Harford County Public Schools

The following communication was sent Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. to select parents and guardians via phone call, email, and text message:

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 MSDE no later than February 14, 2025, and should be in your mailbox soon if you have not already received it. Please return your completed survey in the provided envelope by May 30, 2025. 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 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 following communications was sent Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. to parents and guardians of students in grade 11 via email and text message:

Each year, a Student Member of the Board of Education of Harford County (SMOB) is elected by the Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils (HCRASC). The SMOB is the voice for all students in Harford County Public Schools on the Board of Education of Harford County.

If your current 11th grade student, who will be in 12th grade in the 2025-2026 school year, is interested in applying, fill out the application, which is available on the HCRASC page on hcps.org.

A virtual interest meeting for students considering the position is scheduled for February 22, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 7p.m.

The application must be completed online by March 11, 2025. Applicants will be interviewed on March 17, 2025, during the school day at the A.A. Roberty Building. The HCRASC Election for the Student Member of the Board will be held on April 10, 2025.

Interested students can email Erin Lange (erin.lange@hcps.org) or Jennifer Kelley (jennifer.kelley@hcps.org) with any questions.

The following communication was sent Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. to parents and guardians of students in grades 1 through 11 via email, phone call, and text message:

On February 26, 2025, the window opens to apply for virtual and blended programs at Swan Creek School for the 2025-2026 school year. The application window will remain open until March 28, 2025.

The application for the 2025-2026 school year at Swan Creek School will be available at registration.hcps.org. Please note, this is a new process and designed to streamline the application process.

All applications will be reviewed, and enrollment decisions will be communicated by Swan Creek School staff by April 30, 2025.

Please note, the availability of this program will be determined by future budget considerations.

For more information about Swan Creek School, check out this video.

If applications exceed capacity, a lottery will be utilized to select eligible students.

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
PUBLIC NOTICE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025

OPEN SESSION: 5:15 PM – 5:20 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 work session.
*The only item the Board will consider during this open meeting is consideration of meeting in a closed session.

CLOSED SESSION: 5:20 PM – 5:50 PM

BOARD WORK SESSION: 6:00 PM – ADJOURNMENT

This work session will be conducted in a hybrid fashion and will not include public comments, Board member comments,
a consent agenda, or decision items.
Public attendance will be permitted as explained below:

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

The Board of Education of Harford County
will hold a hybrid Work Session
on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Board Room
of the A.A. Roberty Building
with Board Members and staff in attendance in-person.

Public attendance seats will be available on a first come-first served basis and is only for observing the work session.

There is no time allotted for public participation or comments during the work session.

The meeting will be streamed live and archived for later viewing on the HCPS Website.

*The next full Board meeting is set for March 10, 2025.

Harford County Public Schools is thrilled to announce our 54 Teacher of the Year nominees!

Each school has selected one teacher as part of our Teacher of the Year Celebration. These 54 nominees are given the choice to move forward in the rigorous selection process to name the Top 5 Finalists and ultimately the 2025 Teacher of the Year.

The 2025 Teacher of the Year will be announced at the Harford County Public Schools Celebration of Excellence in Education celebration on April 8, 2025.

We congratulate all the nominees and wish them the best of luck!

Click here to view a full list.

The following communication was sent to all contacts on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. via email, phone call, text message, and push alert.

Harford County Public Schools kindergarten registration, and applications for kindergarten early entrance, and advanced placement to first grade for the 2025-2026 school year, will be available Friday, March 7, 2025.

Kindergarten registration can be completed online on March 7, 2025.

Applications for early entrance to kindergarten will be available to print online and submit a hard copy. To submit your application, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed application.

Applications for advanced placement to first grade will be available to print online and submit a hard copy. To submit your application, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed application.

*Printed applications will be available at each elementary school on March 7, 2025.*

Note: Prekindergarten applications will be available later this spring. Details will be released as soon as possible.

Due to state law, prekindergarten and kindergarten instruction are not permitted to be virtual. This means prekindergarten and kindergarten registration is not available at Swan Creek School.

Please share this information in your community as we try to ensure families who may not be connected to HCPS are aware that these important applications and registrations will be available March 7, 2025.

Additional registration information is available here.

The following message was sent to all contacts on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. via phone call, email, text message and push alert.

Harford County Public Schools kindergarten registration, and applications for kindergarten early entrance, and advanced placement to first grade for the 2025-2026 school year, will be available Friday, March 7, 2025.

Kindergarten registration can be completed online on March 7, 2025.

Applications for early entrance to kindergarten will be available to print online and submit a hard copy. To submit your application, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed application.

Applications for advanced placement to first grade will be available to print online and submit a hard copy. To submit your application, follow the directions on the cover sheet of the printed application.

*Printed applications will be available at each elementary school on March 7, 2025.*
Note: Prekindergarten applications will be available later this spring. Details will be released as soon as possible.
Due to state law, prekindergarten and kindergarten instruction are not permitted to be virtual. This means prekindergarten and kindergarten registration is not available at Swan Creek School.
Please share this information in your community as we try to ensure families who may not be connected to HCPS are aware that these important applications and registrations will be available March 7, 2025.
Additional registration information is available here.

The following communication will go to all contacts in our Mass Notification System on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. via email:

The Maryland State Department of Education distributed a memo entitled, “Immigration Enforcement Actions at Maryland Schools: A Guide for Students, Families, and Local Education Agencies” on January 23, 2025. The contents of the guide are shared below. This guide is being implemented and followed by HCPS administrators, and we want to ensure that all HCPS staff, students, and families are aware and have an opportunity to review the guide.

From State Superintendent Dr. Carey M. Wright:

“As State Superintendent of Schools, I want to ensure that every student—regardless of immigration status—receives the support they need from our educational system. Every child deserves access to a quality education, and it is our responsibility to uphold that right.

To that end, it is crucial that we provide clear guidance on how to best support immigrant students in our schools, including key topics such as student rights, school registration processes, and how to respond to requests from immigration authorities or law enforcement. In this communication, I will address these important issues to ensure that all members of our school communities are informed, prepared, and able to support immigrant students in a safe, respectful, and legally compliant manner. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring the safety of all Maryland students.

Student Rights

? All children have a right to equal access to a free public education, regardless of the immigration status of the child or their parent/guardian.

? While schools may require proof of residency within the district, information about citizenship or immigration status is never needed for school enrollment.

? Federal and state laws protect education records and personal information. These laws generally require written consent from parents/guardians before releasing information, unless it is for educational purposes, otherwise authorized by law, or in response to a court order or subpoena.

? Some schools collect and make public “directory information” about students, such as name, address, email address, and phone number. If this is a practice, the local educational agency (LEA) must provide parents or guardians with written notice of its directory information policy and provide the option to refuse release of their child’s information. The notice must effectively notify parents who have a primary or home language other than English.

? Students, parents, and guardians have the right to report a hate crime or file a complaint to the school district or the State Superintendent if they or their child has been discriminated against based on national origin.

School Registration

? State education law entitles children ages five years old and under 21 years old who have not received a high school diploma to attend the public schools in the LEA in which they reside without paying tuition.

? Undocumented children, like U.S. citizen/resident children, have the right to attend school full time, as long as they meet the age and residency requirements established by state law.

? The U.S. Supreme Court held in Plyler v. Doe (1982) that schools may not deny students a free public education on the basis of their undocumented or non-citizen status, or that of their parents or guardians.

? At the time of registration, schools should not ask questions related to a parent or student’s immigration status nor request a Social Security number.

? Although LEAs should collect certain data pursuant to state and/or federal laws, they should do so after a student has enrolled in school so as not to give the impression that information related to immigration status will be used in making enrollment determinations.

Requests from Immigration Authorities or Law Enforcement at a School

? Various laws impose legal duties on the LEA with respect to law enforcement questioning students at school and the confidentiality of student records, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.08.02.

? Local school officials should cooperate with law enforcement and federal immigration authorities in accordance with their LEA policies and guidelines and in consultation with their attorneys.

? Upon receipt of a request from immigration officials to access student education records, LEAs should immediately consult with their attorneys, to ensure compliance with FERPA and COMAR 13A.08.02 regarding the release of personally identifiable information (PII) in a student’s education records without the consent of the parent or eligible student.

? Before fulfilling a request from federal immigration authorities or law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, LEA employees should immediately contact the local superintendent and school attorneys for legal advice.

? If federal immigration officials or law enforcement enter a school building seeking access to students (for interviews and/or questioning), school personnel should contact the local superintendent immediately for guidance. School personnel should not argue or debate with immigration enforcement officials but should direct them to the local superintendent or designated administrator for further action.

? LEA personnel should immediately notify the student’s parent or guardian if an immigration official or law enforcement officer requests or gains access to a student for immigration-enforcement purposes, unless such access was following a judicial warrant or subpoena that restricts the disclosure of the information to the parent or guardian.

Training for School Personnel

? LEAs should establish training regarding immigration issues for teachers, school administrators, and school staff, including information on responding to a request from an immigration or law enforcement officer seeking to enforce immigration laws at a school or to access a student or student records.

Resources for Families

? Parents/guardians can update their child’s emergency contact information at school, including secondary contacts, to identify a trusted adult who can care for their child if they are detained or deported. They can also identify a “standby guardian” to care for their child if they are detained or deported, by completing this Maryland Judiciary form and providing a copy to schools, health care providers, and family members.

? Families trying to locate someone who has already been detained, may use the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee locator.

? Legal assistance is available from a variety of sources, including immigration lawyers in private practice, accredited representatives (non-attorneys who assist individuals in immigration proceedings), and legal-aid organizations:

The People’s Law Library of Maryland

Immigration Advocates Network

? Several immigration organizations have prepared comprehensive guidance on preparing for and responding to immigration enforcement actions:

Family Preparedness Plans

ACLU Know Your Rights: Immigrant Rights Scenarios

Catholic Legal Immigration Network Rapid Response Toolkit

USAHello 2025 Immigration Guide

? Families also may wish to contact the consulate or embassy of their country of origin for further information.”

The following communication was sent to all parents and guardians of students in grades 3-12 on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. via email, phone call, and text message.

This weekend, Harford County Public Schools was informed FEV Tutor, a service many of our students and families utilize for academic support, has ceased operations. This change went into effect on January 25, 2025.

As a result, all scheduled tutoring sessions, including the SAT prep course that was set to begin Monday, January 27, 2025, have been canceled. Information regarding FEV Tutor is being removed from the HCPS website.

FEV Tutor provided the following explanation to HCPS staff:

“Why did this happen?
The final months of 2024 brought significant financial challenges, including lower-than-expected sales and a sudden shift in capital commitments from our lender. Despite exhaustive efforts, we were unable to secure the resources needed to continue operations.

What about our students?
FEV Tutor ceased operations as of January 25, 2025. Unfortunately, all scheduled tutoring sessions have been cancelled as part of the shutdown.”

Given the abrupt nature of this situation, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to find or implement a comparable solution at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause your family and appreciate your understanding as we work through this unexpected challenge.

The 2025-2026 Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) Color-Coded Calendar is available online.

You can view all available calendar information here.

The following message was sent to all contacts on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. via phone call, email, text message, and app push alert:

For the 2024-2025 school year, there will be no virtual instruction on inclement weather days.

There are six inclement weather days built into the 2024-2025 school calendar. Per the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), those in-person makeup days would need to be used BEFORE we could utilize virtual instruction. Rather than extend the school year beyond the six built in inclement weather days, HCPS will request a waiver of the 180-day requirement from the state, if needed.

The following communication will be sent to parents of all 5th grade students on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. via email, phone call, and text message.

Your student will take part in an amazing opportunity at Harford Glen Environmental Education Center. The Fifth Grade Residential Outdoor Education Program is an overnight program and part of your student’s Environmental Stewardship unit. The hands-on learning opportunities at Harford Glen cannot be replicated in the classroom.

Staff at Harford Glen will host eight Open Houses for you to bring your student, learn about the program and visit the facility.

Each Open House is approximately 30 minutes and self-guided, allowing you to explore the grounds and facilities on your own. Harford Glen staff will be on hand to answer any questions.

Open House dates:
- Tuesday, September 10, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Friday, September 27, 2024, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 17, 2024, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Friday, November 1, 2024, from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
- Monday, December 21, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 21, 2025, from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

If Harford County Public Schools closes schools on any of the above dates, the Open House that day will be canceled.

For more information about the Harford Glen programs, click here.

The following message will be sent to families of rising 5th grade students on Monday, June 10, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. via email.

During the 2024-2025 school year, your student will have the opportunity to experience the Fifth Grade Residential Outdoor Education Program at Harford Glen Environmental Education Center.

Please save the date to visit and explore Harford Glen prior to your student’s experience. The Open Houses allow you to learn about the program and the property prior to your student participating in the program.

Open House dates:
- Tuesday, September 10, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Friday, September 27, 2024, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 17, 2024, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Friday, November 1, 2024, from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
- Monday, December 21, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 21, 2025, from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

News Alert for 2/20/2025

MSDE Special Education Survey