BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
MONDAY, JULY 20, 2026

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 6:00 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 – 5:55 PM

BUSINESS MEETING:  6:00 PM – ADJOURNMENT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid fashion and public attendance will be permitted as explained below:

DOORS WILL OPEN AT 5:55 PM AND THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:00 PM

The Board of Education of Harford County will hold a hybrid Business Meeting on Monday, July 20, 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 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, July 20, 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.    Agenda item or subject your Public Comment pertains to
6.    Will you provide in-person or virtual Public Comment
7.    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 6:00 PM on Monday, July 20, 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 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 for individuals 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. 

The following message was sent to select families on June 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. via email, phone call, and text message.

This is an important notice about your student who is enrolled with multifamily proof of residency. 

If your child is changing schools next school year, you will need to submit an updated multi-family proof of residency, and all required supporting documentation. 

Changing schools means your student is moving from elementary to middle school, middle to high school or moving to or from Swan Creek School.   

Multi-family affidavits have been mailed to the address on file for students moving from elementary to middle and middle to high, and you should receive them soon.  Students moving to and from Swan Creek School should contact their Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW).    

If your living arrangement has changed, you will need to submit new proof of residency to your Pupil Personnel Office. 

If your child is staying at the same school and your living arrangement has not changed, there is no need to submit any updated documentation.  

Please be aware that failure to provide residency requirements by August 7, 2026, may result in your child not starting school on the first day of classes, August 31, 2026. 

On June 22, 2026 the Board of education of Harford County Board formally approved and signed the contract for Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) with Dr. Dyann R. Mack, marking a significant milestone for the school system and the community it serves. 

During the Board’s meeting, members also presented Dr. Mack with a special proclamation recognizing her historic achievements and deep-rooted connection to Harford County. Dr. Mack is the first graduate of Harford County Public Schools to return as Superintendent, the first graduate of Joppatowne High School to serve in the role, and the first Black Superintendent in HCPS history. 

“Dr. Mack’s journey from HCPS student to Superintendent is both inspiring and historic,” said Board of Education President Lauren Paige. “Her leadership reflects a deep understanding of our schools, our students, and our community. We are proud to welcome her into this role and confident in her vision for the future of Harford County Public Schools.” 

Dr. Mack’s appointment underscores HCPS’s commitment to fostering leadership from within and celebrating excellence across the district. In accepting the proclamation, Dr. Mack expressed gratitude and a strong commitment to continuing the work of strengthening HCPS for all students. 
“It is an incredible honor to serve as Superintendent of the school system that helped shape me,” said Dr. Mack. “I am deeply grateful to the Board for their trust and to this community for its support. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and ensure every student is Ready by Design.” 

The Board’s proclamation highlights not only Dr. Mack’s professional accomplishments but also the significance of representation and the powerful message her leadership sends to current and future students across Harford County. 

Dr. Mack will begin her tenure July 1, 2026, as Superintendent under the newly signed contract, working in partnership with the Board of Education, HCPS staff, students, families, and the broader community, to advance the district’s mission and goals.
 

Harford County Public Schools is participating in the Summer Food Service Program again this summer, offering free SUN Meals at library and school locations throughout Harford County beginning June 22, 2026. SUN Meals To-Go weekly meal kits are also available for pickup at Dublin Elementary School on Wednesdays starting July 1, 2026. Pre-registration for SUN Meals To-Go is required and available by clicking here. 

For information on our Summer Meals Program, click here.
For information on our SUN Meals To-Go Program, click here.

If you have any questions, please call Harford County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services at 410-638-4078.

On April 27, 2026, the Board of Education of Harford County approved updates to the 2026–2027 school calendar to better plan for inclement weather days. 

Three days during the school year—March 1, June 1, and April 12, 2027—have been set aside as potential inclement weather makeup days (in that order). These replace the previous plan of adding makeup days to the end of the school year. *If no weather-related school closures occur before these dates, schools and offices will be closed on those days. 

This change follows a resolution from the Maryland State Board of Education, which requires school systems to build inclement weather makeup days into the school year rather than placing them at the end. The state also allows up to three additional inclement weather days to be handled through virtual instruction, for a total of six possible makeup days (three in-person and three virtual). 

Making these changes allows HCPS to remain eligible to request a calendar waiver from the state, if needed, and ensures the school system is able to consider virtual instruction as an option for inclement weather. As soon as details regarding potential use of virtual instruction for inclement weather become available, the details will be shared with the HCPS community. 

As a result of this update, the last day of school for students in kindergarten through grade 11 will be an early dismissal on Thursday, June 17, 2027. 

The full, updated 2026–2027 school calendar is available here. En Español. 

The following message will be shared in the Wednesday Wire on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with all families:

On April 27, 2026, the Board of Education of Harford County approved updates to the 2026–2027 school calendar to better plan for inclement weather days. 

Three days during the school year—March 1, June 1, and April 12, 2027—have been set aside as potential inclement weather makeup days (in that order). These replace the previous plan of adding makeup days to the end of the school year. *If no weather-related school closures occur before these dates, schools and offices will be closed on those days. 

This change follows a resolution from the Maryland State Board of Education, which requires school systems to build inclement weather makeup days into the school year rather than placing them at the end. The state also allows up to three additional inclement weather days to be handled through virtual instruction, for a total of six possible makeup days (three in-person and three virtual). 

Making these changes allows HCPS to remain eligible to request a calendar waiver from the state, if needed, and ensures the school system is able to consider virtual instruction as an option for inclement weather. As soon as details regarding potential use of virtual instruction for inclement weather become available, the details will be shared with the HCPS community. 

As a result of this update, the last day of school for students in kindergarten through grade 11 will be an early dismissal on Thursday, June 17, 2027. 

The full, updated 2026–2027 school calendar is available here. En Español.