Handbook – Family Involvement

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School Visitation

HCPSS welcomes parents/guardians to visit our schools. American Education Week, held in November, offers an excellent opportunity for school visits. At other times, visitors are asked to follow the procedures below in order to limit interruptions to instruction and maximize safety for all.

Contact the principal at least 24 hours in advance to discuss the purpose of the visit and to establish a convenient time for both the visitor and the school. Visitors must receive prior approval from the principal before entering a classroom. Teachers may request that visits be rescheduled to serve instructional needs and students’ best interests.
Only the agreed upon attendees are permitted during an observation/visitation and volunteer opportunity.
Students may not shadow other students.
Sign in at the main office, receive a visitor badge, and sign a Confidentiality form. Visitors are required to provide a photo ID.
Avoid access to confidential or personally identifiable information related to the student(s) you are observing, even if you have a working relationship with families of other students in the observation setting, unless that information pertains to your child.
Interactions between visitors and school staff or students will be limited.
Visitors are not permitted to video record, audio record, photograph, live stream, or in any other way transmit any part of an observation experience.
Stay only for the agreed upon length of time and remain in the agreed upon classroom or other building location for a reasonable time (not to exceed 60 minutes).
Address issues, concerns, or questions that arise during this observation with a school-based administrator.
Schedule any desired follow-up meetings with school staff at a mutually convenient time.

School Improvement Teams

Each school has a School Improvement Team made up of school staff, parents and other community members, which oversees the process of improving instruction and academic performance in that school.

Parent Teacher Association

Every comprehensive public school in Howard County has an active parent-teacher association (PTA), parent-teacher organization (PTO), parent-teacher-student association (PTSA), or local parent-teacher organization (PTO). The local PTA/PTSA provides an opportunity for parents, educators, students, and community members to work together to benefit the school. Meeting dates and times should be confirmed with individual schools. PTA serves as a powerful voice for children, a relevant resource for families, and a strong advocate for education and well-being of children.

The first Monday of each month is reserved for the meeting of the PTA Council of Howard County. The PTA Council is composed of two council delegates and the PTA President from each member school, and the PTA Council board of directors. The PTA Council acts as a liaison between the local PTAs and the state PTA. The purpose of the PTA Council is to support school PTAs with leadership development, communication, advocacy, and coordination of efforts throughout Howard County. For more information, contact your child’s school or the PTA Council office (410-740-5153 or office@ptachc.org), or visit www.ptachc.org.

Community Advisory Council to the Board of Education

The Community Advisory Council (CAC) draws members from all sectors of the community and serves as a channel for concerns, advice and information from the public to reach the Board of Education. This enables the community to participate more effectively in the educational process.

The CAC, which meets monthly during the school year, also raises new initiatives, researches issues and makes recommendations to the Board. All citizens are welcome to attend CAC meetings. Find more information at www.hcpss.org/board/cac/ or contact the CAC at CAC.hocoboe@gmail.com.

Advisory Committees

Schools are strengthened when communities are actively engaged in the education process. Community members are encouraged to provide input on school system policies and programs by participating on advisory committees. Curriculum Advisory Committees make recommendations about instructional content for specific subject areas: contact the applicable curriculum office for more information.

Administrative Advisory Committees

Academic Calendar Committee – Brian Bassett (410-313-1505)

Asian American Pacific Islander Committee – Razia Kosi, 410-313-1254

Interscholastic Athletics – John E. Davis, 410–313–6630

LGBTQIA+ – Danielle DuPuis, 410-313-7081

Mental Health Community – Cynthia Schulmeyer, 410-313-7021

Policy Review Committees – Antwan Perry, 410-313-6870

Resource Review Committee – Jennifer Hlavka, 410-313-7484

School Health Council – 410–313–6812

School Improvement Teams – contact School Principal

School Naming Committee – Jen Robinson, 410–313–6609

Technology – Justin Benedict, 410–313–6844

Curricular Advisory Committees

Bridges 21st Century Centers – Andrea Sykes, 410-313-1556

Career and Technical Education Career Academies – Dan Rosewag, 410-313-6797

English Language Development – 410-313-6669

Fine Arts (Art, Dance, Music, Theater) – Gino Molfino, 410–313–6634

Gifted and Talented – Debbie Blum, 410–313–6800

Health Education – Eric Bishop, 410-313-7150

Instructional Technology and Library Media

Melissa Daggett (Library Media), 410–313–7043
Julie Wray (Instructional Technology), 410-313-7141

Language Arts

Yvonne Cox (Elementary), 410-313-6843
Lee Read (Secondary), 410-313-6641

Mathematics

John SanGiovanni (Elementary), 410-313-6816
Jon Wray (Secondary), 410-313-6635

Physical Education – Eric Bishop, 410-313-7150

Science

Amy Reese (Elementary), 410-313-6811
Jackie Austin (Secondary), 410-313-7488

Social Studies

Kimberly Eggborn (Elementary) 410–313–5678
C. Renee Bos (Secondary), 410-313-6622

World Languages – Kimberly Banks, 410–313–5663

Community News and Programs

Families can discover educational and recreational events, resources and after-school/weekend programs offered by community non-profits on the HCPSS Community News and Programs website at https://community-programs.hcpss.org. Easily search by keyword, category, or ages; or browse new listings.

Use of School Facilities

The use of public school facilities by community organizations is encouraged by the Board of Education. Copies of Policy 10020 Use of School Facilities can be found at https://hcpssne.ws/10020. Facility rental, staffing and energy charges may apply under certain conditions.

For specific information regarding space availability, charges, policy and procedures, visit www.hcpss.org/parents/facilities, or contact the Community Use of School Facilities Office at 410‑313‑7477. Program offerings may be modified due to pandemic-related school system status.