News

Did you know there's a Canvas page for staff retirement celebration announcements? They are shared from the HCPSS Communications Canvas, and can easily be accessed by going to the Staff Hub and scrolling down to Resources > Communications > Retirement Announcements.

Notices of celebrations of HCPSS employees who are retiring AND that are open to anyone wishing to attend should be emailed to communications@hcpss.org with the following:

• Who: Name of employee(s) being celebrated
• When: Date and time
• Where: Location, including address
• Cost: If applicable
• RSVP: If applicable, to whom and how

Why did you choose to work in education?
My teachers, at all grade levels, had a profound impact on my social-emotional and academic well-being. They were there to provide sanctuary as I worked through the trauma associated with domestic violence, abuse and substance abuse at home. They provided the knowledge, skills and experiences that helped to lead me out of that darkness and on to college, where I committed to being part of the community of educators, driven to help all students, but especially those experiencing trauma or who needed additional support to achieve success.
 

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
A mentor gave me the best piece of advice early in my career. She said that it was important to truly know oneself. To understand, and to be able to articulate, your purpose, your values, your beliefs and goals. She said that this understanding would serve as my north star, a guiding light that would help me with the difficult decisions that I would inevitably face. So, essentially, know yourself and be true to yourself.
 

What is on your bucket list?
I would like to see more of the world with my wife, Page, and my daughter, Abby. Alaska and Hawaii are on the list!
 

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
Seven years ago, our family went on a European vacation. Our favorite place was Florence, Italy. We were awestruck by the architecture and art museums. We visited churches, climbed domes, saw works by Michelangelo, biked in Tuscany, watched European futbol, and enjoyed trying out the Italian language every time we were in a store or restaurant.
 

What is one hobby that you enjoy that you think would surprise people at work? 
When my mom passed away at the age of 53, it was a sobering reminder that life is short and that each moment is precious. I had always wanted to learn how to play guitar. So, I bought a guitar and taught myself how to play through books and YouTube videos. When we moved to our current home, I was fortunate enough to meet neighbors who also played (only better). So, we formed a band called “Barely Audible” and we have headlined many of our backyard picnics with renditions of our favorite songs.

The Technology Department recently added an additional HCPSS Wi-Fi network called HCPSS-Enterprise.  

Android and Apple cell phone users can join the HCPSS-Enterprise network. Review the guide for joining an Android device or iOS device to Wi-Fi to learn the proper settings to apply when adding the network to your device.   

If you have additional questions, please contact Technology Support at 410-313-7004 or send an email to techsupport@hcpss.org.

! WARNING! To trick people into providing their HCPSS credentials, attackers sometimes create a spoof, or copy, of the official HCPSS login pages, including the page with the Digital Citizenship Pledge and the Office 365/Email page.  

All employees should be advised that we have noticed an increase in phishing attacks. Employees are reminded they should read all emails with a healthy level of suspicion, even those sent from @hcpss.org email addresses or that have the name of an HCPSS employee.  

Please note: 

• HCPSS does not email employees telling them that their password is expiring and to click a link. Instead, HCPSS would notify you that your password needs to be changed upon login.   
• If a link directs you to a login page and you are unsure if it is the official HCPSS site, close the window and navigate to the appropriate login page on the Staff Hub or hcpss.me websites. You may be able to identify a spoofed page by looking at the login screen’s URL.  

To defend yourself against these cybercriminals sign up for multi-factor authentication today by following the directions on the Technology Resources community in Canvas. 

Employees are encouraged to forward any suspected HCPSS phishing emails to abuse@hcpss.org, and then delete the message. Spam text messages can be reported by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM). If assistance is still needed, contact the Technology Support at TechSupport@hcpss.org or 410-313-7004.

Congratulations to the 76 teachers who achieved certification in December 2022—22 first-time achievers and 54 who renewed their certification!

National Board Certification (NBC) is the highest-level credential in the educational profession. Teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met rigorous standards through intensive study, self-assessment, peer review and expert evaluation.

Howard County is among the top five Maryland districts by historical number of NBCTs, with a total of 212 teachers who have achieved national certification. HCPSS is also among the top five Maryland districts for the number of current National Board candidates, with more than 400 teachers pursuing certification.

HCPSS educators interested in pursuing their National Board Certification should join the HCPSS NBC Canvas community to learn more about SY23-24 cohort opportunities and contact Jennifer Hlavka with any questions.

The newly certified achievers are:

• Catherine Baruah, Reading Specialist, Longfellow Elementary School
• Karina Borkowski, Teacher – Secondary English, Howard High School
• Victoria Borowy, Grade 1, St. John’s Lane Elementary
• Jenna Boule, Kindergarten, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary
• Monica Bunai, Secondary English, Long Reach High School
• Julia Carter, Secondary English, Howard High School
• Beth Ceglia, Secondary Social Studies, Clarksville Middle School
• Allison Deacon, Secondary Mathematics, Oakland Mills High School
• Stephanie Hastings, Library Media Specialist, Lisbon Elementary School
• Samantha Hendershot. Secondary Mathematics, Glenelg High School
• Melissa Kiehl, Gifted & Talented Resource Teacher, Mt. Hebron High School
• Katherine McNamara, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Hammond High School
• Laura Nelson, Health Education, Oakland Mills High School
• Nancy Paik, Grade 1, Elkridge Elementary School
• Christina Renoud, Elementary ESOL, Stevens Forest Elementary School
• Shannon Ryan. Secondary English, Howard High School
• Kate Sandoval, Elementary Math Specialist, Bollman Bridge Elementary School
• Jamie Saperstein. Kindergarten, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School
• Courtney Shoemaker, Grade 3, Waterloo Elementary School
• Kylie Spencer, Kindergarten, Bushy Park Elementary School
• Ben Townsend, Secondary English, Wilde Lake High School
• Emily Warner, Reading Specialist, Howard High School

A complete list of newly certified and renewal achievers can be found online.

Why did you choose to work in education?
Education was not my first career choice. I always imagined that I would argue cases as an attorney, serve as a member of Congress, and later hear cases as a United States Supreme Court Justice. But life has a funny way of pointing you where you are most needed, and where you will have tremendous influence and a significant impact on young people's lives, families, and communities. It turns out that need was in the field of education.

I view education as a vehicle on the road to access, opportunity, and choice. Yet, for many young people, the road to these three destinations is met with many obstacles and barriers. As an educational leader, it is my responsibility to help students overcome those obstacles and provide them with the tools they need to break down the barriers they face daily. My goal is to teach students how to effectively use the tools so that they may become more self-sufficient and independent. I hope to provide students with enough exposure to and knowledge of the tools so that they can use them to gain access through the toll booth, continue on the highway of opportunity, and choose their destinations on the road we call life.

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
Never not do something because you are afraid to fail. Take risks. Failure will provide you with an answer but regret will always leave you questioning.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
I love to cook. I love the creativity that cooking allows me to have. My favorite cuisine to cook is Italian food.

What is on your bucket list?
I want to open my own restaurant that specializes in authentic cuisine from all over the world. I would also like to go skydiving.

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
If you love history then I recommend the World War II Tour in Europe. I traveled to Caen and Paris, France; Luxembourg, Belgium; and Berlin and Nuremberg, Germany. It was one of the best trips of my life. There is so much history like the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Pointe Du Hoc, the Beaches at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, Olympic stadium, and so much more.

What college/university did you attend, and why?
I attended Virginia State University, a Historically Black College and University. I chose VSU because I felt that it provided me with the best opportunities to be successful in life. VSU gave me tools to navigate the world. It helped me see that the world was much bigger than my hometown of Staten Island, NY. I graduated from VSU knowing and believing that I have a place in this world, and whatever role I was going to play was going to be impactful as well as influential.

All staff are reminded to NEVER use “Howard County Public School System” or “Anyone with the link” when sharing materials that contain student or staff confidential information such as IEPs.  Staff should only share directly with individuals who need access to the documents as part of their job function.

Under FERPA, you cannot share non-directory, PII information without parental consent. Non-directory information is educational records that are more sensitive than directory information, such as social security and student ID numbers, grades, disciplinary history, and attendance records. 

When it is necessary to share sensitive and/or confidential data electronically, staff should save the file in a secure location and provide access by granting permissions to only the necessary staff members. At no time should a staff member share confidential data with other people who do not already have access to the same data.

! Call to Action ! Staff can store files in their HCPSS G Suite account and provide direct access to individuals in the intended audience. This procedure allows staff to revoke access to the information when necessary. Review the G Suite Sharing Guide and Electronic Communications Best Practices to learn more. 

! Warning ! 

• Sharing files with “Howard County Public School System” makes the file available to all staff and students.
• Under FERPA, you cannot share non-directory, Personally Identifiable I information without parental consent.  
• Staff are reminded to verify intended recipients' email addresses prior to sending emails or sharing files. Staff email addresses can be verified by searching and finding a person in Workday (Workday Search QRC - pdf). Once you have reviewed the staff member’s job title, location and/or picture, click on the email icon under their picture to see their HCPSS email address.
• The penalty for non-compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) can be withdrawal of U.S. Department of Education funds from the institution or agency that has violated the law. This applies to schools, school districts, and state education agencies. The Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education, charged with reviewing and investigating complaints, seeks to promote voluntary compliance with the law. 

If you have any questions about how to use the sharing permissions in G Suite or using Workday to verify a staff member’s email address, contact Technology Support at techsupport@hcpss.org or (410) 313-7004 option 4.

Why did you choose to work in education?
I received the North Carolina Teaching Fellows scholarship to Elon College (now Elon University), so education was my ticket to college. My mom was my first grade teacher and my dad was my high school chorus teacher, so education was what you did in my family. As it turned out, I loved teaching 7th and 8th graders and hearing their funny, quirky, and insightful thoughts about social studies and English. After 31 years in education, I still believe that middle school is our last best chance to reach our amazing students.

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
The best way to get your next job is to do great work in the job you have now.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
Black licorice. Fine, don't like it; more for me!

What is on your bucket list?
I want to have lunch with Shaquille O'Neal. I'm sure he will let me call him Shaq after we've had lunch :-) He makes me laugh, he's around my age (cough cough), and he continues to reinvent himself since retiring from basketball. Let me know if you know someone who can make this happen!

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
When I studied at the University of London in 1990, I had the opportunity to visit Berlin, Germany a few months after the Berlin Wall began to come down. Standing by the wall made of barbed wire and concrete that was meant to separate and segregate, and considering the thousands of people who risked imprisonment and death to escape East Germany was so powerful. I brought a few pieces of the wall home with me (shhhhhh) as a reminder of this time in history. Today, I see those pieces as a reminder that we should seek to dismantle what literally and metaphorically separates and segregates us. I haven't been back to visit the Berlin Wall Memorial, but I would recommend experiencing this historical reminder.

What is a question you should NEVER ask me?
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? That's just wrong to make me choose, even hypothetically.

Strong passwords are essential to protecting HCPSS systems from attackers. HCPSS is increasing the minimum length requirement for passwords from 8 characters to 12 characters. They will continue to require 3 of the following character types: uppercase and/or lowercase letters, numbers, and/or special characters.

Technology will begin to roll out the new password length requirement starting on February 2, and continue throughout the remainder of the school year.

• Staff who have passwords that do not meet the new requirement will begin to receive notices on the login screen that their password does not meet the new minimum length requirement of 12 characters and must be changed.
• Staff will have 14 days to change their password. After that time, their password will no longer work and they will need to have their password reset.

Staff can change their passwords by clicking on the Change Password button at the bottom of the hcpss.me website or by selecting Help > Change Password on the Staff Hub. More information regarding password requirements and directions can be found on the Technology Resources Canvas community. 

! IMPORTANT ! When changing your password, make sure to update your password on all mobile devices connected to HCPSS networks and/or systems. When they are not updated it will attempt to use an old password, which may cause your account to become locked. 

The new password requirement does not apply to student accounts.

If technical assistance is needed, contact Technology Support at TechSupport@hcpss.org or 410-313-7004 option 1.

The Technology Department recently added an additional HCPSS wifi network called HCPSS-Enterprise.

Android mobile phone users who cannot connect to the HCPSS-Wireless network, can join the HCPSS-Enterprise network. Review the guide for joining an Android device to Wi-Fi to learn the proper settings to apply when adding the network to your device.

If you have additional questions please contact Technology Support at 410-313-7004 or send an email to techsupport@hcpss.org.