Daviess County Public Schools staff newsletter Feb. 1-5, 2016

ZÜtÑxä|ÇxELA Framework

In This IssueELA Framework

Great Expectations

and Focus Awards

OTL Update

Courier Reminder

Sit Down With Saylor

Lockdowns & Lattes

100th Day of School

Healthy Lifestyle Tip

LivingWell Promise

Value of Sick Days

AESOP Information

CCR Update

Send news to

grapevine@dcps.org

Teachers at Meadow Lands Elementary School were

engaged in creating a hands-on framework during a

Jan. 19 faculty meeting, which led to discussions

and planning for the school’s English Language Arts

framework.

The framework guides the way in which each

school leads every student to success with the

ELA Standards in every classroom and at every

grade level in the school. The framework may

involve details such as the amount of time devoted

to each part of the instructional process, or the

common resources that schools will use in their

instruction, common vocabulary, and focus on the

best practices of instruction.

MLES Principal Kevin Lowe said his school’s

educators were enthusiastic to begin the long

process of first realizing the need of the framework.

“Students become confused when too many different

resources, vocabulary and instructional practices are

used throughout their educational career so we need

to be focused and research based,” he said. “Our

teachers were excited to ensure that their instruction

would be aligned also across grade levels to prevent

teaching the same material in multiple grades.”

MLES instructional coach Kristy Brackin developed

a variety of activities with high levels of engagement

that kept the staff moving and learning throughout

their time together. More Photos on Next Page

ELA Framework

Nominations are now being accepted for our fourth

annual Great Expectations Awards! The nomination

deadline for school-level Teacher of the Year honors is

March 1. Deadline to submit nominations for

Customer Service and Office Support Awards is May 1.

Each school will select a Teacher of the Year by April 1.

That individual will continue as a finalist for the

district’s Great Expectations Teaching Excellence Award

winners at the elementary, middle and high school

levels, to be announced at Opening Day in August.

To nominate an outstanding educator for Teacher of the

Year, visit www.dcps.org or any of our school websites;

or click HERE to go directly to nomination information.

The Teacher of the Year nomination consists of four

brief essays on the following topics (limit 200 words):

1) What are the unique teaching qualities that make this

teacher worthy of being named Teacher of the Year?

2) How does this teacher cause learning to happen for

his/her students?

3) How does this teacher model and support

Great Expectations for all students?

4) What else would you like the selection committee to

know about your nominee?

To nominate an outstanding member of our support

services team, click HERE for nomination form.

The DCPS Customer Service and Office Professional

nomination consists of responses to three questions:

1) What are the unique qualities that make this

individual worthy of being recognized for outstanding

Customer Service or as an outstanding Office

Professional at your DCPS school or site?

2) How does this individual model and support

“Great Expectations”?

3) What else would you like the selection committee to

know about your nominee?

We invite everyone to take time to nominate

deserving colleagues for these awards!

Great Expectations

Award nominations

now being accepted

Focus Award Nominations

due Feb. 19The Foundation for

Daviess County Public

Schools is pleased to

announce acceptance of

nominations for the

organization’s Focus

Awards 2016.

During spring 2016, the

Foundation Board of

Directors will select one

$1,000 Focus Award grant

recipient in each of the following areas:

Health Literacy

Technology Great Expectations

Focus Awards reward teachers and staff who excel in

providing innovative, creative programming to students.

Click HERE to view video of Jennifer Richardson and

Quinton Owens discussing Focus Awards they have

received and how they have benefitted their classrooms.

Everyone is invited to submit nominations via the

Foundation web site (www.foundationfordcps.org —

Focus Awards) or by emailing information to the

Foundation’s executive director Vicki Quisenberry at

vickiq@foundationfordcps.org

Nomination information must include:

n Name of your nominee

n Focus area in which you are nominating this person: health, literacy, technology or Great Expectations

n School where your nominee teaches or works

n Nominator name and your contact information

n Short narrative concerning why the person deserves toreceive the $1,000 award

DCPS teachers and staff may apply for a Focus

Award without a nomination.

Nominations/applications must be received on or before

Friday, Feb. 19, to be considered for Focus Award grants.

Focus Awards are funded by donations from individuals

and businesses who wish to build a stronger community

through enhancing education. Investments may be made

through Payroll Deduction or through the Foundation’s

secure on-line giving site:

https://foundationfordcps.weshareonline.org

Those with questions about the Foundation for DCPS and

Foundation programs may contact Vicki Quisenberry at

(270) 231-5583 or vickiq@foundationfordcps.org

A Reminder About Interoffice

(Courier) MailIn order to avoid delays in interoffice mail, be sure to put

the intended recipient’s NAME and LOCATION on all

items delivered by our courier. Any mail that is not

properly addressed is routed to the Central Office, where

delivery is delayed while someone opens the packet and

tries to figure out who is supposed to receive that item.

The courier has already left CO before that is done, so the

item is not picked up until the next time the courier

comes to the office.

School psychologists, special services personnel and

In-House Crisis staff members are located at the DCPS

Learning Center, not at Central Office or at Heritage Park

High School (formerly Beacon Central). Please mark

their mail with “Learning Center” as the location.

The courier goes to the Owensboro Public Schools office

on Wednesday only, so it may be faster to mail items to

that location.

Items sent to the Credit Union should include your name

and account number.

The courier goes to the Post Office, Central Office,

Learning Center, Apollo High School and Daviess

County High School every weekday. He goes to all other

locations Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.

Your cooperation is appreciated!

Sit Down

With Saylor!

DCPS Supt. Owens Saylor is continuing his series of

“Sit Down With Saylor” conversations. The next session

is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the

Daviess County Public Library, 2020 Frederica St.

Supt. Saylor will be stationed in the magazine area on the

first floor of the library and welcomes parents, members

of our community, district staff members and students to

stop by to ask questions and share suggestions or concerns

in an informal setting. The next session is scheduled for

March 8.

Office of Teaching

and Learning UpdateThis monthly feature provides

information and updates about

progress and activities in our

DCPS Department of Teaching and

Learning, shared by Julie Clark,

assistant superintendent for

teaching and learning.

February 2016Core Advocate English/Language

Arts Training

n Burns Middle School feeder pattern – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 1,

Logsdon Center

Core Advocate Math Training

n College View Middle School feeder pattern – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 2, Logsdon Center

n Daviess County Middle School feeder pattern – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 8, Logsdon Center

n Burns Middle School feeder pattern – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 9, Logsdon Center

Julie Clark

Weekly health and fitness tips brought to you by the

DCPS Food Services Department. We care about you!

DCPS schools have been participating in their regular

January lockdowns — an important activity that we all

take seriously.

However, Daviess County High School found a way to

add fun to this event on Jan. 29 with a “Lockdown &

Lattes” celebration. Staff members were invited to start

the day with a cup of coffee, crullers and conversation

before locking their doors and covering their windows.

Catherine Burden, Beverly Payne, Tammy Hoffman,

Debbie Sparks, Debbie Fortney, Karen Feldhaus,

Terri Norris, Candy Miller, Traci Langford, Jason Powers

and Suzanne Anderson were among those who brought

coffee, K-cups and doughnuts as the DCHS staffulty

enjoyed an opportunity to “caffeinate and conversate”

with one another.

We are told they didn’t even have to consult their yellow

cards to learn how to have a good time.

Lockdown

and Lattes

100th Day of School

Bev Payne and Cindy Stilwell are pictured posing with

some fun props for the 100th day of school at DCHS –

Wednesday, Jan. 3. Bev used proceeds from her Teacher

of the Year award to buy props and prizes for students at

DCHS, setting up a “selfie photo booth” for the Panthers

to enjoy. Fabulous prizes were awarded by random draw

to 47 of the Panthers who participated in the fun event,

but everyone enjoyed the activity sponsored by Mrs.

Payne and friends.

Why does KEHP offer LivingWell

Promise plans?

The LivingWell plans are part of

KEHP's overall wellness program.

These plans offer:

n Access to excellent plan benefits;

n Avenues to learn about your healthstatus and history;

n Opportunities to learn about andunderstand your health risks; and

n Specific, personalized goals to getand stay healthy.

What is the LivingWell Promise?

If you chose one of the LivingWell

plans, you agreed to:

n Complete your online HumanaVitality Health Assessment between

Jan. 1 and May 1, 2016

OR

n Complete a Vitality Check (biometric screening). Learn more

and find locations HERE.

What is the Health Assessment?

The HumanaVitality Health

Assessment includes a series of

questions about you and your health

habits. It takes approximately 15

minutes to complete. After

completion, you will know your

Vitality Age and will be provided

specific steps you can take to improve

your health.

What is a Vitality Check (biometric

screening)?

A Vitality Check is a biometric

screening that consists of lab work to

measure your cholesterol and blood

glucose, blood pressure, and height,

weight and waist circumference to

learn your Body Mass Index (BMI).

For more accurate results, fast for at

least nine hours prior to the test.

A Vitality Check will give you more

accurate and recent results to use

when populating your Health

Assessment. And in turn, you will

have a more accurate Vitality Age.

You will earn 400 Vitality Points for

taking each test (cholesterol,

blood glucose, blood pressure).

You’ll earn more HumanaVitality

points for completing a Vitality

Check than you will by taking just a

Health Assessment. If you choose,

you may take both and earn more

points!

The Vitality Check increases your

awareness of your health status.

The results do not affect your health

insurance coverage or premiums.

Who must complete the LivingWell

Promise?

Only the plan holder is required to

complete the LivingWell Promise.

Non-employee spouses and

dependents covered under the plan

will not be required to complete the

Health Assessment. If you have the

cross-reference payment option, you

and your spouse both must complete

the Health Assessment.

What happens if I fail to complete

the LivingWell Promise between

Jan. 1 and May 1, 2016?

If you choose a LivingWell plan and

fail to fulfill the LivingWell Promise,

you will not be eligible to participate

in the LivingWell Promise or choose

a LivingWell plan option for the next

plan year. You will only be

eligible for the standard plan options

in the 2017 plan year.

New employees who elect a

LivingWell plan after open

enrollment must complete the Health

Assessment within 90 days of the

effective date of their coverage.

What happens with the information

collected through the Health

Assessment?

KEHP takes your personal health

information seriously and has

measures in place to protect this

information. All personal health

information from the Health

Assessment and any information

disclosed during the assessment will

be kept confidential. HumanaVitality

only provides aggregate data

(combined data based on all the

Health Assessments completed by

members) to KEHP. No personal

health information is shared with your

employer.

Issues or concerns completing the

Health Assessment?

If you have concerns or issues related

to completing the HumanaVitality

Health Assessment for your

LivingWell Promise, contact

customer service at 1-855-478-1623

or DCPS Benefits Coordinator

Debbie Foreman at 852-7000, or

debbie.foreman@daviess.kyschools.us

Keep Your LivingWell Promise

This important information is shared with “new hires”

every year, but the information is relevant to all of us.

Take a moment to “do the math” and think about what

those unused sick and personal days are really worth!

NOTE — When you are sick, take the sick day!

At the beginning of every school year, DCPS

employees receive 10 sick days and two personal days.

Unused personal days convert to sick days at the end of

the year.

Reasons to Save Your Days

n You build a “safety net” in case you or a family member have a serious accident or illness that

requires an extended absence from work. Think about

what could happen over the years. For example,

one maternity leave will use three years of sick days.

n The DCPS district will pay you 30 percent of the value of your accumulated days when you retire.

n The value of those days will be factored into your final year’s salary, which will increase your

retirement benefits for life.

Let’s Take a Look ...

n Let’s say you are a teacher who starts out with zero years of experience with a Rank III (bachelor’s

degree) with no extra duties earns $37,654 a year,

which is about $202 a day.

n Let’s say you retire in 2041 with 27 years of experience with a Rank I, with no extra duties.

At the current salary schedule, you would be making

$62,988 a year, approximately $338 a day (based on

current pay schedule and in current dollars).

n Your payout will be based on your daily rate atretirement in 2041 dollars and on the 2041 pay scale.

n You could potentially accumulate 324 days over those 27 years. Those days would be valued at

$109,512. You get 30 percent of that, which is

$32,852 ... and that’s if the pay scale is still where

it is right now!

n Now let’s say you used 25 percent of your days (three a year) and retire with 243 days remaining.

After 27 years (at our current pay scale), those days

will be worth $338 each. The district will pay you

$101.40 for each one of those accumulated days.

$101.40 x 243 means a $24,640 payout at retirement.

So the difference in payout between saving all your

days and using three each year is $8,212. This is

actually an underestimate because the pay scale will be

higher 27 years from now. (It has tripled over the past

27 years.)

Remember — When you are sick, you need to stay

home and we want you to stay home! But on those days

when you “just don’t feel like going to work ...”

take a moment to compare that to how you will feel

when you receive a nice, healthy payout upon

retirement!

Do the Math!What are those sick days really worth?

It’s time to review how to use Aesop — our system of

recording and managing absences and finding substitutes.

Aesop service are available to you 24 hours a day, seven

days a week and can be accessed via Internet and phone.

How do I interact with Aesop?

1. You can interact with Aesop on the Internet at

http://www.frontlinek12.com/aesop Here, you will be

able to enter absences, check your absence schedule,

update personal information, and exercise other features

such as uploading your lesson plans for substitutes to view

online. Additional user information is available online.

2. You can also call Aesop toll free at 1-800-942-3767.

Simply follow the voice menu to enter and manage your

absences and access other features. We recommend that

you call in to check the computer recording of your name

and title. To do this, press Option 4 and follow the

prompts.

Important Notes:

Your ID and PIN numbers for

accessing Aesop are as follows:

n ID Number (your phone number)

n PIN Number (the default is yourfour-digit employee number

preceded by the number 3, but you

can change your PIN number)

When entering an absence,

please wait until you receive a

confirmation number before you

terminate the phone call or close

your internet browser window. Your transaction is not

complete until you receive a confirmation number.

Additional Information

1. All employees are required to use Aesop for recording

absences (even if no sub is needed).

2. If you want a certain sub, you need to call the sub and

check their availability, then enter the sub’s name in the

Administrator Notes so your administrator will know who

to assign for you. When subs are acquired in this manner,

mark “sub not required” in Aesop so the absence won’t be

listed as a vacancy needing to be filled.

3. Timesheets and Certified Absence Reports still need to

be completed as always. A column has been added to

verify an absence has been entered into Aesop.

4. All employees are still required to personally call/notify

their supervisor regarding absences.

We are confident that you will find the Aesop experience

beneficial and enjoyable. If you have any questions,

concerns, or comments, please contact me by phone or

email as listed below. Thank you!

Penny Courtney

DCPS Sub Support Contact

aesop@daviess.kyschools.us

(270) 302-2056

What you need to know about

managing absences and subs

Penny Courtney

January was a busy month for

Community Campus! We have been

in every middle school we serve –

which includes all middle schools

in the Daviess County, Owensboro,

Hancock County, Owensboro

Catholic districts and Heritage

Christian School – recruiting for

our next class of students!

If you know an eighth grader who

has an interest in engineering or

health sciences, please ask them or

their parents to contact me via

email: Amanda.jerome@daviess.kyschools.us

Applications for those interested in applying to

Community Campus programs may be found at

www.apollopltw.weebly.com (Engineering) and

www.lifescienceacademy.net (Life Science Academy).

If a student is interested in taking Community Campus

next year as a high school freshmen, he or she should take

the ACT for placement scores. Registering for the ACT is

easy, and can be completed on the web by visiting

www.actstudent.org A 17 ACT composite (19 Math) is

needed for the Engineering Academy and a 20 composite

is needed for the Life Science Academy.

If I can be of any assistance with Community Campus

questions or if you would like an informational brochure

about Community Campus options, feel free to email me

directly.

During the month of

February, we will

celebrate a very special

holiday. No, not

Valentine’s Day!

It’s National School

Counselor

Appreciation. I have the wonderful opportunity and

pleasure of working with all of our school counselors

throughout the year; some of them on a weekly basis.

I am fortunate to have an enjoyable professional

relationship with each of them, and I KNOW how

valuable they are to your schools, students, staff and

families. Please join me in saying “Thank you” to our

school counselors for all they do!

The opportunities for students in Daviess County

Public Schools continue to grow! Next school year, we

will be offering two new options for our high school

students. The first option is The Great Expectations

Institute: An Early College Academy. Students at both

Apollo and Daviess County High will have the

opportunity to take dual-credit courses (through

Owensboro Community and Technical College and

Western Kentucky University on-line program) with the

goal of earning an associate’s degree upon high school

graduation. This program is ideal for motivated

students in eighth, ninth and 10th grades who may be

on an accelerated track already.

We are excited to begin advertising this opportunity to

our students and families and will be providing more

information during scheduling assemblies and parent

meeting nights. If you would like more information,

please email me for an informational brochure about

The Great Expectations Institute.

(Amanda.jerome@daviess.kyschools.us )

Our second new program for next year is the “Grow Our

Own Program: A Teacher Education Academy.”

With this option, students at Apollo and DCHS will be

able to take Introduction to Education classes on our

high school campuses next fall, with the end goal being

that these students will take additional education courses

at Kentucky Wesleyan College or Brescia University

during the spring semester. Courses for this program will

cost $50 each and will be transferable in-state to other

education programs. This program will be open to high

school juniors and seniors who are interested in careers in

education. We are thrilled about the partnership we are

building with our higher education community partners

and look forward to providing even more opportunities for

our students in the future.

Feel free to print the flyer on the next page or share it

electronically with parents and students who may be

interested in any of these Community Campus programs!

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Amanda Jerome

Do you have questions about these programs? Would you like more information? Please contact your student’s Guidance Counselor at AHS or DCHS, or email Amanda Jerome, DCPS College & Career Readiness Coordinator, at Amanda.jerome@daviess.kyschools.us . **Please note: ACT requirements and tuition prices are subject to change. These figures and scores are accurate as of January 2016. Register for the ACT by visiting www.actstudent.org .

Great Expectations Institute: An Early College Academy-

Through a partnership with DCPS and OCTC, our

students will have the opportunity to earn an

associate’s in arts or science degree from

Owensboro Community and Technical College

upon high school graduation.

• Students from DCPS are eligible to apply for The Great Expectations Institute by submitting--

An application (available in high school guidance offices) Transcript with official ACT scores (www.actstudent.org) to register. (ACT English 20, ACT Math 22, ACT Reading 20)

Completed letter of recommendation form. Attendance, behavior, and academic success will be taken into consideration.

Applications due to high school Guidance offices by April 1.