Harford County Council of PTAs, Inc.

09/15/2026

Calendar Reminder: Schools and offices will be closed to students and visitors on Monday, September 21, 2026, to allow all building staff to participate in professional development opportunities.

For more information, visit the HCPS calendar: https://hcps.org/aboutus/calendars/

09/14/2026

💡 HCCPTA Fact of the Week: PTA & PTSA as a Non-Profit Business

What is a PTA / PTSA?

Parent Teacher Associations and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTAs/PTSAs) are independent non-profit organizations dedicated to advocating for children, supporting schools, and building strong family-school-community partnerships. While PTAs and PTSAs bring communities together, their true mission goes far beyond hosting events: they exist to create opportunities for youth and amplify student advocacy.

Anyone Can Join! 🤝

You don't need to be a parent or teacher to belong. Parents, students, teachers, grandparents, school staff, alumni, and local community members are all welcome! Joining a PTA or PTSA gives every member an equal seat at the table and a direct voice in advocating for our students.

The Power of the Charter 📜

Local PTAs and PTSAs do not operate in isolation—they are part of a nationwide advocacy network tied together through official charters:

🏛️ National PTA charters state constituent divisions across the country.

🏛️ Free State PTA (FSPTA) charters all local PTAs and PTSAs within the State of Maryland.

🏛️ Harford County Council of PTAs (HCCPTA) provides localized governance support, training, and coordination for our county's local units.

This chartered framework grants local units their 501(c)(3) non-profit umbrella, organizational backing, and collective voice in educational advocacy. However, as businesses, PTA leaders have an obligation to uphold the fiduciary duties.

Where Do Fiduciary Duties Come From?

Because every local PTA and PTSA stewards public trust and community funds, elected board members are bound by standards known as fiduciary duties:

🛡️ Duty of Care: Actively protecting the unit's assets through transparent budgets, monthly financial reports, and mandatory annual financial reviews.

💙 Duty of Loyalty: Placing the PTA/PTSA's mission and student impact above personal or financial interests.

📋 Duty of Obedience: Ensuring the organization complies with non-profit tax laws, state regulations, and approved bylaws.

PTAs maintain this through exercise of parliamentary procedure.

How Parliamentary Procedure Protects the Business 🔨

Parliamentary procedure (such as Robert’s Rules of Order) isn't bureaucratic red tape—it is the practical governance tool leaders use to fulfill these fiduciary duties. Motions, open discussion, and official votes recorded in meeting minutes ensure every financial decision is transparent, equitable, and legally sound.

🔗 Learn More: Explore National PTA's official governance guidelines, board expectations, and organizational policies on

National PTA, as directed by its board of directors, provides leadership, programs, support, and resources to its members at all levels of the association. National, state and local PTA are connected—forming a nationwide network of members, working for every child, with one voice.

09/07/2026

🍎 Fact of the Week: Unpacking GRATITUDE this Labor Day Weekend 🍂

Happy Labor Day, HCPS families! As we take time to rest, celebrate, and reflect on the reflect on the hard work and dedication that builds our communities across our nation, we’re diving back into our word origin series with a word that ties it all together: GRATITUDE.

Did you know it traces directly back to the Latin root gratus, meaning "pleasing, agreeable, or thankful"? 💛

While saying "thanks" is a quick action, true gratitude at its core is an enduring mindset—a practice of recognizing the good gifts and hard work surrounding us in every moment.

Ask your child, "What are you thankful for today?" Give them a hug and be present in this moment. K–12 seems like a long journey, but graduation is just around the corner.

✨ Honoring the Work That Moves Us Forward

Labor Day is all about appreciating effort, dedication, and service. This weekend, we extend our deepest gratitude to our HCPS teachers, support staff, bus drivers, administrators, and the countless parents, volunteers, and labor partners who pour their hearts into making our schools thrive. Be thankful for the work that you have done with your child and for our community. While you're practicing gratitude, self-compassion is just as important.

We are filled with gratitude for who you are and what you do! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

👉 Connect with your local PTA/PTSA: http://www.hcc-pta.org/local-unit-info-1.html

PTA members are people who have a vested interest in the education, health and well being of all children.  Consider supporting a local PTA unit and stay informed.

09/04/2026

No one is ever excluded from joining a PTA/PTSA! Everyone is welcome! Share which unit you have joined this year in the comments!

--Mine (Lora, 2nd VP HCCPTA) are in the comments!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EEXc7wRn6/

📣 MYTH BUSTED!

Think you need to have a child at the school to join the PTA? Think again!

PTA membership is open to anyone who believes in and supports the mission, purposes, and principles of PTA. 💙

08/31/2026

🍎 Fact of the Week: Today's a great day for inspiration! How will you share this gift?

Happy First Day of School HCPS students and families!!!

We want to extend a huge welcome to all our brand-new students and families joining HCPS, and a warm welcome BACK to all our returning students and families! 🎒

✨To kick off the first day of school week, we’re exploring the origin of one of our favorite words: INSPIRE.

Did you know the word comes from the Latin inspirare, which literally means "to breathe into"? 🌬️

💡Today, we use this word as a motivator to do something: filling someone with the confidence, drive, and enthusiasm to do great things.

✨ Breathing Life Into the 2026–2027 School Year

When teachers encourage a class, when parents are present for their children and school communities, and when students bring fresh ideas to a PTSA board—they are literally "breathing life" into our community.

Let's commit to inspiring one another every single day this year. Welcome back, HCPS! 🌟

👉 Get involved with your local PTA/PTSA: http://www.hcc-pta.org/local-unit-info-1.html

PTA members are people who have a vested interest in the education, health and well being of all children.  Consider supporting a local PTA unit and stay informed.

08/24/2026

🍎 Fact of the Week: We're excited to be here! Let's commit to growing together!!!

As Harford County Public Schools staff head back to classrooms, we want to wish everyone a fantastic welcome to the 2026–2027 school year!

We’re inviting parents, teachers, students, and our community partners to join their local PTA/PTSA.

Did you know middle and high school students can do more than just join?

In addition to being general members, students can hold official Board of Directors positions, serving as Vice President, Secretary, Committee Chair, or Committee Member!

✨ Why join as a student leader?

📝 Stand Out: Real governance experience looks incredible on college applications and resumes.

🗣️ Find Your Voice: Present student ideas directly to school leaders and make real changes on campus.

🎓 Build Skills: Gain public speaking, project management, and leadership skills (plus fulfill service-learning hours!).

Your ideas and voice matter. Step up, join today, and help shape your school year!

👉 How to join: Visit http://www.hcc-pta.org/local-unit-info-1.html or talk to your local PTSA officers to find open student board seats.

Welcome back, HCPS! Bring your ideas and join your local PTSA today.

PTA members are people who have a vested interest in the education, health and well being of all children.  Consider supporting a local PTA unit and stay informed.

08/20/2026

08/17/2026

Monday Fact of the Week ⚡️

Monday is the only day of the week that is an exact, single-word anagram for another English word: DYNAMO.

Etymologically, "Monday" stems from Old English (Mōnandæg), translating to "Moon’s Day." 🌕

We're celebrating all of our local PTA dynamos today—give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. Thank you for everything you do for our students, schools, and communities!

Send a message to learn more

08/10/2026

💡 Monday Fact of the Week: Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week is Active!

Did you know that Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week officially kicked off yesterday, Sunday, August 9, and runs through this Saturday, August 15?

If you are planning to tackle your back-to-school shopping lists this week, it pays to know exactly how the state guidelines break down so you can maximize your savings at the register:

-👕 Clothing & Footwear: Any individual, qualifying article of clothing or footwear priced at $100 or less is completely exempt from Maryland's 6% sales tax.

- 🎒 Backpacks & Bookbags: The first $40 of a backpack or bookbag purchase is 100% tax-free. If a bag costs more than $40, you only pay the 6% tax on the amount above that first $40.

- ⚠️ What’s NOT Included: Standard school supplies (like notebooks, binders, and pencils), electronics, sports equipment, and accessories (jewelry, watches, and purses) remain subject to regular sales tax.

You don't have to be a student or a parent to take advantage of the holiday—the tax exemption applies to anyone shopping in the state this week!

For more information, visit the Comptroller of Maryland's website:

Tax-free shopping and other programs annually promoted by the Comptroller of Maryland.

08/03/2026

🎓 Attention Seniors (and parents/caregivers of Seniors)!!!

Did You Know: The college prep season has officially arrived!

📝 Saturday, August 1st, the Common App launched for the upcoming application cycle. Over 1,000 colleges and universities use the Common App, making it the ultimate tool to streamline the process.

If senior year is in your "present," this week is the perfect time to log in, build an account, and get a head start on applications before the busy fall schedule arrives.

Here are 4 quick things seniors can do right now to get a massive head start this month:

- 💻 Set Up the Profile: Head to https://www.commonapp.org to create an account and fill out the basic background info. It’s free and takes less than 20 minutes.

- 📬 Create a Dedicated College Email: Set up a clean, professional email address (like [email protected]) used only for applications and deadlines so crucial info doesn't get lost in everyday inbox clutter. At the end of this school year, you will no longer have access to your HCPS email accounts, so having an alternate email will be crucial!

- 📋 Build a Master Tracker: Grab a spreadsheet and log your top-choice schools, application deadlines (Early Action vs. Regular Decision), fees, and how many letters of recommendation each school requires.

- ✍️ Check Out the Essay Prompts: The 7 main essay prompts stayed the same as last year! They can look them over now and start brainstorming ideas without the pressure of high school homework.

💡 Pro-tip for this week: Double-check the specific deadlines for their top-choice schools so they can map out their timeline early.

It's going to be a great year Class of 2027!

Procrastination usually ends in late nights and undue stress. Here's the first step toward remaining organized, confident, and ahead of the game! ✨

Common App streamlines college applications for over 1,000 schools, saving time, tracking deadlines, and supporting students, counselors, and recommenders.