Diane Cho, art teacher at Mosaic Elementary School, shares some of her students’ artwork.
❄️ Be Among the First to Learn About Weather Closings!
When FCPS decides to delay the opening of school or close due to winter weather, one of the first ways we communicate that decision is by sending a text message to employees and families.
Be sure to get that text message! Log in to UConnect and update your contact information today.
🌍 CARES Recipients Coordinate Cultural Exchange
FCPS CARES allows parents/caregivers, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Among the CARES of the Month recipients for October are French teachers Elaine Gonzalez (pictured to the right of Principal Amy Goodloe) from Chantilly High School and Jocelyne Smith from Westfield High School.
A Chantilly parent nominated them for working to bring 22 exchange students from France to the schools.
“We loved hosting the students, learning from them, and showing them our lives,” the parent said. “For my child and family to experience this was phenomenal. The teachers went above and beyond to make this an excellent experience.”
Other FCPS CARES of the Month recipients include:
- Tashima Bradshaw, Stonecroft Transportation
- Paula Prosper, Cooper Middle School
- Heather Murphy and Caroline Taylor, Thomas Jefferson Science and Technology High School
- Lawrence Cooper, West Potomac High School
- John Tourtellotte, Lake Braddock Secondary School
- Jessica Gregory, Hayfield Secondary School
Read about all the recipients.
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Unlock Your Future With Information Technology’s Mid-Year Conference
The Department of Information Technology (DIT) Mid-Year Virtual Conference 2025 will take place on Wednesday, January 29, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Log on for a morning filled with learning, insights, and innovation designed to empower your professional journey. At the conference, you can expect to:
- Gain exclusive insights during a thought-provoking panel discussion with FCPS leadership, exploring artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on education and the future of learning.
- Hear from students who are embracing AI tools to transform their educational experiences.
- Dive in to practical, hands-on sessions to learn how IT tools can enhance efficiency and effectiveness in your instructional and operational roles.
Register for the DIT conference.
📝 Apply Now to Work Toward Your Teaching License
FCPS is thrilled to announce its financial support for 100 FCPS employees interested in becoming teachers. If you hold a bachelor’s degree but not a Virginia teaching license, you can apply to become fully licensed within 12-24 months through the Teach Forward (¡Avanza!) FCPS cohort.
Teach Forward is a self-paced online program taught through iteach. Cohort members will become provisionally licensed teachers and be eligible to teach in August 2025 upon completing the initial iteach program requirements. Participants are only responsible for the $250 enrollment fee and the costs of the required Praxis tests. The iteach program cost will be covered by FCPS for Teach Forward participants.
For more details, including virtual information session dates, visit the Teach Forward (¡Avanza!) website.
👩🏫 Help Our Teacher Team Grow!
Are you an instructional assistant who is considering becoming a teacher? Know someone who you think would be a good fit for Team FCPS? An in-person job fair for teachers and other instructional positions will be held on Saturday, December 14, at Sandburg Middle School from 9 a.m. to noon.
There will be networking and interviewing opportunities with representatives from FCPS schools. Employment offers for the current school year may be presented during the fair.
Registration is required. Register to attend no later than Thursday, December 12.
Questions? Contact the Department of Human Resources through their web portal or call 571-423-3000.
✨ Recruiting and retaining a diverse, adaptive, and supported workforce is Pillar C of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
🌴 Plan for Retirement: Book Your ERFC Appointment Today!
It’s about to be ERFC’s busy season. Appointments fill up fast, so don’t wait to schedule an appointment with an ERFC retirement specialist to learn more about your second pension. Specialists are available to meet with you at any stage of your career, but ERFC members retiring within the next six months are given priority when scheduling.
Please remember, ERFC staff can’t provide advice regarding taxes, estate planning, or retirement date selection. Contact a professional tax or financial advisor to help you with those questions.
Call ERFC at 703-426-3900, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to book an in-person or virtual meeting. For additional information and resources, visit the ERFC website.
💙 Principal Prioritizes Parent Program
Every Wednesday after school, a special class takes place at Fairfax High School. The students are parents, eager to learn a new language and skills to help them support their children’s education. Principal Georgina Aye is one of the dedicated teachers.
These classes are the heart of Fairfax High School’s Family Engagement Center, a vibrant space dedicated to empowering families and fostering a strong sense of community. Fairfax’s Family Engagement Center is building a bridge between families and the school, creating a shared space for learning, support, and community. Read more about the English literacy parent program.
✨ Building trusting partnerships between home and school is Pillar B of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
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📍 Comprehensive Boundary Review Updates
As mentioned in Dr. Reid’s message last night, the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee met for the first time last Friday evening. The committee includes two parents/caregivers or community members from each of FCPS’ 24 high school pyramids, school-based and division administrators, teachers, operational staff, and other community representatives. Each committee member’s unique perspective and insight are invaluable as we work together to ensure this process is transparent, includes significant community participation and feedback, and always keeps students at the center of every decision.
Visit the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee webpage to learn more about the committee and key takeaways from their first meeting.
Community Boundary Review Meetings
If you have not already, please consider attending one of the remaining community meetings. If you are unable to attend an in-person meeting, stay tuned for details about virtual Community Boundary Review Meetings coming early next year.
View FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information. Sign up for our School Boundary Review newsletter as well.
Dr. Reid Reflects on the Comprehensive Boundary Review Process
In her latest Weekly Reflections, Dr. Reid wrote about recent Community Boundary Review Meetings and the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee Meeting. She stressed that no boundary changes have been proposed yet; we are only in the first phase of a process that will continue until spring 2026.
Read the latest Weekly Reflections.
Opportunities for Current and Aspiring Leaders
At the December 5 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented an update on FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Pillar C: Diverse, Adaptive, and Supported Workforce (PDF). Watch a video to learn more about leadership development at FCPS or visit the Leadership Development webpage.
📣 Every Voice Matters! Inclusive Schools Week
Dr. Reid also spoke at the meeting about inclusive activities at our schools, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the Family Summit event and resource fair, which will take place on March 15, 2025. View her presentation slides.
✨ Equitable access and opportunity is Goal 4 of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
🗓️ Calendar Reminder: Winter Break
Winter break will be from Monday, December 23, 2024, to Friday, January 3, 2025. Twelve-month employees are expected to work throughout the break except for Tuesday, December 24, 2024; Wednesday, December 25, 2024; and Wednesday, January 1, 2025. View the employee calendar.
No homework should be assigned during this time to help our families have a restful break. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks before the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately after the break.
Classes will resume on Monday, January 6, 2025. See the complete school year calendar.
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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