October 30, 2015 ebulletinboard Archive
ebulletinboard is e-mailed on pay dates in August - May (except during extended holidays) to all employees to inform you about events, workshops and other matters of interest. Principals and other location supervisors should post one copy for employees who do not have e-mail. Editions are archived for reference.
AWARDS/APPLICATIONS/CONTESTS/GRANTS
K-12 EDUCATORS
Ezra Keats Foundation – Grants of up to $500 for Keats-themed projects that foster creative expression, collaboration, and interaction within a diverse community of students. Previously funded projects have included murals, pen pal groups, theater productions, publications, intergenerational activities, and programs that bring disparate communities together. To access the simple, online application, click here. Deadline: March 31, 2016. Audience: K-12 Educators. Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113.
Greenville County Schools Cohort - Clemson University is seeking educators with strong leadership potential to join their Greenville cohort beginning in the summer of 2016. The cohort is open to educators working for Greenville County Schools. Please click the links for information about the cohort and the program of study. There will be an Information Session on November 10, 2015 at 4:30 at the University Center in Greenville. Registration is not required. For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Frederick Buskey at (828) 550-3790 or bbuskey@clemson.edu. For admission questions, please contact Dr. Dave Fleming at (864) 656-1881, or dflemin@clemson.edu. Audience: All Educators. Contact: Patty Fox, Human Resources, 355-3173.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
Lily Sarah Grace Stepping Stone Grant – Grants of up to $450 for K-5 projects that focus on creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Projects should use Arts Infused Inquiry Based Learning. Projects must first be listed on Donorschoose.org in order to be considered by the foundation. To access the simple, online application, click here. Deadline: Rolling. Audience: K-5 Educators. Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113.
MIDDLE AND HIGH EDUCATORS
Sponsor-a-Hive Grants – The Honeybee Conservancy is offering material grants to set up and maintain an on-site bee sanctuary. Hives should be used to advance education across multiple academic areas and support local food initiatives. Bees and supplies will be available in March/April 2016. Click here for more information. Deadline: December 4, 2015. Audience: Middle and High Educators. Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113.
Toshiba America Foundation – The foundation is offering grants of up to $5,000 for 6th-12th grade project-based learning projects in math and science classrooms. Grant funding may not be used for computers, electronics, salaries, or summer and after school projects. For more information or to begin the online application process, click here. Deadline: February 1, 2016. Audience: Middle and High Educators. Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Click HERE for Human Resources Home Page
NOTICES/REQUESTS
ALL EMPLOYEES
Daylight Savings Time Ends This Weekend – Remember that Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 a.m. (The first Sunday in November clocks should be moved back 1 hour.)
PEBA Dental Plan Update – Dental Plus premiums for 2016 - PEBA has provided notification that BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina will continue to be the state dental plan administrator in 2016. The State Dental Plan monthly premiums will not change. However, the 2016 monthly premiums for Dental Plus will increase and are listed below:
|
Coverage Level
|
2015
Monthly Premium
|
2016
Monthly Premium
|
Monthly
Premium Increase
|
|
Employee Only
|
$24.58
|
$25.96
|
$1.38
|
|
Employee/Spouse
|
$49.66
|
$52.46
|
$2.80
|
|
Employee/Children
|
$57.26
|
$60.50
|
$3.24
|
|
Full Family
|
$74.22
|
$78.60
|
$4.38
|
Employees with dental plan coverage, or those that enrolled during the 2015 open enrollment, have until December 11, 2015, to cancel Dental and/or Dental Plus coverage for themselves and any eligible family members for the 2016-2017 plan years. Please note: this is not an additional enrollment period; it’s only an opportunity to cancel elected dental coverage. In addition, you will not be permitted to change coverage levels; employee to family, etc. If you wish to cancel coverage, you must come to the central office, 301 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville, SC 29601 no later than Friday, December 11, 2015. Changes will not be accepted after the deadline. Audience: All Employees. Contact the Benefits Department at 355-0960 or by email benefits@greenville.k12.sc.us if you have any questions.
Changes to Prescription Benefits Effective January 1, 2016 - PEBA and Express Scripts, the company administering the State Health Plan prescription drug benefit effective January 1, 2016, are working to make sure you get the medications you need conveniently and at the lowest possible cost. Physicians and pharmacists continually review and compare the medications on a pharmacy network’s formulary, which is the network’s list of preferred drugs, including new drugs and generics. As a result, some safe and effective drugs become “preferred” and others may become “non-preferred.”
What are “preferred” and “non-preferred” medications?
· Preferred, or formulary, medications are effective medications that are similar to non-preferred medications. This list of drugs is determined based on the advice of pharmacists and a group of independent doctors. Preferred medications cost less than non-preferred medications. Click on formulary for the State Health Plan/Express Scripts basic formulary effective January 1, 2016. Please note: Not all drugs on the list are covered by all prescription plans and the enclosed list might not show every covered drug.
· Non-preferred, or non-formulary, medications are those medications not on the State Health Plan’s list of recommended drugs and therefore may cost you more.
If you currently are prescribed a drug that is not on the preferred list, we encourage you to talk with your doctor now about prescribing preferred drugs that are on the formulary list. Doing this can save you money and using generic drugs may save you even more. Audience: All Employees. If you have any questions, please call Express Scripts at 855-612-3128.
American Education Week (November 16-20) – Greenville County Schools will celebrate American Education Week November 16-20 with the theme, Inspiration happens here every day. Powerful. Enlightening. Limitless. Messages will be placed on the GCS website and Facebook page each day of the week to recognize our employee groups.
· Monday – School Support Staff
· Tuesday – Bus Transportation Staff
· Wednesday – Educators
· Thursday – Operations/Maintenance Staff
· Friday – District Staff
Our Teacher of the Year, Shiree Turner Fowler from Hollis Academy, will be featured in a television public service announcement that will air on The Schools Channel and local stations. Included in this year’s celebration will be a drawing for great prizes donated by local business partners. Winners will be drawn from all entries received in the October edition of Enlighten e-news. Audience: All Employees. Contact: Susan Clarke, Communications Dept., 355-8874.
EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS
ALL EMPLOYEES
Golden Apple Rewards – Check out the website at www.goldenapplerewards.com for the latest additions to the discount program. Recently added: Southern Christmas Show, save $2.50 on Adult Ticket, November 11 -22 at The Park Expo and Conference Center, Charlotte, N.C. Audience: All Employees. Contact: Susan Clarke, Communications Dept., 355-8874.
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Discounts – Bon Secours Wellness Arena is offering discounts on most Clemson men’s basketball home games. Specific games are listed on the flyer. Audience: All Employees. Contact: Rhonda Ratcliff, Group Sales Manager, (864) 250-4952, rratcliff@bswarena.com.
MISCELLANEOUS
ALL EMPLOYEES
The Schools Channel (Charter Digital Channel 190, AT&T U-verse Channel 99, 24 hours a day, GCS homepage) – You can watch the Schools Channel live on the district website. The link appears on the district homepage. Click HERE to learn more about the Schools Channel programs and TV schedule.
GCS YouTube Channel – Click HERE to watch the latest from Greenville County Schools. Contacts: Meredith Murray or Jeff Hoffman, Video Production Services, 452-0122.
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS
Purge negative people from your life. Positive mental health is an important part of a healthy life. You don’t need toxic people in your life. If you feel that a friend is overly critical or negative, then let him/her go.
Breathe Deeply - Oxygen is a vital source of life. Most of us don’t breathe properly – we take only shallow breathes and breathe to 1/3 of our lung capacity. Athletes are coached proper breathing techniques to get their best performance. A full breath is one where your lungs are completely filled, your abdomen expands and there’s minimum movement in your shoulders.
CALENDAR
2015-16 Calendars: Employee, Student, Spanish
September 16–October 31 – Open Enrollment for Insurance Coverage
Sunday, November 1— Daylight Savings Time Ends at 2:00 a.m. (Move clocks back 1 hour.)
Monday, November 23—Interim Progress Reports
November 16-20 — American Education Week
November 25-27 — Thanksgiving Break (12-Month Employee Holidays)
