See you this Saturday, August 22, at BCPSfest! | | Visit 70 vendors! Access BCPS and community resources. Apply for jobs! | | |
Tons of fun activities!
- Play math games.
- Paint with watercolors.
- Color collaboratively.
- Play a giant KerPlunk game.
- Ride a bike and make a smoothie.
- Learn Double Dutch jump-roping.
- Explore the Imagination Playground.
- Launch a straw rocket.
- Build a pinwheel.
- Climb onto a school bus.
- Spin prize wheels.
- Make crafts.
- Dance to the music.
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Live entertainment!
- Code Cardinal, The New Town High School Varsity Cheerleaders
- School mascots from Milford Mill Academy, Owings Mills High School, and Seneca and Westchester elementary schools
- Three J's Entertainment deejay
Delicious food trucks!
- Braglio Farms/ Burgers N Bunz
- Don's Dog Cart
- Kona Ice
- Macho Chicken
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Back-to-school vaccine clinic!
The Baltimore County Department of Health will hold a back-to-school vaccination clinic at BCPSfest. All school-required vaccines will be administered at this clinic. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required.
| | Catonsville High School Music Department Chair Chris Gnagey receives $10,000 award from Barry Manilow | | |
On August 7, during his concert at CFG Arena, legendary singer Barry Manilow recognized Catonsville High School band director and music department chair Chris Gnagey with $10,000 for the school's music program.
According to Sonia Synkowski, coordinator of Integrated Arts, "Chris Gnagey exemplifies the very best of what it means to be a music educator. His passion for music, commitment to his students, and dedication to creating meaningful musical experiences have made a lasting impact on the Catonsville High School community and the school system at large. The Manilow Music Teacher Award is a well-deserved recognition of the excellence, creativity, and heart he brings to his teaching each day. We are incredibly proud to celebrate Chris and the profound difference he makes in the lives of his students."
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Summer Stories: Sparks Elementary music teacher Bryan Price explores Greece and Turkey
Educator traveled as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, selected by the National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions
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Bryan Price teaches music at Sparks Elementary School, but his larger goal is to use music to reduce the distance between his classroom and the rest of the world.
As a 2026 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow selected by National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions, Price had the opportunity to spend 11 days learning more about the history and culture of Greece and Turkey. He shared his activities and discoveries with the Sparks community through three social media accounts: @youroldpalmrprice and @fins_migrations (Instagram) and @HZ Grosvenor Teacher Fellow (Facebook).
A new Summer Stories blog post shares more of what he discovered and how his fellowship travels energized him for the upcoming school year.
| | Summer Stories: Meet two information technology apprentices from Eastern Technical High School: Rabin Bhandari and Bidemi Ogunjinmi | | Rabin Bhandari is a 2026 Eastern Tech graduate and incoming freshman at George Washington University, and Bidemi Ogunjinmi is a rising senior at Eastern Tech. They both have spent the summer working in the BCPS Department of Information Technology, Office of Technology Operations, under the supervision of Michael Thompson. | | Rabin Bhandari and Bidemi Ogunjinmi | | |
In a new Summer Stories blog post, Bhandari, Ogunjinmi, and Thompson share their perspectives on the apprenticeship experience.
Bhandari wrote: "Going into college, I plan on being an international business major with a concentration in information systems, so having this tech background is going to be invaluable in my future, and getting this sort of work experience so early on is a great advantage to have."
| | What's your summer story? | | | | To submit a blog post or suggest a story idea, please write to communications@bcps.org. We want to know about your summer jobs/internships/externships, vacations, creative projects, competitions, camps, and more! | | |
Summer commencement ceremony: "Success is also about what you become along the way"
A commencement ceremony on August 12 at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology celebrated the125 BCPS graduates from 21 high schools across the county who completed their 2026 graduation requirements over the summer, including a few students who were graduating prior to their senior year.
The event was moderated by Patricia Mustipher, director of Student Support Services, who said that "the joy of the students and families was contagious." During his welcoming remarks, BCPS Superintendent Dr. Bill Heiser thanked all those who supported the new graduates and encouraged the graduates to continue believing in themselves. Keynote speaker and former Student Member of the Board Foresight Ogungbe shared with the new graduates some of the nuggets of advice she has received that might be useful to them, including that "Some of the most important things you do will never appear on a resume."
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Be inspired by a good book.
Read about exploring nature, then go out and explore nature. Read about making cupcakes, then make some for your friends or family. Read about researching local history, then go out and research some local history. Find inspiration in the books recommended this week by our wonderful colleagues in the Baltimore County Public Library Collection Department.
Many thanks to our library friends for these great recommendations, and please remember to stop by your local library branch to participate in the summer reading program, have them put together a Be Surprised Bundle for you, and take part in their many activities.
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Focus on Families
from BCPS Parent University
| | The Checklist: Getting Ready for the 2026-2027 School Year! | | |
The 2026-2027 school year begins on August 31! Here are some tips to prepare and support your elementary and secondary students.
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Create a my BCPS account for parents/guardians' access to the Focus parent portal and Schoology. Focus is a web-based system that allows parents to monitor their child’s grades and assignments and stay in touch with teachers.
- Complete your child’s Student Emergency Information Form in Focus or at their home school so you’re contacted about school closings, illnesses, and important updates. Notify the school if your information changes during the school year.
- Plan to attend back-to-school activities at your children’s schools.
- Attend Curriculum Night on September 16. More details to come.
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Learn about Parent University and consider participating in an upcoming workshop and/or event.
| | New Fall 2026 Program Guide highlights recreation programs across the county | | | | |
The new Fall 2026 Program Guide from the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks lists more than 520 autumn events across the county -- many of them free or low-cost.
Here are a few of the free events taking place on Saturdays in September:
Sept. 4 &18, from 10-11 a.m. – Trails with Tots, Cromwell Valley Park
Sept. 5, from 10-11 a.m. – International Vulture Awareness Day, Marshy Point Nature Center
Sept. 12, from 12-1 p.m. – Farm Walk and Tour, Ag Center and Farm Park
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Sept. 19, from 9-11 a.m. – Drop-In Gardening, Cromwell Valley Park
Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. – Fall Festival, Marshy Point Nature Center
Sept. 19, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. – Old Time Jam Session, Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
Sept. 19, from 2-3 p.m. – September Nature Walk, Holt Park and Center for the Arts
Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. – Waterfront Festival, Rocky Point Park
Sept. 26, from 7-9 p.m. – Fans of Benjamin Banneker Astronomy Club, Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
In addition to events, the guide also lists workshops, afterschool programs, volunteer opportunities, and fitness and sports programs, as well as therapeutic recreation opportunities for those with disabilities and their families.
| | "Still Life" by Blake A., Grade 6, Woodlawn Middle School. This artwork earned first place honors in the BCPS Middle School Juried Art Exhibition on display in the BCPS Administration Building, Greenwood Campus, through the end of August. | | |
Mission Moment
from The Education Foundation of BCPS
| | Registration now required for shopping at the Exchangerees | | |
The Education Foundation operates two Exchangerees – educator resource centers where BCPS educators shop year-round at no cost to themselves for school supplies, books, classroom resources, winter gear, and more. The average number of patrons shopping on any given afternoon doubled during the 2025-2026 school year and is expected to double again this school year. As a result, registration is now required for shopping.
Shopping at the Exchangerees typically takes place twice each month at the Windsor Mill and Rosedale locations. Patrons are now asked to register to shop for one hour each month. The link to register for shopping will remain consistent, and new shopping dates will be added a week before each shopping date. Please see The Exchangeree webpage for registration details.
The latest Mission Moment blog post offers more background and guidelines for successful Exchangeree shopping.
| | Donate school supplies for BCPS students at Baltimore County Public Library branches | | |
Baltimore County Public Library is once again partnering with The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., to hold a school supply drive through Sunday, September 13.
Customers can bring the school supplies to the BCPL's 18 open branches during normal business hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drop off the items in any of the bins labeled school supply drive.
| | Highlights from Dr. Heiser | | |
August 17, 2026
Dear Team BCPS:
We are now just two weeks away from the start of the school year, and I am so proud of the extraordinary work our staff and administrators are doing this summer to prepare for the upcoming school year. Their distinguished work exemplifies "advancing excellence together."
Over the summer, our Food and Nutrition Services team has provided more than 360,000 meals to youth in our community, and our Division of Curriculum and Instruction has provided Summer Learning programs for students at every level. These activities help ensure that our students will return to school ready to learn.
Our Division of Human Resources has been actively recruiting talented professionals to join our team. As of August 11, more than 95% of our schools have two or fewer vacancies; 68% are fully staffed. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of fully staffing every school by opening day.
On the Operations side, our team has managed 54 active construction sites this summer, with projects ranging from replacement buildings and renovations to systemic work such as roofs, parking lots, open space conversions, HVAC, electrical, and track replacements and resurfacing. The work has been particularly challenging this summer as crews have had to contend with extensive heat and storms. Three major projects will open on Monday, August 31, replacement school buildings for Deer Park Elementary and Lansdowne High and an addition to Dundalk High. Construction is well underway on significant renovations at Dulaney and Towson high schools.
These are just a few examples of the many efforts going on behind the scenes in every corner of BCPS to prepare for what promises to be an extraordinary school year.
Sincerely,
Bill Heiser, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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Upcoming Board meetings
All are welcome to attend
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