Teacher Alison Stone leads an all-school assembly at Columbia Elementary School.
📜 Update Your Address to Receive Your W-2
W-2 tax forms are issued by the end of January for earnings in the prior calendar year. Employees are encouraged to opt in for W-2 web delivery. View the Online W-2 Access Guide for details.
Paper W-2s will be mailed to the address on file (as of Monday, December 30) for employees who have not opted in for web delivery.
To avoid delivery delays, please keep your address updated in UConnect. Submit a forwarding address with the U.S. Postal Service if you move. Undeliverable W-2s will be returned to FCPS. If an updated address is on file when the W-2 is returned, it will be re-mailed to the new address.
For assistance with online address changes, please call the Human Resources Welcome Center at 571-423-3000.
✅ Employee Engagement Survey Opens October 28
Starting Monday, October 28, contracted and hourly employees can provide feedback through the Employee Engagement Survey about their jobs, work environment, and FCPS overall. Survey participation offers valuable insight into what FCPS is doing well and areas where improvements might be needed. Watch this video to hear from Dr. Reid why this survey is important.
All responses are confidential. The survey link will be sent via email from our partner, independent research firm K12 Insight, and is compatible with any computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Visit the Employee Engagement Survey page on the Employee Hub for more information.
✨ Supporting a Diverse, Adaptive, and Supported Workforce is one of the pillars of the FCPS Strategic Plan. Part of that pillar is creating a safe and culturally responsive environment that values staff voice.
🥰 FCPS CARES Recipient Comforts and Encourages
FCPS CARES allows parents/caregivers, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. One of the CARES of the Month recipients for July/August is Joanne Lyons, an instructional assistant at Herndon Elementary School. Joanne is pictured (above, left) with Herndon Principal Candace Hunstad.
Joanne works in the library at Herndon. “She truly exemplifies what it means to CARE about her students,” her nomination stated. “Each day, she greets all with loving smiles and hugs. When a student needs a little extra TLC, she’s there to comfort and encourage with love. She spends many weekends cheering students on at soccer games. Her selfless and supportive nature is so wonderful, and I, among many others, feel she deserves recognition. Herndon is so lucky to have her. We love you, Mrs. Lyons!"
Other FCPS CARES of the Month recipients include:
- Matt Bowler, Puthea Chhean, Buck Griffith, and Scott Withee – Herndon Support Center
- Lyzbeth Monard and Mary Kathryn Thompson – Bailey's Upper Elementary School
- Iris Stubblefield, Bryant High School
- Mary DeKanter, Tam Tran, Basilio Carranza, Kk Yeboah, Armando Ramos, Kwabena Asare, Van Trieu, Maria Ortega, Doris Ntriwaa, Dinh Tuong Nguyen, Agnes Mensah, Maria Melara Melara, Edder Lopez Pabon, Rosalina Cruz, Esther Boafoh, Lucy Agyekum, and Evelyn Lizama – South County High School
- Sandra Gonzales, Rosa Lozano, Bang Nghieu, and Deysi Ayala Rosa – Oak Hill Elementary School
- Jewad Abdulhadi and Bryan Harris – Annandale High School
Read about all the recipients.
🏆 Employee Recognition — Nominate and Celebrate Your Colleagues
We know FCPS employs some of the best and brightest! To recognize your colleagues, consider nominating them for one of the following:
- The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. You may submit an FCPS CARES at any time through StaffConnect.
- The FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards program celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of exceptional school-based and nonschool-based employees from throughout the division. Nominations are accepted from colleagues, supervisors, students, and parents. The end-of-year celebration for this program is FCPS Honors, which is held every June.
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Excellence Awards celebrate the efforts and achievements of individual employees and teams whose job performance produces exceptional results aligned with the FCPS Strategic Plan. Nominations for this award are submitted to the employee recognition team and open in the spring. The annual celebration for recipients is held in October. Read about this year’s winners and see photos from the event.
Employees are also honored upon their retirement at the We Honor You ceremony.
More information on all employee recognition programs is available on the Hub.
🗳️ Nominate Your Outstanding Colleagues
School awards liaisons are opening their nominations in the next few weeks for Outstanding Employee Awards. Stay tuned for communication from them as to how to submit nominations for Outstanding Teacher, New Teacher, Principal, New Principal, Leader, Professional Employee, and Operational Employee.
💲 Prioritize Your Health and Claim a $100 Wellness Reward
Employees enrolled as the primary cardholders in FCPS health plans can earn rewards of up to $100 by completing their annual physical and laboratory screenings.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Take advantage of the Employee Wellness Incentive Program and invest in your well-being today! The annual program is open for participation until Tuesday, December 31. Rewards are available for:
Cigna Members:
- $50 gift card for completing the Annual Preventive Exam.
- $50 gift card for completing the Biometric Screening.
Kaiser Permanente Members:
- $100 gift card for completing both the Total Health Assessment and Biometric Screening.
Please note: You will notice a small amount of tax withheld from your paycheck after you claim this benefit.
Visit the Wellness Incentive Program Hub page for information on how to claim your reward. Contact EmployeeWellness@fcps.edu with any questions.
Breaking Down Barriers and Meeting Students Where They Are
Assistive Technology (AT) Student Ambassadors help share why educators should prioritize providing accessible materials and how inaccessible materials can impact student learning. AT Ambassador Dom explains how he feels and reacts when materials are presented to him on paper, rather than digitally. Dom uses a number of digital tools that help him read and understand assignments, which are harder to complete when working on paper.
Teachers can remove barriers and encourage student engagement, motivation, and understanding by creating and choosing accessible learning materials (C.A.L.M.). This promotes inclusivity in the classroom, ensuring that all students feel valued and supported.
Learn more:
Join the Conversations on Accessible Learning Materials Zoom channel for regular tips and to engage with a growing community of FCPS employees who ask questions, share news and updates, and provide advice to each other. The channel is managed by Mollie Kropp, education specialist for accessibility in the Office of Special Education Instruction.
🗓️ October Is Disability History and Awareness Month
Learning more about accessible educational materials, assistive technology, and universal design for learning (UDL) is one way that FCPS staff can work toward acknowledging and supporting every member of our community. Read more about Disability Awareness Month.
📚 Opportunity to Review Social Studies Basal Resources
FCPS is adopting Social Studies Basal Resources for the 2025-26 school year. Basal resources are the primary materials used to support instruction in a given subject. Part of the process for selecting new resources is a public review of the instructional materials under consideration. This step is underway for the month of October. Visit the Community Review webpage for more information on how to view the materials online or in person.
All community feedback will be shared with the School Board before they vote to select materials in spring 2025. FCPS adopts basal resources by the process outlined in Regulation 3004.
📰 Reflecting on the Week With Dr. Reid
Dr. Reid stopped by Willow Oaks Administrative Center last week to attend the Hispanic Educators affinity group meeting where they celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out some of Dr. Reid’s other activities in her weekly newsletter, Weekly Reflections.
🚌 National School Bus Safety Week
Thank you to our more than 1,700 bus drivers, attendants, and Transportation Services staff who work every day to ensure our students get to and from school safely.
The FCPS bus fleet is one of the largest in the U.S., transporting approximately 131,000 students on 1,225 buses (including 28 electric buses) each day.
🗓️ Calendar Reminders: Quarter End/Early Release, Diwali/Dia de los Muertos and All Saints Day, Student Holidays
Thursday, October 31, is the last day of the first quarter and a two-hour early release for students.
Friday, November 1, is a holiday for Diwali, Dia de los Muertos, and All Saints Day. All schools and offices will be closed.
Schools will be closed for students on Monday, November 4, for a school planning day, and Tuesday, November 5, for a teacher workday.
See the complete school year calendar and employee calendar.
School Board Meeting Thursday, October 24, at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, October 24, at 7 p.m. Topics on the agenda include:
- Exemplar and Blue Ribbon Awards
- Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report
- Appointments to the Advisory Committee and the Facilities Planning Advisory Council
View the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
Staff Staples
Note: Some links in this email require a connection to the FCPS network. If you have any questions, please visit the FCPS Tech Support Portal to search for self help articles or submit a ticket.
Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you!
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