PEOPLE MATTERS
Benefits & Employee Wellness
Benefit Enrollment Changes
Enrollment changes can only be made during Open Enrollment (May of each FY) or within 30 days of a qualifying life event. A qualifying life event includes:
- Marriage/ Divorce
- Birth/ Adoption/ Guardianship
- Gain/ Loss of other insurance coverage
- Change in Medicaid or SCHIP eligibility
- Death
For further information, please visit https://www.fcps.org/benefits and click on Qualifying Life Events from the “Insurance” tab.
New Fitness Classes
New fitness classes are starting in mid-January! Body Weight Boot Camp and Drums (we will continue to offer yoga). To learn more, about our upcoming new offerings join 2 Health Nuts for a virtual Meet and Greet on January 10 at 4:30 or 5:30. Below are the links to join:
Wednesday, January 10, 4:30 p.m.
403(b) and 457(b) Authorized Providers
Just a quick reminder, our current authorized providers for our 403(b) and 457(b) plans are as follows: American Century Investments, Equitable, Security Benefits, Valic and Voya. We have received concerns from employees who receive communications from individuals alluding that they are FCPS authorized agents, please be cautious and check the list, linked here, for authorized provider company names and agents.
Planning to Retire in 2024?
If you plan to retire within the next 6 months, please attend one of our upcoming retirement paperwork sessions. The purpose of these sessions is to complete and submit your retirement paperwork. A follow-up email will be sent to you once you register for the event and will include information about what to bring to the session.
Sessions are limited, so please be mindful and only register if you will attend.
- Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 2 - 4 PM, Central Office Board Room
- Monday, February 12, 2024, 10 AM - 12 PM, Central Office Board Room
- Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 2 - 4 PM, Learning & Leadership Center
Paying in Arrears becomes effective July 1, 2024
Visit https://www.fcps.org/hr/arrears for more information
Benefits Web page
Did you know that there is a wealth of information about your benefits on the FCPS
Benefits web page? Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the website and all of the Information available that can be accessed 24/7. This includes a contact list of benefit office team members who are available to assist you, should you need additional information.
Recruitment News and Events
The FCPS recruitment team has added a new member to the team. Toya Newman-Piermarini joins us from Urbana Elementary School with 19 years of teaching experience. We are so happy to welcome her to the team!
Since school has started, we have worked with ten different college/university/job fair events. We have hosted multiple in-house including initial teacher interviews, virtual information sessions, and Become an Educator Night. We have been able to present the pathway to becoming a teacher at our high schools. We will continue to host multiple virtual information sessions and initial teacher interviews. We will be particularly busy on the road at different job fairs and recruiting events in February, March, and April.
Upcoming Events:
Please note some upcoming events:
- January 19, 2024 - Special Education event-for potential special education teachers and SEIAs-register at: https://forms.gle/17jbN6nNPkwSFxkV9
- March 4, 2024 - FCPS All Jobs Job Fair at Mount St. Mary’s University - Frederick Campus
- May 2, 2024 - FCPS event for Conditional Teachers
Support employees who are interested in becoming an elementary teacher who already have a Bachelor's Degree are invited to participate in an informational session about the Maryland Accelerates Program through Frostburg State University.
This program offers a 13-month teacher residency while taking coursework to earn your Masters of Teaching in Education. Candidates will complete their internship in FCPS while earning a $33,000 living stipend!
If you are interested in learning more about this program, please email marylandaccelerates@frostburg.edu or april.vierra@fcps.org ASAP.
There will be a virtual information session on January 8, 2024 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Please join with this link: https://meet.google.com/mya-fjri-eee .
Scholarships available through MRSPA
The Maryland Retired School Personnel Association, through its MRSPA Foundation, is offering three $2,000 scholarships to public school employees in Maryland who are enrolled in a program leading to teacher certification or certification as a school counselor, speech, and language pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, school social worker, administrator or supervisor, media specialist or school psychologist. Applicants must hold a high school diploma or GED certificate.
The scholarship is also available to certificated teachers who are pursuing certification in another area or level of teaching or to become qualified as one of the above-listed education specialists. Applicants must be current employees of the Board of Education and must intend on working in a Maryland public school while working toward certification and upon completion of their requirements for certification.
Applicants apply online only between January 2, 2024, and January 19, 2024, at www.mrspa.org. Winners will be notified by March 30, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the scholarship application process is available to potential applicants on the MRSPA website at www.mrspa.org. Please contact Wanda R. Twigg, Executive Director, at wtwigg@mrspa.org if you require assistance or have questions.
REMINDERS:
The following are important contractual dates for bargaining unit members of the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA), the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA), and the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE):
FCTA Employees
Teacher Lane Change for Fall Coursework
FCTA members can request lane changes as they continue to achieve credits that move them to the next pay lane on the salary scale. Lane changes are processed twice a year, 7/1 and 2/1. The data management team reviewed and processed over 500 lane changes for July 1. The deadline is 2/29/24 to have your coursework documentation and lane change review request form submitted for a 2/1/24 lane change. For more information on the lane change process, please visit our website.
Voluntary Transfer
- January (first week annually): The period by when a vacancy-posting calendar will be identified and shared with bargaining unit members for the voluntary transfer period.
- February to May (annually): The period when vacancies are posted for five (5) days.
- For more information, see Article XV, titled “Transfers” of the Negotiated Agreement between the Board of Education of Frederick County and the Frederick County Teachers Association (“Negotiated Agreement”).
Vacancy Posting Schedule for Teachers
Below please find a list of internal teacher transfer dates. Instructions on how to apply for vacancies will be sent by Human Resources on or before January 31, 2024.
Open transfer requests accepted May 31 – June 17. July 15, open transfers completed.
Tuition Reimbursement
- March 1 (annually): The date by which Fall courses (ending December 31) must be submitted for tuition reimbursement.
- For more information, see Article XXIII, titled “Reimbursement for Education Expenses,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
Salary Adjustment Reminders
- January 31 (annually): The last date by which coursework must be completed for a salary adjustment based upon professional training.
- February 1 (annually): The date to which a salary adjustment will be made for coursework completed between September 1 and January 31.
- February (annually last work day): The date on which all documentation must be received no later than the last work day in February.
- For more information, see Article XXIII, titled “Reimbursement for Education Expenses,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
Extended Leaves of Absence
- March 1 (annually): The date by which bargaining unit members on an extended leave of absence must provide Human Resources with notice of their intention to return to work or request an extension of leave, if applicable, for the following school year.
- For more information, see Article XXVIII, titled “Extended Leaves of Absence,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
Job Sharing
- March 1 (annually): The date by which a previously approved job share request must be submitted for renewal consideration for the following school year.
- April 1 (annually): The date by which a new job share request must be submitted for the following school year.
- For more information, see Article XXXV, titled “Job Sharing,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
FCASA Employees
Voluntary Transfer
- March 1 (annually): The date by which bargaining unit members must submit an intention form to their interest in remaining in a current assignment or express interest in a new assignment.
- For more information, see Article XIV, titled “Transfers, Promotions, and Reductions of Unit Positions,” of the Negotiated Agreement between the Board of Education of Frederick County and the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (“Negotiated Agreement”).
Evaluations
- January 31 (annually): The date by which bargaining unit members and supervisors must meet to review performance progress. Employees must have met with their evaluator by September 30 of the same school year to review the evaluation process and collaboratively establish objectives.
- For more information, see Article XII, titled “Evaluations” of the Negotiated Agreement between the Board of Education of Frederick County and the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (“Negotiated Agreement”).
Tuition Reimbursement
- March 1 (annually): The date by which Fall courses (ending December 31) must be submitted for tuition reimbursement.
- For more information, see Article XVI, titled “Reimbursements,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
Salary Adjustment Reminders
- February 1, July 1, and September 1 (annually): The dates to which salary adjustments earned as the result of increased advanced coursework will be made.
- For more information, see Article XVI, titled “Reimbursements,” of the Negotiated Agreement.
FASSE Employees
Support Sabbaticals
FCPS is now accepting applications for Support Sabbatical Leave for the 2024 – 2025 school year! The purpose of Sabbatical Leave is to enable an educational support employee an opportunity to pursue higher education while still maintaining their position with FCPS. In order to be considered for Sabbatical Leave, please click here and select the Sabbaticals tab to learn more and to access the Sabbatical Leave Application. Applications are due by March 1, 2024.
Support Employee Transfer List
Support Professionals who desire a voluntary lateral transfer are required to submit a Transfer Request form to the Human Resources Support Talent Acquisition and Relations Office between March 1 and May 31 of each year to take effect the following school year. The transfer list will remain in effect for a period of one (1) school year or until exhausted. Keep an eye out for the link to access this transfer request form in the Spring.
Substitute Orientation Sessions
Substitute Orientation Sessions
The Support Team has worked very hard to revamp the substitute hiring, orientation and fingerprinting process in order to improve our hiring pool and put substitutes into the classroom with a broader range of information regarding the position.
FCPS held the first all-day orientation session at the LLC on November 30. These sessions will be once a month and include a robust schedule of everything from FCPS Basics, a “Day in the Life of a Substitute” panel with a current substitute, an administrator panel dealing with expectations, Security protocols, IT support of technology, Special Ed overview of what is needed to know, a review of FCPS policies and regulations, and Frontline Absence Management overview. In the afternoon, substitutes are then fingerprinted and participate in a Q&A session regarding the role.
In November, we had Adriane Brooks (Resident Sub at LES) and Derek Hoover-Beet (AP, MoMS) and Matt McVay (AP, GTJMS) on our panel. The December panelists were Deanna Hensley (Resident Sub at GTJHS) and Brianna Zeoli (AP, OMS). Thank you to all participants for making this session so meaningful for our new hires!
There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to our new process from our new hire subs. They especially enjoy hearing from substitutes and administrators. The Substitute Team will share a list of all attendees with the administrators who join us for the 1-hour panel so that they have a new batch of substitutes!