The Maryland State Board of Education granted Harford County Public Schools’ request to end the school year on June 18, instead of June 20. However, due to an additional school closure at Joppatowne High School only, the last day for that school’s students will be June 20.

The state Board of Education requires students to attend school for 180 days each school year. When schools are closed, each day must be tacked onto the end of the school year as a make-up day or the school must seek a waiver for that day from the state.

Joppatowne High School had several closures this school year on days when other schools did not. The first round of closures followed the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Warren Grant inside the school in September. The high school closed for four days after the shooting. All of the shooting-related closures were waived by the state Board of Education, due to the impact the shooting had on the school community.

The high school requested a waiver for another closure on Dec. 19, when the school closed to allow students and staff to attend a funeral for Niesha Jones, 46, a community schools specialist. The state board denied that request, forcing Joppatowne High School’s school year to be one school day longer than the rest of the district to make up for the closure.

Joppatowne High School students will be dismissed early on their last day of school, whereas the last day of school for the rest of the district will be a full day.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Harford schools implemented six inclement weather closures into its calendar. Each day schools close for inclement weather, one day is added to the end of the school year.

Harford schools used five of its six inclement weather closures this year, pushing the original last day of school from June 12 to June 20, since schools are closed on June 19 for the federal Juneteenth holiday.

Harford schools submitted a waiver request earlier this month, requesting that one day be waived since the last day of school was set to be the day after a holiday.

The last day of school for prekindergarten students will be June 16 — two days earlier than the rest of the district, as it is every year, per standard practice of Harford schools.

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