UPDATE: DECEMBER 7, 2021
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021
BALANCING ENROLLMENT PUBLIC INPUT SESSION: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
*The Board will receive public comments related to the topic of Balancing Enrollment only.
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid fashion and public attendance will be permitted as explained below:
DOORS WILL OPEN AT 6:20 PM AND THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 PM

The Board of Education of Harford County will hold a hybrid Balancing Enrollment Public Input Session on Monday, December 13, 2021, at 6:30 PM in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building with Board Members, staff, and presenters in attendance both virtually and in-person. A 60-seat capacity will be available to the public. 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 Process
Community members who wish to provide comments virtually during the Public Comments segment of the Business meeting are required to register by completing the Public Comment Registration Form. Registrations must be received by 9:00 AM on Monday, December 13, 2021. All fields on the registration form must be completed.
1. First and Last name
2. Email Address
3. Phone Number
4. Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person
-Registered 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 6:30 PM on Monday, December 13, 2021.
-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.

Public Comment Participation In-Person Process
Persons who are attending the meeting in person, as provided above, may make in-person public comment. Board Comment cards will be available for Board meeting attendees prior to the Board Meeting for sign-up. Board Comment Registration forms are limited to one (1) per person.
The Board has authorized public comment as follows:
-Board policy permits speaker three (3) minutes to provide comments. However, Board policy authorizes the Board to 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 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.
-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 7, 2021
The following information will be sent directly to all students and staff in our mass communication phone, email, and text on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

At the December 6, 2021 Board of Education meeting, Board members voted to approve Superintendent Bulson’s recommendation to make the following calendar adjustments:

• January 21, March 4, April 1, and May 6, 2022 will now be early dismissals for students. As a reminder, half-day PreK does NOT meet on early dismissal days.

These added early dismissal days for students will provide staff extra planning time to best serve our students as we continue to face new challenges this school year.

In addition:

• April 13, 2022 will be an early dismissal for students AND staff.
  This day was previously scheduled as an early dismissal for students only.
   
• April 14, 2022 will be a systemwide closure.
  This day was previously scheduled as a professional development day for staff; schools were closed for students.

This information has been updated on the calendar page and shared on social media.

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2021
The following information will be sent directly to all families with an email in our mass communications system on Friday, November 19, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.

Please take a moment to review the following message from HCPS about inclement weather operations during the 2021-2022 school year:

Inclement Weather Operations 2021-2022

Below is the message from the linked video, should you prefer to read the update here:

"As the weather gets colder, we reminisce about 'traditional' snow days from before COVID, and of course, think about virtual instruction that took place last year- even on snow days! As we wait for those first flakes to fall this year, we want to give our students and staff a quick update on how inclement weather will be addressed this year.

First, thank you to all of you who completed the survey about what staff and families would like to see on inclement weather days this year. There are many factors that must be considered moving forward. One factor that must be considered is if we hold asynchronous virtual instruction, as most survey respondents requested, will it count towards the state required 180 instructional days? Until we can confidently confirm that is the case, HCPS will utilize systemwide closures on inclement weather days. These will ensure the safety of students traveling on buses and provide consistent messaging for staff. Systemwide closures mean schools and offices are closed no instruction, in person or virtual, will take place. Essential personnel will receive further instruction from their immediate supervisors when needed. Transportation services will be suspended. We will continue to try to make and deliver these decisions the night before; not only does this help families and staff prepare for the closure, it ensures our transportation department who transports students to many out of county placements that require bus routes beginning much earlier and lasting much further into the evening than a traditional bus route, has plenty of notice, too.

If conditions allow for a delayed opening or require an early dismissal, HCPS will conduct those operational changes in the same manner they will apply to all students and staff and essential personnel will receive further instruction from their immediate supervisor.

Again, if the announcement says it is a systemwide closure, all schools and offices are shut down and essential personnel will receive additional information from their supervisor.

If we can operate virtually on inclement weather days in the future, we will be sure to share that with you as early as possible."

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 16, 2021
The following information will be sent directly to all families via phone, email, and text via our mass communications system Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

We would like to announce a new feature available on hcps.org for those utilizing HCPS bus transportation. If your bus or bus route is experiencing a known delay, information will be posted as soon as possible via the School Bus Route Status button on the homepage. The information is designed to provide the duration of the delay and whether a bus replacement will be necessary.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to face challenges like staffing shortages in our transportation department. If you or someone you know is interested in training to become an HCPS bus driver, please apply at hcps.org.