HCPSSNews Stories
2019-2020 Fourth Quarter Grading Protocols
April 17th, 2020
The Howard County Board of Education unanimously approved recommendations for Quarter 4 grading for the 2019-2020 school year, in which students will receive a Pass or Incomplete for each graded subject or course.
Continuity of Learning Updates April 14, 2020
April 14th, 2020
The following email provides links and helpful resources. Additional information is provided on the HCPSS website. Continuity of Learning Plan The HCPSS continuity of learning plan implementation continues with Phase 3 of our distance learning for high school students. This will be followed by middle and elementary school students on Monday, April 20 who will […]
HCPSS Students Advance to State History Day Competition
April 9th, 2020
The Howard County Public School System recently hosted its 16th annual History Day Competition. This year’s event included 184 project entries presented by 268 students, representing 22 middle and six high schools.
Important Continuity of Learning Updates, April 9, 2020
April 9th, 2020
The following update was sent to the HCPSS community by Superintendent Michael Martirano on April 9, 2020: Over the past four weeks, the HCPSS has been working to develop a continuity of learning plan that builds a bridge between expectations in the traditional school setting and learning during a national state of emergency. This pandemic […]
Supporting Language Needs During COVID-19
April 9th, 2020
The COVID–19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all Howard County communities, families and schools, requiring timely and effective communication from many sources, including the school system. Nearly 6%, or roughly 3,500 students, are English language learners whose families are among those who may require additional support to understand the new information and updates being issued and posted online daily. The HCPSS website is updated regularly with new information and remains the repository of all information related to HCPSS’ coronavirus response. Many of the most important documents and resources have been translated into Spanish and other languages.
Update on Device Distribution for Continuity of Learning
April 9th, 2020
Distribution of student technology devices to high school students for continuity of learning concluded this week. Unfortunately, the challenges of adhering to social distancing guidelines proved too difficult to continue distribution at schools. Moving forward, devices will be packaged and mailed or delivered by HCPSS staff to families of elementary and middle school students who have requested to borrow them, as well as any high school students who have not yet received a requested device.
Update on Continuity of Learning
April 9th, 2020
HCPSS has worked to develop a continuity of learning plan that builds a bridge between expectations in the traditional school setting and learning during a national state of emergency. Provided online are summaries of HCPSS work currently underway to implement continuity of learning and resolve issues resulting from the coronavirus-related school closure.
HCPSS Recognized as a 2020 Best Community for Music Education
April 7th, 2020
The Howard County Public School System has been recognized as one of the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education Districts by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education.
HCPSS School Closure Update: April 6, 2020
April 6th, 2020
This week teachers are preparing for the transition to the next phase of our Continuity of Learning process, which begins April 14 for high school students, and the following week for middle and elementary students. Communication has been a top priority throughout this closure period, and up to this point I have emailed all families and staff each day to share new announcements and ensure that learning continues while schools are closed. As we shift to online teacher-led learning, you will receive frequent messages directly from teachers and principals to provide information specific to your student and school. I realize that at times you may feel overwhelmed with messaging, so rather than daily updates, I will start each week with an update on our progress and any new announcements, and we will end the week with a summary of system-level information.
Student Enrollment for 2020-2021 School Year During HCPSS School Closures
April 6th, 2020
Parents/guardians of new incoming students and those entering kindergarten in the 2020-2021 school year (who are not already enrolled) are able to begin the enrollment process online, followed by completion of the registration process when schools reopen.