Connecting with Students & Families, Especially on Remote Learning Days

mother and daughter working learning remotely

Whether you’re hosting virtual meetings on Zoom, using your personal cell phone to call families, or engaging with families through BrightChat, our instant messaging app, please keep reading for helpful hints and guidance on connecting with students and families. And, as always, if ever you’re in need of technical support, please contact the Service Desk at 434-975-9444 or ServiceDesk@k12albemarle.org.

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New ACPS 403(b) Retirement Plan With Lincoln Financial Goes Live on Feb. 1!

Lincoln Financial Group logo

In just two days, you will be able to access the Lincoln account portal to view your investment options under our new 403(b) retirement plan, schedule an individual consultation with a Lincoln representative, and set up/confirm contribution elections into our official ACPS 403(b) plan! Please keep an eye out for more information in the Compass over the next few days.

Lincoln representatives will be on-site at various locations across the school division from February 2-10. In addition to answering general questions, they can help you with: Continue reading

Last Week’s Inclement Weather Announcement

woman draped in blanket looking at cell phone with confused look

Following our early-morning announcement on Wednesday, January 25, that schools would operate on a two-hour delay, we learned of some communication issues with our notifications to staff. While email messages were delivered successfully within minutes, text messages were delayed by up to 40 minutes, and voice calls to employees failed.

BrightArrow, the company that provides our mass communication platform, believes this failure was due to a software “enhancement” that was recently added to our account. That enhancement has since been removed from our account, and BrightArrow does not anticipate future issues. Continue reading

Celebrate Black History Month With Us!

February is Black History Month

Black History began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. Carter G. Woodson, the founder of this historical month, was one of the first scholars to study the history of people of African descent in the United States. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

As we serve ACPS students throughout the month of February and beyond, let us celebrate Black History and the contributions of countless individuals who have contributed to our shared American history. Continue reading

Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunity on Feb. 6

school psychologist helping student

Interested in supporting students who are experiencing mental health challenges? Consider signing up for Albemarle County Public Schools’ Mental Health First Aid training, open to all staff. Right now, there are 24 seats still available in our next course coming up on Monday, February 6. You can register online through the Professional Learning Management System (PLMS). To learn more about this training, please see our September 27 Compass post.

Winter Semester of Rosetta Stone Now Open for Enrollment!

Rosetta Stone Logo

Interested in learning another language to better communicate with our students and families or to further your own personal growth? The winter semester of Rosetta Stone is now open for enrollment for any interested ACPS staff! Click here to register through the Professional Learning Management System (PLMS). Continue reading

ACPS Equity & Opportunities Fair: Join Us on Feb. 18!

Community Engagement Logo 2022

ACPS Equity & Opportunities Fair

— Spotlight on Education, Careers & Community Partners —

Saturday, February 18, 2023 • 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Burley Middle School
Event Website​​​​ • Registration

The ACPS Office of Community Engagement and Human Resources Department will host an Equity & Opportunities Fair on Saturday, February 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Burley Middle School. All ACPS educators and employees are invited to attend the event, including ACPS student teachers, practicum students, substitutes, and support staff. We will also distribute an event flyer and letter with additional information to higher education institutions and community partners. Continue reading

Keep Zoom Updated

Zoom Logo

The Department of Technology has received several reports of video not working properly when using Zoom. Updating the Zoom application by following the steps below should fix or prevent any video issues from occurring. We suggest following these steps before joining any upcoming meetings through Zoom. Continue reading

Reminder: 403(b) Retirement Plan Info Session – TODAY @ 4:00!

Retirement planning message: Think about tomorrow today

Monday, January 23, 2023 | 4 to 5:30 p.m. | Zoom

Did you know that VRS retirement benefits will replace only a portion of your pre-retirement income? That’s why a 403(b) plan can be an important part of your personal retirement savings plan. Whether you’re a current 403(b) plan participant or just interested in learning more about this voluntary retirement savings program, please join us on Zoom this afternoon from 4 to 5:30 for a virtual introduction session. Lincoln Financial Group, our new 403(b) plan service provider, will host a presentation, and participants will learn more about: Continue reading