Education

ELEMENTARY,
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS
Harford County Public Schools serve almost 40,000 students throughout the county in 54 public schools, one special education school, one technical school and an alternative education center.

Harford County Public Schools
102 S. Hickory Ave.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 838-7300/
(866) 588-4963
http://www.hcps.org
Registration: http://www.hcps.org/Parents/registeringforSchool.aspx
Student Handbook: http://www.hcps.org/students/docs/ParentStudentHandbook.pdf
School Calendar: http://www.hcps.org/HCPS_Calendar/index.aspx

SCHOOLS BY CITY
Find the complete list of Harford County Schools at http://www.hcps.org .

Register your child/children as soon as possible and be sure to bring your child's birth certificate and immunization record, and also proof of residency (electric or phone bill, or a valid builder's contract with date of anticipated completion or for APG military personnel, a statement from the housing office).

The board of education generally assigns a school based on the child's area of residence, which is the same as the residence of his/her parent or legally appointed guardian. Kids living on Aberdeen Proving Ground:
North will attend Roy Williams Elementary, Aberdeen Middle or Aberdeen High schools.
South or the Edgewood Area will attend Edgewood Elementary, Edgewood Middle or Edgewood High schools.
If you have any questions concerning the boundaries of a school's attendance area, call the transportation office at (410) 638-4092.

SPECIAL EDUCATION
Harford County Public School
Department of Special Education
102 S. Hickory Ave.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 588-5246
Services for students with disabilities are based on Individual Education Programs and are designed to complement the general education curriculum. This alignment will help students meet Maryland State Assessment programs.

Itinerant services for all students ages birth through 21 offered at all community schools include:
Adapted Physical Education
Audiology, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Community-Based Instruction
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Speech /Language Therapy
Transitioning Supports
Vision Services

John Archer School
100 Thomas Run Road
Bel Air, MD 21015 (410) 638-3810
The school provides specialized education programs for students with special needs that cannot be met in the regular classroom. Instruction at home is also available to students who, because of medical or emotional reasons, are unable to attend a public school. For specific details contact the Student Services office at (410) 588-5334.

Choosing a School
Choosing the right school is very important, so be sure to research each one before deciding. During the process, consider these details:
Contact the school by phone or by visiting their website, which is a valuable source for school district statistics and curriculum.
Talk to people in the area, especially friends and colleagues who already live in the area.
If the school shows promise, schedule a visit and bring a list of written questions about student-teacher ratios, computer availability, extracurricular activities, sports programs, music programs and gifted programs, and grading standards.
Discuss the potential school with your child. What they like and what they didn't like.
Your family's ability to readily adapt to a move and to find happiness in your new home may depend, in part, on how happy your children are in their new school.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Many families are turning to private schools for their children's education. But keep in mind that a good private school can cost thousands of dollars a year, so be sure to check if your child meets any of the requirements for financial assistance before deciding. For local private school listings, see the Buyer's Guide in this publication or visit http://www.greatschools.net.

Harford County Community Resources
319 S. Main St.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 638-3389/879-2000
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/Services/guide.cfm?Cat=10&SubID=3
This county service and website features a list of private schools, with addresses and phone numbers. You can also find several schools in the yellow pages of this publication. Or contact the school liaison officer at (410) 278-2857.

HOME SCHOOL
Baltimore, Harford and Cecil County
Homeschoolers More (410) 557-4227
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BaHaCeHS
This group provides a means of communication to offer support, share resources and present ideas among the homeschooling community in the North East/Central corridor in Maryland.

Homeschool Association for Harford and Surrounding Areas
http://www.hahsa.org
An inclusive support group for families looking for a wide array of social and academic opportunities to enrich and enhance their home-school journey in Baltimore, Cecil and Harford counties.

The LIONS Home School Co-op offers parent-involved classes in a structured setting. Call (443) 655-0271 or the school liaison officer at (410) 278-2857.

The APG Home School Co-Op meets every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Aberdeen Youth Center, Building 2522. Contact the School Liaison Officer at (410) 278-2857.

For legal counseling, visit the Home Schooling Legal Defense Association at http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/md 

SCHOLARSHIPS/FINANCIAL
AID/SATS AND ACTS
Find the HCPS brochure, "How Do I Pay for My Education: A Guide to Financial Aid," at http://www.hcps.org/school or call the School Liaison Office at (410) 278-2857.

To learn about financial aid, scholarships and SAT/ACT, contact your high school guidance counselor or the Maryland Higher Education Commission at (800) 974-0203 or http://www.mhec.state.md.us.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
A college degree can create many opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable without a continued formal education. For a list of local colleges and universities, see the Buyer's Guide in this publication.

When looking at colleges, keep these important factors in mind:
The high cost of education is increasing every year. Check out available scholarships and grants and work study programs to help offset the cost of tuition. Also visit http://www.studentaid.ed.gov to apply for federal student aid, or you may have to take out a loan from a lending institution to cover your expenses.
Talk to a guidance counselor at your preferred school about courses of study.
To avoid undue costs and wasted time, know your degree requirements and plan classes that advance you toward your ultimate goal.
Transfer credits from previous schools.
Allow plenty of time, commitment and patience. To that end, learn to balance your time between school, work and family. Also schedule time for recreational activities to lower your stress levels.
Practice productive study habits. Find a system that works for you and implement it into each subject/course. If you lack study habits or have issues, seek advice from a guidance counselor.
If the course material eludes your understanding, avoid just re-reading it. Try a different approach and/or consult with the professor, a tutor, an aca-demic advisor, a classmate, a study group or your school's study skills center.
Making goals and meeting them helps you grow as a successful student. As you grow in your studies, so will your goals.

SUCCESSFUL STUDY HABITS
Good study habits equate to good grades and also avoid needless stress and frustration. To that end, try these tips on for size:
Be responsible—to succeed you need to establish your priorities, time and resources.
Center on your values and principles—avoid outside influences.
Put first things first—constantly monitor and adapt your priorities and avoid any distractions from your goals.
Discover when and where you're most productive—morning, afternoon or evening—and then find places where you're the most focused and productive, especially for the most difficult study challenges.
Contribute your best to a class, and you, your fellow students and even your teacher benefits, especially around final-grade time. When you have an issue with an instructor (a questionable grade, an assignment deadline, etc.) put yourself in the instructor's place. Then ask yourself how you can best make your argument given his/her situation.

OTHER RESOURCES
Maryland State Department of Education
http://www.msde.state.md.us

Association of Independent Maryland Schools
http://www.aimsmd.org

Harford County Parks and Recreation
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/parks_rec.
 
Harford County Council Parent Teacher Association,
http://www.hccpta.org
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