HCPSSGetting Ready for 2024-2025: Ready for Day One
August 21st, 2024
Throughout the month of August, we have shared a series of Getting Ready for 2024-2025 emails on various topics, including back-to-school basics, communications and technology, and more. See below for important information on bus stops and pickup times, student meals and free and reduced meals, health services, and more.
Previous back to school messages and additional information related to the 2024-2025 school year can be found online.
Reminder! Complete Your Family File
HCPSS utilizes Family File for parents/guardians to supply emergency information. Parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child every year.
Correction: Inclement Weather Closings
In the Aug. 14 HCPSS News email, information was included on repurposing up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous instruction days. HCPSS, however, recently learned the Maryland State Department of Education will no longer allow asynchronous instruction days for inclement weather, only synchronous days. As such, there will be no use of inclement weather asynchronous instruction for the 2024-2025 school year.
School Start and End Times
For the 2024-2025 school year, 11 elementary and middle schools will have new start times to better increase bus efficiency, alleviate traffic congestion, and address community and school administrator’s concerns. All other start/dismissal times remain the same, and may be found online and on each school’s website in the footer.
Please note! Start times indicate when the school day begins. Students should arrive prior to the start time to avoid being tardy. Check with your child’s school for when doors open each morning.
Transportation
The online HCPSS bus locator application is now available and can be found on the HCPSS Transportation webpage. Please review your child’s bus number and be sure they know it and check before boarding a bus.
Changes to bus stop locations are made on an ongoing basis as routes are designed and/or revised. The location and times listed online include the most up to date information. Families are encouraged to recheck your child’s transportation prior to the start of school.
Families whose children are served by Zum buses can download the company’s free mobile app to track buses and/or receive notifications.
Walk Area Maps
The 2024-2025 student walk area maps are forthcoming and will be posted to the footer of each school’s website as soon as possible.
Student Meals & Payments
HCPSS will continue to use LINQ Connect, a secure, online portal that allows families to make online payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more.
Students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price.
Free and Reduced Meals
Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees and many others in addition to free or discounted meals. Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year. Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program, including a link to apply, are available online.
Health Services
Health Services information can be found online and will be continually updated. All students, staff and visitors should perform daily health checks and may not enter an HCPSS bus or building if they exhibit any signs of a communicable disease. Details, including infection control protocols for communicable diseases like COVID-19, are available online.