Harford County Public Schools

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026
BUDGET PUBLIC INPUT SESSION: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
*The Board will receive public comments related to the topic of Budget Only.
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid fashion and public attendance will be permitted as explained below:
DOORS WILL OPEN AT 5:50 PM AND THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:00 PM
The Board of Education of Harford County will hold a hybrid Budget Public Input Session on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building with Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance both virtually and in-person. Seats will be available on a first-come-first served basis. The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.
Public Comment Participation Call-In and In-Person Process
Individuals or groups recognized by Harford County Public Schools (i.e. – PTAs, unions, and other school system stakeholders) wishing to speak on the topic of “Budget” may request to do so by sending an email to publiccomment@hcps.org or calling 410-588-5347.
Call-In Registrations must be received by 12:00 PM on Thursday, February 19, 2026. All fields on the registration form must be completed.
1. First and Last name / if speaker is a Group Representative, then please state the name of the Group
2. Local Address
3. Email Address
4. Phone Number
5. Will you provide in-person or virtual Public Comment
6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person
*Failure to provide complete information as required above will void the request to provide Public Comment.
? Registered virtual speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and a Conference ID #.
? Registered virtual speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:00 PM on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
? Important: If you are unable to take your phone off mute, you may need to dial *6.
? If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment. Expected hold time in the virtual lobby may vary based on number of registered speakers. The maximum wait time in the lobby is 30 minutes; should you be disconnected please call back.
? "Request to Appear Before the Board" cards will be available for in-person attendees prior to the Board input session for sign-up and must be submitted prior to the opening of the session.
The Board has authorized public comment in accord with its policy Public Participation at Board Open Meetings or Public Hearings and as summarized below:
? Each speaker shall be limited to no more than three (3) minutes and five (5) minutes for individuals representing groups. Speakers must state his or her name, and, if representing a group, must identify the group he or she represents. If a speaker identifies themselves as a representative of a group, then only one (1) representative from the group may provide comment for the identified group.
? The Board presiding officer may reduce the amount of time allocated to each speaker if allocating 3 minutes to each speaker will impede the Board’s ability to complete scheduled business.
? The Board will receive in-person public comment first and virtual public comment second. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public business.
? Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted. The only topic being discussed at this meeting is the “Budget”
? Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools, personnel, any person, or group are not permitted. Speakers who engage in these comments will be reminded of the rules and the Board reserves the right to remove the speaker. In addition, public comment is an opportunity for members of the community to address the Board of Education. Please direct your comments to the Board and not to other members of the public in the audience.
? All public comments submitted will be part of the records maintained by the Board office.
Speakers are reminded that public comments are considered public information and,
as such, are subject to the Maryland Public Information Act

Schools will dismiss students three hours early on Friday, February 13, 2026. Early Learners and Learning Together programs do NOT meet on early dismissal days. Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of President’s Day. Calendar information for the entire 2025–2026 school year can be found at www.hcps.org.

Harford County Public Schools invites students in grades 4-7 and their families to CTE Family Night on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at Patterson Mill Middle/High School. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will run from 6:00-8:00 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026.

This fair-style event will provide students and families with opportunities to explore the comprehensive, Magnet, and Signature programs of study offered in HCPS high schools. Students and families will circulate through the event to speak with representatives from each MSDE-recognized Career Cluster, including Maryland Youth Apprenticeship and Harford Youth Workforce Investment.

Current students and teachers will be available to engage students in demonstrations, showcasing how Career and Technology Education (CTE) innovatively prepares students for opportunities beyond high school. Students from various CTE Student Organizations will be highlighting additional opportunities to participate in experiential learning through co-curriculars such as Future Business Leaders of America, SkillsUSA, FFA, and Engineering and Robotics clubs.

For more information about the event and the programs offered within Harford County Public Schools, visit the CTE webpage on hcps.org.

High school seniors: Maryland's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline is March 1, 2026. The FAFSA is required to qualify for federal student aid, including grants, work-study programs, and loans. Many colleges and scholarship programs also use FAFSA information to determine eligibility for institutional aid.

The 2026-2027 FAFSA opened on December 1, 2025. Students and families can complete the application at studentaid.gov. HCPS school counselors are available to assist with questions about the FAFSA process.

In addition to federal aid, hundreds of local and national scholarship opportunities are available to Harford County students. HCPS maintains a scholarship database with current opportunities and application deadlines. Students can browse available scholarships and sign up to receive notifications about new opportunities by visiting https://www.hcps.org/departments/studentservices/SchoolCounseling.aspx#ScholarshipsAnchor.

For questions about scholarships, financial aid, or the FAFSA process, contact your school counselor.

The following message is being shared on behalf of Board of Education of Harford County President, Dr. Aaron Poynton.

HCPS Community,

As many of you are aware, it has been reported by various media outlets that our superintendent may have been involved in a reported robbery while on a work-related trip in 2024. This has understandably raised questions regarding the nature of the incident and whether any Harford County Public Schools property or student information may have been compromised.

An internal review confirms no student data was compromised. The Board has now ordered an independent investigation into the entire matter.

The attention and distraction surrounding this reported incident has created challenges for the school system at a time when our focus must remain squarely on students, staff, and the uninterrupted operation of our schools. After careful consideration and a majority vote, the Board has determined that the best course of action at this time is for our superintendent to be placed on administrative leave during the investigation.

In the meantime, Dr. Dyann Mack, our current Deputy Superintendent, will serve as Acting Superintendent to ensure continuity, stability, and effective leadership across the district.

The Board has full confidence in our leadership team and remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and the highest standards of governance. We will continue to focus on what matters most: supporting our students, empowering our educators, and serving the families and community of Harford County.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

Dr. Aaron Poynton
President, Board of Education of Harford County

The following information was sent to parents, guardians, and staff on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 via phone, email, and text message

As we enter inclement weather season, a few reminders for returning families, and important info for new families.

HCPS staff evaluate weather conditions daily. When HCPS operates, approximately 5,000 staff members and approximately 40,000 students are on Harford County roads. This can be via a personal vehicle, riding a bus, or walking to school. To ensure the safety of staff and students, HCPS has several options to adjust operating schedules in the case of inclement weather.

DELAYS:

A 1-hour delay

A 2-hour delay

A 3-hour delay *NEW* THIS YEAR

CLOSURES can be determined:

The night before;

The morning of by 5:15 A.M.;

By 5:45 A.M. if a 1-hour delay was first implemented;

By 6:45 A.M. if a 2-hour delay was first implemented;

By 7:45 A.M. if a 3-hour delay was first implemented

Please note: Closures need to be made up, and HCPS will utilize inclement weather days that are built into the end of the school year (blue outline on the color-coded version of the calendar).

1-, 2- and 3-hour delays do not need to be made up; when schools are open, it counts towards the state mandated 180-day school year.

With a delay, take your students' normal schedule, and add the delay time to adjust your schedule. For example, if you normally arrive at the bus stop at 6:30 a.m., with a 1-hour delay, arrive at 7:30 a.m. On a 2-hour delay, arrive at the bus stop at 8:30 a.m. and on a 3-hour delay, arrive at the bus stop at 9:30 a.m.

Early Learner and Learning Together Programs:

1-hour delay - Early Learners and Learning Together will also delay one hour
2-hour delay - NO AM Early Learners and Learning Together; PM WILL meet.
3-hour delay - NO Early Learners and Learning Together.

When schools are delayed, every effort will be made to make a reassessment by 5:45 a.m. for a 1 Hour Delay, by 6:45 a.m. for a 2 Hour Delay, and by 7:45 a.m. for a 3 Hour Delay. Communication will ONLY be sent if there is another change to the operating schedule.

The decision to dismiss early for inclement weather will be made as close to 9:30 a.m. as possible for any variation of time for an early dismissal, whether 1-, 2-, or 3-hours early.

Where will this information be posted?

As soon as the Communications Office is made aware of operational changes due to inclement weather, written messages will be posted, followed by direct messages. Please note: if you download the HCPS app, you will get the push notification FASTER than the phone call! Also, closures and delays that are provided the night before, or morning of, are not sent to emergency contacts. We WILL utilize emergency contacts, if students are at school and sent home early to ensure someone is aware that they will arrive home before their normal dismissal time.

Want to download the HCPS app?

Click here if you have an Android device

Click here if you have an Apple device

Parents and guardians: The Portable Communication Device Policy was updated in June 2025. If your school provides a student planner, it may have gone to print as early as April- before the policy was updated. This means your student planner may have an outdated version of the Portable Communication Device Policy. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you utilize the most up to date policy that is available here. This is the policy we will adhere to this school year.

The following message is being sent via email to all families and staff on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.:

We want to share important updates to two Board of Education of Harford County policies—Portable Communication Devices and Student Backpack Use—approved by the Board of Education on June 9, 2025. These changes go into effect for the upcoming school year and are designed to support a safe and focused learning environment.

Portable Communication Devices

Students may bring cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, and other portable communication devices to school; however, their use is limited during the school day:

Elementary School: Devices must be deactivated and stored in student bookbags upon arrival.

Middle School: Devices must be deactivated and secured in lockers for the duration of the school day.

High School: Devices must be kept in the student’s locker and deactivated during class time.

Smartwatches and similar wearables may be worn but must remain deactivated at all grade levels.

For more details and exceptions, please review the policy in its entirety via the attached document or on our website.

Student Backpack and Bag Policy

The updated backpack and bag policy outlines expectations for storage to ensure clear pathways, student safety, and emergency preparedness:

Bookbags do not need to be clear, but they must be stored appropriately.

Elementary School: Bookbags must be placed in designated classrooms or cubby areas upon arrival.

Middle and High School: Bookbags must be stored in lockers during the school day.

Students may carry a nontransparent bag no larger than 4.5x8.5-inch with them for personal hygiene purposes.

Athletic bags and musical instrument cases at all grade levels must be taken directly to the appropriate storage areas upon arrival and not carried throughout the school day.

For more details and exceptions, please review the policy in its entirety via the attached document or on our website.

What Families Should Do

Review these updated policies with your student before the first day of school.

Make sure your child knows where and how to store their devices and bags.

Both policies will be actively enforced at the start of the school year.

Thank you for your partnership in helping maintain safe, organized, and distraction-free schools.

Sincerely,
Dr. Aaron Poynton
President, Board of Education of Harford County