Beech Tree ES staff enjoyed a visit to the U.S. Capitol Building during last week's Teacher Workday. (Photo: Karim Daugherty, Principal)
When FCPS cancels or delays the opening of school due to inclement weather or other emergencies, staff, students, and parents are notified in multiple ways as soon as the decision is made.
FCPS' official Twitter account, @fcpsnews (with the blue check mark), is where you'll first see closing or delay announcements. That's because we've found Twitter to be the fastest, most effective method of disseminating news. Additional communication channels used to announce a delayed opening or closure include FCPS’ public website, email, text, Facebook, local television and radio stations, and Channel 21. Subscribers to the Delayed Openings and School Closings email on News You Choose will also be notified.
Please keep in mind that there may be a delay from the time messages are transmitted to them being received by users. More than 588,000 emails and texts are being transmitted during every weather closure or delay. However, FCPS has no control over how long it takes cell and internet service providers to distribute emails and texts to customers.
Please view FCPS' Weather Cancellation Procedures page for more information on weather closings and delays.
Open Enrollment Confirmation Statements Arriving Soon
Open Enrollment ended on Friday, November 8. Elections made during Open Enrollment will become effective January 1, 2020. Later this week, you will receive a confirmation statement, which will show your elected benefits for 2020. Please review this statement carefully. Find out more.
Photo of the Week
What are Marshall Road ES teachers to do when it's raining during Kiss and Ride duty? Grab umbrella hats, of course. They're practical and perfect reminders that rainbows are just ahead. (Photo: Marshall Road ES)
Congratulations to the 10 schools who were honored for excellence in web design and use of web-based tools at the 2019 Best of the Web Awards! The awards were presented during FCPS' annual Web Curators Conference, which was held on Tuesday, November 5. See the list of winners.
The Equity and Cultural Responsiveness (ECR) team invites teachers and administrators to join the second Leaders of the Lens series of #NoVAedchats. ECR will partner with professional development education specialists @FCPS_PD to consider learning from Cultural Proficiency Module IV, unpack how Professional Learning Communities foster equity, examine Collaborative Learning Team practices, and engage student voice.
The Twitter chat will be held on Wednesday, November 13, from 8-9 p.m. If you are new to Twitter chats, please refer to these helpful tips. Register on MyPDE (course code ECR003TW) to receive one recertification hour for participation. Follow the Equity and Cultural Responsiveness team on Twitter @FCPSEquity and tag your tweets with "#FCPSWeseeyou." Check out the Equity and Cultural Responsiveness Professional Learning Toolkit.
If you hear an enthusiastic voice saying, “Hello, nice people!” that voice probably belongs to Evie Ifantides. Her energy is boundless and brightens up every room she's in.
Evie began working for FCPS in August 1991 as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and social studies teacher at Bryant Adult HS (now Bryant HS). In 1999, Evie became the school-based technology specialist at Bryant. Since 2011, she's been a preK-12 ESOL technology specialist with the Office of ESOL Services. In this role, Evie helps support the ESOL office and ESOL teachers with any technology needs they have. She also assists with reviewing digital resources for ESOL students.
Given Evie's charisma, we're not surprised to learn that what she likes most about her work is "the people." She adds, "The folks that support our ESOL students are bright, caring, and so thoughtful.” Those adjectives describe Evie perfectly, too. She is one of the founding members of the Caring Culture Committee, which helps to promote well-being at Willow Oaks.
Colleague Meghan Hyland-Eddy says in a recent FCPS Cares, "Evie Ifantides recently helped me to plan a presentation and troubleshoot the technology setup. She even joined me on a 'field trip' off site to scout out the location in advance and test drive all of the technology. On the day of the presentation, she arrived early to ensure that everything was working correctly. Evie is always helpful and it is such a pleasure to work with her! Thank you, Evie!"
Evie's supervisor Darina Walsh says, “Evie is dedicated to creating and maintaining a caring culture in our office, department, and FCPS.”
In her free time, Evie enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She also likes attending "live productions," playing tennis, and supporting all events taking place in Fairfax City.
Evie was born in Istanbul, Turkey. She explains, "When I was four, my family immigrated to Athens, Greece. When I was 12 years old and in 8th grade, my family immigrated once again, this time to the great state of Maine. I have been on a bicycle since I was a little kid. I went to a lot of places on my bike in the outskirts of Athens. For some reason, I took a biking hiatus once I came to this country.”
Evie credits her Leadership Development Cohort including Richard Michelback, who presented on biking to work, and Frank Linton, who showed her the bike route to Fairfax Ridge, with biking's resurgence in her life. At the end of March 2012, at the age of 45, she began biking to work. She boasts, “Here I am almost 1,000 round trips and over 9,400 miles later. Read my blog, ride with me, and donate to the FCPS Safe Routes to School program by clicking on this FCPS website.”
We thank you, Evie, for embodying a caring culture and encouraging others to do the same.
#OurFCPS: Together It's Possible
Food Services Operations Specialists Tracie Thomas and Rahul Nooniwal are all in with #OurFCPS!
In conjunction with Inova Well, FCPS Employee Wellness is offering a convenient opportunity for employees to know their numbers. Staff members can receive a free health screening that includes a fingerstick for glucose and cholesterol as well as a blood pressure and body mass index measurement. Eligible participants can also complete their online health assessment to earn a $100 credit on their deductible through their FCPS health plan. They can participate in fun wellness activities, too, such as a smoothie station, sleep deprivation goggles, and fitness demonstrations. Screenings will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2:30-5:30 p.m., at the Gatehouse Administration Center Café.
Appointments are required. Please visit the Employee Wellness webpage on the intranet to sign up. Email questions to HRWellness@fcps.edu.
Do you have friends or relatives who might be interested in driving a school bus for FCPS? If so, please tell them about FCPS' Bus Driver Job Fair. The event will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 13, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, at the Gerry Hyland Government Center, located at 8350 Richmond Highway in Alexandria. The current salary for bus drivers is $19.20 per hour! Drivers receive great benefits, too, including retirement, health, and dental plans; life and disability insurance; six paid non-working days; and a paid training program. Read the news release.
We are extremely grateful for Fairfax County voters' approval of the 2019 school bond referendum! More than 77 percent of those who voted in last Tuesday's election supported the $360 million bond referendum, which is one of the highest bond approvals in FCPS history. Read the School Board Chair's statement.
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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