Baltimore County Public Schools

This Family & Community Engagement Plan outlines strategies to increase family and community involvement. Key goals include increasing stakeholder survey responses, boosting attendance at community outreach events, and raising participation in workshop events, all by June 2025. The plan provides a detailed calendar of events designed to achieve these engagement objectives.

This Schoolwide Positive Behavior Plan for Pot Spring Elementary focuses on fostering a positive school climate, defining clear behavioral expectations, and implementing a multi-tiered system of support for student behavior and social-emotional learning. Key areas include establishing a School Climate Team, applying an equity lens to data analysis, setting climate goals, defining schoolwide expectations, and outlining plans for teaching and reinforcing these expectations. The plan also details family and community engagement strategies, a resource mapping of MTSS interventions (Tiers 1, 2, and 3), social-emotional learning initiatives, character education, and professional development for staff. It further establishes systems for recognitions and incentives, a hierarchy for behavioral referrals and consequences, responses for intensive behaviors, and ongoing monitoring and data analysis to ensure effectiveness.

The public hearing focused on the Southeast Area Elementary School boundary recommendation. Community members expressed concerns regarding the transparency of the boundary study process, the use of outdated enrollment data, and the potential impact on equity and funding for schools affected by the proposed changes. Participants highlighted the importance of neighborhood continuity, transportation efficiency, and the need for accurate demographic projections to ensure fair resource allocation. Several speakers urged the Board to reconvene the committee to reassess the options using current data before reaching a final decision.

The board meeting addressed various administrative and community issues. Key topics included personnel matters such as retirements, resignations, and educator licensure appointments. Public comment sessions focused on the school system's operating budget, class sizes, safety and security protocols, and specific requests for addressing property damage from a school bus incident. Additionally, the board received updates on the direct admit partnership with the Community College of Baltimore County, policies regarding student protests, procedures for inclement weather and virtual learning transitions, and ongoing boundary studies for elementary schools in the Southeast area.

The public hearing focused on the Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Operating Budget. Community members and stakeholders provided testimony regarding various concerns, including proposed increases to class sizes, the impact of budget cuts on school-based positions such as librarians and reading specialists, the importance of maintaining security, and the need for financial transparency. There was advocacy for including trade programs and financial literacy in the high school curriculum, as well as debates regarding the school system's funding practices and the utilization of the fund balance. Concerns were also raised about maintaining student services and supporting special education and multilingual learners despite the challenging fiscal landscape.