News

If you contribute to a 403(b) plan and would like to make a change to the amount you currently contribute, those changes must be submitted no later than December 5, 2025, for all remaining 2025 paycheck dates. Any changes submitted after December 5, 2025 will take effect in your January 2, 2026 paycheck.

Instructions on changing your 403(b) deduction can be found here: Workday Instructions for 403(b) Plans

Beginning 1/1/2026 under Secure Act 2.0, new IRS rules will impact all HCPSS 403(b) plans. All 403(b) plans will be required to offer a post-tax Roth account. Additionally, there are changes to the catch-up provision for employees ages 50 and older. The new catch-up provision will be as follows:

• Individuals ages 50-59 can contribute an additional $8,000 annually in catch-up
• Individuals ages 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250 annually in catch-up
• Individuals ages 64+ can contribute an additional $8,000 annually in catch-up 

Individuals earning $145,000 or more must make any elected catch-up contributions to their Roth (post-tax) account. Workday will be configured to ensure that employees do not exceed their maximum allowable contributions, and follow IRS rules for catch-up contributions.

Email Benefits@hcpss.org with any questions.

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 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.

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.

As we conclude this year’s Cyber Resiliency and Preparedness Month, we as educators and staff play a vital role in helping students navigate the digital world safely. Whether they’re using school devices, accessing online resources, or communicating through digital platforms, students rely on us to model and reinforce smart cybersecurity habits.

Here are three simple ways you can support student cyber safety:

1. Model Strong Password Practices
   Encourage students to use complex passwords and avoid sharing credentials, even with friends.
2. Promote Responsible Online Behavior
   Remind students to think before they click, avoid suspicious links, and report anything that feels “off” or unsafe.
3. Recognize and Report Cyberbullying or Security Concerns
   Be alert to signs of online harassment or risky behavior and know how to escalate concerns through the proper channels.

! Call to Action ! Explore Cybersecurity Training in Vector

To deepen your understanding and strengthen our collective cybersecurity culture, we invite you to voluntarily explore the Cybersecurity Extra Training section in K–12 Vector Training. Short courses for Cybersecurity Awareness for Education Leaders include:

• Creating a Cybersecurity Culture
• Safeguarding Against Social Engineering Attacks
• End-User Best Practices

Let’s continue to lead by example and keep our students—and ourselves—safe online.

If after reviewing the resource you have any questions, contact Technology Support at (410) 313-7004 option 4 or TechSupport@hcpss.org

As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen account security, HCPSS will enable Duo Number Matching for multi-factor authentication (MFA), effective this Friday, October 31, 2025.

This enhancement, also known as Verified Push, adds a short verification step to help prevent accidental or fraudulent approvals during login.

What’s Changing?

When logging in with Duo Push, you may occasionally see a three-digit number on your computer or device screen. To approve the login, simply select or enter that same number in the Duo Mobile app.

This feature helps ensure that only legitimate login attempts are approved, significantly reducing the risk of phishing or “push fatigue” attacks.

What You Need to Know

• The change takes effect Oct. 31, 2025.
• The number prompt may appear intermittently when using Duo Push through the Duo Mobile app.
• Duo Number Matching only applies to Duo Mobile push notifications, not YubiKey USB keys. If you use a YubiKey (USB key) for MFA authentication, this change does not affect you.

Call to Action

No immediate action is required. On Friday, Oct. 31 when you next login and are prompted for number matching, simply follow the on-screen instructions.

If you have any questions, contact Technology Support at (410) 313-7004 (option 4) or TechSupport@hcpss.org

Together, we can make HCPSS more secure — one smart click at a time.