Proposed HCPS 2026–2027 School Calendar Posted for Public Comment
The proposed calendar for the 2026–2027 school year is now posted for public comment. Families, students, staff, and community members have 60 days, from September 22 through November 21, 2025, to review the draft and provide feedback before the Board of Education of Harford County finalizes it at the December 15, 2025, Board Business Meeting.
Click here to review the draft calendar and provide your comments.
October is National Principals Month! This is a time to recognize and celebrate the dedicated leaders who guide our schools each day. Principals play a vital role in supporting students, staff, and families while shaping positive school communities. Join us in thanking our principals for their leadership and commitment to student success.
Please help us make the day of our students and wear a Smily face tee.
See the news tab to read why this is such an important day for Charlie and others.
HCRASC commUNITY in Motion 5K & Family Fun Run – Saturday, October 18
The Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils (HCRASC) invites families and community members to participate in the commUNITY in Motion 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Run. This student-run event will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Harford Technical High School in Bel Air. Gates open at 9:00 AM and the race starts at 10:00 AM.
Join HCRASC for a morning of fitness, fun, and community while supporting HCPS student leaders. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Upper Chesapeake Health for Breast Cancer Care.
Registration fees are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Children under 5-years-old are free. Click here to register.
Picture Day is coming on Friday, October 3!
You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTFD2SCD. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!
Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com.
Parent Helpers Wanted:
The Board of Education of Harford County will hold Engage for Education listening sessions throughout the 2025–2026 school year. The first session is Tuesday, September 30, 2025, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. in the C. Milton Wright High School auditorium.
These sessions are an opportunity to ask questions and share your thoughts on the future of education in Harford County directly with Board members. No pre-registration is required to attend or speak.
More information, including how to provide feedback if you cannot attend, is available on the Engage for Education page at hcps.org.
HCPS schools will dismiss three hours early for students on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Please note: half-day Pre-K will not meet on early dismissal days. The full 2025–2026 school year calendar is available by clicking here.
This week, HCPS joins schools across the country in celebrating the power of the arts in education. From music and theater to visual and digital arts, the arts inspire creativity, build confidence, and help students discover their voices.
These events allow you to learn about specific programs, tour facilities, and ask questions of teachers and current students.
Harford County Public Schools will host Magnet and Technical Programs Information Nights for families of 7th and 8th grade students. Each event begins at 6:00 p.m., and presentations are identical, so you only need to attend one.
Dates and Locations:
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 – Magnolia Middle & Patterson Mill Middle
Thursday, September 25, 2025 – Havre de Grace Middle & Southampton Middle
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 – Aberdeen Middle & North Harford Middle
Programs highlighted include: International Baccalaureate (IB) and Global Studies, Harford Technical High School Career Programs, IT Oracle Academy, JROTC, Natural Resources and Agricultural Science (NRAS), P-TECH, Science and Mathematics Academy (SMA), and the Teacher Academy of Maryland (TAM).
Click here for more information on the Harford County Public Schools Magnet and Technical Programs.
Please see flyer to RSVP on the QR Code.
This presentation is a great way to stay on top of the latest social media and technolgoy dangers our students are facing.
Join the Harford County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) for their monthly meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Networking begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting from 7:00–8:30 p.m.
The agenda includes a Co-Chair Election, Meet Your SECAC, and an HCPS Special Education presentation.
This meeting will be held virtually.
Click here to register.
The following is being shared with families who have Kindergarten students in HCPS, on behalf of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE):
This fall your student will take the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). The KRA is an assessment that measures a student's knowledge, skills, and abilities in literacy, mathematics, and social and emotional development. It is given to all kindergarten students enrolled in public schools in Maryland by October 10th each year. The purpose of the KRA is to provide teachers and caregivers with information about what students know and can do, as well as to identify areas where they might need additional support. The assessment has three components:
• Star Early Literacy - 10-minute computer adaptive assessment of early literacy skills
• Star Math – 15-minute computer adaptive assessment of math skills
• SAEBRS (Social Academic Emotional Behavior Risk Screen) – 19-question survey completed based on
teacher observation
Most students will take the literacy and mathematics components of the KRA on a computer or tablet. The test will be read out loud to students who will use a mouse or touchscreen to select answers. Paper tests, ASL interpretation, and other accommodations are available for students who need them. Teachers will complete the social and emotional component of the assessment after spending the first few weeks of school getting to know students and completing observations.
Caregivers will receive information about how their student performed after the assessment has been administered. The results provide information about a student's mastery of the content and skills that will support their success in kindergarten. Performance on the KRA does not prevent a child from entering or remaining in kindergarten. The KRA results are only one piece of data, and scores should be understood in the context of other information, including feedback from a student’s teacher.
If you have questions about the KRA please speak with your student’s teacher.
Sincerely,
Erika McCrea
Executive Director of State Assessments
Parent Orientation Power Point from Cougar Camp
The link below are the google slides from - Sorry this took so long to post, but the website does not recognize PPT or PDF, so we had to find an alternative way to share the information.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YWyrG5Ep15IjwAEcxvqaUKpcDtYVeEMKdSrnFHl2KKc/edit?usp=sharing
Cougar Camp Parent Presentation
Reminders and important info to start the 2025-2026 school year:
The Back to School Checklist includes links to all the required and optional documents to start your school year!
The Student Handbook is a great resource for students, parents, and guardians.
The new webpage, Stay Connected with Your Student’s Learning, was made to help parents and guardians connect directly to their student’s curriculum and understand options to support their child’s learning. This includes the process to follow for opting out of specific elements of the curriculum.
HCPS parents are their child’s first and best teachers! The HCPS Parent Academy is here to support you with resources, tools, and newsletters designed to keep families informed and engaged.
Check out the Parent Connection newsletter archive here: https://www.hcps.org/parents/parentacademy/parentconnectionarchive.aspx
Click here to visit the Parent Academy webpage for even more parent resources.
