Parent University

Get #BACK2BCPS

The 2021-2022 school year has begun and we are ready for an amazing year. We invite you to join in the excitement by sharing photos and memories of your favorite BCPS moments!

Team BCPS stakeholders are asked to post photos on social media using hashtag #Back2BCPS and include messages about their favorite BCPS classes, schools, teachers, field trips, and more. Photos also can be emailed to communications@bcps.org.

Family College Night - Fall 2021

Join Stephanie Campbell, a Baltimore County Public Schools college counselor, for a virtual information session to assist Grade 12 students and their parents/caregivers in preparing for the college application process. The session will explore how to research colleges, application types and deadlines, essay writing, and testing. Campbell will also discuss how the pandemic has changed the college admissions process now and for the foreseeable future. Online registration is required. This session is offered by the BCPS Parent University.

Focus & Schoology Access for Parents/Caregivers

BCPS uses two systems to let you engage with your student’s learning: Focus & Schoology.

Focus is the BCPS Student Information System, or SIS. It stores data about our students, like attendance, final grades, demographics, and report cards. BCPS has opened parent access to Focus for the 2021-2022 school year and instructions for parents to sign up can be found HERE. Once parents log in, they can see their student’s report cards and attendance. In addition, BCPS will be using Focus’s Parent Portal to distribute forms that will assist parents in keeping their information up to date.

Inside of the Parent Portal, parents will find a link to the second system, Schoology, which is BCPS’s Learning Management System, or LMS. Schoology is where parents will see their student’s class assignments and assignment grades. Parents and teachers can use Schoology to communicate back and forth. Together these two tools give parents a great view into their student’s progress in BCPS.

For additional assistance, please contact your child's school.

BCPL Panel Discussion: Where Do We Go From Here?

Our children are resilient, yet so much has changed and will continue to change. Wondering about the transition back to school, work and life for your children and how to prepare them for a successful transition? Panelists, including Jennifer Abbe, LCPC, NCC, from the BCPS Office of School Counseling, will offer guidance to help families deal with anxiety, fear and worry that some youth may experience adjusting to change.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

7:00 - 8:00 PM

Tales of the Dead Short Story Contest

The Tales of the Dead Short Horror Story Contest is back! In conjunction with A Toast Among Ghosts on October 16, Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library once again challenges you to write your own original short horror story. There are two categories: Over 21 and Under 21. The theme this year is "Ghosts in the Graveyard." All entries should feature a ghost and a graveyard/cemetery/burial ground.

While A Toast Among Ghosts is 21+ only, writers under 21 can enter too! The Under 21 winners are invited to read their stories at a special reception at the Reisterstown Branch with a tour of the historic Reisterstown Community Cemetery on the evening of October 7 at 6 p.m. In addition, the will receive a prize package including a 2021 A Toast Among Ghosts T-shirt and a gift card.

The contest runs August 1 through September 17. Winners will be announced on October 1. See contest rules for entry.

CCBC Offers GED & NEDP Opportunities

Community College of Baltimore County offers classes and programs to achieve your high school diploma in one of two ways:

· GED® test preparation classes (in-person and online opportunities)

· National External Diploma Program® (NEDP®) online program

Next Intake Session begins: September 13, 2021

Appointments close out: September 3, 2021

Schedule your appointment for an assessment by calling 443-840-3077 or 443-840-3094 or email gednedp@ccbcmd.edu.

What is Parent CRAFT? A free resource for residents of Maryland

An online video course that teaches parents the skills they need to meet the risks of substance abuse. Parent CRAFT is based on the proven CRAFT method. Click on the link to access this free resource: https://www.cadenceonline.com/maryland/ or email mambrose@som.umaryland.edu

Baltimore County Government offering a new Financial Navigators program

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on residents’ finances and a new Financial Navigators program is here to help. Baltimore County in partnership with The CASH Campaign of Maryland offer Financial Navigators to provide guidance over the phone and can help you manage financial issues, identify immediate action steps, and make referrals to other services at no cost. the free session will last about 30 minutes. Visit https://finnav.org/baltco or call 311 to sign up and talk with a Baltimore County Financial Navigator now!

Need help registering your child?

Parents/caregivers can submit an online application through the Focus Parent Portal. Learn more about using the Focus Parent Portal by viewing an informational video. The password for the video is “Baltimore.”

After entering information online, parents/caregivers will be contacted by their child’s school to finalize enrollment. Additional assistance is available by emailing RegistrationHelp@bcps.org or contacting a school.

Special Education Resource Center

The Resource Center supports parents of children with disabilities, ages birth to 21. Its mission is to promote positive, effective partnerships within the school community. The center activities include but are not limited to the following services:

Maintains a lending library of articles, newsletters, books, and DVDs on a wide range of special education topics such as special education law, types of disabilities, support groups and recreational opportunities.
Seeks ways to encourage and strengthen communication between parents and school personnel
Teams with educators to teach free workshops
Makes community presentations to both parent groups and school staff
Represents special education issues and concerns of parents and students with special needs
Directs parents to available community resources
Establishes a family-to-family support network
Offers support to parents who need someone to talk to on an individual basis in a confidential, supportive atmosphere
Coordinates the PTA Special Education Liaison Project

For more information or to join their newsletter list click here!

What is Parent University

Parent University is offered through the BCPS Office of Family and Community Engagement, which we affectionately call FACE! We provide tools and resources to BPCS families to support learning at home. In the past, before social-distancing, one of the ways we offered these resources was through in-person workshops hosted by community members and schools. We also have a large collection of online resources that are available as we navigate through this incredibly unique time in our lives. We hope you enjoy what we have to share.

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