News

Please see attached for information on understanding your 2023 W-2s.

For staff who elected to receive electronic copies of year-end documents, W-2s are now available in Workday. Directions on viewing or printing are available in Canvas.

For staff who elected to receive both electronic and paper copies year-end tax documents, electronic W-2s will be available Jan. 30. Please note, this information was shared in the Opt Out Alert on Dec. 11, 2023.  Paper copies of the W-2s will be mailed via USPS and postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2024. However, if you would like access to your 2023 electronic copy sooner, please make the electronic only election. Once this selection is made, you will have immediate access. 

Looking for deals during this holiday season? Check out the HCPSS Staff Discount Program for a variety of discounts on apparel, electronics, attractions and more.

Please see below for information on receiving Form W-2 and having Workday W-2 data sent directly to Turbo Tax.

Receiving Form W-2

Staff who are interested in receiving your W-2 earlier than Jan. 31 should look for an upcoming Workday Notification email that will tell you how to sign up for an electronic version of your Form W-2. If you select the electronic copy only, it will be available weeks prior to the electronic/printed copy option. Stay tuned for details.

Sending Your Workday W2 Data Directly to Turbo Tax

HCPSS can send your W-2 data to Intuit (Turbo Tax). By making this election, you will have the convenience of entering 4 data points in the Turbo Tax software and all your W-2 data will download and auto populate in the appropriate areas.

If you use Turbo Tax and have an interest, please follow these simple steps in Workday by Dec. 31. NOTE: This election only works for Intuit Turbo Tax.

1. Log in to Workday
2. Select the “Pay” worklet
3. Select “My Tax Documents” in the View section
4. Click on the “Edit” button in the 3rd Party Automatic Transmission area
5. Click “OK”
6. Click on the button next to “Send my W-2 information to third party tax preparers”
7. Click on the “Confirm” box
8. Click “OK”

Your W-2 data will be sent to Intuit (Turbo Tax) upon the completion of the W-2's.  

Your election will remain in effect. If you want to change your prior election, follow the same steps as above to update your new election.

! IMPORTANT ! It is the responsibility of each staff member to check one of the HCPSS notification sources for closing information.

The HCPSS emergency notification sources are:

• HCPSS Status website
• HCPSS homepage
• HCPSS community email/text alert
• X / Twitter
• HCPSS Information Hotline (410-313-6666)

HCPSS does not use schools-out.com, e-schoolnews.com or local news stations for any notifications. Only the sources listed above should be used to confirm emergency information.

Staff who have not already done so, or who are not parents in the system are encouraged to sign up for HCPSS email/text notifications. Otherwise, it is the staff member’s responsibility to check one of the above notification sources for closing information.

Please Note: 

• Staff who are parents in the system do not need to sign up, as you already receive these notices.
• If you believe you are signed up to receive messages and are not receiving them, please do not create a new account. Email webmaster@hcpss.org with any issues.  
• If you are unsure if you have already opted in to text messaging, text the word “YES” to 67587.
• Unsubscribing from any school or district email or text will unsubscribe a user from all messaging, including emergency notifications.

To subscribe or edit your subscription:

• Staff email/text sign up
• Manage your subscription (non-HCPSS parents/guardians)

Employees who are members of the following sick leave banks will have their annual contribution processed during the pay of 12/08/2023.  The donation will be processed in the following priority order:

• Sick Leave Balance – Full and/or partial donation will be deducted from available balance between 12/04/23 – 12/06/23.
• Sick Bank Balance – Full and/or partial donation will be deducted from available balance between 12/04/23 – 12/06/23.
• Docking of Pay – Value of full and/or partial donation will be deducted from the gross pay and displayed as “Adjust Wage – Non-Retirement” in the Earnings area on the pay stub on the check dated 12/08/23.

To view your sick bank status in Workday, go to Personal Information/About Me/Overview/Additional Data, then scroll down to Sick Bank. This will indicate if you are a member and when you joined.

See attached for bargaining units and donation amounts.
 

Employees may be entitled to claim an Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2023 federal and Maryland resident income tax returns if both their federal adjusted gross income and their earned income is less than the following:

• $56,838 ($63,398 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children
• $52,918 ($59,478 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children
• $46,560 ($53,120 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child
• $17,640 ($24,210 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children

See attached for details. For more information about the Maryland EITC, visit marylandtaxes.gov or call 1- 800- MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) or from Central Maryland 410-260-7980.

The Get To Know series 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. 

Why did you choose to work in education?
As a student at University of Maryland, I led lobbying efforts to improve access to education and that fueled my passion to get involved in public service. That led to a career in public policy at the federal, state and local levels and in each of those roles, the most rewarding work I did was around education initiatives and I believe I have now come full circle.

While I'm not an educator, my job is to ensure that our educators, support staff, administrators, and students have the resources, services and access they need to ensure a high quality of education and supports. Whether it's enhancing existing programs or supporting a new program, opening a new building, or even navigating an emergency situation, I get to see the positive impact of our work every single day. 

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
Senator Barbara Mikulski had some of the best guiding principles and I continue to use at least three of them on a regular basis:

• Always be clear about "What is the objective we seek?"
• We cannot always guarantee an outcome but we must guarantee an effort.
• Do not explain an abstraction with an abstraction.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
Ketchup on pasta. I will probably regret putting this in writing. 

What is on your bucket list?
I love music and would love to learn to play the guitar.

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
Rio de Janeiro. Beautiful city with a lot of culture, history and amazing food. I would love to go back and spend some more time there.

The HCPSS Employee Chorus is a unique opportunity to use your voice and connect with colleagues from across the county. It is open to current and retired HCPSS employees, their spouses and significant others, and their adult family members. Singers of all experience levels are encouraged to join! 

See the links below for details.

• Recruitment Video
• Calendar
• Registration Form

Why did you choose to work in education?
Originally, I wanted to go into the field of Criminal Justice to eventually become an FBI agent, while somehow being an obstetrician. Go figure! While studying at Alabama State University, I had a few field assignments. One was to go to an elementary classroom to observe children learning. I will never forget that day! When I walked into the classroom at that moment, I knew that the classroom was where I was meant to be! My passion for foundational education began right there. Because of that experience, upon returning to campus that day, I went to my advisor and changed my major to Elementary Education.

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
"Be the educator you needed when you were in elementary school."

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
I really love dinosaurs! I am sure this will surprise many that know me! I thoroughly enjoy watching movies with dinosaurs in them and find time to watch a particular movie series each week.

What is on your bucket list?
1. Learn to speak Spanish fluently
2. Educate aspiring teachers at the collegiate level
3. Take a mission trip to Africa with my husband
4. Take a religious trip to Jerusalem with my husband and three sons
5. Open a few restaurants in Alaska
6. Learn Sign Language
7. Have my own clothing line
8. Attain a sizable dinosaur statue/sculpture at home

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
I am originally from Anchorage, Alaska. I was blessed to be born and raised in such an amazing place. I recommend that you visit at least once in your lifetime. It is a beautiful, mountainous and majestic state. I am still amazed by its beauty when I go back to visit my parents and family members.

What is something you are proud of? 
I have been an HCPSS educator for 18 of my 21 years in public education. I am truly blessed, honored and proud to be a part of a public school system that prioritizes the humanness of its students and staff members. I appreciate the investment into the “whole person” and the value of what each individual brings to the table. Not only am I a proud employee of HCPSS, I am a proud HCPSS parent. I am so proud of the fact that by the end of this school year, I will have had the unique privilege of handing all three of my sons their high school diplomas. I am #HCPSSProud.