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welCome to the 2022-2023 school year!

Message from Superintendent Darryl Williams
Dear Team BCPS,

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! It promises to be a year full of rigorous teaching and learning, personal growth, academic progress, and community building, as called for in our strategic plan, The Compass: Our Pathway to Excellence.

At the heart of education is the critical connection between teacher and student. But that partnership is just one of the essential connections that BCPS must nurture to be successful. This school year, you will see the school system place even greater emphasis on the partnerships between families and schools, neighborhoods and schools, and community and business partners and schools.

In addition, we are prioritizing the health and safety of all students, through the hiring of additional safety staff and continued diligence in protecting our school community from COVID-19.

The success of BCPS benefits us all and involves us all.

I encourage you to visit our website to learn more about what is new as students return #Back2BCPS. I also encourage you to take advantage of back-to-school activities hosted by your children's schools. Our school administrators and teachers are eager to welcome you and to partner with you to ensure your child's success and growth.
Whether you are new to our family or returning. I am so glad that you have chosen Team BCPS. Let's have a wonderful school year!

Sincerely,

Darryl L. Williams, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Read the 2022-2023 BCPS Reopening Plan

The checklist: Getting ready for the 2022-2023 school year

Elementary Tips Parents, the 2022-2023 school year begins in just two weeks! Here is a checklist to support your children in having a successful year:

Create a myBCPS account for parents/guardians access to the Focus parent portal and Schoology. Focus is a web-based system that allows parents to monitor their child’s grades and assignments and stay in touch with teachers.
Complete your child’s Student Emergency Information Form in Focus or at their home school so you’re contacted about school closings, illnesses, and important updates. Be sure to let the school know if your information changes during the school year.
View, print, or download the 2022-2023 school year calendar and stay informed on important dates and events.
Complete the application for Free and Reduced-price Meal Benefits (FARMS).
Review the Student Transportation Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, and Student Handbook prior to the first day of school.
Read the latest Community Updates on transportation and the code of conduct.
Plan to attend back-to-school activities at your children’s schools.
Learn about Parent University and consider participating in an upcoming workshop and/or event.
Stay connected with BCPS throughout the school year.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Subscribe to our Vimeo and YouTube channels and blog.
Follow us on Facebook in English or Facebook in Spanish.
See our latest photos on Flickr.

Find more useful resources in the Parent University online resource library.

COVID-19 Response

The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority. BCPS will follow recommendations from local, state, and federal health experts to guide our COVID-19 mitigation response.
As BCPS enters the next phase of its response to the pandemic, our key mitigation strategies include:

Promoting Vaccination.
Infection Control Practices – staying home when sick, handwashing, respiratory etiquette, and masking if community rates are high.
Environmental Controls- promoting ventilation, regular cleaning, and disinfection.
Disease Surveillance and Reporting –diagnostic testing of persons with symptoms at school, increased access to testing supplies, reporting of all cases, early identification of outbreaks, and monitoring of community rates.

We all play a vital role in promoting public health as we emerge from the pandemic. A strong partnership between BCPS staff, students, and parents is an essential component of a safe and positive learning environment. We can support one another by practicing good infection control practices like staying home when sick, washing hands, and covering coughs and sneezes. Most importantly, each member of Team BCPS is encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy to protect ourselves and our community.
Comprehensive Mitigation Plan: Safety is Our True North

Community Updates

Teacher Staffing Update

Dear Team BCPS Parents, Students and Staff:

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) is looking forward to welcoming more than 111,000 students back to school on Monday, August 29, 2022. The purpose of this message is to provide an update on our readiness for the opening of schools and ongoing efforts to recruit and hire highly qualified teachers. We want to make certain that each student has a qualified, consistent classroom teacher when the school year begins on Monday.

August 23, 2022 Community Update Full Message
/Spanish/

Back-to-School Information

Dear BCPS Students, Parents, and Families:

In preparation for welcoming students to the 2022-2023 school year, school teams and their central office partners have been working diligently to ensure each student enters a safe, supportive environment for learning and growth. Students will see vibrant and exciting learning spaces that will engage their academic, social, and emotional well-being. School leaders and teachers have been engaged in professional learning to accelerate each child's progress towards their academic goals. School staff have crafted School Progress Plans to address student skills in reading, writing, and mathematics and to identify action steps to support student social-emotional well-being. School procedures, schedules, and activities will be fully explained to all students in support of a smooth transition back to in-person instruction.

Below please find vital information related to the return of students for a new school year.

Student Information

Early Entry Day
Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) is excited to host Early Entry Day on August 25, 2022, for rising sixth and ninth grade students. This opportunity will allow these students an opportunity to engage in team building activities, tour their school, and meet key staff. More information regarding Early Entry Day will be shared by your child's school.

First Day of School
The first day of school for students in Grades 1 through 12 is Monday, August 29, 2022. Our school administrators and staff are preparing for a positive first day and school year. Students should expect to receive instruction on the first day, as well as additional information and resources to be successful.

Important Dates for the start of the 2022-2023 School Year

August 25, 2022 – Early Entry Day: Grades 6 and 9
August 25, 2022 – Virtual Orientation for Students in THE Virtual Learning Program (VLP)
August 29, 2022 – First Day of School: Grades 1-12
August 31, 2022 – First full day of kindergarten

Read the full message

Read the message in Spanish

Transportation Procedures and Expectations

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) is committed to providing safe and supportive environments for all students and staff. The Office of Transportation’s #1 goal each day is to transport all student bus riders safely to and from school. In order to accomplish this goal, we need the cooperation of the entire community. Positive student behavior while entering, riding and leaving the bus contributes to safe transportation by making it possible for drivers to dedicate their full attention to the roads and other drivers. Student bus riders are expected to act responsibly and respectfully at all times.

The primary purpose of rules and procedures on buses is the safety of all passengers- students and staff. Please take a few minutes to review the important information included in the link below with students concerning bus behavior expectations and bus discipline prior to the beginning of the school year. Students will also review the documents with school staff. 

Read the full message
Lee este mensaje

Student Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities

(BCPS) is committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environments for all students. The resources included below outline student expectations, rights and responsibilities for the 2022-2023 school year. BCPS families are encouraged to review resources with children prior to the start of school. Students will also review the documents in class with school staff.

The BCPS Code of Conduct At-A-Glance provides an overview of discipline procedures and protocols, and the range of consequences students could face for violating various policies, regulations, and rules. The guide, aligned with Board Policy 5550 and Superintendent’s Rule 5550, also discusses the BCPS discipline philosophy and defines the various disciplinary responses.

The 2022-2023 Student Handbook includes an overview of the rights and responsibilities of BCPS students and a summary of the laws and regulations that affect students. Topics include consistent, timely attendance, respect for people and property, technology usage, student publications, student activities, student records, the right to appeal - including grievance procedures – and more. For the complete explanation of students’ responsibilities and rights, see Board of Education Policy 5600 and Superintendent’s Rule 5600.

Read the full message

lee este mensaje

SAVE THE DATE for Baltimore County’s biggest and best back-to-school festival!

Join us for hands-on learning activities, live music, art making, science fun, games, and much more. Come to learn about services and programs offered by BCPS, county agencies, and area nonprofits.

Saturday, August 20, 2022 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
938 York Road, Towson 21204

Live entertainment and hands-on activities
Story Time Tent with special guest readers
Be entertained by talented BCPS students and staff
Learn more about BCPS programs, services, and employment opportunities
Visit the BCPS Parentmobile for ideas to support student success
Free gift bags for the first 500 students who visit at least 10 vendors
... & much more!

Visit the BCPS fest page for more details!