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September 17, 2020
In This Issue
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE!
American Fidelity Visits
RepMO Return to Learn Plan
SI Day October 2
RepMO Hero Nominations Open!
Mornings with Matt
Daily Wellness Check
District and Community Announcements

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As a reminder, the Staff Communicator will be distributed each Thursday that school is in session. Archives can be found HERE.
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE
To assist the district in being able to stay in phase 1 of the RepMO Return to Learn plan, we are in need of substitute teachers and bus drivers. The district is taking the following steps to keep students in seated learning during the substitute shortage:
  • Eliminated District trainings for teachers to be absent
  • Eliminated building trainings for teachers to be absent
  • Have other personnel covering classrooms when an absence is not filled
  • Helping PENMAC advertise for Republic substitutes
  • Working with local universities to encourage student teachers to sign up with PENMAC
  • Encouraged new pathways to substitute certification through a 22 hour training course
Please share the below information with anyone you feel would be a good fit!

American Fidelity Visits
American Fidelity Assurance Company representatives will be in the district to provide the yearly employee benefit package review. This review is provided annually to all employees who work 20 hours or more, which include voluntary benefits offered through payroll deduction, plus the benefits of Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan. Open enrollment for ancillary products will begin September 21 and run through October 16. This is the window of opportunity for employees to change or add American Fidelity products for an effective date of January 1, 2021.

Each employee who qualifies (20 hours or more, double route bus drivers, and part-time retirees) for the 125 benefit program must sign off that they have been given the opportunity to view available products offered. Please know that no one should feel pressured to sign up for any product. This is the only opportunity for individuals who want added insurance to sign up for these benefits/services. The Individual meetings are mandatory to eligible employees in order to keep the district compliant with the legal IRS guidelines.

Your building/department will share the date(s) in which American Fidelity will be in your building/department and also directions on how to sign up for a time slot.
RepMO Return to Learn Plan
The RepMO Return to Learn plan is in full swing! The district's goal is to remain in phase 1 as much as possible throughout the school year. Below are links to several resources we've shared previously that will assist with how to navigate the COVID19 situation.
republicschools.org/healthupdates (Includes a case tracker that's updated weekly)
SI Day October 2
There will be no school for students October 2 for a scheduled School Improvement Day, which will allow for teacher training and collaboration. Families needing childcare can sign up by Friday, September 25 at 4:30 p.m. for Cub Care by clicking HERE. Cub Care is available for kindergarten-8th grade students and also preschool PALS students.

**TEACHERS PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FAMILIES!**

RepMO Hero Nominations Open!
The Republic School District looks forward to honoring staff members who go above the call of duty through the RepMO Hero program! Each month (September-April) either a certified or classified employee from each of the building/department groups listed below will be honored for their part in implementing our district mission of preparing each student for a successful future. Those individuals will be recognized individually by their building/department group and by Central Office. 

Then, a committee will review the nominations of those individuals and one employee will be chosen as the RepMO Hero of the Month. The RepMOHero will receive $500 to be used at his/her discretion to purchase resources for his/her building/department. In addition, the RepMO Hero of the Month will be recognized at the following month's Board of Education meeting and through district communication channels.

RULES/GUIDELINES:
There is no limit on how many different employees you can nominate per month.
Nominations will be accepted throughout each month using the deadlines below. Nominations will carry over.
You can nominate ANYONE! They do not have to be a part of your nomination group (listed below).

NOMINATION GROUPS:
1. Custodial, nurses, aides/paras and food service building employees will be nominated by schools.
2. Departments will nominate staff members according to the schedule.
3. Central Office (including SPED office, Federal Programs office, and Food Service office), Elementary & Secondary Learning, Professional Learning, Data and Assessment, School Resource Officers, Maintenance, and IT will combine for the nominations.
4. Transportation will nominate staff members according to the schedule.
5. STRIPES 360 Staff members can be nominated by STRIPES or sites.
6. Sites can nominate an additional person from any of the departments in numbers 2 through 6.

NOMINATION SCHEDULE:
Per the above schedule, classified employees will be honored for the month of September. Between now and September 30 use the link below (form link also under the "Staff" tab on the website) to nominate a classified employee for RepMO Hero.

Mornings with Matt
Below is the schedule of meeting times for "Mornings with Matt." For those who remember from the past, Dr. Wistrom hosted "Chats with Chance" and "Mornings with Matt" will be an extension of that. Each month Dr. Pearce will visit a building to host conversations with employees. These meetings are casual opportunities where employees can visit with Dr. Pearce regarding any topic of their choice. Building libraries will be the location of these meetings with the exception of EC (classroom) and the Transportation Department (meeting room).

ALL employees are invited to EVERY meeting, if you'd like to attend! Dr. Pearce looks forward to visiting with many of you through this opportunity!

September 22: McCulloch library at 7:30 a.m.
October 13: Schofield library at 7:30 a.m.
October 27: RMS library at 6:30 a.m.
November 24: Sweeny library at 7:30 a.m.
December 8: Transportation meeting room at 8:30 a.m.
December 22: RHS library at 6:30 a.m.
January 12: Lyon library at 7:30 a.m.
January 26: Early Childhood classroom at 7:30 a.m.
February 23: RMS library at 6:30 a.m.
March 30: Price library at 7:30 a.m.
April 27: RHS library 6:30 a.m.
 Daily Wellness Check
Each day we are asking all employees and students to do a wellness check before they come to school. Following these guidelines will help everyone stay healthy!   

District and Community Announcements
For those planning to attend the 9/18 football game at Nixa, please review the information in the graphic below. There will be 600 tickets available for Republic fans. Visit https://nixaathletics.net/tickets to purchase in advance. If you don't get tickets in advance it's possible that tickets will be available at the gate, but not guaranteed. COC passes will be permitted at the gate as well.
 
Upcoming Dates
September 17: School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at CO 
September 18: Progress 1 Reports Distributed for RMS & RHS
September 23: End of Progress 1 for Elementary
October 2: Progress 1 Reports Distributed for Elementary
October 2: SI Day, No School for Students
For questions or comments please contact me via email or by calling 417-732-3605.
  
Sincerely,
  

Josey McPhail

Director of Communications
Republic School District