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Innovative Pathways High School Summer Program

Jump to: Calendar | Attendance | Participation |Transportation | Payment | Withdrawal | Refunds | Contact

Summer programs registration is now closed. Parents of enrolled students should review the following information:

Summer Program Handbook

Please read and review the 2025 High School Summer Program Handbook with your child and complete the electronic signature form located at the end of the handbook.

Supporting Your Child

There are several ways to support your child this summer:

  • Make sure they attend every class and arrive on time! Students will be withdrawn after 2 absences or too many tardies.
  • Remind them of the HCPSS Personal Device Use policy during summer. Personal technology devices, including cell phones, may not be used at any time during the program day. Devices must remain away and silenced, meaning they should be stored in a backpack or bag and not accessed during the entire program day.
  • Check they have their charged Chromebook, charger, and school supplies every day.
  • Ask them to show you their Canvas course and grade book every day. Summer classes move quickly, so we want you to check each day they are keeping up with their assignments. Students will receive a quarter grade every 6-7 class days!

Student Orientation

  • Students will get a welcome message from their teacher on Monday, June 23 or Friday, July 11 with their contact information and room number.
  • There will be an in-class orientation with their teacher on their first class day (dates below). During orientation, teachers will review the Student Agreement form and their course syllabus.
    • Tuesday, June 24: For students in 6-week and Session 1 courses
    • Monday, July 14: For students in Session 2 courses only

Reporting Absences

To report an absence:

  • Students should message their teacher through Canvas Inbox or email their HCPSS account.
  • Parents can call their child’s summer program site OR email IPSummer@hcpss.org and include “Absence” in the subject line. Include the student’s name, course name, teacher’s name, and reason for the absence.

Questions

Beginning Monday, June 23: call your child’s summer program site (Monday–Friday, 7:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m.):

  • Hammond HS: 410-750-8179
  • Long Reach HS: 410-750-8184

Overview

The Innovative Pathways High School Summer Program offers high school credit-bearing courses in a variety of content areas and levels to support academic achievement and acceleration for diploma-bound students.

Summer Program courses meet in-person at a HCPSS school building; there are NO virtual courses. Courses meet five days per week (Monday–Friday) from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

  • Hammond HS: Art, CRD 1, CRD2/SBWE, English, GearUp for 9th Grade, Health, Lifetime Fitness, and Social Studies courses
  • Long Reach HS: Exploring Comp Sci, Foundations of Tech, Math, Science, and Spanish courses

Summer 2025 Program Calendar

Year-Long (1.0 credit) Courses
(6 weeks)

  • June 24–August 1 (No classes on Friday, July 4)
Semester (0.5 credit) Courses
(3 weeks)

  • Session 1: June 24–July 11 (No classes on Friday, July 4)
  • Session 2: July 14–August 1

Marking Period and Exam Dates

  • Quarter 1 (Session 1 Starts): June 24–July 1
  • Quarter 2: July 2–July 11
  • Mid-Term Exams (Year-Long Courses): July 11
  • Final Exams (Session 1 Courses)
  • Quarter 3 (Session 2 Starts): July 14–July 22
  • Quarter 4: July 23–August 1
  • Senior Final Exams (Year-Long and Session 2 Courses): July 30
  • Final Exams (Year-Long and Session 2 Courses): July 31
  • Make-up Final Exams (Year-Long and Session 2 Courses): August 1

    • Attendance

    Daily attendance and active student participation directly support student achievement. This is especially important during the Summer Program. Students will be meeting the instructional objectives for a full-year/semester course in a compressed six-week/three-week timeframe. Each day is equivalent to 8 ½ days of instruction during the normal school year.

    The following policy outlines expectations regarding tardiness and absence:

    • Tardiness: Students arriving after 8:15 a.m. will be marked as tardy.
    • Accumulated Tardiness: Every two (2) instances of tardiness will be recorded as one unexcused absence.
    • Missed Class Time: Any student who accumulates 30 minutes or more of missed instructional time, regardless of the reason, will also be recorded as an unexcused absence.
    • Absences: Students who have more than two (2) absences (excused or unexcused) will be withdrawn from the program.
    • To report an absence:
      • Students should message their teacher through Canvas Inbox or email their teacher’s HCPSS email address.
      • Parents can call their child’s summer program site (Long Reach HS: 410-750-8185 | Hammond HS: 410-750-8176) OR email IPSummer@hcpss.org and include “Absence” in the subject line. Include the student’s name, course name, teacher’s name, and reason for absence.
    • Students may only earn credit for assignments due to an excused absence. Students may be excused from class or school only for reasons as specified in the Code of Maryland Regulations, 13A.08.01.02, 13A.08.01.03, 13A.08.01.06, and l3AA.10.01.04(A-B).

    Participation and Course Progress

    Students are expected to actively participate in class and complete and submit course assignments on their due date. Students who are not making weekly progress or are more than one week behind in the course may be subject to withdrawal from the course. This includes:

    • Not attending in-person classes or logging into Canvas each day.
    • Not submitting assignments by the posted due dates.

    Transportation

    Transportation is not provided for all students. Limited bus transportation is available via community bus stops – a central bus stop location. Door-to-door or neighborhood bus stops are not provided.

    Transportation is available for students:

    • Enrolled in the GearUp for 9th Grade program at Hammond HS
    • Retaking a course (credit recovery)
    • Graduating during the High School summer program

    If your child meets the criteria above, complete the Transportation Request Form. After verification, parents/guardians will be emailed bus pick-up and drop-off times before the program start date. Community bus stops are subject to change.

    Transportation for students not eligible for HCPSS bus transportation will be the responsibility of the student and their parents/guardians. Students must be picked up within 15 minutes of the end of the school day. Alternate transportation may be found through the Regional Transportation Agency (RTA).

    Payments and Financial Assistance

    Payments

    Payments will only be accepted for students who have been enrolled in a course (not on a waitlist). Once enrolled, the parent/guardian will be emailed an invoice from MySchoolBucks outlining the course fee(s). Parents/guardians who do not receive an invoice should search do-not-reply@myschoolbucks.com in their spam/junk email folder.

    Download PDF: Summer Programs Payment Instructions

    Payments may be made online through MySchoolBucks or by mail. After 10 days past due, the enrollment may be removed. Full payment is due prior to the program start date. If payment is not received in full, the unpaid amount will become a debt and will be entered as an outstanding obligation at your child’s school. All obligations must be satisfied prior to graduation.

    • Online: Payment may be made through MySchoolBucks by debit card, credit card or eCheck (there is a 4% non-refundable service fee).
    • Download the Registration Payment Form and return the completed form with a check or money order payable to Howard County Public School System to:
      HCPSS
      Attn: Innovative Pathways
      10910 Clarksville Pike
      Ellicott City, MD 21042

    If an alternate form of payment is needed, please contact the program directly to review payment options. HCPSS cannot take in-person payment (check or money order) without an appointment.

    Returned Checks

    Checks returned by the bank due to insufficient funds will be assessed a charge. The HCPSS Finance Office has contracted with Envision Payment Solutions, Inc. for the electronic collection of check payments. If the check is returned unpaid, Envision Payment Solutions, Inc. will assess a $35 fee allowed by Maryland state law and charged as an electronic fund transfer.

    Financial Assistance

    Financial Assistance is available for current HCPSS students. Please visit www.hcpss.org/farms to submit a Free and Reduced Price Meal services (FARMs) application.

    Students receiving FARMs automatically receive a 50% tuition reduction upon verification.

    Parents/guardians who do not qualify for FARMs but are experiencing a documented financial hardship, or who are unable to afford tuition after the automatic FARMs status-based discounts, may complete a Financial Assistance Application. Financial hardships include unemployment of a parent or guardian, pending foreclosure or eviction and medical hardship. The Financial Assistance Committee will review the completed applications and notify parents/guardians if additional tuition reduction will be applied.

    Financial Assistance Applications will be accepted in the following manner (please only submit ONE version):

    • Online: Complete the online form and email the required documentation to IPSummer@hcpss.org
    • Mail: Download the application form and return the completed form and required documentation to:

      HCPSS
      Attn: Innovative Pathways
      10910 Clarksville Pike
      Ellicott City, MD 21042

    Withdrawal Requests

    Prior to enrollment, a parent/guardian or school counselor may submit a registration withdrawal request online through HCPSS Connect. Instructions for requesting withdrawal are included in the Register for HS Summer Program document.

    Any student who withdraws from a course after Friday, July 4 will receive a W (withdrawal) on the report card and official transcript.

    Refund Requests

    Refund requests will only be processed after a withdrawal request has been submitted online through HCPSS Connect prior to the refund deadline. See details on how to Request Withdrawal from HS Summer Courses.

    Tuition paid by check or money order will be refunded in the form of a check mailed to the issuer once the Refund Form is processed. Refunds by check may take 4–6 weeks to process. Tuition paid by credit card will be refunded to the credit card in accordance with the credit card company’s refund procedure less the service charge.

    Contact

    For questions regarding course selection, contact the student’s school counselor.

    Please note that messages sent via email generally will receive a faster response than calling. Phone messages will be returned within 24 hours during the school week.

    For program questions prior to June 23:

    Beginning June 23:

    Call the summer program site (Monday–Friday, 7:45 a.m.–1:30 p.m.)

    • Long Reach HS: 410-750-8184
    • Hammond HS: 410-750-8179