Office Assistant Weris Jama celebrates the beginning of the school year at Katherine Johnson Middle School.
đź’˛ Tuition Reimbursement Window Opening
The portal to apply for reimbursement for summer 2023 courses will be open Friday, September 1, through Saturday, September 30. Contracted employees may apply for up to $700 in reimbursement for one course that ended between May 16, 2023, and August 31, 2023.Â
Tuition reimbursement is available on a first-come, first-served basis using the current priority list. Detailed information on the priority list, how to submit the request, and the documents needed for upload are available on the Tuition Reimbursement page on the Employee Hub.Â
Apply through the Tuition Reimbursement Portal (VPN required). Remember to have your tuition paid receipt and grade report handy to complete the request. Please email TuitionBenefits@fcps.edu for more information.
Professional Learning Communities Resources
The Office of Professional Learning has updated resources for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). These resources — available on their Hub page — can help build the capacity of all members of the collaborative team.
Some updated highlights within the site include:
- A page on PLC fundamentals that shares the purpose of the work.
- More tools and protocols teams can utilize to enhance collaboration and learning.
- New asynchronous modules to support teams with being self-led and self-directed.
If you have questions about the resources or would like support implementing PLCs, please contact one of the educational specialists at the bottom of the PLC homepage.
🍂 Register Today for Fall Teacher Academy
Through the Teacher Academy Program, FCPS teachers have access to free professional development opportunities that deepen and sharpen their understanding of and skills around content, pedagogy, and classroom management. The Academy offers engaging learning opportunities and a chance to demonstrate competencies through microcredentials. Learn more on the Microcredentials Hub page. This fall, there are nearly 60 course offerings. View the course catalog in MyPDE.
Course syllabuses, outcomes, and assignments are listed in the Academy course catalog. Registration opened today. Visit the Academy Hub page to see how to register. Email Academy@fcps.edu for questions.
FCPS CARES Recipient Earns Parent’s Trust
FCPS CARES is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. One of the June recipients was Elizabeth Goodfriend from Eagle View Elementary School.Â
“Mrs. Goodfriend is an example for schools on what it looks like when someone spends the extra time to hone their craft,” the nominating parent said. “I want you to know that it was a welcomed relief working with someone who had the patience to earn my trust. My son gained confidence and life lessons because of her actions. Words will never describe the appreciation both me and my son have for the actions of your school and the caring acts of Mrs. Goodfriend.”
Congratulations to Elizabeth and our other June FCPS CARES recipients:
- Celine Sinclair-Peebles, Transportation Support Resource Center
- Dianne Stansbery, Saida Bouzaher, and G. Garoni; Cedar Lane School
- James Wears and Michael Davis, McLean High School
- Sarah Bracken Payne, Key Center
- Rachel Acosta and Maggie Murphy, West Springfield Elementary SchoolÂ
Read more about all the recipients. Do you know an employee who deserves to be recognized for going above and beyond? Submit their story.
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SEL Screener Parent Notification and Updates
FCPS is committed to supporting the mental wellness of all students. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener helps our students share their perspectives on how their schools and communities support them and help them develop the skills they need to succeed.
The screener is offered to all students in grades 3 through 12 in the fall and spring. It addresses skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students.Â
Key updates to the screener this year include:
- Different versions for students in grades 3-5 and 6-12.Â
- Fewer topics with more questions to provide schools and families with more data to support planning.Â
- Additional questions aligned with FCPS’ commitment to educational equity.Â
Results are mailed home to families after each screening. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
✨ 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered
The 2023-30 strategic plan sets five main goals to create positive change in FCPS. These five goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts. Our equity commitment and a set of measures in each goal will measure our success.Â
Goal 2 states that every student will be part of a school community that cares for their health, well-being, and opinions. We will listen to students and use their input to guide our decisions. We will respect their individuality, identity, and experiences. We will make sure they feel safe and supported at school.
Visit the Strategic Plan webpage to learn more about how we will measure the success of Goal 2.
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🎣 Keep Hackers From Ruining Your Holiday Weekend
Looking forward to the Labor Day weekend? Unfortunately, hackers are too, as people tend to be more relaxed during a long holiday weekend. Don’t let them ruin your Labor Day! Please watch out for phishing emails. They’re designed to deceive you into sharing private information which can lead to personal identity theft and financial fraud, and can put all of FCPS at risk for compromise of student and staff confidential information. Get ahead of hackers by viewing these tips for spotting a phish.
If you’ve opened an email in your FCPS inbox and suspect it’s a phish, don’t reply and don’t click any links! Instead, click the “Report Phish” button at the top-right of your Outlook email app. By reporting the phish, you give IT an opportunity to contain the threat before someone else who receives the same phish mistakenly clicks it. The Office of Cybersecurity can be contacted with any questions at: cybersecurity@fcps.edu.
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🏗️ Projects Supported by the 2023 Bond Referendum
The 2023 $435 million Bond Referendum — which will be on the ballot this Election Day — is expected to fund projects at Franklin Middle School and Armstrong, Bren Mar Park, Brookfield, Centre Ridge, Cub Run, Dranesville, Herndon, Lees Corner, Poplar Tree, Sangster, Saratoga, Union Mill, Virginia Run, Waples Mill, and Willow Springs elementary schools.
The building and renovation of our schools is not funded through the division’s operating budget. Voter-approved bonds allow payment for these projects over time. Read more about the 2023 Bond Referendum. Learn about registering to vote.
Vote on Tuesday, November 7.Â
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đź©ą Free Breakfast and Gift for Blood Donors
Sideburn Support Center will host an Inova Health System blood drive for FCPS employees on Friday, September 21, from 6 to 10 a.m. All who donate will be offered free breakfast and a gift. Register in advance.
đź“… Calendar Reminder: Labor Day
Friday, September 1, and Monday, September 4, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends.
View the School Year Calendar and the Employee Calendar.
School Board Meeting on August 31 at 7:30 p.m.
The School Board will hold a regular business meeting on Thursday, August 31, at 7:30 p.m. See the complete regular meeting agenda (English only).Â
The meeting can be viewed on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, and the FCPS website.Â
Agenda highlights include:
- Fiscal Year 2023 Year-End Review
- Committee Assignments and Appointments
- Summary of Appointments and Separations
If you need language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk.
Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on any School Board action items the morning after the School Board meeting.
Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.
FCPS Statement on Non-discrimination: Americans With Disabilities Policy Notice
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, Title IX, and pregnancy), marital status, religion, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information in its programs and activities. These protections apply to students, employees, and other members of the public.
FCPS also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. FCPS is committed to equal access and equal opportunity in all services and employment; to include its policies, complaint process, program accessibility, religious accommodations, and other Equal Employment Opportunity matters. FCPS prohibits retaliation against individuals who report allegations of discrimination, file a formal complaint, or participate in the investigative process.
Compliance is coordinated by the directors of the following:
- Office of Equity and Employee Relations, Department of Human Resources, 571-423-3070, TTY 711, EEO@fcps.edu regarding equal employment opportunity, discrimination, and sexual harassment issues.
- Office of Special Education Procedural Support, Department of Special Services, 571-423-4290, regarding programs and activities for students with disabilities.
For more information, visit the non-discrimination policy webpage or the non-discrimination/ADA webpage (contact information).
Staff Staples
Note: Some links in this email require a VPN connection. You can connect to VPN using Pulse Secure VPN (Virtual Private Network). Email ITServiceDesk@fcps.edu with questions.Â
Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you!Â
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