Thursday, October 20, 2022

Systemwide Professional Development Day set for Oct. 24

Monday, October 24, has been designated a systemwide Professional Study Day. All sessions will be virtual, and any synchronous sessions will be recorded so that teachers observing Diwali may have access at a later time.

All teachers are required to complete a one-hour module titled "De-Escalation Strategies," which includes 20 minutes of asynchronous content from the SafeSchools online training portal and an opportunity for a 30–40-minute grade level/department discussion using the final assessment questions as prompts. All teachers are required to register for this session in the registration system.

All paraeducators are encouraged to register to attend sessions for the courses and grade levels they support. In addition, paraeducators also can watch Conflict Management Staff to Staff (16 min.) by logging into their Safe Schools account with their BCPS credentials. After watching, they can join a discussion group:

Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

FEATURED VIDEO:

Battle Grove Elementary - Community School Spotlight (Parent University

This new BCPS-TV Parent University segment spotlights Battle Grove Elementary, one of 39 community schools in BCPS.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

• Planned BCPS Serve maintenance

On Friday, October 21, 2022, and Saturday, October 22, 2022, there may be limited access to BCPS Serve due to monthly maintenance. During this time, you may experience intermittent inaccessibility of hosted services while internal systems are updated.

• We're hiring – Spread the word

Online applications are available for a variety of BCPS positions. Also, BCPS Recruitment is now on Twitter!

• BCPS Serve Knowledge Base

The Division of Information Technology is pleased to announce the launch of a new self-help tool called the BCPS Serve Knowledge Base. Use the knowledge base to search for answers to common support questions such as “How do I reset my password?” Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post

• Secondary Principals: Board of Selected Students application now open!

Baltimore County Student Councils invites secondary students to apply for membership on the Board of Selected Students (BOSS) for the 2022-2023 school year. BOSS applications are open to students who are not currently engaged in student council.

Interested students should apply by completing the BOSS application. A recommendation from a BCPS staff member is required. Applications are due by Oct. 30, at 11:59 p.m. For more information or questions, please email Stacey Wade at swade@bcps.org.

• Seasonal flu vaccine clinics

1) All BCPS employees with Kaiser or Cigna health coverage can receive the seasonal flu vaccines from their regular healthcare providers at no cost. 

2) The Baltimore County Department of Health is offering free flu vaccines to all Baltimore County residents from October 22 - 27. Details are available in English and Spanish. Vaccines are free regardless of insurance, and no appointment or proof of insurance is necessary.

Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

• Commemorations and Observances - Policy 6304

The Board of Education requires the commemoration and observance of certain days and events when required by law or identified by the Board as a day of national significance. Commemoration of special days and events shall be observed in a manner that enriches the instructional program.

Upcoming commemorations and observances include:

• Native American Heritage Month (November)

• Veterans Day* (Friday, November 11)

• Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 24)

• Pearl Harbor Day* (Wednesday, December 7)

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 16)

• Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and Constitution Day (Monday, January 30)

Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post

• BCPS Intern Festival

October 24, 26 & 27 | 4:45 - 6:40 p.m.

6901 N. Charles St. | Greenwood Campus | Building E

Towson 21204

Current BCPS teaching interns are invited to learn more about teaching opportunities with the school system, including teacher supports and career pathway options. At the event, interns can meet current first year teachers, interview with principals (or schedule interviews), and meet with system leaders, human resources staff, and representatives from the Teachers Association of Baltimore County.

• Staff Device Refresh

During the 22-23 school year, staff devices will be refreshed/replaced. The new devices are HP ProBooks 445. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post

• 2022 Teacher as Artist Exhibition

The annual Teacher as Artist Exhibition recognizes BCPS art teachers, both past and present, for their work as professional artists. The exhibit features 22 artworks showcased at the Greenwood Administration Building, 6901 N. Charles Street, Towson 21204. Artworks will be on display through Friday, October 28. The virtual exhibition can be viewed online. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

Recap – Virtual Town Hall on Safe and Supportive School Environments 

On Thursday, October 13, hundreds of Team BCPS families, staff, students, and community members tuned in for our Virtual Town Hall conversations on Safe and Supportive School Environments. Each session began with a brief presentation by BCPS leadership followed by a long-form question and answer panel discussion. Recordings for the Elementary and Secondary events are available for viewing online.

Spotlight on Professional Development

Team BCPS staff are invited to participate in the following upcoming professional development sessions:

Effective Verbal Communications

Participants will dive into understanding of the role of communication in leadership, identify foundations of effective communication, and discuss how to use emotional intelligence to make connections.

Learning Together, Growing Together

The goal of this course is to provide a safe, connective, and supportive environment that centers the specific needs, assets, experiences, and commitments of non-tenured teachers who identify as Person of Color (POC) and/or Black, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC).

Leading Generations at Work

In this session, participants will learn to understand generational preferences and tendencies in the workplace, gain insight on how to work with multiple generations, and develop strategies to facilitate cohesion among a multi-generational team.

Out of the Darkness Walk – Saturday, October 29

The Baltimore Walk will begin at 401 Light St, Baltimore 21202, on Saturday, October 29, at 9:30 a.m. You can create your own team or join Team BCPS for the American Foundation Suicide Prevention's annual Out of the Darkness Walk.

Teacher Fellow Position

BCPS would like to support paraeducators enrolled in teacher preparation programs and entering their final internship experience in spring 2023. The Teacher Fellow will complete internship requirements while maintaining active employment, compensation, and benefits. A limited number of positions will be available, and interested paraeducators must complete an application by November 1, 2022, to be considered. Principals are encouraged to share this information with paraeducators currently assigned to their schools.

Teacher Fellow positions are grant funded through the MSDE Leads Grant Program, which supports initiatives to grow the pipelines of teachers and provide opportunities for professional support staff to start a teaching career with BCPS.

Questions? Contact Carla Simons, Office of Certification, at csimons@bcps.org or 443-809-3015.

BCPS IN THE NEWS

Poem by Carver Center teacher included in "The Best American Poetry 2022" anthology

A poem written by Carver Center teacher and 2013 Carver alumni Jalynn Harris is included in "The Best American Poetry 2022" anthology. Harris' poem, titled "The Life of a Writer," is available online.

THANK YOU – Color for Character Week

Team BCPS, thank you for showing your true colors this week for Color for Character Week! We have seen countless photo submissions on Twitter using #BCPSCares. Don't forget, Friday's color is purple for positivity.

Mind Over Matters is an ongoing movement to raise awareness about mental health and promote wellness for BCPS students and staff

You may submit a shoutout for a variety of reasons. For example, you may want to offer a pat on the back to a colleague for helping out, recognize a staff member or student achievement, or welcome a new employee. When your shoutout appears in The Staff Bulletin, your name and school/location will be included.

BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Raising the bar, Closing Gaps, Preparing for our future

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dept. of Communications/Community Outreach

443.809.5908 | communications@bcps.org