Stone MS staff show off their spirit wear for Spirit Week. (Photo: Stone MS)
Dr. Brabrand sent a Thanksgiving message to staff, families, and caregivers this afternoon. In his message, he expresses gratitude for staff, explains a "pause" for Group 5's return to in-person instruction, and provides additional information. Read Dr. Brabrand's message.
Make sure your W-2 is sent to the correct address by checking your address in UConnect. By January 31, W-2's will be mailed to the address on file in UConnect as of December 30. Go to the UConnect webpage.
Town Halls Continue; Spanish-Language Event on November 30
Erin Lenart (left), principal at Fairfax HS, and Michelle Boyd (right), assistant superintendent for Special Services, joined Dr. Brabrand for a virtual Town Hall on November 19.
The November 19 Town Hall is now available online. Dr. Brabrand's guests included Michelle Boyd, assistant superintendent for Special Services; Dylan Taylor, principal at Willow Springs ES; Erin Lenart, principal at Fairfax HS; and Jeff Platenberg, assistant superintendent of Facilities and Transportation Services. The Town Hall discussed Return to School concerns, health metrics and decision-making guidance, and successful mitigation strategies for COVID-19.
Spanish-Language Town Hall to Be Held November 30
Dr. Brabrand will hold his third, virtual Spanish-Language Town Hall on Monday, November 30, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Cecilia Vanderhye, principal at Belvedere ES, and Karim Daugherty, principal at Beech Tree ES, will join the superintendent. The Town Hall will be streamed live on FCPS Facebook en Español. It will also be available on FCPS cable channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website.
Congratulations to Libya Doman for being named 2020 Virginia Art Educator of the Year and Virginia Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Virginia Art Education Association! Libya teaches art at Lynbrook ES. Read the news release.
#OurFCPS Faces: Denise Poole
Denise Poole teaches English 7, including academic language and English language development, for the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program at Thoreau MS. Before joining the team at Thoreau, she worked as an instructional assistant at Fairfax Villa ES.
Denise says, “I consider my main responsibility to be fostering a love of learning and creating a safe and comfortable environment for my students to learn English. I work hard to create a close-knit community of learners who support and lean on each other.” She finds that the most rewarding part of her job is getting to know her students and colleagues and creating lasting connections with them.
English teacher Michelle Gabro praises Denise’s work. She states, “Denise consistently and passionately goes above and beyond to reach not only her ESOL students, but their families as well. She hosted an open house in the summer to introduce herself and answer questions before the first week of school and has continued to build strong and positive relationships with our ESOL community. […] Denise has worked tirelessly to engage every student and parent and make school meaningful, accessible, and fun for all (including myself, her team teacher!)."
Although virtual learning has made it more difficult for Denise to get to know her students, it has allowed her to find new ways to teach them. She says, “It is challenging, but I take pride in knowing that my students feel safe and happy in my online classroom and have worked hard to create a place that they love coming to each day.”
Rebecca Aguilar, Thoreau’s director of Student Services, says, “Denise is positive, enthusiastic, and an expert at building relationships with students and colleagues. Her energy and sense of humor are just a few of the things that we will miss about her; she has a gift for teaching that will be hard to replicate.” (Denise and her family will be moving to Germany next year.)
In her free time, Denise enjoys reading, learning new languages, traveling, and spending time with family.
Denise, thank you for engaging students and providing them with a safe space to learn and grow.
Employees participating in an FCPS health plan as the primary cardholder can earn a $100 wellness incentive when they complete their online health assessment (HA) by December 31.
The HA is an online questionnaire related to your general health and well-being. It's easy to complete, takes about 15-20 minutes, and is confidential. Only you and your health plan will receive the individual information. It is never shared with FCPS in compliance with state and federal privacy laws. Click on your health plan to get started:
Visit the Employee Wellness webpage (VPN required) for more information. Please email questions to HRWellness@fcps.edu.
Employee Wellness will continue to host virtual, live fitness classes in December. Join in for a variety of fun classes including special winter-themed classes during winter break. Registration is limited and on a first come, first served basis. Class recordings will be posted on the Employee Wellness webpage. View detailed class descriptions (VPN required) or register for a class now.
Webinar: Coping with Compassion Stress
Selfless individuals who are committed to helping others may be at an increased risk of neglecting their own self-care. The Coping with Compassion Stress webinar will raise awareness of maintaining appropriate self-care, despite the demands of professional or personal pressures. Please register using one of the links below:
NOTE: If you cannot attend the live session, please register to receive the recording.
For additional information, visit our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Guidance Resources online, and use Web ID: FCPS, or call our EAP at 1-855-355-9097.
Spending time with extended family and friends for Thanksgiving raises concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The Fairfax County Health Department recommends the following lower risk activities: Having dinner with people in your household; having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family; providing dinner for friends or neighbors via no-contact delivery; shopping online; and watching sports, parades, and movies from home. Learn more about celebrating safely and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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 ITServiceDesk@fcps.edu with questions.
Please email EmployeeNews@fcps.edu with potential submissions or questions. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you!
|
