News

Professional License Renewal Information for Certificated Staff

The following information is relevant to all certificated staff.

As a reminder, effective April 1, 2024, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) made changes to their regulations regarding educator certification/licensure. The key changes include:

  • An educator certificate is now referred to as an educator license.
  • Educator certificates issued prior to July 1, 2024 will continue to be held to the legacy system (6 credits) unless the educator chooses to opt into the new Professional Development Point (PDP) system.
  • Educator licenses issued on or after July 1, 2024 will be required to submit 90 PDPs.

In addition, MSDE has transitioned to a new Educator Information System named The Educator Application and Credentialing Hub - or TEACH. Educators will need to submit an application through the portal for any action related to their certificate/license.

How are PDPs calculated? 

  • 1 clock hour is equivalent to one PDP
  • 1 semester hour is equivalent to 15 PDPs
  • 1 MSDE CPD credit is equivalent to 15 PDPs
  • 1 continuing education unit is equivalent to 10 PDPs

What else should I know about the new PDP system?

The 90 PDPs submitted must include at least one clock hour in each of the following areas: 

  • Content of pedagogy related to an area on the educator’s license
  • English as a Second Language, Sheltered English, or Bilingual English
  • Strategies for teaching students with disabilities, or differentiated instruction for students with diverse learning needs
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching, or diverse student identities in Education

How can I check my license validity period? 

To check your status, go to the Staff Hub, then follow these steps: 

  1. Login to Workday.
  2. Select your profile picture
  3. Select View Profile
  4. Select Careers in the left navigation
  5. Select the Certifications Tab

Where can I find more information? 

For more information, visit the Continuing Professional Development Canvas page and the MSDE website.

In addition, there will be school-based information sessions in all schools on August 20. Information on how to register will be shared in an upcoming Staff Hub post. You may also reach out to your employee credentialing specialist for assistance.

School-based Vacancies as of Tuesday, July 22, 2025

As of today, July 22 at 12:30pm, the attached content areas are open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. A list of available vacancies within these content areas is provided for your reference.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Wired Wednesdays: Intro to DesignPLUS, July 23; Intro to Lucidchart in Canvas, July 30

Wired Wednesday is back! Revamped and ready to empower educators with quick, impactful professional learning! Each session will introduce innovative digital tools designed to enhance teaching and learning. In just 60 minutes, you’ll gain practical insights, see real-world classroom applications, and walk away with strategies you can immediately implement

Attendees will earn 1 professional development point/PDP for each session you attend. The Wired Wednesday PDPs will count for the MSDE category of “strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction." Find more information and a full schedule in the Wired Wednesday Canvas community. Recordings of, and resources from previous sessions also are available in the Canvas community.

Sign up in Frontline by searching for Wired Wednesday or log in through the Zoom/Google Meet links below.

Wednesday, July 23, 10 a.m.
Introduction to DesignPLUS (Google Meet)
DesignPLUS is an add-on for Canvas that can be used to enhance the look and feel of your pages and add interactive page elements. This year, the old version, Design Tools, updated to DesignPLUS, and in this introduction to the new tool bar, we’ll look at some of the more commonly used tools: content blocks, buttons, icons, tabs and expanders, and columns. 

Wednesday, July 30, 10 a.m.
Introduction to Using Lucidchart in Canvas to Scaffold and Enhance Student Learning (Zoom link)
Lucidchart is a diagramming and graphic organizer tool with additional features that also support advanced technical diagramming used in CTE and computer programming programs.  In this session, we will review what Lucidchart is, explore examples, and learn how to add engaging learning activities inside of Canvas to encourage creativity, problem solving, authentic work, and explore hundreds of ready-to-use graphic organizer templates.

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 15 at 12:30pm, the attached content area is open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within the content area is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 14 at 12:30pm, the attached content areas are open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within those content areas is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. Vacancies for which staff within the Office of Human Resources are still identifying placements (student assistants who have been involuntarily transferred/returning from a leave of absence) are not included at this time.
  3. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Attachments

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 14 at 12:30pm, the attached content area is open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within the content area is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. Vacancies for which staff within the Office of Human Resources are still identifying placements (student assistants who have been involuntarily transferred/returning from a leave of absence) are not included at this time.
  3. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 10, the attached content areas are open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within those content areas is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. Vacancies for which staff within the Office of Human Resources are still identifying placements (teachers and paraeducators who have been involuntarily transferred/returning from a leave of absence) are not included at this time.
  3. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Upcoming Wired Wednesday Reboots: Lightspeed Classroom July 9; Lucidspark July 16

Wired Wednesday is back! Revamped and ready to empower educators with quick, impactful professional learning! Each session will introduce innovative digital tools designed to enhance teaching and learning. In just 60 minutes, you’ll gain practical insights, see real-world classroom applications, and walk away with strategies you can immediately implement

Attendees will earn 1 professional development point/PDP for each session you attend. The Wired Wednesday PDPs will count for the MSDE category of “strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction." Find more information and a full schedule in the Wired Wednesday Canvas community.

Sign up in Frontline by searching for Wired Wednesday or log in through the Zoom links below.

Wednesday, July 9, 10 a.m.
Lightspeed Classroom Management (Zoom link)
Teachers will learn navigation, class controls, and best practices. The session will highlight features such as screen monitoring, site restriction controls, and real-time student feedback tools that support differentiation by enabling teachers to customize instruction, provide targeted interventions, and foster student independence. Participants will leave equipped with strategies to use Lightspeed Classroom effectively to meet diverse learner needs.

Wednesday, July 16, 10 a.m.
Using Lucidspark in Canvas to Increase Student Engagement and Collaboration (Zoom link)
Lucidspark is a digital whiteboard designed to support collaboration and increase student engagement during class. In this session, we will review what Lucidspark is, explore examples, and learn how to add engaging learning activities inside of Canvas to brainstorm, annotate, collaborate, scaffold, and, best of all, explore hundreds of ready-to-use templates!

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 7, the attached content areas are open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within those content areas is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. Vacancies for which staff within the Office of Human Resources are still identifying placements (teachers and paraeducators who have been involuntarily transferred/returning from a leave of absence) are not included at this time.
  3. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Attachments

Content Area Open for Consideration of New Hires and Voluntary Transfers

As of today, July 3, the attached content areas are open for consideration of new hires and voluntary transfers. For your reference, a listing of vacancies available within those content areas is provided.

Please note:

  1. The intent of the vacancy list is for current HCPSS staff who submitted a voluntary transfer by the April 23, 2025, deadline.
    1. If you did not submit transfer requests by the April 23 deadline, you will have the opportunity to request a transfer for the 2026-2027 school year beginning February 2026. Specific dates and additional information will be posted on the Staff Hub at that time.
    2. If you are not a current HCPSS employee, you must apply. The link to apply can be found here: Employment – HCPSS.
  2. Vacancies for which staff within the Office of Human Resources are still identifying placements (teachers and paraeducators who have been involuntarily transferred/returning from a leave of absence) are not included at this time.
  3. The listing of vacancies will only be updated and posted weekly by the close of business every Monday, until August 1.

Please contact Melodee Phillips at melodee_phillips@hcpss.org with any questions you may have.

Attachments