Contents
New Items
Grill Requests – for All Administrators
Attendance Clerk Training – for All Administrators
Grand Canyon University Advising Open House – for All Principals
Ineligible Days for Staff – for All Administrators
KCKPS Releases New Inclement Weather Guide – for All Administrators
Previous Items
Saturday Family Language Academy-Applications for Staff – for All Building Administrators
ESOL Endorsement Opportunities and Reminder of KELPA Window Approaching – for All Administrators
Economic Education available through the Federal Reserve Bank for Elementary Students – for Elementary Administrators
Survey – for All Administrators
Mandatory Trainings for All Staff – for All Administrators
New Items
Grill Requests
from Joshua Mathiasmeier
Now is the time to reserve a grill for your upcoming field day! To reserve a grill, and any other food needs you have for your event, please visit the Nutritional Services Request Form??. We have a limited supply of grills and they will be first come, first served!
Attendance Clerk Training
from Rosie Rodriguez
Wednesday, January 23rd
Central Office and Training
Room 268
Grand Canyon University Advising Open House
from Shelly Beech
Principals,
Please share the information below with all staff.
Thank you!
You???re invited to an Advising Open House at Central Office on Wednesday, 1/23 from 3:30-5:30pm. Stop by and learn more about Grand Canyon University partnership and the fully online degree programs, scholarships, grants and other financial options, and more!
As a KCKPS employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at GCU:
- 10% scholarship for all KCKPS employees
- 5% scholarship for spouses KCKPS employees
- 5% scholarship for parents of students
- 200+ Fully Online Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral Programs
- On Site Advising at Your School and Central Office
- Additional Scholarships (up to $6,000) Available
- New Start Dates Every Month
- TEACH Grant Available (up to $8,000 off Masters and $16,000 off Bachelors)
*RSVP at www.gcu.edu/kckps , email Micki.Reed@gcu.edu or text 816-491-4533.
Ineligible Days for Staff
from Jody Mitchell
In an effort to help staff consistently and accurately follow Board Policy GARH regarding Attendance, Absences, Leaves, and Vacations, the Human Resources Department would like to further clarify and inform staff of the procedure involved with the utilization of Personal and Sick/Disability days on district ineligible days. Please see the following Q&A, link to the Board Policy GARH, and the attached calendar of ineligible days for explanation. Click here to view Board Policy GARH.
If you have additional questions, please contact the Human Resources Department at 913-279-2262.
Q & As
Q: What is an ineligible day?
A: An ineligible day is any day that precedes or follows a district holiday, non-duty day, or in-service day (i.e. – February 18, 2019 is President???s Day, therefore Friday, February 15, 2019 and Tuesday, February 19, 2019 are ineligible days for the use of a personal day and require a doctor???s note for all sick/disability absences).
Q: What district employees are effected by ineligible days?
A: All district employees are effected by ineligible days depending on the type of calendar worked. See the attached calendar or contact Human Resources for more information.
Q: What happens if an employee needs to take a personal day on an ineligible day?
A: As these days are ineligible for personal leave, all requests for personal leave will be denied.
Q: What happens if an employee needs a sick/disability day on an ineligible day?
A: Documentation for sick/disability absences will need to be submitted to Human Resources within 3 business days of the absence occurring.
Q: What if the employee???s illness doesn???t warrant a visit to the doctor?
A: Documentation from a licensed healthcare professional will be required regardless of the illness.
Q. What if my absence is an emergency?
A: Emergency situations are reviewed on a case by case basis. Employees must contact the leave team to discuss any potential leave options at 913-279-2262 Monday-Friday from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Q: What will happen if an employee does not bring in a doctor???s note?
A: Deductions in pay will occur in whole or half day increments based on the absence(s) entered and are based on the employee???s hourly rate.
Q: Why does the district have ineligible days?
A: Absences, regardless of position, directly affects the instruction of our students. There is a significant increase in absences around non-duty and in-service days therefore, the District has made these days ineligible unless documentation can be provided.
Ineligible Days Calendar (Word Document)
KCKPS Releases New Inclement Weather Guide
from Melissa Bedford Fears
Principals and Administrators,
Please find the new Inclement Weather Guide that contains an explanation of the four plans that are used by KCKPS in regard to weather-related closings, school-day start delays and early releases. As a reminder, those plans are as follows:
- Plan A ??? Two Hour Delayed Start
- Plan B ??? Two Hour Early Release
- Plan C ??? Schools Closed, District Offices Open
- Plan D ??? Schools Closed, District Offices and KCK Public Library Branches Closed
You can help with the dissemination of this information by doing the following:
- Adding this information to the front of your school website (Use the story on the front of the district website, which has links to the Inclement Weather Guide in English, Spanish and Nepali. Other languages will be added soon.)
- Informing parents that it is on the website to download and/or view
- Sharing this information on social media from the district???s social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)
- Spreading the word to your staff
As I stated earlier, the information is available in English, Spanish and Nepali. As other languages become available, we will make them available via the Administrators??? Notice and the district???s website.
Thank you for your help in sharing this important information.
If you have questions, please contact Melissa Bedford Fears at 913.279.2225.
Previous Items
Saturday Family Language Academy-Applications for Staff
from Kristen Scott
Administrators,
Would you mind forwarding this link to your staff so anyone interested in working the Saturday Family Language Academy can apply. We are accepting applications through KU’s HR system until February 8th. If you have any questions please let me know.
https://employment.ku.edu/temp-family-language-academy-teacher-saturdays/13494br
ESOL Endorsement Opportunities and Reminder of KELPA Window Approaching
from Kristen Scott
Principals,
We will again be offering the ESL Praxis Practice Sessions to certified staff who are interested in earning their ESL endorsement by taking the Praxis exam. At the end of this message there is a link that we would like for you to send out to staff so they can sign up for sessions if they are interested.
There will also be an application process in the Spring for the next cohort of 20 teachers who can earn 15 graduate credit hours for free towards their ESL endorsement. As we approach that time more information will come out to all staff. But please feel free to pass this along to your teachers as well.
KELPA testing window will open February 1st, so you may want to locate the headphones with microphones that you will need for this assessment. David Rand and myself will be providing guidance to administrators on scheduling for KELPA, knowing that there is also a KAP interim to be given at the beginning of February.
If you have any questions about the information in this item please reach out to me. Here is the link for staff to sign up for the ESL Praxis Practice Sessions.
Economic Education available through the Federal Reserve Bank for Elementary Students
from Teri Fulton
Please share these opportunities with your classroom teachers:
Register for Teach Children to Save and Your Piece of the Pie 2019
Sign up to have volunteers from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, local financial institutions and other organizations share lessons with your class this spring. Two programs are available to KC metro students at no cost – find out more below!
Teach Children to Save shares the importance of saving and money management skills with K – 3rd grade students using children’s stories and activities. The program includes a 45-minute, literature-based lesson with hands-on activities and takeaways for each student. The lessons emphasize the concepts of decision-making, establishing savings goals, money recognition and math.
Teach Children to Save will be available between April 17 – 30, scheduled at a mutually beneficial date and time for the teacher and the volunteer. No preparation or work is required on the teacher’s part and the volunteers will be trained and provide all necessary materials. All Kansas City metro area teachers are invited to register their K, 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade class today!
Visit the Teach Children to Save website for more information and send any questions to tcts@kc.frb.org.
Your Piece of the Pie: Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs inspires 4th – 6th graders to become future entrepreneurs and leaders through literature, multimedia and visits from community professionals. The program features four, one-hour lessons – two teacher led and two volunteer led – that foster confidence, creativity, relationship-building and leadership through project-based learning.
Your Piece of the Pie will take place between February 18 – May 10, at dates and times convenient for teachers and their volunteers. In-person training will be offered to teachers and volunteers to receive all necessary materials and to
connect. Register your Kansas City metro area 4th, 5th or 6th grade class today! Additionally, you’ll want to save one of the training dates on your calendar, Feb. 20 or 25, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Dinner will be provided.
Find out more about Your Piece of the Pie on our website or KC SourceLink’s website. Questions can be forwarded to ypop@kc.frb.org at any time.
Both Teach Children to Save and Your Piece of the Pie are classroom-ready and all necessary materials are provided free of charge. Space is limited so reserve a spot for your KC metro area class today!
Survey
from Jen Holt
A survey went out to all members of the certified bargaining unit. The goal of the survey is to collect perceptual data around our Social Emotional goals in the DCIP. This is a joint endeavor between the district and NEA-KCK. Site base results, as well as district trends, will be shared with you directly. The survey window will be open until 1/17 at 5pm. We expect data will be compiled & shared with you by early February.
Mandatory Trainings for All Staff
from Shelly Beech
The Frontline Professional Growth System is now available for all staff to complete the mandatory trainings required by the State of Kansas. All classified and certified staff should be completing the five (5) online trainings on the following topics:
??? Bloodborne Pathogens for School Employees 2018-2019
??? Bully Prevention
??? Harassment Awareness
??? McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
??? Suicide Prevention (2017-2018)
For certified staff, the process for signing up for an activity and completing the activity should not be new. There is a guide available on how to sign up, view, and complete the online trainings for those who are having issues. (Attachment: Completing an Online Activities Doc)
For classified staff, this is a new process. Additional training sessions will be set up to assist classified staff to complete the sign in process for Frontline and merging the AESOP and Professional Growth systems to one sign in. Employees who have never logged into Professional Growth should first check their district email for an invitation to the system. A guide is available to walk them through this process. (Attachment: Receiving an Email Invitation PP).
All staff is expected to complete these five (5) trainings on line. Please share this information with all staff. The IDP representative in each building will be able to assist employees who need assistance in Frontline.
Optional Training Dates Available
All trainings will be held at the Central Office, Room 268 (Computer Lab)
January 28, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5pm
February 11, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
February 25, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
April 8, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
April 22, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
May 6, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
May 20, 2019
10 am ??? 12 pm
3 pm ??? 5 pm
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Ana Perez-Sievert at 279-2314 or Kim Smith at 627-2414.
Receiving and Email Invitation (PowerPoint)