A Message from Dr. Pam Wells
I hope this message finds you and your family well. Although we are not together every day, Region 4 team members continue to support each other as a community. Taking care of yourselves and your families is very important. As you know, this Friday, April 10, is a Region 4 holiday, and I encourage you to take the three-day weekend for self-care and to connect with family and friends, even if only remotely. #StayHome  
We must work together to fight COVID-19 and to flatten the curve so our hospitals are not overwhelmed. In order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will continue to reach out to you via email, phone, and text message over the next two weeks to share vitally important public health guidance. This public health guidance is based on what scientists know about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and it is our hope that you will do what you can to follow these practices and share them with your friends and family.
Please continue to implement protocols based on recommendations from health experts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These include:
  • Whenever possible, Stay at Home!
  • Remain six (6) feet away from other people when you are in a group. 
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • The CDC now recommends that when you go out of your home you should wear a cloth mask or bandana to help prevent the spread of the disease. 
 
Following this guidance will help us keep our community safe. Thank you for continuing to support Region 4 and the educators, students, and schools we serve during this difficult time and ensuring that we continue to provide Excellence in Service for Children .
According to the updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are continued risks posed by the COVID-19 virus. This has prompted Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo to extend the Stay Home, Work Safe order until April 30, 2020. For more information, click here.
COVID-19 Resources 4 Schools Update
We want to thank all Region 4 team members who have been contributing to the Region 4 COVID-19 resources page. Recently, Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Mike Morath asked our executive director, Dr. Pam Wells, to share our resources page with him. He then invited superintendents and executive directors from around the state to access our Region 4 COVID-19 resources page to assist educators in their own communities.

The website features resources dedicated to Instruction, Child Nutrition, Mental Health and Wellness, and Business Operations.

As of April 6, our COVID-19 main page received more than 12,872 page views, and an additional 46,797 views on the individual instructional resources page. People from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have visited the website, as well as visitors from at least 10 other countries.

Here are the Top Five visiting states so far:
1. Texas
2. Virginia
3. California
4. North Carolina
5. Illinois

Kudos to all who have contributed to this important resource!
Region 4 Staff Resources

Region 4 is continually updating all internal communication regarding COVID-19 on a website created specifically for Region 4 staff. The Region 4 Staff Resources page is accessible from the main esc4.net home page and is located at the bottom left, below the In4mation link.

Continue to visit the Staff Resources page, as it will contain updated e-mail communications from Dr. Wells, tips on how to stay active and engaged, and information regarding staff benefits.

For questions regarding this page, please e-mail solutions@esc4.net.
New Information from Region 4 Human Resources
The Department of Labor says that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave, and it has expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The act goes into effect April 1 and continues through December 31, 2020.

Region 4 employees with questions should contact Human Resources (HR).
See the contact list below to find an HR team member to assist you.
‌
Melody Goffney, EdD
Human Resources Director
713.744.6546
  • General HR questions
Brittany Lloyd
Human Resources Specialist
713.744.6527
  • Benefits (e.g., health insurance, investments, annuity)
  • Salary calculations, IRS forms, and direct deposit
  • Work schedules
  • Service records
  • Family and Medical Leave, workers' compensation, short-term disability
Mayra Rocio
Human Resources Assistant
713.744.6544
  • Job postings
  • Job applications
  • Recruitment
  • Start date and work schedules
  • Salary details
  • General HR questions
Elise Wong
Human Resources Coordinator
713.744.6304
  • New employee orientation
  • Professional development
  • Recruitment
  • Employee wellness program
  • Performance management
  • General HR questions
Staff SPOTLIGHT
Dyslexia Leadership Network
Region 4 team members from Reading/Language Arts Solutions and Special Education Solutions recently held a Dyslexia Leadership Network meeting.
The 124 attendees discussed
  • Kindergarten and First Grade dyslexia screenings for the 2020–2021 school year.
  • Senate Bill 139–Notice to Families and Senate Bill 2075, which includes talking books.
  • Best practices and shared solutions.

Dyslexia representatives included coordinators and directors from across Region 4, the Texas state lead for dyslexia, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) dyslexia specialist, and specialists from education service centers from across the state. They collaborated on district procedures and services for students with dyslexia in this time of school closure. Guidance from the Department of Ed and the TEA were shared and action steps were outlined to ensure dyslexia services meet current expectations.

Meeting leaders from Region 4 included Reading/Language Arts Solutions director Dr. Jennifer Brock and education specialists Mary Yarus and Jan Cook, and Special Education Solutions education specialist Kara Zwolinski.

To showcase your team's work in this newsletter, contact solutions@esc4.net .
Virtual Technical Assistance

Just-in-time subject-area assistance from the following departments is available on the Region 4 COVID-19 page. Click the links below for details.
Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands
The COVID-19 pandemic has been rapidly spreading and the number of new cases is increasing. In order to prevent the further spread of the virus, health officials continue to provide information on the basics, such as remembering to wash our hands and avoid touching our faces.

Read this article from the Mayo Clinic on how to wash your hands and what to do when soap and water are not available. Click here.