Message from Supt. Elder - Albuquerque Public Schools

One of the selling points of working at Albuquerque Public School – apart from the fact that we are changing the lives of young people and impacting the future of our community – is the excellent benefits package that comes with the job. APS offers its employees medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage. disability and long-term life insurance; flexible spending accounts; and excellent retirement plans (Information is available on the APS Careers website.)

I talk about this because it is that time of year when employees are encouraged to review and adjust their benefits as needed to fit their lives.

You can add or change your benefits during open enrollment / switching from Monday October 5 through Wednesday. October 19. Not sure which options are available and which are best for you and your family? The APS Benefits team provides information in a variety of ways, including live and recorded webinars, web postings on topics such as medical plan comparisons and premium rates, and personal assistance at the annual Employee Wellness Fair on Thursday, October 6th.

At the Wellness Fair, which takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Berna Facio Professional Development Complex, you can also get a flu or COVID shot, get your blood pressure and vision checked, and visit your local gym you’re thinking of joining. There will be yoga in the morning, on-site coffee and food trucks, sessions on finances, navigating grief, mental health in the workplace, and positive psychology.

The theme for this year’s Open Enrollment and Wellness Fair/Switch is Your Benefits Connected. As APS Wellness Coordinator Becky MacGregor explains, some of the most important connections we can make to our well-being are with ourselves and the resources at our disposal.

“When we feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically, when we build a barrier against stress, the outlook around us changes. We have more energy, hope, better behaviour, positivity, and kindness. And that reflects on others,” she said. “Reversing more patience and grace changes our collective environment because others are feeling That too. It’s beautiful!”

As rewarding as our jobs can be, they are undoubtedly stressful, negatively affecting our mental and physical health. You have to take care of yourself, especially these days, as we emerge from the global pandemic and continue to deal with all its repercussions. The work is hard enough but it’s even more difficult when you don’t feel like yourself.

Soon we’ll have an extra day, two or three days off. Thursday, October 6, begins the fall holiday for schools on the traditional calendar. Schools with an extended calendar join them on Friday, October 7. All schools and offices are closed on Monday, October 10, in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day.

Even if you have to work on a Thursday, I hope you’ll have a chance to sneak in and visit the Wellness Show, which Becky describes as a “one-day, once-a-year event that goes back to our amazing hard-working staff.”

No matter how much time you have in the next two weeks, try to get some rest and catch your breath. We can all use a moment to get away, and pause for a while.

Then we come back and get active and active because we all have important work ahead of us.