In This Issue:
Featured Articles:
- Changing from Blue Cross to Humana Health Insurance on January 1st!
- Questions About Your TRS Annual Statement?
- Planning on Retiring?
- 2009-2010 Incentive Pay Plan Approved By Board
- Welcome Aboard - New Administrators
- Mark Your Calendar Now
- HR Valuable Resources
Thoughts from Sharon Fuery, Executive Director of Human Resources:
- Reflection Reveals the Significance of Change
Questions about your TRS annual statement?
The Texas Teachers Retirement System reports that every year around this time, they receive a high volume of inquiries concerning the annual statement of account that is sent to all members. Because TRS representatives seldom are able to answer all of these questions on the day they are received, they offer the following information to assist TRS members with their questions about their annual statement. Annual statements are a snapshot of the member’s account at the time of TRS year-end close; therefore, a corrected annual statement can never be created. At the time of retirement, salaries will be properly moved to the correct year so that the member’s retirement estimate will be correct. If you need more information, you may call TRS toll-free at (800) 223-8778. You may access your TRS annual statement of account online at www.trs.state.tx.us. Click on “active members” and then “login.” Annual statement
information is updated shortly after statements are mailed out to members – generally by early November.
Planning on Retiring?
The Teacher Retirement System recommends that you contact them at least six months in advance for retirement information. If you are planning on retiring December 2009 or in June 2010, you should have already contacted the Teacher Retirement System! If you haven’t, please do so immediately so that you do not miss any retirement checks. The toll free number is 1-800-223-8778. You must also complete and submit a JISD Resignation/ Exit form to your principal or
supervisor. The completed form should be faxed to 210-945-6922. This form may be accessed by clicking HERE. Once your completed form has been submitted, please contact Linda Phillips, Employee Benefits Specialist, at 210-945-5612 to schedule an appointment to exit the District.
New Human Resources Staff
Human Resources is pleased to welcome the following staff members:
- Lori Diamond, Employee Services Specialist
- Donald J. Pittman, Director of HR/Professional Staff
JISD Welcomes New Administrators
Human Resources would like to welcome to JISD the following
administrators for the 2009-2010 school year:
DISTRICT OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS
- Dessynie Edwards, Director of Special Education
- Carter Hutson, Coordinator of Transportation
- Victor Valdez, Director of Facilities and Planning
PRINCIPALS
- Chad Broussard, Woodlake Ele
- Regina Florence, Candlewood Ele
- Ken Harbord, Spring Meadows Ele
- Mary Kay Tyson, Alternative School
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS
- Julia Battle, Elolf Ele
- Ricci Bethely-Day, Metzger MS
- Willie Black, Judson HS
- Shaunte Guillory, Paschall Ele
- Beverly Broom, Wagner HS
- Benjamin Rosario-Sosa, Metzger MS
- Donald Stewart, Wagner HS
- Tracy Valree, Masters Ele
- Jowie Walker, Spring Meadows Ele
Thoughts From Sharon Fuery, Executive Director of Human Resources ... Reflections Reveal the Significance of Change
Being an educator for thirty-two years has been awesome! As this final chapter in my career comes to a close, I have spent some time reflecting on how much education has influenced my life and how much I’ve seen it change over the years.
My first teaching job was at a middle school and I clearly remember getting my new teacher packet which contained a lesson plan booklet, a grade book, a box of chalk, and a paddle (corporal punishment). I clearly remember the first day of school looking at those twenty-four sixth graders in my Language Arts class. It was scary but it was fun. Somehow, I survived with those four basic items and yes, I did have to use that paddle a few times and trust me, it worked.
The next year, I taught PE. It was the year that they implemented Title IX and had males and females in the same PE class. That was a HOT mess! Of course, that didn’t last very long. After that year, I accepted a position at a high school and went back to teaching English Language Arts. Believe it or not, there was a smoking section for students and teachers could smoke in the teachers lounge. Now if you smoke, you have to go to Siberia! I spent eleven years having fun with teenagers and adapting to educational changes such as Inclusion, No Pass/No Play, TTAS (the first state issued teacher appraisal), TABS (the first state issued testing), Career Ladder (the first attempt at incentive pay), and the TECAT (the legislators decided that they needed to make sure that all teachers and administrators could read and write). At some point during the mid to late 1980’s corporal punishment went away in this area. With that, there was a rise in discipline and attendance problems. That is also about the time that alternative schools started and parents had to go to court when their children didn’t attend school.
In 1991, I became a high school assistant principal and became the “ENEMY.” I laugh as I think about one of my colleagues being told by a teacher, “You used to be my friend and now you’re one of them.” There has always been a sort of love-hate relationship between teachers and administrators. That person was obviously having a problem adapting to change. I must admit that I loved that job. I was at a great school with awesome kids and co-workers. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I spent a lot of time giving detention and in-school suspension. I clearly remember my first discipline hearing for a student to go to alternative school. I felt as though I was the one who was on trial because the parents questioned my authority. The rules are OK as long as it’s not my child is often what we hear. It’s a shame because that doesn’t help children. I always told parents that school rules are no different than real world rules and laws. You break them, you eventually get caught and if you do the crime, you have to do the time.
When my principal approached me about a position in the personnel/human resources department, I was surprised but interested. I loved the idea of traveling for recruitment. In reality, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Talk about change…it’s a totally different world. It’s been seventeen years of recruiting, contracts, certification, permits, ExCET/TExES, “D” Board Policy, No Child Left Behind, fingerprinting, stipends, salaries, benefits, employee handbooks, alternative certification, reasonable accommodations, FMLA, sexual harassment, acceptable use policies, employee dress code, e-mail, cell phones, text messaging, internet, Facebook, MySpace, etc.
I have been very fortunate because I have been blessed to work with some wonderful people over the years, and family has been a tremendous support over the years. I feel very blessed to have spent the last four years of my career in Judson ISD. You are wonderful people. You welcomed me with open arms and made my job very easy. In closing, I am glad that I chose a career in education and I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to make a difference for the children and the people that you work with. Remember to be willing to embrace change because things will always change and evolve and that is what is called LIFE.
Cheers Ms. Fuery! We will miss you! Happy Retirement!!!
2009-2010 Incentive Pay Plan Approved By Board of Trustees
On November 19, 2009 the Board of Trustees approved the Employee Incentive Pay Plan for the 2009-2010 school year. See complete Incentive Pay Plan by clicking HERE.
Mark Your Calendar Now For These Coming Events
- Distinguished Employee/Educator Award Ceremony - February 2, 2009 at PAC
- Five Year Recognition - April 15, 2010
- Annual Employee Recognition Banquet - May 13, 2010
Check Your Paystub! Changing from Blue Cross to Humana Health Insurance on January 1st!
Check your paystub in December. Any changes that you made to your insurance plans during open enrollment earlier this fall will take effect on January 1, 2010.
- Humana ID cards will be mailed to your home address in December.
- For those of you who did make changes or who enrolled in a plan for the first time, the individual companies will be mailing ID cards to your home address in December.
- Reminder: Spectera Vision does not issue an ID card. The provider calls Spectera to verify your membership at the time of your visit.
- Please be careful while opening your mail so that you don’t discard your new insurance ID cards by accident.
If you cancelled an insurance plan, you saw your last deduction for it on your November 2009 paycheck. Deductions for the new plan year begin with your December paycheck(s), as we pay our insurance premiums one month 
in advance. The exception to this would be any deductions you signed up for under the medical reimbursement or dependent childcare accounts. These deductions will actually begin with your January 2010 paycheck(s). Also, please remember to submit your 2009 receipts to Flex Benefits as quickly as possible so that you don’t forfeit any money. If you fail to submit your receipts in a timely manner, you will forfeit the money and you will not be able to retrieve it. (For questions and deadline information, please contact Flex Benefits at 1-888-732-8125.)
If you need help during the holiday break, please contact Connie Rivera of Alamo Insurance at 210-524-7115 for help with your benefits. For contact information regarding insurance plans, please refer to the 2010 Benefit Booklets provided to you during your campus open enrollment . The information is also available on the Judson website and by clicking HERE.
Want To Move Up in JISD?
Prepare Yourself ...
With job announcements being posted
frequently that provide auxiliary and manual trades
employees opportunities to move
up in the District, a good first impression
is needed in order to be selected
for a vacancy. One of the critical activities
in the selection process is the
interview. Here are some hints to help
prepare for the interview:
- Present yourself in a professional
manner. Your first impression is
critical, so dress appropriately and
greet the interviewer(s) with a
friendly smile and a firm handshake. - Review the job announcement and
be ready to offer responses to the
questions on the assigned job duties.
Give examples of your work to
help show that you can do the
job effectively. - Listen carefully to the questions and
answer them specifically. Don’t
ramble and offer information that
is not relevant to the information
you are asked. - Stay positive in your responses. No
one wants to hear complaints about
former supervisors or employers. - If you have any questions, ask them
at the end of the interview. And
be sure to offer a “thank you” to the
interviewer(s).
Following these helpful hints will
help you to demonstrate that you have
a genuine interest and that you are
fully qualified for this job opportunity.
Good luck as you strive to move up!
Resignation Deadline For Teachers
According to Texas state law, an educator employed under a contract for the following school year may leave District employment by filing a written resignation no later than the 45th day before the first day of instruction of the following school year.
For the 2010-2011 school year, the first day for students to attend classes is Monday, August 23, 2010. In keeping with these guidelines, the last day to resign a contract for the 2010-2011 school year is 5:00pm Friday, July 9, 2010.
Friendly Reminder to All Employees..............Board Policy DH (LOCAL)
An employee shall notify his or her principal or immediate supervisor
within three calendar days of any arrest, indictment, conviction,
no contest or guilty plea, or other adjudication of the employee for
any felony, any offense involving moral turpitude, and any of the
other offenses as indicated below:
1. Crimes involving school property or funds;
2. Crimes involving attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized
means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit that would
entitle any person to hold or obtain a position as an educator;
3. Crimes that occur wholly or in part on school property or at a
school-sponsored activity; or
4. Crimes involving moral turpitude, which include:
- Dishonesty; fraud; deceit; theft; misrepresentation;
- Deliberate violence;
- Base, vile, or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor;
- Felony possession, transfer, sale, distribution, or conspiracy to possess, transfer, sell, or distribute any controlled substance defined in Chapter 481 of the Health and Safety Code;
- Acts constituting public intoxication, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, or disorderly conduct, if any two or more acts are committed within any 12-month period; or
- Acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code.
Human Resources Is Proud to Present Our "Valuable Resources"
Elena Bernal |
Melinda Blackburn |
|
Deborah Pruitt |
Ernestine Dickerson |
Melita Wise |
Happy Holidays from the Human Resources Staff .... wishing you and yours the VERY best!
 |
Human Resources Website
210-945-5101
hrinformation@judsonisd.org