HCPSS Dismissing Early Due To Severe Weather: Code Yellow Issued

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Due to incoming severe weather, all Howard County public schools will close three hours early Wednesday, including the Digital Education Center. All aftercare programs sponsored by the Columbia Association and the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks in Howard County public schools are canceled, too. All evening activities involving HCPSS students and staff are canceled. All community-sponsored programs held in HCPSS buildings are canceled, too.

Below is the school's guidelines for a "code yellow," which was issued Wednesday morning.

• AFSCME: First shift employees may leave 1 hour early; Second shift employees may report 1 hour late.
• AMT: Employees may leave 30 minutes after the dismissal time of the latest school. For a 3 hour early dismissal employees may leave at 1:25 p.m. For a 90-minute early dismissal employees may leave at 2:55 p.m.*
• ESP School-Based: Employees may leave 30 minutes after student dismissal. Interpreters may be dismissed with students.
• ESP Non-School Based: Employees may leave 30 minutes after the dismissal time of the latest school. For a 3 hour early dismissal employees may leave at 1:25 p.m. For a 90-minute early dismissal employees may leave at 2:55 p.m.*
• Food/Nutrition Services: Employees may leave 30 minutes after student dismissal or when all tasks related to early dismissal have been completed.
• HCAA School-Based: Principals or designated administrator shall remain on duty until:
  • All students have left school grounds.
  • There are no reports of buses unable to complete routes.
  • Non-essential staff have been dismissed.
  • Administrative tasks relative to early dismissal have been completed.
  • The principal may, at their discretion, release other administrators and AAM’s based on the situation at their school.
• HCAA Non-School Based: Employees may leave 30 minutes after the dismissal time of the latest school. For a 3-hour early dismissal employees may leave at 1:25 p.m. For a 90-minute early dismissal, employees may leave at 2:55 p.m.
• HCEA 10- and 11-month: Teachers may leave [3 hours earlier/90-minutes earlier] than regular dismissal time.
• HCEA 12-month: Employees may leave 30 minutes after the dismissal time of the latest school. For a 3 hour early dismissal employees may leave at 1:25 p.m. For a 90-minute early dismissal employees may leave at 2:55 p.m.
• NCS School-Based: Employees may leave 30 minutes after student dismissal. Interpreters may be dismissed with students.
• NCS Non-School Based: Employees may leave 30 minutes after the dismissal time of the latest school. For a 3 hour early dismissal employees may leave at 1:25 p.m. For a 90-minute early dismissal employees may leave at 2:55 p.m.*

*All staff designated as emergency employees may leave as directed by their supervisors.