News

The Bright Minds Foundation is pleased to offer classroom grants for HCPSS school-based staff interested in delivering educational projects focused on improving student achievement, engagement, and well-being during the 2026-2027 school year. All ideas are welcome, and projects should align with the HCPSS Strategic Plan. 

Approximately 20 proposals will be awarded grant funds (up to $2,000 per award). Details on the 2024-2025 awardees and their projects are available on the Bright Minds website.

Complete information, including details on how to apply, is available online.

Questions about the grant application components or process should be emailed to grants@brightmindsfoundation.org. The HCPSS Grants Office is available to provide technical assistance with grant applications, as needed. In addition, applicants can access helpful resources in this Google folder, or may contact HCPSS Grants Administrator Annette Bartlett at Annette_Bartlett@hcpss.org or (410) 313-2518. 

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, March 15.

Voluntary transfer requests for the 2026-2027 school year may now be submitted. Requests must be made in writing, using the established online system (Workday), and must be submitted by April 15, 2026.

Instructions on how to access the voluntary transfer request forms can be found here. The forms are accessed through Workday. Complete the form that identifies your desired position. There are five (5) different forms, and the positions identified in the five (5) forms include:

1. Teachers
2. Audiologists, Behavior Specialists, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, School Social Workers and Cluster Nurses.
3. Paraeducators, Health Assistants, School Culture and Safety Assistants and Student Assistants
4. Liaisons
5. School Counselors and Reading Specialists

Voluntary Transfer Request forms will be accepted through April 15, 2026.

Please Note:

• Submissions will only be accepted via the established online system (Workday).
• You will have the option to submit a copy of your resume and/or cover letter by providing a link to a Google Doc.
• Your request does not constitute a change in your current assignment as all assignment changes are based on the needs of the school system.
• The placements of employees listed above in #2 and #4 will continue to be made by program supervisors.
• After you submit a transfer request, you will receive an invitation to participate in a confidential survey.

The following employee groups may apply for a voluntary transfer anytime during the school year when an appropriate position is available. Employees will use the Jobs Hub worklet in Workday to apply for an open position. 

• Secretarial, clerical, floating nurse, food and nutrition service assistants and central office technical personnel.

Voluntary Transfer Information Sessions 
The Office of Human Resources will host optional virtual information sessions via Google Meet to discuss the voluntary transfer process and answer questions. The sessions are scheduled for:

• February 26, 4:30pm-5:30pm
• March 23, 3:00pm-4:00pm
• April 8, 4:30pm-5:30pm

Details regarding how to register will be forthcoming.

Questions may be sent to the Office of Human Resources’ Position Control and Staffing Team via email at staffing@hcpss.org.

Please note this message is being shared with all staff for awareness; however the details below currently are applicable to school staff.

We are excited to announce that beginning with Quarter 3, effective Monday, Jan. 26, all schools will have access to the paid version of the TalkingPoints messaging platform to connect with families through two-way, translated communication. 

The application had previously been available only to Title 1 and Community Schools and is being made available districtwide to better support more effective and accessible communication. Using the TalkingPoints paid version, student and parent/guardian information is pulled automatically from Synergy, ensuring contact information is accurate and protecting the privacy of students and families.

For those unfamiliar with the platform, TalkingPoints is a nonprofit education technology organization. Staff can use a web browser or mobile app to send/receive a message to parents/guardians, which they can receive via text or mobile app. Parents/guardians may receive/send communication in the language they identified in HCPSS Connect Synergy (Family File) and can change this in the TalkingPoints mobile app. No matter the parent/guardian selected language, messages are transmitted back to staff in English. 

At this point, TalkingPoints will not replace any of the current messaging platforms staff use to communicate with parents/guardians. Instead, it is a new tool staff may choose to use to engage in two-way conversations via text message/mobile app. To help guide you on the various options, the HCPSS Communications Department has a new resource on the various communications platforms available online. 

! Important !

This is not a required communications tool. Effective Jan. 26, access to TalkingPoints will be available for those who choose to use it. The HCPSS Communications Department has information on, and resources for using TalkingPoints available in Canvas.

Please note:

• Staff Who Have Been Using TalkingPoints’ PAID Version - There is no change for the Title I and Community Schools staff who have been on the paid version of TalkingPoints. You may continue using it as you have been.
• Staff Who Have Been Using TalkingPoints’ FREE Version - You may continue using TalkingPoints as before. Your home screen will look different, as you will have access to features not included in the free version, but the overall functionality will be the same. The most important change is that with the paid version, your students, parent/guardian contacts as well as home language, and classes will sync automatically from Synergy. Any edits to phone numbers will have to be made in Synergy/Family File. Your sending number also will change. If you have any message history that you wish to save, follow these steps to download a conversation. You should message your families and let them know that you will be switching to an upgraded version of TalkingPoints and future communications will come from a new number. A draft message to families is available for your use.
• Staff Who Have Not Used TalkingPoints - If you choose to use the TalkingPoints application, you should first communicate to families about this new tool. A draft messages to families are available in Canvas, and TalkingPoints provides translated flyers for new users. 

Staff have long asked for an approved digital tool for two-way communication, and we are pleased to provide a solution that also will better help meet the needs of our multilingual families. That being said, transitioning to a new tool can be overwhelming for many people. If you choose to use TalkingPoints, we encourage you to take advantage of the training resources available and take your time to learn the platform.

Technical support for TalkingPoints is available through the TalkingPoints Help site. General questions may be directed to communications@hcpss.org.

HCPSS staff may now access the Halo Information Technology (IT) Support Portal directly from the Staff Hub. 

Click the Halo Support Portal button on the Staff Hub and follow the prompts to submit all your IT support requests quicky and efficiently. 

Staff may also continue to call 410.313.7004 to speak with an IT Technology Support staff member or email TechSupport@hcpss.org.

Please be aware of a change in schedule this week for the Instructional Resource Center (IRC):

• Open, Wednesday, Jan. 21
• Closed, Thursday, Jan. 22

The IRC will resume normal hours Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Details on the IRC can be found online.

Box 1-Wages, tips, and other compensation. This amount is your YTD Gross Pay LESS health/dental/vision insurance; and Health Care Spend; Box 10 - Dependent care benefits; Box 12 – Code E 403(b) and Code G 457(b); Box 14 - Retirement/pension; PLUS Box 12 – Code C tax cost for group-term life insurance coverage over $50,000. The amounts are found on your final 2025 pay stub and your W-2.

Box 3-Social security wages (maximum $176,100). This amount is your YTD Gross Pay LESS health/dental/vision insurance; and Health Care Spend; Box 10 - Dependent care benefits; PLUS Box 12 – Code C tax cost for group-term life insurance coverage over $50,000. The amounts are found on your final 2025 pay stub and your W-2.

Box 5-Medicare wages and tips (no maximum). This amount is your YTD Gross Pay LESS health/dental/vision insurance; and Health Care Spend; Box 10 - Dependent care benefits; PLUS Box 12 – Code C tax cost for group-term life insurance coverage over $50,000. The amounts are found on your final 2025 pay stub and your W-2.

Box 10-Dependent care benefits - deduction for 2025.

Box 12-Adjustments to wages (amounts added/subtracted). 

• Code C Taxable cost of group-term life insurance over $50,000. The taxable cost of the life insurance premium for more than $50,000. Coverage is paid by HCPSS.
• Code E Elective deferrals under section 403(b) salary reduction agreement. Deductions are exempt from federal and Maryland income taxes. Non-Maryland residents should check the income tax regulations for their states.
• Code G 457(b) Elective deferrals to any 457(b) deferred compensation plan. Deductions are exempt from Federal and Maryland income taxes.
• Code DD Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage. The amount reported with Code DD is not taxable.
• Code EE Roth Designated Roth contributions under a governmental section 457(b) plan. The amount reported with Code EE is a post-tax deduction and does not reduce taxable wages.

Box 13-Retirement plan. This box will be marked if you were an “active” participant in the retirement/pension plans during any part of the calendar year, or if you had 403(b) or 457 (b) deductions.

Box 14-Other (amounts added/subtracted from gross wages). 

• Code FRINGE – Auto allowance/commuting tax has been included in your YTD Gross Pay.
• Code OTPREM – Qualified overtime (overtime premium paid via salary vouchers)
• Code OTPREM.5 – Qualified overtime (.5 premium portion of overtime hours worked)
• Code STPICKUP - State Retirement/Pension Employee Contribution has been subtracted from gross wages in box 1 only. This data is being provided for information purposes only. The amount shown has already been deducted from Box 1—Wages, tips, other compensation.
  • District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia residents only: Code STPICKUP displays employee contributions, if any, to the state retirement/pension systems.
  • Maryland residents only: Code STPICKUP Maryland state retirement pickup amount $X,XXX.XX. If you are a member of the retirement/pension systems and are receiving a Maryland W-2, the display of this item is for the Maryland State Income Tax Division. While this amount is deferred for federal purposes, it is not for the state of Maryland. The Maryland state income tax return requires federal adjusted gross income to be used as a starting point. The state pickup amount is added back to gross income at a different point within your Maryland state income tax return.

Box 16–State Wages, Tips, etc. 

• Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, and West Virginia Residents: Although an amount is shown, these states/district annual income tax forms require the federal adjusted gross income from your completed federal income tax form to be used as the starting point to obtain the required state/district starting gross income data.
• Pennsylvania residents: The W-2s will display a state gross amount in Box 16 because Pennsylvania taxable income regulations do not adhere to federal regulation.

Box 17-State income tax: State and local income tax withholdings have been added together to obtain total taxes and are displayed in Box 17.

Important Information: 

• W-2 totals are based on the calendar year
• Final pay stubs are based on the calendar year
• Your “Compensation” shown in Workday is based on fiscal year.
• Your “Compensation” shown in Workday is your gross base and any additional allowance plans. Please note this does not reflect other types of wages that would be included in your taxable wages.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, HCPSS will activate a new Lightspeed feature that will allow teachers using Lightspeed Classroom to restrict the number of browser tabs students may have open during a class session. The feature sets the maximum number of tabs students may open to 50 at any time. This feature does not impact the number of tabs staff members may open. This information will be shared with students on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Teacher Controls 

In Lightspeed Classroom teachers may control the number of tabs students may open during their class to provide additional structure to support focus and minimize off-task behavior. Because this setting is applied at the classroom level, student experiences may vary based on teacher settings. Directions to limit tabs in Lightspeed Classroom 

Default Setting 

The district default for student tabs is set to 50 open tabs both during and after school. This default is intended to support student productivity, device performance, and digital well-being while allowing flexibility for instructional needs.

Common Student Use Cases 

Feedback has highlighted several appropriate and productive ways students may be using multiple tabs, including: 

• Keeping multiple assignment-related resources open at the same time
• Using tab groups to organize current and upcoming work
• Keeping frequently used tools open (e.g., Canvas Calendar, Canvas Grades, Google Drive, Clever)
• Navigating instructional platforms that automatically open links in new tabs 

Instructional Considerations

Some students benefit from additional limits to help maintain focus during instructional time. The activation of this feature also reflects feedback from parents and educators requesting tools to help reduce access to non-instructional websites during class.

Please note, students should be mindful of the number of tabs they are using. If the maximum number of tabs is already opened and additional tabs are opened, the oldest tabs open will immediately close. If there is unsaved work on these tabs, it will be lost. This action cannot be undone.

Considerations 

• Instructional Context: When adjusting tab limits, consider lesson design, student independence, and task complexity.
• Communication: If applying a more restrictive tab limit, communicating the change and its purpose to students in advance may help reduce confusion or disruption to student workflows.
• Professional Judgment: Teachers are encouraged to use professional judgment when determining whether a lower tab limit supports learning goals.

If you are not currently using Lightspeed Classroom to monitor and support student learning, learn more about the system in the Lightspeed Classroom training module.

HCPSS educators interested in pursuing National Board Certification (NBC) are invited to attend an upcoming virtual information session, scheduled to be held: 

• February 3, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• February 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• March 4, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• March 16, 7:00-8:00 a.m.
• April 9, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• April 21, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• May 6, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
• May 18, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Registration is required for each session. 

Attendees will gain: 

• a basic understanding of the National Board Certification (NBC) process and benefits;
• knowledge of HCPSS candidate supports including a Towson University post-baccalaureate certificate program aligned with the work of NBC; and
• information to access and complete the scholarship application. 

Additional information, including details on NBC eligibility and how to log into the sessions, is available online and in the NBC Canvas community. 

Contact Jennifer Hlavka, coordinator of National Board Certification and Teacher Career Pathways, with questions.

The 2025 electronic W-2s are now available in Workday for those who elected to receive electronic copies only. Instructions on how to view or print W-2s are available in Canvas and attached.

For staff who elected to receive both electronic and paper copies, electronic W-2s will be available January 30. Paper copies of the W-2s will be mailed via USPS and postmarked no later than Jan. 31. If you would like access to your 2025 electronic copy sooner, please make the electronic only election. Once this selection is made, you will have immediate access.

HCPSS employees planning to retire under the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) within the next two years are invited to attend an upcoming virtual information session. 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.

Complete details available online.