News

New circulars have been posted:

• #0002 – Policy Updates
• #3002 – Year-End Close
• #3006 – Procurement Verification of Vendor Debarment (Federal Funds)
• #3007 – Procurement Renewal Letters and Price Adjustment Clauses
• #3008 – Procurement Procedures

HCPSS circulars are to share information when that information is needed by staff systemwide and is not specific to a particular school/location or position/job class. All HCPSS staff are responsible for adhering to the guidelines and procedures outlined in the circulars. Circulars are released on July 1, and subsequently as needed throughout the year. When a new circular is added, staff will be notified via Staff Hub post/email. Circulars are available anytime in Canvas (staff login required), which also can be accessed from the Staff Hub under the Services dropdown menu.

In an effort to evaluate and improve service, the Procurement Office is conducting a performance survey. If applicable, please take complete this online survey to provide feedback by December 19.

Questions may be emailed to HCPSS Director of Procurement Robert Bruce at robert_bruce1@hcpss.org.

Do you work with an outstanding English Language Development (ELD) teacher or administrator who goes above and beyond in making a difference in the lives of our multilingual learners? Nominate them for the ELD Teacher of the Year award or the ELD Administrator of the Year award.

The nomination window is open through Jan. 31, 2026. The award is open to ELD teachers and administrators at all levels. Full details, including eligibility requirements and nomination forms, are available in Canvas. 

As we move into winter, staff are reminded of the HCPSS emergency notification procedures, including during inclement weather. A similar message to families will be sent today as well.

HCPSS operating status options are:

• Schools open as scheduled
• Schools open on a two-hour delay
• Schools dismiss early (90-minutes or 3 hours)
• Schools closed

Staff reporting details during an emergency can be found online at status.hcpss.org/status-codes.

IMPORTANT! It is the responsibility of each staff member to check one of the HCPSS notification sources for closing information.

In emergency situations, information will be shared with the community through the HCPSS website, email and text, and the HCPSS hotline. These are the ONLY approved sources for emergency notifications. 

• HCPSS Status website
• HCPSS homepage
• HCPSS community email/text alert
• HCPSS Information Hotline (410-313-6666)

Staff who also are parents in the system are already signed up to receive email/text notifications. All other staff are strongly encouraged to subscribe to HCPSS notifications. Otherwise, it is the staff member’s responsibility to check one of the above notification sources for closing information.

Please Note: 

• Staff who previously subscribed and are not receiving HCPSS emails/texts, should not create a new account. Email webmaster@hcpss.org with any issues.
• If you are unsure if you have already opted in to text messaging, text the word “YES” to 67587.
• Unsubscribing from any school or district email or text will unsubscribe a user from all messaging, including emergency notifications.

To subscribe or edit your subscription:

• Staff email/text sign up
• Manage your subscription (non-HCPSS parents/guardians)

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.