February 13, 2012

THIS WEEK:

- Presidents' Day Holiday Monday, Feb. 20
- Peer Recognition
- Replacement ID Badge Requests
- News from the Tillamook Service Center
- PERS Seminar Wednesday
- Strong Schools, Strong Oregon Rally - Feb. 20
- In the Pink! Basket Drawing
- Auction Item Deadline
- Listening Sessions
- Crisis Response Training
- Policy Updates
- Upcoming Meetings, Events, & Holidays
- Regular Features: Emergency Closure Info, Jobs, Workshops, Staff Suggestion Box, & ESD Logo Apparel

Presidents’ Day Holiday Next Monday

All NWRESD service centers and program sites will be closed next Monday, Feb. 20, in recognition of Presidents’ Day. Have a safe and enjoyable three-day weekend!

Peer Recognition

The following staff will be receiving a cheery little rubber duck via ESD courier. Learn more: www.nwresd.k12.or.us > For Staff > Kudos:

Beth Arcuri, Lynelle Benit, Jessica Bowen, Mary Caldwell, Jon Carlsen, Melinda Halverson, Kimberlee Henderson, Joyce Howell, Shae Johnson, Kathi Kolter, Noelle Lamb, Maria Lopez, Cynthia Maller, Tina Mam, Cindy McGrorty, Sharon Meeuwsen, Caitlin Standish, Emma Stotler, Lesley Upham, and Tammie Wing.

Replacement Badge Requests by NWRESD Staff/Substitutes

Replacement badges are now being made in the Tech Department by the Substitute Services staff.  Email all requests to subdesk@nwresd.k12.or.us. If you are a regular employee (non-substitute staff), the request must be made using your NWRESD email account. Please send the following information: 

• Your name as you wish it to appear on your badge
• Attach a recent, ready-to-print picture file
• Your worksite location.  If you would like to pick up your badge from the Washington Service Center please let us know when you will be coming in so we can have it ready at the front desk.

Your badge will be processed within three business days.  Allow two extra weeks for delivery by the courier. For substitutes, your badge will be delivered to the nearest NWRESD Service Center where you will be able to pick it up.

News from the Tillamook Service Center

Friday, February 10, Ana Morehouse, Autism Specialist  and Karen Severson, Occupational Therapist held a workshop titled ‘Autism and Sensory Challenges – Tools and Integration Strategies for Teachers’, at the Tillamook Service Center. Attendees included staff from the three Tillamook County Head Start Programs, Tillamook EI/ECSE Program, Tillamook Bay Childcare Center and Healthy Start.  It was an informative and enthusiastic presentation which allowed for each program to share how they would use what they had learned and implement it in their program.  Ana and Karen provided samples of tools/ideas that could be used with students as well as suggested books and materials. Good job ladies!

Strong Schools, Strong Oregon Rally - Feb. 20

On Monday, Feb. 20, thousands of educators and others will stand together to send a message to the state and its leaders. We need you, your friends, and your family to join with us and make history! Learn more or register online at oregoned.org/strongschools, share the link with friends… Let's show the state we know strong schools lead to a strong Oregon!

PERS Seminar Wednesday  (complimentary dinner)

Jason Tei from First Investors will conduct a PERS seminar Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in Room 223 at the Regional Office in Hillsboro. Spouses/partners are welcome to attend with employees. Dinner will be provided, so please RVSP to Jason per the contact information below.

• Topics include: Understanding Tier One, Tier Two, OPSRP, and IAP; Eligibility for Retirement  [Age and/or Service requirements];  Benefit Estimates; Methods of drawing an income from PERS; and more. 
• The seminar will be benefit employees retiring in 2011-2013 as well as be generic enough so that any employees may attend regardless of their tenure. Please RSVP so that Jason knows how much food to bring: jason.tei@firstinvestors.com or 503-296-7676, ext. 251.

In the Pink! Basket Drawing Tomorrow

The drawing for the Regional Office Sunshine Committee’s "Heart Healthy Basket" will be at noon tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 14. Tickets are $1 each ($60 value) and the funds will help support future Sunshine events. You can purchase tickets and view the basket at the front desk.

Auction Items: Deadline Approaching

If you were thinking of donating an item to the ESD’s Foundation auction please contact the G.A.P.S. office soon – the deadline is just a month away! If you can donate an item or have a good resource for us to follow-up on, please email mstenberg@nwresd.k12.or.us or tgartner@nwresd.k12.or.us . Get ideas at www.gapsfoundation.org/auctionideas. Thanks!

Listening Sessions
NOTE: This round of listening sessions is for non-administrative staff only - thanks!

Listening sessions are intended to provide staff with updated budget and program information, answer any questions you may have, and listen to your thoughts, concerns, and ideas.

• Clatsop Service Center-Astoria—Monday, Feb. 13, 3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
• Hillsboro Education Center—Friday, Feb. 17, 11:00 a.m. to noon
• Washington Service Center—Tuesday, Feb 21, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• Pacific Academy—Tuesday, Feb. 28, 8:30 to 9:20 a.m.

Crisis Response Training (aka: Flight Team)
Wed. March 14, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Regional Office in Hillsboro (free)

• This workshop is for safety team members or others who want additional training in the area of crisis response acting as a team member and learning the process on how to be involved in a well-organized crisis response. The purpose is for better trained school staff and more common training throughout districts so that when the need arises we will have a well-trained team of people to respond regardless of the severity of the tragedy/crisis. The training will focus on Training for members for the ESD team.  (There is no cost for the workshop.)
• To register go to http://events.nwresd.org/node/550.  

Policy Updates

Below are NWRESD Board policies that were reviewed, revised or adopted at recent Board meetings. Policies are available on-line at www.nwresd.k12.or.us. Look for the “Policies” link under “Notices, News, and Events” on the left of the Web site). A searchable PDF off all policies can be accessed on the policy page.

Policy Brief

• CC-AR; Organization Chart
• JE; Attendance
• JED; Student Absences and Excuses
• DBDB; Fund Balance  (new policy)
• EGACA; Cellular Telephones
• GBCB; Staff Dress and Grooming
• IGAEA; AIDS, HIV, and HBV Health Education  (policy deleted)
• IGAEB; Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse – Health Education
• IK; Academic Achievement
• IKAD; Grade Reduction/Credit Denial
• IKE; Promotion and Retention of Students
• IL; Assessment Program

Upcoming Meetings, Events, & Holidays

• NWRESD Board Meeting—Tuesday, Feb. 14, 6:00 p.m./Regional Office - Board Rm.
• Presidents Day Holiday—Monday, Feb. 20. All program sites and offices closed
• EI/ECSE Program Break—Feb. 21 through Feb. 24. (Non-contract for site-based licensed and classified staff except community providers and Eval Team)
• Leadership Team—Tuesday, Feb. 21, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m./Regional Office - Washington Rms.

Let’s Hear From You:  Staff is encouraged to share items in the weekly Monday Memo. Email submissions to mstenberg@nwresd.k12.or.us by Thursday to be included in the following week’s Memo.

REGULAR FEATURES…

Job Openings: Sign up on Twitter to receive agency job openings and other news:  www.twitter.com/nwresd, or go to www.nwresd.k12.or.us look for the “Frequently Use Links” heading on the top left and click on “Job Openings”.

Workshops: ESD-hosted trainings for staff and school personnel in the four-county region can be viewed at www.nwresd.k12.or.us, look for the “Frequently Use Links” heading on the top left and click on Course Offerings and Events.

Suggestion Box: If you have a suggestion that you would like to bring to the attention of the ESD's Central Management Team (CMT), send an e-mail to suggestions@nwresd.k12.or.us. Suggestions are reviewed monthly and reported back in the Monday Memo.

NWRESD Logo Apparel: Samples are available at the front desk at the Regional Office. To learn more and place an order, visit www.nwresd.k12.or.us/apparel (also linked on the Web site under For Staff > Key Links).

Emergency Closure Information for Staff: www.nwresd.k12.or.us/enews.html

• Procedures for ESD staff related to delays and closures are available via the link above and on the “Emergency Closure” page of the ESD’s Web site: Look for the “Emergency Closure Info” link on the top left of the Web site.
  
  
• You are responsible for knowing what your responsibilities are in the case of delays or closures. View the procedures on the Emergency Closure” page indicated above. If you have questions, please speak to your supervisor.
  
  
• Closure /delay information is reported real-time by local media in each county (radio and TV), and listed on local media Web sites. Subscribe to receive this information from via email and cell text messages at http://flashalert.net/ (also on emergency closure page linked above).

Receive Weather-Related Closures and Delays via Email or Cell Phone

Staff can subscribe to receive real-time closure and delay information from NWRESD and component districts via email and cell text messages at http://flashalert.net/. Once there, click on a city on ‘Portland’ on the map, then choose the region you are looking for: NWRESD service centers and component districts are listed under “No. Ore. Coast Schools”, “Columbia Co. Schools:”, and “Washington Co. Schools”.

• Please be sure you are familiar with how the ESD will communicate, and what your responsibilities are if the weather forces closures or delays, by visiting www.nwresd.k12.or.us/enews.html.