The document is a bulletin from the Wellesley Public Schools Superintendent announcing several retirements from long-serving staff members, congratulating them and acknowledging their significant contributions over many years of service. It also provides updates on various school matters such as professional development opportunities and open teaching positions for the upcoming school year.

1. Wellesley Public Schools Superintendent’s
40 Kingsbury Street Bulletin
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481
www.wellesley.k12.ma.us/district/bulletins.htm
Bella T. Wong Bulletin # 37
Superintendent of Schools June 17, 2010
The Superintendent’s Bulletin is posted weekly on Fridays on our website. It provides timely, relevant
information about meetings, professional development opportunities, curriculum and program development,
grant awards, and School Committee news. The bulletin is also the official vehicle for job postings. Please
read the bulletin regularly and use it to inform colleagues of meetings and other school news.
Congratulations to WPS Retirees!!!
Penny Armstrong Joan Cussen Barbara O’Brien
Florence Smith Beth Kalejs Myra Zarrow
Dear Colleagues,
In this last Bulletin of the school year I pay tribute to another significant group of retirees from our school
district. Each of these six retirees has served at least 25 or more years with the Wellesley Public Schools.
Although, “just” a group of six, they have served a collective 198 years!
Penny Armstrong was a library aide for 11 years and then Secretary to the Middle School Principal for 25
years, for a total of 36 years. Joan Cussen was Secretary to the High School Principal for 5 years and then
Secretary to the Principal of the Hardy School for 22 years, for a total of 27 years. Barbara O’Brien was a
substitute secretary for 8 years and then Secretary to the Principal of the Hunnewell School for 25 years, for
a total of 33 years. Florence Smith was a library aide for 12 years and then Secretary in the Middle School
Office for 23 years, for a total of 35 years.
Serving in a school’s main office, each of these women is the first face anyone coming into our school sees
and they are the most frequent first voice one hears when calling a school. Although I’ve heard it so many
times, the distinctive and melodic “Hunnewell School!” phone greeting given by Barbara O’Brien, has never
failed to put a grin on my face. The first impressions they make upon visitors are essential to setting the
tone for all subsequent impressions. These women have been our best school ambassadors, creating a
positive tone to each daily random human encounter that is critical to the creation of a positive school
climate and culture. They have each been outstanding team players, lending a hand, dropping whatever
they might be doing to address anyone who might cross their way. We blush at their generosity but always
go back because we can’t actually do our jobs without their help.
No less significant than the loss of these valued members of our school teams is that with the departure of
this group, we also lose a profound historical perspective and wealth of institutional knowledge. This
accumulated experience has facilitated the smooth operation of our schools and has been especially critical
to supporting the important transition of new leadership, over and over again. This group has collectively

2. supported the transition of over a dozen school principals. What a tough job they have had training all
those principals!
Also retiring this year is Beth Kalejs. Beth was an elementary teaching assistant at Upham, Schofield and
Bates Schools for 12 years and then was a reading intervention specialist for 13 years, for a total of 25 years.
Although Beth has had many different supervisors, each and every evaluation of hers describes a magical
master teacher, who exceeds all expectations and works tirelessly on behalf of her students coming in early
and staying late. The consistent accolades by her different supervisors over the decades are an
extraordinary testament to her talent.
Finally, Myra Zarrow retires this year after 41 years as a substitute teacher. During her tenure Myra has
been a daily sub and a long‐term in all our schools at every grade, accepting of any assignment. Whenever I
ran into Myra at any of our schools, she always had time to say something that would make my day better.
Myra’s professional commitment to this itinerant and challenging role for over four decades is inspirational
and humbling. What did we do to deserve someone like Myra?
Each of these six individuals has been extremely generous and tireless in their efforts to support students
and us over the years. We are forever grateful for the support they have given us and can never ever thank
them enough for the benefits they have given us over their collective years of service. Thank you and
congratulations on your retirements!
With no snow days this year and an earlier end to school, I know we have all been working in overdrive to
get what we needed to get done before the last student leaves the building. The Annual District Goals
Report was presented to School Committee Tuesday night and is now posted on our website for you to
view. There were 38 district wide goals this year and the report is summative of the work done across the
district toward the goals. I also had the privilege to observe several wonderful end‐of‐year assemblies this
week. There were several moments I was moved to tears by the beauty of the expression. So the year has
drawn to an end and I hope you think it was a good year for you and your students. I know that I am proud
of your work this year.
The best news is that the last day is here, summer starts on Monday and we now have an “extra” week of
summer. Please enjoy your summer and I will see you in the fall!
Bella
ENJOY THE SUMMER!!!
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3.
Professional Development Offerings for 2010‐2011
Professional development offerings for 2010‐2011 will be available
on July 1, 2010. Please check your email for course descriptions and
registration information.
Condolences to Elaine Harold, Fiske School Principal, on the recent death of her mother,
Leah Cutter
******************************************************
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
2010‐2011 OPENINGS
ELEMENTARY
(3 – 5)
HIGH SCHOOL
• Earth Science Teacher (.5FTE)
• Health Teacher (.2FTE)
Please send a cover letter, resume, three letters of reference, transcripts, and licensure by 4 p.m. on June 18, 2010 to Carol A.
Gregory, Asst. Supt., Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
French Teacher (.4 FTE)
Please send a cover letter, resume, three letters of reference, transcripts, and licensure by 4 p.m. on June 25, 2010 to
Carol A. Gregory, Asst. Supt., Wellesley Public Schools, 40 Kingsbury Street, Wellesley, MA 02481.
Wellesley Public Schools Actively Seeks to Increase the Diversity of its Workforce
Coaching Positions
Fall Season 2010‐11
Coach: Freshman Field Hockey
Contact Athletic Director John_Brown@wellesley.k12.ma.us
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