Thursday, June 6, 2024

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

BCPS to utilize Loyola Graduate Center for school system professional development and training

BCPS has signed a three-year lease agreement with Loyola University Maryland that will provide the school system with access to the Loyola Graduate Center facility for use as a professional development center for BCPS employees. The property, at 2034 Greenspring Drive in Timonium, will be called the Employee Development Center at the Loyola Graduate School, and will provide a dedicated space for BCPS to facilitate cutting-edge professional learning activities. The lease agreement goes into effect on July 1, 2024.

The 65,000-square-foot facility will provide a flexible learning environment for BCPS staff and will host a range of professional development activities including individual skill development sessions, small group learning communities, and large-scale training opportunities. More information is available in a BCPS news release.

FEATURED VIDEO:

The CTE Show is back!

New editions of BCPS-TV's "The CTE Show" are now available online, highlighting the Homeland Security program at Dundalk High and the electrical program at Lansdowne High.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

• MSDE highlights BCPS attendance campaign

In a recent presentation on attendance trends and best practices, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) shared a "Tier 1 Spotlight" on the BCPS "Here for It!" attendance campaign. The state noted that the five pillars of the BCPS campaign are: publicity, collaboration, professional learning, ongoing support, and resources.

Principals and schools are encouraged to utilize the "Here for It" tools and resources throughout the year to promote a culture of attendance and to support efforts to decrease the percentage of chronically absent students. All staff are encouraged to promote a culture of daily on-time attendance and can tweet their schoolwide participation using #HereForItBCPS.

• Certification update: New MSDE regulations

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) adopted new regulations governing educator certification. The regulations went into effect on April 1, 2024. The regulations include transition from “certification” to “licensure.” Additionally, Maryland educators must complete professional development activities in areas of focus with many options to satisfy them. More information is available in a BCPS News Hub post.

• Required maintenance – Google single sign-on

On Friday evening, June 7, Enterprise Applications will perform maintenance on the single sign-on (SSO) feature that enables students and staff to utilize their BCPS account to log in to Google and other Google-integrated applications.

The maintenance will replace the current SSO certificate, which expires Monday, June 10. Devices and browsers should make use of the new certificate automatically. However, if staff or students are not able to log in to a Google resource after June 10, please consult the Technology Operations support article to resolve the issue.

• Independent research seminar symposium

The 12th annual Student Independent Research Symposium showcases the results of original research conducted by students at five BCPS high schools during the 2023-24 school year. Under the direction of their library media specialists, students have engaged in a year-long research process culminating in their research presentations.

Students, parents/caregivers, staff, and community members interested in supporting these students and learning more about the Independent Research Seminar course are invited to view this year’s Virtual Symposium program online. More information is available in a BCPS News Hub post.

June is Pride Month! The BCPS Mind Over Matters campaign offers a variety of activities, resources, and tools for the theme “Pride Matters.” 

Commencement ceremonies conclude this week

By the end of this week, more than 7,000 students will have become high school graduates! Join us in wishing all Team BCPS graduates well as they pursue careers and higher education.

The BCPS graduation schedule, along with live stream links, is available on the BCPS website. Commencement photos taken by BCPS-TV will be shared on the BCPS Flickr page as they become available.

Additionally, students, families, and staff are invited to submit their favorite 2024 commencement snapshots on social media using #bcpsgrad. Photos can also be submitted via email to communications@bcps.org

Celebrating a decade of Clean Green 15!

On Tuesday, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Clean Green Baltimore County 15 partnership! A total of $38,000 was awarded to 24 schools as we marked 10 years of keeping Team BCPS schools and our county clean and green. More information is available in a BCPS news release. Photos from the event are available in a BCPS Flickr album.

BCPS parents/caregivers, students, and stakeholders asked to complete cell phone usage survey

BCPS wants to gather feedback on how student cell phone misuse impacts classroom instruction and learning. Team BCPS students, parents/caregivers, and stakeholders are invited to complete a brief survey by Tuesday, June 11, at 5 p.m. The survey is also available en español.

Officer K. Gilbert named Elementary School SRO of the Year

On May 31, Officer K. Gilbert was working at Franklin Elementary when he received a big surprise— he is the Elementary School Resource Officer of the Year!

Gilbert serves 10 northwestern-area elementary schools: Cedarmere, Chatsworth, Fifth District, Franklin, Glyndon, Lyons Mills, New Town, Owings Mills, Reisterstown, and Timber Grove.

More information about the three Team BCPS SROs of the Year is available in a BCPS news release.

Summer Learning - We're here for it!

The BCPS "Here For It!" attendance campaign is ready to guide students to summer program success! Twenty days present is 20 days of progress! Are you here for it?

Mandatory new educator orientation 2024

We are looking forward to welcoming our new educators this summer at New Educator Orientation (NEO), the week of August 12-16. New educators will be provided with a stipend for participating in up to 6 hours of professional learning per day. More information is available in a BCPS News Hub post.

BCPS will offer free breakfast and lunch meals through the Summer Food Service Program from Thursday, June 20, through Friday, August 16.

Registration is OPEN for organized program sites serving 25+ children each day.

We're seeking qualified professionals to join our team in a variety of roles! Interested applicants are encouraged to join us at an upcoming recruitment event or apply online today.

The Education Foundation seeks to contribute to a brighter future in which all students, teachers, schools, and offices have the resources they need for success.

Want to increase access to diverse books? Apply for the fall 2024 Little Free Library Grant.

Want to support the social-emotional well-being of your colleagues and students? Apply for the new Yoga for SEL grant.

Do you have another passion you’d like to explore with your school community? Apply for a Putting Students First or 21st Century Instructional Initiative Grant.

More information is available in a BCPS blog post.

Share your partnership highlights with us!

End-of-year guidance documents have been created to assist supervisors and employees with the end-of-year evaluation process. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

The Department of Employee Training and Development is partnering with the Department of Staff Relations to offer Employee Evaluation Training for Central Office supervisors. Participants will review the evaluation process and timelines specified in the respective master agreements, as well as review requirements and best practices for evaluating employees. Additionally, participants will engage in an interactive overview of the Evaluation System (Perform) to utilize the system meaningfully and effectively. More information is available in a BCPS News Hub Post.

Upcoming Board and advisory group meetings

All are welcome to attend

Southwest Area Education Advisory Council meeting

Monday, June 10, at 7 p.m.

Meeting details

Topic: Planning for 2024-2025

PTA Council of Baltimore County Leadership Training, Scholarship Presentations

Monday, June 10, at 7 p.m.

West Towson Elementary School, cafetorium, 6914 N. Charles St., Towson 21204

Event will include leadership training for new and returning officers and committee chairs. RSVP to president@bcptacouncil.org by Sunday, June 9.

Board of Education meeting

Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m.

BCPS headquarters, 6901 N. Charles St., Towson 21204

Board of Education meeting

Tuesday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m.

This will be a virtual meeting on personnel matters.

TEAM BCPS SHOUTOUT

BCPS Stevenson University master's cohort graduates honored

Chesapeake High School teacher Tara Wrightson receives School Inclusion award from The Arc Baltimore

Courtesy of The Arc Baltimore: Tara Wrightson, Chesapeake High School's FALS (Functional Academic Learning Support) teacher, goes beyond the call of duty to advocate for her students. Alongside her teaching responsibilities, she coaches Allied Soccer and Softball, ensuring their participation in pep rallies and announcements. Ms. Wrightson also spearheads the Best Buddies program, fostering peer advocacy and inclusive relationships among students. She secured a paid aide for two students to attend Prom and Homecoming together despite requiring 1:1 support. Additionally, she actively supports a student's involvement in the school play, arranging backstage assistance during rehearsals and performances. Through her relentless advocacy, Ms. Wrightson ensures her students' inclusion in all desired activities, preparing them for meaningful community engagement both during and after their school years.

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.

UPCOMING RECOGNITIONS

Pride Month - June

Juneteenth - June 19

BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Engage. Empower. Excel.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dept. of Communications/Community Outreach

443.809.5908 | communications@bcps.org