HCPSS Students Take Home Honors at Maryland FFA Convention →
HCPSS Seeks Members for Policy Advisory Committees by July 30 →
HCPSS Seeks Members for Curriculum Advisory Committees by Aug. 1 →
HCPSS Kickoff to Build On School/Family/Community Relationships, Aug. 16 →
Staying Healthy and Safe This Summer →
HCPSS Implements New Special Education Positions and Programming →
HCPSS Boundary Review Process Next Steps →
Board of Education Adopts FY26 Operating & Capital Budgets →
System
The Board of Education directed HCPSS to initiate the boundary review process outlined in Policy 6010 to consider redistricting selected schools that are outside the capacity utilization range of 90-110%. Changes as a result of this process will take effect for the 2026-2027 school year.
System
HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes in January launched the HCPSS 2024-2029 strategic plan: Together we will be great! The plan establishes the system’s vision and mission, elevates the shared values of the community, and details five primary priorities that will influence system work.
Partnerships
In a partnership with College Aid Pro, the organization will offer a free, monthly webinar series with topics including navigating senior year; planning, paying, and preparing for college with confidence; maximizing scholarships; getting a head start; and more.
Congratulations to Erin Alistar of River Hill High School, elected by middle and high school students across the county to serve as Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) for the 2025-2026 school year.
Join HCPSS in celebrating the school system’s Principal of the Year Lisa Smith (Hammond Middle School), and Teachers of the Year Tyrone Page (Oakland Mills Middle School) and Natalie Pretzello (Hammond Middle School).
Congratulations to these outstanding staff members!
La Tanya Robinson is responsible for the School-Based Mental Health Services program at several schools. She also leads HCPSS’ Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions program, which brings together parents of anxious children and provides them with opportunities to learn strategies to better support their anxious children.
Students
Recent updates to the HCPSS Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment and Intimidation form allow users to report hate bias incidents as a type of harassment, and provide space for greater description of the type of hate bias to help inform HCPSS staff decisions on how to best support students and staff members.
Students
In alignment with Howard County Board of Education Policy 3000 Religious Observances, a student absence for observation of a religious holiday is considered a lawful absence. Additionally, the HCPSS Student and Parent Handbook details the accommodations for religious observances.
Families
HCPSS Connect is made up of several tools, including Synergy, Canvas and Family File, all of which provide access to a variety of student information and classroom instructional tools. Learn more about Canvas, HCPSS’ Learning Management System, through which parents/guardians and students can find upcoming assignments, grades, announcements and more.
HCPSS