Help us take the next step as we build a Guiding Coalition

When we returned for the 2015-16 school year, we reviewed the progress we made as a District and discussed the need to intensify our focus on improving student learning. Over the summer we worked to identify frameworks, create structures, and make collective commitments focused on improving student achievement. These frameworks and structures will include teachers working collaboratively in teams to engage in work which will contribute to increased student learning.

Part of the work we engaged in has included implementing key practices (writing and using common assessments, planning curriculum, making decisions based on data, use of pacing guides, etc.). As we review our data, we are seeing growth from first quarter benchmark to second quarter benchmark. Our next steps will include training on how to increase our use of data to progress monitor students to identify those who need additional support and then intervene in a timely and appropriate manner. This critical next step will help us see more progress in the area of student learning. 

The development and implementation of a Guiding Coalition will help us with this next step and some of the additional work we need to do. Kotter and DuFour describe a Guiding Coalition as:

• An alliance of key members of an organization who are specifically charged to lead a change process through predictable turmoil;
• Members of the alliance should have shared goals and high levels of trust;
• But the principal must be the champion for the belief and its most vocal supporter.

The three keys to building a Guiding Coalition are:

1. Choose the right people: People with strong position power, broad experience, high credibility, and real leadership skill.
2. "Grow" the Coalition strategically — Diversity of views and voices.
3. Work as a team, not just a collection of individuals.  Do the real work together, share a vision and commitment.

The first steps toward developing and implementing a Guiding Coalition include sending teachers from each school to the Professional Learning Communities Summit being held here in Phoenix. 

We are asking for your support to provide this opportunity to a large number of our teachers by working with your principals to cover classrooms and other duties during those two and a half days.  As a token of our appreciation for your support, individuals who pitch in to make this happen will receive the gift of time the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb 3.  Your site administrators will share the details. 

We know everyone is working hard and appreciate the time and effort you dedicate to improving the academic achievement of all students. We know this is not easy work, but as I shared earlier, we are seeing growth.  Our students can and will continue to accelerate their learning and we will see this growth intensify as we continue to refine our Professional Learning Communities’ framework. 

Please see your site administrator or feel free to contact me if you have questions regarding this message.

Sincerely,

Joe Quintana

The legislature is in session; make sure legislators hear YOUR voice

The Arizona legislature is in session, and as legislators begin voting on important issues that impact our schools, you need to make sure your voice as a citizen and as an educator is heard.

One way to make your voice heard on important bill impacting public education is to access the legislature's Request to Speak system. Expect More Arizona, a non-partisan non-profit education advocacy organization, can help you create an account. The Request to Speak (RTS) system in an online tool that lets you give legislators feedback on active bills. You do not have to speak as the name implies. Instead, you can use the system to show that you support or oppose a bill and provide your reason why. It is one of the easiest ways to share your feedback directly with legislators, all from the comfort of your home. The names of those who log in either for or against a bill, along with their comments, are all part of the official record that follows the bill as it moves through the process. Simply click this link to provide Expect More Arizona with your name and home email address and they will create an account for you that you'll be able to access online. Expect More Arizona will track important bills and let you know when to take action.

Register today and Expect More Arizona will be in touch throughout the legislative session to let you know when to weigh in on education bills. Because Arizona law prevents the use of school resources to advocate for or against legislation, you must use your home email address, and only weigh-in on issues during non-work hours. Want to say something at lunch? Have at it. During your prep? Not so much.

Your comments are important . . . and critical. When education measures are proposed, legislators need to hear from those on the front lines, and they need to know how those bills will affect teaching and learning. When a legislative committee meets, members see a list of name of people who have registered an opinion, if they wish to speak, who they represent, and any comments. This information is also available when searching past committee agendas, which gives legislators an understanding of who supported or opposed a bill when determining how to vote.

Your voice matters and is important to the future of education in Arizona. Make sure it's heard.

It's Education Employee Appreciation Week!

Have we mentioned recently how much we appreciate the work all of you do on behalf of our students? Well, we don’t do it often enough, so we’re doing something about that.

First, check your mail box. Today or tomorrow every employee will receive a card expressing our gratitude and appreciation for all you do for our students. Then, on Thursday or Friday, we’ll be delivering donuts to your school, site or department (and in case you’re wondering, that’s a LOT of donuts).

In the meantime, thank you, again, for all that you do on behalf of GESD students. Our families have a lot of options when choosing a school, and because of you, they choose GESD. Your effort and your work do not go unnoticed.

Take advantage of free tax preparation; Feb. 3 set aside for GESD employees

Any individual or family who made less than $54,000 in 2015 is eligible to have their taxes done free by VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) volunteers.

Tax preparation will be offered every Wednesday from Feb. 3 through April 13 at the District Office in Room 18. Volunteers will be on hand from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. every Wednesday. If you are an employee or know someone who makes less than $54,000, VITA will assist you with your taxes. 

GESD employees can secure priority appointments by contacting Wellness Program Specialist Davita Solter through email or at 623-237-7231. Appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance. In fact, Feb. 3 has been reserved for GESD employees. While you’re having your taxes done, don’t forget that the Educator Tax Credit has been made permanent.

What you should bring


To have your tax return(s) prepared at a VITA site, you need to bring the following information with you:

• ‪Proof of identification – Picture ID;
• ‪Social Security Cards or IRS ITIN card or ITIN letter for all household members ‪Individual Taxpayers;
• Picture ID for taxpayer and spouse;
• Name, address and tax ID number of child care provider;
• Amount of money paid to child care provider in 2014;
• Account and routing numbers for direct deposit;
• Copy of last year’s tax return (if available);
• If married and filing jointly, both adults must be present to sign the required forms.

If you or anyone in your household enrolled in a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2015 you’ll get a new Form 1095 A — Insurance Marketplace Statement. You should receive this by early February, and you will need it to file your 2015 federal income tax return. If you had health coverage from another source — through your employer, Medicare, Medicaid, or you bought a plan outside the market place, you’ll report this by simply checking a box on your federal income tax form. You will not need any additional tax forms.

Classroom grants available through Tanger Outlets

Looking for fund a classroom project? Tanger Outlets Westgate is pleased to continue its TangerKIDS Grants program. With the increased shortages in funding and growing needs of schools around the country, Tanger Outlet Centers Inc. developed this program to assist local schools with funding for needed programs and/or equipment. Tanger has earmarked $1 of every coupon book sold at the center to kids and schools. The dollars available may be split between multiple grant requests.

Go here to access our TangerKIDS Grants online portal where you can submit a grant request. You will need to set up a profile in the system to submit your request. This will allow you to log on and make edits to your submission before it is complete or to review your grant request once you have submitted it. Once you set up your profile, the system will easily guide you through the step-by-step submission process.

Tanger is encouraging GESD schools and teachers to submit a grant request for the 2016-2017 school year. Grant requests can support educational programs, equipment, special projects or specific department needs. A Tanger appointed grant committee will review all requests and select which school(s) will receive funding for the upcoming school year. Grants will be considered based on scope and need as illustrated on the request form.

Please note that you must complete, electronically sign and submit your TangerKIDS Grants submission form online by March 16 in order to be considered.  Should you have any questions along the way, contact Jessica Reeves through email or at 623-877-9500.

Affordable Care Act tax information will be sent to your home

Important information about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was included with your W2 form distributed earlier this week.

Effective January 2016 GESD has an annual IRS reporting requirement to provide our employees with information regarding the availability of minimal essential health coverage and our employees’ enrollment status within our health plans.

You will receive a Form 1095-C in the mail the first week of February. This document will be sent to your home address on file with the district, and it will look very similar to your W-2 form. Note:  Part III – Covered Individuals will be left blank on this form even if you have dependents on the health care plan. This information will be provided on Form 1095-B.

If you were covered under the district health plan between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015, you will also receive Form 1095-B from the Valley Schools Employee Benefit Trust. This form provides the information you will need to report on your income tax return that you, your spouse (if you file a joint return), and individuals you claim as dependents had qualifying minimal essential health coverage for some or all months during the year.  Individuals who don’t have minimum essential coverage and don’t qualify for an exemption from this requirement may be liable for the individual shared responsibility payment with your federal income tax return. Go here or more information on the requirement to have minimum essential coverage and what is minimum essential coverage.

When you receive these information forms, you should keep them with your tax documents for your records.  These forms do not have to be filed with your tax return. Please consult your tax advisor if you need additional information.