Stafford School Buzz December 2016
SNOW DAY?
Learn the Weather Codes Before You Spot the First Flake
In This Issue 2
Upcoming Events
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Department News
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A Sustainable Place School News
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Know Your Code
8 Annual Service Pin Recipient Commemoration
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News & Events
upcoming events S
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5 School Board Head Start Community Service
Gari Melchers Complex, 5:30 p.m.
Gifted Advisory Committee Professional Development Center, Room 16, 6 p.m.
6 School Board Special Called Meeting
Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, School Board Chambers, 6 p.m. The School Board will select candidates to interview for the vacant Garrisonville District seat.
7 Finance and Budget Committee Meeting
Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Executive Session Room, 6 p.m. The School Board will interview candidates for the vacant Garrisonville District seat.
8 School Board Special Called Meeting
Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Executive Session Room, 6 p.m. The School Board will interview candidates for the vacant Garrisonville District seat.
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The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 Stafford High School, 7 p.m. (additional show at 2 p.m. on 12/10) The Stafford High School Theater Department presents The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, a wildly comic romp in which the creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop assembles to audition their new show for a wealthy benefactor. Snowed-in at a mysterious Westchester estate, the outlandish troupe (or at least those who aren’t killed off ) frantically work to untangle the mystery of the “Stage Door Slasher.” Lampooning “show biz” and the thrillers of Hollywood’s heyday, the story is a nonstop barrage of mayhem, laughter and diabolical antics. Tickets are $5/student, $7/adult.
12 Career & Technical Education Advisory Committee
Professional Development Center, Computer Lab 2, 6 p.m.
13 School Board Work Session
Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Exec. Session Room, 5:30 p.m.
Tentative: School Board Special Called Meeting Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Executive Session Room, 6 p.m. The School Board will interview candidates for the vacant Garrisonville District seat.
School Board Meeting Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, School Board Chambers, 7 p.m.
15 Finance and Budget Committee Meeting
Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Executive Session Room, 6 p.m.
17 Rappahannock Pops Orchestra Sensory-Friendly Performance
Stafford High School, 10 a.m. Join us for a sensory-friendly performance featuring the Rappahannock Pops Orchestra. Sensory friendly performances are designed to create a performing arts experience that is welcoming to all families with children with autism or with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Admission is free and open to the public. Ticket reservations are required. Request tickets at scpsartsdepartment@gmail.com.
A Christmas Carol Brooke Point High School, 7 p.m. The Brooke Point Theatre Company presents Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This adaptation of the classic story of greedy, selfish, and indifferent Ebenezer Scrooge is sure to please all audiences. The story illustrates Brooke Point’s motto, “As One” and its themes of “Be Proud” and “Respect the Nest” through the 19 Capital Improvement Planning Committee Meeting demonstration that self-serving, discourteous, and insensitive Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, Planning and people can change into charitable, respectful, and kind citizens Construction Conference Room, 6:30 p.m. of their community. Tickets are $5/person. Pre-show events are hosted nightly: 20 School Board Work Session • December 8 - Stories Around the World at 6:30 p.m. Alvin York Bandy Admin. Complex, Exec. Session Room, 5:30 p.m. Brooke Point Forensics performs stories from around the world. • December 9 - Cultures and Traditions Around the World at 6:30 p.m. 21 Early Release - All Grades Foreign Language clubs display cultures and traditions. • December 10 Victorian Feast at 6 p.m. Brooke Point Culinary Arts students serve a full dinner menu to December 22 - January 2 each patron. Additional tickets are required for this event. Visit http://tinyurl.com/bphsfeast to purchase tickets for the feast. Winter Break!
December 2016 • Stafford School Buzz
News & events
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department news Finance & Accounting
Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Update Preparation of the FY 2018 operating budget is well underway. All departments have submitted their requests to the Superintendent, including a zero-based approach by the Technology and Transportation departments. It is anticipated that the State will release projections for FY 2018 school division allocations in December, which will provide SCPS with a more accurate revenue projection. Key upcoming dates on the budget calendar include: • •
January 17, 2017: Presentation of Superintendent’s FY 2018 Recommended Budgets February 28, 2017: School Board’s Consideration and Approval of the FY 2018 Budgets
Professional Learning
Winter North Tier Session North TIER Winter 2017 courses are now open for registration! There are six of the more popular courses to pick from for the winter session. Courses run December 12 through January 29 and are $50. Visit https:// goo.gl/LKZpj3 to register. Contact our North Tier Representative Todd Kramer at kramertw@staffordschools.net if you have any questions.
Safety, Security & Risk Management
Workplace Violence Prevention Goal This violence prevention program provides ideas and suggestions for reducing violence in the workplace. Objective This information is to promote a safer work environment. For our purposes workplace violence will include homicide, attempted homicide, harassment, threats, assaults or attacks inflicted on people in a company by people with some past or present relationship either to the company, or one of its employees. Established workplace policies help protect workers from harassment and threats. These policies are as important as policies which prevent discrimination or drug use on the job. Some effective prevention tools are: • •
A twenty-four hour hotline for employees to report threats of violence, unusual behavior, depression, alcohol or drug abuse, or other disturbing occurrences A suggestion box
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Any method of encouraging feedback from employees and allowing them to express their grievances Establish fair and prompt procedures for dealing with grievances
Effective security measures provide employees with an environment where they can produce their best work without anxiety. Well-lit, uncluttered premises, both inside and out, deter criminal activity. Other measures that help to ensure workplace safety may include: • • • • • • • • •
Posted information and restrictions Security guards and monitoring devices Strict visitor sign-in policies Employee identification badges Door controls Limited access key cards and cipher locks Careful screening and testing of new employees Regular safety awareness Training of the workforce
Crisis Management Plans can be developed for dealing with violence in the workplace. A team can be formed including representatives from security, human resources, medical, and other experts. The team can consider how to report incidents of violence, the key authorities to be alerted, security precautions to be taken, and how to maintain safety.
Strategic Communication & Community Engagement Channels of Communication Our office has a variety of outlets with which we can publicize your school or department’s upcoming events and good news. Tools like social media, press releases, the website, mass emails, and newsletters reach large audiences and help get the word out. If you have any items you would like to publicize, contact Samantha Bates at batessm@ staffordschools.net or your School Liaison. Communication Toolkit Our office has prepared a comprehensive communication toolkit for the division. Visit https://goo.gl/5uyvOJ to view the document. Please implement the email, social media, and web publishing guidelines at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions concerning implementation and the toolkit, contact Sherrie Johnson at johnsonsa@ staffordschools.net or (540) 658-6629.
Way to Go! Thank you to all SCPS employees who made donations during the 2016 United Way Giving Campaign. With your support, we raised over $61,000 to help serve local organizations! Stafford School Buzz • December 2016
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a sustainable place In this edition of “A Sustainable Place,” we will review a portion of • the Energy Management Plan adopted by the School Board in 2008. A school on average costs $1.21 to operate per square foot for all • utilities, making the cost to operate an 800sq/ft. classroom more • than $960 per year. The addition of items such as refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots and portable heaters add to the utility cost of a facility. A minifridge, for example, can cost an additional $25-$40 per year, per appliance. A microwave can add an additional $15-$25 per year, per appliance. Portable space heaters can add $20 to electric costs per month, per device during the winter. These prices can increase greatly due to the age, condition, location, use and energy ratings of the appliance.
Introduce additional heat from the appliance into conditioned spaces Create pest management issues Cause safety/maintenance issues such as tripped breakers, burnt receptacles and broken wires due to overloaded electrical systems
As stated in the Stafford County Public Schools Energy Management Plan, these items are not permitted in classrooms or offices in schools. A division wide survey is underway to identify and approve community use areas for these appliances in each school. “If every person does a little, we can accomplish a lot.”
Appliances such as these also contribute to the following problems: Joshua Schimpf • Add cost to the peak demand charge that the schools pay on Energy Manager our electric bill schimpfje@staffordschools.net
SCHOOL NEWS Quantico Adopts Two Division Schools
Schools Win in Seatbelt Campaign
Marine Corps Base Quantico will support Shirley C. Heim Middle School and Widewater Elementary School this year as part of its Adopt-A-School program. School and MCB Quantico officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday, December 1 at each school. AdoptA-School efforts aim to support community involvement in the local schools to improve the education of children in grades K-12. Already this year, MCB Quantico has supported local schools and their students through school-wide trainings, the provision of resources, and bi-weekly support to the schools by active-duty service members assisting in the classroom, lunchroom, and at special events.
From InsideNoVA.com
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Dixon-Smith Middle School in Stafford County is one of the two statewide winners of the 2016 “Save Your Tailgate, Buckle Up” campaign sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office in partnership with State Farm Insurance. DixonSmith placed first in the middle school division. Stafford County’s A.G. Wright Middle School was second in the middle school division, according to a news release. Read the full article at the source.
December 2016 • Stafford School Buzz
Know Your Code What to Do in Inclement Weather Winter weather is on its way, and with it comes emergency closings. While the instructions are clear for students, many employees are required to arrive or depart at different times. Emergency closing announcements will contain codes for employees to reference.Don’t get left out in the cold: learn your code today and be prepared for inclement weather.
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Schools and school division offices are closed.
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Certain administrators and emergency personnel, as designated by the Director of Operations and Maintenance and the Director of Fleet Services in 5906-E-3, will report at specified times to perform emergency services. These emergency personnel and report times are identified beforehand and are selected from the maintenance and custodial staff.
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings and on school grounds.
Where to Look for Closing Information When inclement weather strikes, employees can look for updates on closings in the following locations: • • • • • • • •
Email via Blackboard Connect/Groupwise Phone call via Blackboard Connect Division and school websites Division social media accounts SETV - Channel 18 Schools Out Stafford Alert Local news media (radio and television)
Communication, including phone calls, can begin rolling out as early as 5:30 a.m. To get updates directly to your phone or email, ensure you’re signed up for Blackboard alerts by registering at https://staffordcountystaffportal.bbcportal.com/.
Emergency Closing Protocol
All Day Closing: Code II Decision Time: By 5:30 a.m. What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools are closed today. Employees are on Code II. Liberal leave is in effect. Administrative offices will open at 10:00 a.m.” What That Means for You: • All school activities, day and evening, are canceled. No buses will operate. Students will not attend. •
Teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, school nutrition and other school level staff who work less than 220 days shall not report on those days which are made up by students. However, on those days, which are not made up by students, these employees shall follow the guidelines established by their principal or supervisor to make up the time required to fulfill their contract.
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Eleven-month service personnel who do not report to work will arrange with their supervisor to make up their time to complete their 220-day contract.
All Day Closing: Code Zero Decision Time: By 5:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools are closed today. Employees are on Code Zero.” What That Means for You: • All school activities, day and evening, are canceled. No buses will operate. Students will not attend. •
Schools, school division offices, and all support offices are closed. No employees shall report to work.
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings and on school grounds.
All Day Closing: Code I Decision Time: By 5:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools are closed today. Employees are on Code I.” What That Means for You: • All school activities, day and evening, are canceled. No buses will operate. Students will not attend.
Stafford School Buzz • December 2016
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Support services central staff to include Fleet Services and Maintenance and Operations are to make reasonable effort to arrive on time.
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All administrative staff and all other service personnel, regardless of contract length, will report to work two hours late. Annual leave or personal leave may be requested after the fact (liberal leave) by those unable to report.
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School/central office custodial and maintenance staff are to make every reasonable effort to arrive by 9 a.m. or earlier to prepare for opening of administrative offices on a two-hour delay. Evening custodial staff members are encouraged to work their regularly scheduled hours during the day beginning at 9 a.m.
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes and recreational activities scheduled in school division buildings and on school grounds. (Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis by the Superintendent or Designee.)
Late Opening: 2 Hours Late Decision Time: By 5:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools will open two hours late. Inclement weather conditions will be reassessed at 7:15 a.m. There are no morning preschool classes. No change to afternoon preschool classes.” What That Means for You: • Students, teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals, and service personnel who work less than 220 days shall report two hours late. •
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On delayed opening days, all administrative staff and all service personnel, with the exception of support services central staff to include Fleet Services, Pupil Transportation, and Maintenance and Operations are to make every reasonable effort to arrive at work one hour late. School/central office custodial and maintenance staff shall arrive prior to the arrival of other administrative and service staff. There are no morning preschool classes and no change to afternoon preschool classes.
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Breakfast programs canceled.
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Lunch is served.
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Regular field trips during the day are canceled. Any exception may be made for trips and contests scheduled for after school hours. Such exceptions must have the approval of the Superintendent/designee.
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Dismissal is at regular times.
Early Closing: 1 Hour Early Decision Time: By 11:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools will dismiss one hour early. All after school and evening activities are canceled. Dismissal times are as follows: High school: 1:15 p.m. Middle school: 1:50 p.m. Elementary school: 2:40 p.m. Morning preschool: 12 p.m. (no change) Afternoon preschool: 2:40 p.m.” What That Means for You: • All teachers, other instructional staff and all service personnel may be dismissed by the principal only after all students have safely departed school property. Administrative staff will remain on regular hours unless specifically dismissed by announcement from the superintendent/designee’s office, or if conditions warrant as evaluated by the principal and the superintendent/designee’s office is notified. Principals may use their judgment as to when segments of their staff are dismissed (i.e., the entire staff would not remain for a few children waiting). For communication purposes, school offices are staffed until that school’s buses complete their runs. •
Certain administrators and service personnel, as designated by their supervisor, will remain to perform essential services.
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Field trips and athletic trips canceled. No trips will depart after the closing announcement. Recall efforts for field trips are initiated.
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Lunch is served. Alternate schedules are instituted to complete lunch before dismissal.
December 2016 • Stafford School Buzz
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes, and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings and on school grounds.
Early Closing: 2 Hours Early Decision Time: By 10:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools will dismiss two hours early. All after school and evening activities are canceled. No change to morning preschool classes. Afternoon preschool classes are canceled. Dismissal times are as follows: High school: 12:15 p.m. Middle school: 12:50 p.m. Elementary school: 1:40 p.m. Morning preschool: 12 p.m. (no change) No afternoon preschool.” What That Means for You: • All teachers, other instructional staff and all service personnel may be dismissed by the principal only after all students have safely departed school property. Administrative staff will remain on regular hours unless specifically dismissed by announcement from the superintendent/designee’s office, or if conditions warrant as evaluated by the principal and the superintendent/designee’s office is notified. Principals may use their judgment as to when segments of their staff are dismissed (i.e., the entire staff would not remain for a few children waiting). For communication purposes, school offices are staffed until that school’s buses complete their runs. •
Certain administrators and service personnel, as designated by their supervisor, will remain to perform essential services.
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Field trips and athletic trips canceled. No trips will depart after the closing announcement. Recall efforts for field trips are initiated.
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Lunch is served. Alternate schedules are instituted to complete lunch before dismissal.
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes, and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings and on school grounds.
Closing: 3 Hours Early
may be dismissed by the principal only after all students have safely departed school property. Administrative staff will remain on regular hours unless specifically dismissed by announcement from the Superintendent’s Office or if conditions warrant as evaluated by the principal and superintendent’s office is notified. Principals may use their judgment as to when segments of their staff are dismissed (i.e., the entire staff would not remain for a few children waiting). For communication purposes, school offices are staffed until that school’s buses complete their runs. •
Certain administrators and service personnel, as designated by their supervisor, will remain to perform essential services.
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Field trips and athletic trips canceled. No trips will depart after the closing announcement. Recall efforts for field trips are initiated.
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Lunch is served at middle and elementary schools on altered schedule. No lunch at high schools.
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All non-school activities, day and evening, are canceled including adult education, college classes, and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings and on school grounds.
Decision Time: By 9:30 a.m.
What You’ll See: “All Stafford County Public Schools will dismiss three hours early. All after school and evening activities are canceled. No change to morning preschool classes. Afternoon preschool classes are canceled. Dismissal times are as follows: High school: 11:15 p.m. Middle school: 11:50 p.m. Elementary school: 12:40 p.m. Morning preschool: 12 p.m. (no change) No afternoon preschool.” What That Means for You: • All teachers, other instructional staff and service personnel
Stafford School Buzz • December 2016
Questions? Discuss inclement weather procedures with your supervisor now to confirm expectations before bad weather arrives. If you have any questions, contact: Brenda O’Brien, Director of Payroll and Benefits (540) 658-6590 • obrienbj@staffordschools.net Lisa Boatwright, Director of Employee Relations & Workplace Compliance (540) 658-6569 • lboatwright@staffordschools.net Laura Ann Cline, Supervisor of Human Resources (540) 658-6567 • lacline@staffordschools.net
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stafford school buzz We Value Your Input Let us know what’s happening in your department or school. Share your events, recognitions, and suggestions with us at SCPScommunications@staffordschools.net.
DECEMBER 2016 Stay Connected Stafford County Public Schools
January’s deadline is December 19.
25 Years Theresa Aberg, Human Resources Sheryl Adcock, Rockhill Elementary Susan Biggs, Stafford High Jennifer Blecha, T. Benton Gayle Middle Thomas Clark, Mountain View High James Clore, Transportation Pamela Courtney, Transportation Michelle Darley, Colonial Forge High Renea Dautant, Edward E. Drew Middle Ross Decatur, Transportation Jacqueline Erickson, Transportation Kathleen Firestone, Brooke Point High Mary Foreman, Stafford Elementary Elizabeth Halterman, Rockhill Elementary Angela Harding, Thompson Middle Patricia Hemenway, Thompson Middle Mark Hughes, Mountain View High Barbara Johnson, Stafford Middle Kathryn Massie, Head Start Carolyn Monday, Conway Elementary Kathleen Newton, Transportation Vickie Parks, Garrisonville Elementary Nancy Sorrentino, Student Services Joyce Steele, Colonial Forge High Sheri Sullivan, Ferry Farm Elementary Cynthia Sypolt, Ferry Farm Elementary Todd Welker, Mountain View High Patricia Wiedel, Retired Brenda Young, Hartwood Elementary Vicki Young, Ferry Farm Elementary
Annual Service Pin Recipient Commemoration
The division recognized employees with 25 or more years of service at the Annual Service Pin Recipient Commemoration on Wednesday, November 9. Thank you to all employees who continue to serve Stafford County Public Schools and its students. Nadine Flood, Retired Kathleen Gaberlavage, Anthony Burns Barbara Giese, Rocky Run Elementary Dale Gorham, Transportation Barbara Lancaster, Transportation Joyce Mann, Transportation Joann Miller, North Stafford High School Kathleen Moody, Ferry Farm Elementary Lynne Mulhern, Retired John Prowett, Stafford High Lea Rodgers, Stafford High Pamela Shelton, Retired Mary Southall, Brooke Point High Karen Uber, Moncure Elementary Nancy Wanner, Moncure Elementary
35 Years
30 Years Debra Anzivino, Retired Patricia Benton, North Stafford High Charma Carr, Stafford Elementary Denise Desando, Ferry Farm Elementary Deborah Dixon, Transportation
Wilbert Barnett, Maintenance Susan Gammon, Stafford High Arlene Mandoudis, A.G. Wright Middle Les Sexton, Edward E. Drew Middle Kevin Weeks, Retired
40 Years Sue Evans, Retired Hazel Terry, Transportation
49 Years Betty Fitzhugh, Garrisonville Elementary
50 Years Jim Andrews, Stafford High