benefitsFOCUS: Next Week Is National Retirement Security Week. Are You Saving Toward Retirement?

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Did you know that retirement benefits under VRS Plan 1 or 2 will, at most, replace 50-60% of a member’s pre-retirement income? If you’re a VRS Hybrid Plan member, that number decreases to 30% under the defined benefit portion of the Hybrid Plan. Whether you’re a VRS member or not, saving toward your retirement now can help give you options later in life, when you may not want or be able to work. Plus, many of the retirement savings options available to you as an ACPS employee allow you to save on a pre-tax basis, which helps you lower your taxable income now—while you’re working! Continue reading

October ACPS TechKnow: Digital Citizenship Week

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Welcome to the first edition of ACPS TechKnow, a monthly series to keep students, families and staff in the know about all things technology within ACPS! In addition to featuring articles in the Compass for employees, we’ll communicate with families and secondary students via email about common topics.

This month’s topic: Digital Citizenship Week!

Did you know that ACPS is certified in Digital Citizenship through a partnership with Common Sense Media? As part of the certification, schools are teaching students how to use technology in safe and healthy ways. As a division, we would like to highlight the importance of this work during National Digital Citizenship Week, October 16-20. Continue reading

UFLI Professional Development Opportunity – Oct. 18

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The Office of Professional Development is excited to share that we will be hosting a one-hour work session at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18, to support the implementation of the UFLI in our elementary classrooms. The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI, pronounced “you fly”) focuses on teacher development and reader development in an effort to improve literacy outcomes for children learning to read. This session is capped at 60 attendees, so don’t delay; register today! Continue reading

Reminder: Change Your Password Before Oct. 13

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As a reminder, all employees and secondary students are required to change their ACPS password by October 13, 2023. Any staff member or secondary student who has not changed their password since June 1, 2023, will be prompted to do so on October 13.

Did you know that you can use our Self Password Portal to change your ACPS password? Enroll today to start managing your ACPS password independently! Continue reading

Your ACPS HR: Meet the Safety & Wellness Team

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“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
—Benjamin Franklin

This is the fourth article in a series about getting to know the new ACPS Human Resources Department. This week, we’d like to introduce you to the Safety and Wellness Team.

With wellness as one of our four core values, ACPS invests in the safety and wellness of our employees and their families. We do this by providing targeted health education and resources needed for every body, driven by data, community outreach, and evidence-based decision making. Continue reading

Google Has a New Policy to Protect Student Data

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Google is implementing a new policy, intended to protect student data, that affects how students log in from Google to third-party applications. This policy is resulting in a mandated change to our technology environment, which impacts the student experience when logging into apps.

What’s changing and how does this affect me?

As of October 23, 2023, students will only be able to use the “Sign in with Google” method for ACPS-approved applications. Teachers will still be able to use this method for all third-party applications. Continue reading

benefitsFOCUS: Open Enrollment Is Coming Soon!

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The benefits Open Enrollment window will be open November 1-15! Open Enrollment is an important part of the benefits year, as it’s the one time during the year when current employees can make any changes they’d like to their medical or dental plans (or the dependents covered on those plans), and it’s the one time during the year when employees can elect to make FSA (Flexible Spending Account) contributions for the new year. Changes you make during Open Enrollment go into effect as of January 1, 2024. Continue reading

FEMA & FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Oct. 4

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The Office of Strategic Communications is sharing the following information for awareness, as this event has the potential to temporarily disrupt the learning environment.

Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. this Wednesday, October 4, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. The purpose of the test is to ensure that these systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. Continue reading

benefitsFOCUS: Wellness Care & Resources

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BeWell Albemarle takes pride in the diverse and talented workforce here at ACPS, which is the foundation of our success. We recognize that each one of you brings a unique set of skills, experiences and perspectives to our school division, and we are dedicated to supporting and empowering every member of our team to thrive. Our wellness program provides tools and resources to help you manage stress, improve mental health, and maintain a better work-life balance. Here are some available resources for you to consider: Continue reading