Hampstead Hill Academy Update

Dear Parents and Neighbors,

Hampstead Hill Academy is excited to get back to school! To do so, HHA is planning for several scenarios as the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and City Schools have yet to announce how school will look in the fall. City Schools has to submit a plan to MSDE by August 1 and the plan has to be approved by August 15. Given positivity rates and the evidence of community spread of the coronavirus, City Schools has announced that students will work remotely for the first part of the school year. We learned what worked and what did not work last spring. This fall, HHA parents should expect a robust schedule for students including daily synchronous (live) instruction.

We are happy to report that HHA is one of just six schools holding in-person summer classes for a limited number of students with detailed safety protocols in place. The first week went well. We had about 88% student attendance. There is a lot of catching up that needs to happen and HHA teachers are up to the task.

Once in-person instruction for the school year is approved, there will likely be an “A Day/B Day” schedule. Under this schedule, 35-50% of students will receive instruction in-person every other day. There would be an all-remote option for parents who would like that throughout the every-other-day schedule period.

Also, to combat COVID, the flu and the common cold, HHA is working with an architect and mechanical engineer to consider installing exhaust fans in each classroom and retrofitting HVAC units with sealed UV filters. HHA wants to thank our hard-working custodial crew for their tireless effort to ready the school for opening. Inside, the building really sparkles.

In other news, a number of awesome HHA parents and students have produced an incredible crop in the HHA garden! Walk by and check it out but don’t pick anything! All fresh produce goes to the families maintaining the garden over the summer.  Many thanks to Mr. Victor for all of his work and too many others who have produced amazing peppers and squash.

And finally, we had a record number of students apply for PreK this year.  HHA thinks this is a good sign for our school and our neighborhood.

Enjoy the warm weather and be safe!

Principal Matthew Hornbeck.

To contact Principal Hornbeck email jmhornbeck@bcps.k12.md.us or call 410-396-9146. To learn more about the school, visit https://hha47.org/.