Thursday, January 26, 2023

Previous editions of the BCPS Staff Bulletin are archived and available for viewing on the BCPS website.

Employee and Retiree Customer Service Center to open February 1

The Customer Service Center will provide BCPS employees and retirees with assistance and solutions to benefits, retirement, leave, certification, and payroll questions. BCPS employees and retirees can also refer to the Team BCPS Contact Information sheet for a list of offices and departments to contact if you have any employee-and/or-retiree-related questions.

Location

Greenwood Campus, Building B | 6901 N. Charles Street | Towson, MD 21204

Hours of Operation

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday - 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Contact

443-809-1000

cshelp@bcps.org

FEATURED VIDEO:

Why I Teach | Cliff Coulter

In a new "Why I Teach" segment, Cliff Coulter, a Grade 5 teacher at Rossville Elementary, shares how he fell in love with education after serving in the military.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

• Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year nominations open now through 6 p.m. on Monday, February 6

Team BCPS staff, parents, and community members are invited to nominate an outstanding principal and an outstanding assistant principal for Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal for 2023-24. This is a great opportunity to recognize excellent administrators and honor all of our leaders.

• Principal of the Year nomination form

• Assistant Principal of the Year nomination form

There will be a Principal of the Year and an Assistant Principal of the Year recognized for each level (elementary, middle, and high). BCPS Principals of the Year and Assistant Principals of the Year will be recognized in April with the Teacher of the Year.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Update

Following Ms. Janice Zimmerman’s retirement, Dr. Bernie McCann has been hired as BCPS’s new internal EAP Specialist. Dr. McCann brings 20+ years of experience to this position, most recently for the Montgomery County School’s EAP. His office is located in Greenwood Bldg. E, Room 111. You may reach him at 443-809-5414 or bmccann@bcps.org.

For employees or household members seeking counseling, work/family, financial or legal assistance, our partner Cigna offers 24/7 telephone access 888.431.4334 or via myCigna.com (Employer ID – baltimore). This no-cost benefit is open to all employees regardless of their health insurance coverage.

• Education Foundation Exchangeree February Shopping Dates

The Education Foundation of BCPS, Inc., will host shopping days during the month of February at the Exchangerees: Gizmos and Gadgets Galore at the Rosedale/Golden Ring and Windsor Mill locations, for all full-time BCPS educators and support staff (school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and pupil personnel workers)

The designated shopping dates for the Tools for School Campaign (academic school/classroom supplies and educational resources) are:

• Thursday, February 2, 2023, from 3 to 6 p.m., Windsor Mill

• Tuesday, February 7, 2023, from 3 to 6 p.m., Rosedale/Golden Ring

• Thursday, February 16, 2023, from 3 to 6 p.m., Windsor Mill

• Tuesday, February 21, 2023, from 3 to 6 p.m., Rosedale/Golden Ring

The designated dates for Books for Bins shopping experience (new and gently-used books for Pre-K through 12) are:

• Wednesday, February 8, 2023, from 3 to 5 p.m., Rosedale/Golden Ring (books only)

• Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 3 to 5 p.m., Windsor Mill (books only)

More information is available in a BCPS News Hub post.

• Black Boy Joy and Genius Mentoring Program

BCPS' Black Boy Joy & Genius program was recently featured in the Maryland State Department newsletter for the Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys (AAEEBB) initiative. Learn more on the Maryland State Department of Education's AAEEBB website.

• Middle school students encouraged to enter National Civics Bee

The Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce invites BCPS middle school students to enter the National Civics Bee. Students with an idea about using civics to solve a problem in their community should complete the online submission form, including parent/guardian contact information, and upload (preferred method) or mail their 500-word essay.

• Black Lives Matters @ School - Culturally Responsive Symposium for S.L.A.M. (School Leaders and Mentors)

Hosted by the TABCO Minority Affairs Committee, educators, administrators and educational leaders are invited to this event on Saturday, February 4, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at TABCO Headquarters (1220 E Joppa Rd Bldg. C, Suite 514, Towson, MD 21286).

Registration is required to attend this event and is open through February 1.

• Racial Justice Poetry Contest



Entries for the 2023 Racial Justice Poetry Contest are being accepted now through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1. Students in Grades 6–12 in Baltimore County public, parochial, and independent schools and homeschooled children in Baltimore County can apply. Poems must be original and no more than three pages long.

Contest details, prize information, and a submission form can be found on Schoology in the resource folder for teachers of secondary English language arts. Teachers from other content areas may contact Justin DePrima at Dumbarton Middle School or the BCPS English language arts office for access.

Learn more in a BCPS blog post.

• Aspiring Assistant Principals Course



The Department of Organizational Development and Leadership is offering the Aspiring Assistant Principals Course to tenured candidates aspiring to the assistant principalship. This course will focus on the knowledge and skill development necessary to fulfill the role of an assistant principal. Learn more in a BCPS News Hub post.

ICYMI: MCAP assessment results message

On Monday, January 23, BCPS sent a community update regarding Spring 2022 MCAP assessment results.

The full message is available online. To view the data and presentation from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), visit the MSDE website.

On Monday, January 23, Superintendent Darryl Williams released a statement regarding the status of his contract.

"After much deliberation and conversation with my family, I have decided not to seek an additional four-year contract. It has been an honor to serve as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, and I thank the Board of Education of Baltimore County for the opportunity to lead this incredible system."

The full statement is available in a BCPS News Release.

Black History Month Writing Contest

In celebration of Black History Month, the Office of English Language Arts and the Office of Social Studies are co-sponsoring a writing contest for all students in Grades K–12.

All entries must be submitted by Friday, February 10. More information is available in an online flyer. Questions? Contact klochary@bcps.org

Stakeholder Climate Survey

The 2023 BCPS Stakeholder Climate Survey will begin on Monday, Jan. 30! The survey is open to students in Grades 3 – 12 as well as all parents/caregivers, staff, and community members, and is available in multiple languages.

More information is available in a BCPS News Release. To complete the survey, visit our Stakeholder Survey webpage!

Upcoming BCPS Recruitment Events

Spread the word! We are seeking qualified professionals to join Team BCPS in a variety of positions. Learn more about upcoming recruitment events in a BCPS news release. Applications are available now at bcps.org/jobs.

Stay tuned next week for information regarding February job fairs.

On Tuesday, January 24, BCPS released a statement regarding release of the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education report on the November 2020 cyberattack

1) The Board approved the Fiscal Year 2024 County Capital Budget request.

2) The Board held a work session on the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 operating budget. The Board’s next work session will take place on February 14, 2023.

3) The Board approved new public comment and Board meeting attendance guidelines and procedures.

4) The Board approved three administrative appointments.

5) In response to the superintendent’s Jan. 23 announcement regarding his plan to not seek an additional contract, the Board voted to direct staff to issue a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) to hire a search firm to assist in the superintendent selection process.

The full meeting is available for viewing online.

BCPS IN THE NEWS

Edgemere Elementary School wins national environmental art challenge for mural of marine life

Edgemere Elementary School was named the elementary school winner in the 2022 Wyland National Art and Classroom Mural Challenge. As a prize, the school will receive a $250 gift card in art supplies from Blick Art Materials.

The 50-foot-long, award-winning mural at Edgemere Elementary was created by about 20 students in Grades 4 and 5, under the leadership of art teacher Gregory Flach. The mural depicts a tropical coral reef and is painted in the style of artist and conservationist Robert Wyland. Learn more in a BCPS news release.

You may submit a shoutout for a variety of reasons. For example, you may want to offer a pat on the back to a colleague for helping out, recognize a staff member or student achievement, or welcome a new employee. When your shoutout appears in The Staff Bulletin, your name and school/location will be included.

BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Raising the bar, Closing Gaps, Preparing for our future

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dept. of Communications/Community Outreach

443.809.5908 | communications@bcps.org