HCPS 411 Update

I am starting my 4th year as the proud principal of Fallston Middle School and 22nd year in HCPS. My previous assignments were Southampton, Havre de Grace and Aberdeen Middle Schools. During my career, I have had the honor of working with great educators at every school. I currently serve as an Executive Board Member of MASSP, where I’ve been able to network with principals throughout Maryland and engage in professional development that’s deepened my understanding of this challenging and rewarding profession. I’ve spent a few summers, along with several HCPS principals, participating in a number of principal environmental workshops through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Those experiences have left me with a great appreciation for hard work that’s gone into restoring and preserving the bay.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, golfing, traveling, and listening to Bossa Nova music.

To register for this event, please click here.

View more upcoming workshops by visiting hcps.org, clicking the 'Parents' tab, and then 'Parent Academy.'

You can fuel dreams- dreams that people in our community deserve to come true. Your support of United Way helps people live their best lives. Your gift ignites change.

The 2019 United Way Campaign, Ignite Change, kicked off on Monday, October 7, and will run through Friday, October 25, 2019. The first payroll deduction will be taken from the November 15 pay, and the last deduction will be taken on June 26, 2020 (17 pays). Did you know that if each employee deducted $2.00 per pay, HCPS could collect $160,000 for the United Way campaign? Don’t want to deduct from your pay? You can also make a one-time donation. What a difference we can make in our community!

You can learn more about the United Way of Central Maryland at www.uwcm.org. Please contact your school/office United Way coordinator or Christina Paquette in the Office of Communications and Family Outreach (Christina.Paquette@hcps.org or x5214) with any questions. Thank you, again, for joining together as a Harford County Public Schools family for this initiative to help our county.

The office of Student Services is excited to present the STUDENT SERVICES STANDOUT AWARD (S.T.A.R. AWARD). This award will be 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, 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. Please click here to access the nomination form and consider nominating someone today! Questions regarding this information should be directed to Kay Malone, in School Counseling, at Kay.Malone@hcps.org or x5251.

The Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University, in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education, named Red Pump Elementary School and Churchville Elementary School as 2018-2019 Schools of the Year.

The awards program recognizes schools and school systems that demonstrate an outstanding character education initiative yielding positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance.

At the Maryland Center for Character Education's reception on October 3, recipients from the honored schools were able to share more details about character education efforts.

Congratulations, Red Pump Elementary and Churchville Elementary!

You are invited to attend this year’s Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) conference! The theme is What does your WHY Equal? How does your Passion Translate? The conference will be held at Dundalk High School in Baltimore County on Friday, October 18, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

There will be many sessions offered, including:

• A keynote address titled The Subtle Bigotry of Low Expectations by Dr. Faith Muirhead, who serves as the Senior Associate Director of the Professional Development Center for Educators and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware.
• Concurrent sessions featuring teachers/coaches from across the state including several who have been speakers at recent NCTM Regional and National events
• Continental breakfast and lunch from Panera, access to exhibitors, and door prizes including tickets to a future Ravens game.

The Conference at a Glance Information provides an overview of the day and highlighted sessions from different grade bands while MCTM’s Annual Conference Page has links to the comprehensive conference schedule including session descriptions.

Attending this annual conference offers personalized professional development directly related to current classroom work for a very affordable cost [$40/members $60/non-members] that does not require overnight travel. Registration to attend the event can be completed by visiting the Annual Conference and Banquet registration section in the MCTM Storefront.

Please consider spending Friday, October 18, with educators from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware, collaborating to learn and grow!

• "Our lead secretary, Betty Regal, has had to wear many hats since last spring. She has been incredibly busy doing work for positions that weren’t filled right away all the while learning her own new position. She also did so with more patience than I would or could expect from anyone. She needs a long vacation!!" -Dawn Flynn, school counselor at Aberdeen Middle School

• "A huge SHOUT OUT to Mary Jo Griswold for her exemplary customer service, provided to a parent earlier this week. Mary Jo spent 40 minutes consoling, problem solving and de-escalating a situation, resulting in an agreed-upon outcome. The compassion and patience she showed in speaking with the parent is a mirror image of her daily interactions with people, and for this she is to be commended and thanked." -Donna Dannenfelser, administrative support coordinator for Education Services

• “Faye Carter, in the Office of Technology, is an amazing person to work with. She makes your request a priority and works diligently to complete your request in a timely manner. She has a warm and welcoming demeanor, and always has something positive to say to brighten your day. I cannot thank her enough for all the help she gives to me. It is such a pleasure to work with her, and I feel truly blessed to have her as a coworker.” -Stephanie Wall, graphic designer and technical specialist, Office of Communications and Family Outreach

#HCPScustomerservice

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? Before you fill up on Halloween candy, make sure your brushing and flossing are up to scratch!

6 things a cleaning can do

If it’s been a while since your last dental cleaning, here are the top reasons to call your dental office today.

>> Why cleanings matter

Step up your flossing game

What’s the difference between floss and dental tape? How many inches of floss should you really be using?

>> Get the facts on flossing

How to choose a toothbrush

After three months, it’s time to toss your toothbrush. Here’s what to look for in a replacement.

>> See the shopping guide

Say goodbye to bad breath

Here’s what you can do to keep your breath fresh.

>> Download the flyer

Do you have tooth decay?

In about five minutes, you can find out your risk level for one of the most common diseases in the world.

>> Take the quiz

Prevention is the best cure

So you already brush and floss regularly. What else can you do to prevent dental disease?

>> Watch the video

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