With the commitment survey completed, HCPSS has a much better understanding how our hybrid plan will be implemented on March 1, 2021. There will be more to be nailed out from HCPSS moving forward.
At its work session January 26, 2021, the Howard County Board of Education approved a phased-in hybrid model for students to return to school in person. The approved model will bring students back to in-person instruction over the course of four phases beginning March 1, 2021. All students will have the option to continue receiving fully virtual instruction.
The Board’s action follows the direction provided by Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon on Thursday, January 21, 2021, that all public school systems shall return to in-person learning by March 1, 2021. The Maryland Educational Code provides authority to the State Superintendent to enforce the State’s educational laws and ensure that districts are adhering to the decisions made by the State.
The approved dates for students who choose to return in-person are:
Students whose parents/guardians opt for them to participate in the in-person hybrid option will attend school in-person for a maximum two days per week and participate virtually for the remainder of the week, with the exception of those identified to return on March 1. HCPSS will strive to offer students two days per week of in-person learning. However, if the number of requests exceeds capacity, due to social distancing requirements, it may be possible that HCPSS offers only one in-person day per week.
Additional information and more details on implementation will be provided to parents/guardians, staff and the community this week. Parents/guardians will receive details on choosing the instructional model for their children, as well as whether or not they will use transportation services. Staff will receive details in a separate email. Please be patient as HCPSS finalizes staff and family surveys and updates the FAQ website.
The Board discussed several details related to the hybrid model, staffing, and protocols to ensure health and safety when students and staff return to buildings. Documents related to the Board’s work session may be found on the HCPSS website.
The governor has no mandate on school reopening. However MSDE ( Maryland State Department of Education) can mandate the school reopening by March 1st, 2021.
His whole remark could be found in the pdf below:
More details could be find the ppt below:
| Superintendent Presents 2021–2022 Operating Budget Proposal Superintendent Michael J. Martirano presented his proposed operating budget for the Howard County Public School System fiscal year 2021–2022 (FY 2022) during a presentation to the Board of Education on Thursday, January 21, 2021. The Board will now hold a series of public hearings and work sessions before submitting the Board’s Requested Budget to the County Executive by March 1, 2021. The budget proposal requests the funding needed to maintain existing levels of services and supports for students, staff, and schools. The proposal accounts for enrollment growth, sustains the school system’s recent investments in technology and software, addresses critical shortages in special education, and enhances funding to support student mental health services and dyslexia and reading instruction. The FY 2022 Proposed Budget totals $932.4 million, representing an expenditure increase of $13.8 million, or 1.5%. If advanced by the Board of Education, the request to the county of $642.4 million represents $22.1 million, or 3.6% over FY 2021. Also included are $282.7 million in anticipated funding from the state, consistent with the FY2021 allocation; and $667,100 in federal and other funding support, representing an expected decrease of $375,000 compared to FY2021. The final amount of funding allocated to the school system is subject to change, based on state actions on MOE requirements, state funding levels, and county funding availability. |
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Since the are state legislatures who are proposing to remove SRO from schools, the school board is observing what they are doing in the state legislature.
The superintendent made a recommendation to the school board and the board took his recommendation: totally remove SRO program or reform SRO program. SRO program is funded by the Howard County Police Department, not by the school budget. The cost is more than 2 million dollars.
The board voted to direct the superintendent to work on his two recommendations.
There has been many discussions and community outreach on this program. Here is the link on that: https://chaowu.org/2020/09/23/hcpss-school-resource-officers-sro-discussion/
It documented past arrest summary.
The following memo is from the superintendent:
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information about the staffing considerations associated with the expansion of small group programs and the gradual return to normalized operations. During the January 7, 2021 Board of Education meeting, I provided an overview of a plan designed to bring a small percentage of students and a small percentage of staff to work in buildings with an eye on achieving three goals:
The goal would be to implement as early as February 1, 2021. However, as was mentioned many times during that board meeting, these efforts are entirely contingent on the health metrics approved by the Board of Education in the fall of 2020. The health metrics would have to reflect a positivity rate of <5.3% or the number of cases per 100,000 as 20 or less for 14 consecutive days in order to implement programs. For reference, Wednesday’s positivity rate was 7.6% and the case rate per 100,000 was 34.96, both significantly above the levels allowing small groups to resume. Staff will review health metrics on January 18 in order to determine the feasibility of a February 1 start date. If metrics remain unfavorable, then the start date will be pushed back one week to February 8. Each Monday, staff will review health metrics to determine a possible start date. Staff will not be required to report to buildings until health metrics permit.
Here is the full document.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Friends of Education Award. The award was established by the Howard County Board of Education to recognize and show appreciation to those individuals, businesses, non-profit groups, organizations, or associations who have made exemplary contributions to Howard County public education and to increase awareness of the importance of community involvement to the achievement of the school system’s Strategic Call to Action (SCTA) plan.
Any Howard County resident or non-profit group, organization, association, or business located in or serving Howard County who has not been a recipient may be nominated for the award.
The 2021 nomination deadline is February 8, 2021. Nominees and recipients will be notified by March 15, 2021, and awards will be presented during the April 15, 2021, Board of Education meeting.
Nomination applications are available online or by contacting the Board of Education at 410-313-1584. For more information, visit the Friends of Education website at http://www.hcpss.org/board/friends-of-education/
It is now time to receive applications for the next Student Member of the Howard County Board of Education. Any current sophomore or junior in Howard County may apply for this position. The student must be regularly enrolled in an HCPSS high school, academically eligible, and a junior or senior in the 2020-2021 school year. The student elected by the students of Howard County will serve a one‑year term on the Howard County Board of Education, July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
Please download the file above which contains necessary links.
Here is the manual for HCPSS Safe Reopening of Schools Handbook for All Small Group Programs.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our teachers and staff, students and families taking this unprecedented challenge this year.
I wish everyone happy holidays and happy New Year. We are looking forward to a gradual and steady return to normal of our education and life in 2021, year of Ox. Oxes are known for diligence, dependability, strength and determination. Let’s embrace these.
Thank you.
This is the latest separate update from the superintendent Dr. Martirano on the covid-19 and HCPSS effort to bridge to normalized instruction.
Here is a training for BOE board members to understand the board role in the appeal process.
Mr. Kamau Richardson graduated from Atholton High School in 2020. He is attending Howard University, majoring Chemical Engineering.
Kamau shared his high school experience on how to manage his time. He shared his secrete to build relationship: be present. He also shared his participation and leadership building experience at Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Here is the page: https://www.hcpss.org/jrotc/ for your reference. There are three JROTC program in HCPSS ( Atholton, Oakland Mills and Howard High).
There are more to learn. Please tune in.
https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2020/11/apply-for-jrotc-november-18-2020-january-5-2021/
Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) programs are offered at Atholton (Army), Howard (Army) and Oakland Mills (Air Force) high schools. Each JROTC program provides an introduction to career opportunities in the United States Armed Forces and teaches principles of leadership, discipline and civic responsibility.
Any student who wishes to participate in JROTC but does not attend one of the schools that offers the program may apply for participation. Each school has a limited number of additional spaces available. To apply for participation for the 2021-2022 school year, students must contact a JROTC official between November 18, 2020, and January 5, 2021, to schedule an interview. Only students who are interviewed during this designated period will be considered for enrollment.
Students who are approved for admission into a JROTC program will be notified by letter by January 22, 2021.
Beginning November 18, to schedule an interview, contact the JROTC official for the program of interest:
An application essay or other pre-interview materials may be required by each individual JROTC program. Contact your school counselor for additional information.
Find more information about the JROTC program on our website.
Here is the survey conducted by Howard County Educator Association.
The full presentation is attached here.
These are the two documents for discussion tomorrow ( Nov. 5th, 2020).
 Board of Education Virtual Town Hall on Spring Semester, Nov. 9As part of ongoing efforts to receive stakeholder feedback and answer questions related to the 2020-2021 spring semester, the Howard County Board of Education will host a virtual town hall, Monday, November 9 from 7-9 p.m. The event will be streamed live and may be viewed on the HCPSS website, or on Comcast channel 95/Verizon 42 in Howard County. The town hall will feature a panel of HCPSS leadership and Central Office staff, who will respond to pre-submitted questions. Panelists will address as many of the submitted questions as possible within the two-hour time period. Any staff, students, parents/guardians or community members may submit questions via Google form, which closes at 7 a.m., Monday, November 9.Submit your question Please note, there is a scheduled Board of Education meeting Thursday, November 5, during which a proposed hybrid model for the spring semester will be presented. That proposal will be available on the BoardDocs website by the start of the presentation. Stakeholders may find it useful to submit questions after reviewing the proposed hybrid model.Additionally, all stakeholders may continue to provide input to the Board of Education by emailing spring-input@hcpss.org. |
Board members submitted some questions and here are some answers, many questions for Howard County Health Department.
