Harford County Public Schools

The following communication was sent to families on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 5 p.m.:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

During the most recent legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly moved the date of the primary election for the State of Maryland. As a result, the primary elections will be held on May 14, 2023, instead of April 23, 2024.

The Board of Education of Harford County (BOE) originally approved the 2023-2024 school year calendar at the Board of Education Business Meeting on December 19, 2022. As a result of the election date change, the BOE voted on Monday, May 22, 2023, to make the following adjustment to the 2023-2024 school year calendar:

HCPS schools and offices will be open on April 23, 2024, and schools and offices will be closed on May 14, 2024, to allow our schools to to function as polling places for the election.

Calendar information can be found here.

Thank you,
Jillian Lader
Manager of Communications
Harford County Public Schools

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023

OPEN SESSION: 5:30 PM – 5:35 PM
This meeting will be conducted virtually with no public attendance due to the brief nature of this meeting
and the logistical issues regarding allowing public attendance in advance of the 6:30 PM meeting.
*The only item the Board will consider during this open meeting is consideration of meeting in a closed session.

CLOSED SESSION: 5:35 PM – 6:15 PM

BUSINESS MEETING: 6:30 PM – ADJOURNMENT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid fashion and public attendance will be permitted as explained below:

DOORS WILL OPEN AT 6:20 PM AND THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 PM

The Board of Education of Harford County will hold a hybrid Business Meeting on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 6:30 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 an agenda item or to comment on an education-related matter not on the agenda 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 Monday, May 22, 2023. All fields on the registration form must be completed.

First and Last name / if speaker is a Group Representative, then please state the name of the Group
Local Address
Email Address
Phone Number
Agenda item or subject your Public Comment pertains to
Will you provide in-person or virtual Public Comment
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 speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:30 PM on Monday, May 22, 2023.
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 Meeting for sign-up and must be submitted prior to the opening of the meeting.

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.

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.

The following communication was sent to Parents and Guardians on May 4, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Harford County Public Schools prekindergarten applications, kindergarten registration, kindergarten early entrance applications, and advanced placement to first grade applications will be available Friday, May 5, 2023. Kindergarten registration will be available to complete online on May 5. Prekindergarten applications, kindergarten early entrance applications and advanced placement to first grade applications will be available to view and print online. To submit your application, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed copy. Printed copies will be available at each elementary school on May 5.

Please note, due to state law, prekindergarten and kindergarten instruction are not permitted to be virtual. This means prekindergarten and kindergarten registration is not available at Swan Creek School.

Please share this information in your community as we try to ensure families who may not be connected to HCPS are aware that applications and registrations will be available May 5, 2023.

Additional registration information is available here.

Thank you,

Jillian Lader
Manager of Communications
Harford County Public Schools

The following message is being sent to all contacts via phone, email, and text message at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023:

As noted in the HCPS calendar, one inclement weather make up day was utilized this year. As a result, the last day of school for students in Kindergarten through 11th grade will be Thursday, June 15, 2023. The last day of school for Prekindergarten students will be on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. All instructional staff that follow the 10-month teacher schedule will participate in professional development on Friday, June 16, 2023 at their school-based location.

Please note that should any additional inclement weather days be necessary, this calendar will be updated. You can view all inclement weather make up day information on the Calendar page on hcps.org.

The following communication was sent to all Parents and Guardians on April 27, 2023 at 5 p.m.:

Good evening,

On Monday, April 24, 2023, Superintendent Bulson and staff met with the Harford County Council at one of the Council’s budget work sessions. You can listen to the full work session here. HCPS was second on the agenda, following the Public Libraries. The HCPS discussion begins approximately at the 44-minute mark of the archived audio. The presentation used at the Council chambers is posted on the HCPS budget webpage.

Visit the HCPS budget page for more information, including graphs, videos, and to review the Board of Education’s budget proposal.

The Harford County Council has two upcoming budget public hearings scheduled for the FY24 County Budget on May 4 and May 10, 2023, starting at 7:00 p.m. If you are planning to attend and provide comments at these Public Hearings, the Council has noted they highly recommend signing up in advance by calling the Council Office at 410-638-3343 or emailing council@harfordcountycouncil.com.

We will continue to provide updates as we receive new information from the county.

Thank you,

Jillian Lader
Manager of Communications
Harford County Public Schools

The following message was sent to parents and guardians on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Harford County Public Schools has launched an app for your phone that is now available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The app is designed to give you a centralized, customizable, easy to navigate resource to get important HCPS information. Using the app, you will be able to check your student’s accounts like MySchoolBucks, GoFan, and School Cash Online and see what’s on the upcoming breakfast and lunch menus, learn about what is going on in our schools, access a school and staff directory, and follow us on our social media platforms.

We encourage all our families to stay up to date with what is going on in our schools, and an easy way to do that is by downloading the app!

To download, click here. Or you can go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, search for Harford County Public Schools, and click on the app with the HCPS logo.

What are you waiting for? Download the app today!

Thank you,
Jillian Lader
Manager of Communications

The following was sent via email on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, to all contacts in our mass notification system:

The County Executive released his FY24 budget on Friday, April 14, 2023. At the April 17, 2023, Board Business meeting, several Board members addressed the county’s proposed budget in their Board comments. Those can be found here (item “B” in the Video Index).

In the Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Bulson reflected on the reality of Mr. Cassilly’s proposed budget. Dr. Bulson’s report can be found as item “H” in the same video and is also available here on our YouTube channel. If you prefer to read the transcript of Dr. Bulson’s remarks, they can be found here.

Superintendent Bulson will be on Fox45 tomorrow, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 7:45 a.m. to address the underfunding of the school system proposed by Mr. Cassilly in his FY24 budget.

The County Executive’s proposed FY24 County Budget is now with the Harford County Council. The Council has upcoming Budget work sessions listed here. The Board of Education is scheduled for a work session with the Council on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. The Council webpage notes the work session will have livestream AUDIO ONLY available here.

At the time we are sending this message, it does not appear the Council has published public hearing dates or times for the County Budget on their website. If we are made aware of where the community can access that information, we will share it with you at that time.

The following message was sent out via email to Parents and Guardians on Friday evening:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

To proactively ensure our website and social media platforms are accessible for those with differing abilities, we are making some changes and will continue to do so over the next several weeks and months. Most of these changes will be minor adjustments, but some may be more noticeable.

One of the biggest changes you may notice is an alteration to our logo. To make our logo accessible to screen readers, which are technology that allows the visually impaired to garner information on a computer screen, slight adjustments are being made to the colors. This change is minor and will not be noticeable to most of the public.

This is an ongoing project that will impact many departments in HCPS. As accessibility issues arise, staff will address them in a timely manner.

Thank you for your patience and support as we strive to make our sites accessible to all.

Thank you,
Jillian Lader
Manager of Communications

As shared earlier this year, the Food and Nutrition office will notify parents and guardians of low and zero balance meal accounts. These communications will be sent via our automated communication system phone calls.

Visit MySchoolBucks.com to set up an account, or download the app to set your own preference for balance reminders to avoid receiving daily reminders.

Want to give your school cafeteria staff specific directions on what your student can and cannot purchase in the school cafeteria? Complete the form available on hcpsmenus.com. Questions or issues? You can email schoolmeals@hcps.org with your question.

The following information was sent in a communication to families of High School Juniors:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As students complete registration for classes next year, we want to make you aware of an opportunity available to rising seniors that is expanding in the fall.

The Harford Youth Workforce Investment Program is a chance for students entering grade 12 for the 2023-2024 school year to take non-credit workforce development classes through Harford Community College. Participation will provide students the opportunity to graduate with an industry-recognized certificate in their course of study.

To be eligible for the program, students must be eligible for part-time enrollment in HCPS during their senior year. Students who enroll in a specific Workforce Investment Program will be provided transportation between their home high school and their course location two days a week to attend the class.

Classes will be offered in the following areas: Construction, Logistics, Microsoft Office, Communications, Computer Support Technician, Helpdesk, Certified Nursing Assistant (two days a week, plus Saturdays), and Online Insurance Assistance.

Interested students should indicate their interest during course enrollment. Staff members with CTE/Career Workforce will walk each student through the application process.

Do you know about our Learning Together program? HCPS is looking for typically developing 3- and 4-year-old children to participate in a free, 2- or 3-half-day preschool program for the 2023-2024 school year. The purpose of the Learning Together Program is to have typically developing children learning alongside preschool children with disabilities. The program promotes social, communication, literacy, and numeracy skill development for all children.

The program is located at the following schools: Meadowvale Elementary, Havre de Grace Elementary, Edgewood Elementary, Homestead/Wakefield Elementary, Youths Benefit Elementary, and North Bend Elementary.

Children must be at least 3-years old as of September 1, 2023 and be toilet trained.

For more information and to access the application, visit https://www.hcps.org/departments/instructionalsupport/specialeducation/learningtogether/

Please contact robyn.graham@hcps.org with any questions.

The following information will be sent directly to families with students in grades 3-12 via phone, email, and text message on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.:

We have great news to share! Harford County Public Schools has partnered with FEV Tutor to provide free academic support and tutoring in all mathematics, reading, science and social studies courses. This resource is available to all students in grades 3-12. FEV Tutor provides drop-in homework help, as well as scheduled sessions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The resource will be available beginning on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Click here to watch the latest Parent Academy video on FEV Tutor and see below for the breakdown of each of the options.

Option 1: Drop-In Homework Help- this option is best used when students are having difficulty with an assignment.

Step 1: Log into HCPS student device.
Step 2: Access FEV Tutor through Clever.

*To access Clever, students must go into Canvas, select the “help” icon displayed as a question mark, and sign into their HCPS account. Search “FEV Tutor” on the Clever Platform and select the FEV Tutor icon.

Step 3: Select “Request an On-Demand Session!”
Step 4: Select subject area.

Option 2: Scheduled Weekly Sessions-This option is best for consistent support, in a single subject area.

Step 1: Log into HCPS student device.
Step 2: Access FEV Tutor through Clever.

*To access Clever, students must go into Canvas, select the “help” icon displayed as a question mark, and sign into their HCPS account. Search “FEV Tutor” on the Clever Platform and select the FEV Tutor icon.

Step 3: Schedule a tutoring session Learn How Here
Step 4: Select red flashing button “Your session has started, Join Now!” at your scheduled time.

Getting Started Resources:
Intro Video
Frequently Asked Questions
Learning Style and Communication Options
How to Use Whiteboard Tools and Share Content with Tutors
If you have any questions about this free virtual tutoring program, please contact FEV Tutor directly via email at md@fevtutor.com or call 855-763-2607. FEV's Support Team is happy to answer any questions and work with you to create a personalized tutoring experience that best suits your student learner.
You may also contact Rebecca Pensero, Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction and Tutoring, via email at Rebecca.Pensero@hcps.org.

A version of the following message will be sent to all contacts Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. via phone, email, and text message:

Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) is pleased to announce Joppatowne High School has been approved by the Department of the Army to establish a U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program, effective February 1, 2023. Students currently in eighth grade throughout the county will be able to apply to join JROTC at Joppatowne High. Applications will be available Tuesday, January 17, 2023, through Friday, February 10, 2023, on hcps.org and in all middle school counseling offices.

Click here to watch a Parent Academy Real Talk about JROTC in HCPS!

In May 2016, the Board of Education of Harford County approved the submission of the JROTC application and the establishment of the program at Joppatowne High School. Strong support was provided from the Military Officers Association of America; Susquehanna Chapter; and numerous local, state, and federal leaders for instituting a program at Joppatowne High. Joppatowne High was the first school in the nation to offer a high school curriculum program for Homeland Security. The Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness Program is a signature curriculum that is affiliated with internships and instruction from area colleges and civil defense agencies. JROTC is an excellent addition to the program.

Harford County is the proud home of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). APG is the largest employer in the county and is a critical US Army research, development, test, and evaluation installation. In 2017, APG and the surrounding community celebrated the 100^th anniversary of APG as a national military garrison. This year, Harford County celebrates a 250-year anniversary. Launching the JROTC program in Harford County is a great addition and way to continue to celebrate Harford County’s legacy.

The following message will be sent December 22, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. to all families of 12th grade students via phone, email, and text message:

This is an important message for all parents and guardians with a student in twelfth grade.

Graduation dates, times, and locations have been finalized. Visit the calendar page on hcps.org for the full schedule and visit our YouTube channel or click here to watch the latest Parent Academy Real Talk discussing graduation ceremonies this year.

Your school will provide additional details about your schools specific graduation ceremony.

The following message will be sent to all contacts December 21, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. via phone, email, and text message:

The 2023-2024 HCPS Calendar was presented to the Board of Education at the December 19, 2022 Board Business meeting for final approval. Thank you to the Calendar Committee for their time and consideration, and to those who provided feedback to the proposed calendar online and in person. You can view the calendar presentation and discussion from the Board of Education meeting on December 19, 2022 in its entirety here.

Visit the calendar page on hcps.org to review the Board approved HCPS 2023-24 Color-Coded Calendar. As soon as other traditionally posted versions of the calendar are ready, the calendar page will be updated on the website.

The following communication is being sent to all families of students in grades 7 and 8 at Edgewood Middle and students in grade 9 at Edgewood High Schools on November 17, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.:

Amazon recently contacted Edgewood Middle School regarding the pencil pouches that were purchased and distributed to students at Edgewood Middle School who were in 6, 7, and 8 grade last year, the 2021-2022 school year. The following communication was received from Amazon:

We have learned of a potential safety issue that may impact your Amazon purchase. A U.S. Regulatory Agency and/or our Product Safety Team has provided us information that indicates that the product may exceed the federal limits for lead and/or cadmium or contains a defect that presents a substantial product hazard under CPSA Section 15(a)(1) or (2).

If you still have this product, we urge you to stop using it immediately and dispose of the item.
If you purchased this item for someone else, please notify the recipient immediately and let them know they should dispose of the item. There is no need for you to return the product.

Harford County Public Schools is requesting any student that may still be using the pencil pouches distributed last year, dispose of the pencil pouch immediately. Please note, students in 6, 7, and 8 grade this year received a new pencil pouch that has not been affected by this recall.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772.