JCAA 2006-2007 Major Event - Margaret Wheatley

JCAA 2006-2007 Major Professional Development Event
Featuring: Margaret Wheatley, Ed. D.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Arvada Center for the Arts
7:30 - 8:30 AM Check-in and Full Breakfast Buffet
8:30 - 11:30 AM Presentation

REGISTER NOW!
Click here to register!

Space is limited and filling quickly. Please send in your registration as soon as possible.

We are very pleased to bring in Dr. Margaret Wheatley for our winter professional development event. Margaret has been a consultant and speaker since 1973. Her master's degree from New York University is in systems thinking, and she holds a doctorate of education from Harvard. She is the President Emeritus of the Berkana Institute, a global charitable foundation dedicated to serving life-affirming leaders. http://www.berkana.org/index.html

Margaret has published many articles and books, including Leadership and the New Science; A Simpler Way; Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future; and her newest book, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time. You can download and read her articles from her web site at no expense: http://www.margaretwheatley.com

Principals and managers are welcome to bring a team from their school or department. Registration materials will be sent out this fall.

2006-07 Collegial Conversation Series:

REGISTER NOW! This is a mentor / networking program designed to meet the needs of 1st through 5th year principals and assistant principals beyond induction.

Click here for the flyer and more information, including dates. The groups meet monthly to discuss specific topics of concern to administrators in carrying out their duties--not only nuts and bolts responsibilities, but also leadership and management issues, as well as gaining a greater understanding of the district's organizational systems. The groups are:

• Group A (Elementary Level) Facilitated by Luann Schwartz and Robin Weikel
• Group B (Elementary Level) Facilitated by Warren Blair and Martha Tate
• Group C (Secondary Level) Facilitated by Linda Burton and Deb Gard

Please Note: A Collegial Conversations Program for central classified managers is being designed and will be available for participation in spring 2007. JCAA will be surveying central administrators and professional/technical employees to ask how you would like this program structured.

Administrator Staff Development Fund

The funding for this program is depleted for the 2006-07 school year because the district budget has been drastically reduced over the last 4 years.

However, in case not all the allocated funding is used, we are accepting applications and placing them on a waiting list. The funds may be used for administrators to attend a professional development workshop or pay for college tuition. To apply, click here to download the form and send in your application by the next deadline date. The deadline dates for accepting applications are the last working day of every month while funds are still available.

These funds are not available for non-administrators, because they are district funds designated for administrator staff development. Similar funds for teachers and coaches are managed by the JCEA office.

If you were approved for funding this year and no longer plan to attend the conference, please let us know so we can pass those funds on to the next person on the waiting list.

Wellness Tips!

Walk Your Way to Fitness:
Kaiser's Health Prevention Program will bring the 10,000 steps program to Jeffco Schools employees. All Jeffco employees are eligible to participate in the program. This eight-week program provides you with a personal pedometer to wear throughout your day to keep track of how far you walk. The goal is to walk at least 10,000 steps per day. Participants will track their individual progress through the web. Posters explaining the program and how to register will be available in your workplace late next week. Look for additional information on the Web and in the Messenger. While you are waiting – get together that team of co-workers, family or friends that will help inspire you to be successful!

Ingredient Substitutions :
When cooking your favorite recipes, consider substituting healthy ingredients for those rich in fat and calories:

• 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk for 1 cup of cream
• 1/2 cup apple butter or applesauce for 1 cup butter, margarine, or oil
• 1 egg for 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 cup sugar for 3/4 cup sugar (except with yeast breads)

Helpful Computer Hint:
This is for everyone whose eyesight isn't what it use to be or just plain tired eyes. It's very useful when trying to read small e-mail print. If you hold down the Ctrl key on your key board and turn the small wheel in the middle of your mouse, the print size will change - it will either get larger or smaller - depending on which way you turn the wheel. Give it a try and see!

JCAA Care, Concern, and Celebration Messages

As a service to our members, JCAA sends out Care, Concern, and Celebration messages to keep our colleagues connected and supported. We've had many positive comments about how much the membership appreciates hearing about their colleagues. If you have a concern or celebration or you know a colleague in need of support, please let Mary McNeil or Mary Wagner know. Please note that we always check with the person to make sure it's OK to send out the message, so that we honor his/her wishes. Thank you.

Serving Kids Clothing Program

Do you know a child in need of clothing or shoes? We can help!

JCAA and The Jefferson Foundation manage this charitable program, which provides near new clothing to Jeffco School Children in need and is cosponsored by JCAA, CSEA, JCEA, Jeffco PTA, JCU, and The Jefferson Foundation. If you know a child in need of clothing, please click here to learn how you can request clothing -- Serving Kids has our own web site. Check us out! Here is our web site address:

http://www.jcaajeffco.org/servingkids/

JCAA Pictorial Directory

The directory will be delivered via the pony in the next week, along with a wellness gift from JCAA. Members receive a copy of the directory at no charge. You may purchase extra copies or nonmembers can purchase a copy for $15.

2007 Values Awards – Honoring Exceptional Employees

New Year's Resolution: First, think about colleagues who give their all, demonstrating the district values of teamwork, integrity, exemplary performance and valuing people. Then, RESOLVE to come back to school and work with your colleagues to nominate these outstanding individuals for recognition in the Values Awards program.

It is recommended that every school/department form a diverse, broad-based committee – including certified and classified employees – to develop a list of honorees and submit the applications to the Employee Recognition Committee by Friday, Feb. 23.

Nomination forms will be available on the district Web site starting in January. Honorees should be nominated using a consensus process and NOT by individual employees. Each school and department may nominate up to four employees. All those nominated will be recognized at a ceremony – funded through a grant from the Jefferson Foundation – on Wednesday, April 25 at the Arvada Center.

The Values Awards program is sponsored by the Anchor Group, composed of representatives of CSEA, JCAA, JCEA, the Board of Education and the Cabinet.

Tough Choices or Tough Times

You've probably heard about The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce from the National Center on Education and the Economy, which outlines a specific road map for transforming all levels of education — preschool through postsecondary education — to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy. This report is gaining quite a bit of momentum here in Colorado. Here are two opportunities to learn more about it:

Presentation: The Donnell-Kay and Piton Foundations have scheduled Marc Tucker from the National Center on Education and the Economy to present at a forum January 17, 4:30-6:00 PM in Denver. Marc Tucker and one of his Commission members, Bill Brock (former U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator, U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Secretary of Labor) will be in Colorado to give a first-hand account of their work and recommendations.

Contact cwinkler@dkfoundation.org by Friday, January 12, 2007 to reserve seating. It will be held at The Jones Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th Street, Denver.

Executive Summary of the Report: To read an executive summary of the report, click on this link: http://www.skillscommission.org/pdf/exec_sum/ToughChoices_EXECSUM.pdf

Good News Breakfast Nomination Form

Does a Jefferson County business support your school? Nominate them for the Good News Celebration Award!

Over the years Jefferson County has benefited from businesses through actions or activities that have gone above and beyond their business model. This year the Good News Breakfast Coalition would like to recognize for-profit businesses who demonstrate a sustained commitment to Build Better Communities. We invite you to send us nominations for those to be honored.

Click here for the nomination form. The dead line is February 23.

Be sure to attend this year's breakfast on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The breakfast will be from 6:59 - 8:29 AM. You will need to register. Invitations will be coming out in the next month.

JCAA is an active member of the Good News Breakfast Coalition.