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News Alert for 7/10/2024

Board of Education: Notice of Public Comment Participation

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
MONDAY, JULY 15, 2024

OPEN SESSION:  5:00 PM – 5:05 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:  5:05 PM – 5:45 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 15, 2024, 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 15, 2024.  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 15, 2024. 
  • 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.

Speakers are reminded that public comments are considered public information and,
as such, are subject to the Maryland Public Information Act.