On Thursday, August 21, 2025, Harford County Public Schools welcomed 114 new teachers at Havre de Grace Middle/High School for the first day of New Teacher Orientation. The two-day event provides professional development, inspiration, and connections as these educators begin their careers with HCPS.
The morning began with greetings from Board of Education member Wade Sewell, who thanked the new hires for choosing HCPS and expressed the Board’s excitement for the year ahead.
Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson also welcomed the group, sharing memories from his own start in education more than 30 years ago in Montgomery County, Maryland. He reflected on his leadership philosophy, noting that support begins at the top and flows through each level of the school system: system leaders support school leaders, who support teachers, who in turn support students.
New teachers also heard from Brad Spence, principal of Havre de Grace Middle High School and an HCPS graduate. He encouraged them to find their “life jacket”—a colleague or mentor who will provide support through challenges and share in the celebrations of teaching.
After hearing some inspiring words, the group broke into content area groups for targeted professional development designed to prepare them for the classroom.
These 114 new HCPS educators represent a wide variety of backgrounds. Many are graduates of Harford County Public Schools or Maryland schools, while others have traveled from across the country and even around the world, with teachers joining the school system from states like Washington, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, as well as from Germany.
The orientation continues on Friday, August 22, with additional training and opportunities to prepare for the first day of school. HCPS is proud to welcome this talented group of professionals who are ready to make a difference in classrooms across the county.