Month: October 2021

Student Well-Being Webinar 6-7 p.m. on November 3

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Student in foreground of classroom of students raises hand to answer a question. Other students are seated at desks working and listening.

Employees, families and the community are invited to a one-hour Zoom webinar on Wednesday, November 3 to learn about OSD supports for student well-being.

The webinar will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom (see Zoom details below).

Superintendent Patrick Murphy will be joined by Director of Whole Child Success Char Franz and Director of Student Support Ruth Middlebrook. Other guests who will share some brief remarks include an OSD social worker, district family and community partnership coordinator, and a representative from the Olympia School District Education Foundation. 

The panelists will share how federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds are being used this year to support student well-being in response to the pandemic. Supports are also outlined in the OSD Academic and Student Well-Being Recovery Plan.

After a brief introduction from the panel outlining the various supports, they will address questions posed by participants during the Zoom webinar and/or emailed in advance. If you are unable to attend, feel free to email questions in advance to: communications@osd.wednet.edu. Upon completion the webinar, along with previous monthly webinars, will be recorded and posted on the district website.

November 3, 2021 Zoom details:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://osd111.zoom.us/j/84945656414

Or One tap mobile:
US: +12532158782,,84945656414#  or +13462487799,,84945656414#

Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 669 900 6833  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 646 558 8656  or +1 301 715 8592

Webinar ID: 849 4565 6414

International numbers available: https://osd111.zoom.us/u/keDMIc1vjs

OSDEF sets aside $40,000 to support student mental health

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OSDEF Logo with image of stick figures of an adult and children and the name of the Foundation beneath

As part of its Mental Health Initiative (MHI), the Olympia School District Education Foundation this year has set aside $40,000 to help support student mental health/social emotional needs. Principals, counselors and other district staff engaged in student mental health support/SEL are encouraged to apply for up to $2,000 per building for supplies, projects and programs that would benefit their students. The brief Grant Request Form can be found on the Foundation’s Grants page under “Quick Links.” To be considered during the next review period, forms must be submitted to info@osdef.org by 5 p.m. Friday, November 19. Questions may be directed to OSDEF Executive Director Katy Johansson at katy@osdef.org or (360) 596-6110.

Grant Requests in all other categories – Closing the Opportunity Gap, Creativity and the Arts, Cultivating Engaged Citizens, Innovative Teaching and Learning, Meet a Need and Browsers Books – also must be submitted by November 19 to be considered during the next review period. The Foundation will notify applicants of their grant’s status by no later than December 17.

Not one, but two new Everyday Heroes this week!

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Everyday Heroes Logo with the words: Celebrating OSD Employees

Everyday Heroes is a regular feature in this staff blog. Remember to submit names of employees districtwide who have done something deserving of encouragement and praise. Give a shout-out to one of your colleagues at your school or support building and watch for it to appear in an upcoming Everyday Heroes blog post.

Here are our newest honorees:

Everyday Heroes
Mimi Peradotto, Office Manager, Thurgood Marshall Middle School and Christina Costelo, Attendance Secretary and Registrar, Thurgood Marshall Middle School

Mimi, our school stalwart, continues to keep the machine humming in the face of increasing work demand.  Her organization, directness, and kindness have saved the day more times than we can count school days.

Christina has stepped into a new role with demands outpacing the position and admirably.  She is new to our school.  Staff shortages…. no problem.  Late busses… no problem. Frustrated staff, parents, students… no problem. She is always welcoming, doing more than her duty (e.g. rides to employees with transportation difficulties 30 minutes each direction!), and a reason to visit the office.
Submitted by Michael Kelly, Teacher, Thurgood Marshall Middle School

Everyday Hero
Nicole Sande, Counselor, Capital High School

As a parent and employee at CHS, I very much appreciate Nicole Sande, a CHS counselor, for spearheading and managing a donated “fancy clothes” closet right before the homecoming dance. This offering for students who may have barriers in accessing formal wear aligns with district goals to foster compassion, check bias, support social-emotional health and provide connection. This closet is a huge contribution by organizing something that collaborates with community members, invites kids in and sets an example for them to be kind, inclusive and recycle! ❤
Submitted by Connie Phegley, Paraeducator, Capital High School

How to nominate an Everyday Hero

  • Email the Communications and Community Relations Department (communications@osd.wednet.edu) a few sentences, and no more than 200 words, about why the person deserves recognition. It’s easiest to write as if speaking directly to the colleague, such as “Thank you for helping with…” or “I really appreciated when you…”
  • Write “Everyday Heroes” in the subject heading of the email.
  • Include your first and last name as the person submitting the comments.
  • Include the first and last name of the OSD employee you are recognizing.
  • Include the job title and work location (school or department) of the person you are recognizing.

All submissions will be posted in this blog on a weekly basis and archived each week.

Supplemental Benefits: NW Benefit Advisors Open Enrollment Information

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NW Benefit Advisors provides voluntary benefits that are exclusive to the district. These benefits are not part of SEBB.

OSD employees can access the NW Benefit Advisors website regarding open enrollment for supplemental benefits along with SEBB information. Open enrollment ends on November 22.

  • View all the voluntary benefit brochures and videos
    • Benefits offered: Aflac, Trustmark, Legalease, Identity Protection, Pet Insurance and more!
  • See the schedules for Zoom sessions to learn about your benefits.
  • Schedule a personal appointment with NW Benefit Advisors to discuss the voluntary benefits exclusive to your district.
  • Access all the links for SEBB plans and webinars.

Access the NW Benefit Advisors website

SEBB Program’s Annual Open Enrollment continues through November 22, 2021

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The School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Program’s annual open enrollment began October 25, 2021 and ends Monday, November 22, 2021.

Open enrollment is your opportunity to make changes to your health plan benefits. Changes are effective January 1, 2022.

  • What changes can you make? The SEBB Program’s annual open enrollment is your opportunity to:
    • Change medical and dental plans.
    • Add or remove dependents.
    • Reattest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner premium surcharge (SRDP) (if you received a letter asking you to reattest.)
    • Enroll in the Medical FSA, Limited Purpose FSA (new for 2022), or DCAP through Navia Benefit Solutions.
    • Consider your long-term disability insurance coverage (changes are coming for 2022).
    • Waive your medical coverage if you are enrolled in other employer-based group medical, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare.
    • Enroll in medical coverage if you previously waived.
  • Learn more about the changes you can make on our open enrollment webpage and in the October Intercom
  • How do I make changes? Log in to SEBB My Account starting October 25, 2021.

Resources for open enrollment

SEBB is offering multiple ways to learn about benefits from the comfort of your home.

  • Virtual benefits fairs – During open enrollment, you can learn more about your health plans and other insurance options by visiting the virtual benefits fair.
  • ALEX – Help you understand your SEBB benefits and guide you through choosing your medical, dental, and vision plans. ALEX will suggest plans for you to consider, based on your responses to questions. Access ALEX at wa.gov/alex and within SEBB My Account.
  • Webinars – Attend a webinar provided by our carriers and vendors. See the schedule.
  • Facebook Live – Join us on HCA’s Facebook on Monday, November 2 at 4 p.m.
  • Web content – Visit the SEBB Open enrollment
  • Intercom newsletter – The newsletter includes information about the changes to benefits, what changes you can make during annual open enrollment and how to make them, monthly premiums, and more. Read the October Intercom. Note: Since the newsletter was released, there have been clarifications about Kaiser Permanente of Washington’s (KPWA) and KPWA Option’s networks that could affect your coverage.  Read the announcement on HCA’s website to learn more.
  • Need help? – Contact your benefits office.

Change to long-term disability insurance benefit

The employee-paid long-term disability (LTD) benefit will change starting January 1, 2022. You will automatically be enrolled in employee-paid LTD, if not already enrolled.

Note: Your long-term disability benefit is different from the state’s new long-term care benefit, which is called The WA Cares Fund. Long-term disability replaces a portion of your income due to accident, illness, or pregnancy. You can reduce or decline your employee-paid LTD coverage at any time. Long-term care pays for the cost of care when you need assistance with activities of daily living and is not currently part of your SEBB Program benefits.

The LTD benefit will offer a minimum 90-day benefit waiting period with two coverage level options. You will be automatically enrolled in the coverage level that covers 60 percent of the first $16,667 of your monthly predisability earnings. This has a maximum monthly benefit of $10,000.

You have the option to reduce your employee-paid LTD to a lower-cost 50-percent coverage level, with a maximum monthly benefit of $8,333. You also have the option to decline the coverage. If you reduce or decline the employee-paid benefit and later decide to enroll in or increase your coverage, you will need to provide evidence of insurability and be approved by Standard Insurance Company. You can reduce or decline your employee-paid LTD coverage at any time by logging into SEBB My Account. However, if you don’t reduce or decline your LTD benefit election by December 31 [or your payroll cutoff date], you will be enrolled in the 60-percent plan, and the premium will be deducted from your paycheck for January 2022 coverage.

If you have questions about your benefits or account, please contact your benefits office at sebb@osd.wednet.edu.

Learn about the Panorama Fall Survey

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What: Panorama Fall Survey is a survey that our students, families and staff members will take to gauge our overall well-being. Some of the items we explore include:

  • Do our students feel a strong sense of belonging?
  • Do our families feel like they are heard?
  • Do our staff feel supported?

The data that we receive from our Panorama survey will inform much of our decision-making.

Why:

  1. Using Panorama makes the well-being of students, families and staff the fundamental value in all decision-making and actions.
  2. The Panorama climate survey (in Fall and in Spring) is the bare minimum of hearing from our students and our families to inform our decision-making. While we need to make sure we have multiple ways of hearing from and partnering with our students and families, the climate survey is one of the unique opportunities we can potentially hear from all of our students and families.

When:

Panorama Fall Survey: November 15 – November 30
Panorama Spring Survey: April 18 – May 2

(Please check with your school when they will host the Panorama Fall Survey)   

How:

  • Students will take the Panorama survey in class (as designated by each school).
  • Staff and families will be provided a Panorama survey link to complete through multiple communication tools including emails, newsletters, blog posts, etc.

Additional Information regarding Accessibility:

  • Surveys are provided in multiple languages including English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Remember to vote in November 2 General Election

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Roll of I Voted stickers

Ballots for the November 2, 2021 General Election have been sent to registered voters and must be mailed or dropped off in postage-free ballot drop boxes by Election Day to be counted.

Ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day during elections and will continue to accept ballots until 8 p.m. on Election Day. For a list of drop box locations in the Olympia School District, visit the Thurston County Auditor’s Office Elections Division website.

There are two Olympia School Board positions on the November 2, 2021 ballot:

  • Mark Boyer and Darcy Huffman are vying for the District 3 seat that will be vacated by Director Leslie Huff.
  • Scott Clifthorne and Don Mitchell are running for the District 5 position, currently held by Scott Clifthorne.

There is still one more opportunity to register to vote or update your current voter registration for the November 2 General Election:

  • November 2, 2021: Register to vote or update your current voter registration in person and drive-thru only until 8 p.m. on Election Day November 2. In-person/drive-thru voter registration is done at the Thurston County Elections Division, 2400 Evergreen Park Dr. S.W., Olympia.

To register to vote you must be:

  • A citizen of the United States.
  • Residing at your current address for a minimum of 30 days before Election Day.
  • A legal resident of Washington state.
  • At least 18 years old by Election Day. (Note: Citizens may pre-register to vote at age 16 and will be automatically eligible to vote and sent a ballot during the first election after their 18th birthday).

For additional voter registration information, visit the Thurston County Auditor’s Office Elections Division webpage. You may also call (360) 786-5408 or email elections@co.thurston.wa.us. For more information about ballot items, read the Thurston County Voters’ Pamphlet.

Who is this week’s Everyday Hero?

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Everyday Heroes Logo with the words: Celebrating OSD Employees

Everyday Heroes is a regular feature in this staff blog. Remember to submit names of employees districtwide who have done something deserving of encouragement and praise. Give a shout-out to one of your colleagues at your school or support building and watch for it to appear in an upcoming Everyday Heroes blog post.

Here is our newest honoree:

Everyday Hero
Chelsea Richardson, School Counselor, Centennial Elementary

To our wonderful school counselor at Centennial Elementary, Chelsea Richardson, I really appreciate how you have supported the DLC program and are making meaningful connections with all the students. Your “open door policy” means the world to me and it’s heartwarming to see your genuine desire to be a safe ally for big feelings!
Submitted by Andrea Cunning, 2-5 DLC Teacher, Centennial Elementary

How to nominate an Everyday Hero

  • Email the Communications and Community Relations Department (communications@osd.wednet.edu) a few sentences, and no more than 200 words, about why the person deserves recognition. It’s easiest to write as if speaking directly to the colleague, such as “Thank you for helping with…” or “I really appreciated when you…”
  • Write “Everyday Heroes” in the subject heading of the email.
  • Include your first and last name as the person submitting the comments.
  • Include the first and last name of the OSD employee you are recognizing.
  • Include the job title and work location (school or department) of the person you are recognizing. 

All submissions will be posted in this blog on a weekly basis and archived each week.

Accessibility Tip of the Week: Accessibility as Universal Design

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Model of building under construction to correlate with article about universal design and how it applies to accessibility

Accessible design has the potential to positively impact everyone, regardless of whether or not we perceive ourselves as having a disability that directly impacts computer use. This is because accessible design doesn’t exist within a vacuum, but rather, is an implementation of universal design principals. By making our content more accessible for some, we inherently make it more accessible for all.

In the physical world, this is perhaps best demonstrated in the application of curb cuts. In the 60s and 70s students at Berkley with mobility issues strove for greater independence and advocated to get curb cuts installed across the city. As their adoption became more widespread, however, others began to reap the benefits of a more accessible environment. Bike riders, and people pushing a stroller or shopping cart, appreciated the more universal design. Now it would be almost inconceivable to build a sidewalk devoid of ramps. By improving conditions for one segment of the population, the students at Berkley improved them for everyone.

While the physical world may be predefined, we have a unique opportunity in the digital realm. The virtual world is one we are actively building, and by taking universal design principals into account, we not only enhance the independence of those with disabilities, but we also improve the experience for everyone else. Closed captions can be quite handy when viewing a video in a noisy, or quiet, environment. Similarly, alt tags can fill in the gaps left by images that fail to load on a slow internet connection.

In this, more accurate framework, the population that benefits from accessible design expands drastically. It expands universally. This can be helpful to keep in mind as we progress along the continuum of accessibility. Be selfish in your design decisions. In doing so, you’ll help everyone else.

The Website Accessibility Resources page has guides covering the steps involved in incorporating universal design into your digital presence. If you have questions regarding creating accessibkle content, please reach out to the Communications Department.

Please ignore automated email sent by Riverside DataManager

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Last spring we emailed all employees to ask that you ignore an automated email from a vendor, Riverside DataManager. The automated email was sent in error by the vendor and asked employees to enter a password to access “DataManager.” Some employees recently notified OSD Technology that they received a similar email from the same vendor. Technology reports this, too, was an automated email sent in error. This is not a phishing or scam email, but you are not required to create a password.  There is no follow-up by employees required.