Parent-Student Handbook - Harford County Public Schools

A record of a Physical Examination is required for students who are entering a Maryland public
school for the fi rst time - no longer than nine months prior to entering or within six months after
entering.
Students entering prekindergarten, kindergarten, and fi rst grade must provide a lead testing
certifi cate. Students living in designated zip codes must provide evidence of blood lead testing.
Immunization Compliance Criteria For Maryland Schools
The following are the immunization requirements for students entering a Maryland public or
private school for school year 2010-2011:
Diphtheria (DPT/DTap) - Four (4) doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping
cough) are required for students less than seven (7) years old. Three (3) doses of tetanus
and diphtheria containing vaccines (DTP, DTap, Tdap, DT or Td) are required for previously
unvaccinated students seven (7) years of age and older. If DT vaccine is given in place of
DTP or DTap, a physician documented medical contraindication is required.
Polio - Three (3) doses of polio vaccine are required for students less than eighteen (18)
years of age. Proof of immunity by positive blood test is acceptable in lieu of vaccine history
for polio.
Measles - Two (2) doses of live measles are required on or after the student’s fi rst birthday for
students entering K-12 grade. One (1) dose of measles vaccination is required for students in
preschool programs. Proof of immunity by positive blood test is acceptable in lieu of vaccine
history for measles.
Rubella - One (1) dose of live rubella vaccine is required on or after the student’s fi rst birthday
for students entering prekindergarten-12 grade. Proof of immunity by positive blood test is
acceptable in lieu of vaccine history for rubella.
Mumps - One (1) dose of live mumps vaccine is required on or after the student’s fi rst birthday
for students entering prekindergarten-12 grade. Proof of immunity by positive blood test for
students is acceptable in lieu of vaccine history for mumps.
Varicella (Chicken Pox) - One (1) dose of varicella (chicken pox) vaccine is required on or
after the student’s fi rst birthday for students entering prekindergarten-12 grade. Two doses
of varicella vaccine are required for a previously unvaccinated student thirteen (13) years of
age or older. Proof of immunity by positive blood test is acceptable in lieu of vaccine history
for varicella. Medical diagnosis of varicella is acceptable in lieu of vaccination. (Medical
diagnosis is documented history of disease provided by a physician or health care provider.
Documentation must include the month and year).
Hepatitis B - Three (3) doses of Hepatitis B vaccine are required for students entering
prekindergarten-12 grade. Two (2) doses of Hepatitis B vaccine are acceptable only if student
was vaccinated with the Merck & Co. brand vaccine Recombivax HB Adult Formulation.
Recombivax HB Adult Formulation vaccine is licensed for use in adolescents 11-15 years
of age as a two-dose series. Proof of immunity by positive blood test is acceptable in lieu of
vaccine history for Hepatitis B.
Hib - All students less than sixty (60) months of age are required to have received at least
one dose of Haemophilus infl uenza, type b vaccine (Hib) after twelve (12) months of age to be
entered or enrolled in preschool services (not required for K-12 grade).
Pneumococcal (Prevnar/PCV7) - All students less than 60 months of age are required to
have received at least one dose of Prevnar (PCV7) to be entered or enrolled in preschool
services (not required for K-12 grade).
(Upon record review, a vaccine dose given less than or equal to four (4) days before the minimum interval or
age may be counted as valid.)
Proof of Residency
The following are the types of acceptable documentation:
• settlement papers
• rental lease agreement
• utility bill
All documents must be dated within three (3) months of registration.
Examples of documents that are unacceptable as proof of residency:
• driver’s license
• property tax bill
In instances where the owner/leasee of the home in which the student lives is not the parent/guardian of the
student, the owner/leasee of the home will provide a signed, notarized affi davit verifying that the student and
student’s parent/guardian reside at that address.
Reporting Student Progress
Pupil progress is formally reported to parents in November, February, April, and June (at the end of the
school year). In addition, teachers communicate with parents informally by means of conferences, letters,
and telephone calls. The Ed-Line on-line system is used to communicate progress of secondary students
through the use of an assigned PIN number.
No report card is issued in November to elementary school children. Instead, a conference is scheduled
for parents and teachers so that they may discuss each child’s rate of progress, expected standards for
learning and discipline, school curriculum, and school goals. Elementary school students receive report
cards in February, April, and June. Students in grades six through 12 receive report cards at the end of each
of the four marking periods.
Students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades one and two receive a non-graded report card. In grades
three, four and fi ve, letter grades are used to indicate the level of student progress in integrated language arts,
social studies, science, and mathematics. Handwriting, art, music, media, and physical education, as well as 17
habits and attitudes listed on the report card, are marked S (satisfactory) or N (needs improvement). Progress
at the secondary level is recorded by means of the letter grades A, B, C, D, or E.
Rights And Responsibilities Of Students
Use Of School Facilities
The Board of Education of Harford County encourages the use of Harford County Public Schools (HCPS)
facilities by the school community in accordance with Section 7-108 of the Education Article of the Maryland
Annotated Code and the HCPS Use of Public School Facilities Procedure. Students and parents who
are part of a school-affi liated group may be allowed to use HCPS facilities for any curricular or cocurricular
program or activity that is directly affi liated with the programs of the school system and under
the supervision of a particular school within HCPS. School-affi liated groups may be allowed to use HCPS
facilities to sponsor programs or activities that are directly affi liated with the school’s educational program
and sponsored by the Parent-Teacher-Student Association, the Harford County Council of PTSA’s, and
offi cially recognized employee organizations. Requests for school-sponsored activities must be submitted
and processed, and once approved must be conducted, in accordance with Board policy and the HCPS
Use of Facilities Procedure. Local schools must document the intended use by the school-affi liated group
by completing the Use of Facilities Form B. The Use of Facilities Form B must be forwarded to the Offi ce of
Operations prior to the scheduled program or activity.
Any group that intends to use an HCPS facility for a non-school related program or activity that is not school
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