Thursday, June 13, 2024

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

Have a wonderful summer, Team BCPS!

The end of the 2023-2024 school year is almost here! Thank you for everything you have done this year to support BCPS students and families.

We wish you a safe, memorable, and restful summer. The staff bulletin will resume its normal schedule in August.

FEATURED VIDEO:

2024 Commencement Highlights

BCPS has 7,000 new alumni! Join us in wishing Class of 2024 members well as they pursue careers and higher education. Photos and video from the graduation ceremonies can be found on Flickr and YouTube.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

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

Last week, BCPS signed a three-year lease agreement with Loyola University Maryland that will allow the school system to use the Loyola Graduate Center facility as a professional development center for BCPS employees. More information is available in a BCPS news release.

• Systemwide professional development schedule released for 2024-2025 school year

A June 11 staff update shares the schedule for Teacher Pre-Service Week (August 19-23) and systemwide professional development dates for the 2024-2025 school year.

• Time for schools to focus on enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year

Professional learning will be hosted virtually by Pupil Personnel Services from 10-11 a.m. on both Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18, to provide training to school administrators and secretaries to support the completion of the registration and enrollment process. Participants will learn the FOCUS enrollment process, including the required registration documentation. The Summer Enrollment Training is listed in the Registration System Section 20911 or 20917.

More information can be found in a News Hub post.

• Schoology user interface to get a new look

Beginning Thursday, June 20, Schoology will update its user interface with a new set of user-friendly icons, colors, and fonts designed to enhance user interaction. The features and functions of Schoology will continue to work in the same way. Only the appearance of the site will change. Examples of these updates are available to preview in this document.

• Flip discontinued by vendor

Starting Monday, July 1, Flip.com will go into view-only mode as the site is being discontinued by the vendor. While users will no longer be able to create new groups, topics or videos after this date, they will still have access to download Flip videos through September 30.

Please visit the Decommissioned Software for 24-25 School Year Document for alternative tool suggestions.

5 Things to Know About the June 11 Board of Education Meeting

1) Superintendent Rogers provided system updates on staff professional development and summer programs.

2) The Board approved the revised Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Appropriation Transfer.

3) The Board voted unanimously to discontinue the January 2019 records disposal ban.

4) The Board approved 22 administrative appointments.

5) Due to a power outage that impacted the Towson area, the Board voted to move the Report on Multilingual Learners and the Report on Hiring to the July 9 Board meeting.

Tune in for an end of year presentation with Dr. Rogers on June 17

Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers will share BCPS progress and highlights from the 2023-2024 school year in a livestreamed presentation at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, June 17.

Dr. Rogers will review the work of the system to fast forward student achievement and make improvements aligned with the system’s four priority areas:

• Academic achievement
• Infrastructure
• Safety and climate
• Highly effective teachers, leaders, and staff

Stay in touch — We want to share your summer stories!

Every summer since 2018, BCPS has invited its students, teachers, and staff to share stories about their summer activities and adventures on the BCPS blog. The invitation to contribute to the Summer Stories series is extended again this year. To submit a blog post or suggest a story idea, please write to communications@bcps.org. We want to know about your summer jobs/internships/externships, vacations, creative projects, competitions, camps, and more!

Baltimore County Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge begins

Children of all ages are invited to participate in Baltimore County Public Library's 2024 Summer Reading Challenge. Participants can register online or at a BCPL library branch and can log their reading on the Beanstack app or a paper game board. Those who read for at least 10 hours can pick up completion prizes and enter drawings for prizes such as family memberships to the Maryland Science Center, Maryland Zoo, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and National Aquarium or a Nintendo Switch.

In-person events at library branches across the county will include programs about animals, magic, and science.

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 twenty 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 during the week of August 12-16. New educators will be provided with a stipend for participating in up to six 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.

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

Through a new grant opportunity from The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., and Wayfinder, 10 BCPS schools will have the opportunity to participate in Wayfinder's Purpose-Centered Social-Emotional Learning Program during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.

The chosen schools will receive virtual and in-person training, a comprehensive curriculum, access to an activity library, and assessments to track student growth -- all focused on helping students develop self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, collaboration, agency, and purpose.

Grant applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, August 2. Those interested can find more information in a new Mission Moment blog post and on the foundation's website.

Visit the foundation's website also for details on other grant applications currently being accepted, including:

• Fall 2024 Little Free Library Read in Color Expansion Grant – due by August 23 at 5 p.m.
• Yoga for Social-Emotional Learning Grant – due by September 6 at 5 p.m.
• Putting Students First Grant – due by September 27 at 5 p.m.
• 21st Century Instructional Initiative Grant – due by October 25 at 5 p.m.

Share your partnership highlights with us!

FOR PRINCIPALS

Ensuring a successful grading and reporting period

A News Hub post includes important information that principals will want to review with staff to ensure a successful grading and reporting period, including the following schedule:

• June 13: Schoology grade pull for final exams into FOCUS by 12 p.m.

• June 14: Grading window closes for teachers at 12 p.m.; Grading window closes for administrators at 3 p.m.; Report card distribution/Posted in FOCUS portal at 4 p.m.

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.

FOR 10-MONTH TABCO, ESPBC, & AFSCME-REPRESENTED

Paid incentive available for completing SafeSchools training

BCPS 10-month employees represented by TABCO, ESPBC, and AFSCME can earn a stipend for up to 3 hours and 30 minutes of systemwide compliance (SafeSchools) training completed outside the duty day from Monday, June 17, through Sunday, June 30. Instructions and FAQs can be found online.

ESPBC and BCPS are seeking staff to mentor new office professionals

ESPBC and BCPS are partnering to create and implement a mentoring and comprehensive employee onboarding training. The 2024-2025 school year will serve as the second year for office professionals who have financial and/or registration responsibilities and a pilot for paraeducators. A key component to the program is mentoring of the new employees.  

Mentors will receive an annual stipend for their time and responsibility. Those interested in serving as mentors for the 2024-2025 school year must submit their applications by Friday, June 14. More information can be found in a News Hub post.

Upcoming Board and advisory group meetings

All are welcome to attend

Board of Education meeting

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

This will be a virtual meeting on personnel matters.

TEAM BCPS SHOUTOUT

Bethany Berkowitz, Computer Science Teacher, Mays Chapel Elementary School

Submitted by Jennifer Weaver, Resource Teacher, Office of CTE & Fine Arts

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

Juneteenth - June 19

Pride Month - June

Independence Day - July 4

BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Engage. Empower. Excel.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dept. of Communications/Community Outreach

443.809.5908 | communications@bcps.org