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Harford County schools launch Mentorship Alliance and adopt new volunteer policy
Summary
The board approved a new district volunteer policy and the district launched a Mentorship Alliance to centralize mentoring programs and create a vetted mentor database funded initially by county grants, with plans for quarterly data dashboards and program evaluation.
The Harford County Board of Education on Sept. 22 approved a new volunteer policy and heard a formal kickoff for the HCPS Mentorship Alliance, a district effort to centralize mentoring programs, create a vetted mentor database and track outcomes.
Deputy Superintendent Eric Davis presented the Mentorship Alliance as an umbrella that will align mentoring partners around six priorities: engagement, support, accountability, consistency, partnership and resources. The district has posted an application and mentor-interest form on hcps.org; applicants will consent to a district background check and be entered into a mentor database staff can query when schools need vetted volunteers.
Administrators said county grant funding — described in the meeting as revenue from county allocations including cannabis-related tax revenue — will pay seed costs and, in some cases, fund mentors’ training. The presentation noted an initial baseline of 329 students participating across seven mentoring programs and host sites last year; the district plans quarterly updates to the board and an external program evaluation to identify best practices during the implementation year.
After presentation and public comment, the board voted to adopt a revised volunteer policy that clarifies screening, outlines volunteer guidelines and directs staff to publish accessible guidance on the district volunteer website. Board members discussed non‑substantive wording changes suggested by commenters (for example, whether community partners “may” or “must” have memoranda of understanding and adding a phrase referencing local, state and federal requirements). The board approved the policy by voice vote.
Board members said they expect the mentorship initiative to scale over time and provide quarterly data on mentee attendance, discipline and achievement so the board can assess program impact. Officials said the district is exploring grant sources to support an administrator or coordinator to oversee day-to-day program operations and reporting.
The volunteer policy was assigned for implementation and staff were tasked to ensure explanatory materials and dismissal/appeal procedures for volunteers are accessible on the volunteer website.
