Howard Schools Scrap Midterm Exams — 2026-06-30

Today's forecast: sunny, high near 89 degrees. Southwest wind 2 to 10 mph.

Good morning. Tuesday, June 30. Howard County Public Schools is scrapping midterm exams as districts nationwide rethink testing. Howard County set a Maryland record with 113 national county achievement awards in 2026. Dumont Creamery and Cafe — ice cream and boba — opens today in Woodstock at Waverly Woods Village Center. A bear was caught on camera strolling through a Howard County neighborhood this week. And the heat advisory is still in effect. This is your morning brief for Howard County.

Howard County Public Schools is scrapping midterm exams. The Baltimore Sun reports the move comes as districts nationwide rethink testing — HCPSS is dropping the traditional mid-year exam structure that's been a fixture of high-school grading for years. Full reporting and the rationale are at the Baltimore Sun. The change lands ahead of the new school year.

HCPSS is seeking members for its new Standing Policy Advisory Committee. The application deadline is Friday, August 21. The committee replaces multiple earlier policy advisory committees, consolidating into one single standing committee with a two-year commitment. The change follows a revision of Howard County Board of Education Policy 2020 on policy development and revision. Applications go through the HCPSS Policy Office. Full announcement is on the HCPSS news page.

County Executive Calvin Ball opened three new turf baseball diamonds at Centennial Park West. All three are turf. They're named in honor of county employee A. Rau. The diamonds are open at Centennial Park West now. The dedication details and the honoree's full name are in the county news release at howardcountymd.gov.

Dumont Creamery and Cafe — an ice cream and boba shop — held its grand opening today at the Waverly Woods Village Center in Woodstock, opening at eleven a.m. The announcement came through r/HowardCountyMD. A new dessert option lands on the western side of the county.

A bear was caught on camera strolling through a Howard County neighborhood this week. CBS News had the footage. Black bear sightings happen periodically across the central Maryland suburbs in summer — give the animal space and bring in pet food and trash if one shows up on your block.

Today at the library. East Columbia hosts the Teen Summer Programming Block, eleven to three thirty. The Reading Cafe — the adult book discussion group — meets at Glenwood, one to two. Summer of STEAM: Camp Elkridge for ages six to ten runs at Elkridge, two to two forty-five. Tonight: Pajama Time Under The Stars at East Columbia, six thirty to seven. And Family Fun at Your Library at Elkridge, six thirty to seven thirty.

Also today. Calvin Ball broke ground last month on Howard County's first Bus Rapid Transit stop, capping a decade-long push to expand high-frequency bus service. Howard County earned the highest triple-A credit rating from all three major rating agencies — the top of the fiscal scale, which translates to lower borrowing costs on county debt. Howard County formally joined the Dementia Friendly America Network this spring. Columbia Association marked 25 years of its CA Points program, awarding more than one million dollars in family memberships and programs to 712 students. The Howard County Finance Department refreshed its Tax Credits page at howardcountymd.gov — worth a look if you're checking eligibility for the homeowner credit or any new program. Finance also rolled out Property Tax Digital Communications, a way for residents to receive property tax notices online instead of by mail. The HC Aging and Independence office refreshed its Housing Resources page, covering options for older residents. Howard County set a Maryland record with 113 national county achievement awards in 2026 — the full breakdown of recognized programs is at the Baltimore Sun. At Glenwood this morning, eleven to noon: History Relived: 250th through Movies — a semiquincentennial tie-in. At East Columbia at two: Little Learners Storybook Friends for ages two to five. At Elkridge at ten thirty: Little Learners Summer of STEAM for ages three to five with an adult. The heat advisory remains in effect — find the county's full guidance at howardcountymd.gov.

Heat advisory still on for Howard County. High temperatures continue. Outdoor work, sports practice, and yard work move better to early morning or evening hours. Hydrate. Check on neighbors, kids, and pets. Full advisory info is at howardcountymd.gov.

Here's what I'm watching today. HCPSS scrapping midterm exams is a real story — it changes how a year of high school feels, how teachers pace, how students plan. Bigger than one news cycle. The county also racked up a hundred and thirteen national county achievement awards — a Maryland record. That's a hundred-plus county programs the rest of the country is looking at and learning from. Quietly impressive. And Dumont Creamery is open in Woodstock — boba and ice cream against a heat advisory is good timing. Stay cool. Back tomorrow.

That's today's brief. Full edition at hocobrief.com — newsletter, archive, send tips. I'm at the desk. See you tomorrow morning.