HCPS Blueprint

Hello all! There has been a lot of activity with our implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in the last month! First and foremost, we submitted our implementation plan to the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB), which is the governing body responsible for overseeing the Blueprint statewide. To view our submitted plan, see link.

On February 17, the Blueprint was featured as part of a live HCPS event to all employees during a teacher professional development day. For the “Mid-Year Momentum: An HCPS Live Teams Event” schools, offices, and other teams were encouraged to watch the 30-minute event together in a central location. The recoding of the informative and inspirational event is HERE (Blueprint begins at 6:25 in the recording).

LaWanda Brown, Student Supports

Supervisor of School Counseling

"Having the opportunity to serve as a member of a committee and a workgroup for the Blueprint for Maryland's Future is such an exciting honor. Spending over 27 years working directly with students of all ages and levels has given me a unique and inclusive educational perspective. Understanding the importance of academic preparation coupled with emotional wellness is crucial in the development of our children in obtaining present and future goals. Beginning my career in the classroom as an English instructor helps me to understand the importance of providing viable supports for students as needed. Additionally, utilizing the counseling lens, I understand the necessity of helping students remain and become emotionally healthy. Subsequently, working as a team member to a larger workgroup provides an opportunity to think outside of the box and obtain valuable feedback which is helpful to our students."

Private Providers of Harford County Share Barriers to Blueprint Implementation

The Harford County Directors’ Association conducted a survey in January 2023 with 67 responses about barriers facing Harford County Private providers for adoption and implementation of the Blueprint early childhood program. HCPS included these barriers in our Blueprint Implementation Plan for the State’s review and will work with private providers to identify what supports are possible to reduce these barriers. Click the small thumbnail above to review the results of the survey.

Early Childhood Featured in the Harford County Education Foundation’s Inspire Magazine

The Harford County Education Foundation's Inspire Magazine goes home with students and is placed throughout the Harford community in April. For a sneak peek at this issue, which features Early Childhood on pages 12-13, CLICK HERE.

Article from the Maryland Association of Counties: Early Learning Collaboratives are a Sensible Means of Expanding Access to Pre-K

“On March 1, 2023, Associate Policy Director Brianna January testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 881 – Early Learning Collaboratives – Established and Tax Credit for Contributions. This bill authorizes public and private providers of prekindergarten to form early learning collaboratives as part of a publicly funded prekindergarten program, and distributes to these collaboratives the same state funding available to independent providers. Counties applaud this innovative tool to meet the worthy prekindergarten expansion goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, especially considering the daunting financial challenges counties face in implementing the Blueprint.” For full article and testimony, click HERE.

Apply Now for Child Care Apprenticeship Program

Harford’s Child Care Apprenticeship Program is accepting applications from March 1-31 for the class that will run July 2023-December 2024. Open to all eligible Maryland residents, the 18-month online program is to be completed while working full-time in a licensed Maryland childcare facility. Those who are accepted into the program but are not currently working will be matched with an employer for hiring. Funding is available to pay for program costs. Harford is the only community college in Maryland to offer this apprenticeship. Get more information and apply here.

Special Shout Out!

Shout out to Kathy Griffin, HCPS Coordinator for Early Childhood Education, for having earned a Superintendent's Blue Hat on March 24 for all her recent hard work. During the school year, Superintendent Bulson recognizes and thanks administrators who are going above and beyond their typical leadership duties to better serve Harford County Public Schools by presenting them with a Blue Hat Award. Congratulations, Kathy, and thank you for all you are doing to support Blueprint!

Introducing the new co-chairs of Elevating Educators:

Rebecca Gault - English Teacher, Bel Air High School
“I am so excited to be celebrating my 32nd year as an educator in HCPS. I am deeply committed to the profession of teaching and have served as an English Department Chair, School Improvement Facilitator, Professional Development School Coordinator, Literacy Specialist, and Teacher Specialist. I have achieved and renewed National Board Certification in Adolescent and Young Adult Literacy. In 2020, I earned my doctorate with a dissertation focused on the retention of highly qualified teachers. I have five children, ranging from the ages of 19-32, as well as two grandchildren. I believe the teacher is the most valuable asset we have in the education system, and we have a profound opportunity to change the future of our children by elevating the profession.”

Lisa Tittle - Professor of Transitional English, Harford Community College

"After 31 years in the profession, I can still say “I am a teacher, and I like it”. More than that, I love helping students reach their educational and career goals. As a Harford County native, I graduated from Harford County Public Schools and started my teaching career here as well. I joined the Humanities faculty at Harford Community College over 20 years ago, teaching reading and English courses. In 2014, I earned a doctorate degree in community college leadership from Morgan State University. Through Elevating Educators, teachers will be recognized and respected as the key component of successful learning experiences."

Highlighting Talent Pathways

Take a moment to an HCPS Real Talk episode, featuring Vicki Jones, Talent Pathways Project Manager, to learn more about the Talent Pathways Project. This is a unique project with the goal of figuring out the best way to bring the most talented staff to Harford County in both teaching and support positions, which aligns with the Blueprint’s Elevating Educators goals. The program focuses on increasing diversity among our staff and educating the community and beyond on all the opportunities HCPS has to offer.

What does Elevating Educators Mean to YOU?

This question was recently asked at the January Elevating Educators sub-committee meeting. The results showed a strong sentiment about leadership, culture & climate, and teacher voice.

Recognizing our newest National Board Certified Educators

We are proud to highlight the eight HCPS educators have been newly certified and 21 renewed their National Board Certification this past year.

The Blueprint legislation has a strong emphasis on National Board Certification! To become a Board-certified teacher, candidates voluntarily complete a rigorous certification program that consists of four components: assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documentation of the impact of assessment and collaboration on student learning. These components were designed by teachers, for teachers, to identify the essential knowledge and skills required to advance student learning and achievement. This is a serious commitment of time and energy, but teachers who achieve certification describe the process as transformative.

For more information about how you can become a National Board Certified Teacher please email HCPS.NationalBoard@hcps.org or visit www.nbpts.org.

Highlighting the Early College Pathway: Three P-Tech Students Pass the Network+ Exam

Juniors Precious Ikejiofor, James Liu and Sophomore Carter Wells, all students of the Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) program at Joppatowne High School, passed the exam on January 26, 2023. This is the first time students from the P-TECH program have passed this exam, and they passed on their first attempt. The certification they earned makes them career ready, as many companies will be able to consider these students for jobs at the ages of 16 and 17 because they are now certified.

For more information on this exciting milestone, please view the entire press release, HERE.

HCPS Facilities and Food and Nutrition Hiring Harford County Students as Part of Apprenticeship Program

Starting over the summer and continuing into the 2023-2024 school year, HCPS students will be able to complete an apprenticeship program with the HCPS Facilities Department or Food and Nutrition Services. Students who work as apprentices with HCPS will learn all aspects of the department to which they are assigned. The program is paid, and students will make $13.25 an hour. Students must be between the ages of 16 and 18 and be able to provide their own transportation to and from their apprenticeship.

“This is an enriching opportunity not only for our students, but also for our school system as a whole,” said Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools. “While offering a wonderful learning experience to our students, helping them become college and career ready, we are building our workforce from within our own system!”

Read the full press release HERE.

Highlighting Career Technology Education (CTE)

Learn more about CTE opportunities, which are a central pathway in the Blueprint legislation, for our students in the latest HCPS Parent Academy.

Highlighting Mental Health: An IGNITE Presentation

We are proud to share the following “Ignite” presentation during which Superintendent Bulson and Executive Director of Student Support Services, Bernard Hennigan, outline the amazing work going on across our district to address the mental health needs of our students. This presentation has a specific focus on the initiatives and programs that HCPS offers in cooperation with our many outside partners. Please take a moment to watch.

Engaging Our Non-English Speaking Families

Please click below to watch our latest Principal Toolkit video, courtesy of Joppatowne High School, that highlights new and innovative ways to communicate with non-English speaking families.

Board of Education Meeting: Overview Presentation on the Blueprint

On Monday, January 23, 2023, Director of Strategic Initiatives Katie Ridgway provided an overview presentation to the Board of Education about the pillars and facets of the Blueprint legislation.

Board of Education Meeting: Presentation on the Blueprint Implementation Plan Draft

On Monday, February 13, 2023, Director of Strategic Initiatives Katie Ridgway and Blueprint Committee Co-chairs presented to the Harford County Board of Education regarding the public release of the HCPS DRAFT Blueprint Implementation plan.

Gratitude for our Blueprint writers and contributors

A special thank you to all who wrote, edited, reviewed, and provided feedback for the HCPS initial implementation plan. Freedom Federal Credit Union sponsored a breakfast on March 23, 2023, to recognize these HCPS superstars. Thank you all!

• Director of Strategic Initiatives: Katie.Ridgway@hcps.org
• Strategic Initiatives Administrative Assistant: Ashley.Bowley@hcps.org
• Elevating Educators Sub-committee HCPS Co-chair: Rebecca.Gault@hcps.org
• Student Supports Sub-committee HCPS Co-chair: Bernard.Hennigan@hcps.org
• North Star Sub-committee HCPS Co-chair: Mike.OBrien@hcps.org
• Early Childhood Sub-committee HCPS Co-chair: Heather.Kutcher@hcps.org

March 27, 2023