Your "Human" Resource

April 2024

As we near the end of the school year, it is normal to experience a wide range of emotions. You may feel encouraged because you are making great strides toward your goals, overwhelmed because you have so much to complete with limited time, excited because you are looking forward to the fun summer plans you have with loved ones, or even unsettled because at the year-end you are transitioning into a new phase of your life. Please know these feelings are common. I encourage you to control your thoughts to finish the school year like a champion. If you focus on positive things, such as the skills you acquire through working hard on challenging tasks, you will have a more optimistic disposition, making yourself more pleasant to interact with; conversely, if you allow yourself to dwell on negativity, focusing on things that haven't gone your way or the discomfort of completing arduous projects, you will be more prone to bleak thoughts about yourself and others as we close the year.

We are on the home stretch of this year's journey as a learning community; challenge yourself to stay mentally strong by concentrating on productive thoughts and encourage your colleagues as we focus on reaching our goals collectively. James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh, says, "A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances."

Control your thoughts, focus on your goals, and finish strong!

As a reminder, we will celebrate this year's retirees at our May Board Meeting.

Thank you,

Dr. Alex Ofili

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

During the course of this school year the members of the Speech and Language Department have gone far above and beyond for the betterment of our children. From ensuring that students’ evaluations were completed to working in different buildings the entire department has worked tirelessly to help students. Rachael Hendzell and Emily OReilly, as Department Chairs, have thought out of the box and focused on solutions. Each member of this department deserves our thanks and appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication to our students.

Many thanks to each and every member of our awesome Speech and Language department.

Charley Hallman, Senior Executive Director of Special Education

Staffing is underway and nearing completion. Once enrollment and scheduling needs are finalized, any affected staff will be contacted by their direct supervisor or Human Resources. If you are interested in applying to a different position, Spring Postings will come out in the next several weeks. Simply go to our website employment section and apply as an internal candidate through Frontline.

Julie Rogers

Human Resources Director

With the school year coming to a close many staff are looking into retirement. While making this shift to the next phase of your life there are many things to consider. The District is not able to offer retirement advice or guidance with the retirement process. We strongly encourage all staff seeking answers on their years of service, retirement eligibility and retirement dates to contact the Office of Retirement Services (ORS) directly. They are extremely helpful and can guide you step by step through this process. If you are looking to contact ORS please call (517) 284-4400.

Please join us in celebrating all our retirees this school year! Their commitment and contribution to our students and community has made Wayne-Westland a great place to be.

Peggy Powers

Human Resources Director

Happy spring! Throw open the windows, the fresh air feels so good after being closed in all winter, and it brings a fresh perspective.

However, if you find yourself stuck in a rut, feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed, you may need some extra support to clear the cobwebs clouding your mental well-being.

Your MESSA health plan includes AbleTo, a program that takes a different approach to behavioral health than traditional talk therapy.

With AbleTo, you work with a licensed therapist who creates a personalized eight-week program

tailored to address your struggles, concerns, and goals. Your therapist works to equip you with new skills and tools to help you reach your goals and improve your mental well-being.

AbleTo appointments are virtual, making it more convenient to find the time to focus on your mental health. Appointments are subject to your MESSA health plan’s deductible, copayment, or coinsurance. AbleTo is available to MESSA members and covered dependents who are 18 and older.

Get started today at AbleTo https://member.ableto.com/messa/

Angelle Allen

Benefits Coordinator

Congratulations to our latest group of GEM Awards winners! We applaud their efforts to make WWCSD a great place for students. Please click on the link below to learn more about our award winners.

WWCS GEM Award Winners

WWCS GEM Award Nominees

April is Stress Awareness Month—a timely reminder to prioritize mental health and well-being. In the midst of academic demands and daily responsibilities, it's crucial for both students and staff to take moments throughout the day to reset and practice mindfulness.

Remember to take some breaks. Step outside, take a few deep breaths, or engage in a quick mindfulness exercise. Your well-being is paramount, and these small breaks can make a significant difference in managing stress. Allow these moments to rejuvenate your mind, so you can have a focused and productive study session.

Remember, your mental health matters, and taking proactive steps to manage stress is a sign of strength. If you or someone you know needs support, Care Solace is available 24/7/365 for confidential mental health care coordination:

• Call: 888-515-0595 (Multilingual support available)
• Visit: www.caresolace.com/wwcsd

Take the time you need, practice mindfulness, and thrive.

Throughout the year, we will focus on different educational law topics relevant to our daily work. This monthly resource will focus on updating personal information.

• Student Teachers - Teachers, if you are interested in mentoring a student teacher in the upcoming 2024/2025 school year, please complete this survey.

• Building and Central Office Administrators must complete the Informed K12 Absence form for absence approval. Teachers, Secretaries, and Paraprofessionals will continue to use Red Rover.

• MTSS Interventionists, and any fully grant-funded staff cannot be pulled to sub for teachers. No EXCEPTIONS will be made.

• Principals and Supervisors, please retrieve building badges from all exiting staff, including Champions, Bright Futures, MCAN, etc.

• Educators with credentials expiring June 30, 2024, log into the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) to update account information. Staff are recommended to work with HR to ensure they are ready for the 2024-2025 academic year! Log into MOECS to check the status of a credential and professional learning prior to certificate renewal.

• Retiring?

  If you plan on retiring by the end of the 2023-2024 school year and would like to be honored at the May 20th Board meeting, please email Kari Matyscik at Matysck@wwcsd.net. We will make sure you are sent an invitation.

  
  

Position: Wildwood Administrative Team

Years in WWCS: 14 years

Did You Know: Jana was a physical education teacher for ten years. She taught Kindergarten-8th grades. She was an assistant principal for a total of six years. She started as a physical education teacher at Hicks Elementary in 2019 and was in that role for one year. In 2020, Jana became the assistant principal at Hicks. In 2023, Jana became the new principal at Wildwood.

Matt has worked in the school system for over twelve years. He started as a volunteer in Van Buren Public Schools back in 2012 and moved up to a long-term substitute. That position led Matt to obtain a position in Wayne Westland Community Schools teaching a 1st and 2nd grade split at Hicks Elementary. In mid-2023, he obtained the role of Assistant Principal at Wildwood Elementary and is still currently filling that role.

Jana loves spending time with her family and friends. She adores her two nephews, who are very active in sports such as football, basketball, and baseball. She has two cats, Jack and Blue, who are brothers and will be turning seven this year. Jana enjoys traveling as well and loves to visit Naples, Florida, where she taught and lived for seven years.

Matt loves spending time with his family, friends and friends that have become family. He loves spending time going out to eat and playing with his niece and nephew dogs, Ella and Orion. Matt has many human nieces and nephews, too, but has an extreme soft spot for his 2 nephews from Florida, Luca, and Landon.

Jana and Matthew often say they hit the lottery by becoming administrators at Wildwood, where so many staff members go above and beyond for their students, families, and community!

Notable Contributions: Ms. Jana Babyak and Mr. Matt Furca have truly embraced their new roles as Principal (Ms. Babyak) and Assistant Principal (Mr. Furca) at Wildwood Elementary this year. This dynamic duo jumped right in with both feet! They began planning as the 23-24 school year ended and continued all summer. They met with staff before the school year even began to get a feel for all things Wildwood, build relationships, and know how to support the start of the year and all throughout the year.

These two were no strangers to working together. Prior to being at Wildwood, they worked closely at Hicks Elementary. Ms. Babyak was the Assistant Principal and Mr. Furca was a fifth grade teacher who served in many leadership capacities.

The two have kept the enthusiasm rolling throughout the year with different community, staff, and student events which can be seen constantly throughout the building. Whether they are conducting conflict mediation with students, having practical jokes played on them by the staff, or meeting with parents to meet the needs of students, they are always moving forward together to impact growth and learning for the entire Wildwood community. They work off of each other’s strengths in order to support each other to support the school.

They are also thorough and embrace learning all the things that come with being in their new positions. Their combined grace, curiosity, professionalism, and fun-spirited natures are appreciated!

Although these two are a great team, they do disagree on one thing…U of M, or OSU?

Kate Brohl, Executive Director Elementary Curriculum & Instruction