Agency Update from Howie

Bonus Payments: We have been working on identifying those eligible for the bonus payments per the NY State budget, per the direction of the Department of Health (DOH). Those eligible will receive an attestation soon through Paycom that will require them to list their name, Social Security number and attest that gross wages were less than $62,500 for the six month period of 10/1/21 – 3/31/22; including wages from any other employers or from contract work. This does not include any bonuses or overtime pay. These attestations must be received from all eligible employees and maintained in Human Resources in order for the payment to be requested. 

We have followed the guidelines provided by DOH and if you do not receive a request to complete an attestation, it is because you do not appear on the listing of those eligible or after review of the information, we have determined you are not eligible. If additional information is provided by DOH that determines eligibility, we would send an attestation in the future. 

Again, we are following the guidance provided by DOH and the bonuses are not an initiative developed by The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence.

More information on the payments will be coming out in the near future, but the attestations must be completed and signed as soon as possible.

Student Loan Forgiveness Program: The agency will be supporting any employees who participate with up to $500 on the Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The initial assessment is free but the services after that incur have a cost and we will offset up to $500 of those fees.

As a reminder, we are partnering with The Arc New York to provide free consultation on the Student Loan Forgiveness program. Upcoming webinars that will explain the program are as follows: 

• August 31, 2022 2:00 pm ET
• September 16, 2022 10:00 am ET
• September 27, 2022 2:00 pm ET

Autism Awareness Walk:

Saturday, September 10th

Please join us for the agency's annual walk to promote awareness and acceptance of Autism Spectrum Disorders at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at the Village Park on Main Street in Canton, N.Y. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. The event will be hosted by WWNY-TV’s Garrett Domblewski.

This year’s theme is “Video Game Characters” and there will be a costume contest and a flag contest open to everyone with a variety of great prizes available to win! The Autism Awareness Walk is a non-competitive walk to promote education and support services offered by The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence for people on the Autism Spectrum. 

There is no registration fee, but walkers who raise $50 or more will receive the 2022 Autism Awareness Walk t-shirt, while supplies last. The t-shirt features art by Jeff Hewitt. View the t-shirt design, download the registration, and get full details at thearcjslc.org/autism-awareness-walk. Registrants who raise $25 or more will get a free Community Bank coffee mug.

The first 350 registered participants will get a complimentary gift bag. This year’s event will also include a coupon for a free pizza from Little Italy in Canton and drinks from Pepsi-Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers. Activities will include games, contests, auctions items, and a bounce house, as well as a visit from the mascot, Elroy the Elk. Yes-FM 96.7 will broadcast live from the park!

Staff Anniversaries - August 2022

Congratulations to each of you and thank you so much for your service!

Stacy Goyea

Involvement: Thank you for your efforts at encouraging the people we support to be involved in activities and re-establishing involvement in the community.  

You truly understand how important it is for the people we support to be involved. 

Hannah Latham

Excellence: You stepped up to lead the Community-Based Employment Depart. along with Community Prevocational services in your supervisor’s absence. Your knowledge and ability to address any concerns that presented assisted in ensuring the team had the supports necessary to continue providing services. The success of the department is a true reflection of your leadership. Thank you for supporting the team and doing an excellent job. You are a true asset to our agency. 

Dakota Pelkey

Responsiveness: Thank you for adapting quickly and on the spot to the changing needs of the people we support and the program. Your willingness to be flexible and resolve concerns when the need arises without complaint is very much appreciated. 

Beth Turner

Responsiveness: Thank you for assisting the Activity Coordinators with Dodge Pond. You volunteered to give them a tour, gave them information about the different areas of Dodge Pond and offered any assistance your group could provide to get the facility ready. Your willingness to meet with them demonstrates your responsiveness with not only Day Hab. but the Dodge Pond facility, as well. 

Sam Pfotenhauer, Tera Mason, Meaghan McLear, Brandie Miller, and Nathan Surface

Person Centered: The staff displayed a very person centered approach/attitude. They did a great job encouraging independence, assisting as needed, or when requested, and really made each person we support feel like an artist. It was such a great time!

Pivot EAP’s Newsletter

As a reminder, the agency has an employee assistance program that is there to help staff work through a variety of issues or concerns. This is service is free to employees and totally confidential, so give it a try!

This link will bring you to the Pivot Employee Assistance Services newsletter and provide details on how to access services: www.smore.com.

Staff Retirements

The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence is recognizing the following staff members on their retirements. Please join us in congratulating them for their service to the agency!

Hyacinth Saburro: 17 Years of Service

Retiring September 2nd

Shirley Wilmer-Frye: 18 Years of Service

Retired September 17th

Public Input Sessions Scheduled to Discuss

Jefferson County-wide Transportation

INPUT NEEDED! Volunteer Transportation Center is hosting a series of public input sessions focused on development of a county-wide transportation system in Jefferson County and they want to hear from YOU! Get the details here!

Upstate Oral Surgery & Dental Implants

Upstate Oral Surgery & Dental Implants is offering the Second Chance program and staff may apply now. This program provides one deserving recipient with a complete smile makeover free of charge. The ideal candidate has multiple missing or failing teeth and cannot afford restorative treatment. After the submission period, they will select one recipient to receive a free full-arch restoration procedure. They encourage anyone in our community who is dreaming of a healthy, beautiful new smile to apply!

How To Apply:

• Complete the short application: https://upstateoralsurgery.com/secondchance
• Upload photos of your smile and teeth.
• Submit your application by September 29, 2022.

Suggestion Box Responses from Howie

1. Suggestion: I know that the suggestion box can be filled with much strife but i wanted to take a minute and say while i do think we are still growing and sometimes things don't always add up, I do feel very thankful for my job and I love what I do. I appreciate all that the agency does do for us and look forward to the future which is hopefully bright!

Response: Thank you for your positive comments, we do try to do what is best for our valued employees and appreciate the efforts of all in supporting people to lead a life of their choice that promotes independence and community involvement. Our staff continue to demonstrate passion and creativity in meeting the needs of those we support.  Thanks for all you do!

2. Suggestion: My suggestion is that you rethink your response to the person who left the agency and came back (Response: I appreciate that you came back to the organization. However, when you left you gave up all seniority and the benefits that you had at the time of your departure. It would not be fair to staff who have remained with the organization that we provide returning employees all their past seniority and benefits to bring them back to where they were when they decided to terminate. Benefits are based on longevity for accrued time as well as the defined contribution plan to recognize staff who continue to work at the organization and provide consistency and a stable environment for those we support).

It seems to me that this policy is very short-sighted. There are hundreds of valid reasons why people have to leave a position and it can be a blessing when experienced people return. Many large organizations give returning staff their time and benefits right from where they were when they left. This is a great incentive to bring valuable and experienced people back into the fold. And, if you don't feel that the returning person is an asset worthy of this consideration, just don't rehire them.

I sincerely recommend that you rethink the current policy and/or bring it up at a board meeting for review.

Response: I do not support providing all time and benefits back to a person who leaves the agency. Although we recognize experience when determining the wages when they return, it is not fair to the staff members who stayed with us to have the same seniority and benefits as an employee who left the agency. 

As we look at new retention and recruitment strategies this is not one I would consider at this time. To do so would be a slap in the face of our dedicated employees who have stayed with the organization and not looked at leaving the agency for other jobs in the community. Staff leave for varied reasons and we try to work with staff who may need some considerations, but staff make the choice to leave and many times the grass is not always greener with these other opportunities.  

3. Suggestion: Bullying!!!! I have noticed a lot of bullying and temper tantrums going on! This is never an acceptable way to handle any problem!! We are not in high school anymore and for staff to gang up on other staff is wrong on so many levels as well as temper tantrums when things don't go the way you feel it should, Grow up people and learn you do not have to like anyone at work BUT you do have to treat them with respect at the worksite and realize that your way is not the only way to handle things, all the internal bickering takes away from all productivity and peace for those not involved!!!! if you have a problem with someone you need to handle it in an adult fashion not like a child. Thank you for listening to my rant and have a wonderful day.

Response: This comment came up in the survey for strategic planning also. We must all respect the role of each other and I agree that disagreements should be handled in an acceptable manner. 

In regards to our Values, Responsiveness not only applies to responding to the needs of those we support but being responsive to each other. We must work together to succeed and remember how you interact with each other is often observed and reacted to by those we support. 

Also, Dignity refers to treating each other with respect and demonstrating empathy. We all must understand that although we have different backgrounds, experiences and opinions, we must work together to provide the best services to the people that we support. Instances of bullying should also be reported to your supervisor or HR as it is unacceptable. Thank you for bringing this up.

TOOLBOX TOPICS:

Back to School…. Safely!

It is time for school again! With the new school year comes new schools, new bus routes, and lots of confusion. Concentration is critical to ensure safety. This applies to us as employees, drivers, and parents. 

The National Safety Council has some tips to prevent accidents while driving near schools: 

During Drop off and Pickup

Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. The following apply to all school zones:

• Don't double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles
• Don't load or unload children across the street from the school
• Consider carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles at the school

WATCH FOR WALKERS!!!

According to research by the National Safety Council, most children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they're walking. They are hit by a bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:

• Don't block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
• In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
• Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign
• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas
• Don't honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
• Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way.

Sharing the Road with…. School Buses

If you're driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing.

Remember- It is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children!

• Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you're on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks
• Sharing the Road with…. Bicyclists
• On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes to school create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. 
• When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist
• When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass
• If you're turning right and a bicyclist is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals
• Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially tend to do this
• Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods
• Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars
• Check side mirrors before opening your door

If Your Child Walks to School

Review your family's walking safety rules and practice walking to school with your child.

• Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available; when on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing the traffic
• Before you cross the street, stop and look left, right and left again to see if cars are coming
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing and always cross streets at crosswalks or intersections
• Kids and Adults- Stay alert and avoid distracted walking (walking while on cell phone or talking without looking ahead.)

For Kids Who Bike to School

• Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and in a single file
• Come to a complete stop before crossing the street; walk bikes across the street
• Stay alert and avoid distracted riding
• Make sure your child always wears a helmet that fits and bright clothing

When Kids Ride the Bus

• Teach your children to stand 6 feet (or three giant steps) away from the curb
• If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, teach him or her to walk on the side of the road until they are 10 feet ahead of the bus; 
• Your child and the bus driver should always be able to see each other
• Follow bus safety rules when riding

Kids Driving to School: When your child starts to drive to school:

• Set a good example of driving
• Make sure they know these driving safety tips around schools
• Make sure they have enough practice driving
• Reinforce the dangers of cell phone use and other distractions while driving.

General Safety

• Get your flu shot!
• Make sure kids’ backpacks fit properly.
• Keep your walkways clear of leaves-they are a fall risk!
• Days are getting shorter-prepare for driving in the dark!

Are you doing interesting things in your programs and want to spread the word? Email me with the details. We love to share your news!

Anyone not already on the list to receive this email, may sign up with their personal email address by clicking the link below or emailing: bmcardinal@thearcjslc.org