Teacher Briana Trone works on math patterns with her first grade students at Wakefield Forest Elementary School.
🎉 Happy New Year!
Welcome back FCPS teachers and staff! We hope you had a great winter break and are energized for the new year.
💾 Start the New Year Right in Google Drive
It is a best practice to store documents that will be shared with colleagues in a Shared Drive within Google Workspace.
Moving critical documents into a Shared Drive means ownership transfers to that Shared Drive, and access to those documents will be maintained even if the original owner leaves FCPS.
Find out more about Shared Drives in Google Workspace Sharing Guidelines and Best Practices and the Google Workspace tool page on the Employee Hub.
🏃 Red Rover Red Rover, Send a Sub Right Over
Red Rover is FCPS’ new substitute management system. Thank you to the 16,323 school-based staff, administrators, and substitutes who have registered their accounts. Employees who have not yet registered will continue to receive email invitations from Red Rover.
When logging in to Red Rover for the first time, you will need to sign in using your fcps.edu email. Take time to familiarize yourself with the new system before you need it and update the “My Profile” section by clicking on the top right by your initials.
Tutorials and resources are available on the Substitute Employment Hub page. For questions, email substitute@fcps.edu or call 571-423-3030.
👩🏫 Special Education Teacher Info Session
Learn more about becoming a special education teacher in FCPS by attending a virtual hiring event on Wednesday, January 10, 6-7 p.m. Register to attend.
🚌 School Bus Driver Job Fair
A job fair for transportation workers will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Lorton Center. Visit our Bus Driver Employment webpage for more information and a complete list of hiring events.
Safe Students, Safe Schools
Fairfax County Public Schools believes that academic success is built on the foundation of a safe learning environment. This includes physical safety, and mental health and wellness.
FCPS has a comprehensive approach to safety that involves physical security measures, online monitoring by security staff, and crisis intervention support. We created the Safe Students, Safe Schools Brochure (PDF) to enhance your awareness of potential hazards and to equip you with practical tips. Visit our website for more information.
🎵 Band Director Wants Students to “Feel the Magic”
When Tiffany Hitz was in high school, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a music or math teacher. In the end, a practical decision helped her decide. “As it turns out, there are not a lot of math education scholarships and there are a lot of music scholarships … especially if you play the French horn,” she said. It’s a decision that she doesn’t regret. And she continues to perform as a French horn player.
Tiffany is now the director of the middle school band at Robinson Secondary School. She continues to learn and practice music, hoping that her students will see how much she loves music and that she is still learning and growing as a musician and a teacher.
Tiffany is pictured above with her college band director, who recently presented her with an award from the John Philip Sousa Foundation.
Read more about Tiffany and what inspires her as a teacher in the Employee Blog.
💲 Tuition Reimbursement Window Opening
The portal to apply for reimbursement of fall 2023 courses is open through Wednesday, January 31. Contracted employees may apply for up to $700 in reimbursement for one course that ended between September 1 to December 31, 2023.
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.
Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son, Cayden, to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet essential discussion aims to save lives by raising awareness among students about the dangers of fake painkillers.
Please join Dr. Reid on Wednesday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Edison High School for a community conversation about opioid awareness. You may register to attend. However, registration is not required; it is simply for space considerations.
FCPS’ website also has resources to help you start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse.
🍼 Expectant Parent Resources
The Office of Benefit Services offers virtual workshops providing information on how to prepare and plan for child-related leaves. Sessions will take place:
- Tuesday, January 9, 4-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, February 6, 4-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 5, 10-11 a.m.
Register for an upcoming workshop. Space is limited to 50 participants per session. All workshop materials, including the voiceover presentation and handouts, will be posted to the Expectant Parent Workshop webpage.
New School Board Members Sworn In
Recently elected members of the Fairfax County School Board took the oath of office on December 13 at Jackson Middle School. The 12 members of the board were elected for a four-year term on November 7, 2023. They began their terms on January 1.
Karl Frisch is chair of the School Board. A vice chair will be chosen at the board meeting on Thursday, January 11. Learn more about the School Board.
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.
Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you!
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