Parent Handbook - Harford County Public Schools

Registering Your Child For School
Children moving into the community during the school year should register as soon as possible.
Application for prekindergarten and kindergarten registration for students takes place on the
first Friday in May. Other elementary students and secondary students can be registered at any
time which is convenient to the school and the parents/guardians. Parents/guardians are asked
to call the school to arrange for appointments for registering their children. It is hoped that this
registration will occur as early as possible during the summer.
All students should be enrolled at the school that they will attend. Parents/guardians who are
unable to apply for prekindergarten or register kindergarten children at the scheduled time in
May should call the school for an appointment.
At the time of registration, parents/guardians are required to present the child’s birth certificate,
immunization record, and proof of residency. In addition, a copy of a current income tax return
is required with all prekindergarten applications. All students must meet State immunization
requirements before they may be admitted to school.
A record of a physical examination is required for students who are entering a Maryland public
school for the first time - no longer than nine months prior to entering or within six months after
entering.
Students entering prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade must provide a lead testing
certificate. Students living in designated zip codes must provide evidence of blood lead testing.
Immunization Compliance Criteria For Maryland Schools
The State of Maryland has established immunization requirements for all students entering or
enrolled in Maryland schools for the 2011-2012 school year.
Requirements to achieve complete immunization status include the following:
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough), (DTaP, DTP) – 4 doses vaccine
for all students entering PreK-12th grade. If DT is given in place of DTP or DTaP, a
physician documented medical contraindication if required.
• Polio vaccine - three (3) doses for all students less than 18 years of age or proof of
immunity by positive blood test.
• Measles - two (2) doses of measles vaccine received on or after student’s first birthday,
or proof of immunity by positive blood test for students entering K-12th grade. Preschool
students under 60 months of age require one dose of measles; preschool students 60
months of age or older require two (2) doses of measles vaccine.
• One (1) dose of rubella vaccine on or after the student’s first birthday, or proof of
immunity by a positive blood test for students entering K-12th grade. Preschool students
60 months or older require two (2) doses of rubella vaccine.
• One (1) dose of mumps vaccine on or after the student’s first birthday or proof of
immunity through a positive blood test for students entering K-12th grade. Preschool
students 60 months of age or older require two (2) doses of mumps vaccine.
• Varicella: one (1) dose required for students under 13 years of age administered on
or after student’s first birthday; or two (2) doses required for previously unvaccinated
students 13 years of age and older. History of chicken pox documented by a health care provider
including month and year of disease or a positive blood test will be accepted as proof in lieu of
vaccination.
• Hepatitis B vaccine - three (3) doses or a positive blood test for students entering PreK—12th grade.
Students enrolled in preschool programs must also:
• Have received one (1) dose of Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7, PCV 13, Prevnar) if they are under 60
months of age.
• Have received Haemophilus influenza- type b vaccine (Hib) if they are under 60 months of age. At least
one (1) dose of Hib must be administered on or after the first birthday.
(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.) Official documentation is recorded on the Maryland Immunization Certificate,
DHMH 896. This form is available from the schools. If you have documentation from another source, please
consult with the school nurse.
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 affidavit 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 Edline online 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 five, 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.
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