School Board Discusses Changing School Start Times; Employee Survey to Go Live During First Week of February

The School Board discussed the possibility of changing school start and dismissal times at its work session on Monday, January 12. At that meeting, the Transportation Office provided a third iteration of a bell schedule that is now being explored. This iteration (as with two previous ones) was prepared in response to the recommendations of the School Board-appointed Transportation Task Force.

No decision has been made on changing the bell schedule. Likewise, no decision has been made on any programs that could be impacted such as after-school activities and athletics. Before making any decision, the School Board will explore how parents, staff, and community members feel about such a change to the bell schedule. 

Input from FCPS employees is critical in the decision-making process. We invite you to complete an employee survey, which will be posted on the front page of the FCPSNet site at http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu during the first week of February. We also invite you to sign up to receive Keep In Touch messages on this topic (go to https://signup.blackboardconnect.com/fcps and select to receive “School Board News and Updates”) which will alert you to all the updates as they become available. 

In addition, six community dialogues are being scheduled during the last week in February so that families and community members can share their thoughts on such a change. In addition, we will be inviting our families and community members to complete a survey that will be posted on our web site the first week of February.

For some employees, this issue may have come up suddenly. However, the school system has been exploring this concept for some time. In March 2008, a school board-appointed task force presented a report that contained extensive research and information on giving adolescents more time to sleep in the morning. Since that time, the FCPS Transportation Office has presented three drafts of proposed bell schedules for the superintendent’s and school board’s review.

Complete information on the Transportation Task Force and FCPS Transportation Office reports can be found at http://www.fcps.edu/fts/taskforce07/.  

Please Note: Issues that are or are likely to be before the School Board for a decision are political issues and should be treated in the same way as other political issues (see campaign guidelines at link below). This means that staff members should not campaign on any side of such issues during school time nor should they attempt to organize students to campaign on these issues. Bell schedules are an example of this (as is the grading policy). Staff members may express their own views to members of the school administration or in appropriate venues, such as those listed above.

For more information, go to http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/supt/guidelines.htm.

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Nominations Now Open for Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award and Nancy F. Sprague First-Year Administrator Award

Nominations are now open for the 2009 FCPS Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award and the Nancy F. Sprague First-Year Administrator Award.

The Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award recognizes outstanding performance during the first year of teaching. Principals may nominate teachers who have begun their teaching careers on or after January 1, 2008. The nomination form and instructions are available at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/fytoy.htm.

The Nancy F. Sprague First-Year Administrator Award recognizes exemplary performance during the first year of principalship. Any FCPS employee or community member may nominate a first year principal for this award; for more information go to http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/fypoy.htm. The deadline for both awards is March 13.

Nominations also remain open for the Support Employee of the Year Award until Friday, February 27. The nomination form and instructions are available online at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/seoy.htm.

For more information, contact Shannon Watson at 571-423-3278.

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Pathways to Leadership Conference Set for March 10, Online Registration Begins February 9

The Department of Professional Learning and Training will host the annual Pathways to Leadership Conference on March 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Falls Church High School for instructional employees (teachers, assistant principals, and central office personnel) wanting to explore school-based leadership opportunities.

General session speakers will include Jack Dale, Division Superintendent, Terri Breeden, assistant superintendent, Department of Professional Learning and Training, and Nardos King, principal, Mount Vernon High School. During concurrent sessions, information concerning the LEAD Fairfax Administrative Intern program, the LEAD Fairfax Accelerated Certification Cohort, Instructional Coaching, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and the Assistant Principal Portfolio program will be presented along with other programs provided by the department.

Participants should register for the general session as well as two concurrent sessions. To register, log on to My PLT at http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/plt/MyPLT/index.html between February 9 and February 20.

For more information, contact Stephanie Hicks at 703-204-4087 or Stephanie.Hicks@fcps.edu.

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Summer Curriculum Development Web Site Available February 2

The web site listing summer curriculum development projects from the Instructional Services Department and the Department of Special Services will be available February 2. Interested teachers are encouraged to apply online. Projects begin as early as the latter part of June 2009 and vary in length. The deadline to apply is February 13. For more information and a link to the summer curriculum development web site (when available), go to http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/is/scd/index.htm.

Note: Summer curriculum development projects are contingent upon FY 2010 budget approval.

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Deadline to Apply for Spring Custodial Management Training Seminar Program Is February 6

The Management Training Seminar program is being offered this spring to custodians in supervisory roles who demonstrate leadership and the motivation to become successful building supervisors. This series of 12 courses will introduce and/or update participants on proven, effective supervisory practices. Activities will focus on instruction, individual and group discussions, role-playing, case studies, and tape viewing. 

Those selected will attend class once a week on Wednesdays, beginning March 4 and continuing through May 27 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Course registrations are due to the Department of Professional Learning and Training by February 6. The course outline and registration form have been sent to all principals and program managers. 

Contact Plant Operations at 703-764-2463 with any questions.

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Registration for Spring Leadership Seminars Now Open

Online registration through MyPLT for the spring Leadership Seminars (formerly the Leadership Academy Seminars) is now open. Information about the Leadership Seminars will be available inside the new online publication, PLT COMPASS, which is available at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/leadership.htm.  

The goal of PLT COMPASS is to provide direction, instruction, and inspiration for current and aspiring school-based, central office, and support administrators; teacher leaders; and school teams within FCPS. Each issue has an overall theme; the theme for the spring issue is Focus on the FCPS Leadership Standards. 

For more information, contact Janet Kabel at Janet.Kabel@fcps.edu or 703-204-4013.

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FCPS Staff Members Invited to Participate in Jefferson-Overseas Schools Technology Institute, Registration Deadline Is March 13

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology invites all FCPS educators to attend or present at this year’s Jefferson-Overseas Schools Technology Institute (JOSTI) conference. TJHSST, in collaboration with the U.S. State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools, hosts this annual five-day technology conference to provide a professional development opportunity for educators and technology support staff members located in their member schools. There will be a special emphasis on virtual learning, highlighting collaborative communities and shared resources with hands-on training for integrating technology across various grade levels and curricula.

The conference will take place June 22-26 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. TJHSST will be able to accommodate 50 participants from FCPS and 25 recertification points will be awarded for participating in the five-day conference. Administrators, technology staff members, librarians, and teachers are invited to attend.

A registration fee of $100 per person includes lunch daily and an opening dinner Monday night. Registration must be completed through MyPLT (search for JOSTI) before March 13; checks for the registration fee, made payable to the TJ Partnership Fund, should be sent to Barbara Dent, JOSTI conference coordinator, TJHSST.

If you are interested in presenting at this conference, e-mail Robert.Latham@fcps.edu for further information and a proposal form.

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