Synergy/Hoonuit/HCPSS Connect Planned Maintenance
Please be aware of the below planned maintenance windows. During these windows users may experience times of no or sluggish response. Once the work is complete, users may continue to log in as usual.
Beginning in January 2026, the Howard County Board of Education will implement a new meeting schedule on a trial basis for the first quarter of the year (January-March), shifting to one regular monthly meeting instead of two.
This new meeting schedule will better accommodate additional budget work sessions, and budget and policy public hearings necessary for Board deliberations, and will save the school system approximately $5,500.
Details on the January-March 2026 schedule shift are available online.
Do you enjoy singing? Please consider joining the Howard County Employee Chorus - no previous chorus experience necessary, just a love for singing! Please watch the following promotional video for more information, and if interested, please register online using this registration link. The chorus is open to all HCPSS employees, as well as their significant others or adult family members.
The first rehearsal is Wednesday, Jan. 7 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Howard High School. More information will be sent to those who register. Questions may be emailed to to Caleb Lee at caleb_lee@hcpss.org.
Employees may be entitled to claim an Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2025 federal and Maryland resident income tax returns if both their federal adjusted gross income and their earned income is less than the following:
See attached for details. For more information about the Maryland EITC, visit marylandtaxes.gov and for the federal EITC, visit www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc.
Staff who are interested in receiving your W-2 earlier than Jan. 31 should look for an upcoming Workday Notification email that will tell you how to sign up for an electronic version of your Form W-2. If you select the electronic copy only, it will be available weeks prior to the electronic/printed copy option.
More information to follow.
New circulars have been posted:
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.
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:
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.
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:
To subscribe or edit your subscription:
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:
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
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:
Questions? Please email HRRetirement@hcpss.org.
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:
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.
