Student Athlete Achievement Awards

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is currently accepting nominations for the 15th annual Student Athlete Achievement Awards. The aim of these awards is to highlight high school juniors and seniors from across the state that exemplify excellence in the classroom, on the field/court of play, and in their communities. The application period closed on October 18th at 11:59 p.m.

Sixteen finalists will be chosen (8 boys, 8 girls), from which four will be named Student Athletes of the Year, and will receive a scholarship award toward further education.

The application and nomination criteria is found at https://vasportshof.com/15th-annual-student-awards/. All supporting documents must be included when completing the online form.

Virginia Department of Education Career Clusters-Pathways to College & Career Readiness

Career Clusters help students investigate careers and design their courses of study to advance their career goals. For this reason, Virginia has adopted the nationally accepted structure of career clusters, career pathways, and sample career specialties or occupations.

A Career Cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities. Within each career cluster, there are multiple career pathways that represent a common set of skills and knowledge, both academic and technical, necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within that pathway – ranging from entry level to management, including technical and professional career specialties. Based on the skills sets taught, all CTE courses are aligned with one or more career clusters and career pathways.

This year's event takes place Wednesday, October 16, from 6 - 8 p.m. at Brooke Point High School, located at 1700 Courthouse Rd, Stafford, VA 22554.

EARN EXTRA RETIREMENT INCOME ASSISTING IN CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS

Virginia Retirement System (VRS) retirees who are licensed to teach in Virginia may teach full-time in a critical shortage position and continue to receive VRS retirement benefits if certain eligibility requirements are met. An individual may be eligible to teach or serve as a principal or assistant principal in a critical shortage position in a Virginia public school. The educator does not have to retire as a teacher or school administrator as long as they become licensed by the Virginia Board of Education for the position held. Positions are full-time and temporary for the current school year; and if a person qualifies, they will continue to receive retirement benefits but they will not earn additional service credit.

 Teacher Eligibility

• You must receive a monthly VRS retirement benefit;

• You must teach in a designated critical shortage position as defined by the Code of Virginia and Department of Education;

• You must have had a bona fide break in service of at least 12 months following the effective date of your VRS retirement and not worked in any capacity for a VRS-participating employer, even on a part-time/substitute basis during that period;

• You must not have retired under a local school division’s early retirement incentive program (ERIP) unless you are receiving an unreduced VRS retirement benefit. (Any period of work performed by the retiree to satisfy the requirements of an ERIP will extend the number of months required to satisfy the bona fide break in service to comply with this program.);

• You must not have retired under the Transitional Benefits Program with an enhanced monthly VRS benefit.

• You must be licensed and endorsed for your assigned position by the Virginia Board of Education; and

• Prior to your VRS retirement date, you did not have a pre-arranged commitment, either verbal or written, for post-retirement employment as a critical shortage teacher or administrator.

 Principal and Assistant Principal for a K-12 critical shortage position eligibility:

• Work in a designated critical shortage position.

• Hold a Virginia Board of Education license for the position.

• Have a break in service of at least 12 consecutive months between your

retirement date and the date you wish to work in a critical shortage position.

This break in service means not working in any full-time, part-time or

temporary position, including coaching and substitute teaching, with any

VRS-participating employer, or working for a contractor for any VRS participating employer.

• Not have retired with a reduced VRS benefit under an early retirement

incentive program (ERIP) or with an incentive program that enabled you to

retire with a reduced or unreduced benefit.

• Not on VRS disability retirement.

• Retired from a VRS-covered position. If you took a refund of your member

contributions and interest or deferred retirement, you are not eligible to work in a critical shortage position.

• Not have a pre-arranged commitment, either verbal or written, with the

school division before your retirement date.

Critical Shortage areas:

Special Education

Elementary Education

Middle Education

Career Technical Education

Math

School Counselor

English - Secondary

Science - Secondary

Foreign Language

Health & Physical Education

For more information, please contact Stafford County Public Schools' Department of Human Resources at (540) 658-6560 https://www.staffordschools.net/Page/20804

Tip Hotline

Our school district needs your help! Everyone is responsible for an orderly and safe school environmenet. Information you provide can help. Call Stafford Crime Solvers at 540-658-2020.

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