Did You Know Articles

ACCESS Course Catalog for Support Employees Available Online; Registration Starts September 13

The fall ACCESS (Academy Course Catalog for Employees in Support Services) is now available online at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/MyPLT/index.html. Course topics include ACIS, document management, EDSL, keyboarding, library media, SASI, technology, and time and attendance. All courses in the catalog are offered at no cost to all contracted employees and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for classes will begin September 13, and will remain open throughout the semester. Staff members must register through MyPLT.

Pledge by September 13 to Change a Light Bulb—and Save Money

Did you know that replacing a 100-watt incandescent light bulb with a 32-watt compact fluorescent lamp (an energy-efficient bulb) will save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of just that one bulb and give you the same brightness? Now you can save money and help the environment in one simple action. Sign up for the 2007 Change a Light Campaign online at www.naco.org/changealight and agree to replace the most frequently used light in your home with an energy-efficient one.

After pledging, you will be eligible to receive a $3 coupon from Office Depot for your energy-efficient light bulb purchase. The deadline for employee pledges is September 13. Last year, employee pledges helped Fairfax County earn the first place award in its population category. Help Fairfax County become a top pledge collector and earn national recognition again. The campaign is sponsored by the National Association of Counties and Office Depot.

For more information, contact Jenna Gorter, Fairfax County Government Facilities Management Department, at jennifer.gorter@fairfaxcounty.gov , or 703-324-2808.

FCPS Complies With Americans With Disabilities Act

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to help those with disabilities to perform their jobs. As defined by the ADA, a person with a serious physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity has a disability. An employee’s disability must be verified by the employee’s doctor and, in some cases, confirmed by a doctor chosen by the school system.

FCPS complies with the ADA and provides reasonable accommodation to those who need it. An employee who believes that he or she has a disability and needs special assistance to perform his or her job should contact the Office of Equity and Compliance, Department of Human Resources, 571-423-3050, fax 571-423-3057, or TTY 1-800-828-1120 or dial 711 for the hearing impaired. All communications are confidential.

Also, any employee or applicant needing accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter or vision enhancement equipment, should contact the same office. Requests should be made seven workdays prior to the scheduled activity so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Sexual Harassment Prohibited in FCPS

Policy 4950, Sexual Harassment, states that no person in Fairfax County Public Schools shall be subjected to sexual harassment. It is the intent of the School Board to maintain an environment free from sexual harassment of any kind. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature amounting to or constituting harassment are prohibited.

Employees should report complaints of sexual harassment to their supervisors or program managers. Students and parents of students should bring concerns to their school principals. If, for any reason, an individual prefers not to address their concerns directly with a principal, supervisor, or program manager, he or she may consult with, or file a complaint with, the Office of Equity and Compliance by calling 571-423-3050.

Nondiscrimination Policy

No student, employee, or applicant for employment in Fairfax County Public Schools shall, on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Compliance is coordinated by the directors of the following:

Office of Equity and Compliance, Department of Human Resources, Suite 2100, 571-423-3050 or TTY 1-800-828-1120 or dial 711, regarding equal employment opportunity, discrimination, and sexual harassment issues.
Office of Monitoring and Compliance, Department of Special Services, Suite 3600, 571-423-4210, regarding programs and activities for students with disabilities.

Correspondence may be addressed to the above offices at 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.

For facilities access issues, contact the Office of Design and Construction Services, 703-246-3632, 10640 Page Avenue, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia 22030.

Registration for fall 2007 (September-December) classes offered by the Office of Adult and Community Education (ACE) is now under way. Course offerings may be viewed at www.fcps.edu/aceclasses, and most, but not all, classes may be registered for online. The course catalog, ACE Classes, is in the mail to residents and will also be available at Fairfax County public libraries and ACE registration centers. The fall issue debuts a new name, a new look, and a new size as the result of a major revamping to enhance the catalog’s usability and appeal. Along with a contemporary look and feel, the fall catalog features many new courses that address career, business, and technical needs.

Outstanding Performance Award Nominations Due September 28

The Outstanding Performance Award (OPA) Committee will meet on October 18. All unified-scale (except school-based administrators) employees 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 September 28.

In addition to the original OPA nomination, 15 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.

FCPS Directives Now Only Available Electronically

Effective July 1, the Code of Virginia no longer requires school libraries to maintain hard copies of notices, policies, and regulations (also known as directives). Therefore, hard copies of directives will no longer be distributed, and schools and administrative work sites are no longer required to maintain copies of the policy manual.

The most current version of each directive will be available at www.fcps.edu/Directives. Recent changes and additions to directives that have been made effective within the last 45 days can be found at www.fcps.edu/Directives/changes_1.html. Any citizen who requests a hard copy of a directive has a right to receive it and should be provided the most current version printed from the web page. The School Board office, at Gatehouse Administration Center I, will continue to maintain the historical records of all directives.

	Posted on September 5, 2007 In This Section:
	ACCESS Course Catalog for Support Employees Available Online; Registration Starts September 13 Pledge by September 13 to Change a Light Bulb—and Save Money FCPS Complies With Americans With Disabilities Act Sexual Harassment Prohibited in FCPS	Nondiscrimination Policy Register Now for Fall ACE Classes Outstanding Performance Award Nominations Due September 28 FCPS Directives Now Only Available Electronically
	ACCESS Course Catalog for Support Employees Available Online; Registration Starts September 13 The fall ACCESS (Academy Course Catalog for Employees in Support Services) is now available online at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/MyPLT/index.html. Course topics include ACIS, document management, EDSL, keyboarding, library media, SASI, technology, and time and attendance. All courses in the catalog are offered at no cost to all contracted employees and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for classes will begin September 13, and will remain open throughout the semester. Staff members must register through MyPLT. Pledge by September 13 to Change a Light Bulb—and Save Money Did you know that replacing a 100-watt incandescent light bulb with a 32-watt compact fluorescent lamp (an energy-efficient bulb) will save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of just that one bulb and give you the same brightness? Now you can save money and help the environment in one simple action. Sign up for the 2007 Change a Light Campaign online at www.naco.org/changealight and agree to replace the most frequently used light in your home with an energy-efficient one. After pledging, you will be eligible to receive a $3 coupon from Office Depot for your energy-efficient light bulb purchase. The deadline for employee pledges is September 13. Last year, employee pledges helped Fairfax County earn the first place award in its population category. Help Fairfax County become a top pledge collector and earn national recognition again. The campaign is sponsored by the National Association of Counties and Office Depot. For more information, contact Jenna Gorter, Fairfax County Government Facilities Management Department, at jennifer.gorter@fairfaxcounty.gov , or 703-324-2808. FCPS Complies With Americans With Disabilities Act The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to help those with disabilities to perform their jobs. As defined by the ADA, a person with a serious physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity has a disability. An employee’s disability must be verified by the employee’s doctor and, in some cases, confirmed by a doctor chosen by the school system. FCPS complies with the ADA and provides reasonable accommodation to those who need it. An employee who believes that he or she has a disability and needs special assistance to perform his or her job should contact the Office of Equity and Compliance, Department of Human Resources, 571-423-3050, fax 571-423-3057, or TTY 1-800-828-1120 or dial 711 for the hearing impaired. All communications are confidential. Also, any employee or applicant needing accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter or vision enhancement equipment, should contact the same office. Requests should be made seven workdays prior to the scheduled activity so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Sexual Harassment Prohibited in FCPS Policy 4950, Sexual Harassment, states that no person in Fairfax County Public Schools shall be subjected to sexual harassment. It is the intent of the School Board to maintain an environment free from sexual harassment of any kind. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature amounting to or constituting harassment are prohibited. Employees should report complaints of sexual harassment to their supervisors or program managers. Students and parents of students should bring concerns to their school principals. If, for any reason, an individual prefers not to address their concerns directly with a principal, supervisor, or program manager, he or she may consult with, or file a complaint with, the Office of Equity and Compliance by calling 571-423-3050. Nondiscrimination Policy No student, employee, or applicant for employment in Fairfax County Public Schools shall, on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Compliance is coordinated by the directors of the following: Office of Equity and Compliance, Department of Human Resources, Suite 2100, 571-423-3050 or TTY 1-800-828-1120 or dial 711, regarding equal employment opportunity, discrimination, and sexual harassment issues. Office of Monitoring and Compliance, Department of Special Services, Suite 3600, 571-423-4210, regarding programs and activities for students with disabilities. Correspondence may be addressed to the above offices at 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, Virginia 22042. For facilities access issues, contact the Office of Design and Construction Services, 703-246-3632, 10640 Page Avenue, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Register Now for Fall ACE Classes Registration for fall 2007 (September-December) classes offered by the Office of Adult and Community Education (ACE) is now under way. Course offerings may be viewed at www.fcps.edu/aceclasses, and most, but not all, classes may be registered for online. The course catalog, ACE Classes, is in the mail to residents and will also be available at Fairfax County public libraries and ACE registration centers. The fall issue debuts a new name, a new look, and a new size as the result of a major revamping to enhance the catalog’s usability and appeal. Along with a contemporary look and feel, the fall catalog features many new courses that address career, business, and technical needs. Outstanding Performance Award Nominations Due September 28 The Outstanding Performance Award (OPA) Committee will meet on October 18. All unified-scale (except school-based administrators) employees 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 September 28. In addition to the original OPA nomination, 15 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. FCPS Directives Now Only Available Electronically Effective July 1, the Code of Virginia no longer requires school libraries to maintain hard copies of notices, policies, and regulations (also known as directives). Therefore, hard copies of directives will no longer be distributed, and schools and administrative work sites are no longer required to maintain copies of the policy manual. The most current version of each directive will be available at www.fcps.edu/Directives. Recent changes and additions to directives that have been made effective within the last 45 days can be found at www.fcps.edu/Directives/changes_1.html. Any citizen who requests a hard copy of a directive has a right to receive it and should be provided the most current version printed from the web page. The School Board office, at Gatehouse Administration Center I, will continue to maintain the historical records of all directives.