Magnet application process begins today for 2026-27 school year -- This Week in BCPS

Monday, September 8, 2025

Application process for 2026-2027 magnet programs begins at noon on Monday, September 8

Application deadline: 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21

The magnet application process for the 2026-2027 school year will begin at noon on Monday, September 8. BCPS magnet programs are available in elementary, middle, and high schools across the county. Descriptions of program offerings are available online.

Some key opportunities to learn more:

Magnet EXPO!

Saturday, September 20, from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CCBC Catonsville Wellness and Athletic Center,

800 S. Rolling Rd., Catonsville 21228

Application Information Meetings

Thursday, September 11, at 6 p.m.

Kenwood High School, 501 Stemmers Run Rd., Essex 21221

Tuesday, September 16, at 6 p.m.

Milford Mill Academy, 3800 Washington Ave., Windsor Mill 21244

School-based Showcase Events

Students and families seeking additional information about specific programs can view school websites and/or participate in school-based magnet showcase events in September and October.

September 11: Never forget

Wednesday, September 11, is Patriot Day, marking the 24th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. BCPS remembers the victims and honors those who served. We will never forget.

You're invited to BCPS Curriculum Night 2025

Students, parents, caregivers, and stakeholders are invited to participate in the 2025 BCPS Curriculum Night. At the event, families can learn about BCPS curriculum and current system efforts to make improvements in English language arts, mathematics, early childhood education, English language development, and special education.

Families can talk one-on-one with BCPS staff about how to support students at home. Attendees will also have an opportunity to view curricular and instructional materials and engage with representatives from county government agencies and nonprofit partners.

Join us for Community Conversations on a new BCPS Strategic Plan

BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers invites students, families, staff, and stakeholders to participate in Community Conversations focused on the development of a new strategic plan for the school system. The strategic plan will outline goals, initiatives, and strategies to advance student achievement.

17th Annual Meet the Primes event to connect small, minority-owned businesses with subcontracting opportunities and resources

Meet the Primes, a free networking event, is designed to connect small and minority-owned businesses with more than 100 prime bidders who offer subcontracting work opportunities, as well as state and local government agencies who offer bidding opportunities and resources to facilitate small business growth. The event will feature one-on-one opportunities to meet with prime contractors through the Maryland Chapter of the Associated General Contractors and free workshops on doing business with Baltimore County Public Schools.

Representatives of small and minority-owned businesses can register online. Walk-ins will also be welcome. Businesses that register prior to Tuesday, September 30, will be listed in the event booklet. Attending businesses are encouraged to bring capability statements and references.

Baltimore County Police Department seeks participants for Youth Advisory Council

Registration deadline: September 19

The Baltimore County Police Department's Youth Advisory Council provides young people with a platform to discuss age-appropriate topics while building positive relationships with law enforcement officers. The Council meets one Saturday each month during the school year.

Interested students in Grades 9-12 should submit their applications to btwalton@baltimorecountymd.gov by Friday, September 19.

Be "Here for It": Join us in participating in attendance campaign countywide spirit days

To celebrate September as Attendance Awareness month, the BCPS "Here for It" campaign has organized four countywide spirit days to bring attention to the importance of on-time, regular school attendance. Students and staff are encouraged to participate and to post to social media using the hashtags #BCPSHereForIt and #SchoolEveryDay.

Date	Theme	Suggested Action
Friday, September 12	“Step Up for Success”	Wear cool, bright, or creative sneakers or shoes.
Friday, September 19	“Your Future is Bright”	Wear neon or bright colors.
Friday, September 26	“Team Up for Attendance”	Wear your favorite sports gear.

Applications open for countywide student leadership roles

Applications are open for middle and high school students interested in serving on the 2025-2026 Board of Selected Students or one of four Baltimore County Student Councils (BCSC) committees. The application deadline for both BOSS and the BCSC committees is Wednesday, September 24, at 11:59 p.m.

BOSS applications are open to students who are not already involved in student council/government leadership at their schools. BOSS members are asked to share their schools’ views with BCSC and to collaborate with other student leaders from across the county. BOSS will meet virtually once a month, throughout the school year. Two students from each middle and high school will be selected. Students can apply by completing the BOSS application found on the BCSC website.

The four BCSC committees accepting applications are the Environmental, Culture & Climate, Student Resources & Wellness, and Student Member of the Board (SMOB) Outreach committees. Interested students can apply by completing the application found on the BCSC website.

Communications Office seeks activities, initiatives, and staff to highlight for Hispanic Heritage Month 2025

Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized annually from September 15 - October 15. Does your school or office have plans to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month? Please contact us at communications@bcps.org. We look forward to highlighting the impact of these important recognitions around the county.

Please also nominate a staff member for an "Orgullo BCPS" spotlight on the BCPS Spanish Facebook page! Please contact Gevene Harden with the following information:

Name, job title, and school/office.
A recent, high-quality photo.
Country or countries of origin.
A brief blurb (en español o en inglés) about why you are proud of your Hispanic heritage and/or how you connect with your roots (1-2 paragraphs).

BCPS hosts event to recruit bus drivers and attendants, and building service, grounds, and cafeteria workers

Wednesday, September 17

Liberty Workforce Development Center (inside CCBC Building)

3637 Offutt Rd., Randallstown 21133

BCPS is hosting an in-person recruitment event to include an information session and pre-employment scheduling. This event is for individuals interested in school bus driver, bus attendant, grounds worker II, building service worker, and cafeteria worker positions. BCPS encourages applicants to apply online prior to attending this session, but walk-ins will be accepted. For more information, please call 443-809-7872.

Schedule for the day:

Bus Drivers/Bus Attendants – 9:30 a.m.

Building Service Workers – 10:30 a.m.

Grounds Workers II – 12 p.m.

Cafeteria Workers – 2 p.m.

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

A few fast facts:

In the U.S., suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 and those aged 15-24 and the 11th leading cause of death overall.

Each year, 5 percent of U.S. adults have serious thoughts of suicide, compared to 12 percent of young adults aged 18-25, 20 percent of high school students, and 41 percent of youth who identify as LGBTQ.

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and a new toolkit from the National Alliance on Mental Health offers important information about advocacy, warning signs, how to talk to someone considering suicide, and vital resources.

Parents can also turn to BCPS for assistance regarding the mental health and emotional well-being of their children. Students can receive services from school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and pupil personnel workers. In addition, BCPS connects families to nearly two dozen community mental health providers.

Visit the BCPS mental health resource toolkit to learn more about the various resources available to students and families. The BCPS Mind Over Matters campaign is another great resource. Mind Over Matters is an ongoing movement to raise awareness about mental health and promote wellness for BCPS students and staff. The Mind Over Matters theme for the first quarter of the school year is "Self-Awareness," and the campaign will feature special activities systemwide on Wednesday, September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.

BCPS high school students (ages 13+) may also access free virtual therapy or online support through Talkspace. In addition, 988 is a resource available to all. You can call or text 988 at any time. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for folks who need mental health, substance use, or other resources.

The message for all is "You are not alone, and help is available."

for your viewing pleasure

"Bedroom Pop" by Micah Cobaria, Grade 12, Perry Hall High School. This artwork earned the Best Other Media award from BCPS and an Excellence in Water Media award from the Baltimore Watercolor Society. It was featured in the BCPS 2025 High School Art Exhibition.

Artist Statement:

I’ve always loved music due to the way it provides me solace during difficult times, combined with my drive for art, I tend to mix these two parts of myself on canvas. This piece is a case of such with how it’s meant to represent what it feels like to listen to music in my room. The warm tone seen throughout the piece is meant to showcase the cozy yet still lively atmosphere music creates for me. Moreover, the way the CDs float through my room is meant to represent how listening to music, in a way, transports me to a different world even if I’m just sitting in my room. I also wanted to make sure the music had its own contrasting personality to the rest of the room and figure, so I used color pencil for the CDs and embroidery/fabrics for the notes and fun shapes while I stuck to only acrylic for the room and figure. My love for music has been a main focal point for my art this senior year, and this piece feels like a manifestation of that love, in the place I hold closest to me.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

The Education Foundation contributes Imagination Playground and stuffed pencil pouches to BCPSfest

The Imagination Playground sponsored by The Education Foundation

in partnership with the Baltimore Community Tool Bank

At this year's BCPSfest, The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., sponsored the first-ever Imagination Playground, in partnership with the Baltimore Community Tool Bank, and once again distributed pencil pouches stuffed with school supplies.

This year's BCPS back-to-school festival was the best ever -- attracting more than 2,000 students and their family members. The event featured more than 70 vendors and a Baltimore County Department of Health vaccine clinic and allowed families to connect with BCPS and community services and resources. Participants registered to vote, dug for fossils, had their faces painted, rode bikes to blend healthy smoothies, rode other bikes to make spin art, took their turns before the camera, launched straw rockets, played word games, learned Double-Dutch jump roping, met a bicycling champion, and much more.

Learn more about the event in a new Mission Moment blog post, on the BCPSfest webpage, in a Flickr album, and in a Vimeo video.

a word from Dr. Rogers

September 8, 2025

Dear Reader:

BCPS employs more than 20,000 staff members to educate and support our more than 111,000 students.

As the school year begins, I want to encourage parents and community members to consider embarking on careers with BCPS. In addition to competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and opportunities for professional growth, we offer the chance to contribute to the future – our youth.

Next Wednesday, September 17, at the Liberty Workforce Development Center in Randallstown, we will hold a joint recruitment session for individuals interested in building service worker, bus attendant, bus driver, cafeteria worker, and grounds worker II positions. More information about that event can be found in a recent news release.

Information about those and many other positions – including substitute teacher openings – can be found on our current job openings page.

Please consider joining our team. We would love to work with you!

Regards,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent