What is Great Beginnings?

            Great Beginnings is a year-long induction program for beginning teachers in Fairfax County offered through the Department of Professional Learning and Training. We have programs for first-, second-, and third-year teachers and for experienced teachers who are new to Fairfax County. Participants have the opportunity to meet in cohorts of other new teachers and get “just in time” information about topics such as preparing for Back to School Night, classroom management, reading strategies, standards-based lesson planning and other topics. Participants also take part in a three-day Summer Institute in mid-August that prepares them for the first days of school.

New Teacher Resources

• New Teacher Tools:
  Tips, Resources & Advice for First-Year Teachers (National Education Association -NEA)
• Advice for New Teachers
  (Virginina Education Association -VEA)

Professional Journals and Magazines

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) web site highlights articles from the current issue of the journal. ASCD covers various topics related to school leadership, staff development, curriculum, and much more. In addition, it addresses all aspects of effective teaching and learning—such as professional development, educational leadership, and capacity building. ASCD offers broad, multiple perspectives—across all education professions—in reporting key policies and practices. Because we represent all educators, we are able to focus solely on professional practice within the context of "Is it good for the children?" rather than what is reflective of a specific educator role.
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/index.jsp/

The Education Week web site highlights articles from the current issue of the journal. It covers various topics including professional development, the achievement gap, bilingual education special education, teacher quality and much more. In addition, it addresses educational reform issues for educators at all teaching levels.
http://www.edweek.org

Upcoming Instructional Requirements - Internet Safety

In order to help keep our students safe on the Internet, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law in 2006 requiring each school division to include an instructional component on Internet safety for students. The Instructional Services Department has adopted i-SAFE as the resource to meet the requirements of the state mandate.

All currently employed instructional personnel–anyone who holds a collegiate professional, postgraduate professional, pupil professional services or technical professional certificates–must complete i-SAFE Internet safety training by October 1, 2008.

For more information about Internet safety, visit the following site:
http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/OITI/InternetSafety/