Staff members from the Office of Food and Nutrition Services celebrated birthdays, retirements, and the end of another fantastic school year. (Photo: Morgan McGhee, food services operations specialist)
The Department of Human Resources, Department of Information Technology, and Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement (OPLFE) have been collaborating to ensure a seamless transition from MyPLT to MyPDE, our new professional development and employee evaluation platform. The implementation phase for the MyPDE system will continue throughout the summer. The system will be available during the 2019-20 school year.
Online evaluations for school-based administrators, teachers, and instructional assistants have closed for the 2018-19 school year. Please continue to use MyPLT for summer PD course registration. Courses in eLearnIT will also be available throughout the summer. All courses, course completions, and employee evaluations data within MyPLT will migrate to the new MyPDE system. In addition, a MyPDE training plan will be offered during the summer and throughout the school year.
More information will be shared in July. In the interim, please direct questions to:
Based on employee feedback, the tuition reimbursement process has been updated to provide greater access, a more streamlined and efficient process, and a shorter timeline for the overall process.
The Reimbursement Request Portal will be open three times per year as follows:
- September 1-30 for courses ending May 16-August 31.
- January 1-31 for courses ending September 1-December 31.
- June 1-30 for courses ending January 1-May 15.
Employees requesting reimbursement will upload both the tuition paid receipt and the grade report when making the initial request. This streamlined process reduces the timeline for the entire process from five to six months to one to two months. Additionally, the priority list for 2019-20 will be published July 1.
Visit the Tuition Reimbursement webpage for more information on the updated reimbursement process.
Photo of the Week
Louan Hassinger's birthday celebration at Freedom Hill ES included a surprise Elvis sighting–actually two Elvises were in the building! We hear that Principal Scott Bloom (left) and Assistant Principal Joshua DeSmyter (right) did an impressive job of bringing Elvis back to life. Louan, Freedom Hill's recently retired student information assistant, was "all shook up" by their performance, but in a really good way! Louan retired after 27 years of service with FCPS. Congratulations, Louan! (Photo: Freedom Hill ES)
Save-the-Date: 2019 Leadership Conference
All employees on the FY2020 School-Based Administrator Scale and the FY 2020 Unified Scale Schedules B, C, and Leadership Team are invited to attend FCPS’ 2019 Leadership Conference at George Mason University Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, July 31, at 8:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served at 7:30 a.m. Additional conference information will be coming soon.
ERFC to Offer Summer Ambassador Training
Attention: Full-time, monthly-paid instructional, administrative, and educational support employees
The Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County’s (ERFC) ambassador program now has more than 150 volunteers assisting co-workers with finding ERFC retirement information and resources. Retirement benefits are an important part of our compensation, and it’s critical we understand the importance of a secure retirement for our future. Ambassadors assist with ERFC’s mission to dispel retirement “myths,” and they can point co-workers to information specific to their retirement plan. ERFC’s goal is to have at least one volunteer in every FCPS work location, and a two-hour training is all it takes to get started. If you are interested in volunteering, please email erfcoffice@fcps.edu. Learn more about ERFC.
#OurFCPS Faces: Chandler Pelican
Chandler Pelican is a fourth grade teacher at Hayfield ES. Chandler relocated to Virginia from Texas, where he taught fourth and sixth grade for four years. He joined FCPS just eight months ago and is already making an impact on his students and the school. He also made an impact on FCPS' teacher recruitment efforts by appearing in one of our Facebook ads!
In addition to being responsible for “the growth of 26 energetic fourth graders,” Chandler also volunteers as a mentor for a small group of young men at the school. He says, “I like feeling and knowing that I’m supported as I provide support to those (my students) who work hard every day to achieve their learning goals.”
Principal Jessica Lewis shares, “Mr. Pelican is a dynamic teacher who engages his students through his own passion for learning. He is intentional about building positive relationships with students, staff, and parents. These relationships extend beyond Mr. Pelican’s classroom. You will often see him giving high-fives and recognizing positive behavior of students throughout the building.” Chandler says, "I believe that we (teachers) should make learning fun and engaging; it motivates students to take risks and brings lessons to life."
Chandler, who is also an Army veteran, is “honored and humbled" that he gets to serve his community. How apt that his favorite quote is: Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth, by Shirley Chisholm.
When he’s not teaching or mentoring, Chandler enjoys “sampling plant-based food options" in the Washington Metropolitan area and then trying to duplicate them at home. Chandler also likes biking and jogging, and says he is lucky to be married to his best friend.
We're sending you a virtual high-five, Chandler, for sharing your love of learning with FCPS students!
School teams, please attend the Summer Equity Symposium on Thursday, July 18, from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Mount Vernon HS. The symposium will focus on the themes of identity, inclusivity, and impact. The student voice and experience will be highlighted through clips from the documentary series America to Me. The program explores the complexities of race, identity, privilege, and education through the eyes of a diverse group of young people. Additionally, attendees will participate in guided dialogue and a panel discussion. Register on MyPLT, course OPLFE-ECR0006. Please email questions to Nina Thomas at jathomas1@fcps.edu.
Teachers and Administrators: Reflect on Student Voice with Dr. Sharroky Hollie
The Equity and Cultural Responsiveness team wants to engage you in a thought-provoking #NoVAedchat with Dr. Sharroky Hollie, author of Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning and Nina Thomas, FCPS coordinator of Professional Learning and Cultural Responsiveness. The Twitter chat will be held on Wednesday, June 12, from 8-9 p.m. Prepare to share your passion and practice for creating an optimal environment for all students and staff to thrive in Fairfax County Public Schools. If you are new to Twitter chats, please refer to these helpful tips. Register on MyPLT, course ECR003-TW, to receive one recertification hour for participation.
Deadline for Teacher Resignation Notification Is June 14
In accordance with the Code of Virginia, any contracted teacher who does not intend to return to teach for the 2019-20 school year must submit the Notification of Resignation or Retirement Form HR-2 on or before June 14, in order to resign in good standing ("without prejudice"). Please access the HR-2 form for details.
Matt Watson, manager, technology support systems, and his wife Rachel show off their new look after losing 100 pounds together.
Matt Watson and his wife Rachel lost more than 100 pounds together by taking advantage of weight management resources available to FCPS Employees. Weight management programs can empower participants by increasing their knowledge of healthy eating, creating accountability, and helping create individualized goals.
Employees have access to weight management programs through their insurance plan as well as the Guidance Resources Employee Assistance Program. By taking your plan’s health assessment, you may qualify for health coaching and other services. Read Matt and Rachel's story and learn more about weight management resources for FCPS employees on Employee Wellness' intranet page.
Congratulations to the Special Education Licensure Cohort!
The Department of Human Resources recognized members of FCPS-Virginia Commonwealth University’s inaugural Special Education Licensure Cohort for successfully completing the course. Superintendent Brabrand addressed the group and thanked them for their active participation in the cohort.
This is the last issue of Employee News for the 2018-19 school year. Publishing is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, August 20. Have an amazing summer!
Staff Staples
Note: Intranet access is required to open some of the links in this email. If you're using a mobile device or working remotely, you can connect to the intranet via the Pulse Secure VPN (Virtual Private Network). Email RequestIT@fcps.edu with questions.
Employee News is sent to all FCPS employees every Tuesday. Please email EmployeeNews@fcps.edu with potential submissions or questions. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you!
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