|
|
EPS HEADLINES
The latest stories about what's happening in our schools
|
|
|
|
|
Hope & Happiness
2014 Staff Kickoff review
|
Staff Kickoff - Aug. 19, 2014
Thank you for a great kickoff! What a great start to the 2014-15 school year. We apologize for the technical glitches and troublesome audio, especially for those of you sitting in the front of the auditorium. You'll be happy to know that the very outdated sound system in Fick Auditorium is scheduled to be replaced this fall. And, we were able to capture most of the event on video.
So ... for those of you who wished you could have heard all that was happening on stage, for those unable to attend Tuesday's event, or for those who just want to relive the fun, check out the links
below. PHOTO GALLERY - tag yourself or your colleagues in our Flickr Album from Tuesday's All-Staff Kickoff VIDEO LINKS -
|
TEACHER TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT
|
John Ford
Equity and inclusion specialist at EPS
Growing up in Tuskegee, Ala., John Ford always knew he wanted to make a positive impact on the world around him. With a strong family history of service in education and politics, and a community heritage of leaders in education, Ford followed the path to becoming a teacher. "I have seen firsthand the detriment the lack of education has on society," Ford says. "As educators, we have a voice and the power to change this by ensuring ways that all children can learn and
be successful."
From Alabama and California, to Liberia and Kenya, Ford has experienced teaching on a culturally diverse, global level. Two years ago, he switched gears to take a leadership position as the equity and inclusion specialist for EPS.
Read more about Ford's work toward narrowing the achievement gap and eliminating learning barriers for all students.
Do you know a teacher or group of teachers who deserve recognition? Send your nominations to [email protected] to be considered for the weekly blog spotlight.
|
STAFF NEWS
Important EPS employee news
|
To submit an entry for Staff Milestones, please include staff name, job title/type, employment location and major life event/announcement information to [email protected].
- Our condolences to Dan Geere, 6th grade teacher at South View, and his wife Rhonda, EPS Peer Coach, on the recent passing of his father, Thomas Eugene.
- Our condolences to Melissa Norwood, French teacher at Valley View, on the recent passing of her father.
- Our condolences to Florence Debard, language arts teacher at Valley View, on the recent passing of her father.
e.Leadership - an opportunity to grow your leadership skills
Edina Public Schools will again be offering e.leadership, a four-session leadership skills course for all EPS staff. The course is open to staff members involved in leadership positions within their sites or programs, and provides training and applied learning in a collegial, cohort model. Over 70 teachers, custodians, coordinators, administrators, and support staff have completed the training. The commitment involves four 1�-hour sessions over the fall and early winter months, which are facilitated by Research and Evaluation Director Chad Schmidt and Superintendent Ric Dressen.
- MEETING TIME - 4:30-6 p.m.
- MEETING DATES
- Thursday, Sept. 25
- Tuesday, Oct. 21
- Tuesday, Nov. 11
- Tuesday, Dec. 9
- MEETING LOCATION - Edina Community Center, room TBD
- REGISTRATION - Sign up via KeepCertified
- PROGRAM DETAILS -
- Click here for a screencast that provides more information (note you must be logged into Edina Apps before clicking on the link).
- For additional information, please contact Chad Schmidt
Back to School Resources
Several annual publications are available online for viewing and download.
- 2014-15 Family Handbook - includes annual notifications, district updates, and forms (
- 2014-15 Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook - includes key policies applicable for students, including technology acceptable use and discipline guidelines.
- 2014-15 Activities Calendar - key 2014-15 activity dates
Staff Climate and Family Satisfaction Surveys
Chad Schmidt, Director of Research and Evaluation, presented the results of the 2014 staff climate and family satisfaction surveys at the School Board work session on Aug. 18.
West Metro Schools Credit Union financial service offerings
West Metro Schools Credit Union (WMSCU) has been serving employees and families of Edina Public Schools (EPS) since 1954. Two years ago, WMSCU opened membership to students, which allowed EPS learners the opportunity to gain additional financial management experience. The credit union provides financial services in the forms of savings, checkings and loans. Direct deposit and payroll deductions are the two most common forms of payments and deposits. In May, 2014, WMSCU awarded a $1,000 scholarship to two Edina High School seniors to contribute to their post secondary education. To learn more about membership, call 942.848.4282.
Order Your Business Cards Online
EPS Staff can order their own business cards online at any time of the year.
Follow the instructions below to complete your order. (also available in the Staff Resources tab of the district website.) NOTE: You must have your own budget code for business cards, the Communications Dept. does not cover the cost of printing.
- Visit http://www.jessenpress.com and click on "customer login"
in the upper right corner. - Login using the Edina Public Schools account:
- Username: edinapublicschools
- Click on "Document Library" in the left side navigation.
- Select the quantity of business cards you would like to order
and click "continue." - Enter your information as you would like it to appear; any fields left blank will not appear on your card; once you are finished,
click "preview." - The site will generate a preview of your order; click "order"
to place order or "modify" if you need to make changes. - Fill in the requested information and click "submit request"
at the bottom of the screen.
|
SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE
|
School Board Meeting Recaps
August 11 - The School Board had a special meeting and workshop on Aug. 11 at which the Board participated in workshop about Excellence in Board Governance, Management and Consultation.
August 18 - The School Board met in a work session on at 5 p.m. to discuss results of the 2014 Staff Climate & Family Satisfaction Surveys. All EPS staff were invited to participate in the survey, which was conducted in May 2014. The purpose of the survey was to gather input from staff members on their experiences and perspectives related to their work in EPS, specifically, climate, perceptions of workload, and for licensed staff, professional learning communities. Schmidt noted that responses were representative of district staff locations and positions. The district plans to use this data as a baseline to track progress in meeting strategic goals and benchmarks. Key findings include:
- Climate & Job Satisfaction - While the majority of respondents indicated a high level of job satisfaction and were proud to work in EPS, some staff noted concerns about communication and staying informed about key decisions.
- Workload - While staff indicated feeling more empowered than a year ago about their ability to address workload issues, many still have concerns, with the biggest concern being with school/family communications.
- Professional Learning Communities - Over 90 percent of licensed staff felt positively about professional learning communities as the primary vehicle to achieve strategic goals.
Additional Board discussion and actions at their regular meeting later that evening included:
- All for All Plan Report - The Board received an update from district administration about the 2013-14 actions of the district's All for All Plan.
- Superintendent's Employment Agreement - The Board approved a new work agreement with Superintendent Ric Dressen for 2015-2018. Chair Randy Meyer noted that the Board was pleased to be able to retain Dressen's leadership for an additional three years after the expiration of his current agreement. The new agreement freezes Dressen's salary at his current rate, although it does allow for an increased performance incentive.
- Next Generation Facilities Advisory Task Force - The Board approved the charge and membership of the FATF. It was noted that all meetings are open to the public and the task force's work will be documented on the district website at edinaschools.org/FATF.
- Policy 514 Update - The Board updated Policy 514, Bullying Prevention, in light of recent statute changes around the prevention of bullying. Dressen noted that the district's previously policy was closely aligned with new legislation, with only minor revisions needed. The district has taken this work seriously for many years, Dressen said, but noted more can always be done. The district will actively be training staff not only in how to address bullying behavior, but also raise the awareness of students and staff to encourage the suspected bullying and investigating allegations raised.
- Revised Policy Guidelines - The Board received revised guidelines and appendices for Policies 506 (Discipline), 509 (Resident Enrollment), and 514 (Bullying Prevention)
Previous School Board Meetings
|
EPS IN THE NEWS
|
GROW with KARE (KARE 11)
Countryside Elementary's recently cultivated garden was featured on a segment of Grow With KARE on KARE 11 News last weekend. Click here (or on the photo) to view the story and hear from principal Karen Bergman and EPS KIDS Club students talk about how they have been tending to the garden this summer.
Making a Difference (Sun Current)
Edina graduate Madeleine Hage wrote a children's book last year during a summer internship to supply Haitian orphans with educational materials about earthquakes.
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
Edina Hornet Marching Band
State Fair Parade Performance
Aug. 23, 2 p.m., Minnesota State Fair
Head to the Minnesota State Fair this Saturday for a special live performance by the Edina Hornet Marching Band at the annual parade. Our students have been rehearsing hard for this day, so come out and show your support and Hornet pride! Go Edina!
Facilities Advisory Task Force
Aug. 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Edina Community Center, Room 250
The Facilities Advisory Task Force (FATF) will meet six times in August-September 2014. All meetings will be open to the public, who is invited to attend as observers. Engagement of community members in attendance will be encouraged as appropriate. Information will be present at each meeting by various sources on applicable topics, including but not limited to: Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan, demographic and enrollments trends and projections, district facilities, district finance information, etc.
|
DID YOU KNOW?
|
Edina Community Education classes begin Sept. 2*Discover a new passion, learn something new and connect with like-minded individuals
Look for these new and exciting offerings:
- 14-Day Fall Cleanse (Adult): Join us for a 4-week workshopthat will support you through a 14-day fall cleanse to shed extra weight, gain tons of energy, and feel great! You will eat lots of great fresh food that will kick-start your metabolism. If you have ever thought about jump-starting your health and creating new eating habits that will help you look and feel great, then this is the workshop for you!
- Yoga for Asthma & Allergies, or Yoga for Your Back (Adult): Discover how the application of simple yoga principles can gently relieve your troublesome asthma and allergy symptoms in our one-time class, Yoga for Asthma and Allergies. Join us for simple yet powerful therapeutic yoga practices carefully designed to alleviate pain and promote a healthy back with pain-free range of motion in our three-night class, Yoga for Your Back.
- Java Script Game Coding (Youth): Learn JavaScript, the language of the web, using nothing more than a browser and see cool 3D results as you type. This is real-world programming skill building in a real programming language. Sign up for Monday nights or Saturday mornings.
- Dance Party! (Youth): Join us for one night and learn the latest moves to upbeat music that will get your heart pumping and your feet tapping! Bring the whole family to our Family Hip Hop Sampler!
*Note: Youth Programs catalogs will no longer be offered seasonally, but instead have two editions; School Year and Summer. Adult Enrichment catalogs will still be offered seasonally. Staff are encouraged to utilize their 20% discount on course offerings and 50% discount for KIDS CLUB.
|
Help us keep the Hope & Happiness theme alive. Contact the communications team at 952.848.3919 or email us at [email protected] with news, story ideas or photos! Missed an issue of The Weekly Buzz? Click here for archives.
|
5701 Normandale Road
Edina, MN 55424
952.848.3000
|
|
|
|
|
|