May 8, 2023
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Elementary ELA/ESL Curriculum Update
Led by EL Director Brittany Baggett and K-8 ELA/Literacy Director Genevieve McDonough, the teachers and EL Coordinators analyzed data, audited for bias, standards, and representation, and reviewed research and instructional materials and evaluation tools. Thanks to everyone who completed the teacher survey and shared their thoughts. The process concluded with the large majority of the committee voting to move forward with vetting and selecting a new curriculum in the coming school year to find a product that meets the needs of all of our learners in EPS.
Thank you to all the committee members who participated in this process!In addition, we are excited to announce Everett Public Schools has been selected as a recipient for the second iteration of DESE’s literacy improvement grant (GLEAM 2.0), this time for grades K-5. “Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts” (GLEAM) will support our district in achieving our vision to improve literacy experiences and outcomes for all students.
Our work will start this spring and go through Spring 2025 with three phases and the major goal of selecting high-quality instructional materials and a comprehensive implementation plan for SY24-25. Teachers and staff will have opportunities to be involved in the process along the way. DESE and TNTP will support the EPS in these efforts. TNTP has extensive experience in supporting districts with academic improvement and strategic planning and has already been working with us in GLEAM 1.0 for our middle school ELA curriculum adoption.
The process will include a kickoff meeting on Monday 8th at 2:45 p.m., walkthroughs of a selection of elementary classrooms across the district (May 10-12th), as well as surveys and focus groups with teachers, students, leaders, and families. We are committed to including the voices of the Everett community in this important work and we will be sharing more details over the coming weeks. In the meantime, please join me in celebrating this major accomplishment for the EPS! If you have any questions or want to learn about how you can be involved, please email Genevieve McDonough.
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Staff Spotlight
Lafayette Book Drive a Huge Success
The Lafayette Student Council hosted a successful Book Drive as part of the school’s Read Across America festivities. The Lafayette community collected more than 5,000 books reflecting a wide range of topics, languages, and grade levels. With the help of the families, our students took home a selection of books that inspire them to read more. The remaining books will be donated to students and teens..Special thanks to Lafayette teachers and Student Council advisors Heather Murin and Elana Glover for providing the information and photos (below).
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WIN Block Survey
For K to 8 Teachers
As part of its efforts to provide teachers and interventionists the tools they need to fully maximize WIN Blocks, the Intervention Success Team has developed a survey for K-8 teachers. Please take the time to give us your feedback on thoughts on WIN Blocks and what steps can be taken to improve them.
Professional Development
Help Lead the Way!
The Everett Public Schools is seeking teachers and staff to plan, facilitate, and lead Professional Development sessions during the 2023-2024 school year. Teachers can apply individually or in teams. The courses will be included in the EPS Professional Development Catalog.
The district is looking to develop sessions in the following areas:
- Social Emotional Learning and Wellness Practices
- Classroom Management Strategies
- Trauma Informed Teaching Practices
- Special Education/Inclusion Practices
- ESL/SEI Strategies
- Co-Teaching Strategies and Best Practices
- EdTech as a Just-In-Time Scaffold
- WIN/Intervention Support
- Strategies for Implementing Curriculum
- Writing/ Literacy Strategies across content areas (PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
- Culturally Responsive and Anti-Racist Teaching Practices
- Professional Learning Specifically Aimed for Paraprofessionals
- Professional Learning Specifically Aimed for Admin Professionals
Click HERE for More Information and to Apply
Opportunities for Staff
The EPS is seeking a teacher to help support an 8th-grade student who requires remote tutoring sessions, which will be held after school via Zoom.
Click HERE for complete details.
SUMMER SUBSTITUTES
The EPS is seeking substitute teachers to staff the K-8 Summer Adventure Academy. The district needs one substitute in each building to work every day of the summer program to support any classrooms where a teacher has called out. The right candidate is positive, flexible, and communicative and ready to step in wherever necessary - whether it means covering a gym class, helping out with 8th grade math, or reading to a Kindergarten classroom. You will also support front door monitoring after school secretaries leave for the day.Click HERE for complete details.
Additional Summer Opportunities
Sports Camp Coaching Positions
CURRICULUM REVIEW TEAM
Everett High School is forming a Curriculum Review Team to perform a comprehensive audit of the current ELA curriculum. The team will report on the current status of the ELA curriculum especially with regard to use of common curriculum and assessments. Members will collect and analyze data from surveys and assessments, and audit the current curriculum for bias, standards, representation. The work will conclude with a final recommendation for continuing with the current curriculum or beginning the vetting and selecting process for a new curriculum.Click HERE for complete details.
Professional Advancement
18 CREDIT CERTIFICATE: EDUCATION FOR EQUITY AND DEMOCRACY
The Boston University/Wheelock partnership is offering an online program beginning in the fall of 2023 for EPS educators interested in obtaining an Education for Equity and Democracy Certificate. A total of 15 slots are available to EPS teachers, so please respond as soon as possible.Click HERE for complete details.
MERRIMACK COLLEGE PATHWAY TO ESL LICENSURE
The EPS is proud to offer a partnership with Merrimack College for staff interested in pursuing a pathway to ESL Licensure. The coursework is 100 percent online and begins this summer. The 16-credit program includes a four-part MTEL prep series and a test voucher.Click HERE for complete details.
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Benefits Open Enrollment: May 8-19
A Message from the Department of Human Resources
This year’s open enrollment is May 8th through May 19th, 2023. If you miss this window, you will have to wait for the next open enrollment election year unless you have a qualifying event throughout the year. A qualifying event consists of; loss of coverage, gaining a dependent, getting married or divorced, loss of a family member, having a child or adopting a child.
The annual Benefits Fair will be held on Thursday, May 11th from 2pm-5pm. This will be held at City Hall on the 3rd floor in the Keverian Room. There will be representatives onsite from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, Delta Dental, Canarx, Aflac, Colonial Life, Cafeteria Plan advisors, Smart Plan, KSG (Employee Assistance Program), and Nationwide. These vendors will be onsite to answer your questions in making decisions concerning plans that would best meet the needs of you and your family.
Additionally, we have attached the Flexible Spending Account (FSA), information for the FY24 benefit year. Please reach out if you have any questions as this is a benefit, if you elect it, that needs to have the forms filled out each year. Please remember that a Flexible Spending Account is a “use it or lose it benefit”, so plan accordingly for the year. This form needs to be submitted no later than May 15th, 2023, or you will not be eligible to enroll.
As a reminder, it is a great time to update any beneficiary information on your Life Insurance as well as any address changes.
Please reach out to Human Resources with any additional questions or concerns. If you aren’t making any changes, you do not have to do anything and your benefits will remain the same.
IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER!
Do you have anything that might be suitable for the EPS Staff Newsletter? Good news? Something cool? Something you would like to share with your colleagues? A photo? Please send it to [email protected]
MAGAZINE STAND
Check it out.