News

Staff emailing external recipients should be on the lookout for bounce back messages and seek alternative means of communications and/or try again later if bounce back messages are received. 

Staff are seeing an increased number of bounce back messages when emailing some external addresses that say “Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups: <email address>...Your message couldn't be delivered. Despite repeated attempts to contact the recipient's email system it didn't respond.”  Reports have shown that some yahoo.com and aol.com addresses have been impacted and there may be others. Microsoft has confirmed that a third-party anti-spam service is blocking a portion of Microsoft’s servers to protect organizations that use their services. Microsoft is working with the anti-spam service to rectify the issue. 

Please email HCPSS Technology Support at techsupport@hcpss.org if you require technical assistance. 

Using unknown USB drives poses a significant security risk, as they may contain malware or other malicious software. 

To safeguard our network and protect your data, please adhere to the following guidelines: 

1. Avoid Connecting Unknown USB Drives: Refrain from plugging in any USB drive that you find or receive from an unknown or untrusted source. If a community member needs to share files with you, suggest they place the files in a secure online location, such as Google Drive, and use the sharing permissions to provide access. 
2. Report Suspicious Drives: If you come across an unattended or suspicious USB drive, please follow your school’s regular lost and found procedures so that owners can potentially find their lost USB drive, and if not dispose of the drive. 

A new resource: USB Attacks: Small Devices, Big Threats, has been added to your KnowBe4 library. The resource can be accessed by navigating to the Staff Hub > Services > KnowBe4 Cybersecurity Resources > Library. 

By following these guidelines, we can collectively enhance the security of our systems and ensure a safe working environment. 

Please contact HCPSS Technology Support at techsupport@hcpss.org if you require technical assistance.

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.

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.

Why did you choose to work in education?
I wanted to assist in ensuring students received the appropriate services under the law. Working within a school system appeared to be the more effective route to support students and ensure required services were provided as opposed to suing school systems on behalf of individual students. Also, my father served on the school board throughout my education and handed me my diploma as his last act as a Board member.

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
Always keep the interest of the students at the forefront of any discussions as the business of the school system is to educate the students.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
Rooting for Tottenham Hotspur, English Premier League, and playing Premier League Fantasy Football.

What is on your bucket list?
To visit presidential birthplaces and libraries throughout the United States.

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
The Cathedral of Bones in Evora, Portugal. The country is beautiful; the Cathedral is a bit creepy, but extremely interesting to see.

The attached letter serves as notification, as required by law, of the availability for public review of AsbestosManagement Plans for Howard County Public Schools.

For additional information, contact the HCPSS Office of the Environment at 410-313-8874.

Multi-Factor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires users to enter multiple sources of authentication before being granted access to their account. Beginning last school year, HCPSS has been actively implementing MFA across the district. Staff are receiving messages notifying them of mandatory MFA enrollment when they login.

While staff who were not already enrolled were provided additional time to due to summer break, staff currently not enrolled in MFA will begin to see the number of days left to enroll shrink to zero in the coming weeks. Once the timeline runs out, staff will not be able to log in to systems until they enroll. Staff are encouraged to use the instructions to self enroll prior to their window closing. 

Direct questions to TechSupport@hcpss.org.

The Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching (FFT) has been updated by the Danielson Group and better reflects the values and commitments prioritized in the HCPSS Strategic Call to Action and the HCPSS Equity Framework. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, HCPSS will use the updated FFT as the foundation for teacher evaluation and conversations about teaching and learning.

HCPSS will provide school-based learning sessions in every building during the 2023 August in-service week, and the content will be embedded in curriculum sessions during Professional Learning Days. There additionally will be optional school-based and systemic professional learning opportunities throughout the year. 

What’s the same: 

• Organization and structure (Four Domains, 22 Components, Rubrics describing levels of Performance) 
• Evaluation models and processes

What Has Changed? 

• The language used to describe teaching and learning shifts at the domain, component and element level. 

HCPSS, HCEA and HCASA support these changes as it better uplifts and clarifies racial equity, social and emotional learning, sense of belonging for all students, and culturally responsive pedagogy. 

Employees who wish to review the FFT updates prior to August in-service can learn more on the Danielson Framework for Teaching Canvas page, part of the HCPSS Employee Evaluation Canvas community.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore on June 14, 2023, named Wilde Lake High School student Abisola Ayoola as the 2023-2024 Maryland State Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB). Ayoola was selected as a finalist in November during the Maryland Association of Student Councils annual Legislative Session attended by over 300 student leaders from across the state.

Ayoola served as the Howard County Board of Education SMOB during the 2022-2023 school year, during which time she amplified student voice between the thousands of students in the school system and school system leaders. She will be a senior during the 2023-2024 school year and is active in her school where she is a part of several clubs, including student government, class council, Rise Up mentorship, and Active Minds, which supports student mental health. She additionally is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the National Honor Society.

Full Release: Howard County’s Abisola Ayoola Named Maryland State Student Member of the Board
 

Staff should be aware of the following information:

HCPSS has partnered with Bonfire Interactive, a Euna Solutions company, to create a new procurement portal that will allow HCPSS staff to receive notifications on contracts that they manage, submit intake requests for solicitations, and conduct evaluations of RFP/IFB documents digitally.

The Office of Purchasing is currently in the implementation process with Bonfire. As current contracts are loaded into the new system, the staff responsible for managing the contracts will receive an email from Bonfire. The Bonfire email will provide notice of the contract being added and the ability for HCPSS staff to sign on and review the associated contract documentation. The system also will send out alerts periodically to these staff when actions need to be taken regarding these contracts.

HCPSS staff also may submit intake requests for formal solicitations that are required by Board of Education Policy 4050 Procurement of Goods and/or Services. To submit an intake request, please visit https://hcpss.bonfirehub.com/login, select “Create a Requestor account,” sign on with your HCPSS credentials, and complete the required fields for the solicitation. The Office of Purchasing will assign the request to a Procurement Specialist who will reach out to the requesting staff to move forward with the solicitation.

Questions may be directed to Office of Purchasing at 410-313-6644 or by email at purchasing@hcpss.org.