Retirement Ceremony to Be Broadcast Live April 22 on Red Apple 21

The retirement ceremony committee looks forward to honoring our retirees at the spring 2009 retirement ceremony, We Honor You—Celebrating Your Service to FCPS, which will be held on April 22 at Robinson Secondary School.

Retirees and their guests are asked to arrive by 6:30 p.m. so they can be seated before the start of the 7 p.m. ceremony, which will be shown live on Channel 21 and will be rebroadcast on Monday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Each retiree will receive a boutonnière or corsage when he or she arrives at Robinson, and each retiree will be introduced with a career highlight, be photographed, and receive congratulations from School Board members and school system administrators. Each retiree will also receive a commemorative award based on his or her years of service to FCPS. A dessert reception will follow the ceremony in the cafeteria.

More information about the retirement ceremony, including retiree testimonials and photos from previous ceremonies, is available at www.fcps.edu/DHR/wehonoryou.

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Nominations Now Open for Spillane Leadership Award, Deadline Is May 22

Nominations for the Robert R. Spillane Leadership Award are now being accepted. The Spillane Leadership Award honors two outstanding FCPS employees who, through their leadership, have made a significant impact on students. This award opportunity focuses on recognizing someone in FCPS who “keeps the main thing the main thing.”

Award winners will be recognized at the annual Leadership Conference on August 5. Information and the nomination form are available online at www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/awards/index.htm. The nomination deadline is May 22.

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Support Services Employees’ Advisory Council Election Results Announced

Congratulations to the new Support Services Employees’ Advisory Council (SSEAC) representatives. They are:

• Brenda Zikowitz for Group 1—Bus Driver and Attendants
• Ted Simms for Group 3—Food and Nutrition Services
• Steve Rorls for Group 4—Custodial and Plant Operations
• David Kuckenbecker for Group 7—Management and Administrative
• Richie Scarbrough for Group 8—Educational Support.

SSEAC’s new representatives will serve a two-year term providing a liaison between management and employees from their specific community-of-interest groups. New representatives are invited to attend the April 30 SSEAC meeting

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Retirement Planning Financial Education Workshop to Be Held May 7, 12 at Gatehouse Administration Center I, RSVP Deadline Is May 1

To ensure a comfortable retirement, it is important to take the proper steps during the working years. FCPS employees are invited to attend a free, informative seminar—Retirement Planning: The Basics—presented by Apple Federal Credit Union, to learn how investments, through time, can be used to reach long-term goals and how inflation and taxes will impact their retirement dollars. 

The workshop will be held at Gatehouse Administration Center I on:

• Thursday, May 7, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in room 3050/3051.
• Tuesday, May 12, noon to 1 p.m., in room 2050/2051.

Refreshments will be served to those who attend.

To register, go to https://www.applefcu.org/seminarsFCPS.asp. The deadline to RSVP is May 1.  

If you have any questions, call Alice O’Neill in the Employee Assistance program, Office of Equity and Compliance, at 571-423-3050.

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Service Animals in FCPS Buildings

FCPS permits service animals access in all its public areas, to include schools, in accordance with federal and state law. A service animal is “any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” A service animal is not a pet but can perform some of the functions and tasks that an individual with a disability cannot perform himself or herself. Generally, therapy animals are not considered service animals and, therefore, are not permitted.  

The ongoing use of a service animal by staff members, parents, or members of the community must be coordinated through the Office of Equity and Compliance. To coordinate a student’s use of a service animal, contact the Office of Monitoring and Compliance at 571-423-4210. If you have any questions regarding service animals in FCPS buildings, contact the Office of Equity and Compliance at 571-423-3050.

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Support Employee Recognition Week to Be Held April 20-24

Support Employee Recognition Week will be held April 20-24. FCPS recognizes all support employees by designating one week (the third full week of April) each year as FCPS Support Employee Recognition Week. The week will be a systemwide all-inclusive celebration of employees who support the educational mission of the school system (including administrative assistants, bus drivers, custodians, food service employees, etc.).

While individual school-based and nonschool-based recognition traditions may continue, this centrally recognized week will be the main FCPS celebration of all support employees.

Ideas for how to celebrate can be found at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/appreciation/index.htm.

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ERFC Trustee Election Scheduled for May 12-14, Nomination Petitions Due April 17

An electronic election to fill one trustee position of the Educational Employees’ Retirement System of Fairfax County (ERFC) Board of Trustees will be held May 12 through May 14. 

Notice 4771 outlines the election process and includes a petition for candidates to use in qualifying for the election. Notice 4771 is available on the ERFC web site at www.fcps.edu/ERFC. Candidates must also submit a statement of no more than 100 words for inclusion in election materials as to why they would best serve in the position. 

Petitions and statements must be returned to the Office of Employee Performance and Development (OEPD), Gatehouse Administration Center I, suite 2512, by April 17.

For more information, call OEPD at 571-423-3252.

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Outstanding Performance Award Nomination Deadline Is May 1

The Outstanding Performance Award (OPA) Committee will meet on May 21. All unified-scale employees (except school-based administrators) and instructional assistants are eligible for nomination. An OPA recipient may receive a maximum payment of $1,000, net after taxes. All nominations should be sent to T. G. Bowen, director, Office of Salary Services, Gatehouse Administration Center I, suite 2400, and must be submitted by May 1. 

In addition to the original OPA nomination, 14 copies should be submitted for distribution to committee members. Additional information pertaining to the OPA can be found in the current version of Regulation 4670. 

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