At the 13th annual Golden Apple celebration last evening, 28 Albemarle County Public Schools teachers received awards and grants as part of the regional program sponsored by Better Living Building Supply and Better Living Furniture in Charlottesville. Read the full press release >>>
Author Archives: Division Compass
Policy Updates: December 2013 – May 2014
Albemarle County Public Schools maintains over 600 policies. Our policies are locally developed through our work with the Virginia School Boards Association and they are tied to Virginia Code. Several are locally developed. Our policies translate our core values of excellence, young people, community and respect into the backbone of our daily operations and aspirations for students. You can stay up-to-date on policy revisions, additions and deletions through the ACPS website! View the December 2013 – May 2014 policy updates (ACPS user name and password required).
VAST Mini-Grant for Teaching – Apply by June 1
The Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST) Mini-Grant Program seeks to provide seed money for innovative curriculum activities that expand learning opportunities for science students. Individual and team applications are now being accepted! The Project Director must be a member of VAST (dues paid for 2014), must have taught at the elementary or secondary level for a minimum of three years, and must be currently employed as a teacher. It is anticipated that most awards will be made in the range of $200-$500. Grant applications are due by June 1. Get more details >>>
2014 ACTION! High School Director Competition
The Virginia Film Festival (VFF) encourages students to take their passion for filmmaking and create an entry for ACTION!, the VFF’s High School Director Competition. The 2014 ACTION! Competition is open to rising 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who are current residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. One Grand Prize winner will receive a check for $1,000, and two runners-up will each receive a check for $500. Complete applications with accompanying films must be postmarked or delivered by Wednesday, August 20, 2014. Learn more >>>
Board Approves Revised 2014-15 School Year Calendar
At their regularly scheduled meeting on May 8, 2014, the School Board approved a revised calendar for the 2014-15 school year. The revised calendar designates five days during the school year as inclement weather make-up days, as follows: January 20, February 16, April 3, and June 8 and 9. This decision considered the views of community members who responded to a recent online survey, as well as the many email messages sent to the Board over the last month. View the approved 2014-15 School Year Calendar.
Letter from School Board Chairman Ned Gallaway
Dear Colleagues:
From the perspectives of a former teacher, a parent of children in our school division, and as the School Board chair, I can talk about the value of our teachers from several vantage points. They all lead to the same conclusion—the contribution of our teachers to the quality of our public educational system in Albemarle County is something to celebrate every single week. Continue reading
Communications at Work: Media Spotlight
One of only 26 inductees nationally in the 2014 class, Monticello High School senior Sean Means is a Ron Brown Scholar and the recipient of a $40,000 college scholarship.
Local media has the April 30, 2014 story: Continue reading
2014-15 Teacher Contracts
Attention Teachers: Human Resources will be providing recommendations for the reappointment of teachers at the May 22 School Board meeting. Contracts will be sent out shortly thereafter, contingent upon the approval of the reappointments and salary scales. Please check your school mailbox or see your school administration for your contract packet. Included in the packet will be a personalized letter with your 2014-2015 FTE, days per year, step, degree level, tenure date when applicable, and number of paychecks. Please carefully review all information and return one signed and dated copy of the contract to your principal before leaving for the summer. Continue reading
Thank You for Being a Teacher
Dear Colleagues:
From the time the first teacher stood on the banks of a river drawing counting marks in the sand or used cave pictographs and campfire stories to pass on tribal history, teachers have improved lives. They still do. Continue reading
Upcoming ACPS Summer Professional Learning Sessions
The Summer 2014 Professional Development Catalog is now live! Take a moment to register for any and all sessions you plan to participate in during the month of July. If you have questions about any of the required sessions, please talk with your principal.
Come and learn how to use Google Apps, Edmodo, screen casting tools, Blackboard, and more digital learning tools, and dig deeply into maker work, project based learning, and other work around the Seven Pathways!