HCPS 411 Update

The Career and Technology Education (CTE) Office will host an informational event for students and families interested in learning about the programs of study within comprehensive high schools, as well as HCPS signature and magnet programs on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Patterson Mill Middle/High School. This event is geared toward families of students currently in second to seventh grade.

The following Maryland State Department of Education recognized programs of study will be represented: Arts, Media and Communications; Business Management, Finance and Entrepreneurship; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources and Agricultural Science: and Science, Engineering and Technology.

Information on CTE magnet and specialty programs, such as the Academy of Finance, Information Technology Oracle Academy, the International Baccalaureate Program, PTECH, Project Lead the Way Pre-Engineering, and the Teacher Academy of Maryland, will also be available.

Questions regarding this event should be directed to Rob Limpert, in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, at Robert.Limpert@hcps.org or 410-838-5244.

Mark your calendars for April 3-4, 2023, as we Cruise into Learning! This two-day professional learning conference will provide HCPS Staff with innovative, relevant, and flexible options for learning, connection, and reflection. To meet the diverse staff needs across our system, participants will have the option to engage remotely. Look for additional conference details in a future HCPS 411 Update.

CALL for Presenters: Embark on the journey by sharing your expertise! Whether you share your learning from a conference, your experience, or research, you have something to offer! We invite you to submit a proposal for a choice session—ALL are welcome aboard! Click here or on the flyer below—deadline is February 12! Presenters will be notified of approval by the first week of March.

Please note important dates below in order to qualify for the Early Notification of Separation Incentive.

In an effort to assist HCPS with forecasting budget savings and project staffing needs for FY 2023-2024, an Early Notification of Separation Incentive is currently offered to employees. A memorandum of understanding has been executed with each collective bargaining unit and includes the following information:

• Incentive. HCPS is offering a one-time payment of $500 for employees who provide notification on or before Tuesday, January 31, 2023, of their intent to separate from employment with an effective date of separation of Tuesday, February 28, 2023 through and inclusive of Friday, June 30, 2023. Written notification of intent to separate must be received in the Human Resources Office no later than 4:30pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. An email including the signed letter of intent to separate is also acceptable. Send email to Ms. Lori Hatfield, Administrative Support Coordinator at Lori.Hatfield@hcps.org. The January 31 deadline is critical. It is strongly recommended that you submit your letter of intent to retire by way of your HCPS email account. Letters should be sent to Lori.Hatfield@hcps.org. Letters submitted by way of courier may not meet submission deadline requirements.
  
  Per Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) guidelines, an employee may only retire on the first of the month. Those employees submitting for retirement on July 1, 2023 meet the timeline for the Early Notification of Separation Incentive.

• Eligibility.
1. Separations pertaining to this incentive are limited to separations resulting from retirement or resignation.
2. The early notification incentive does not apply to probationary employees.
3. An employee must be in good standing on the date of his/her submission of intent to separate from employment through the date of his/her separation. Good standing means that the employee has no disciplinary investigation/action pending against the employee.
4. If the employee’s separation from employment will result in a breach of his/her teacher contract, he or she is not eligible for the early notification incentive.
5. Any staff member who, prior to the execution of this MOU, provided written notification to the Human Resources department of his/her intent to separate effective Tuesday, February 28, 2023 through and inclusive of Friday, June 30, 2023, will be eligible for the early notification incentive.

• Payment. The payment for early notification provided pursuant to this MOU shall be issued on July 21, 2023 or with final reconciliation check, if earlier. HCPS reserves the right to deduct from the $500 incentive payment any amount owed by the employee to HCPS, at time of separation.

The full memorandum of understanding regarding this incentive can be found on the Human Resources SharePoint page or by clicking here. Questions regarding this information should be directed to C. Mae Alfree, Ed.D., Director of Staff and Labor Relations, at Mae.Alfree@hcps.org or 588-5226.

Take a moment to watch the latest Real Talk episode, featuring Vicki Jones, Talent Pathways Project Manager, to learn more about the Talent Pathways Project. This is a unique project with the goal of figuring out the best way to bring the most talented staff to Harford County in both teaching and support positions. The program focuses on increasing diversity among our staff and educating the community and beyond on all the opportunities HCPS has to offer.

The Growing Exceptional Teachers More (GET More) Program provides tuition reimbursement equivalent to the negotiated tuition reimbursement rate for instructional staff (currently $300 per graduate credit hour) for employees who HCEA-ESP or AFSCME represents. This tuition reimbursement assistance aims to allow program participants to complete a teacher certification program in a high-needs area of teacher education, with the ultimate goal of receiving their teacher certification and returning to work as a teacher in HCPS.

This program allows participants in the program to be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid internship when meeting specified criteria. The GET More program is open to employees who have been employed with HCPS for one or more years of service. More information is available by clicking the provided link: GET More Program Application.

For additional information about the GET More program, please contact Maranda Scott at maranda.scott@hcps.org.

Many of our positions are filled by word of mouth by our employees. Help us share our employment needs!

• Summer Program Coordinators - Various Programs

• Community Schools Specialist - Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School

• Custodian II - Edgewood Elementary School

• Supervisor of Science

Follow us on social media @hcpsrecruiter and share our employment posts. To find a full list of our available positions, visit hcps.org and click on the sun!

Applications are now being accepted for ESY and Summer Program Coordinator positions. Interested candidates should submit an online application. To access the application, click on Employment Opportunities (yellow sun icon) on the HCPS website: www.hcps.org.

Extended School Program(ESY) – Site Coordinator I

For more information, contact Jeff Hoffman, Coordinator of Special Education, at Jeffrey.Hoffman@hcps.org

Elementary Summer Learning Program – Site Coordinator I

Middle School Summer Learning Program – Site Coordinator I

High School Summer Learning Program – Site Coordinator I

High School Summer Learning Program – Site Coordinator II

Summer Tutoring Coordinator

For more information, contact Becky Pensero, Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction, at Rebecca.Pensero@hcps.org.

Stars of Summer Program Coordinator

For more information, contact Becky Pensero, Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction, at Rebecca.Pensero@hcps.org.

Summer Swim Learning Program – Site Coordinator I

For more information, contact Kilo Mack, Supervisor of Physical Education and Health, at Kilo.Mack@hcps.org.

English Learner (EL) Summer Camp – Site Coordinator I

For more information, contact Chandra Krantz, Central Office Coordinator of EL Summer Camp, at Chandra.Krantz@hcps.org.

HCPS Parent Academy, in partnership with Chick-fil-A of Harford County, is excited to announce that William S. James Elementary School is the January winner for the school system’s Family Friendly School Award program!! Way to go!

This month, a total of 24 schools were nominated and 2,952 unique votes were cast by the community among the nominated schools, naming William S. James Elementary the winner with 1,114 votes!! Not only does the school earn the coveted title of Family Friendly School for the month of January, but the entire school staff will be treated to a luncheon by the program’s partner, Chick-fil-A of Harford County.

We want to give a special shout out to this month's runner up schools:

• Emmorton Elementary School
  
• Swan Creek School
• Forest Hill Elementary School

Keep up the great work!

The school system will continue to celebrate its schools that best engage all families by consistently demonstrating the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships. One school will be named a family friendly school each month through May.

Want to see your school highlighted for this award on the website and social media, plus treated to a Chick-fil-A lunch? Continue to encourage parents/guardians, students, staff and community members to nominate your school for the Family Friendly School Award! The nomination window will be open again February 1-8, 2023, on the Parent Academy page of hcps.org. If your school is nominated, our community can show how welcoming your school is by casting their vote February 10-17, 2023.

More information may be found on https://www.hcps.org/parents/parentacademy/familyfriendlyschools.aspx.

HCPS is deeply grateful for its generous Chick-fil-A partners at the Aberdeen, Bel Air, Constant Friendship, and Forest Hill locations for their tremendous support of this program.

Harford County Public Schools is proud to announce that eight HCPS educators have been newly certified and 21 renewed their National Board Certification this past year.

To become a Board-certified teacher, candidates voluntarily complete a rigorous certification program that consists of four components: assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documentation of the impact of assessment and collaboration on student learning. These components were designed by teachers, for teachers, to identify the essential knowledge and skills required to advance student learning and achievement. This is a serious commitment of time and energy, but teachers who achieve certification describe the process as transformative.

For more information about how you can become a National Board Certified Teacher please email HCP.NationalBoard@hcps.org or visit www.nbpts.org.

The Office of Student Services is accepting nominations for the STUDENT SERVICES STANDOUT AWARD (S.T.A.R. AWARD). This award is presented once per semester (biannually) to a nominated member of the Student Services staff. The nominee must currently be an employee budgeted under Student Services who is based in a school or Central Office. This would include staff under the offices of School Counseling Services, School Health Services, Psychological Services, Social Work, or Pupil Personnel Services. Any person, regardless of position or relationship to the nominee, including students, may make the nomination. The nomination form and supporting narrative must be submitted by December 1 or May 1 of the respective semester. Nominations must be for individual employees and not a group of employees. Please see the link below to access the nomination form and consider nominating someone today!

Link to Student Services S.T.A.R. Award

Questions regarding this information should be directed to LaWanda Brown, in School Counseling, at LaWanda.Brown@hcps.org or 410-588-5251.

The Maryland Retired School Personnel Association, through its MRSPA Fund, is offering three $2,000 scholarships to public school employees in Maryland who are enrolled in a program leading to teacher certification or certification as a school counselor, speech and language pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, school social worker, administrator or supervisor, media specialist or school psychologist. Applicants must hold a high school diploma or GED certificate.

The scholarship is also available to certificated teachers who are pursuing certification in another area or level of teaching or to become qualified as one of the above-listed education specialists. Applicants must be current employees of the Board of Education and must intend on working in a Maryland public school while working toward certification and upon completion of their requirements for certification.

Applicants apply online by January 31, 2023, at www.mrspa.org. Winners will be notified by March 1, 2023. Additional information can be found at MRSPA Scholarship FAQ’s located on the www.mrspa.org homepage.

During the month of January 2023, parents, teachers and students at Edgewood Middle School came together to read and enjoy literature. Throughout the month, 58 parents, students, and teachers read chapters at home and were encouraged to enjoy family activities like exercising together and playing games with each other in addition to talking about the dinner discussion questions.

On January 20th before school, 26 students, parents, teachers, and administrators joined together for donuts and discussion to talk with each other about the book.

Upon completion, surveys were distributed. While not everyone returned the survey, the feedback that was received was very positive.

Ms. Janet Oldewurtel is working really hard in supporting literacy at Edgewood Middle and deserves a shout out for all of her dedication to the students and staff in her first year in this position. Way to go, Ms. Oldewurtel and Edgewood Middle School!

Presented by the Wellness Committee and CareFirst

Join CareFirst and the Wellness Committee on Thursday, February 9, 2023, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. for a live virtual cooking demonstration. Shaped to inspire nutritious meals at home, the live virtual demonstration will have participants learn techniques for making their meals healthier and receive recipes to practice their new culinary skills in the comfort of their homes. This Virtual Heart Smart Cooking Demonstration will focus on a three-course heart-smart meal.

The evening's menu will feature Cajun Honey Grilled Chicken with Spanish Rice and Sauteed Peppers. For dessert? Warm Chocolate Pudding.

To join the session on Thursday, February 9, at 5:30 p.m., save the following link and access code to your calendar:

Event Link:https://bhsonline.zoom.us/j/82692080796?pwd=TlFjRjV3YlExbTU1Qm5BZ0NqdGxYdz09

Access Code: 308929

February is American Health Month

Why is this Health Observance so important? Well, every year, more than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. A few key risk factors for heart disease include:

• High Blood Pressure
• High Blood Cholesterol
• Smoking
• Diabetes

Luckily, by taking an active role in our well-being and incorporating daily heart-healthy habits, we can reduce the risk of heart disease. To learn more, click here to view CareFirst's February Wellness Newsletter.

February CareFirst WellBeing Challenge – Jumpstart Your Heart Challenge

Your body constantly sends you signals, and while some are easy to interpret, like the twinge of a paper cut, others are harder to understand. During this challenge, earn green days through your CareFirst WellBeing app by engaging in healthy behaviors, with the goal being to earn 21 green days in February. Click here to learn more about the CareFirst WellBeing challenge and how to join.

Join Blue365 and Start Saving Today!

With the Blue365 wellness discount, great deals are yours for every aspect of your life – like 20% off at Reebok.com, discounted nutrition products, or a gym membership for only $29 a month. To take advantage of Blue365, register now at carefirst.com/wellnessdiscounts and have your CareFirst member ID card handy. You will be registered and ready to shop in a couple of minutes. CareFirst will send a special deal to your inbox every week.

CareFirst WellBeing – A Personalized Digital Connection to Your Healthiest Life

Health and wellness is intensely personal. It's a product of everything, large and small, that goes into making and living life. It's constantly evolving. And it's different for everyone. To help you find and maintain your own sense of well-being in an increasingly complicated world, CareFirst is building a better wellness resource.

Beginning on January 1, 2023, the current ShareCare wellness app available to all HCPS staff members will transition to CareFirst WellBeing. The new site will feature all the tools, resources, and support you rely on but in a more clear and cohesive platform. To download the app, visit CareFirst.com/WellBeing. To access CareFirst WellBeing, you can register with the new program using your current ShareCare credentials on or after January 1, 2023. After that, you can start using all the excellent resources available – there's no waiting period. All of your data will carry over, too. You can view the Introduction Flier here to learn more about the new CareFirst WellBeing app.

Presented by KEPRO Employee Assistance Program

Shorter days, colder weather and increased time spent indoors in the winter can lead to feelings of moodiness and depression. Even if you live in a warmer climate, you may still feel the effects of some sadness in winter, especially after the holidays pass. In this session, participants will explore the benefits of getting outdoors as a part of their self-care routine. Click here to learn more.

Date: Available on demand beginning January 17, 2023

Broadcast Length: 50 minutes
How to Access: Go to your EAP website: www.EAPHelpLink.com. Enter your code: HCPS and look for Online Seminars in the lower left-hand corner of this homepage, or you can search for them by title.

The Employee Assistance Program is available to employees and their families anytime, any day, and is a free, confidential program to help you balance your work, family, and personal life.

Employees and their family members can call KEPRO 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, toll-free at (866) 795-5701 to visit their website online at www.EAPhelplink.com.

Have b! help you with your wellness goal(s). Where do you plan to grow? Is it your physical or mental health? How about building meaningful connections with friends and family that fill your cup? Or maybe you want to grow your career or pay off your debt. Let's do this together! Click here to choose your b! in the Let's Grow Together community.

Check out b! 's Mindset, Gratitude, and Intention Setting Playlist. Check out the final playlist from the Holiday Thrive Guide: Mindset, Gratitude, and Intention Setting. These classes are all about helping you approach a positive mindset, reduce stress, and boost gratitude during the holiday season. Click here to view the playlist.

Are you looking for class ideas? Here are a few suggestions for top classes to start in January:

• Yoga Flow (25 minutes) with Maria Finnegan -- Level 1
• Meditation Basics (20 minutes) with Ryan Redman -- Level 1
• Making Healthy Habits Stick (3 minutes) with Jessica Beard -- Level 1
• Power Breakfast Cookies (7 minutes) with Kate Watkins, RDN -- Level 1
• Beginner Core Stabilization Floor Workout (14 minutes) with Tina Fritsch -- Level 1
• Standing Abs (15 minutes) with Monte Sanders -- Level 3

Did you know BurnAlong is free for you and your friends? You have access to four (4) free family subaccounts, so you can start sharing today! It takes just a minute to send one, and they'll get free, unlimited access to BurnAlong all year long. Help someone start their 2023 off on the right foot. Click here to invite a subaccount.

Take BurnAlong with You! Join thousands of others on their health and wellness journey by downloading the Mobile App. Available in iOS and Android, take BurnAlong with you by downloading the app today!

What is BurnAlong? As a reminder, BurnAlong is our Health and wellness partner who provides you and your family with more than 23,000 live and on-demand online classes from 5,000+ credentialed instructors at no cost to you.

To activate your complimentary account, get started by visiting https://fit.burnalong.com/hcps. If you have any trouble accessing your account, contact customercare@burnalong.com. Find out more about BurnAlong in this brief video.

This January, prioritize achieving and maintaining your health goals in 2023.

A new year is a perfect opportunity for employees to refresh their daily routines and improve or implement new healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Think about it: the health decisions we make each day positively or negatively influence our current and future health status. These decisions also affect the way we show up for ourselves and others. By creating healthy and sustainable habits, we can reduce our risk for the most common, costly, and preventable health problems. To learn more, click here to view CareFirst’s January Wellness Newsletter.

January WellBeing Challenge – Step Into a New Year, New You Challenge

Make 2023 the Year of You! CareFirst WellBeing provides innovative tools and resources to help you meet your unique wellness goals. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when making healthy lifestyle changes. Here are a few quick tips to start this year off on the right track:

• Define attainable health goals that will fit in with your lifestyle.
• Take it one step at a time.
• Exercise with friends and family to stay motivated.
• Track your food and water intake.
• Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout or overeat.

Click here to learn more about the CareFirst WellBeing challenge and how to join.

Join Blue365 and Start Saving Today!

With the Blue365 wellness discount, great deals are yours for every aspect of your life – like 20% off at Reebok.com, discounted nutrition products, or a gym membership for only $29 a month. To take advantage of Blue365, register now at carefirst.com/wellnessdiscounts and have your CareFirst member ID card handy. You will be registered and ready to shop in a couple of minutes. CareFirst will send a special deal to your inbox every week.

Employees who have received the primary vaccine series and at least one (1) booster can submit verification of their vaccination status through an online employee survey to be eligible for COVID Breakthrough Leave for the 2022-2023 school year. Individuals who already submitted both their primary vaccine series and booster information during the 2021-2022 school year will not need to complete this survey again. Information collected from the COVID Breakthrough Leave survey will be utilized for the 2022-2023 school year to determine COVID Breakthrough Leave eligibility. The survey can be accessed by clicking here.

The complete MOU specific to your bargaining unit can be found on the Staff Relations SharePoint page. Questions about COVID Breakthrough Leave can be directed to Staff and Labor Relations Office at (410) 588-5311.

The Maryland State Retirement and Pension System and the Community College of Baltimore County will provide State Pension members the opportunity to participate in pre-retirement webinars and seminars. These sessions provide vital retirement information to pension system members, including the Maryland State Pension, Legal Issues, Social Security Benefits, and Financial Planning. The seminar/webinars will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Webinars:

• January 26 (CRN 37247)
• February 7 and 8 (CRN 37248)*Two Evenings
• February 23 (CRN 37250)
• March 8 and 9 (CRN 37277)*Two Evenings
• March 28 (CRN 37274)
• April 19 (CRN 37255)
• May 24 (CRN 37264)
• June 28 (CRN 37262)

Seminars:

• March 3 – Harford Community College (CRN 37279)

To register, please visit https://www.ccbcmd.edu/ceed-preretirement-county. For those participating in the online events, you will receive a separate link to join the date-specific event. For those participating in-person, you will receive an email with site-specific information.

Please Note: These sessions are not affiliated with HCPS and will not include HCPS-specific information, such as retiree healthcare. HCPS will be hosting a condensed pre-retirement seminar in February. More information about this seminar will be announced in future HCPS 411 Update newsletters.

"This shoutout is dedicated to everyone in the EL department who is tirelessly working to complete ACCESS for ELs (WIDA) testing. The results of these four tests (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) are used to determine English proficiency levels and an overall score. This valuable data is used to inform daily instruction/ modification, SST/ IEP meetings, and more! Thank you SO much, everyone, for all of your efforts! I am so honored to be a part of the EL team!

For more information on understanding WIDA score reports, visit: https://wida.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/resource/Interpretive-Guide.pdf

For "Can Do Descriptors" at each proficiency level and grade level cluster, visit: https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/can-do/descriptors

...or ask your friendly neighborhood EL teacher for more information!"

-MC Bienkowski, EL Teacher

Please join us in welcoming the following new hires to our HCPS family:

• Kristina Martin, Inclusion Helper, Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School
• Amanda Lovelace, Paraeducator, Swan Creek School
• Delainey Parsons, Inclusion Helper, Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School
• Catharine Belman, Inclusion Helper, Harford Academy
• Kira Toro, Inclusion Helper, Roye-Williams Elementary School
• Kara Moore, Satellite Kitchen Assistant, Darlington Elementary School
• Erin McGowan, Administrative Support Assistant, Magnolia Elementary School

Editor: Lindsay Bilodeau, Innovation Specialist

To submit an HCPS Shout Out or recognize a colleague in the Spotlight on Customer Service, please email the information and photo (if available) to HCPS.411@hcps.org.

Email: HCPS.411@hcps.org
Website: www.hcps.org
Location: 102 South Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD, USA
Phone: 410-588-5213