HCPS 411 Update

Join us as we welcome our recently elected Board members! Tune in to the live stream on hcps.org at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2022, to see the swearing in of the elected Board members. Then, follow along on HCPS social media channels for short videos to introduce each elected Board member the week of December 5, 2022.

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

• Administrative Support Specialist - Procurement

• Chief Custodian II - Deerfield Elementary School

• School Nurse - Edgewood Middle School and Swan Creek School

• Grounds and Equipment Maintenance - Facilities

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!

Superintendent Bulson has announced that schools and offices will be closed from Monday, December 26, 2022, through Monday, January 2, 2023. The changes to note from previously published school calendars are the office closures on December 29 and 30.

Questions should be directed to the appropriate supervisor.

MSDE is recruiting certified teachers to assist with the creation of MCAP state assessments in mathematics, English/Language Arts Literacy, science, and social studies. MSDE expects to begin convening select committees in March 2023. Other committees will begin their work in summer 2023. Most of these committees will meet in a virtual format.

Certified teachers, specialists, or administrators are welcome to apply for one or more committees. Compensation will be provided directly for individuals who are working outside of their duty timeframe. Compensation amounts have not yet been released by MSDE.

The list of committees and additional information is available here. Interested educators can submit a form of intent to express interest. After submission, MSDE will provide content supervisors the list of perspective committee members. Final determination and next steps will be shared with selected committee members by MSDE directly.

Please direct questions to Phillip Snyder, Supervisor of Accountability, at Phillip.Snyder@hcps.org.

As parents and caregivers receive their child(ren)’s first quarter report cards, the 2022 HCPS Teacher of the Year Finalists, also known as the Communi-Team, share tips and advice about how parents can engage, monitor, and support students’ academic progress.

All certificated staff will now have to request initial certificates and changes to their existing certificate through the TEACH system - https://certificationhub.msde.maryland.gov.

Directions for requesting an initial certificate, a certification renewal, and/or an endorsement to your current certificate can be found on the Certification site in SharePoint. Please see links below:

• Applying for an initial Certificate
• Requesting a Certificate Renewal
• Requesting an Endorsement

For those who have a Maryland teaching certificate that is expiring DECEMBER 31, 2022; if you have not done so already, please log onto TEACH and request a renewal of your certificate. 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.

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.

*Administrators interested in an in-person or virtual presentation on the TEACH system for their staff should contact the Office of Certification.

Looking for a way to relieve holiday stress and maintain balance? Picture yourself having a healthier, happier holiday season by joining us in Health for the Holidays, a lighthearted online wellness program. As you record daily health behaviors, you paint a winter scene – brushing on more color and detail – while earning inches of snow. The more you do, the more your painting comes to life and the more snow builds up, reinforcing your healthy holiday accomplishments. Every week there’s a new scene – with surprises that inspire you to keep at it until you finish each painting. Your goal is to record daily exercise, healthy eating, and special Gift Box behaviors (there’s a new one each day). You add an inch of snow for each of these activities… piling up to 21 inches a week. And you complete a painting by recording activities 5 or more days a week. Aim to accumulate 60 total inches of snow and finish 4 paintings during the 4-week campaign. Participants can log their daily activity on a computer or on their phone using the Health for the Holidays app! You can even connect a tracking device to record your daily steps! The participant with the most points at the end of the 4-week program will receive a grand prize, courtesy of our partners at CareFirst.

Don’t miss out on the perfect way to wrap up the year feeling more energetic and resilient. Click here to view a brief promotional video for the program. This program is available to all HCPS employees, free of charge.

There’s still time to register! Registration is open NOW through Friday, November 25, 2022. Click here to register!

Join us as we continue to shine the light on how HCPS celebrates diversity all year long. Each month, we will highlight a cultural/organizational holiday. All you have to do is take a picture or two and share the wonderful things your school or office is doing to celebrate the contributions we all make to HCPS.

This month, we are celebrating:

National Native American Heritage

Please email your celebration pictures and a brief write-up regarding the event to Sherron Foster-Moore, Diversity Retention & Recruitment Specialist, at Sherron.FosterMoore@hcps.org by Monday, November 28, 2022. This month’s celebrations will be shared in the December 1 issue of the HCPS 411 Update.

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, 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, 2022. Click here to access the nomination form and the rubric used by the judges and consider nominating someone today!

Questions regarding this information should be directed to Kay Malone, Supervisor of School Counseling, at Kay.Malone@hcps.org or 410-588-5251.

The Academic Tutoring Program is seeking short-term and long-term tutors for the 2022-2023 school year. Tutors will provide students with instructional support and remediation. Tutors are needed in the areas of Reading and Mathematics for students in grades K-12, as well as Science and Social Studies for the graduation required courses at the high school level. Teachers and paraeducators in any content area may serve as tutors and will be able to select 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. Elementary students will be supported in a virtual, one-on-one setting. Middle and high school students will be supported in a virtual, small group setting with three or fewer students. Tutors will be compensated at their per diem rate.

If you are interested in serving as a tutor, please complete this survey form:

https://forms.office.com/r/SL2YfC2L6J

Focus on growing and thriving with BurnAlong this season!

Stay centered and balance with four (4) BurnAlong video playlists:

• b-NOURISHED: Enjoy healthy takes on seasonal favorites and learn intuitive eating tips.
• b-GENEROUS: Master gift-giving and save money with financial wellness tips.
• b-MOVIN': Find movement practices that bring you joy.
• b-GRATEFUL: Build your foundation for 2023 with gratitude and goal-setting.

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.

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!

Presented by KEPRO Employee Assistance Program

Are you caring for an older parent in addition to raising your child or financially supporting a grown child? If so, you are part of the sandwich generation, the 47% of adults nationwide, ages 40-59, who face multiple responsibilities and competing demands as they support older and younger family members. This session will help participants to find practical and effective strategies to balance your work and personal life as the sandwich generation. Click here to learn more.

Date: Available on demand now

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.

Getting healthy and holistically feeling your best can be fun and easy with help! That's why HCPS wants to launch a health and wellness program to help you live healthier and to provide resources to support your overall well-being while making it a program that works for employees. If you haven't done so already, please take a few moments to click the link below to complete the survey to help us shape this year's program by letting us know which health issues are important to you so that we may develop a program that meets the needs of all staff.

Click here to complete the survey.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

Did you know more than 237 million people in the United States live with diabetes and 96 million adults with prediabetes (National Diabetes Statistics Report | Diabetes | CDC)? National Diabetes Awareness Month is an important health observance promoted each November to raise awareness and sound the alarm on the growing diabetes epidemic. To learn more, click here to view CareFirst's November Wellness Newsletter.

CareFirst One-on-One Health Coaching

You have access to personal health coaching as part of your health coverage. To learn more about the coaching program, or to join, call (877) 260-3253 and press option 7. You may also receive a call inviting you to participate. While not mandatory, we encourage you to participate in this voluntary and confidential phone-based program to help you achieve your best possible health. You can leave the program at any time. Click here to learn more.

October Recipe of the Month: Salmon with Spinach

Salmon isn't just a delicious fish. It is also full of healthy fats that are good for your heart. Click here to try this healthy as you relax on a night in with this tasty recipe perfect for one.

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.

"In the spirit of gratitude, I’d like to give a huge shout out to the Cosmetology Program at Harford Tech for their kindness and collaboration! Carole Schaffer, Lindsay Avilia, and students, Hailee Mazur and Sadie Reed, opened their doors and hearts to help a Churchville student in great need. The patience, generosity, and care that they demonstrated was truly amazing. In two hours, the student transformed from a timid and scared little girl entering the salon, to a talkative and confident young lady excited to return to school to be with her peers. A special thanks to PPW Maureen Baxter, and CVES Counselor, Morgan Hesse, for making this experience possible."

-Lisa M. Minutoli, Principal, Churchville Elementary School

"I would like to take a moment to say how thankful I am for the school psychologists whom I get the pleasure of working with so closely. Candice Daley, Jennifer Sklar, Sheila Vancampen, and Jacqui Wilkins are simply the best! Not only do they provide me with unending advice, friendship, and professional insight, but they work tirelessly to make sure that students are supported, encouraged, and successful. They also provide such meaningful insight to teachers and staff so that we can all work together to help every child succeed. My job would be impossible without these ladies, and I am so very grateful for them!"

-Jen Flurry, Special Education Evaluator, Pupil Services Office

• Kendall Mueller, Grade 3 Teacher, Fountain Green Elementary School
• Julie Stouffer, Administrative Supportive Technician, Child Find
• Heather Work-Kirby, Administrative Support Assistant, Fallston High School
• Shannon Jester, Satellite Kitchen Assistant, Dublin Elementary School

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