I hope you and your family are enjoying a restful summer. For many of our staff and students, this was a wonderful summer of learning. I would like to thank the summer school administration and staff for a great summer session, which included 25 different enrichment camps in seven subjects. Yesterday, I was honored to speak at our Adult Education and Summer School graduation. We wish our graduates the best in their post-secondary plans.
With the conclusion of another successful summer of learning and enrichment, we turn our attention to the excitement of a brand-new school year that begins on August 22. Class schedules will be released in ParentVUE for elementary schools on August 16, and for middle and high schools on August 19.
The Back to School Packet will be available in ParentVUE on Monday, August 8, and should be completed by Friday, September 16. In completing this packet, parents/guardians will review emergency cards, update contact information, and complete annual policy reviews and acknowledgments. The information you provide will allow school staff to ensure your student’s safety this school year. Visit the Back to School webpage for more information and resources, including instructions for completing the Back to School Packet.
Bus schedules will be available in ParentVUE on August 9. While we have made progress in addressing the national bus driver shortage impacting PWCS, double bus runs will continue to be necessary this year. Additionally, further adjustments may be needed to ensure the most efficient routes for our students. If you have questions, please connect with your school’s designated point of contact. In anticipation for the first day of school, I encourage you to download the Here Comes the Bus mobile app that allows you to track your student’s buses in real-time. Check back often in ParentVUE, as changes to bus stops and times may occur up until the first day of school.
PWCS is looking forward to welcoming back more than 5,700 instructional staff and nearly 900 new instructional hires. We are currently working to fill 318 school-based instructional openings. It is important to keep in mind that we have added more than 170 instructional positions to our Fiscal Year 2023 budget to better serve our students. PWCS is also experiencing student enrollment growth, which impacts the number of positions we need to hire.
Our division’s fervent goal is to work resourcefully and diligently toward a highly qualified teacher in every classroom, and we continue to remain hard at work in filling our remaining vacancies in a highly competitive market amidst a national teacher shortage. At the middle and high school level, we do provide compensation for teachers who have agreed to teach an additional section. We have increased that pay from $12,000 to $14,000 annually. In some limited circumstances, there may be changes to course offerings at the secondary level as staffing is finalized, and at the elementary level, class sizes may be larger than preferred. Should this occur, PWCS will continue to ensure fidelity with state class size requirements and continued compliance with case management caps, which includes Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
I am excited for the opportunities and possibilities this new school year brings for PWCS. Please be on the lookout in the coming days for further information from your school and the Division as we prepare for an outstanding 2022-23 school year.
