Garfield ES staff members enjoyed a holiday sing-a-long before winter break. (Photo: Garfield ES)
Important Update: Required Compliance Trainings in MyPDE
All employees are being asked to review the completion status of required compliance trainings no later than February 1, by viewing your Assigned Trainings page in MyPDE. Watch this short video for help locating the page and determining whether you are in compliance with FCPS-mandated training.
Please focus on requirements that are overdue or have upcoming due dates. This includes Return to Work–Building Procedures, Personal Protective Equipment, Reporting Child Abuse, and Restraint and Seclusion. Employees should complete any overdue training as soon as possible.
If a course shows as Assigned, but you have already completed it, try the following:
- Start a fresh session of MyPDE using Chrome and relaunch the course.
- Confirm you answered every question and met the Pass threshold. (Some courses require 100%; others 80%.)
- Click on the last slide to Exit and Complete.
- Close the player window and confirm the status change to Attended.
If you believe you have been assigned a training in error, please check with your supervisor. For any other issues you are unable to resolve, email RequestIT@fcps.edu.
Designated COVID Testing Phone Line for Qualifying FCPS Staff and Students
In collaboration with FCPS, the Fairfax County Health Department has established a designated phone line for FCPS staff and students who are unable to seek COVID-19 testing elsewhere. The school principal or designee must ensure that the staff or student meets the following criteria in order to qualify for this service:
- The staff or student must be attending school in-person and/or have been in the school building during the time in question.
- The staff or student must be symptomatic.
- The staff or student is unable to seek COVID-19 testing elsewhere.
Once the qualifying criteria is met:
- During the academic day, the principal or designee should contact their assigned public health nurse (PHN).
- During the weekends, the principal or designee should call 703-246-8737 to be connected to the school health PHN between 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- The principal or designee must leave a message if the PHN is not available. The call will be returned within 90 minutes.
Helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 is everyone's responsibility. Let's all commit to doing our part. Visit the CDC's website for more information on stopping the spread.
Superintendent Brabrand will host a virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, January 6, at 6 p.m. Dr. Brabrand and guests will answer questions regarding returning to in-person instruction. Please submit your questions in advance by email to returntoschool@fcps.edu or call 1-800-231-6359 during the Town Hall. You may watch the meeting on FCPS Cable Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11) or on FCPS' website.
Although winter break is over, we think you'll still enjoy teacher Trevia Younger's remake of a holiday classic. What a fun way to engage students during virtual learning! Watch the video, which was tweeted by Katheryn Kennedy-Labat, Trevia's teacher colleague at Franconia ES.
The portal to apply for reimbursement of fall 2020 courses will remain open through January 31. Interested contracted employees may apply for up to $700 in tuition reimbursement for one course that ended between September 1-December 31, 2020. To apply for tuition reimbursement, please use FCPS’ Tuition Reimbursement intranet page (VPN required) for information and the link to the request portal.
Tuition reimbursement is available on a first-come, first-served basis using the current priority list. Remember to have your tuition paid receipt and grade report handy to complete the request. Please email Tuitionbenefits@fcps.edu for more information.
Instructional Coaching Program Information Nights
Teacher leaders interested in applying for the instructional coaching candidate pool for the 2021-22 school year are invited to attend one of two virtual information nights. During these sessions, teachers will:
- Learn more about the roles of an instructional coach and the FCPS instructional coaching model.
- Learn about the qualifications and application process.
- Have an opportunity to ask questions and learn from experienced instructional coaches.
Please click one of the dates below to register via MyPDE:
Contact Michelle Lis with questions at mllis@fcps.edu.
Congratulations to Braddock ES Principal Keesha Jackson-Muir! Keesha was appointed to Governor Ralph Northam's Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). The SREB, which is based in Atlanta, was created in 1948 by southern governors and legislatures to improve preK-12 and higher education and student achievement across the region. Read the news release.
Spring 2021 Academy Course Catalog Available January 11
The spring Academy Course Program will continue to provide over 60 virtual professional development opportunities, with focused topics based on teacher feedback and FCPS priorities. All spring courses support the following focus areas:
- Student and Staff Well-Being.
- Student Engagement.
- Family Engagement.
- Equity and Cultural Responsiveness.
- Assessment.
- Career Development.
Details will be listed in the Academy course catalog which will be available on Monday, January 11, in MyPDE. Registration will open at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. See how to register or visit the Academy intranet page (VPN required) for more information. Please email Academy@fcps.edu with questions.
The FCPS/George Mason University Educational Leadership Cohort for 2021-23 will begin this summer. If you are interested in joining, please register for a virtual information session on January 11 or March 10, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Register now. The Zoom link will be sent one week prior to the session.
Don't miss the 2020 FCPS Honors Awards video recognizing outstanding teachers and staff! It will premiere on Sunday, January 10, at 7 p.m. on Channel 21 and on FCPS' website. Visit the Honors webpage for more information on the finalists and winners, and for a list of all nominees.
#OurFCPS Faces: Nick Western
Nicholas “Nick” Western is a business and information technology teacher at Edison HS. He was recently named Virginia’s 2020 Outstanding New Business and Information Technology Teacher by the Virginia Business Education Association.
In addition to teaching during the day, Nick teaches Microsoft Office classes at night for FCPS' ACE Adult ESOL program. When summer arrives, you'll find him engaging students in economics and personal finance through FCPS Online Campus.
Principal Pamela Brumfield is extremely appreciative of Nick's numerous contributions to Edison HS. She says, “Nick Western is an extraordinary educator whose positivity and optimism is contagious. He greets everyone with a smile and welcoming demeanor whether he is interacting with parents, teachers, or students. As we have implemented the Schoology Pilot Program, he is an important member of our Learning Innovation team, presenting several training sessions for staff. Nick is proactive, inquisitive, and loves to solve problems, making tasks easier and doable for teachers, parents, and students. If something needs to be worked on or figured out, guess who will get it done–Nick Western.”
Nick believes one of the best things about FCPS is its diversity. He says, “Our students and staff all bring so much to the table. It is so fun to learn about the different cultures, perspectives, and experiences that we all have in our schools. It’s cliché, but sometimes, students teach me just as much as I teach them!”
Like most educators, Nick could never have imagined he would be teaching from home during a pandemic. However, he says, “In spite of everything that has happened in 2020, virtual learning has helped me examine and re-envision what I do in and out of the classroom. A lot of the time, we do what we do because that’s the way we’ve always done it…but virtual learning has helped me think beyond those limitations and find new ways to engage and inspire students in the classroom. While I miss being together with my students, I love being part of some of the rapid educational innovation in history!”
In his spare time, Nick enjoys traveling, eating, and meeting new people. He also loves short-distance running and playing rugby (pre-COVID).
Thank you, Nick, for sharing your positivity and bringing out the best in FCPS students!
New January Fitness Class Schedule
FCPS Employee Wellness will continue to host virtual, live fitness classes in January. Consider kicking off the new year by trying a fitness class you've never taken before! Classes include cardio kickboxing, bootcamp, and Pilates. Registration is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Class recordings will be posted on the Employee Wellness webpage. Register today View detailed class descriptions (VPN required).
Correction
In the December 15 issue of Employee News, under Photo of the Week, we incorrectly identified Dogwood ES teacher Jennifer Chou Silverio as Celia Osegueda, a custodian at the school. We apologize for the error.
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!
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