New Teacher Orientation

The summer is quickly coming to a close, and while the days may be getting shorter we’re anxiously awaiting the start of a new school year. We have one of the largest cohorts of new teachers to Watertown this year than I’ve seen in the six years I’ve been Director of Personnel here.

Our induction program kicks off next week, running from August 20-23, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the James Russell Lowell Elementary School

Monday’s Scheduled programs:

• Welcome & Introductions; District, School, and Teaching & Learning Goals; Personnel Issues
• Lunch
• First Class email and conferencing, Trolley Tour of Watertown

Tuesday’s Scheduled programs:

• Student Services & Special Education; English Language Learners
• Lunch
• Educational Technology and TeacherWeb

Wednesday’s Scheduled programs:

• Mentors & Principals meeting
• Professional Development and Induction Program during the school year

Thursday’s Scheduled programs:

• K-5 Think Math; iPass Student Information System
• Advanced TeacherWeb

One of the materials I will be distributing to our staff on Monday, during the personnel portion of the program is the Watertown Public Schools Civil Rights Training Manual also made available here.

The covered topics are:

Abuse & Neglect – 51A’s

Harassment

Sexual Harassment

Contact Information

Abbreviated Civil Rights Statutes

Non Discrimination

Non Discrimination on the Basis of Sex

Non Discrimination on the Basis of Disability

Review of Instructional Material

Compensatory Education (Title I)

English Language Learners

Homebound Instruction

Equal Educational Opportunities

Homeless Students: Enrollment Rights and Services

Section 504

Education Laws

Access to Equal Educational Opportunity

Education of English Language Learners

Physical Restraint

DOE Comprehensive Review

Internet Resources

While I won’t discuss each of these in detail on Monday, they are all part of the Watertown Public Schools commitment to annual and continuous notice of Civil Rights Laws and regulations.

I’m looking forward to seeing you.

Civil Rights Presentations

As part of our obligation for annual and continuous notification of civil rights and civil rights issues, as as part of the coordinated review by the Department of Education, The Personnel Office has been making presentations at the Watertown Schools. The Watertown High School, James Russell Lowell Elementary School, Watertown Middle School and the Cunniff Elementary School have all had presentations. The Hosmer Elementary School has the presentation scheduled.

The Powerpoint Presentation being used is available for your viewing with this post by CLICKING HERE. Information covered in the presentations is also available here on the blog by clicking the “Civil Rights” tag on the right hand side or by clicking HERE

Watertown Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its services, programs, and activities on the basis of race, color or national origin, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI); on the basis of sex, in accordance with Title IX of the education Amendments of 1972; on the basis of disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); or on the basis of age, in accordance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1974 (Age Discrimination Act), or on the basis of sexual orientation or religion in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71B and 151B.

Also, please note that in School Committee Policy on Harassment, the timelines for filing are listed as

180 days at the EEOC and 6 Months with the MCAD.

Those timelines are written into School Committee Policy and can only be changed by vote of the School Committee. The School Committee is currently revising the entirety of policies for the School Department. The actual timelines are 300 days for each agency.

Mandated Reporters: “Caring for Kids”

Information from the Department of Social Services (DSS) on the responsibilities of “mandated reporters” is available at THIS URL (PDF document)

Under Massachusetts law, the Department of Social Services (DSS) is the state agency that receives all reports of suspected abuse or neglect of children under the age of 18. State law requres professionals whose work brings them in contract with children to notify the DSS if they suspect that a child has been – or is at risk of being – abused or neglected. Those professionals are called a “Mandated Reporter.”

Massachusetts law defines psychologists, nurses, public school teachers, educational administrators, guidance counselors, social workers, school attendance officers, among others as Mandated Reporters.

This document explains the DSS, defines mandated reporter, defines responsibilities of mandated reporters, defines abuse and neglect, outlines the reporting procedure, explains the process and possible outcomes, and gives contact information.