Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunities: Full 2022-23 Schedule

school psychologist helping student

Are you interested in helping support students who are experiencing mental health challenges? Albemarle County Public Schools is excited to offer Mental Health First Aid training to all staff. Mark your calendar: Between October 2022 and April 2023, we will offer six opportunities for staff to participate. Continue reading

Is School Leadership in Your Future? Check Out JMU’s Educational Leadership Programs!

JMU Logo

Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | 5 p.m. | Zoom

James Madison University (JMU) is pleased to host an informational meeting for its Educational Leadership programs, including master’s and certificate options, on Wednesday, September 28, at 5 p.m. via Zoom. JMU is planning to start a new cohort in January 2023 for Albemarle County Public Schools and surrounding school divisions. Classes will be held locally, one night per week. Continue reading

Interested in Presenting at Making Connections 2022? Submit Your Proposal by Sept. 26!

Making Connections 2022

Mark your calendar! Our annual Making Connections professional learning event will be held Monday, November 7. Programming will consist of sessions facilitated by visiting educators as well as ACPS teachers and administrators. We are especially excited this year to expand our conference to include opportunities for support staff to participate in professional learning! Sessions for instructional staff will be hosted at Monticello High School, while sessions for support staff will be offered at Journey Middle School.

Any instructional or support staff member who is interested in presenting at Making Connections must submit a session proposal by Monday, September 26. Continue reading

DPLC & Division-Level PD for Teachers on Sept. 26

ACPS PD

On Monday, September 26, ACPS will host Division Professional Learning Community (DPLC) meetings for all teachers, as well as division-level professional development for elementary and middle school teachers. Teachers: To ensure you receive professional development points for the activities, you must register in our Professional Learning Management System (PLMS). Get started by viewing the schedule for the day, which includes registration instructions and links. Additional information for elementary and middle school teachers is provided below. Continue reading

September 17 Is Constitution Day & Citizenship Day

Constitution Day, September 17

September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. This day commemorates the September 17, 1787, signing of the United States Constitution. If you teach social studies (or even another subject), take some time next week, September 19-23, to commemorate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.

Resources: Continue reading

Have You Subscribed to TeacherDirect?

TeacherDirect Newsletter Header

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) designed TeacherDirect to establish a direct line of communication with classroom teachers and educators. The goal of TeacherDirect is to provide a way to share new instructional resources created by VDOE staff as well as make teachers aware of professional development and grant opportunities, and other information of special interest to teachers and their students. Continue reading

Interested in Adding an ESOL Endorsement? Free Opportunity for Praxis Prep from the VDOE!

ESOL Logo

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is offering a FREE opportunity this November for teachers who are interested in adding an ESOL endorsement to their existing teaching license. The EducateVA ESOL Praxis Prep Workshop will be held in Harrisonburg on three consecutive Saturdays: November 5, 12 and 19. Tuition will be covered by the VDOE, and mileage will be reimbursed by the ACPS International & ESOL Program. For more information, please see the workshop flyer, and reach out to Lauren MacLean, ACPS Assistant Director of ESOL, World Languages, and Homeschool, if you plan to register. Space is limited to two participants per school division!

Making Connections 2022: Call for Proposals – Submit a Proposal by Sept. 26

Making Connections 2022

Our annual Making Connections professional learning event will be held Monday, November 7. Given the wide range of innovative practices and effective strategies implemented by educators and staff in Albemarle County, our programming this year will be a combination of workshops facilitated by visiting educators as well as ACPS teachers and administrators.

We are excited to expand this year’s Making Connections conference by including opportunities for support staff to participate in professional learning! We will host professional learning sessions for instructional staff at Monticello High School, while professional learning opportunities for support staff will be offered at Journey Middle School. Continue reading

Setting up Short-Term Subs for Success With Technology

What You Need to Know on chalkboard

The Department of Technology created this Technology Need-to-Knows for Short-Term Substitutes document to support substitute coordinators and assist teachers when creating sub plans. The document addresses technology resources that are available to substitutes; accessing materials using Google Drive; displaying materials using a Promethean Panel; and getting technical support. Please direct any questions to the Service Desk during normal business hours at 434-975-9444.

Leave Your ActivPanel On!

power button

Teachers: Did you know that your classroom’s Promethean ActivPanel is essentially a giant computer? Just like your laptop, an ActivPanel needs frequent updates to keep it running smoothly. While these updates are managed centrally by the Department of Technology, your panel needs to be on in order to receive these updates. Therefore, it is considered best practice to leave your ActivPanel on at the end of the day. This is especially important now, as your panel may have several updates to install since it was off over the summer. Once any updates have been received and installed, your panel will automatically enter standby mode. Continue reading