Wednesday, November 1, 2017

November 2017


From the Desk of Dr. Cotton

It was such an honor to welcome the staff of Meadow View Elementary to the property this month! The excitement they have for the benefits this facility will offer their students is infectious. We are looking forward to inviting all HCPS staff to visit the school upon its completion and hope to host some of our spring events at MVES. If you haven't had a chance to see the building's progress, be sure to check it out on our website




Mandatory Training Check

Are you one of the 76.67% staff members who has completed all of the Safe Schools training modules assigned to you? If not, please note that these modules are required and should be completed right away. Questions about the use of Safe Schools? Contact eadkins@henry.k12.va.us today.



Way to Go!

58% of HCPS employees participated in the wellness Incentive! To assist all employees in living healthier lifestyles, all employees will receive monthly tips and recipes and even a challenge or two along the way! Let’s get healthy together!

Getting Started on a Healthier You:
Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Not all bodies are made to be thin. For some people, a healthy weight is higher or lower than the average weight listed on the weight charts. Your doctor can help you decide on a healthy weight for you.
Reasons to lose weight: Losing weight can help with some health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and many more.
Set a goal:  Your goal doesn’t have to be a specific weight. You may decide on a fitness goal (such as being able to walk 5 miles a week), or a health goal (such as lowering your blood pressure). Choose a goal that is measurable and reasonable, so you know when you’ve reached it.
Make an action plan: Habits don’t change overnight. Setting your goals too high can leave you feeling discouraged if you don’t reach them. Be realistic. Choose 1 or 2 small changes you can make now. Set an action plan of how you are going to make these changes. When you can stick to this plan, keep making a few more small changes. Taking small steps will help you stay on the path to success.
Track your progress:  Write down your goals. Then, keep a daily record of your progress. Write down what you eat and how active you are. This record allows you to look back on how much you’ve done. It may also help when you’re feeling frustrated. Reward yourself for success. Even if you don’t reach every goal, give yourself credit for what you do get done.
Get Support: Encouragement from others can help make losing weight easier. Ask your family members and friends for support. They may even want to join you. Also look to your doctor, registered dietitian and fitness professional for help. Your local hospital can give you more information about nutrition, exercise and weight loss.

Here are a couple of healthy seasonal recipes:
Cranberry Turkey Panini
· 1 sandwich round
· 2 tbsp. Cranberry Mustard
· 2oz 98% Fat Free Deli Fresh Smoked Turkey Breast
· 0.75oz Deli sliced Havarti Cheese
· 1 slice tomato
· 25 grams baby spinach
· 1 slice onion

Sweet Potato Fries In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes in just enough olive oil to coat. Bake on a lightly oiled pan at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes for a batch


What’s in Season?
Choose these for the freshest, best tasting produce obtainable!
Apples
Beets
Cabbage
Collards
Cucumbers
Greens
Herbs
Indian Corn
Kale
Lettuce, Spinach, Romaine
Peanuts
Pecans
Snow Peas
Sweet Potatoes



It is time to plan for 2018-2019! The calendar committee has worked closely with HCEA, Teacher Cabinet, Parent Cabinet, and Student Cabinet to draft a calendar that best meets the needs of HCPS students. In doing so, the groups focused on the following:
  • there must be 180 school days (90 days per semester)
  • professional development is a division priority - at least one PD day per month is ideal
  • many staff members feel that the Teaching and Learning Conference is most beneficial in August and January (rather than May and January)
  • staff members and families feel that preserving the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving as a student/teacher holiday is a high priority
  • many staff members feel that ending first semester before winter break is best
  • many staff members feel that a Wednesday start of school is best
  • many staff members feel that returning to work on July 30 so that students and staff begin their summer prior to Memorial Day in May is beneficial
  • many teachers feel that Spring Break should be in March so that students have ample time to prepare for testing (which begins April 25)


Please take a few moments to review the draft 2018-2019 calendar below and share your feedback via this brief survey by November 15.
**Note: The calendar is not official until adopted by the School Board.








In recent months, there has been an increase in personally identifiable information (PII) in email and email attachments. Per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), school divisions are prohibited from disclosing personally identifiable information from student’s education records without the consent of a parent or eligible student, unless an emergency situation arises that would comply with FERPA’s general consent rule. While email may have some built-in security, it is not enough to protect an individual’s identity should that email be compromised in a hack or security breach. 
Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:
·         the student’s name,
·         the student’s parent/guardian’s name,
·         an attendance rate, performance or completion status,
·         a personal identifier such as a social security number or student number,
·         an antidote or scenario which describes the student, etc.

The safest way to communicate in writing about a specific student or group of students is Google Drive. Details about FERPA can be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s website: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html




Passwords are a common form of authentication and are often the only barrier between you and your personal information. There are several programs attackers can use to help guess or "crack" passwords. But if you choose good passwords and keep them confidential, you can make it more difficult for an unauthorized person to access your information.

Good passwords are a combination of numbers, special characters, and both lowercase and capital letters.  

Longer passwords are more secure than shorter ones.  

Don't assume that once you've developed a strong password, you should use it for every system or program. If attackers do guess it, they would have access to all of your accounts. 


From the Community



K12 Grant Alert

Continuing Education
                                          Courses for Teachers
Old Dominion
                                                University / VESi
                                                Courses
Old Dominion University has partnered with VESi to provide online continuing education courses.

View Full Course Listing

Courses offered for 3 or 4.5 Continuing
Education Units with fees of just $170.

www.virtualeduc.com




Frequently asked questions regarding the Special Education Cohort:
1. Is it totally online?  Yes, with the exception of ED608, the field experience.
2. If I already have an endorsement in special education, may I participate in the Cohort?
    Yes, you will have an alternative project that will involve some interaction with special education
    students in lieu of the field experience (ED608). Some coursework may be redundant of your initial
    licensure courses.

 3. If I am not interested in obtaining a teaching license but would like a Master’s degree with a 
     concentration in special education, may I participate in the Cohort?
      Yes, you would have an alternative course that will involve some types of field experience
      in lieu of ED608.

4.  What is the rotation of courses?  Summer is in two sessions.
            Spring Cohort 12-month Course Schedule
                  Spring                          Sum 1                          Sum 2                          Fall                              Spring
                  ED631                         IN629                          IN627                          ED625                         ED632
                  ED622                         ED627                         ED624                         IN630                          ED608
                                                                                                                              IN620
                  Spring Cohort 15-Month Course Schedule                                                                                             
                  Spring                          Sum 1                          Sum 2                          Fall                              Spring                          Sum
                  ED631                         IN629                          IN627                          ED625                         ED608                         ED632
                  ED622                                                             ED624                         ED627                         IN630
                                                                                                                              IN620
       
5. May I transfer any graduate coursework from another college or university?
    Yes, up to two courses IF they are the same content as the required courses for the Cohort and were
    taken within the last five years.  Need to have a grade of a B or better.

6. Does everyone in the cohort take all of these courses?
    Mostly, however, when your transcript is reviewed, it may be possible that some course substitutions
    will need to be made in order for you to complete the MEd and complete special ed licensure DOE
    requirements; changes in your course of study may vary a little based on courses you might not have
    taken in your initial teacher preparation program.  We will work through substitutions so that you will
    not likely need to take more credit hours than originally planned. The schedule shown above is an example,
    and typical of most students.    

7.  I only have a CTE or provisional license, am I eligible to complete this program and get my special ed
      endorsement?
     
     No, if you wish to add an additional endorsement in special ed through this program, you must
     already have a collegiate or post-graduate professional teaching license.

8.   How long will it take me to complete the program?
      Participating in the cohort will allow you to complete the program in 12-15 months depending on the option you select.
9.  May courses be taken out of sequence?
     No, courses must be taken in the sequence listed in order to qualify for the discounted tuition rate unless exceptions are made by
     by MBU. 


Please address questions about the program to Dr. Alice Waddell –awaddell@marybaldwin.edu






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