Volume 3, Issue 2Volume 3, Issue 2

October 2013October 2013

North Colonie Central School District

The flood water reached all the way up to row C! Thanks to the quick and expert work of our SHS custodial staff, they were able to battle the flood and get the pool and auditorium

back to normal. Their quick work in removing the water in the pit area, running dehumidifiers and steam cleaning the carpets saved the carpets from ruin. Thanks go out to: Craig Jewett, Seth Steinberg, Joe Baggetta, James Dame, Greg Doyle, Joann Dwyer, Jacob Landor, John Larose, Frank Liburdi, Jeff McKay, John Rivage, Audrey Vallee and Roger Yando for their quick work! Not only was the High School impacted. The roof drain at Blue Creek failed and caused some serious water problems. Jim McManus, Custodial Worker, took care of the problem single-handedly! Awesome Job!!

October

November

UPCOMING EVENTS

Our Food Service Department, in an effort to improve communications with parents, students, staff and the community, has launched its new website. Located on the District’s home page, the Food Service link is easily accessible for those who want to find out more about our programs. The website contains a wealth of information for students, teachers/staff and parents. The teacher resource center includes classroom resources, pre-made lesson plans by grade level, Powerpoints and interactive UDSA lessons. Students can interact with nutrition games, videos, comics and nutrition calculators. The new site also allows parents to actively participate in their child’s nutrition program. Since the launching of the site in late July, it has received over 15,600 hits! Lisa Ostrowski, School Lunch Director, indicated that there is a new feature coming soon which will allow employees to “pre-order” lunch from the menu and have it delivered to their school. Go to www.northcolonie.org and click on the “food service” link on the left toolbar.

On Thursday, September 12th, the Capital District was hit hard by a tremendous thunderstorm. Within minutes, the skies over Latham opened up like a faucet and we were hit with 2-3” of water, in less than an hour. This very unusual weather event caused serious problems throughout the community and our schools were no exception. The storm drains in front of the High School could not handle the vast amount of water coming down and this caused the floor drains in the pool area to back up (these empty into the storm drain system). The pool was not the only area impacted. The pit of the auditorium was also flooded by the failure of the street level storm drains, and the intense water pressure caused the sealed off abandoned drains under the carpet to be forced open.

SHS Custodial Staff Working on the Flood Cleanup

Page 2 The Ins ide Resou rce Volume 3, Issue 2

Even though the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 was passed twenty years ago, there is still quite a bit of confusion among employees about FMLA. Here are some important things you need to understand: FMLA allows an eligible employee to take off up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a rolling year for reasons including pregnancy, adoption, the serious health condition of the employee or a covered family member and for military qualifying exigencies. While the law indicates that leave is unpaid, it does allow the employer to require the employee to use accrued time (sick, personal, vacation) while on FMLA leave. North Colonie requires employees to use accrued time while on FMLA leave. If the employee does not have enough accrued time available to cover the entire FMLA leave, the remainder of the leave will be unpaid. Eligible employees include employees who have worked for NC for at least 12 months and who have physically worked 1,250 hours in the 12 months prior to the start of leave. Not all absences due to illness will qualify as FMLA, however, if you miss more than three consecutive days from work due to the reasons listed above, you should submit an FMLA leave request form (found on the Intranet site or available from HR). If you do not submit an FMLA request form, and the District learns of your absence from other sources, such as a doctor’s note, the District is required by law to inform you of your rights under FMLA and to designate your time as FMLA, or inform you that you are not eligible and the reason why you are not eligible.

This is how the FMLA process works:

1. The District learns that you need to or already have missed more than three consecutive days from work due to an FMLA qualifying reason. 2. The HR Dept. will send you a letter requesting that you complete the FMLA Leave Request form (if one has not already been submitted) and include notices that we are required by law to send you: A notice indicating if you are eligible for FMLA and outlining your rights and responsibilities. 3. If you are eligible for FMLA and the leave is for your own or a family member’s serious health condition, you will also be asked to submit a Certification of Health Care Provider. This certification is to be completed by your or your family member’s medical provider. 4. After the Certification of Health Care Provider has been received and reviewed, you will receive the Designation Notice advising you that your request for FMLA has been approved or does not meet the eligibility requirements for FMLA. 5. If the medical certification is not returned by the date indicated on the notice of your responsibilities, the District will make a determination of FMLA eligibility based on information already received, such as a doctor’s note or information you have voluntarily provided. FMLA is confusing, even after 20 years. We can’t begin to explain everything in this short article. The important thing you need to remember is: If you need to be off work, planned or unexpected, for more than three days, or if you need intermittent time off, notify Dottie Bovard at Ext. 3123

MISCONCEPTION#1: I have a choice to use FMLA. ANSWER: It is the employer’s obligation to designate time off as FMLA. The employee cannot choose

whether or not to use FMLA. MISCONCEPTION#2: I can wait to take FMLA until after I have exhausted my accrued leave. ANSWER: FMLA and payment of accrued leave will run concurrently. If you do not have enough accrued

time to cover your entire FMLA leave, the remainder of time will be unpaid. MISCONCEPTION#3: I will have to pay 100% of my health insurance premium while on FMLA. ANSWER: While on FMLA, your insurance premiums will remain at the employee rate, regardless of whether

or not you are receiving paychecks. MISCONCEPTION#4: FMLA can only be used in one block of consecutive time. ANSWER: FMLA can also be used intermittently. For example, if someone needs to take off one day each

week for medical appointments, this can be designated as FMLA.

Page 3

Toni Lyng and Team Toni Toni Lyng, English Teacher at the Junior High School is again heading up “Team Toni” in the annual Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure. Toni has been a courageous fighter in the battle against breast cancer and this walk is an important way for her and her team to raise money and awareness about breast cancer and cancer research.

The run/walk will be held on Saturday, October 5th at 9:00 am at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. This year, Toni and her team are walking in memory of Jean Bassett, Blue Creek Elementary Teacher who passed away earlier this year after a long and courageous fight with cancer.

Anyone who would like to walk as part of “Team Toni” or would like to make a tax-deductible donation can visit the website for Team Toni—Click HERE.

The most prominent symbol of breast cancer awareness is the pink ribbon. The pink ribbon is associated with individual generosity, faith in scientific process and a “can do” attitude—traits that Toni exemplifies!

North Colonie Inspiration Stories

Volume 3, Issue 2 The Ins ide Resou rce

Did you know that there is a cancer screening benefit

available to you? All full-time and part-time employees

are eligible to take up to four (4) hours off to be screened

for breast cancer or prostate cancer. This benefit is

limited to the screening for these two cancer types only

(Sorry! Colonoscopies don’t apply!).

One misconception is that you have to have a

mammogram or an invasive examination in order to

access this benefit— NOT TRUE! Any screening by a

physician for breast or prostate cancer qualifies. As most

routine annual physicals include this type of screening,

you may already have qualified to receive this benefit.

To access this benefit, ask your healthcare provider to

provide you with a note indicating that you were

screened for breast or prostate cancer at your doctor’s

appointment. Submit the note, along with your timecard

or with your attendance report. The amount of time you

spent at the doctor’s, up to four (4) hours will not be

charged against your sick leave accruals. Additionally, if

you don’t use the entire time available to you for the

initial appointment and need to have additional

screening, you may use this time on an intermittent basis.

North Colonie encourages you to access this benefit as

early detection plays a huge part in keeping our

employees healthy! Contact HR at ext. 3123 if you have

any questions!

Team Toni at the 2012 ‘Race For The Cure’

Erika Lyons and Avery’s Army Erika Lyons, Occupational Therapist at Latham Ridge and Blue Creek, has a cause that is very near and dear

to her heart, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Erika started ‘Avery’s Army ‘ to show support and provide encouragement for her daughter Avery, who

was diagnosed with Leukemia in Jan. 2013.

Avery’s Army is a team of employees and community members, who have joined together to raise

awareness, fundraise and provide support to Erika, Avery and their family.

Avery’s Army, with 100+ members so far, will participate in the “Light The Night Walk” being held at Siena College on Friday, September 28th at 5:30 pm.

Avery’s Army’s goal is to raise $8,000 for the walk—a goal that they are very close to achieving.

To learn more about “The Light the Night Walk”, read Avery’s story or to donate to Avery’s Army, please click

the link: Click HERE

North Colonie’s employees are very proud to support Erika and Avery’s Army in their efforts to combat this

disease and provide hope to others.

Have news that you want to share? email: hr@ncolonie.org

Page 4 Volume 3, Issue 2 The Ins ide Resou rce

Wedding Bells

No

Photo

Available

New Hires and Staff Changes

Peter Suzuki, SHS Music Teacher and Erin Slater, JHS

Music Teacher were married on August 3rd. The

wedding took place in their backyard, surrounded by

close friends, family and pets.

Best wishes for many years of happiness!