Bus Driver Doris Lemus and her daughter are winning at twinning.
🎤 Employee Conversations With Dr. Reid
📱 Update Your Phone Number in UConnect to Receive Urgent Text Updates From FCPS
Be among the first to receive urgent divisionwide messages such as emergencies, internet outages, weather closings, and news updates by adding or updating your cell phone number in UConnect. Learn more about UConnect.
🌐 Welcoming Atlas to FCPS
Mark your calendars for Monday, May 5, because Atlas is about to arrive, bringing a fresh, exciting way to connect, collaborate, and celebrate together. Stay tuned and count down the days to a more engaging, easy, and efficient way to work.
Join the ATLAS Insider Scoop mailing list to get exclusive insights and tips.
🎖️ Military Mom/Teacher Hopes Her Children Feel “Welcomed, Heard, and Seen”
Neika Smith, a teacher at Bucknell Elementary School, was in college when she first met her husband, Qadree, who was serving in the Army. Now they are parents to two children attending Fairfax County public schools.
Neika said that being part of a military family makes her a more compassionate teacher. Read more about her experience.
✨ Neika models FCPS’ Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe Supported, Included and Empowered.
🎓 Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation
At last week’s School Board meeting, Dr. Reid presented the Strategic Plan Goal 5 report for the 2024-25 school year. Goal 5 states: Every student will graduate ready to thrive in life after high school and with the skills to navigate, adapt, and innovate for a sustainable future.
In the 2023-24 school year, 94.58% of students graduated on time and 3.81% dropped out. This was an improvement on both measures. View Dr. Reid's presentation or video of her Strategic Plan update.
Closing Opportunity Gaps
In her Academic Matters presentation, Dr. Reid shared information on AVID and its mission to close opportunity gaps by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.
Follow Dr. Reid in Weekly Reflections
Read more about the topics above and some of Dr. Reid’s other activities — including a ribbon cutting at Oak Hill Elementary school — in her Weekly Reflections.
📞 FCPS Ombuds Provides Confidential Guidance
The Office of the Ombuds engages with staff, families, and students to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help get questions answered, offer options to resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters.
Ombuds staff members are available to help mediate matters involving peers in the workplace. They do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.
Anyone seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, text 571-496-8284, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may submit a question.
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
Set Up Your Adobe Classroom With EdTech Lunch and Learn Byte-Sized Series
Empower yourself with new technology skills in our engaging EdTech Lunch and Learn Byte-Sized series. Designed to fit your busy schedule, these 30-minute, workshop-oriented sessions provide practical ways to integrate educational technology to support FCPS Strategic Plan Goals 3 and 4, promote Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and maximize your efficiency. Gain hands-on experience with FCPS tools and discover innovative implementation strategies.
On Monday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 14, discover how to help students present complex ideas and stories in new and creative ways through infographics, presentations, and instructional webpages. In this hands-on session, you will learn how Adobe Express activities support accessibility and provide multiple means of expression and engagement for students. Set up your Adobe Express Classroom to assign assessments to students and provide timely feedback. Register through MyPDE.
Educator Academy Catalog of Free Summer Courses Available May 6
Advance your career and hone your teaching practice this summer with the FCPS Educator Academy, offering more than 20 free courses for instructional staff. These free courses range from supporting teachers pursuing the local Advanced Academic certification to learning responsive classroom strategies. Successful completion of courses yields salary credit(s) and recertification points. Flexible summer scheduling allows educators to tailor their learning experience.
The Summer 2025 Academy Course Catalog will be available for viewing on Tuesday, May 6, at 8 a.m., and open for registration on Tuesday, May 13, at 5 p.m. Visit the Employee Hub to learn how to register or email Academy@fcps.edu with questions.
Establishing High-Performing Teams in the 2025-26 School Year
The Office of Professional Learning invites teacher leaders and administrators to participate in an upcoming session of Overcoming Hurdles to Promote High-Performing Collaborative Teams. This valuable course is specifically designed to highlight the strategies needed to establish and nurture successful Collaborative Learning Teams (CLTs) for the 2025-26 school year.
Explore common obstacles to effective teamwork, learn to cultivate a more collaborative culture, and identify practical approaches to address challenges. This professional development opportunity will empower you to foster higher levels of teamwork within your school and ultimately enhance student outcomes.
The session will take place on Tuesday, May 6, 8:30-11:30 a.m., at Willow Oaks. Schools will cover the cost of substitutes for classroom teachers attending. Registration is open in MyPDE.
Discover the Power of AI in Education with ISTE’s AI Explorations Course
Thanks to the Lighthouse Schools partnership between the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and FCPS, the Department of IT invites you to join an ISTE course on artificial intelligence (AI) in education.
AI Explorations for Educators will explore different types of AI and emerging AI technologies, and help users build their own AI tools. The goal is to help make AI tangible and accessible for teachers and students.
This 15-hour, self-paced, asynchronous course offers ongoing instructor support and doesn't require prior AI knowledge or coding experience. Cohort 1 runs from June to August, and Cohort 2 runs from August to October. Use this form to indicate your interest in this learning opportunity.
🏆 Nominate Your Coworkers for an Impact Award
The annual Impact (formerly Excellence) Awards celebrate individuals and teams exceeding expectations in supporting FCPS strategic initiatives. Award categories reflect the goals in the 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Employees know best about the hard work, dedication, and collaborative efforts that occur behind the scenes. That’s why nominations can only be made by current FCPS employees.
Impact Award recipients are recognized at a celebratory event in the fall and awarded a $1,000 cash award. Nominees must be current employees who expect to remain FCPS employees through the end of 2025.
Nominate an FCPS employee or team by Tuesday, May 6. Visit the Impact Awards Employee Hub page for information and nomination materials.
✨ A diverse, adaptive, and supported workforce is Pillar C of the Strategic Plan.
🥪 Thank You, Lunchtime Legends!
Get ready to cheer for our lunchtime legends on School Lunch Hero Day, Friday, May 2. This will be a great opportunity to extend our gratitude to all the School Lunch Heroes — like the ones above at Brookfield Elementary School — who go above and beyond for our students every day.
Employee Use of Social Media Regulation
Regulation 7004 includes requirements and responsibilities for employee use of social media. The regulation includes definitions and rules for official, professional, and personal social media accounts.
FCPS official and FCPS professional social media accounts can only be used for FCPS business, such as sharing classroom photos/videos of students. Personal social media accounts must be kept separate from FCPS official and FCPS professional accounts.
Please review Regulation 7004 on BoardDocs. For additional guidance, see the Social Media Guidelines for FCPS Employees.
🏫 Unlock FCPS' Past on Historic Schoolhouse Day
Step into the rich history of Fairfax County Public Schools on Historic Schoolhouse Day, Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Unlock the doors to six captivating former FCPS one- and two-room schoolhouses.
Immerse yourself as each location comes alive with engaging activities and insightful tours, offering a glimpse into Virginia's educational heritage. Come be a part of this vibrant celebration of our educational legacy. For schoolhouse locations and additional details, visit the Historic Schoolhouses of Northern Virginia website.
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 Tuesdays. Thank you!
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