Game Changer Award: Nominate a Colleague by May 29

Comic Balloon Power Word: Game Changer

This year, the Department of Instruction implemented a “Game Changer Award.” Nominees can be anyone within a school (teacher, school counselor, etc.) or the division (instructional coach, equity specialist, etc.). Each quarter, three winners will be selected for the award.

Any ACPS employee can submit a nomination! Nominations for the 4th quarter will close on May 29.

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Homebound Instructors Needed Immediately

male home tutor helping high school girl with studies

The homebound program is once again in need of teachers. Specifically, we are looking for teachers who are interested in supporting high school students. Albemarle High School is in immediate need, but Western Albemarle and Monticello high schools will have increased need in the coming weeks. You must have a current teaching license to be eligible. If you are interested, please contact Ashby Kindler at akindler@k12albemarle.org or 434-249-6491.

Department of Instruction Reorganization

wooden blocks with 2024 changing to 2025

The school division has begun moving forward with a series of initiatives and actions in response to the recommendations from our 2023 Instructional Practices Audit. Bellwether, the national nonprofit that conducted the audit, presented ACPS with five broad recommendations to address deficiencies in the areas of instructional tasks, adult learning, curricular resources, strategic alignment, and stakeholder engagement.

In support of the recommendations, and with the goal of better serving the needs of all ACPS students, three key changes are coming to the Department of Instruction beginning in the 2024-25 school year: Continue reading

Introducing Zearn

Zearn logo FB

We are excited to announce that ACPS is able to launch Zearn as part of ALL In tutoring and as a resource for our elementary and middle school teachers and students. The app is now available via ClassLink, and all math sections in grades K-8 have been rostered. If your school or grade level needs classes rostered in another way, please reach out to SIS Support. Rosters will update each night, so new students should have an account within 24 hours.

Any school that has been using the free version of Zearn can sync the data (so students can keep their historic progress). Continue reading

Game Changer Award: Nominate a Colleague by March 22

Comic Balloon Power Word: Game Changer

This year, the Department of Instruction has implemented a “Game Changer Award.” Nominees can be anyone within a school (teacher, school counselor, etc.) or the division (instructional coach, equity specialist, etc.). Each quarter, three winners will be selected for the award.

Any ACPS employee can submit a nomination! Nominations for the 3rd quarter will close on March 22.

Continue reading

Homebound Instructors Needed!

tutor working with student at home

If you are a licensed teacher, or provisionally licensed, and would like to supplement your income doing homebound instruction, please contact Ashby Kindler via email or by phone at 434-249-6491. The pay rate is $30 per hour. Typically, students receive 10 hours per week of academic instruction for high school, 8 hours per week for middle school, and 6 hours per week for elementary school. Instruction may be provided in person or virtually.

Currently, we are in immediate need of a teacher for a first grader, 6 hours per week, virtual instruction preferred.

Opportunity to Participate in Paid Study of K-2 Social Studies Inquiry Units

case study icon with book computer, magnifying glass, and papers with graphs

K-2 Social Studies Teachers: Our division is collaborating with a JMU elementary social studies methods professor, Alexa Quinn, to study the implementation of our new K-2 inquiry units developed through Reframing the Narrative. If you’re interested in contributing to this study, please complete this survey to provide feedback on any of the inquiry units you’ve taught so far this year. This first part of the study is unpaid; regardless, your feedback is super valuable!

If you wish to participate in the second part (the paid portion) of the study: Continue reading

Update from the High School Schedule and Workload Taskforce

high school teacher with two students who are building a robotic vehicle

High School Staff: As you may recall, in January, Dr. Haas and I visited each of our high schools and Center I to discuss the High School Schedule and Workload for both staff and students. During our visits, we shared a few things that we’ve learned: Through climate surveys, it’s clear that our comprehensive high school environments are not as conducive to learning as they could be. We also know that our high school students have not performed as well on SOL tests since our transition to an 8-period day back in 2010. And, perhaps most importantly, we recognize that rapid shifts in our student demographics demand greater focus on knowing each individual student. Continue reading

Homebound Instructors Needed

tutor working with student at home

ACPS is seeking teachers to provide temporary academic instruction to students who are confined at home or in a health care facility for periods that prevent normal school attendance. Hours are flexible. If you are interested in serving our homebound instruction program, or know someone who would be, please contact Ashby Kindler for more information. Instructors earn the standard ACPS tutoring rate of $30/hour and must hold or be eligible for a Virginia teaching certificate with endorsement in the applicable subject area.