CURRENT STATUS: VIRTUAL LEARNING
 

UPDATE: JANUARY 25, 2021
An Important Message from Superintendent Bulson
Families will recieve a phone call, email (content below), and text message referencing the following information via our mass communications system at 6:00 p.m. today, Monday, January 25, 2021

Good evening,

Last week, Governor Larry Hogan, State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon, and Interim State Health Officer Jinlene Chan announced their expectation that all Maryland school systems return students to in-person learning in some capacity by March 1, 2021. In addition to announcing these expectations during a press conference, they have also published a document entitled Maryland School Reopening Guidance on the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) website.

Harford County Public Schools evaluated the updated guidance from the state on how best to reopen schools in accordance with the Governor’s expectations. Parents/guardians must await contact from their child’s school for their child’s assigned one day per week to attend school in-person. Due to the updated state expectations in the “Maryland School Reopening Guidance,” we are not able to reinstate operations of our Learning Support Centers and our Fall Hybrid Model, which means that previous accommodations for students will not be reinstated.

Our return to in-person learning plan, previously approved by MSDE, is updated and will continue to guide us moving forward. You can review the updated HCPS Continuity of Learning Plan by clicking here.

Please note:

• Students will be assigned one day per week to attend in-person learning.*
• Elementary students will be assigned one day/week beginning March 1, 2021.
• Secondary students will be assigned one day/week beginning March 15, 2021.
• All elementary staff essential to the return of students, as well as secondary Life Skills and Strive teachers and staff, will be required to report to their physical work sites to perform their required duties on February 19, 2021.
• All secondary staff essential to the return of students will be required to report to their physical work sites to perform their required duties on March 5, 2021.
• Meal kit pick-up locations will continue to operate on Fridays. Visit HCPS Food Services on our website for additional information and updates on meal kit pick-up locations.

• 2021 Parent Agreement and Acknowledgement of Compliance with COVID-19 Guidelines
• Visit the School/Bus Locator on hcps.org to verify bus transportation information as we anticipate changes may have occurred from previous bus schedules.

We will reinstate weekly COVID-19 information updates on hcps.org. As additional information becomes available, we will share it with you directly as well as post it on hcps.org. I encourage you to watch the Board of Education meeting tonight, Monday, January 25, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. I will discuss this information with the members of the Board of Education.

Thank you,

Sean Bulson, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools

UPDATE: JANUARY 21, 2021
An Important Message from Superintendent Bulson

Good evening,
Earlier today, Governor Larry Hogan, State Superintendent of Schools, Karen Salmon, and interim state health officer, Jinlene Chan, announced their expectation that all Maryland school systems return students to in-person learning in some capacity by March first of this year.  In addition to announcing these expectations during a press conference, they have also published a document entitled Maryland School Reopening Guidance. 

Harford County Public Schools will evaluate the updated guidance from the state on how best to reopen schools in accordance with the Governor’s expectations.  

The guidance indicates that students returning to in-person learning will need to do so while maintaining social distancing and other public health guidelines and precautions.

This new guidance is a vast departure from the guidance that was in place prior to today.  We had no advance notice of the extent of these changes, so we will need some time to consider the impact they will have on our plans moving forward.  I assure you, I will continue to elicit feedback from staff, administrators, students, and families, as we update our plans.

Sincerely,
Sean Bulson Ed. D.
Superintendent
Harford County Public Schools

UPDATE: JANUARY 20, 2021
School Closures for Secondary School Staff COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics
We are excited to announce the COVID-19 vaccination clinics for secondary school staff will be held at Bel Air High School from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the week of February 8, 2021.  School staff have been assigned a day that week to sign up to receive the vaccination. Your school will be closed on the day school staff are assigned to the clinic to allow the opportunity for all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Families received a call tonight, Wednesday, January 20, 2021 with their school closure information. The full schedule can be found here.


UPDATE: JANUARY 19, 2021
School Closures for Elementary School Staff COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics*
We are excited to announce that Harford County is preparing to enter phase 1B  of COVID-19 vaccinations, which includes school staff! We will kick-off our vaccination clinics with our elementary schools. The COVID-19 vaccination clinics for elementary staff will be held at Patterson Mill Middle/High School from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the week of January 25, 2021.  School staff have been assigned a day that week to sign up to receive the vaccination. Your school will be closed on the day school staff are assigned to the clinic to allow the opportunity for all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Families received a call tonight, Tuesday, January 19, 2021 with their school closure information. The full schedule can be found here. 
*Middle and High school staff vaccination clinic information and school closure information will be provided at a later date.


UPDATE: JANUARY 19, 2021
Board of Education Public Comment Notifications: Budget Session and Business Meeting
The Board of Education has two upcoming opportunities to submit public comment.

• Budget Public Input Session (6:30 p.m.)
• Business Meeting (7:30 p.m.)

UPDATE: JANUARY 7, 2021
HCPS School Use, Balancing Enrollment and Boundary Survey

January 11 through February 26, 2021, you may receive a phone call from a staff member at Critical Data who will be contacting a statistical representation of parents and guardians for input. They are calling to gather feedback from parents and guardians in Harford County as the school system begins the school boundary review that was funded in the FY2021 budget, prior to changes in our educational environment.  

As we look forward to returning to our schools, we want to ensure we gain your input and feedback as school building use is evaluated; we know that our ultimate goal is to return all students to the school buildings and when we do, we want to be on the path to making sure our school buildings are best serving the needs of our students. A web survey has also been developed to provide all stakeholders an opportunity to contribute to the process, even if not selected for the phone survey. 

Click here to go directly to the survey. It will take a few minutes of your time to complete the survey online. Visit our website for additional information about the process and timeline. We look forward to going through this process with you. 



UPDATE: JANUARY 5, 2021
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION BUSINESS MEETING JANUARY 11, 2021 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on January 11, 2021, at 6:30PM with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance.  The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process
Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing this form Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, January 11, 2021.  All fields on the registration form must be completed.

• First and Last Name             
• Mailing Address
• Email Address
• Phone Number

1. Registered speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and a Conference ID # .
2. Registered speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:30PM on Monday, January 11, 2021. 
3. All speakers, regardless of affiliation, will receive 3-minutes per speaker.  Speakers will be notified when they have reached their 3-minute mark and callers will be removed from the meeting.
4. The Board has allotted two-hours for the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting.
5. If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting within the two-hour time constraint, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment.  Expected hold time may vary based on number of registered speakers.
6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person. 
7. In accordance with Board policy, if the number of speakers impede the ability of the Board to complete scheduled business, the Board reserves the right to reduce the amount of time allotted per speaker, or overall time allotted for public comment.
8. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public  business.
9. Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted.
10. Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools or personnel 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 from the call.
11. 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.

UPDATE: DECEMBER 14, 2020
INCLEMENT WEATHER INFORMATION
This information will be sent to all contacts in our mass communication system at 4:30 p.m. TODAY
The implementation of virtual instruction has changed the way Harford County Public Schools will manage inclement weather days. In prior years, inclement weather delays and closings have resulted in scheduling challenges and instructional disruption for students, staff and families, as well as unpredictability about when the school year will end. 

For the 2020-2021 school year, HCPS will maintain virtual instruction during inclement weather days. This will allow the school system to decide earlier when inclement weather is expected and provide families with earlier notice so they may make necessary adjustments. The Maryland State Department of Education has approved the inclusion of virtual instruction days among the 180 minimum required academic days each school year, so these days will not have to be made up at the end of the school year. 

Click here for a brief video overview.

On inclement weather days that virtual instruction is implemented, the same virtual schedule will be implemented that has been in place for the 2020-2021 school year. Students will be expected to log in to each of their classes and attendance will be recorded. To provide consistency and remain aligned to current virtual instruction schedules, instruction will be synchronous on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and asynchronous on Friday. 

It is important to note that the primary purpose for closing schools is for safety. Canceling all instruction on inclement weather days would require make-up days to be used in the summer. By being able to use virtual instruction during inclement weather days, HCPS will be able to follow the academic calendar as scheduled. This will allow staff better flexibility to implement summer interventions without disruption for students requiring the additional academic support. 

2020-2021 Inclement Weather Options: 

Virtual Instruction; Buildings Open 
This option will include minor weather events that are deemed not significant enough to close the building for staff. This option allows HCPS to make the decision and provide notification to families and staff much earlier without having to make up a day of instruction at the end of the school year. 
Instruction: Virtual for all students 
Buildings: Open for staff; staff receive additional instruction from your supervisor 

Virtual Instruction; Buildings Closed 
This option will include weather events that may have closed school in years past. Like the Virtual Instruction; Buildings Open option, all instruction will be delivered virtually. 
Instruction: Virtual for all students 
Buildings: Closed; staff receive additional instruction from your supervisor 

No Instruction; Buildings Closed 
This option mirrors a typical inclement weather day when schools and offices are closed. This decision may be implemented at times of widespread internet or power outages when virtual instruction is not feasible. These days would potentially need to be made up at the end of the school year. 
Instruction: Canceled  
Buildings: Closed; staff receive additional instruction from your supervisor 

Early Dismissal 
This option would be implemented when an unexpected weather event occurs while students may be in school buildings (North Harford Connectivity Hub). During an early closing, instruction would end 3 hours early for all students, including those learning virtually. 
Instruction: Virtual and Connectivity Hub at North Harford ends 3 hours early 
Buildings: Closed early for staff; staff receive additional instruction from your supervisor 

HCPS will communicate any operational changes, including if the meal kit pick-up sites will be impacted, via: 
Phone call 
Text message 
Email 
HCPS.org 
HCPS social media pages 
Local media outlets 

When an inclement weather event is anticipated, HCPS 12-month staff should follow the instruction of their supervisor. When a specific report time is available, it will be provided to those staff members.  


UPDATE: DECEMBER 14, 2020
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION BUSINESS MEETING DECEMBER 21, 2020 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on December 21, 2020, at 6:30PM with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance.  The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process
Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing this form Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, December 21, 2020.  All fields on the registration form must be completed.

• First and Last Name             
• Mailing Address
• Email Address
• Phone Number

1. Registered speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and a Conference ID # .
2. Registered speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:30PM on Monday, December 21, 2020. 
3. All speakers, regardless of affiliation, will receive 3-minutes per speaker.  Speakers will be notified when they have reached their 3-minute mark and callers will be removed from the meeting.
4. The Board has allotted two-hours for the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting.
5. If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting within the two-hour time constraint, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment.  Expected hold time may vary based on number of registered speakers.
6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person. 
7. In accordance with Board policy, if the number of speakers impede the ability of the Board to complete scheduled business, the Board reserves the right to reduce the amount of time allotted per speaker, or overall time allotted for public comment.
8. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public  business.
9. Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted.
10. Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools or personnel 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 from the call.
11. 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.
 

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 23, 2020
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION BUSINESS MEETING DECEMBER 7, 2020 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on December 7, 2020, at 6:30PM with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance.  The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process
Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing this form Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, December 7, 2020.  All fields on the registration form must be completed.

• First and Last name             
• Mailing Address
• Email Address
• Phone Number

1. Registered speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and a Conference ID # .
2. Registered speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:30PM on Monday, December 7, 2020. 
3. All speakers, regardless of affiliation, will receive 3-minutes per speaker.  Speakers will be notified when they have reached their 3-minute mark and callers will be removed from the meeting.
4. The Board has allotted two-hours for the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting.
5. If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting within the two-hour time constraint, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment.  Expected hold time may vary based on number of registered speakers.
6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person. 
7. In accordance with Board policy, if the number of speakers impede the ability of the Board to complete scheduled business, the Board reserves the right to reduce the amount of time allotted per speaker, or overall time allotted for public comment.
8. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public  business.
9. Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted.
10. Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools or personnel 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 from the call.
11. 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.
 

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2020
Report Cards on Home Access Center (HAC) for students in K-12
All parents/guardians will recieve the following information tonight, at 5:00 p.m. via Connect5, our mass communication system.

All parents and guardians with students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, have access to an electronic report card. The Home Access Center, or HAC, is an online portal that allows parents and guardians to log in and view information pertaining to their child’s attendance, classes, grades, and registration information.

Grades are to be posted on HAC by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2020. Parents who have technical difficulties should contact HomeAccessCenter@hcps.org for assistance. Parents with students in kindergarten through fifth grade may contact their teacher with any other questions and parents with students in middle and high school should contact their school counselor with non-technical questions.

Pre-K report cards will be sent by email. If there are any additional questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher.

Watch a special "Wait... How Do I Do That? Where is My Report Card Edition" with Assistant Principal Spence to see how and where to access your report card on HAC.

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2020
Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 will beging using the Attendance App
This evening, families in PreK- Grade 3 will receive the following message:

We are pleased to share that we have successfully distributed devices that were offered to all Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) students. Beginning November 23, 2020, students in Kindergarten through grade 3 will be required to use the attendance app to check in each day. Pre-K students will not use the app and will be marked present each day.

As a reminder, there’s an attendance policy on hcps.org/hcpstogether along with directions (attached) on how students are expected to check in through the attendance tile on the HCPS landing page; this is the page that appears when students log in to their device. Please encourage your student to check in through the attendance app every school day, Monday through Friday. This includes any asynchronous instruction days in the future. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Technical Support, your teacher, or your school for help.
 

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 9, 2020
RETURN TO VIRTUAL LEARNING EFFECTIVE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

At this evening's Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting, I will be joined by Harford County Health Department partners to discuss the effect of COVID-19 on our community. 

In that discussion, I will review the health metrics and decision trees that can be found in the HCPS Continuity of Learning Plan (COL). County metrics have reached 15+ per 100,000 daily positive cases and the rate of positive cases is at or above 5%. Consequently, we will return to virtual learning effective this Friday, November 13, 2020. Clarification: this means 100% virtual learning for all students. Schools will not be open to students. Learning Support Centers (LSC) will not re-open to students.

Please note:

• Food and Nutrition will continue to provide meal kits on Friday from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Sports and conditioning schedules are on hold.
• Tech Support for families will continue and information has been attached to this communication.

When county statistics fall below 15 per 100,000 new positive cases per day, as well as below a 5% positivity rate for one week, we will initiate discussions to return to our current hybrid status. If the metrics continue to fall, or stay at the lower rates for a second week, our goal would be to return to our current hybrid at the beginning of the third week.

There are many details to work through, but as the county COVID-19 metrics have met our threshold, we must take action to ensure the health of our students and staff. As more information becomes available, we will share it.

I encourage you to tune into the Board meeting this evening via the Live Stream at 6:30 p.m. on hcps.org.

Thank you,

Sean Bulson

Superintendent

Harford County Public Schools

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 9, 2020
FOOD AND NUTRITION MEAL KIT PICK-UP UPDATE

Throughout the pandemic, the HCPS Food and Nutrition Department has been working hard to ensure families across Harford County have access to food. As we anticipate cold weather during the winter months, and evaluate the effect of meal kit pick-up times on the instructional day, we will implement the following changes to meal kit distribution. This will allow us to continue to provide meals to anyone who would like to utilize this resource, and allow distribution on Friday’s during asynchronous learning.

Updates to Meal Kit Distribution Effective Friday, November 13, 2020 (No Meal Kit Pick Up Wednesday, November 11): 

1. Meal Kits will be distributed once a week, on Friday's from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
2. Meal Kits will be available at:

• Aberdeen High
• Abingdon Elementary
• Bel Air Middle
• Church Creek Elementary
• C. Milton Wright High
• Dublin Elementary
• Edgewood High
• Edgewood Parks and Rec
• Hall's Cross Roads Elementary
• Havre de Grace Elementary
• Jarrettsville Elementary
• Joppatowne Elementary
• North Harford High
• Patterson Mill Middle/High
• Red Pump Elementary
• Southampton Middle
• Windsor Valley
• Youth's Benefit Elementary

In your meal kit, you will now receive food for 5 meals along with a half-gallon of milk to be used over the course of 5 days. Please click here or visit the HCPS YouTube channel for a "tour" through the new meal kit!

If changes need to be made to the meal kit distribution date, due to scheduled holidays or school closures, information will be posted on hcps.org. 

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 2, 2020
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION

BUSINESS MEETING - NOVEMBER 9, 2020 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on November 9, 2020, at 6:30PM in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance.

No public access will be permitted. The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process

Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comment segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing the Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, November 9, 2020. All fields on the registration form must be completed.

• First and Last name
• Mailing Address
• Email Address
• Phone Number

1. Registered speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and Conference ID #.

2. Registered speakers are required to call-in and enter the conference ID# at 6:30PM on Monday, November 9, 2020.

3. All speakers, regardless of affiliation, will receive 3-minutes per speaker. Speakers will be notified when they have reached their 3-minute mark and callers will be removed from the meeting.

4. The Board has allotted two-hours for the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting.

5. If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting within the two-hour time constraint, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment. Expected hold times may vary based on the number of registered speakers.

6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person.

7. In accordance with Board policy, if the number of speakers impede the ability of the Board to complete scheduled business, the Board reserves the right to reduce the amount of time allotted per speaker, or overall time allotted for public comment.

8. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public business.

9. Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted.

10. Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools or personnel 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 from the call.

11. 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.

CALENDAR REMINDERS
Schools closed for students today, Monday, November 2, 2020, for staff professional development. Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3, 2020, schools and offices closed for Election Day. For all calendar information, visit "About Us" and "Calendars" on hcps.org

NOTICE: OCTOBER 28, 2020
Meal Kit Pick Up Date Change!
On Monday, November 2, 2020 schools are closed for Professional Development (PD) in HCPS. Be sure to pick up your meal kit the Friday BEFORE, on October 30, 2020. For additional information, visit https://hcpsmenus.com/.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 27, 2020

This information will be sent directly to the HCPS community members with emails in our mass communication system at 4:00 p.m.

As shared when the plan was released, HCPS anticipated adjustments may need to be made. As a result of the current attendance numbers in our schools, and the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) recommending 6 feet of social distancing, the timeline to begin 2 days per week of in-person learning, must be re-evaluated. We do not anticipate the ability to expand the schedule for students currently attending one day per week to two days per week unless social distancing guidance is adjusted. 

HCPS has welcomed many students back to the classroom. Students who are already part of in-person learning cohorts, whether 5 days per week, or one day per week, will continue to attend in-person learning on their current schedule. We will add grade levels to the one day/week hybrid as described below.

Looking ahead:

November 4               1-day/week hybrid begins in Grades 3-5 (includes CSP students up to 5       
                                        days/week in those grades)
                                        1-day/week hybrid begins in Pre-K

November 16            1-day/week hybrid begins in secondary schools (Grades 6-12)
                                       CSP program begins in middle school up to 4 days/week

TBD                              2 day/week in-person learning

*Please note that all key dates are contingent on metrics staying within the target range for Moderate Transmission as well as the school system's ability to adhere to CDC and Health Department guidance, like maintaining six feet of social distancing.  Dates will be revised if needed.

If you have questions about operations, like transportation, meals, cleaning protocols, playground use, etc. in the buildings when students return, please review the Continuity of Learning Plan. The plan will continue to be updated as needed.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 22, 2020

Updated Guidance From CDC: COVID-19 Close Contact Definition

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced an expanded definition of who is considered a COVID-19 close contact. We continue to follow guidance from the CDC and work in partnership with the Harford County Health Department. The new definition is: Someone who was within six (6) feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from two (2) days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two (2) days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

*Individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). Data are limited, making it difficult to precisely define “close contact;” however, 15 cumulative minutes of exposure at a distance of six (6) feet or less can be used as an operational definition for contact investigation.

Please note the significant difference is that now 15 minutes is measured cumulatively, rather than in one sustained time period.

Full guidance from the CDC may be found here.

For a printable version of the graphic included with this information, please click here.

UPDATED: OCTOBER 19, 2020

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
BUSINESS MEETING - OCTOBER 26, 2020 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on Monday, October 26, 2020, at 6:30PM in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance. No public access will be permitted. The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process

Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing this form Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, October 26, 2020. All fields on the registration form must be completed.

-First and Last name
-Mailing Address
-Email Address
-Phone Number

1. Registered speakers will receive an email from HCPS with a Call-in Phone # and a Conference ID #.

2. Registered speakers are required to Call-in and enter the Conference ID# at 6:30PM on Monday, October 26, 2020.

3. All speakers, regardless of affiliation, will receive two-minutes per speaker. Speakers will be notified when they have reached their 2-minute mark and callers will be removed from the meeting.

4. The Board has allotted two-hours for the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting.

5. If you are admitted from the virtual lobby to the meeting within the two-hour time constraint, you will be greeted by an HCPS staff member when it is time to begin your public comment.

6. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person.

7. In accordance with Board policy, if the number of speakers impede the ability of the Board to complete scheduled business, the Board reserves the right to reduce the amount of time allotted per speaker, or overall time allotted for public comment.

8. The Board expects that all comments will be submitted with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of public business.

9. Topics such as personnel matters, pending appeals, specific student disciplinary matters or which constitute commercial solicitations are not permitted.

10. Disparaging comments, personal attacks, and inflammatory remarks about specific schools or personnel 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 from the call.

11. 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.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 19, 2020
Meal Benefit Update
This is an important update about the free and reduced meal benefit program. Currently, the USDA extended waiver provides free meals to all students, regardless of eligibility. This has now been extended through June 2021! HCPS still encourages families to submit meal benefit applications- more information can be found by clicking here.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 14, 2020
The following information was shared with the HCPS community via email on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
As more students return to in-person learning in Harford County Public Schools, school staff will continue to track which students are in the buildings each day. To do this effectively and efficiently, there will be a change to the attendance app where students in grades 4 through 12 “check in” each day. Starting Monday, October 19, 2020, when your child “checks in” using the attendance app, your child will now be prompted to identify: “I’m here in the school building” or “I’m here at home." This will help school staff gather data quickly about which students are working from home or working from the school each day. As a reminder, students in PreK through grade 3 are not currently required to use the attendance app.

In addition, members of the Emotional Recovery Team, established to support students and staff through the pandemic, would like to share, "How to Talk to Your Children About Returning to School," as more students join us on Monday, October 19, 2020. Members of the team include school counselors, psychologists, nurses, school administrators, and more, who want to help guide conversations around any concerns or questions as students return to school. You can also call your child’s school counselor if you feel your child may need more support in this area. The resource can be found here on our website. 

UPDATE: OCTOBER 6, 2020
This message will be sent to middle and high school parents/guardians by your school with the specific survey/questionnaire linked at approximately 5:00 p.m. 

As we look to expand in-person learning and welcome additional secondary students into Harford County Public Schools, an FAQ for secondary schools, developed by a team of secondary school principals and HCPS staff to help as you evaluate the hybrid model and what it means for your student, has been posted on the website.

Your secondary school will ask you to complete a survey/questionnaire by 12:00 p.m. on October 16, 2020 to let them know how your student(s) will proceed. If you respond to your school’s survey/questionnaire that your student(s) will participate in the hybrid schedule, they will provide more details about your start date after all responses have been received. If you choose to continue virtual learning, any changes necessary to your child’s virtual learning schedule will be communicated at the appropriate time. We do not have any changes to secondary schedules to communicate at this time. 
 
*Students returning to school must complete and return the COVID-19 Parent Acknowledgement Letter, available in the Required Documents on hcps.org/hcpstogether.
 
We encourage you to watch the HCPS COVID-19 Safety video that includes safety guidelines you and your child will see in our school. It has been linked on the website as well as made available on our YouTube channel. You can also visit www.hcps.org/hcpstogether for additional resources like required documents and how-to videos.
 
Thank you and we look forward to receiving your response to your school’s survey/questionnaire by noon on October 16. Your participation is essential to being prepared for the return of our students.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 6, 2020

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION, BUSINESS MEETING - OCTOBER 12, 2020 - 6:30PM

The Board of Education of Harford County Business Meeting will be held on October 12, 2020, at 6:30PM in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building with only Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance. No public access will be permitted. The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

Public Comment Participation Call-In Process

Community members who wish to provide comments during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing this Public Comment Registration Form.

Registrations must be received by 9:00AM on Monday, October 12, 2020. All fields on the registration form must be completed.

• First and Last name
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