Keeping PACE
June 17, 2022
End of Year Survey
As the 2021-22 school year comes to a close, please take a few minutes to complete the following End of Year survey, if you have not yet done so: https://forms.office.com/r/npeJe86vpG.
PACE is a grant-funded program, and we need your feedback to evaluate the program, provide a report back to MSDE, and adjust for next school year as needed.
Thank you!
Professional Learning: Engage Every Family
Save the Date! Dr. Constantino on July 14th
PACE staff will have an opportunity to join virtually with Dr. Steven Constantino to further explore planning family and community engagement strategies that align with school performance goals and how we can “Engage Every Family Every Day!” The virtual meeting will be held on Thursday, July 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you are unavailable to join, we will record the session and share with all PACE staff. Mary Beth will share a link to the meeting soon and you will be compensated for joining the discussion.
2022 End of Summer Fest
HCPS is once again partnering with the Aberdeen IronBirds to host the End of Summer Fest at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium during the Thursday, August 25, 7:05 p.m. home game (IronBirds vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks). The purpose of this event is to end summer in a fun way and celebrate the beginning of a new school year with the families in our community. Many community partners will be onsite and there will be fun activities for kids. Mark your calendar now; more information about the event and a link to purchase discounted tickets will be shared on the HCPS website and HCPS and Parent Academy Facebook pages during the summer. Please promote this to your school community and encourage attendance; it will be a great night!
Celebrating the Year at Edgewood Elementary's Summer Kick Off Block Party
Shout out to Edgewood Elementary School for hosting this amazing event for their families!
What do you get when more than 400 family guests, 40 staff members, and 12 local business and community partners gather on one school's front lawn? One AMAZING end of year celebration!
Edgewood Elementary School (EDES) hosted their first annual Summer Kick Off Block Party yesterday evening, hoping to not only celebrate an amazing year, but also send our families off to summer with school and community-based resources that they can access while school is out of session. Families and staff shared a meal, a visit to the ice cream truck, dancing and games, and even a few rounds under the Dunk Bucket! The school wanted the night to be an opportunity to enjoy each other's company as one, big, Edgewood Eagle family, and they certainly hit the mark! Thank you to the amazing staff who worked so hard to pull it off, the awesome community partners who showed up to support, and the incredible families for joining them and brining the fun!
For more great pictures from the event, check out the HCPS, Parent Academy, or Edgewood Elementary Facebook pages!
Newsletter Spotlight
Real Talks
The Finance Office of Business Services
Parents/caretakers and other community stakeholders often ask how HCPS manages their taxpayer dollars and the school system’s budget. In this latest episode of Real Talk, hear directly from Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Deborah Judd and Director of Finance Jay Staab about how our award-winning Finance Office works behind the scenes as part of the HCPS financial enterprise system, providing support to schools and overseeing payroll, accounts payable, and grants. This team prepares fiscal information for the Superintendent, Board of Education, schools, offices, county, and state fiscal authorities, and the public related to the actual financial performance of the system, as well as manages the external audit to produce the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
Parent Academy Real Talk: Introducing Mr. Joe Harbert as the new HCPS Director of Health and Wellness
In this Real Talk, you’ll hear directly from Mr. Joe Harbert, who was recently named Director of Health and Wellness for Harford County Public Schools. Mr. Harbert shares the role and responsibilities of this newly created job, such as developing partnerships with community agencies to provide resources to support students who may be dealing with mental and/or emotional issues, connecting with schools to provide training for trauma-informed instruction, etc. We know our students cannot thrive academically if they are not well physically or mentally. HCPS looks forward to expanding its efforts in this area and providing support to families beyond the school day. Take a watch to “meet” Mr. Harbert and learn more about his new role.
Parent Academy Real Talk: An Overview of the HCPS Health Curriculum
In this Real Talk, hear directly from HCPS health education leaders on the new Comprehensive Health Education Framework from the Maryland State Department of Education and how HCPS, as well as all local school systems, will align our current curriculum to the new framework. The framework, or guide, outlines the health standards to be taught in Prek-Grade 12 and indicates what students should know at the end of each grade level as well as the skill sets used to navigate the content topics. HCPS experts dive a little deeper to explain what parents and students may expect as they progress through the curriculum.
Keeping PACE at Darlington Elementary School
In this short video, Principal Alberta Porter and PACE Liaison Lea Mussini highlight some of the great work taking place at Darlington Elementary School that focuses on the school’s climate and culture. Ms. Porter talks about the importance of communication and building family efficacy, and Ms. Mussini shares an idea the school had this year for a video presentation for families about establishing routines at home to support their student. Take a watch!
Office of Communications and Family Outreach
Keeping PACE editors:
Manager of Family and Community Partnerships
Communications Specialist
Email: ParentAcademy@hcps.org
Website: https://www.hcps.org/parents/ParentAcademy/Default.aspx
Location: 102 South Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD, USA
Phone: 410-588-5263
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HCPSParentAcademy