HCPS 411 Update

On Monday, April 24, 2023, Superintendent Bulson and staff met with the Harford County Council at one of the Council’s budget work sessions. You can listen to the full work session here. HCPS was second on the agenda, following the Public Libraries. The HCPS discussion begins approximately at the 44-minute mark of the archived audio. The presentation used at the Council chambers is posted on the HCPS budget webpage.

Visit the HCPS budget page for more information, including graphs, videos, and to review the Board of Education’s budget proposal.

The Harford County Council has two upcoming budget public hearings scheduled for the FY24 County Budget on May 4 and May 10, 2023, starting at 7:00 p.m. If you are planning to attend and provide comments at these Public Hearings, the Council has noted they highly recommend signing up in advance by calling the Council Office at 410-638-3343 or emailing council@harfordcountycouncil.com.

We will continue to provide updates as we receive new information from the county.

The Board of Education president and vice president sat down with Mary Beth Stapleton for a Parent Academy Real Talk to speak at length on the impact the county executive’s proposed FY24 budget will have on local funding for education.

The April Monthly Minute with Dr. Bulson is rescheduled for Tuesday, May 2, at 12:15 p.m. Click here to join Microsoft Teams LIVE event then.

Please note: The May Monthly Minute will remain as scheduled for May 25, 2023.

Open Enrollment for the 2023 – 2024 plan year will begin on Monday, May 1, and end at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 22, 2023. During this period, eligible employees can enroll in benefits or change their current benefits selections. All requested changes will become effective on July 1, 2023. All enrollments can be completed online at https://hcps.benelogic.com.

The 2023 - 2024 Benefit Reference Guide will be posted to the website in early May to review to be ready to make changes to your elections beginning Monday, May 1. This year we will host two virtual Open Enrollment meetings on May 4 at 4:30 p.m. and May 17 at 4:30 p.m. and one in-person Open Enrollment meeting on May 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the Board Room at Central Office.

To join a live virtual open enrollment meeting, save the following link(s) to your calendar:

• Thursday, May 4, at 4:30 p.m.: Click here to join the meeting
• Wednesday, May 17, at 4:30 p.m.: Click here to join the meeting

NEW THIS YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 1, 2023! HCPS will begin offering employees a voluntary stand-alone vision plan providing vision benefits in addition to coverage already included in the BlueChoice HMO and Triple Option medical plans. In addition, HCPS will be transitioning dental insurance carriers from Delta Dental to CareFirst. Members enrolled in the Delta Dental PPO Comprehensive plan will transition to the CareFirst Dental PPO Comprehensive plan. Likewise, members currently enrolled in the Delta Dental Premier Standard plan will transition to the CareFirst PPO Standard plan if an active change election is not submitted during the open enrollment period. To view the benefit plan highlight sheets, please click on the corresponding links below:

• CareFirst Dental PPO – Comprehensive Plan Highlight Summary
• CareFirst Dental PPO – Standard Plan Highlight Summary
• CareFirst BlueVision Plus Plan Highlight Summary

2023-2024 INSURANCE PREMIUMS: The 2023-2024 benefit plan year's new premiums can be found here: FY24 Insurance Rates_Active Employees.pdf.

If you wish to enroll in or change your benefit elections, a flexible spending account, or the new vision benefit offered to eligible employees, you must complete an active enrollment before 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 22, 2023. If you elect not to change your current enrollments, you do not have to take action; your current elections will automatically continue into the new plan year, with your dental benefits transitioning to the CareFirst PPO Network beginning on July 1, 2023. The only exception to this is if you are enrolling in a flexible spending account; that must be updated each year. If you have any questions, contact the Benefits Office at benefits@hcps.org.

HCPS will again sponsor a Mental Health Awareness Month Art Contest. The theme for this year is "Hopes and Dreams." Please encourage students to submit their original works for consideration by May 26, 2023.

Additionally, May 7-13, 2023, is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week. Show your support on May 11 by wearing green for children's mental health awareness. Take pictures of yourself, colleagues, and students wearing green and post on social media. Be sure to use #childrensmentalhealthmatters and tag HCPSchools and HCPSMentalZone!

We invite you to join us at the second annual Your Mind Matters: A Family Wellness Night event hosted by the Office of Mental Health, The Klein Family Harford Crisis Center, Harford County Public Schools, and the Harford County Health Department on Friday, May 19, 2023! This FREE event will be held at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Family-friendly activities include a petting zoo, crafts, axe throwing, pony rides, a bounce house, rock climbing wall, photo booth, family resource vendors, refreshments, and more! Click here to learn more about this exciting event, including information about free transportation to and from the stadium.

Click here to register to attend. We hope to see you there!

On May 24, 2023, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., the Department of Instructional Leadership and Professional Development (ILPD), at Towson, will be hosting its first Awards Ceremony and Alumni Celebration. Believe it or not, we have nine cohorts graduating this spring. If you have graduated from the Towson University ILPD Leadership program since 2017, you are invited to attend. Click here for more information.

Non-tenured teachers who wish to resign from HCPS without prejudice must submit their letter of resignation prior to May 1, 2023 , effective June 30, 2023. The Notification of Separation form is available by clicking here: Notification of Separation or Retirement.

If you have any questions, please contact the Talent Management Department at 410-588-5238.

Lincoln Financial representatives Stacey Spedden-Irrgang and Madi Ewing will be hosting a live zoom webinar covering how to manage market volatility and enhancements to the HCPS elective retirement plans next Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 4:15 p.m. This zoom session will include some historical information on market volatility and fluctuations in the market, how changing investments based on emotions can effect your portfolio long-term, the perks of dollar cost averaging, diversification and how it can impact you long-term, and the enhancements to the plan including the new portfolios offered. For the zoom details and to RSVP, please contact Madi Ewing at Madison.Ewing@lfg.com.

We sat down with Old Post Road Elementary School Principal Ron Wooden as he shared his story and love for his students and school community. Hear what makes his school and staff so special. Join us as we take an intimate look at Old Post Road Elementary School, a proud Title I and Community School.

Did you know? A community school develops and utilizes partnerships to connect the school, students, families, and surrounding community to the resources needed in order to thrive. The community school strategy is deeply rooted in equity by supporting traditionally underserved communities and leveraging additional partnerships for essential services.

HCPS Parent Academy, in partnership with Chick-fil-A of Harford County, is proud to announce that Ring Factory Elementary School is the April winner for the school system’s Family Friendly School Award program!!

This month, seven (7) schools were nominated and 1,774 unique votes were cast by the community among the nominated schools, naming Ring Factory Elementary the winner with 864 votes!! Not only does the school earn the coveted title of Family Friendly School for the month of April, but the entire school staff will be treated to a luncheon by the program partner, Chick-fil-A of Harford County.

We want to also recognize this month's runner-up schools:

• Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School
• Forest Lakes Elementary School
• Bakerfield Elementary School

Keep up the great work!

In May, we will name the last Family Friendly School of the 2022-23 school year. The nomination window will open Monday, May 1, 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 May 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.

The 2nd Annual Banquet for the HCPS School Bus Driver & Attendant of the Year Awards was held today, April 27, 2023, at Mountain Branch Golf Club. Of this year's six finalists, we are thrilled to announce the following winners:

• Amanda DeVincentz, General Education Driver of the Year, Bus 560
• Shelley Mays-Wyatt, Special Needs Driver of the Year, Bus 313
• Jacquelyn Cassady, Special Needs Attendant of the Year, Bus 302

Congratulations to these winners and all of this year's finalists!

HCPS has more than 600 certified bus drivers and attendants, and the Transportation Department was excited to recognize the best-of-the-best in HCPS student transportation.

Each of this year's finalists demonstrated a commitment to being a professional school bus driver or attendant, and they embody a safety-first attitude along with a student-centered approach in their work each day. They were nominated by either a colleague, administrator, parent, student, or other community member. From those nominations, the selection committee determined the finalists and ultimately the winners. Click here to learn more about this year's nominees.

A special thank you to Freedom Federal Credit Union for making this awards program possible!

Congratulations to all of the April honorees highlighted below! And a special thank you to this month's Limelight sponsor, Aberdeen IronBirds. All nominees will four (4) tickets to an IronBirds game of their choice this season. One lucky grand prize winner was selected by random draw and a skybox with catering for 25 family members and friends! Congratulations to Eileen Dixon of Roye-Williams Elementary School!

The HCPS Bowtie Breakfast program celebrates Central Office employees who consistently demonstrate outstanding customer service and go above and beyond in their roles. Honorees are nominated by colleagues to attend Superintendent Bulson’s virtual event held each month. Congratulations to the April 2023 honorees! Join us in celebrating our awesome HCPS staff!

We'd also like to give a BIG thank you to our program sponsor, Freedom Federal Credit Union! We are able to provide our honorees with a special treat courtesy of their generosity.

The Teacher Tour, presented by the 2021 Teacher of the Year finalists, known as 5xStronger, recognizes and celebrates some of the fantastic and extraordinary teachers in our schools. Each month, nominations are accepted for teachers who are doing an outstanding job in a specific area or level. One winning teacher will be selected each month, but every nominee will be recognized in the HCPS 411 Update. The winning teacher will receive a surprise visit from the 5xStronger team and a special gift from one of our community partners.

This month, 5xStronger recognized our wonderful unified arts teachers! These teachers connect with students at all grade levels and play an integral part in each student's educational journey. These are our music, physical education, and arts teachers, and school librarians. They foster relationships and create a well-rounded education experience for every student. They inspire creativity and learning in exciting and innovative ways.

For the fourth stop of the year, 5xStronger recognized Kristen Nance, of Church Creek Elementary School! Click here for more information and to see all of this month’s nominees!

For their fifth and final stop, 5xStronger is looking to highlight and recognize one Special Education teacher! These teachers work tirelessly to decipher what each student needs to be able to learn effectively. They work with general education teachers to create healthy, happy, and inspiring learning environments to help all students reach their full learning potential. Do you know a Special Education teacher who is exceptional in professional growth, classroom management, technology, positive relationships, and/or student engagement? We would love to hear about them and share some of the wonderful things they are doing in their classrooms to promote student learning at all grade levels!

Please use this link to nominate a Special Education teacher on or before May 15, 2023. They may be the LAST stop on our teacher tour!

Two of our very own HCPS music teachers, Emalyn Bullis, general vocal music teacher at Bel Air Elementary, and Katelyn Hemling, vocal music director at North Harford High, will be featured soloists in Haydn’s Mass in the Time of War in Deer Creek Chorale’s concert "Light Beyond Shadow" at Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College this Sunday, April 30, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. For more information about the concert go to www.deercreekchorale.org.

Several Homestead Wakefield Elementary School students were among 174 third, fourth, and fifth graders from across the state who participated in this year's Maryland Engineering Challenges (MEC). MEC is a project-based STEM competition for students hosted at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The MEC provides a group project that can be worked on during in-classroom or out-of-classroom time that culminates in statewide competitions at the museum.

Each grade level tackled a different challenge: third graders participated in the Safe Racer Challenge, fourth graders in the Paper Airplane Challenge, and fifth graders in the Straw Bridge Challenge. The students worked for several months researching engineering principles related to their specific challenge, building, testing, redesigning, drawing conclusions, and completing written reports highlighting their process. Each team also participated in oral interviews with scientists and engineers, or teachers for the school-based contests, answering questions about their process and what they learned.

The students pictured below placed in the competitions against other schools at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Other teams participated or will participate in a school-based competition.

These Wildcats did an amazing job representing their school.

Moreland University can assist you with a very cost-effective 9-month Teacher Certification Program or their 12-month Masters in Education Programs.

• Teacher Preparation Certification Program = $6,000
• Master’s in Education Degrees = $13,000

Join an information session from Moreland to learn more:

• Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

During the session….

• Learn about the program – Schedule, Learning Goals, and Requirements
• Moreland’s cohorts start monthly, so you can start right away
• Take the Steps to Complete the Application – www.Moreland.edu
• Learn about the License Process and Praxis Test Help
• Meet the Moreland Team AND our HCPS staff will be here for you, too!

Please see the linked flyer for with details and Teams Meetings Links.

For questions, please email maranda.scott@hcps.org.

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is offering two science courses over the summer that earn CPD credits.

• Effective Science Communication Skills to Build the Next Generation of Environmental Stewards and Leaders
  

  Runs June 19-August 31, 2023, at your own pace
  Two (2) CPD credits
  $149

• Data Tells a Story! Learning, Creating and Developing Environmental Report Cards
  Runs June 19-August 31, 2023, at your own pace
  Two (2) CPD credits
  $149

Please see the flyer for additional details and registration information. When registering, please use your hcps email for a 50% discount.

Goucher College’s Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions

Tuesday, May 2, 2023, 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.

Programs eligible for reduced tuition through Harford County Public Schools:

Masters of Education (M.Ed.) or Professional Development (PD) Certificate for educators who already hold their masters:

• At-Risk and Diverse Learners
• Literacy Strategies for Content Learning
• Reading Instruction Concentration
• School Improvement Leadership Concentration
• Special Education
• Teaching English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL)

Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.):

• Dual Elementary (Grades 1-6) and Special Education (Grades 1-8)
• Dual Secondary with Special Education
• Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)
• Elementary Special Education (Grades 1-6)
• Secondary Education (Grades 6-12)
• Secondary Special Education (Grades 6-12)

Click here to RSVP for an upcoming zoom session to learn more about their graduate education programs.

To RSVP or for more information, please call (667) 444-2410 or email kleonard@exploregoucher.com.

Parent Academy, Title I, Community Schools, and Judy Center staff combined resources to support families at the United Way's Project Connect event at the EPICENTER in Edgewood today, April 27, 2023.

The Judy Center Early Learning Hubs (JCELHs) of Harford County, located at Deerfield Elementary, Halls Cross Roads Elementary, and Magnolia Elementary schools, recently hosted a community baby shower. The JCELHs work with families with children ages birth through five promoting school readiness as well as connecting families to resources.

As a community outreach event, the JCELHs partnered with the Harford County Health Department (WIC and Healthy Families), Harford County Infants and Toddlers, Choose Hope, Catholic Charities Early Head Start, Maryland Rural Development Corporation Head Start, Maryland Department of Transportation, Harford County Public Library, Maryland’s Physician, Harford Community Action Agency, and Empowering Minds Resource Center to host a baby shower for expecting moms and moms who have children under the age of 12 months.

JCELHs would like to give a big shout-out to all of their partners who attended! They also want to say THANK YOU to everyone, including Youth's Benefit Elementary School, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Office, and the Transportation Department staff, who donated items that allowed everyone who registered to leave with a goody bag filled with a book, diapers, wipes, and other baby items. The event had 74 registered and 51 who attended, with nine walk-in guests.

They could not have done it without all of you!

For those who have a Maryland teaching certificate that is expiring JUNE 30, 2023, if you have not done so already, please log onto TEACH and request a renewal of your certificate: https://certificationhub.msde.maryland.gov/#/. More information regarding this process can be found in the MSDE TEACH INFORMATION 9-2022 document on SharePoint, Human Resources, Certification, under Certification Forms & Information.

In order to renew certificates in a timely manner, please complete requests for renewal by May 1, 2023.

Questions regarding this information should be directed to CJ Harbach, Certification Assistant, or Aretha Young, Certification Coordinator, at Certification@hcps.org or 410-588-5258

Tuition reimbursement requests, including the Partial Reimbursement Request form corresponding to your union and an itemized receipt showing payment method(s) and amount(s), and an official transcript, sent separately and electronically from your university, must be submitted to transcripts@hcps.org within 90 days of the course completion date. Please visit the Tuition Reimbursement SharePoint Page for additional tuition reimbursement information, including reimbursement request forms, sample receipts, eligibility, and more details about the reimbursement submission process.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SPRING 2023 SEMESTER REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS: Spring 2023 semester reimbursement requests received on and after May 1, 2023, will be reimbursed after July 15, 2023, leading up to and including the 2023-24 school year's first and second pay dates. Employees will receive an email confirming the reimbursement date of their request once it is processed over the summer. This processing timeline will apply to all staff, including those not scheduled to work during the summer break. Employees taking coursework through a direct bill partner will have their coursework billed directly to HCPS. Therefore, no paperwork is needed from the employee for the reimbursement as the partner University/College will provide the required official transcript/grade report.

Courses completed before July 1, 2023, will count towards the July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023 fiscal year, while courses completed on or after July 1, 2023, will count towards the July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024 fiscal year. Questions concerning reimbursement should be directed to the benefits office at benefits@hcps.org. Questions concerning certification should be directed to certification@hcps.org.

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

• Administrative Support Specialist - School Based - Emmorton Elementary School - July 1st Vacancy
• Custodian I - Shift 2 - Edgewood Middle School - Internal Applicants Only
• Custodian II - Shift 1 - Harford Technical High School
• Custodian II - Shift 2 - Havre de Grace Middle/High School
• Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) Army Instructor

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!

The Academic Tutoring Program will be run July 9 – August 5, 2023. Tutors will provide students with instructional support and remediation.

Tutors are needed in the areas of:

• Elementary School: Reading and Mathematics for students in a virtual, one-on-one setting.
• Middle School: Reading and Mathematics in a virtual, small group setting with 2 or 3 students.
• High School: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies in a virtual, small group setting with 2 or 3 students for graduation required courses.

Teachers and paraeducators in any content area may serve as tutors and will be able to identify their desired content(s) and grade level(s). Tutors will also be able to determine the number of tutoring sessions that they would like to conduct each week, with a maximum of 10 hours of tutoring per week. Tutors will be compensated at their true hourly rate when working with students and the negotiated rate for planning. Caseload assignments will be determined by student availability, certification, and need.

Tutors are REQUIRED to attend ONE informational session and will know their employment status by June 16, 2023. Required Informational Sessions will be offered on May 18, May 23, May 24, and May 25. Additional make-up sessions will not be available.

If you are interested in serving as a tutor, please complete this survey form to select which Required Informational Session you plan to attend:

HCPS Summer Academic Tutoring Informational Sessions

Filling out this form does not guarantee you employment this summer. For any questions, please contact Academic.Tutoring@hcps.org.

Harford County Public Schools Facilities Management Department has an eight-week Summer Maintenance Program (June 20, 2023 – August 10, 2023) open to anyone who enjoys varying jobs such as painting and striping parking lots at various locations. Those selected will be working at school buildings and annexes throughout the Harford County Public School System. Target locations for this year include: Fallston High, Magnolia Middle, Abingdon Elementary, Darlington Elementary, Dublin Elementary, and Emmorton Elementary. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and able to provide their own transportation to the various job sites.

The hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. There are two (2) 15-minute breaks plus a half-hour lunch. Starting pay for painting is $13.25.

Applications are located on the Harford County Public Schools website (hcps.org) under About Us > Current Vacancies > Other Career Opportunities/Substitutes. Only online applications will be accepted until positions have been filled. If you have any questions regarding the program, please call the Hickory Annex at 410-638-4088.

Take control of your medical health this April.

Click the image below to view the April Playlist: Take Control of Your Health

Coming to You Live in April!

This month, BurnAlong is focusing on taking control of your health. With ways to help your heart pump, increase your mobility, and take preventative measures, your future health will thank you! Ready to join? Check out some of the live events below:

• April 6 at 12:00 p.m. – Ways to Keep Your Heart Pumping
• April 12 at 12:00 p.m – Take Control of Your Future Health, Today
• April 17 at 12:00 p.m – Increase your Mobility

Want to Learn More About Healthy Aging? BurnAlong has handpicked a variety of classes for you that help keep you, and your loved ones, living life to the fullest.

Looking for More Class Recommendations? Click on the calendar below to access suggested classes throughout April:

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.

Have you heard about Noom? Noom is an app that takes a psychology-based approach to help individuals lose weight and keep it off. And now, we're pleased to have this available to all employees at no cost through the CareFirst Wellbeing Wellness program - even those employees who do not carry the CareFirst medical insurance through HCPS. Spouses and dependent children over 18 on the HCPS CareFirst medical plan can also access this new benefit at no cost. To learn more about Noom and how to create your free account, click here.

Already have a Noom account? Follow the direction in the link above to create your CareFirst-sponsored Noom account using the same email address as your individual/consumer account. Noom's registration flow will be able to identify you, prompting additional screens to confirm you wish to transfer from your consumer account to a CareFirst-sponsored account. If you agree, your account will transition to the free CareFirst-sponsored benefit.

Kepro understands that financial wellness plays a significant role in our overall well-being. Financial concerns can be a stressor for many, especially now in these challenging financial times where inflation is the highest in a long time. Kepro proudly shares their Smart Money Moves in Tough Financial Times podcast. Click here to listen!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Did you know 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mental illness each year? Now more than ever, we recognize the role that mental health plays in our overall health and well-being and the value of raising awareness and helping those in need receive treatment. This month's wellness newsletter features practices to help enhance your mental health and support methods and member resources. To learn more, click here.

May CareFirst WellBeing Challenge – Meditation Challange

Time to focus on your emotional well-being. With a busy lifestyle, it can be challenging to take the time to relax and practice self-care. Adding meditation to your daily routine can help relax your body and mind and improve your overall well-being. Click here to learn more about the CareFirst WellBeing challenge and how to join.

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 webinars will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Webinars:

• May 24 (CRN 37264)
  
• June 28 (CRN 37262)

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.

Employees who wish to provide feedback on their experience(s) obtaining medications through CVS retail pharmacies are advised to complete the CVS/Caremark Service Reporting Tool, available on SharePoint. This report is monitored bi-weekly by a member of the Benefits Office for further assistance and tracking of member service feedback. To access this form, visit the Harford County Public Schools – SharePoint Home Page.

As always, if there is an immediate need or concern when obtaining medication, please email benefits@hcps.org so that a member of the Benefits Office can assist you more quickly.

Presented by KEPRO Employee Assistance Program

Unsure with how to start going green? This session, participants will explore the steps towards greener living and how to guide your family to living more sustainable. Click here to learn more.

Date: Available on demand beginning April 18, 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, seven days per week, toll-free at (866) 795-5701 to visit their website online at www.EAPhelplink.com.

"I would like to give a staff shout out to Melanie Feathers, the Family Service Coordinator of the Judy Center Early Learning Hub at Hall's Cross Roads Elementary. Melanie goes above and beyond the scope of her job description each and every day in service of the families and children of Hall's Cross Roads Elementary. She will drop what she is doing to give a student a hug, talk to a parent, or assist a staff member. She is the friendly face our students look forward to and the embodiment of service to others. Melanie treats each child and family as if they were her own. In the face of a staff shortage in our Judy Center, Melanie has taken on extra responsibilities with a smile and still manages her day to day duties. Our school community is brighter and better because of her and the passion she brings to her role in our Judy Center."

-Michelle Bowditch, Program Manager, Judy Center Early Learning Hub at Hall's Cross Roads Elementary

"I would love to give the staff at Joppatowne Elementary School a huge shoutout! This year has been an extremely challenging year. We have come together as a family to find ways to help our students and staff. As they say, there is no "I" in Team, and that is what we are. Our administrators have an open door policy to address not only concerns of students but staff as well. Just Can’t Hide That Joppatowne Pride!!!!"

-Michele Bane, Paraeducator, Joppatowne Elementary School

"Shout out to Amiee Christiana and Karen Szyjka, special educators at Jarrettsville Elementary. You both always go above and beyond for our students and families to ensure that their needs are being met. I am so lucky to work with you and Jarrettsville is fortunate to have you!"

-Stefanie Dougherty, Special Educator, Jarrettsville Elementary School

"Shout out to Renee Mozingo for always going above and beyond for the Science team! She is responsive, polite, and will work to ensure the team has what they need for our students! She is truly appreciated!!"

-Edgewood Middle Science Team

"Recognizing Denise Semenkow for ushering myself and the entire group reviewing the Depended Audit RFP for her patience with us. Her mastery of the arcane skills involved in purchasing, complemented by the ability to subtly guide us keeping us on track and focused is incredibly appreciated. HCPS is fortunate to have her."

-George Kasnic, Social Studies Teacher, Edgewood Middle School

"Immensely grateful for Ms. Aretha Young's always prompt, professional, and courteous responses to what must be the zillionth time she has answered the same question. She is the epitome of professionalism and we are fortunate to have her."

-George Kasnic, Social Studies Teacher, Edgewood Middle School

"Shout out to Shannon Linarducci for providing the Behavior Coach team with resources to help us build our knowledge base and learn more about Applied Behavior Analysis. Shannon has a wealth of knowledge and experience. The resources she has shared with our team have helped me better understand behavior and identify new evidence-based strategies to teach and reinforce positive student behavior!!"

-Greg Willison, Behavior Intervention Coach

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

• Tara Hough, Inclusion Helper, Church Creek Elementary School
• Janine Weiss, Inclusion Helper, 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