Board of Education Notice of Public Comment Participation
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026
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, June 1, 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, June 1, 2026. 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 6:00 PM on Monday, June 1, 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.
- 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.
5/27/2026 2:07 PM
Harford County Board of Education Appoints Dr. Dyann R. Mack as Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools
The Harford County Board of Education has appointed Dyann R. Mack, Ed.D., as the next superintendent of Harford County Public Schools (HCPS). The Board voted during an open session on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, to confirm Dr. Mack’s appointment following a comprehensive search process.
The search, led by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), included stakeholder engagement, such as community forums and meetings with staff, families, and local leaders. This collaborative process ensured valuable input from across the Harford County community.
Dr. Mack has served as interim superintendent since January 2026, providing steady leadership for the school system. With decades of experience in public education, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to student achievement, operational excellence, and collaborative leadership.
“Dr. Mack has proven herself to be a thoughtful, experienced, and student-centered leader,” said Board President Lauren Paige. “Throughout this process, it became clear that her vision, leadership, and deep understanding of our school system make her the right choice to lead Harford County Public Schools forward. We are confident in her ability to build on our strengths and guide HCPS into the future.”
Dr. Mack’s career in education spans a wide range of leadership roles, where she has consistently focused on improving outcomes for all students, supporting educators, and fostering strong partnerships with families and the community.
Dr. Mack will officially assume the role of superintendent following the Board’s appointment, continuing her leadership of the school system with a focus on excellence, equity, and opportunity for all students.
The Board’s selection is contingent upon the successful negotiation and finalization of a mutually agreed-upon employment contract and approval from the Maryland State Department of Education.
5/19/2026 5:11 PM
Board of Education Approves Adjustments to 2026-2027 School Calendar
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.
4/29/2026 9:30 AM
2026-2027 School Year Calendar UPDATE
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.
4/28/2026 1:16 PM
HCPS End-of-Year Dates Reminder
Please mark your calendars for these important dates:
- April 17, 2026: FULL DAY of School for students and staff (the early dismissal was cancelled as part of the waiver request approved by the Maryland State Department of Education, or MSDE)
- May 22, 2026: FULL DAY of School for students and staff (the early dismissal was cancelled as part of the waiver request approved by MSDE)
- June 12, 2026: FULL DAY of School for students and staff (June 12 is no longer the last day of school, so it will be a full day of school)
- June 16, 2026: Last Day for Prekindergarten Students
- June 18, 2026: Last Day for Students K-11 (as it is the last day of school, it will be a 3-hour early dismissal)
We encourage families to plan ahead and ensure students finish the year strong. For a full calendar and updates, please visit hcps.org.
4/15/2026 3:50 PM
MSDE Approves 3 Day Calendar Waiver Request for HCPS 2025-2026SY School Calendar
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has approved the Superintendent’s request for a three-day waiver to the state’s 180-day instructional requirement for this school year.
As part of the waiver request, April 17, 2026, and May 22, 2026, will shift from early dismissal days to full instructional days. In recognition of the impact of this change on educators and staff, HCPS will waive the final teacher workday to honor staff time.
With the approved waiver and these adjustments, if no additional inclement weather closures are needed for the remainder of the year, the last day of school for students will be an early dismissal on Thursday, June 18, 2026. TEACHERS LAST DAY will be at the end of the day, Thursday, June 18, 2026.
The last day for PreK is always 2 days prior; this year, the last day for PreK will be Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
3/24/2026 10:48 AM
Kindergarten Registration Opens March 6, 2026
The following press release was sent to all media partners on Thursday, March 5, 2026:
HCPS Announces Kindergarten Registration Dates
Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) is pleased to announce important dates for kindergarten registration, early entrance to kindergarten applications and advanced placement to first grade applications for the 2026-2027 school year.
Starting on March 6, 2026, families can complete the kindergarten registration online at hcps.org. Early entrance to kindergarten and advanced placement to first grade applications will also be available online or may be printed at each elementary school beginning that day. Prekindergarten applications will be available starting on May 1, 2026. More details on prekindergarten applications will be shared once they are available.
Families interested in registering for kindergarten are encouraged to visit hcps.org on March 6, 2026, where they can complete the registration process online. Early entrance to kindergarten and advanced placement to first grade applications will be available to view and print online. To apply, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed application. Printed copies will also be available at each elementary school beginning on March 6, 2026.
To ensure all families in the community are informed, HCPS encourages the sharing of this information. HCPS remains dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students and is excited to welcome the Class of 2039 in the coming school year.
3/5/2026 1:00 PM
Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey
The following will be sent to families of students with IEPs on March 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. via email and text message.
Good evening,
Parents and guardians of students receiving special education and related services are asked to complete the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services. Surveys were mailed by the Maryland State Department of Education and should be in your mailbox soon if you have not already received it. Please return your completed survey in the provided envelope by June 5, 2026. If you did not receive a copy of the survey in the mail from MSDE, you can complete the survey online at
https://www.mdparentsurvey.com. Additional information is in your survey packet and on the website.
Your feedback will be shared with the Maryland State Department of Education and help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in Harford County Public Schools. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other students across the State of Maryland.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
The Harford County Public Schools Department of Special Education
3/4/2026 5:00 PM
A Message from Board of Education of Harford County President Dr. Poynton
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
1/7/2026 7:36 PM
Student Planners- Policy Updates!
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.
9/2/2025 11:34 AM
Updated HCPS Policies: Portable Devices and Backpacks
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:
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:
For more details and exceptions, please review the policy in its entirety via the attached document or on our website.
What Families Should Do
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
7/31/2025 5:00 PM
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