Staff Newsletter | May 2023

A Message from Superintendent, Dr. Dana Monogue

Dear Staff,

As this school year comes to a close, sincerely hope you leave for break knowing the impact of your work, the you have forever touched, and the fu you have shaped with your love, compassion, an

Please find time the people you

Thank you for a With fondness, Dr. Dana E. Mon

Must Know On The Go

On a time crunch? Check out this page for all your 'need to know' information this month. We invite you to read further when you are able to check out all of the awesome things happening within our District!

Key Dates

Temporary gap in district translation service

May 24-May 31, 2023

Last day of school

June 8, 2023

Health Risk Assessment

Due Date

July 31, 2023

2023-24 School Year Holidays | Year Round Staff

Holidays for year-round/12-month staff have been revised Specific holidays for those that are less than 12 full months will be listed in the revised 23-25 handbook

Learn more on page 11

MCPASD Board Of Education Unanimously Approved A 6% Individual Wage Increase

Learn more on page 7.

For All Employees

Welcome District Translator and Interpreter Solange

Rodriguez

Solange joins us from Madison Metropolitan School District, where she worked as a Bilingual Resource Specialist since 2017 She begins June 12, 2023 Learn more about Solange and her background on page 8

Celebrating Our Retirees: Inaugural Retirement Dinner

The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) recently held its inaugural Retirement Dinner to honor over 20 employees who have dedicated their careers to our district. The event was a night to remember as we celebrated the contributions and achievements of our retirees

The evening began with a delicious dinner, where our retirees were able to bring a plus one to share in the celebration. The atmosphere was festive, and everyone was in high spirits, excited to honor the hard work and dedication of our retirees.

The highlight of the evening was the performance by the high school Acapela Group, "Bristol Street " Their beautiful harmonies and melodies set the tone for the evening, and everyone was captivated by their performance

We also heard amazing speeches about our amazing retirees, highlighting their years of service, dedication, and contributions to our district. Each retiree was recognized for their unique contributions, and their colleagues shared heartfelt stories and memories of their time working together

The Retirement Dinner was a wonderful opportunity for our district to come together and celebrate the careers of our retirees. It was a night filled with laughter, joy, and gratitude for the work they have done to make our district a better place for our students.

We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our retirees, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors We look forward to continuing to honor their contributions to our district and community

Articles

Best Wishes To Percy Brown In His Next Chapter!

Percy Brown is resigning from his position as Director for Systems Improvement at the end of this school year. Percy started working in the MCPASD in 2012 as the Dean of Students in the Red Maple House at Middleton High School After two years in that role, Percy transitioned to the district office and served as the Director for Equity and Student Achievement, a role that evolved to the Director for Systems Improvement in recent years.

Percy’s leadership has been vital to the district’s equity efforts. While a Dean at MHS, Percy was instrumental in establishing the Student Voice Union and co-advising the Black Student Union These student leadership groups gave students opportunities to connect on deep levels; to learn about history, equity and social justice with the support of powerful organizations such as the Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN); and to advocate for equitable change to school and district leaders and the Board of Education. The “Land, People, and Power” course at MHS, which is required of all freshmen, grew out of these students’ advocacy for a high school ethnic studies course.

Percy also coordinated student spring break trips focused on historical and cultural learning. He shepherded students and staff to places such as Detroit, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. On these trips, students experienced life-changing, unforgettable learning, not only about history, but about identity, connection, and community For some students, it was the first time they had been immersed in racially diverse urban environments and seen many professionals of diverse backgrounds, which served as a source of inspiration and possibility.

During his tenure at the district level, Percy served as an MCPASD representative on the MSAN Research Practitioners’ Council and co-coordinated the efforts of the District Equity Leadership Team. He facilitated many equity-related conversations among district and school leaders.

Percy collaborated with the National Equity Project, MCPASD colleagues, and partners at the University of Wisconsin to design powerful professional development opportunities that have impacted hundreds of educators over the years Some of these opportunities have included the MCPASD Equity Institutes and the Hidden Curriculum course series (Black Experience, Latino Experience, and LGBTQ+ Experience), which were widely attended and deeply impactful. In 2017, Percy co-presented with MCPASD and UW colleagues on our partnership at the American Educational Research Association.

Percy’s facilitation of book studies (such as The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and The White Racial Frame) and community rounds for groups, including students, families, staff, school boards, and governmental agencies have led to individual, team, and system development and improvement. His “Black Excellence Series” helped staff and community members better understand the contributions and strength of Black people throughout history and the present day; he has given presentations to students and school staff on the history of the n-word; and he helped to co-found the Dane County Equity Consortium

Percy has a way of teaching people about topics such as implicit bias, history, and student and staff empowerment that engage and inspire others to action. He is a bridge-builder who calls people in.

At his core, Percy is a student advocate and servant leader who centers on change, persistence, and sacrifice in order to model and create the “Beloved Community” described by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

The MCPASD thanks Percy for his years of service to our district, our students and their families, our staff, and the greater community We wish him love and success now and into the future He will be focusing on his consulting business, an endeavor that takes him across the country to work with school districts and school teams in pursuit of equitable outcomes for students.

MCPASD Values its Employees: Board of Education Approves 6% Salary Increase for 2023-2024 School Year

The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) has always recognized the critical role that its employees play in shaping the future of its students That's why the district has made it a priority to provide its staff with competitive compensation ackages

ecently, the Board of Education took a significant step towards this goal by approving a % salary/wage increase for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year The decision to locate over 4 million budget dollars towards salaries/wages is a testament to the district's commitment to its employees

The 6% salary/wage increase applies to all employee position groups defined as regularly contracted, such as administrators, supervisors, teachers, para-educators, professional services support personnel (PSSP), custodial/maintenance, food service, and transportation

The salary/wage increase is a clear indication that the district is committed to creating a great place to work for all Staff can expect an email from employee services with more information in the coming weeks

Senior Leaders to Meet with BIPOC Staff for Feedback and Goal-Setting

On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, senior leaders will meet with BIPOC staff (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) at the high school launch pad in room 1901 from 4:30 - 5:45 PM. Staff will be paid for their attendance. ALL BIPOC Staff are invited to attend!

The purpose of the meeting is to go over feedback collected from BIPOC meetings earlier this year. This feedback detailed the district's strengths, weaknesses, and improvement opportunities from our BIPOC staff

Senior leaders will be going over the feedback and also explaining some goals that will be set next year in our District Strategy map to help support our BIPOC staff along with our students. These goals will be designed to address the issues and concerns raised in the feedback and to ensure that our BIPOC staff feel supported and valued in our district.

Overall, this meeting is an important opportunity for BIPOC staff to have their voices heard and to provide feedback that will help shape the future of our district. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all members of our community.

We hope to see you there!

Celebrations

Welcome District Translator and Interpreter Solange Rodriguez

We are excited to announce that Solange Rodriguez was offered the MCPASD Spanish Translator and Interpreter role! Solange will be starting on June 12, 2023.

Solange has been working with Madison Metropolitan School District as a Bilingual Resource Specialist since 2017, where she works with Spanish-speaking families on interpretation and translation. She is also very involved with her District's Black and Latino Student Union. Aside from this, Solange also has a nursing and mental health background

We look forward to welcoming her to the MCPASD team!

You Deserve a Shout!

MCPASD Staff Nominated For Crystal Apple Award

Congratulations to the following staff members for being nominated for the NBC 15 Crystal Apple Award! This award is open to the public for nominations and is representative of their outstanding work as educators

Steve Kurr Peter Ludt Kelsey Vosters Gust Athanas Douglas Brown

Tracy Hellenbrand

Joellen Pauls

Kris Bell

Jennifer Magee Rachel Thomas Jennifer Lohr Amy Weber Katherine Tso

Susan Brumm

Celebrations

You Deserve a Shout!

Congratulations to Wes Lagerhausen for being named Wisconsin Coach of the Year!

We are thrilled to extend our congratulations to Wes Lagerhausen, the Boys Swim Coach, for being named Wisconsin Coach of the Year This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to Wes' hard work and dedication to the team. We are incredibly proud of his accomplishments, which have brought recognition to our school and community.

The Board of Education recognized the Middleton High School Boys Swim & Dive Team at the board meeting last month. The team had a record-breaking season, which earned them the title of State Champions This is a remarkable achievement, and we are proud of the team's hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. Congratulations to the entire team and their coaches for this incredible accomplishment!

Mr. Peanuts Earned His Place In The Top Three Finalists In The Cintas Custodian Of The Year Contest!

The results are in! Mr. Peanuts has been named the runner up for the Cintas Custodian Of The Year competition! We recently celebrated his accomplishment at Park Elementary where he was awarded a cash prize, an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas where he and the other top three finalists will be honored at an upcoming trade show and free tuition to the ISSA Cleaning Management institute virtual training event. We are so proud of Mr. Peanuts and the joy he brings to our district!

Celebrations

Catching up with the Business and Employee Services Team

We are proud to announce that Middleton High School was selected as a featured high school at the recent Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) Spring Conference. Attendees were given the opportunity to tour our newly renovated high school, led by Findorff and EUA, who were responsible for the renovation project The tour showcased the state-of-the-art facilities and innovative learning spaces that our students have access to.

We are thrilled to announce that Ben Judd has successfully graduated from the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) Facilities Certification Program. This program is designed to provide participants with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage school facilities. Ben's graduation from this program is a testament to his commitment to excellence and his dedication to ensuring that our school facilities are maintained at the highest standards. Congratulations, Ben!

We are proud to announce that Erin Wheeler, our Director of Finance, has been elected to the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) Board of Directors for a three-year term. This is a significant achievement and a testament to Erin's expertise and leadership in the field of school business management We are confident that Erin will make valuable contributions to the WASBO Board of Directors and represent our district with distinction. Congratulations, Erin!

Reminders

Schedule Your Health Risk Assessment

What is the HRA?

MCPASD requests that staff members and their spouses that are on the group health insurance plan connect annually with a health care provider. As an incentive, we offer a 3% rate differential on health insurance premiums for the following plan year if the HRA process is completed.

The 3% rate differential is a difference of $19.64 per month for a single plan or $49.11 for a family plan during 2023

Deadline: July 31, 2023

Click here to learn more about HRA appointment options

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Chris Acker, Support Staff Benefits Specialist (cacker1@mcpasd k12 wi us or 608 829 9027)

2023-24 District Holidays | Year-Round Staff

For the 2023-24 school year, the holidays for year-round/12month staff have been revised and will be as follows for the 2023-24 school year.

Specific holidays for those that are less than 12 full months will be listed in the revised 23-25 handbook.

Reminders

2022-23 Fiscal Year End Reminders for Staff

In gearing up for the year-end (June 30, 2023), here are a few reminders:

CHECK REQUESTS: All mileage reimbursements or other direct payments need to be turned in to your building/department Admin Assistant by Thursday, June 8th

P-CARDS: P-Card transactions need to be reconciled by June 30th for any transactions that need to be expensed to the 2022-23 school year.

PURCHASING: Items purchased, with any payment method, must be physically received in the buildings, and transactions must be posted to the district account by June 30 to be considered 2022-23 expenditures If you have ordered an item(s) and it will not be received or services not completed, please reach out to fiscalservicesmailbox@mcpasd.k12.wi.us as soon as possible by June 30th.

TIMESHEETS: Skyward TrueTime users are to submit their timesheets for 2022-23 promptly after June 8.

Again, timely submission before or on June 30th is critical to help close down the 2022-23 fiscal year promptly.

Change To September 2023 Professional Development Day Schedule

The 2023-24 school year calendar has been updated to reflect a change in our Professional Development Day schedule.

The September Professional Development Day has been corrected to show September 18, 2023. Click here to view the updated 2023-24 school year calendar.

Temporary Gap In Translation Services

Please be advised that our interim Translator/Interpreter, Tammy Perez, will be unavailable to complete translation requests from May 24-May 31st. The communications team will be monitoring the translation email inbox but will only be able to translate emergency messages Please send all translation requests ASAP Thank you for your understanding

Barb's Corner

A Note From Barb

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, I’d like to honor and recognize the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. I shared recently that my parents named me after a Filipino movie star, Actress, Barbara Perez. She was tagged as the "Audrey Hepburn of the Philippines". Here’s a picture of Barabara Perez.

Some highlights from Barb’s Corner in 22-23:

Thank you to all the staff pitching in while we fill our staffing gaps across the district.

I recognize the invisible work that you are doing and hope that you can find a way and time to tend to your needs so that you can best carry the invisible and official workloads.

Continue to send gratitude as it is the best gift to give.

Strive for being OK with imperfection!

“Your energy flows where your attention goes. ”

Congratulations, Lori Krug on your retirement! We wish you well and you will be missed. Find joy, seek laughter, and smile often.

I want to wish everyone a relaxing, recharging, and memorable summer.

Handbook Update

I presented to the Board the draft of the revised Employee Handbook You can see the draft version of the handbook in the Board Agenda for May 8 and also in May 22 On May 22nd, the Board will have the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback and then the plan is the revised Employee Handbook will be approved by the Board at the June 12th meeting Once the Employee Handbook is approved, the final version will be emailed to all employees Thank you again to the committee members for participating in this process!

*The Teacher Roundtable did not meet in May and will be meeting quarterly in 2023-24*

Employee Personnel

DPI License Renewal:

If your Teacher License is expiring on 6/30/23, you can renew now! Anytime after May 1st will count as a full semester, so please fill out Section 1 of your Employment Verification form and send it to Lee Wilson at lwilson@mcpasd.k12.wi.us. Once the form is sent back to you, please upload it to your DPI-ELO and pay the renewal fee After you receive your renewal, please update us by sending it to employeeservicesmailbox@mcpasd.k12.wi.us

Frontline/TOC:

As we wrap up the 22-23 school year and you need to be out and obtain a substitute, please enter as early as possible. The earlier the absence is entered, the more likely it will be filled. If you need assistance with entering, please contact Teachers On Call directly at 1.800.713.4439, and they can help.

Wanting to change your Salary Payment Election from 20 pays to 24 pays, or vice-versa, for the 23-24SY?

Employees classified as “10 Month Employees” whose pay is annualized have the option to have their total annual earnings divided into either 20 or 24 payroll payments per year.

Definitions

10 Month Employees: Employees who work up to 237 days per year

20 payroll payments: 20 payrolls from September 15th through June 30th

24 payroll payments: 24 payrolls from September 15th through August 31st

This pay frequency option is elected when hired and will be in place for the duration of your employment with our district UNLESS you notify us in writing of your intent to change the frequency.

If you want to change your pay frequency from 20 to 24, or vice-versa, please send an email request to employeeservicesmailbox@mcpasd k12 wi us A form will be sent to you to complete this change for the 20232024 school year.

ONLY complete this form if you want to change your pay election from 20 to 24 or vice-versa. If you are satisfied with your pay election, please do not complete this form.

DEADLINE: The form must be completed & returned to Employee Services no later than August 15, 2023 to be effective for the 2023-2024 school year. This election cannot be changed mid-year.

REALiving Magazine | Spring 2023

Click here to view the spring 2023 issue!

Employee Benefits

Reminders For Life Changes

We're nearing the end of the school year and many of us are looking forward to the summer Whether your plans include relaxation, adventure or both, we hope that you have a wonderful break from school and work There are a couple of benefit-related considerations that we would like you to keep in mind while you are away.

Getting married, having a baby or adopting?

You have 30 days following the date of your marriage/birth/adoption to add new family members to your plan. If you miss the 30-day window following the event, your next opportunity is at open enrollment (January 1 coverage period) or within 30 days of another change in family status

Divorcing?

Your former spouse will need to be removed from your plan at the end of the month of the divorce and we are required by law to extend COBRA continuation to the former spouse.

Moving?

Please update your address in Skyward so we have your current contact information.

Employee Benefits

Do You Have A Fabulous Vacation Planned?

Check out Dean Health Plan: Traveling Out of Area information so you know what to do in case you need health care

Employee Benefits Is Available Year Round

Remember that we are here year-round to answer your benefit questions and make changes to your insurance plans, if necessary. Please reach out if you have a need. benefitmailbox@mcpasd k12 wi us MCPASD Benefits Website