TOWSON, MD—More than 111,000 Baltimore County students are preparing for the start of a new school on Monday morning. The students will head to 176 schools, centers, and programs across the county for the 2024-2025 academic year, according to Baltimore County Public Schools.

“New school years are always filled with excitement and promise,” said Dr. Myriam Rogers, Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools. “As a school system, we are ready, refreshed, and eager to offer instruction and opportunities designed to build academic achievement and student success.”

The school system has hired 825 teachers, 29 office professionals, 10 bus drivers, three bus attendants, 49 paraeducators, 32 assistant principals, and 13 principals for the new school year, officials said. The hiring efforts included a strategic and aggressive series of innovations and programs, including a new compressed salary scale with an increased teacher starting salary – the second highest in Maryland.

Enhanced curriculum

The school system has also expanded its early childhood education program, offering full-day prekindergarten for eligible three-and four-year old children. Access to high-quality, full-day prekindergarten for eligible three-and four-year old children continues to expand in BCPS with full-day programs open at Lyons Mill and Dogwood elementary schools.

BCPS also is continuing its implementation of the Special Education Strategic Roadmap for fiscal years 2024-2026. This comprehensive strategic plan identifies new priorities and performance measures to transform the way BCPS provides special education services and ensure that students and families have a range of comprehensive supports and resources for growth and achievement.

Meet Xello

BCPS high school students will have access to a new college and career readiness online platform called Xello. Learn more about it in this video and brochure (PDF).

Curriculum Nights

BCPS will host Curriculum Nights as a series of opportunities for families to learn more about BCPS curriculum and efforts to improve instruction in English language arts, mathematics, early childhood education, Multilingual Achievement and English Language Development, and special education. The first BCPS Curriculum Night is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Chesapeake High School in Essex.

Increased mental health support

Because BCPS is committed to the mental health and emotional well-being of its students, the school system this year offers a variety of mental health resources to its students and school communities. These include an expanded Talkspace program for high school students ages 13 and older, which provides access to free virtual therapy or online support.

For middle school students at selected schools, BCPS is teaming up with Cigna Healthcare to offer the Cigna School Support Line, a no-cost, confidential service for students, families, and staff providing help around the clock.

And new this year, eight community mental health providers will work with BCPS to provide a range of services to students in more than 100 schools, including access to therapy, workshops, family education, prevention services, mentoring, family support groups, character education, and more. The new program, supported by the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports, will provide resources through June 2025.

Cell phone awareness

This year BCPS will pilot a new program in 16 middle and high schools that uses pouches to restrict cell phone use as a way to reduce distractions and disruptions in the classroom.

Expanded safety and security features

Last year, the safety assistant program grew to include schools across the county; this year, zone safety leaders will be added to the program to help coordinate efforts throughout schools and regions of the county. Omnilert, a weapons detection system that uses existing internal and external cameras to spot firearms, will continue to monitor BCPS schools.

New schools are open to students

BCPS opens two new school buildings to students today. At 205,479 square feet, Nottingham Middle School is designed to meet the educational needs of the northeastern part of the county and to provide additional capacity for future growth. With 1,410 seats, the sleek new $116.7 million school is the first new middle school since Windsor Mill Middle opened in 2006.

Bedford Elementary School in Pikesville opens its new $53.6 million replacement school building today, doubling the size of the old school (45,745 square feet to 102,449 square feet) and increasing capacity from 309 seats to 735 seats. Designed to relieve overcrowding and to provide a modern learning center for the community, the new school will also house a variety of community groups and learning programs.

Bus business

The parent transportation app, BusWhere, helps subscribers see bus locations in real time on a mobile phone or computer. New this school year are new middle school transportation zones.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via Councilman Mike Ertel