Family Resources
The Howard County Public School System welcomes visitors to our schools. To limit interruptions and distractions to teaching and learning and to maximize safety for all, persons who wish to visit a school campus, building or classroom are asked to comply with the procedures outlined on the above linked webpage.
To be used by parents or guardians requesting discretionary absences.
The Religious Obligation: Request for Absence form must be completed for consideration of a lawful (excused) absence from school under Policy 3000, Religious Observances.
Student Resources
SIRS Discoverer offers a database of easily retrievable full-text articles, often with accompanying graphics, with full printing and saving capabilities. The full-text articles database consists of articles reprinted with permission, from approximately 1,600 newspapers, magazines and U.S. government documents. Other features include: The World Almanac for Kids, Compton's Encyclopedia, and a Spotlight of the Month.
World Book Online Reference Center is an excellent source of reliable, easy to understand information for students. World Book Online offers all the features of the print encyclopedia plus links to maps, web sites, and other print articles.
CultureGrams offers concise, reliable, and up-to-date country reports on 190 cultures of the world. It goes beyond mere facts and figures to deliver an insider's perspective on daily life and culture, including the history, customs, and lifestyles of the world's people.
Use your Howard County Library card and pin number (request a pin number from the library) to access many online reference sources. To locate the online resources, click on “Databases.”
Generate, edit, and publish an MLA Works Cited list or APA References list that complies with the rules of the current MLA Handbook and APA Publication Manual. NoodleBib takes care of punctuation, alphabetization and formatting, producing a polished source list for import into Word.
TeachingBooks.net is a timesaving portal to thousands of online resources of book-related resources you can use to explore children's and young adult books and their authors. It provides immediate access to useful materials and exciting programs (short movies, audiobook readings, book discussion guides, and more) that add a multimedia dimension to reading in the classroom, library media center, and home.
Business Partners
Bushy Park collaborates with Junior Acheivement of Central Maryland. Once a year, volunteers spend a full day at Bushy Park for JA in a Day. Six grade-specific courses are offered, and volunteers help by delivering instruction for that day.
Bushy Park is a partner with Howard Community College. Pre-service teachers observe classes and volunteer with teachers as they start their journey to become educators.
School Supports
HCPSS promotes the mental health and wellness of each of our students to develop their unique strengths, abilities, and characteristics towards success and well-being.
Every school in the Howard County Public School System has at least one staff member who serves as a Rainbow Representative.
Every school in the Howard County Public School System has at least one staff member who serves as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Liaison.
HCPSS is committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment and fostering strong bonds between schools, military service members and community organizations to support military-connected children and enhance the success of all students.