Celebrate Computer Science Week this December 5-11 by participating in Hour of Code! Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code” to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with one-hour coding activities, but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. The Learning Technology Team encourages all ACPS students to participate in Hour of Code! Continue reading →
At its November 10 meeting, the Albemarle County School Board approved one-time bonuses for all employees as part of its consent agenda.
Per the Compensation Study Follow-Up presentation to the board on October 27, all regular staff members will receive a one-time bonus in their December 9 paycheck. Regular employees who work between a 0.7 and 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) will receive $1,000, and regular employees who work less than a 0.7 FTE will receive a $750 supplement.
Also taking effect in December are pay increases for some employee groups as part of Phase 1 of the Compensation Study completed by the Human Resources department earlier this year. Continue reading →
Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 7 p.m. | Burley Middle School
Mark your calendar! You’re invited to attend a free concert of the Albemarle County Concert Band on Tuesday, December 6, at 7 p.m. Please join us at Burley Middle School for our winter concert! Continue reading →
ACPS wants employees to remain in their jobs and feel happy, satisfied, and appropriately challenged! “Stay interviews” provide an opportunity for employees to communicate the best parts of their job and share ideas about how the division can do better.
The Department of Human Resources invites all ACPS employees to share your voice and experiences by participating in a stay interview this December 7-15. Throughout this process, we will be looking for trends that can guide the division’s future decision-making.
Process
We are seeking genuine feedback. In order to encourage employees to share their honest opinions, Human Resources will prioritize the confidentiality of participants; we will not share any identifiable information or individual responses with supervisors.
We also want to hear from as many employees as possible! In order to increase participation, we will offer stay interviews in a variety of formats, including individual meetings and small group focus sessions, both of which will be offered in person and virtually. We encourage you to review the available employee group sessions (below) and consider participating in a focus group. You likely fit into more than one employee group. Please select the employee group that most impacts your work and to which you want to lend a voice.
If you are currently an active (full-time) member of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), your ONE-TIME opportunity to either newly enroll in or enhance your optional life insurance protection through VRS/Securian Financial without undergoing medical underwriting expires this Wednesday, November 30.
Did you know? If you have this coverage in place for the 5 years immediately prior to your retirement, you can keep it (subject to limitations) at low group rates into your retirement. If you’re looking for affordable optional life insurance coverage, don’t let this opportunity pass you by! Continue reading →
Attention all employees! Calendar development for the 2023-24 school year is underway! At this time, the ACPS Calendar Committee, which is composed of teachers, parents/guardians, and school and central office administrators, invites you to provide feedback on two draft calendars for next school year. In creating these drafts, the committee considered past feedback from students, employees, families, and community members, and prioritized the following goals: Continue reading →
Thank you to all of you who have participated in our Virtual Gratitude Campaign! Our Gratitude Jamboard is filling with such positive messages! Many of you have shared heartfelt thanks for special relationships, places, traditions, and more, and I have overheard colleagues talking about how joyous and therapeutic is has been not only to read the messages of gratitude, but to participate.
Our Gratitude Jamboard will remain open through the end of November. If you missed it, please check out our November 16 Compass post for more info about our gratitude campaign, plus some helpful guidance on letting go of thoughts that no longer serve you in order to make room for new growth.
Albemarle County Public Schools has a number of policies that govern our operations in alignment with state code and our division vision, mission and values. Our policies must be reviewed once every five years, though we often review them more frequently due to changes in Virginia Code or the needs of our school system. As part of the review process, we use our Equity Checklist to ensure that our policies are having a positive impact on equity in the school division. So far in 2022, we have updated, revised or deleted 103 policies.
In September, October, and November, the following 23 policies were updated, most with minor changes: Continue reading →
The Rotunda Planetarium at the University of Virginia will be open to the public, free of charge, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26. The Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer has extended a special invitation to all ACPS staff and their families to come view the night sky Thomas Jefferson envisioned for the Rotunda’s Dome Room and enjoy a hot beverage and holiday treat. Continue reading →
Welcome to the fourth issue of Spotlight on Equity Education! In this issue, we’re talking about the January 6 “Intent to Pursue” requirement for those seeking certification or a micro-credential in Culturally Responsive Teaching; ideas to promote culturally responsive holiday practices in our schools; and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Continue reading →
