News

Do you work with an exceptional school psychologist? The Howard County School Psychology Association (HCSPA) is seeking nominations for HCPSS School Psychologist of the Year. Please consider nominating a colleague who embodies the qualities of an outstanding school psychologist. 

The HCSPA School Psychologist of the Year will be announced in mid-January and will serve as the Howard County nominee for Maryland School Psychologist of the Year Award.

Complete details, including a nomination link, can be found online.

HCPSS staff interested in working for the Innovative Pathways Evening Program for the Spring 2026 semester are invited to complete this online Hiring Interest Survey. 

Please review the Innovative Pathways Evening Program Overview before completing the survey. Additional information can be found on the Innovative Pathways Evening Program webpage.

Please note the following:

• The hiring survey will remain open until all positions are filled.
• Completion of the interest survey is NOT a formal offer of temporary employment.
• Program staff will review the information and follow-up with references as needed. 

Questions can be emailed to Kimesha Parker or Angelena Johnson, or call 410-313-6627. 

HCPSS welcomes staff input on the impact of changes made last year to Board of Education Policy 8080 Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media related to student use of technology during the school day. While Quarter 1 data is being evaluated to see if any changes can be fully/partially attributed to restricting student use of technology in school, the most important feedback likely will be from school leaders.

Only staff are receiving this survey. Please complete this survey by close of business on Monday, Nov. 17.

Please note that changes to the policy are not currently being considered. Feedback should pertain to quantitative and/or qualitative improvements or regressions you have seen in your school as a result of the more restrictive policy.

HCPSS employees planning to retire under the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) within the next two years are invited to attend one of our upcoming virtual information sessions.  Attendees will receive information about retiree healthcare and life insurance eligibility and coverage. A timeline and steps of the retirement process will be reviewed, as well as information about unused sick leave, years of service, and the earnings limitation.  There will also be a Q&A section during the seminar.

Please note: MSRA and HCPSS are the only organizations that provide seminars specifically related to your retirement with MSRA and HCPSS. We have been made aware of other companies and/or individuals offering retirement-related conferences, seminars, or meetings; however, these events are not approved or endorsed by HCPSS, and may provide misinformation.

Dates:
The same material will be presented at each seminar; employees only need to attend one of the following seminars

• Tuesday, December 9
• Tuesday, January 20
• Wednesday, February 25

Time: 4:30-6:00 p.m.

Location: GoogleMeet. The code will be provided at the time of registration

Registration: Online registration is required.

Helpful things to do before the seminar:

• Set up an account with MSRA (mySRPS) to see your retirement options and eligibility date. View this MSRA video for directions.
• Once registered, estimate your monthly pension amount by clicking “Estimate Benefits” on the left side of the home page.
• Download the attached documentation to review and prepare questions for the seminar
• Register for an MSRA Pre-Retirement Webinar, which provides a general overview of pension eligibility and benefits

Questions?  Please email HRRetirement@hcpss.org.

Nominations are now open for the annual Howard County Public School System Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards. All nominations are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

Details on each award, including how to submit a nomination form, are availabel online.

Employees who are members of the following sick leave banks will have their annual contribution processed during the week of Nov. 10. The donation will be processed in the following priority order:

• Sick Leave Balance – Full and/or partial donation will be deducted from available balance between Nov. 11-14, 2025
• Sick Bank Balance – Full and/or partial donation will be deducted from available balance between Nov. 11-14, 2025
• Docking of Pay – Value of full and/or partial donation will be deducted from the gross pay and displayed as “Adjust Wage – Non-Retirement” in the Earnings area on the pay stub on the check dated 11/21/25

To view your sick bank status in Workday, click on your photo in the top right corner; Select View Profile > Overview from the left navigation menu > Additional Data toward the top, then scroll down to Sick Bank. This will indicate if you are a member and when you joined.

See attached for bargaining units and donation amounts.

The annual Benefits Open Enrollment period will be held Oct. 27-Nov. 14. Open Enrollment is the annual time period where benefits-eligible employees may make changes to their benefits elections for the upcoming plan year. Employees should review their personal information, the benefits being offered by HCPSS, and the plans that they are enrolled in to determine if they would like to make any changes. HCPSS will continue to offer the same comprehensive benefits program in Plan Year 2026.

Benefits Information

Details regarding Open Enrollment are posted online, including:

• Open Enrollment Page
• 2026 Open Enrollment Newsletter
• 2026 Benefits Enrollment Guide

Benefits Selections

All benefit selections must be made in Workday. Each benefit category will have its own benefit tile, making it easier for employees to navigate and to enroll/make changes to benefit elections. 

To review, enroll and/or make changes in Workday:

1. Log in to Workday using your Active Directory user name and password
2. Go to your Workday inbox and select the Open Enrollment task.
3. Click on “Let’s get Started” and follow the prompts to proceed with your enrollment.
4. Upon making changes to your benefit elections you must click ”submit” for the changes to take effect for 01/01/2026.
5. Print a copy of your benefits confirmation page for your records.

Virtual Benefits Fairs

Employees will have the opportunity to learn more about their benefit options by attending a Virtual Benefits Fair. Carrier representatives and HCPSS Benefits staff will be available to meet, provide information and answer any benefit questions. Please note that the virtual fairs and accompanying chat rooms are accessible to all HCPSS active employees and families and are not confidential so please be mindful of disclosing any personal information.

The final remaining virtual fair will be held from 10:30 a.m.-noon, and from 1-4:30 p.m. on:

• Monday, November 10

The Virtual Benefits Fairs will be accessible by visiting www.employeewellnesshub.com/hcpss. (Note: this is a third-party website that is not managed or supported by HCPSS)

Additional Information

• Open Enrollment will not be extended. The last day for Open Enrollment is Friday, November 14, 2025.
• For staff who do not wish to make any changes to your medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, supplemental life, critical illness, accident and /or whole life insurance benefits, your benefits elections will continue for Plan Year 2026.
• All staff must make a new election for flexible Spending Accounts, if you wish to enroll. Your 2025 FSA election(s) will not carry over to Plan Year 2026. HCPSS has a new FSA provider, Flexible Benefit Administrators, effective 01/01/2026.
  • Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - 2026 FSA annual maximum is $3300.
  • Dependent Care FSA - 2026 New Annual maximum is $7500 per household.

Questions?

HCPSS Benefits Call Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. by calling 410-313-7333, Option 1. You also may email questions to benefits@hcpss.org.

Office Hours are available by appointment on Wednesdays. Schedule an appointment by calling (410) 313-7333 Option 1.
 

As part of the 2025-2026 HCPSS Systemic Professional Learning (PL) model, the Systemic PL Oversight Committee is conducting focus groups with key stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of the professional learning model and its impact on teaching and learning.

A virtual focus group session will be held Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 4:30-5:15 p.m. Employees interested in participating should register online. Employees interested but who are not available that day or who are not selected to participate will have additional opportunities to provide input. More information is forthcoming.

Due to extenuating circumstances, the HCPSS Instructional Resource Center  (IRC) will be closed until after Thanksgiving break. The IRC will reopen for normal business hours beginning Wednesday, December 3.  

We apologize for the inconvenience.
 

Staff are reminded that not all students are allowed to access the YouTube website and teachers should embed curated YouTube videos in their Canvas courses. However, please note that using the Lightseed Parent Portal families may control the viewing of any YouTube videos while off the HCPSS network.  

Parents/guardians may monitor their child’s HCPSS Chromebook internet usage by signing up for Lightspeed Parent Notifications to receive a weekly email summary of their child’s usage.

Once parents have signed up for Lightspeed Parent Notifications an email summary will be delivered each Sunday and will contain a link with access to the Lightspeed Parent Portal.

The Lightspeed Parent Portal offers near real-time information on their child’s internet activity, and, when they are not on the HCPSS network, the ability to block YouTube and pause the internet for 1 hour, 3 hours or until 6 a.m. the next morning. Frequently asked questions about Lightspeed and the Parent Portal can be found online.