January 2023 | Monthly news for and about the staff of Northwest Education Services

Living Our Values

Dear North Ed Staff,



Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful break and found time to enjoy with family and friends, and that you are able to return to the new year rejuvenated and excited to continue our work.

We will make progress on a number of initiatives this year, such as construction projects at our buildings; advancing the “grow your own” programs to improve staffing and retention; working with our partners to address regional issues like early child care capacity and housing; bolstering our support for local schools; and always striving to ensure excellence in education for our students.

As we continue these monumental efforts in tandem with our own organizational growth through SAIL 2.0 and strategic planning, it can feel overwhelming. There is simply a lot happening. However, I find it useful to reflect back to our values:

• Students/Learners First: We prioritize the needs of all learners
• Relationships: We recognize the power of collaboration
• Integrity: We operate in a transparent, fair, honest manner
• Listening: We honor varying perspectives
• Service: We respond to the needs of our learning community
• Diversity: We embrace the unique gifts of all
• Equity: We strive to meet the varying needs of all
• Empathy: We seek to understand
• Excellence: We aim to provide the highest quality of service and support

Grounding ourselves in these guiding principles will allow us to start the new year off on the right note, and when everything feels overwhelming they can serve as a reminder of the “why” behind what we’re doing.

As we re-engage with our work for the new year and spend time reflecting on our values, is there one that you connect with most? Maybe it is a value you hold near to your heart, or it may be one that you want to work toward more this calendar year. Share your thoughts with us by filling out this Google Form. We would love to hear about how our teammates are living North Ed’s values!

As we kick off 2023, I wish you all the best in the new year. 

Respectfully,

Each organizational value represents a principle North Ed holds in high regard. Our values guide the decisions we make, the actions we take and the goals we strive for. Take the survey below to tell us which of the nine North Ed values stands out to you:

SAIL(ORS): Organizational Recognition System

Use the form linked below to nominate a colleague who has gone above and beyond in their work. That colleague will receive an email copy of your nomination. One person is selected from the pool of nominees each month to be recognized by the North Ed Board of Education. 

Welcome New Employees

Adonia Cort

Teacher Assistant, Life Skills Center

Previous work: Helmer House Inn

Education: Grand Traverse Academy; Agape Healthcare School for EMT classes

Fun Fact: Enjoys fishing, hiking, kayaking, spending time with family and being outdoors

Dyanna Roberts

Benefits Specialist

Previous work: Gladwin Community Schools

Education: Gladwin High School

Interests: Enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing, camping and photography.

Fun Fact: Her current challenge is to photograph a gorgeous sunset.

Amy Strom

Early On Coordinator

Previous work: TCAPS GSRP Coordinator

Education: Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University

Interests: Hiking, kayaking, pickleball, knitting, reading and traveling

Welcome new arrival!

Erik Jamil Chargo

Born December 4, 2022

6 lbs., 11 oz., 19.5" long to

Nicole Chargo, Speech Pathologist

Celebrations

MLK Day

Did you know the late Michigan Rep. John Conyers was a critical proponent of establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Or that Stevie Wonder’s song “Happy Birthday” was inspired by MLK and helped garner public support for the now federal holiday? What about the few Southern states that actually recognize the birthday of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate Army general, on the same day as MLK Day?

Adoption of the bill to make MLK Day a federally recognized holiday took 15 years, an effort started by Conyers just days after King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Once passed by Congress, President Ronald Reagan immediately signed it into law in 1983; however, it wasn’t until 2000 that every state in the Union finally observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day – more than three decades after his death and 37 years following his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech:

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:  ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.’”

Read more about the origins of MLK Day.

MLK Resources

Check out these Educational materials focused on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Professional Growth Opportunity

Interested in social justice? Want to learn more about equity? Do you care about justice for marginalized groups? If you haven’t already taken it, consider registering for “An Introduction to Social Justice for Educators: The Core Course.” This professional development opportunity consists of eight two-hour sessions from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 10 and ending April 18. There are a limited number of seats available, so register now through Unified Talent. 

School Board Recognition

Thank you

School Board Members

January is School Board Recognition Month and this year we honor our Northwest Education Services' Board of Education members who, combined, have given 106.5 years of service to our community of schools.

Thank you!

President Joe Fisher

Vice President Jim Scherrer

Treasurer Liz McKellar

Secretary Rachael Birgy

Trustee Nicki Brown

Trustee Jim Carpenter

Trustee Jason Tank

Student News

Doing Good in the Community

The Transition Campus ACE program promotes student growth through volunteerism and active engagement in our community. This year Ty, Hayden and Julius joined the Red Kettle army to help ring in holiday spirit in support of the annual Salvation Army fund drive that provides for individuals and families in need throughout the year.

Donations & Assistance

Community Resources

Everyone needs a little help once in a while. Below are some resource lists for organizations that offer assistance to families and individuals in our region, both during the holiday season and throughout the entire year.

• Holiday Assistance and Anytime Resources
• Traverse City Community Resource Guide
• Grand Traverse County Health Department: Health and Community Resources
• Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency
• Michigan 2-1-1

Current Donation Requests for North Ed Programs

CAREER TECH

Donations may be dropped off at the front office:

• Interview clothes: Blazers, ties, button-down shirts, blouses, slacks, skirts, etc.
• Shop clothes: Jeans/pants, sturdy work boots, etc.
• Winter clothes: Jackets, gloves, winter boots, etc.
• "Student" clothing: Hoodies, jeans, T-shirts, etc.
• Hygiene items (new/in package): Deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste, soap, etc.
• Non-perishable "easy" foods: Protein bars, mac-n-cheese, cans of soup, etc.

McKINNEY-VENTO PROGRAM

Donations can be dropped off at East Arnell, Attn: Marty Guiney.

• Gently used or new children's clothing, coats and shoes
• New children's socks and underwear
• Hats and gloves
• Pull-ups (Large and X-large) 
• Children's snow pants
• While we will accept any size children and young adult clothing, we are in immediate need of boys size 5-6T, boys size 12, and girls size 8-10 clothes.

BUS BAG PROGRAM

Donations can be dropped off at East Arnell, Attn: Marty Guiney.

• Small toys such as Matchbox cars, small plastic animals, small dolls
• Paperback books, especially non-fiction books with pictures for our older students at LSC and easy-reader books for our younger students (they love books with characters from popular kid TV shows or movies)
• Activity books (picture searches, connect-the-dot, coloring)
• Fidgets
• Hand-held or travel games (no small pieces please)

Be sure to get ALL the news!

Click here to view in a web browser

North Ed NETWORK NEWS

Learn more about North Ed programs, services, students and colleagues in all the latest newsletters linked below!

Last month's Staff Newsletter - Check it Out 12.1.22

Farm to School - December 2022

WhAT's Up - Assistive Technology - December 2022

REMC 2C - December 2022

DATES TO REMEMBER - Summary of the 2022-23 School Year!

Crosstown rivalry - Spreading holiday cheer at North Ed Admin & Career Tech.

Retirement Planning

2023 Pension Seminars

For employees hired before July 1, 2010

Benefit Plan: Basic/MIP/DC Converted

Tuesday, March 21, 2023, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 4:30 & 6:30 p.m.

Location: North Ed Conference Center

For employees hired on or after July 1, 2010

Benefit Plan: Pension Plus/Defined Contribution (DC)

Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 4:30 p.m.

Location: North Ed Conference Center

Not sure which seminar you should attend? Contact Holly: holly@marsprps.com

Changes in Personnel

Dyanna Roberts has assumed the benefits specialist position in Human Resources, following the departure of Jackie Palfey, who left North Ed for another employment opportunity. If you have questions or need to submit information related to your health benefits, please contact Dyanna at droberts@NorthwestEd.org. 

Annual Certification Reminder and Requirements

On Jan. 1, educators may begin applying for renewal or recertification in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS)

https://www.michigan.gov/mde/Services/ed-serv/ed-cert/cert-guidance

Applying for a new certificate early in the calendar year does not cause that new certificate to expire any earlier. All certificates expire on June 30, five years after issuance.



The MOECS public search (https://mdoe.state.mi.us/MOECS/PublicCredentialSearch.aspx) can be used to verify certificate expiration dates. Please apply for recertification as early as possible to avoid lapses in certification. For additional information, please contact the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Educator Excellence at MDE-EducatorHelp@Michigan.gov or 517.241.5000 

Snow Day Expectations

Please review the details linked here for snow day work expectations for the 2022-2023 school year.

All North Ed buildings will remain open on snow days. Any questions should be directed to your supervisor.

$500 Referral Bonus Expands

North Ed staff can earn a $500 bonus for successfully referring someone who joins our team as any of the following positions:

• School Psychologist
• School Social Worker
• Speech and Language Pathologist
• Special Education Teacher
• Teacher Assistant
• Paraprofessional

Due to an ongoing need to fill these positions, this opportunity will remain in place until vacancies are filled. Simply email the name of your referral to HR Generalist Jaime Walton. If that person is hired, you will get a $500 bonus in your paycheck.

2022 W-2 Reminder

W-2's for the 2022 calendar year will be issued by Jan. 31, 2023. Employees with mailboxes at the Administration building will receive their W-2 in their school mailbox. Employees who do not have a school mailbox at the Administration building will receive their W-2's at home through US Mail. 

To ensure that W-2's are mailed to the correct address, please verify your address on your paystub. Employees with direct deposit can access paycheck information online by using the MyInfo - Direct Deposit link found in the "North Ed Bookmarks" folder in the Google Chrome internet browser. The North Ed Bookmarks folder is located on the bookmarks bar of your web browser when logged into your North Ed Google account. If you need assistance with the MyInfo portal, please contact Teresa Whitscell in the Business Office at twhitscell@NorthwestEd.org.

If the address listed on your pay stub is incorrect, please email your correct address to Sabrina Gunning (sgunning@NorthwestEd.org) or Tina Martinek (tmartinek@NorthwestEd.org) in Payroll. 

W-4 Changes for 2023 

Please note that you will need to file a new W-4 (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate) if the filing status, dependents, other income, deductions or credits listed on your current W-4 will change for the 2023 calendar year. Your current W-4 filing status for federal and state income tax withholding are shown in the lower right side of your pay stub. 

Please contact the Northwest Education Services payroll office (Sabrina Gunning) to obtain a blank W-4 form if you wish to change your federal or state withholding status. 

North Ed employees may view their pay stubs by visiting https://www.myinfo.misd.net/ or by clicking on the "My Info Direct Deposit" link in the North Ed Bookmarks folder when logged in to the Google Chrome web browser using a work account (Gmail username). 

North Ed Bytes

Join your colleagues to learn more about the tools and resources available to all Northwest Education Services team members. These "mini-PD" sessions are generally 20-30 minutes and cover topics that extend beyond technology to other tools and helpful tips that you may not be familiar with. Employees may attend as many sessions as desired. We will provide the coffee or tea refill and you can learn with your colleagues at the Arnell Administration building or Career Tech. Contact Brandi Reynolds (breynolds@NorthwestEd.org) for suggestions or questions 231.922.6280. Here are the next two sessions:

• Connect and Use the Tools in the Conference & Board Rooms with Confidence
• Jan. 6, 8:40-9 a.m., Grand Traverse A & B, Arnell
• Learn the many ways you can connect to the various displays the each space. There are options for video conferencing and recordings that we will demonstrate as well.
• Why is My Google Drive So Messy?
• Jan. 13, 8:40-9 a.m., Benzie Room, Arnell
• Learn how to manage your Google Drive and use built-in Google tools for organizing and searching.

KC Supports Bridgeway

Thank you to Traverse City Knights of Columbus St. Francis of Assisi Parish Council 13958 for their donation to the North Ed Bridgeway program for students with Autism. The generous donations received from members of the community are an important part of making a difference in a child's educational experience.

Get in the Yoga State of Mind

Rejuvenate your body, mind and inner spirit with weekly yoga classes taught by North Ed nutrition facilitator and certified yoga instructor Marisa Hrbal. All abilities are welcome to these one-hour sessions, beginning Thurs., Jan. 5 at 4:30 p.m.

Bring your own yoga mat and meet at the North Ed Conference Center. No experience necessary. RSVP to Marisa mhrbal@NorthwestEd.org

North Ed Apparel Store Now Open

North Ed swag is available for purchase! Order direct from our approved supplier. It's easy! Browse the North Ed online catalog TODAY!

Website link location:

Intranet/North Ed Brand/Be a Brand Ambassador

Getting the Lingo Right

As you talk about Northwest Education Services (shortened to North Ed, not Northwest Ed), it is important that we all use the correct words and represent the organization in unified fashion. Brand integrity depends on each of us. If you have brand questions or need logos for an event, document or presentation, contact the Communications Department at NorthEdNews@NorthwestEd.org.