Changes To Note For Upcoming School Year: HCPSS Officials

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — As the school year starts Aug. 29 for Howard County Public School System kindergarten through 12th grade students, several new changes will be implemented.

All students and spectators between the ages of 7 and 59 are required to purchase tickets for high school gated sporting events using the GoFan website or mobile app (Apple store only). Fans are encouraged to buy tickets prior to reaching the facility because cash will no longer be accepted at the gate and service may be spotty on site, school officials say.

Back to School nights and student orientation schedules are available online.

A reminder that emergency notifications will be shared with the community through the HCPSS website, email and text, Twitter and the HCPSS weather hotline.

• HCPSS website www.hcpss.org
• 2022-2023 School Year www.hcpss.org/2022-2023
• HCPSS News site https://news.hcpss.org
• HCPSS Help site https://help.hcpss.org

Currently, protective face masks are voluntary in all HCPSS buildings and on school buses. The state does not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination in public school students, nor is the school system providing mass COVID-19 testing opportunities for staff or students.

The federal government did not extend waivers allowing for free meals to all students. For the 2022-2023 school year, students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will pay the daily meal price.

School start times for the 2022-2023 school year are scheduled to remain the same, with the exception of Mount View Middle School, which has a new time of 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m. to help ease traffic congestion. Start and end times may be found online and on each school’s website.

Elementary and middle school supply lists are available online. High schools do not have general supply lists, as classes may have unique requirements. High school teachers will inform students of any supplies at the start of the school year.

The HCPSS bus locator application is now available online. Due to a severe driver shortage, many bus routes/stops are expected to change, school officials said. The 2022-2023 student walk zone maps will be posted to each school’s website soon.