Thursday, December 15, 2022

Winter Break is Around the Corner!

On Thursday, December 22, 2022, BCPS schools and offices will close three hours early, marking the start of winter break! Schools and offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

As winter break approaches and 2022 comes to a close, we wish all members of Team BCPS a joyous and restful break. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to our students and families. We look forward to all that we will accomplish as a team in 2023.

Stay safe and be well.

Navigating the Holiday Season

The holidays can be a source of joy and excitement for many people, but for some, it can be a time of sadness and stress. Whatever feelings you have can be overwhelming. Please know that whatever you are feeling—it is okay to have those feelings.

Baltimore County Crisis Response System - Support is available 24/7 - 410-931-2214

Baltimore County Substance User Services - Monday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. to Midnight - 410-887-3224

BCPS Employee Assistance Program - 410-887-5414 (Confidential Voicemail)

Crisis Text Line - Support is available 24/7 - Text HOME to 741741

Trevor Lifeline - LGBTQ+ Crisis Line - Support is available 24/7 - 1-866-488-7386

FEATURED VIDEO:

6th Annual BCPS HBCU College Fair

On Saturday, December 10, 2022, hundreds of BCPS students and their families gathered at New Town High School for the Sixth Annual BCPS HBCU College Fair!

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

• Continuing Professional Development Spring 2023 Course Registration

Registration for the Spring 2023 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) session opened on Friday, December 9, 2022. Courses are offered in the following areas:

•Classroom Management

•Coaching

•Human Sexuality

•Literacy

•Mentoring New Teachers

•New Teacher Support

•Physical Education

•Teacher Leadership

•Visual Arts.

Upon successful completion of any of these courses, participants will be issued MSDE CPD credits. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

• COVID Test Kits

At-home COVID test kits will be distributed to schools and offices during the first two weeks of January. These test kits are InteliSwab two-pack kits.

Principals and office heads are asked to develop plans to notify staff and students about the availability of test kits and the process for interested persons to obtain a test kit.

There are limited supplies so there will not be a test kit for all persons. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

• Stock Market Game 2022-2023

The Stock Market Game is an online simulation of the global capital markets that engage students in Grades 4–12 in the world of economics, investing, and personal finance.

All teachers interested in participating must complete the Stock Market Game – Pre-Enrollment Form before the start of the session.

Stock Market Game Sessions for 2022–2023:

Spring: February 13, 2023–April 21, 2023

Enrichment Spring: April 17, 2023–June 9, 2023 (non-competitive)

Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

• We're hiring – Spread the word

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

• Racial Justice Poetry Contest



Entries are being accepted now through 11:59 p.m. on March 1, 2023. Students in Grades 6 – 12 in Baltimore County public, parochial, and independent schools and homeschooled children in Baltimore County can apply. Poems must be original and no more than three pages long.

Contest details, prize information, and a submission form can be found on Schoology in the resource folder for teachers of Secondary English Language Arts. Teachers from other content areas may contact Justin DePrima at Dumbarton Middle School or the BCPS English language arts office for access.

Learn more in a BCPS blog post.

• Exchangeree shopping dates for December

The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc. has two shopping days remaining in December. All full-time BCPS educators and support staff (school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and pupil personnel workers) can participate.

On Tuesday, December 20, from 3 - 6 p.m., the Rosedale/Golden Ring Exchangeree will distribute academic school/classroom supplies and educational resources.

In addition, on Wednesday, December 21, from 3 - 5 p.m., the Exchangeree at Windsor Mill will distribute only new and gently-used leveled books.

Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

• Staff Bulletin Archive

Previous editions of the BCPS Staff Bulletin are archived and available for viewing on the BCPS website.

• Discovery Education Partnership

BCPS has partnered with Discovery Education’s award-winning K-12 learning platform to support the creation of equitable and engaging digital learning environments in all classrooms systemwide.

This platform is available through Schoology for BCPS students and teachers. Discovery Education's platform connects educators to a vast collection of compelling, high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources. Together, these resources give educators everything they need to facilitate instruction in any learning environment and create lasting educational impact.

• Discounted Towson U basketball tickets for Team BCPS

On Saturday, December 31, at 12:00 p.m., the Towson Men's Basketball team will be taking on the College of Charleston. For this Noon Year's Eve event, Towson U would like as many BCPS students in attendance as possible! Discounted tickets are available for $8 each and the event will include "2023" themed giveaways. This link automatically applies the promo code and allows you to select as many tickets as desired! This gives parents an option to do something with their children without staying up so late!

• College and University Programs - Spring 2023

The Department of Organizational Development and Leadership, in partnership with local colleges and universities, will offer programs for BCPS staff to enhance professional practice and meet MSDE certification requirements. Please note that these programs are not cohort programs; participants may choose to apply to any of the programs based on individual needs. All costs must be paid by the participant. Participants must pay for courses in advance and, if eligible, seek individual tuition reimbursement from the Office of Certification after successful completion.

More information is available in a BCPS News Hub post.

ICYMI: Vacation Accrual Message

On Friday, December 9, 2022, BCPS sent guidance/information for AFSCME, ESPBC, TABCO, CASE, and OPE employees who accrue vacation time. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

Your Input is Valued and Greatly Appreciated!

Our Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Priorities Survey is available now through 5 p.m. on Friday, December 16, 2022. This survey is designed to help community members share opinions and input with the leadership team and the Board of Education to make the budget process more collaborative and informative.

ESPBC/BCPS Professional Development Day - Friday, January 13

The ESPBC/BCPS Professional Development Day has been scheduled for Friday, January 13, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and Tuesday, January 17, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Sheraton North Baltimore.

Participants may choose to attend either day. Multiple break-out sessions will be offered for all ESPBC-represented employees, health assistants, interpreters, technicians, paraeducators, and office professionals, etc.

Registration opens on Thursday, December 15, 2022, and will close January 9, 2023. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

Math Homework Helpers LIVE - Wednesday, January 11

On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., for the second time this school year, “Math Homework Helpers LIVE” will air on BCPS-TV Fios channel 34 / Comcast channel 73, and stream live on bcps.org and the BCPS YouTube channel.

BCPS-TV "Math Homework Helpers Shorts" are also available on the Vimeo and YouTube. These vignettes are short math lessons aligned with the math curriculum for students in Kindergarten through Grade 5.

SMOB application available now

Applications for the 2023-2024 Student Member of the Board of Education of Baltimore County are available.

Each BCPS high school can nominate up to two candidates. Applicants are required to read the application instructions and timeline carefully before submitting their online application. Only students who are current sophomores or juniors are eligible to apply.

Selected students will need to complete the online application by Friday, January 6, 2023. Applications will need to include letters of recommendation from a principal and other designated school staff, along with a resume and a short essay. Please direct students to the SMOB website for more information.

Contact: Stacey Wade.

BCPS IN THE NEWS

BCPS teacher, employer earned awards from Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council

Delana Shifflett, apprenticeship program supervisor/career and technical education site coordinator, and the firm Clarity Cyber, a BCPS youth apprenticeship partner, were honored with 2022 Maryland Apprenticeship Awards by the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council during National Apprenticeship Week 2022. Learn more in a BCPS news release.

Payroll Deduction Deadline - Friday, December 16!

The BCPS campaign for the United Way of Central Maryland is back for 2022, and it's easier and more rewarding than ever to participate. This year's campaign will run through Saturday, Dec. 31, but if you wish to contribute to the United Way through a payroll deduction, make sure you pledge no later than Friday, December 16!

The United Way of Central Maryland works year-round to support our schools and students and many Baltimore County families in need. To donate, visit the "BCPS United Way 2022 page. There, use your work email address as your username and the last five digits of your employee ID number as your password to make a donation and help those who need a helping hand. Your donation will be included automatically in the BCPS campaign total when you pledge.

Thank you for your generous support of the BCPS United Way campaign!

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