Washington County Public Schools meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Washington County school board agenda lists teacher contract amendment, 2027 legislative program; no minutes yet posted

No minutes have been published for any of the four Washington County Board of Education meetings held in the past two weeks, so no outcomes or vote tallies are available for those sessions. The most detailed record available is the agenda for the board's Oct. 20 business meeting, which lists several items for consideration, including a change to the teachers' negotiated agreement.

Teacher contract amendment on the Oct. 20 agenda

The Oct. 20 business meeting agenda, scheduled for 6:00 p.m., lists an amendment to the negotiated agreement with the Washington County Teachers Association. The agenda describes the amendment as covering salary scale, professional assignments, health insurance, and a ratification bonus. Because minutes have not been published, the board's action on the item and any vote count are not established in the supplied records.

2027 legislative program and finance policies

The same agenda lists approval of the 2027 Legislative Program and the appointment of a Legislative Representative and Response Team. It also lists a proposed rescission of three policies: DA (Fiscal Management Goals), DE (Revenues from Tax Resources), and DIF (Finance Operational Manual). The agenda does not state the reason for the proposed rescissions, and no board action on them has been recorded in the documents provided.

Maintenance plan and school donations

The agenda lists approval of the FY2027 Comprehensive Maintenance Plan. It also lists three donations: $6,500 for Boonsboro High School wrestling, $6,634.25 for North Hagerstown High flag football, and $6,180 for North Hagerstown High girls soccer. These are listed as agenda items; acceptance has not been confirmed in published minutes.

Closed session Oct. 20

The board also scheduled a closed session at 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 20. The agenda provided consists of procedural items for opening the meeting and approving the agenda, and does not describe the subjects discussed.

Committee meetings with no posted business items

Two committee meetings were held Oct. 13. The Curriculum and Instruction Committee met at 10:00 a.m. at Hancock Middle/Senior High School, and the Policy Review and Development Committee met at 8:00 a.m. For both, the agendas were listed as forthcoming, and the only posted item was the call to order and approval of the agenda. No policy items or curriculum matters are detailed in the records provided, and no minutes have been published.

Coming up

Facilities Committee — Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1:00 p.m. The committee is scheduled to meet at the Center for Education Services in the Board Conference Room on the first floor. The posted agenda contains only the call to order and approval of the agenda (item 0.01). No facilities projects or contracts appear in the supplied agenda text.

Finance Committee — Monday, Nov. 9. The committee is scheduled to meet at the Center for Education Services in the Board Conference Room. The only listed item is the call to order and approval of the agenda (item 1.01), and the notice states the agenda is forthcoming. The notice lists the start time as 9:00 a.m. in the meeting title and 11:00 a.m. in the body text; readers should confirm the time with the school system before attending.

Agendas and any subsequently published minutes are available from Washington County Public Schools.

Washington County school board set to vote on teachers agreement amendment Oct. 20; recent meetings yield no published outcomes

The Washington County Board of Education has posted agendas for five meetings over the past two weeks but has not yet published minutes for any of them, so the record supplied does not show any decisions beyond approval of the agendas themselves. The board's next scheduled votes come at its Oct. 20 business meeting, where it is set to take up an amendment to its negotiated agreement with the Washington County Teachers Association.

Recent meetings: agendas only, no recorded outcomes

At the Oct. 6 work session, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the Board Auditorium at 10435 Downsville Pike in Hagerstown, the board was set to hear a presentation of WCPS's audited financial statements and the auditor's report, with Single Audit reports deferred to a future meeting. The agenda also listed discussion of a proposed 2027 Maryland legislative program, discussion of appointments to the Legislative Response Team and a Legislative Representative for the 2027 session, and an update on summer 2026 construction projects from the Supervisor of Construction and facilities project managers. Agenda approval was the only action item; the remaining items were listed as information and discussion.

A closed session was scheduled for 2:45 p.m. the same day in the Board Member Conference Room on the first floor. Board President Darrell Evans sought approval of the agenda, which lists a "Discussion Items" section with no items listed. Closed sessions are not open to the public.

The District Technology Planning Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet Oct. 6 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Education Services in the Smithsburg Room. Its agenda contained only procedural items, including a call to order and approval of the agenda.

On Oct. 13, the Policy Review and Development Committee (8:00 a.m.) and the Curriculum and Instruction Committee (10:00 a.m., at Hancock Middle/Senior High School) were scheduled to meet. Both agendas were listed as forthcoming, with only the call to order and approval of the agenda posted.

Oct. 20: teachers agreement, legislative program, policies

The board's business meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Agenda items include a vote on an amendment to the negotiated agreement with the Washington County Teachers Association regarding salary scale, professional assignments, health insurance, and a ratification bonus. The board is also set to formally adopt its 2027 Legislative Program and appoint a Legislative Representative and Response Team.

Also listed: a proposed rescission of Policies DA (Fiscal Management Goals), DE (Revenues from Tax Resources), and DIF (Finance Operational Manual); approval of the FY2027 Comprehensive Maintenance Plan; and acceptance of donations for Boonsboro High School wrestling ($6,500), North Hagerstown High flag football ($6,634.25), and North Hagerstown High girls soccer ($6,180).

A closed session is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. the same day. The posted agenda consists of procedural items for opening the meeting and approving the agenda.

Coming up

• **Oct. 20, 3:00 p.m.** — Closed session. Not open to the public.
• **Oct. 20, 6:00 p.m.** — Business meeting, with votes scheduled on the teachers association agreement amendment, the 2027 Legislative Program and appointments, the proposed policy rescissions, the FY2027 Comprehensive Maintenance Plan, and the three donations listed above.
• **Oct. 27, 1:00 p.m.** — Facilities Committee, Center for Education Services, Board Conference Room, first floor. The posted agenda lists only a call to order and approval of the agenda; no facilities projects or contracts appear in the supplied agenda text.

Note: Because minutes have not been published for the Oct. 6 and Oct. 13 meetings, this roundup cannot report what the board decided at those sessions. The linked official agendas and minutes remain the authoritative record.

Washington County school board work session takes up FY26 audit, 2027 legislative program; no decisions recorded

The Washington County Board of Education's Oct. 6 work session was scheduled to include a presentation of the school system's audited financial statements and the auditor's report, discussion of a proposed 2027 Maryland legislative program, and an update on summer 2026 construction projects.

No minutes have been published for that meeting. The supplied records therefore do not show what was presented, what the audit reported, or any vote beyond approval of the agenda. That pattern holds across the six meetings listed in the past two weeks: each is marked "agenda only (minutes not yet published)," and the only action item in any of them was approval of the meeting agenda. No vote tallies or dollar amounts appear in the supplied records. What follows reports what the agendas listed, not outcomes.

Work session: audit, 2027 legislative program, construction

The Oct. 6 work session was set for 1:00 p.m. in the Board Auditorium at 10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown. The agenda listed:

• Presentation of audited WCPS financial statements and the auditor's report, with Single Audit reports deferred to a future meeting.
• Discussion of the proposed 2027 legislative program. Formal approval is set for the Oct. 20, 2026 business meeting.
• Discussion of appointments to the Legislative Response Team and a Legislative Representative for the 2027 session.
• An update on summer 2026 construction projects from the Supervisor of Construction and facilities project managers.

Agenda approval was the only action item; the remaining items were listed as information or discussion.

Closed session

A closed session was scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Board Member Conference Room, first floor. Board President Darrell Evans sought approval of the agenda. The agenda includes a "Discussion Items" section with no items listed. Closed sessions are not open to the public.

Other meetings: procedural agendas

Sept. 29: The Finance Committee met at 9:00 a.m.; the agenda listed only approval of the meeting agenda, with the full agenda described as forthcoming. The Curriculum and Instruction Committee was scheduled at Williamsport High School; the listing gives the start time as 12:00 p.m. in one field and 11:00 a.m. in another, and the agenda listed only call to order and approval of the agenda. The Facilities Committee met at 1:00 p.m. at Williamsport High School, with an agenda containing only a call to order and approval of the agenda and no substantive items.

Oct. 6: The District Technology Planning Advisory Committee was scheduled from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Education Services in the Smithsburg Room. Its agenda contained only procedural items.

Coming up

• Oct. 13, 8:00 a.m. - Policy Review and Development Committee. Agenda listed as forthcoming; the only item posted is call to order and approval of the agenda.
• Oct. 13, 10:00 a.m. - Curriculum and Instruction Committee at Hancock Middle/Senior High School. Agenda forthcoming; the only item posted is call to order and approval of the agenda.
• Oct. 27, 1:00 p.m. - Facilities Committee at the Center for Education Services, Board Conference Room, first floor. The posted agenda contains one item: call to order and approval of the agenda (item 0.01). No facilities projects, contracts, or other business items appear in the supplied agenda text.

One meeting referenced in the Oct. 6 work session agenda - the Oct. 20, 2026 business meeting, where the 2027 legislative program and the appointments are set for formal approval - does not appear in the supplied list of upcoming meetings.

Board to pick name for new Downsville Pike Elementary School, review AI policy

The Washington County Board of Education will vote on a name for the new Downsville Pike Elementary School and take a first reading of a policy on artificial intelligence when it meets Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Board Auditorium, 10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown. The meeting is the board's most consequential public session this week, with several action items on the agenda.

School name

The board will choose from four options for the new elementary school: Downsville Pike, Crossroads, Limestone Springs, or Grafton Downs. The vote will be taken during the business meeting.

Policy on AI and attendance areas

The board will take a first reading of Policy ACB on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence. A first reading is a preliminary step; the board does not adopt a policy until a later vote.

The board will also take a first reading of changes to Policy JCA on school attendance areas. No details of the proposed changes are listed in the agenda.

Right-of-way agreement

The board will consider a right-of-way agreement with Potomac Edison for the Milestone Communications Tower on the Smithsburg Campus. The agreement would grant the utility a right-of-way, but the agenda does not specify any financial terms.

Budget calendar

The board will approve the FY2028 General Fund Operating Budget Calendar. The calendar sets the timeline for developing the district's operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027.

Other business

The meeting also includes public comment, consent agenda approvals, and reports. The board held a closed session at 3 p.m. the same day to approve its agenda; no other items were listed in the public notice.

Prior meetings

On Aug. 11, the Policy Review and Development Committee met at 10 a.m. at the Center for Education Services. The agenda listed only a call to order, approval of the agenda, and information/discussion items. Minutes have not been published.

Coming up

The Finance Committee will meet Sept. 1 at noon. The only listed item is approval of the agenda for the May 12, 2026 meeting. No substantive items, such as contracts or budget discussions, are included in the agenda.

All meetings are open to the public unless noted. Agendas and minutes are available on the district's website.

School board reviews virtual learning, college readiness; no formal decisions this week

Washington County Public Schools held no formal votes or decisions in the past week, but the Board of Education reviewed two education topics during an Aug. 4 work session. The board discussed the Virtual Education Plan and 2025-2026 College and Career Readiness indicators, receiving presentations from district staff. No action was taken.

Work session on virtual learning and college readiness

The Board of Education met Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. in the Board Auditorium, 10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown, for a work session. Superintendent Gary Willow and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Proulx presented an update on the Virtual Education Plan. Superintendent Willow and academic chiefs also presented the 2025-2026 College and Career Readiness update. The board approved the agenda for the session but took no formal action on the topics discussed. The session was informational, intended to inform future decisions.

Committee meetings

Three other meetings occurred in the past two weeks, all with no substantive public business.

• The Facilities Committee met July 28 at 1 p.m. The agenda contained only a call to order and approval of the agenda, with no items listed for discussion or decision.
• The Finance Committee met July 30 at 8:30 a.m. No substantive agenda was released, and no decisions or discussions have been published.
• The Board of Education held a closed session Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. The provided agenda listed only procedural items for the meeting opening.

Minutes have not yet been published for any of these meetings.

Coming up

The Policy Review and Development Committee will meet Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 10 a.m. at the Center for Education Services. The agenda is forthcoming, with items listed as call to order, approval of the agenda, and information and discussion items. The meeting is open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Washington County school board eyed school renaming, design approval, and donations at July 21 meeting; minutes not yet public

The Washington County Board of Education's July 21 business meeting carried the most substantive agenda of the past two weeks, with items scheduled including a proposed school renaming, design documents for an elementary school addition, policy second readings, and two donations. However, minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so outcomes cannot be confirmed from the available record.

July 21 Business Meeting — Items Scheduled for Consideration

The board was set to vote on several items, according to the published agenda:

• **Proposed renaming** of Salem Avenue Elementary School to Thomas J. Garner Elementary School.
• **Approval of schematic design documents** for an addition to Jonathan Hager Elementary School.
• **Second reading of proposed changes** to Board of Education Ethics Regulations (BBFE-R).
• **Second reading of proposed changes** to the Epinephrine and Bronchodilator availability policy (JHCF).
• **Donations**: $15,154.43 to Boonsboro High School and a $10,000 wrestling mat to Clear Spring High School.

Because minutes are not yet available, this roundup cannot report whether each item was approved, tabled, or amended. Readers should check the official Washington County Public Schools website for posted minutes to confirm what was decided.

July 21 Committee and Closed Sessions

The Policy Review and Development Committee met at 2:45 p.m. on July 21 at the Center for Education Services, Board Conference Room. The only listed item was a call to order and approval of the agenda, with no substantive policy reviews scheduled.

A closed session was also held at 3:00 p.m. the same day. The provided agenda was procedural, listing only approval of the meeting agenda.

July 28 and July 30 Committee Meetings

The Facilities Committee met July 28 at 1:00 p.m. The agenda contained only a call to order and approval of the agenda, with no substantive items listed.

The Finance Committee met July 30 at 8:30 a.m. The agenda was listed as forthcoming, and no decisions or discussions were published.

Coming Up

• **August 4, 1:00 p.m. — Work Session**: The board will receive presentations on the Virtual Education Plan from Superintendent Gary Willow and COO Jeffrey Proulx, and a 2025-2026 College and Career Readiness update from Superintendent Willow and academic chiefs. No formal action is scheduled. Location: Board Auditorium, 10435 Downsville Pike, Hagerstown, MD.
• **August 4, 2:00 p.m. — Closed Session**: Procedural agenda only.
• **August 11, 10:00 a.m. — Policy Review and Development Committee**: Meets at the Center for Education Services. Agenda is forthcoming.

All recent meeting summaries are based on published agendas only. Minutes have not been posted for the July 21, 28, or 30 meetings as of this report.