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 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

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