HISD employees can enroll in 2018 benefits
Benefits enrollment is now open through Nov. 16. Starting Jan.1, 2018, HISD will be switching to Cigna as our medical plan and flexible spending account administrator. Watch the below Ben 101 videos to help guide you through the process and decide what coverage is right for you. You can also view the 2018 Benefits Guide and visit the HISD Benefits website to compare your options and price your plan.
New Look, Same Great Care. You will have the same plan options for the same price as you did the previous year. The names of the plans have changed, but the cost has not. You will have the same options for deductibles, coinsurance, prescription drugs and voluntary coverage without increase.
Find the Right Plan. Due to the switch from Aetna to Cigna, some doctors and hospitals have changed. We suggest checking to see if your preferred doctor or doctors are in the chosen network offered with that plan by clicking here to use the ‘Find a Doctor’ tool. Enter your city and state under the “search location” box, then select LocalPlus or Open Access Plus medical plan and the name of your doctor under the “Looking for” box. If your doctor is included in the Cigna network, his or her name will come up along with the Cigna plans they are covered under.
Save money with a FSA. A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can save you money on common expenses such as doctor visits and prescriptions. At the time of enrollment, you will commit to contributing a certain amount to your FSA, which will be taken out of your paycheck before you pay taxes. Keep in mind you can only spend these funds on eligible expenses.
Medical Plan Features. When you enroll in any HISD medical plan, you will still be able to earn incentives and take advantage of things like the ‘Healthy Challenge’ program, online assessments and mentoring services offered by Viverae. Plans will also include telehealth (available Jan.1), where you can meet with a Board-Certified doctor from your phone, tablet or computer.
It is our goal to make the transition as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Take your time, study your options and choose the best coverage that supports the needs of you and your family. When you are ready to enroll click here or visit the HISD Benefits website
If you have any questions, feel free to call the HISD Benefits Service Center at 877-780-HISD (4473).
After 20-plus years, HISD’s Chapter of the Texas Association for School Nutrition has returned and they will be sponsoring a pie sale throughout the district. Employees can place their orders now through Nov. 8 at HMW’s Marketplace at any register. Pies will be delivered Nov. 17.
For pie flavors and cost, click here.
HISD’s Combined Charities fundraising campaign is now underway and runs through November 16, 2017. This is your chance to help the less fortunate by giving to a charity that supports those in need.
You have an opportunity to choose from 11 charitable federations that represent more than 700 service agencies. One of the charities to which you may donate is the Houston ISD Foundation, which provides ongoing support to district students, teachers, and families. A donation to the HISD Foundation’s Harvey Relief Fund will help deliver clothing vouchers, gift cards, and other resources to HISD students and their families as they repair their damaged homes and rebuild their lives. With your help, HISD teachers whose schools were flooded will be able to replace lost instructional supplies and rebuild their classrooms.
There are also many other organizations from which to choose from in this campaign, and no donation is too small. To make a donation and to view the entire list of charities, visit www.houstonisd.org/combinedcharities or speak with your department or school Combined Charities Coordinator.
Whether you sorted items at Delmar Stadium or helped a school in your community during Hurricane Harvey, we invite you to join us for an ice cream social with Superintendent Carranza and #TeamHISD on Monday, Nov. 13 from 4-5:30 p.m., in the lobby of Hattie Mae White Education Support Center.
Click here to RSVP. We hope to see you there!
ALL TEACHERS
SPED Resource Group: Join the SpEd Employee Resource Group’s first meeting of the year on Nov.1 at Sterling High School from 4-5:30 p.m. Those joining can expect to enjoy a “Show, Tell, and Share” with your Team HISD colleagues, and learn about new manipulatives, techniques, and best practices. Click here to register.
2018 Benefits Enrollment: Benefits enrollment for 2018 starts this week on Nov. 2, and now is the perfect time to do some research before selecting your plan for the coming year. As part of our commitment to provide employees and their families with affordable health coverage, HISD is switching to Cigna as our medical plan and flexible spending account administrator. Your plan and the cost will not change, however your network of doctors could be impacted. To learn more about the changes and how you can prepare for this year’s benefits enrollment, read here.
Rice University Workshop: The Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) invites you to participate in a workshop on Friday, Nov. 3 from 8-10:30 a.m. to sharpen your understanding of why computer science (CS) education matters and to learn more about Code.org’s innovative curricula. Paul Greiner, Lecturer and Undergraduate Student Advisor in Rice University’s Department of Computer Science, will give the keynote presentation followed by a group discussion on the challenges facing K-12 CS education. Click here for more information on the event and how to register.
Standardized School Start Times: With the goal of increasing the efficiency of bus transportation, HISD is currently conducting a survey to collect parent feedback as they consider standardizing school start times across all grade levels starting in the 2018-2019 school year. Several options are being weighed to standardize times. K-8 campuses would fall under the elementary school schedule, and 6-12 campuses would fall under the middle/high school schedule. The parent survey will close on Nov. 6. Read here to learn more about the parent surveys.
Are you up for the challenge? Join schools from over 30 countries participating in the annual Bebras Computing Challenge Nov. 6-17. Bebras is a 15-question, 45-minute challenge that aims to promote student interest in computational thinking. HISD had the largest number of participants in the entire country last year and we look forward to an even larger number of students taking part in the challenge this November. Teachers of third to twelfth grade can sign up their classes to take this 45-minute problem solving challenge. Register at http://challenge.bebraschallenge.org/admin.
2017 Parental Involvement Conference: Parents and Educators are invited to this year’s Title I Statewide Parental Involvement Conference. HISD is hosting the event Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 at the Crowne Plaza near NRG Park. This conference will benefit both school staff and parents. Educators will receive tips and guidance on improving relationships with parents and families as well as training on statutes and regulations in the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). For more information on how to register, click here.
TADS Training: Due to Hurricane Harvey, the board has approved adjusting TADS completion dates. The Update Training—OneSource course #503001, has been edited to reflect the most current changes. It will be available for completion now thru Nov. 10. This course is not for teachers that have attended NEO in September and October. For those teachers that have completed the course, the resources can still be accessed and the calendar has been updated. Also refer to the TADS toolkit for the most up-to-date revisions and resources. For more info, contact tads@houstonisd.org.
NEW TEACHERS
Professional Development: Counting down the days to Thanksgiving Break? Finish off your first semester at HISD strong by attending the New Teacher Resource Group meeting on Nov. 2 at the Children’s Museum of Houston from 4-5:30 p.m. Those interested can sign-up, here.
ELEMENTARY
K-5 Stem Academy: Session 2 of the K – 5 STEM Academy will be held on Monday, Nov. 6, at Pugh Elementary School from 4-5:30 p.m. The focus of this session is STEM in the Community. Participants will experience short STEM activities that serve well as activities for the event and will be provided with planning templates and many great ideas on how to make STEM Night a success. Time and resources will be provided to begin planning a STEM Night for the 2017-18 school year. If interested, register on One Source course #742002.
Professional Development: The Elementary Curriculum and Development Office is pleased to offer a variety of professional learning opportunities for teachers during the months of November and December 2017. For more info, click the course list here.
SECONDARY
Literacy in Action: Are you a fan of Literacy in the Middle or Literacy Empowered? You’re invited to a self-guided tour of hand-picked campuses and classrooms to view model examples of best literacy instruction. Tours will take place on Nov. 7-8 for middle and high schools from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Reserve your spot now in OneSource for course #779003 (middle school) or course #779002 (high school). Expect to leave the tour loaded with ideas on how to best implement strategies and increase literacy on your campus!
With the goal of increasing the efficiency of bus transportation, HISD is currently conducting a survey to collect parent feedback as they consider standardizing school start times across all grade levels starting in the 2018-19 school year.
Across more than 280 campuses, HISD manages 67 different school start times – which is the highest number in the state. This poses challenges to delivering safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for students. Those challenges include: ineffective routes, increased cost of maintenance and repairs, and reduced availability for field trips and athletic events (an increased cost for campuses).
The benefits of standardized start times include: increased ridership, efficient routes that arrive and depart on time, and extended life of the bus fleet.
Several options are being weighed to standardize times. K-8 campuses would fall under the elementary school schedule, and 6-12 campuses would fall under the middle/high school schedule. The options are:
Option 1:
Elementary school start time: 8:15 a.m.
Elementary school dismissal time: 3:35 p.m.
Middle school start time: 7:15 a.m.
Middle school dismissal time: 2:35 p.m.
High school start time: 7:15 a.m.
High school dismissal time: 2:35 p.m.
Option 2:
Elementary school start time: 7:15 a.m.
Elementary school dismissal time: 2:35 p.m.
Middle school start time: 8:45 a.m.
Middle school dismissal time: 4:05 p.m.
High school start time: 8:45 a.m.
High school dismissal time: 4:05 p.m.
Option 3:
Elementary school start time: 8:45 a.m.
Elementary school dismissal time: 4:05 p.m.
Middle school start time: 7:30 a.m.
Middle school dismissal time: 2:50 p.m.
High school start time: 7:30 a.m.
High school dismissal time: 2:50 p.m.
Option 4:
Elementary school start time: 7:30 a.m.
Elementary school dismissal time: 2:50 p.m.
Middle school start time: 8:30 a.m.
Middle school dismissal time: 3:50 p.m.
High school start time: 8:30 a.m.
High school dismissal time: 3:50 p.m.
The parent survey will close on Nov. 6.
Supplemental Sick Leave Bank (SSLB):
2017-18 Special Enrollment November 2-16, 2017
Program offers up to 30 additional leave days for catastrophic illness/injury
The HISD Supplemental Sick Leave Bank (SSLB) program offers participants up to 30 additional leave days for extended absences due to a catastrophic injury or illness.
The SSLB membership enrollment materials will be emailed to eligible employees during the week of November 2, 2017. Current SSLB members were automatically re-enrolled during the August enrollment period.
Eligible employees may enroll during the special enrollment period through November -16, 2017. Enrollment forms and plan details are also available on the SSLB webpage. This is the final enrollment period for the school year.
Contact Employee Support Services at 713-695-5561 for additional assistance.
Teachers encouraged to participate in the Bebras Challenge
At HISD, we continue to find ways to drive our initiative in transforming teaching and learning through the use of technology in the classroom. Which is why starting November 6 through November 17, we are encouraging all teachers of grades 3-12 to have their students participate in the annual Bebras Global Thinking Challenge.
Students will join schools from over 30 countries in a fun and interactive 15-question, 45-minute challenge that aims to promote student interest in computational thinking. Last year, HISD has had the most participants in the nation with more than 10,000 students taking part in the challenge, and we look forward to an even larger number of participants this year.
Why Bebras Challenge?
- Exposes students to Computational Thinking as a fundamental way of problem solving.
- Gets students excited about computing and improve their problem-solving and critical thinking skills in order to prepare them for tomorrow’s competitive job market.
- Increases student’s interest in taking computer science courses that can prepare them for in-demand, highly paid careers in computer science.
Teachers can sign up their classes to take this 45-minute problem solving challenge. The challenge is not limited to just technology or computer science teachers. Register today at http://challenge.bebraschallenge.org/admin.
Share photos using #HISDBebras on Twitter.
HISD employees can now review health benefits for 2018
Benefits enrollment for 2018 is coming to an end today, and now is the perfect time to do some research before selecting your plan for the coming year.
Starting January 1, 2018, HISD will be switching to Cigna as our medical plan and flexible spending account administrator. Below you’ll find a quick snapshot on what will remain the same and what has changed:
Same Plan. Same Price. You will have the same plan options for the same price as you did the previous year. The names of the plans have changed, but the cost has not. You will have the same options for deductibles, coinsurance, prescription drugs and voluntary coverage without increase.
Doctor Network. Due to the switch from Aetna to Cigna, some doctors and hospitals have changed. Before the enrollment window opens, we suggest checking to see if your preferred doctor or doctors are in the chosen network offered with that plan. Click here to see if your network of doctors and hospitals are changing for 2018. Again, please be aware that some of the providers currently available to you may change.
Viverae. You will still be able to earn incentives and take advantage of things like the ‘Healthy Challenge’ program, online assessments and mentoring services offered by Viverae.
Telemedicine. With Telehealth (available Jan.1), you can meet with a Board-Certified doctor from your phone, tablet or computer. This makes seeing a doctor for minor health issues faster and more cost-effective.
It is our goal to make the transition as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Take your time, study your options and choose the best coverage that supports the needs of you and your family. Don’t forget, you can start your research now prior to open enrollment (starting November 2). If you have any questions, feel free to call the HISD Benefits Service Center at 877-780-HISD (4473).
Congrats to the Astros for clinching the American League Pennant!
Houston’s team is now ready to #EarnHistory and take the 2017 World Series championship.
To help root our team on to victory during this week’s games against the Dodgers, I am officially declaring tomorrow, Wednesday, and Friday as “HISD Astros Spirit Days.”
Students and staff are encouraged to show their team pride by decking out in Astros gear or blue and orange. HISD staff can wear jeans during those days as well!
Show off your team spirit on Twitter using #HISDAstros and #EarnHistory.
Go, Astros!
