 
Chock full of school supplies! Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School staff proudly sport the backpacks recently given to students during the resource fair held as part of a Popsicles on the Playground open house event.
Your Questions Answered on the Student-Athlete Vaccination Requirement
Fairfax County Public Schools requires student-athletes be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus for the winter and spring sports seasons as an additional safety measure to support our layered prevention strategies.
Thanks for your patience while we worked out the operational aspects of this new requirement. Read the FAQs to learn more about the timeline, how vaccination status will be verified, exceptions, safety, and more.
Vax Up and Remember to Complete Your Vaccination Status Form by September 9
All employees should have received the Fall 21 Employee Vaccination Status Form that was sent via outlook on August 26 (use the link if you did not receive it). As the Superintendent announced previously, FCPS is putting an additional mitigation strategy in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in schools. All employees of FCPS are required to provide their Covid-19 vaccination status. Please complete the form by Thursday, September 9.
If you have further questions about logging into Google or accessing this form, please contact the IT Service Desk at ITservicedesk@fcps.edu. Other questions related to employee vaccine guidance should be directed to HR using the online portal at HR Connection or 571-423-3000.
Remember to Vax Up! Vaccination is the key to moving out of the pandemic and reducing the need for pauses in in-person learning.
COVID-19 Case Notification Update
Many families are finding it stressful and overwhelming to receive a new COVID notification email every time there is a positive case in their child’s school. We have updated our process to provide families some relief.
Once a week, either on Friday or the last day of school for the week, school leadership will share an update if there were any COVID-19 positive cases confirmed in the school that week. The FCPS COVID-19 Health Metrics webpage will still be updated daily for families who wish to know about cases in real time.
20th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemoration
In recognition of the 20th anniversary of September 11, FCPS will commemorate and acknowledge the loss of life, the heroism of our first responders, and the resilience of our country.
Schools will have a special moment of silence on Friday, September 10, and all students in grades 3-12 should have the opportunity to learn about and recognize the anniversary of 9/11 on September 9 or September 10.
Take a Breather! New Timeline for the Completion of MyPDE Training
 In order to provide staff time to focus on a successful return to school—and a bit of a breather while we are all getting to grips with the added complexities the Delta variant has brought with it—professional development and training due dates have been updated in MyPDE. Additionally, the system generated notifications, designed to send out reminders and overdue notices, have been paused.
Please access your assigned training page to review the updated dates so that you can plan the completion of required training accordingly. You can access your assigned training in MyPDE by clicking on the Self icon and clicking on Assigned Training. Refer to this video to learn how to access and complete your required training.
K-12 Teachers: New Teacher Leader Learning Opportunity
The contributions of teacher leaders have impacted cycles of continuous improvement across FCPS. If you are interested in growing your capacity as a teacher leader, the educational specialists in Professional Growth and Career Development invite you to consider registering for an upcoming teacher leadership opportunity. This opportunity is available to all teachers, at any stage in their profession. Visit each link to learn more:
Each one-credit Academy course consists of a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Registration opened on August 31 in MyPDE.
Check Out a Pack of Ready-to-Use Materials From the Parent Resource Center
The Parent Resource Center (PRC) staff has curated top resources from its library, webinars, and digital resources on some of its most requested topics.
What’s in a PRC Pack?
- 2-3 books for educators.
- 1-2 books for a child (perfect for a read-aloud or independent reading for an older child).
- 1 resource guide with a list of eBooks, free webinars on YouTube, and other resources.
- Tote bag for easy return at any FCPS school or office.
Here is a list of current PRC Pack offerings for staff:
Contact the PRC at prc@fcps.edu or 703-204-3941 to have these materials ponied to your school or office.
Get Fit for Free With a Virtual Fitness Class
Registration is live for September fitness classes. Participation is limited, so claim your spot in classes like Zumba, Cardio Sculpt, Pilates, and more. Can’t attend live? Class recordings are made available on the Employee Wellness Website and a library of on-demand classes are available through your Wellbeats benefit. View the full schedule and register for a class.
Earn Your $100 Wellness Incentive
Did you take advantage of your $100 wellness incentive in 2020? Employees participating in an FCPS health plan as the primary cardholder can earn a $100 wellness incentive again in 2021 when they complete their online health assessment (HA) now through December 31.
An HA is an online questionnaire related to your general health and well-being that is easy to complete in about 15-20 minutes. The HA is confidential. Only you and your health plan receive the individual information. Your information is never shared with FCPS in compliance with state and federal privacy laws. Click on your health plan to get started:
Get all of the details by visiting the Employee Wellness website. Please send questions to employeewellness@fcps.edu.
Calendar Reminder-Religious and Cultural Observance Day: Thursday, September 16, Yom Kippur
 Thursday, September 16, is Yom Kippur (a Religious and Cultural Observance day).
As a reminder, employees wishing to observe religious/cultural observances on these dates, as schools and offices are still open, should request a religious accommodation as outlined in Regulation 4817 – Religious Accommodation for Employees. Employees will be permitted to make up 16 hours of any time they miss for religious or cultural observances.
Tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events cannot be scheduled on any religious and cultural observances. Tests and quizzes will be given prior to any of the 15 days, so that students will not be expected to study on these days.
Stay Up to Date With School Board News
The Fairfax County School Board holds regular business meetings at 7 p.m. twice monthly in the auditorium at Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church. In addition, the School Board holds work sessions to examine subjects in greater depth than is possible during business meetings. All-day work sessions are held in the School Board Conference Room, room 1600, at the Gatehouse Administration Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are required to wear masks at both meetings.
School board meetings and work sessions are live streamed on the FCPS YouTube Channel or on Channel 99. View all School Board meeting agendas, minutes, videos, and news. You can also subscribe to receive newsworthy updates from the School Board.
OurFCPS Faces Profile: Ronnetta Lyons
Ronnetta Lyons, a systems of support advisor at Fairfax High School, is in her eighth year at FCPS.
What do you love most about your job?
The thing I love most about my job is knowing that I get to share in the life of so many students and possibly have the chance to positively impact their futures.
Do you have a role model?
I would have to say that my mother has been my biggest role model. She was a hard worker in all that she did but she always did things with a smile on her face and a positive word for those around her.
What did you do on your “summer vacation?”
This summer I had the chance to take my two daughters on a trip to experience the historic and unique culture, food, and music of New Orleans.
What’s something on your bucket list?
I would love to take a road trip across the country and back, stopping in as many small towns in various states as possible.
Do you have a hobby or what do you like to do in your “spare” time?
I love sports so I spend a lot of my spare time watching both live and televised sporting events.
Is there something you’d like us to know about you?
I have been an educator for 23 years, teaching both in North Carolina and Virginia, and I am the proud mother of two FCPS graduates.
Feedback Wanted on Fairfax County Government Strategic Plan
What issues do you think are most important for Fairfax County over the next 10 years?
Through extensive community engagement prior to the pandemic and throughout 2021, the Countywide Strategic Plan charts a path for the future of Fairfax County focused on the following nine priority areas:
- Cultural and recreational opportunities.
- Economic opportunity.
- Effective and efficient government.
- Empowerment and support for residents facing vulnerability.
- Health and environment.
- Housing and neighborhood livability.
- Lifelong education and learning.
- Mobility and transportation.
- Safety and security.
Please share your input as Fairfax County government continues to develop the Countywide Strategic Plan. The fourth Community Survey is now available in multiple languages. The survey closes on Friday, September 24.
To learn more, check out this short video or visit the Countywide Strategic Plan website.
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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