Employee N622 ews A newsletter published for employees of District 622 April 1, 2019 Superintendent News & Notes Early Voting has begun! Welcome to April! Mail and in-person voting started After weeks of work by our March 29 legislators, Governor Walz is Help spread the word that you don’t need to finally signing a bill into law this wait until May 14 to vote on the District 622 bond afternoon that will forgive MN referendum. Residents can vote early by mail or districts for the missed school Christine Osorio in person starting March 29. Visit the Bond 2019 days caused by the polar vortex Voting Information webpage for more detailed and excessive snow this winter. That means, information. barring any additional snow days, we no longer Vote early in-person - mostly during business have to worry about making up lost instructional hours and on Saturday, May 11. time. If you are so inclined, please thank your • Ramsey County residents can vote at the lawmakers, and Senator Wiger in particular, as he downtown St. Paul Ramsey County office was one of the leaders of this effort! (beginning March 29) or Maplewood Library (May 7 - May 13 only). As we move into the final six weeks until election • Washington County residents can vote at the day (May 14), we need your help to ensure our Washington County offices in Woodbury or families and community are getting the facts Stillwater. Locations and hours can be found on about our facilities bond referendum. If you see or the Bond 2019 Voting Information webpage. hear of people with misinformation, please reach Vote early by mail - Get an absentee ballot out and share the link to our referendum website, application from your school office - or download www.isd622.org/bond2019. An updated facilities the absentee ballot application for your county on presentation has been posted as well. Thank you the Bond 2019 Voting Information webpage. Once for your continued support in helping our voters you submit the application, a ballot will be sent make an informed decision on May 14th! to you with instructions. Ballots must be received by the appropriate county office no later than May Please check out the health insurance update 14. on page 4. We are facing our first rate increase Parents often say they forgot to vote or they in many years and I want to ensure that all got too busy on Election Day. Make sure they know employees are staying current with the updates. about the early voting options and offer to help them find the early voting information on our Finally, consider volunteering at Project Family website. And if you live in the district, be sure you Connect on Saturday, April 13. More information vote too! can be found on page 6. I wish you all a warm and productive April! Updated! Christine Osorio Bond 2019 presentation Getting to know...Health Services In District 622, each building has a health agreed. “I love being able to help a student with professional designated to the health needs of their ongoing health needs and watching them students. In all, there are eight BSNs (Bachelor of become more independent from one year to the Science Registered Nurses) who oversee multiple next with managing their own medications or buildings, create care plans, and provide training, treatments,” she noted. and a mix of 23 ARNs (Associate Degree Registered Nurse) and LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses) in the “I feel proud when I see students be happy and health offices, for a total of 32 full-time nurses. healthy,” said Betsy Schrader, Skyview Elementary. There are also 11 nurse substitutes. “My goal is to not just take care of health needs but to form positive relationships with students. “With the continuous changes in student health I enjoy talking with each student to learn new needs, they actively work to be a strong support things. I think this is imperative to form a unique and advocate for the individual student and their bond with students to provide well-rounded care.” families,” said Alecia Gustafson, Health Services Supervisor. “They triage 30-90 students per day These health professionals enjoy providing a safe in each health office, with the ultimate goal of and comforting space for students and helping student health and safety AND keeping kids in them with all aspects of their health, be it a new school/class.” diagnosis or a chronic health issue. They also know that connecting with students who might not feel “I really enjoy the journey with our early childhood like they have many adults to trust and need an students,” noted Teresa Zachary, Beaver Lake, extra hug on a rough day is important as well. Gladstone, and Eagle Point. “It’s so rewarding to watch a child come in for screening, start a “Whether to wrap a cut finger, ice a bruised knee preschool program and flourish with the support or ease an anxious heart, these are all chances for of our amazing teachers and support staff.” positive interactions to encourage students in their school learning environment,” said Mary Fowler, Along those same lines, Carrie Sullivan, Cowern, Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Presentation, and the Church of St. Peter. “I am grateful for the Alecia Salo, Kale Remmers, Corrine Ravenwald, Doreen Lendway Darla Winter Kari Vanscoyk Kelly Ayd Lynn Soler Kelli Johnson Julie Koster 2 opportunity to offer health support to our students.” The team receives a plethora of requests, but most often get asked for ice packs, Band-Aids®, and personal hygiene products. Other requests include taking temperatures, a chance to lay down if they didn’t sleep well the night before, and food. Leah Mortenson, Doreen, Stacy Jones, Betsy Schrader, Alecia Health Services holds a monthly in-service with all nurses, including health staff for non-public schools housed within district boundaries. This year, the team has had in-services with presenters from Ramsey Carrie Sullivan County Public Health, a diabetes educator from the University of Minnesota, and mental health training with the trauma training team from District 622. There are also BSN meetings to discuss certain topics on staff development days. “This team is incredibly dedicated and hard-working,” Gustafson added. “Their work goes unnoticed by Melissa Reis, Deb Givot many, but they are the most caring and compassionate Megan McKelvey people I know!” Outside of work, these individuals have an array of interests, including crafting, traveling, exercising, playing instruments, redecorating rooms in their homes, enjoying the tranquility of nature, volunteering, growing in their faith, and spending Kate Brazil, Alecia Kim Moore time with friends and family. Teresa Zachary, Viviane Vaaj Heather Bombardir, Sawanda Smith Mary Fowler Linda Buesing Not pictured: Lori Olson (Richardson) Kelly Riemenschneider Chris Stickler (Richardson) Andrea Stone Viviane Yang (Maplewood) Cathy DeGiusti, Nancy David 3 Human Resources News IMPORTANT - Health Insurance Rate Increases Health insurance rates will be going up an overall increase of 10% effective July 1, 2019. The change is due to an increase this year in our medical claims. Our health insurance rates are set at an amount each year to assure that we have sufficient funds to pay our medical claims. For 2019-20, our expected claims will be more than the amount of money we collect in premium. Therefore, rates need to increase to be able to cover the cost of our plan. It is typical to see fluctuations in medical claims over time. After many years of low claims, we are now experiencing higher claims. Right now we are paying approximately $48,000 more per week for claims than we did at the same time last year. At the same time, we have not not seen an increase in our insurance rates for many years. Since 2010, the overall health care rates have not changed significantly. For example, the rates for the 200-25 plan have only increased $33 for single coverage over the last six years. What happens next? The monthly premium for employees will increase effective July 1, 2019. Most employees will see this increase on their paycheck in the fall when insurance deductions begin on the October 15th check. Employees that work year round (12 months) will see the increase on their July 15th paycheck. Information on the new rates will be sent out as part of Open Enrollment. Open Enrollment will be held May 3 - 20, 2019. During Open Enrollment, you will have the option to review the cost of other health plans and may change to a health plan with a less expensive premium. What can I do? Being a good consumer of health care helps you and the health plan. The choices we make in where we receive healthcare, and even what pharmacy we use, all affect our claims. If you are ill, your options range from calling the CareLine to get free advice from an RN to stopping at a convenient clinic to visiting the emergency room. You may only pay a copay or portion of the cost towards your deductible, yet, the remainder of the cost is an expense paid by our health plan. Choosing the CareLine over the emergency room is less costly to the health plan. Additional information will be provided during Open Enrollment on how to best utilize the health care options available to you. For updates on the new rates and other important benefit information visit the website at www.isd622.org/benefits. 4 Scene around 622 1 2 3 4 5 6 Upper left: Staff at Castle are all smiles amidst the construction going on around them. Upper right: Oakdale staff were all smiles when I stopped by to take some photos around the school.