News

Google Gemini is a powerful AI language model that can help you with a variety of tasks, from writing emails to creating lesson plans. At this time, it is only available to all staff members.

To Access Gemini:

1. Log into G Suite using your HCPSS Active Directory login
2. Go to Gemini.google.com
3. Select - “Chat with Gemini” to initiate the Terms and Conditions
4. Ready to use - Use the Prompt bar to enter your information

For future access, Gemini will appear in your waffle menu, located on the top right corner of your HCPSS Google Drive. 

When using AI, remember:

• Never include staff or student personal identifiable information. Once entered, it cannot be removed from the service and may be used by the service.
• Define prompts clearly.
• Start small.
• Check the facts to ensure any AI-generated output used with students, families, community, and staff is appropriate and accurate (Not all bots provide accurate information).
• Consider engaging colleagues in collaborative conversations about the effective and appropriate use of Gemini. Share ideas and offer suggestions or alternatives to prompts.

Interested in learning more about AI in education? Check out Embracing AI: Enhancing Classroom Innovation and Integrity a self-paced module.

We are pleased to continue our Get To Know series, which was created to help staff learn more about HCPSS leaders in schools and offices with whom they may not typically interact. HCPSS leaders answer a mix of personal and professional questions in an effort to let all employees get to know them better. Please use this form to nominate an HCPSS leader to be featured in the series.

Why did you choose to work in education?
Even before my younger brothers finished kindergarten, they had experienced behavioral and academic obstacles, which continued until they both dropped out of high school. My brothers did not feel successful and, therefore, did not like school. While I also struggled, at times, my grandmother unlocked my potential by teaching me how to read. I chose to work in education to be, for others, what my grandmother was for me, a source of confidence and motivation to reach my full potential.

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
At the end of my first year teaching, my principal told me that I should work towards getting a masters degree in educational leadership. At the time, I did not have aspirations of being a principal. I love being a principal and supporting a school full of students and teachers, so this advice was truly life changing. In return, I'm always looking to encourage and mentor our next generation of leaders.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
Yoga. I recently earned certification as a trauma informed yoga teacher. Right now, I teach a few classes a week, and I really enjoy the creativity of building the sequence of postures for each class.

What is on your bucket list?
Joining my yoga studio teachers on an outreach trip to Thailand.

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
One of the most beautiful places I've been to is St. Lucia. Two years ago I was able to cross climbing the Piton Mountains off of my bucket list! I also recommend taking a boat to the base of the mountains and snorkeling.

Effective today, Thursday, Sept. 5, the Office of Human Resources has removed the ability to view and request Military Leave option in Workday under Time Off Balances. The decision to remove Military Leave was to provide an accurate and transparent view of an employee’s Time Off Balances. 

Any employee who is eligible to use Military Leave will need to request the use of this time through the completing the Leave of Absence form (Active Directory login required).

! WARNING: To trick people into responding, scammers sometimes use publicly available information to send emails. As always, staff should maintain a heightened state of awareness and proceed with caution when receiving email messages containing hyperlinks, including QR codes, and attachments.

Below is an example of a common phishing email using this trick. Notice the scammer uses the name of an HCPSS principal but the email is coming from an external email system, gmail.com. The scammer is trying to create a sense of urgency and start an email exchange, which will result in the person asking for the staff member to buy and send gift card information to them.

EXAMPLE:

From: Alexcia Redd reddalexcia@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2024 5:35 PM
To: Nick Vissari <Nick_Vissari@hcpss.org>
Subject: [External] Can I have a short word with you asap,Whats the best number to reach you?

! CAUTION: This email originated from outside of HCPSS. Do not click links or open attachments, unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Are you available right now?

Learn more about phishing attacks on the Technology Support Canvas community and access the Knowbe4 system on the Staff Hub under the Services tab to learn more about cyber security.   

Employees are encouraged to forward any suspected phishing emails to abuse@hcpss.org, and then delete the email. If assistance is still needed, contact the Technology Support at TechSupport@hcpss.org.

Staff are advised of the following updates:

Pear Deck

The free version of Pear Deck continues to be available for all staff this school year, and can be used to:

• Create and build assessments
• Author or modify questions
• Sharing and collaboration tools
• Automatic graded answers

A paid version will be available for select staff working with students in special education. Information regarding setting up accounts will be sent directly to those staff members. Questions can be emailed to Stephanie McAllister.

Lucid Spark

Lucid Spark is a dynamic online whiteboard tool designed to replace Jamboard, offering K-12 teachers and students a versatile platform for collaborative learning. With Lucid Spark, teachers can create interactive lessons, brainstorm ideas with students, and organize thoughts visually. Key features include customizable templates, real-time collaboration, sticky notes, and voting sessions.

Virtual training sessions will be held Thursday, Sept. 12 at 1 and 4 p.m. 

Details on logging in to Lucid Spark, resources and training registration are available online.

All staff are reminded to review Circular 12 - Political Activities on School Property. Within that circular, staff can find the HCPSS procedures that govern political campaign activities and political expression on school property.

The Instructional Support Center, formerly the Teacher Support Center is opening soon with new hours and expectations for the 2024-2025 school year. 

The Instructional Support Center (ISC) will be open on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14 from 12-3 p.m. We are in the process of shifting to a new scheduling system to better accommodate teacher needs. For Aug. 13-14 only, no scheduling will be required to use the laminator and poster maker, with the following restrictions:

• Staff will be limited to 15-minute use of the laminator and poster maker.
• Quantities will be limited to one class set or resources.

Scheduling details for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year will be shared in the coming weeks.

The ISC will be closed during inservice week and will reopen for the school year on Tuesday, Aug. 27. ISC operating hours for the 2024-2025 school year will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. Please note, the ISC will be closed any day schools are closed.

Due to staffing, budget, and liability constraints be advised of the following:

• The ISC will be manned by classroom teacher leaders.
• The ISC will only be accessible during the designated operating hours. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE CENTER at any other time.
• Staff can access the ISC via the right side entrance, and will need to be buzzed in. Directional signage will be prominently displayed.
• When bringing materials to the center to laminate, staff may only make materials for one class set. Staff may not make resources for their whole team, office, or program.
• The color copier will only be used for instructional purposes aligned with curriculum that are pre-approved by the ISC staff.  
• ISC resources are explicitly to be used by teachers and paraeducators creating instructional resources for students.
• HCPSS offices and programs should work with Print Services for their instructional materials.

The 2024-2025 salary and step information is now available for employee review. Please use the attached Workday instructions to generate and review the “Compensation Review” report with your compensation information. Contact the Office of Human Resources at humanresources@hcpss.org with questions.

NOTE: Leave balances may be accessed by viewing Time Off in Workday. This information reflects leave balances for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) has changed their requirements for FY25 that may impact your biweekly pension deduction. To comply, HCPSS must make changes to our Maryland pension deduction schedule. See attached for full details.

Changes to Number of Pension Deductions

• Months are worked (not paid)
• 11-month workers have no change
• 10-month and 12-month workers have no change in annual contribution; however, your per pay contribution will be lower as the annual contribution is spread over more periods, as noted above.
• Deduction dates can be found on Canvas/Workday Community Deduction Schedules
   

This message provides HCPSS staff with an annual update about the Low Performing Schools identified for the 2024-2025 school year and the impact of these changes on National Board Certified (NBC) teachers. Learn more about Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future and the NBC teacher pay.  
 

What are the Low Performing Schools for the 2024-2025 school year? 

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) created two categories of Low Performing School identification:  

• State Defined (Required) - schools identified as 1-star and 2-star schools in 2019 and 2022 accountability. HCPSS had no State Defined schools in 2022-2023 & 2023-2024.  
• Local Flexibility (Optional) - bottom 10% of local schools in the state accountability system. At the March 24, 2022 BOE meeting, the Board voted to designate all of the Local Flexibility schools below for the incentive pay.  

The HCPSS schools designated as locally Low Performing Schools for the 2024-2025 school year are:  

• Cradlerock Elementary School (Continued Local Flexibility) 
• Harper’s Choice Middle School (State Defined) 
• Lake Elkhorn Middle School (State Defined) 
• Oakland Mills Middle School (Continued Local Flexibility) 
• Wilde Lake Middle School (Continued Local Flexibility 
• Long Reach High School (New Local Flexibility) 
• Oakland Mills High School (Continued Local Flexibility) 
• Homewood Center (Continued Local Flexibility) 

How Does This Impact HCPSS Staff? 

Swansfield Elementary School is no longer identified as a Low Performing School for the 2024-2025 school year. HCPSS NBCT staff, in eligible roles, at Swansfield Elementary School: 

• Continue receiving the $7,000 incentive pay if they are currently eligible in 2023-2024.  
• Not receive the $7,000 incentive pay if they achieve NBCT status as of December 2024. 
• Not receive the $7,000 incentive pay if they transfer into the school or are hired by the school during the 2024-2025 school year.  

Background on NBC Teacher Salary Increase 
 

The Blueprint increases the salary by $10,000 of National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) who are actively teaching in Maryland public schools. For the purpose of identifying which NBCTs will receive the $10,000 income supplement, Maryland House Bill 1300 (p. 122) defines “teacher” as “a certified public school employee who is primarily responsible and accountable for teaching students in the class.” 

NBCTs staying or moving to a Low Performing School will receive an additional $7,000 added to their salary. As long as they stay at that school, an NBCT will continue to earn the salary increase, even if the school shows improvement and is no longer identified as a low performing school. A new list of possible schools for designation will be provided each year by MSDE. The HCPSS Board of Education will then make decisions on which schools will be designated as low performing. 

While HCPSS honors and supports the Blueprint distinction and incentives to recruit NBCTs to work in low performing schools, NBCT certification isn’t the only distinction that determines teacher mastery or responsiveness to students and community. For this purpose and aligned with provisions in the teacher contract and HCPSS policy, staff selection remains a school-based decision. NBCTs who express an interest in transferring to an identified school will be considered along with all other transfer candidates and will not receive special consideration due to their NBCT status.