• December 19th -23rd - LoES Winter Spirit Week (see flyer above)

• December 19th - 21st - CogAT Assessment for Grades 3 & 5

• December 24th - January 1st - Winter Break

• January 3rd - HCPSS Schools reopen for students

Click HERE to access the full HCPSS calendar for the 2022 - 2023 school year

This year, the Howard County Public School System will be administering the Cognitive

Abilities Test (CogAT) to all students in grades 3 and 5. The CogAT is a group-administered

abilities test that measures students’ reasoning abilities, which they develop through in-school

and out-of-school experiences. It is not designed to test a student’s academic achievement but

their potential.

The test is made of three batteries – Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. Each battery takes

approximately 30 minutes to complete. The CogAT helps educators understand a student’s

cognitive strengths and weaknesses and assists with adapting instruction to meet the needs and abilities of each student.

All students in Grades 3 and 5 will participate in the testing. The CogAT will be administered

on December 19, 20, and 21, 2022. No special preparation is required. Just send your child to school ready to learn as you do daily. The Gifted and Talented Education Program will use the data from the CogAT as one criterion for placement into fourth-grade Gifted/Talented mathematics classes and middle school Gifted/Talented content classes. Students’ scores will be reported to parents in late February/early March.

Please contact Mrs. Jackson at Vanya_Jackson@hcpss.org if you have questions about your child’s involvement with the CogAT assessment.

Howard County Public Schools needs your assistance to secure additional funding from the federal government through the Impact Aid program. This program provides funds to school districts that have students whose parents work for a federal government agency or are on active military duty or reside in low-income housing.

The deadline has been extended to Monday, December 19. Please take a few minutes to complete the Impact Aid survey.

1. Confirm your status. If you did not complete Family File this year and work on federal property in Maryland or are active duty military, please log in and complete the Federal Impact Aid section of Family File prior to completing the Impact Aid form.

2. Apply just your digital signature on the online Impact Aid form.

• Log in to HCPSS Connect using parent/guardian credentials.

• Select More Options from the left navigation.

• Select Federal Impact Aid from the middle.

• Note: digital signature only needs to be completed by one parent.

All information provided remains anonymous. With your help, Howard County will secure the district’s appropriate share of Impact Aid funds.

More information is found at Impact Aid. Thank you for your attention to this important manner.

Click HERE to submit an interest form

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then Enter your Access Key from your proof

Or you can simply scan the QR code on your proof.

Questions? Call us at (800)869-9515 x112

Classic Photography & Imaging

Click and scroll on the calendar below for color day rotation information for related arts classes

Check out the events happening within and around our community

Parents/guardians of, and students in grades 8-11 are invited to attend a virtual information session on the HCPSS Advanced Research Program, which includes the high school Gifted and Talented Independent Research and Intern/Mentor courses. Participants will learn how these courses provide students with advanced skills in research, presenting, networking, writing, problem solving and collaborating —all while studying something of particular interest to the student. Students in the Independent Research course receive professional feedback from project advisors, while Intern/Mentor students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in an authentic, professional environment.

To learn more and register, click HERE

Spanish Translation

Policy 1060 - Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment & Intimidation - All students have the right to be free from bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation. Bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or intimidation of any person on school property or at school-related activities is prohibited. The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe, engaging, productive, and supportive school and work environment that values diversity and commonality. The Board is also committed to fostering a climate where individuals are valued and their safety and rights are protected. The Board prohibits acts of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation because they compromise the learning environment and well-being of students, employees, and community. - view the full policy HERE.

• Report incidents of Bullying HERE

Policy 9020 - Students' Rights & Responsibilities - Students may exercise their rights and responsibilities as long as they do not interfere with the rights of others or a school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, students are responsible for making choices that affirm a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment, conducting themselves with integrity, and assuring their actions are aligned with the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct. - view the full policy HERE.

Policy 9260 - Student Search and Seizure - The Board of Education of Howard County is committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment, free from dangerous or illegal items and those items that constitute a violation of Board policy. In order to ensure safety and security practices consistently across the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), the Board authorizes statutorily designated employees to conduct reasonable searches of a student and of the student’s possessions on school property or during any school-sponsored activity in accordance with Maryland law and this policy. The Board expects that every effort is made to conduct searches and seizures of a student’s possessions in a manner which will minimize disruption to the normal school routine, minimize embarrassment to students affected, and respect students’ rights. - view the full policy HERE.

Policy 1050 - Alcohol, Drug, and Tobacco Free Environment - The Board of Education of Howard County is committed to promoting and providing an alcohol, drug, and tobacco free academic environment for all students that maintains appropriate safeguards for the administration of prescription medication and over-the-counter medication. The Board of Education of Howard County believes that collaboration with parents and the larger community is essential to its success in providing this safe and nurturing environment. - view the full policy HERE.

Policy 10020 - Use of School Facilities - Public school facilities in Howard County are devoted primarily to instructional programs and school-sponsored activities. Nonetheless, the Board of Education of Howard County recognizes that facilities paid for by the taxpayers of Howard County should be utilized to the fullest extent possible. It is the determination of the Board that the interests of the Howard County community merit the use of the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) facilities. Thus, the use of school facilities for community purposes is encouraged by the Board and is in accordance with the Annotated Code of Maryland. - view the full policy HERE.