Hello INNOVATORS!!!!!!

It is that time of year when we are gearing up to wrap up the 1st semester...Oh my, where has the time gone…I come to you today as a reminder that You are the INNOVATORS, FCS Empowers Innovation. Our goal is to ensure each student we teach or connect with has the needed and required skills to live a sustainable lifestyle and to be the best productive citizens we can create. This is our year to transform community partnerships that embody economic evolution.

As the president of VATFACS it is my honor to invite you to this year's 2025 VATFACS Annual Conference. As you make plans to attend this year’s conference, let us not forget that as INNOVATORS, we too have talents to share. Our diversity of talents is Revolutionary, Bold, and Trailblazing. You are EMPOWERED in sharing your talents as a presenter. This is a great opportunity to network with other FCS educators but to forge new relationships that will be beneficial for the community.

As we move into the second semester, let us be reminded how important each of us are. We are designed to uplift and support the purposes of Family and Consumer Sciences and become more grounded in the work of FCS. Below are many opportunities that will allow you to support each other, but to also support yourself. As much as we do for others, let us not forget about ourselves. There is a chance to highlight yourself or someone else who has shown what it means to be INNOVATIVE. You can be rewarded through scholarships and awards for outstanding accomplishments. There is also a place for you to support each other by being a mentor. Being a mentor is so rewarding. Not only are you able to see the growth in others, but you too are able to grow. Finally, if you prefer offering your talents for serving on a committee, you will promote the heart of the organization. Without a heart, there is no life. FCS is about promoting growth.

You are encouraged to RENEW your Membership. By Renewing your membership, you are taking the first step in supporting your own INNOVATION. You are also encouraged to apply for Scholarships and Awards. As an organization, we are in the business of recognizing and supporting our own. The scholarship deadline is April 15, 2025. This information is at https://www.vatfacs.net/membership/awards-scholarships.

I look forward to seeing each of your faces at the conference more than being an attendee. Being an attendee is only part of being a member. Getting Involved is an act of service.

With A Thankful Heart,

Catrina Cheek

2024-2025 VATFACS, Inc. President

The first step to becoming more involved is being a VATFACS member! Join or renew your membership today to be able to take advantage of member registration rates for the 2025 VATFACS Professional Development Institute in Virginia Beach, VA. Registration will be available in early March 2025.

How do you EMPOWER INNOVATION? We welcome the opportunity to spotlight and recognize outstanding FCS Innovators! Sign up to be featured in a future VATFACS Newsletter!

Did you know that VATFACS, Inc. is the sole provider of FCS professional development for FCS teachers in Virginia? In order for this to continue to happen, we need you!

Join in on the fun and be part of our committees? There are various ways to get involved with the 2024-2025 VATFACS Conference planning, constitution and bylaws revisions, mentoring new and career switcher teachers, and much more! Click on the QR code below to complete and interest form.

Thank you!

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey

VATFACS is in need of experienced FCS teachers to mentor beginning teachers and those new to the FCS content area. If you would like to mentor or would like to be matched with a mentor, please sign up below! We hope to "mentor matchmake" in February 2025!

Apply now using our new conference platform, Sched - https://cfp.sched.com/speaker/47kDjg8ojl

Applications are due January 31, 2025.

Do you know a deserving colleague or community partner? Are you continuing your education or looking for funding for professional development opportunities? Consider applying or nominating colleagues for a 2025 VATFACS Award or Scholarship.

Applications are now available and are due no later April 15, 2025. For additional information about these awards and scholarships, please visit https://www.vatfacs.net/awards-

scholarships.

Virginia's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Lisa Coons seeks feedback on the recently released draft High-Quality Work-Based Learning document to help VDOE staff prepare for the final reading at the Board of Education meeting in February.

Feedback can be given at this High-Quality Work-Based Feedback Form by January 24, 2025. Your input is critical as we improve work-based learning experiences on behalf of students, families, and Virginia’s workforce and will help move into a discussion about incorporating WBL into the School and Performance Support Framework.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services has announced the Behavioral Health Academy + IMPACT 2025. This no-cost opportunity provides high school students with ten live, after-school virtual discussion sessions, and nine self-paced modules on the foundations of mental health. The initiative aims to foster career awareness by helping students develop an understanding of behavioral health career opportunities. Upon completion of the Academy, students will receive a digital badge and certificate. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 7, 2025, and additional information is referenced in the Behavioral Health Academy + IMPACT 2025 brochure.

Questions related to the Behavioral Health Academy + IMPACT 2025, should be directed to Dr. Kesia Gwaltney at kesia.gwaltney1@dbhds.virginia.gov. For information regarding the career and technical education Mental Health Assisting Careers course, please contact Crystal Y. Stokes, Health and Medical Sciences and Related Clusters Specialist, Office of Career and Technical Education, at CTE@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at 804-750-8129.

We need your voice to help shape the future of our field. We are asking all those who have taken Family and Consumer Sciences courses in high school and/or college, who have received a Family and Consumer Sciences certificate, and those who are working in Family and Consumer Sciences occupations to participate in an important industry survey that will provide valuable insights to strengthen and elevate FCS work across the country.

Survey Details:

Purpose: To gather feedback on the trends, challenges, and opportunities that are currently shaping the FCS profession.

Who should complete it: This survey is open to anyone who has taken Family and Consumer Sciences courses in high school and/or college, who have received a Family and Consumer Sciences certificate, and those who are working in Family and Consumer Sciences occupations.

Deadline: January 27, 2025

By participating in this survey, you are contributing to a collective effort to advocate for Family and Consumer Sciences. Your input will help ensure that the needs of FCS professionals are met and that our work continues to have a positive, lasting impact on the communities we serve.

The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Credentialing Center are pleased to announce the pilot testing for three (3) professional assessments:

1. Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Composite Examination
2. Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Concentration Examination
3. Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science (HNFS) Concentration Examination

Participation in pilot testing is essential in the process of validating the professional assessments used for the Certified Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS) Series.

Please share this announcement with your colleagues, post-secondary students (seniors and/or graduate students), and professional organizations. If you have questions about the pilot testing, please contact the Credentialing Center by email at certification@aafcs.org.

Details

When: Pilot testing will be conducted between January 2 - February 15, 2025.

Where: Computer-based testing will occur at Prometric Testing Centers across the United States. Click here to identify cities that have Prometric testing locations.

Participant Cost: $0

By virtue of registering for and scheduling an examination, the candidate agrees to complete the examination as scheduled.

Cancellation/Rescheduling Fee: If a candidate cancels or reschedules a scheduled examination five or more calendar days prior to the scheduled examination date, the candidate will pay Prometric a $25 rescheduling fee. If a candidate does not reschedule or cancel a scheduled examination at least five calendar days prior to the scheduled examination or comes to the testing center without proper ID or the proper admission letter and is unable to take the scheduled examination, the candidate will listed as a “No-Show” and will be responsible for reimbursing the cost of the testing fee to AAFCS.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to participate in the Pilot Testing, the candidate must have graduated from an accredited educational institution with a baccalaureate degree or be within one year of graduating. Professional certifications are available to all regardless of the area of the baccalaureate degree.

Individuals who are seeking educator licensure in the state of Texas are NOT eligible to participate in pilot testing.

NOTE: Successful performance on one of the exams in the AAFCS examination system will satisfy one of the requirements for the CFCS national professional level credential awarded by AAFCS. Subsequently, obtaining the national AAFCS credential would be optional and would require submitting a separate national certification application and fee, agreeing to abide by the Professional Code of Ethics, and meeting ongoing professional development requirements.

Registration for Pilot Testing

Complete the application to participate in pilot testing. Candidates will be prompted to log into MyAAFCS. If you have never been a member or customer of AAFCS, create a profile before completing the registration application. Upon registration, your application will be approved and forwarded to the testing vendor.

Register for Pilot Testing

Upon completion of the registration application, candidates will receive an email from Prometric. Please allow 3 business days for receipt of email from Prometric. Their email will include log in credentials and information to schedule a testing location and date.

By virtue of registering for and scheduling an examination, the candidate agrees to complete the examination as scheduled.

Pilot Test Exam Information

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Composite

Standards and Competencies

Human Development and Family Science (HDFS)

Standards and Competencies

Hospitality, Nutrition and Food Science (HNFS)

Standards and Competencies

The countdown begins! One month until FCS Educator Day on February 12, 2025!

This year's theme is FCS Educators: Shaping Futures, Launching Dreams, and Guiding Students to new Heights!

Get ready to celebrate the incredible educators who inspire and empower students to reach for the stars!

The Virginia Association for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences, Inc. (VATFACS, Inc.) is an organization dedicated to promoting Family and Consumer Sciences in Virginia public schools to improve the lives of our students, their families, and our communities.

VATFACS, Inc.’s mission is to promote professional development opportunities for family and

consumer sciences teachers in Virginia, provide opportunity for collaboration with family and

consumer sciences professionals, and support the purposes of the

Virginia Association of Career and Technical (VA ACTE).