August 12th, 2026
District & School Communications | Technology | Additional News / Reminders
In emergency situations (including inclement weather), information will be shared with the community through the HCPSS website, email and text, and the HCPSS weather hotline. The current operating status is always identified on the HCPSS status website.
Parents/guardians can visit several HCPSS websites for details on school system programs and initiatives, news and information, and answers to frequently asked questions. Those sites can be found directly at:
Families can find information specific to their children’s schools by visiting school websites. Links to all school sites can be found online.
HCPSS has an active Instagram. Many of our schools use social media to communicate and engage with their communities. Check with your school for details.
HCPSS News email and text alerts keep families up-to-date on news and events, and deliver real-time notices of emergency closings and information. In addition to emergency notifications, during the school year HCPSS sends a weekly email message to families with timely information. All HCPSS News subscriptions are generated from the information provided in Family File and have been automatically updated for the 2026-2027 school year. Parents/guardians new to the system are automatically enrolled for email notification. All users must opt in to text alerts one time. If you are unsure if you have opted in, text the word “YES” to 67587 from the mobile number in Family File.
Please note! Unsubscribing from any school or district email or text will unsubscribe you from all future messaging, including emergency notifications. If you have inadvertently unsubscribed, please contact your child’s school.
Schools/teachers may use the TalkingPoints application for text messaging. Teachers can opt to use it for two-way communications, which parents/guardians receive in the language identified in HCPSS Connect Synergy. Teachers who choose to use TalkingPoints will share details with families.
The free HCPSS mobile app delivers HCPSS system and school news, upcoming events, information on the Board of Education, and more.
HCPSS utilizes the Canvas learning management system to access and manage online course learning materials, grades and more. Canvas is available to families online and via mobile app. Orientation videos for each school level, as well as guides for students and parents, are available online.
HCPSS Connect provides access to a variety of student information and classroom instructional tools, offering personalized communication and timely, relevant and easily accessible information relating to your student. Parents/guardians may log in via HCPSS Connect to access and update Family File, access student attendance records, view report cards and more.
The current HCPSS device deployment implementation plan is:
Families should review device responsibilities to learn about how to care for devices and their responsibilities should a device become lost, stolen or damaged while in their care.
Families with students new to HCPSS and whose registration has been finalized should have begun receiving emails from security_notifications@hcpss.org with the subject “Technology account information for new HCPSS student.” The communication was sent to the parent/guardian email address used during the student registration process and contains personalized and important information regarding new students’ technology accounts.
If you have a child new to HCPSS and did not receive the email and/or cannot locate the email in the junk/spam folder of the email account you used during registration, you can use the Forgot Password or Username button on the hcpss.me student landing page to retrieve both your child’s username and password. Directions for Account Self Service are posted online.
HCPSS staff work continuously to help teach responsible use of technology and ensure students are exhibiting safe behaviors online.
There are resources available on the HCPSS website detailing these efforts, including information on content filters, Lightspeed Parent Portal, consent for Google services (YouTube), and more.
Beginning August 17, high school students will no longer be able to add or access personal Google/Gmail accounts to Chrome on their HCPSS-assigned Chromebooks. Elementary and middle school devices already have this restriction, which helps prevent students from bypassing the Chromebook content filter. More information is available online.
HCPSS utilizes Family File for families to complete emergency information. Parents/guardians can now complete Family File by logging in to HCPSS Connect, selecting the Online Registration/Family File at the top right of the page and then selecting Family File Verification. Parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child, each school year.
Thursday, August 20, 4 and 7 p.m.
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on August 20. The meeting can be viewed live at www.hcpss.org and on Howard County Comcast channel 95 or Verizon channel 42.
To help offset the cost of school supplies and ensure students head back to school with the tools they need to succeed, HCPSS has partnered with its education foundation, Bright Minds, and Prepare for Success to host two school supply collection drives. Details on how, when and where to donate are available online.
HCPSS