For the 2022-2023 school year, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is allowing local school systems to repurpose up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous instruction days. The HCPSS plan was created following State requirements, and in conjunction with Howard County Board of Education Policies 8010 Grading and Reporting: Pre-Kindergarten Through Grade Five and 8020 Grading and Reporting: Middle and High School, and was approved by MSDE in October.

Students, families, staff and community members will be notified if/when HCPSS implements an asynchronous instruction day the same as all other inclement weather notifications: HCPSS Status website, HCPSS website, Email/Text, HCPSS Twitter, and Information Hotline. One of two additional codes will be instituted to reflect the decision to transition to an asynchronous instruction day:

• Code Purple Asynchronous Student Day - School and office buildings open for staff only
• Code Pink Asynchronous Student Day - School and office buildings closed

Students are expected to complete one asynchronous instruction day task per curricular area:

• Math
• English Language Arts
• Content (science, social studies, or health)
• Related arts class(es) scheduled for that day

Students have up to 10 school days to complete the tasks. Circle the completed tasks on a hard cop of the task choices chart or make a list of completed tasks on a separate piece of paper. Submit the printed chart or the completed tasks list on separate paper to their teacher at the end of the month to get marked as present for the asynchronous day attendance. NOTE: For asynchronous days occurring less than nine (9) days before the end of the month, task completion lists will be collected at the end of the next month. Attendance for asynchronous days will be updated monthly.

 For more information, please visit the Inclement Weather Asynchronous Instruction Plan page through HCPSS.