Who Are You? Does Your W-2 Match Up With Social Security?

If your name and Social Security number, as they appear on your W-2, do not match what is on file with the Social Security Administration (SSA), your account with SSA may not be properly credited. This may result in a severe reduction in your Social Security and Medicare benefits that would otherwise be provided to you or your survivors. To avoid these problems, verify that your name and Social Security number on file with FCPS matches the name and Social Security number that appear on your Social Security card. 

The fastest, easiest, and most convenient way to verify the data FCPS has on file for you is to log on to UConnect. To access UConnect, go to the following web site and follow the instructions for getting logged on: http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/uconnect. After you are logged on, select the Employee option along the top of your screen, then select the Personal Information task on the side bar, and then About Me. If your data matches what is on your Social Security card, then no action is required. If your information needs to be updated with the Social Security Administration, information is available at http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/.   

Once you have updated your information with SSA, or if our data is not correct but your current Social Security card is accurate, complete an FCPS Name and Address Change form (available on UConnect under Life Events) and send the form and a copy of your Social Security card, if available, to Payroll Management, Gatehouse Administration Center I, suite 2200.

If you have any questions, contact Payroll Management at 571-423-3500.

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Academy Course Schedule Set for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification

The schedule for the Academy courses supporting FCPS teachers as they pursue certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has been set for the 2010 cycle. Two NBPTS precandidacy courses will be offered: one starting in February 2009 followed by the NBPTS candidacy course, and the second starting in March 2009, also followed by a NBPTS candidacy course. Completion of the one-credit pre-candidacy course is mandatory for FCPS financial support for the NBPTS application fees. Both the pre-candidacy courses and the three-credit candidacy courses are taught by teachers who have attained NBPTS certification and have received additional candidate support provider training sponsored by NBPTS. 

The NBPTS seeks to establish and maintain high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Each candidates for NBPTS certification undergoes an assessment process that includes four portfolios of the teacher’s work and six assessment center exercises.

NBPTS certification is available in the following fields for secondary teachers: English/language arts, math, science, social studies, career and technical studies, health education, music, foreign language, physical education, and art. Generalist certificates, as well as art, music, and physical education certificates, are available for elementary school teachers. 

Certificates are also available for teachers of students with exceptional needs (students birth to 18+), teachers of library media (students 3 to 18+), teachers of English as a new language (ages 3 -18+), teachers of literacy: reading-language arts (ages 3 -12), and teachers in school counseling (ages 3 -18+).

Fairfax County Public Schools has over 300 teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The Virginia Department of Education and FCPS offer stipends, dependent on budget availability, to teachers who attain NBPTS certification.

If you have any questions, send an e-mail to Patty Dimetres, FCPS national board program manager, Department of Professional Learning and Training, at patricia.dimetres@fcps.edu.

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VPN Available to All Employees

FCPS uses a virtual private network (VPN) to allow its employees to access school system computer network resources when they are not at an FCPS site. Every FCPS employee now has permission to use VPN, but a small piece of software is needed. The VPN software can be downloaded from FCPSnet at http://servicecatalog.fcps.edu/it/infras_ntwk/ntwk_access/download_vpn.shtml. This software is not available for download from home, so if you plan to connect back to an FCPS resource when you are not at an FCPS site, please be sure to download, install, and test the software before leaving your site. 

If you would like more information on VPN and the regulations that govern its use, please see the FCPS Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) Regulation 6410, the Data Security Regulation 6220, the Data Security Policy 6220, and the Remote Access Technical Bulletin 631.

The IT Service Desk can be reached at 703-503-1600 or ITServiceDesk@fcps.edu for questions or further information. Please note that the IT Service Desk supports only computer equipment that is supplied by FCPS.

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FCPS Teaching Channel 11 Moves to Channel 99

Effective November 18, FCPS Teaching Channel 11 became FCPS Teaching Channel 99 and moved to Channel 99 on the Cox Cable system. All programming and air times will remain the same without interruption. No additional equipment or changes, other than tuning your cable box or cable ready television set to Channel 99, will be necessary to view FCPS Teaching Channel 99. 

Fairfax County Public Schools operates three open cable TV channels—21, 25, and 99 (previously 11)—to serve the community. Funded mostly by franchise funds from Cox Communications, with additional funds from Comcast Communications and Verizon, these channels provide residents news and educational information on shows such as “SchoolScene,” “Insight,” and “Meet the Author.” FCPS also operates three closed channels, 85, 86 and 87, that can only be viewed by administrators and teachers. These closed channels offer administrative exchanges and supplemental programming, as well as the FCPS electronic classroom courses.

Several FCPS-produced news and information and curriculum-based programs also air regionally in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area on broadcast television, Direct TV, and the Dish Network via the MHz Networks—an independent media group that has partnered with Fairfax County Public Schools. Visit MHz at http://www.mhznetworks.org for program descriptions and air times.

For more information about Fairfax County Public Schools public information and educational TV programming, visit http://www.fcps.edu/cable.htm.

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FCPS Spring Academy Catalog Available Online December 8

The FCPS Spring Academy catalog will be available online beginning December 8 at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/catalogs.htm.

Online registration for Academy courses will be available beginning January 5, 2009. All employees must register through My PLT. 

Follow these steps to use My PLT for the first time:

1. Go to http://www.fcps.edu/plt/MyPLT/index.html.
2. Click on the LOGIN button.
3. Type your FCPS domain name in the username field.
4. Type the same domain name in the password field.
5. Click on the LOGIN button.
6. You will be prompted to type a new password with a maximum length of 8 characters.

If you have problems with your user name or password, contact the IT Service Desk at 703-503-1600 or ITServiceDesk@fcps.edu.

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