Welcome to WCPS
New Teacher Newsletter 2019
Washington County Public Schools
Congratulations on your new job at Washington County Public Schools (WCPS)! We are excited that you will be working with us and we hope to make your transition easy and meaningful. This newsletter will help you access opportunities that are occurring throughout the summer and will put you in touch with the right people when you have questions.
New Teacher Induction Program
All teachers who are new (0 years experience) or new to WCPS (many years experience) are expected to participate in the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). NTIP is a support for all new teachers that will help teachers make meaning and prioritize the WCPS curriculum, advance teaching skills and develop understanding of the WCPS values and beliefs. All new teachers will be assigned a county mentor who will assist in transitioning and answering any questions about WCPS.
As secondary support, lead teachers are assigned to every building in WCPS. The lead teachers work side-by-side with county mentors and provide answers about the school culture, the school vision, the school improvement plan and the school initiatives. They are able to answer building-related questions. We highly encourage all teachers to visit his/her school and become acquainted with the lead teacher and school before August.
Professional Learning Opportunities
WCPS hopes that all new teachers will attend Professional Learning throughout the summer. New teachers are welcome to attend any and all professional learning. New teachers will be paid workshop pay ($25 per hour) for attendance and will receive this pay on the September paycheck.
Please also know that we do understand that many of you are working throughout the summer or relocating to Washington County and may not be able to attend. If this is the case, please attend the Onboarding Session with HR and we look forward to seeing you in August.
Please click on the links below to view and register for available summer PD. If you have any questions, please contact Joni Burkhart at burkhjon@wcps.k12.md.us
Onboarding Dates
Throughout the summer, we will meet with new teachers to discuss safety, benefits, New Teacher Induction and technology. All new teachers will receive a Macbook at the Onboarding Day and when a new teacher signs a contract, he/she will also choose which date to attend. Please be on time for this meeting (we love early birds) and dress is business casual for the CES building in the summer. Click here to see the dates and the agenda.
Also, our Human Resources team and technology team have developed a new process so that new teachers can have immediate access to WCPS email and the essential curriculum. New teachers will receive an email from Human Resources that will give details about how to access your email.
After you have access to your account, I would like you to email me using your WCPS account. Please tell me who you are, where you will be working, what you will be teaching and any other information. I look forward to hearing from you. My email address is burkhjon@wcps.k12.md.us