades K-3, in an elementary setting.

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Salary for Long Term Substitute Teachers is $170.10/day. Send letter of interest, resume, college transcripts, copy of license, and three letters of reference to Salvatore Petralia, Assistant Superintendent, Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 or via email to Personnel@wellesley.k12.ma.us. TRANSPORTATION Special Needs Van Monitor needed for approximately 20-22 hours per week. This is a split shift a.m.-p.m. Must have current CPR and First Aid certification. Salary range $12.17-$13.80 per hr. Must be able to start A.S.A.P. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position should send letter of interest and resume to Salvatore Petralia, Assistant Superintendent, Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 or e-mail Personnel@Wellesley.k12.ma.us.

Wellesley Public Schools Actively Seeks to Increase the Diversity of its Workforce