The photo above explains how the Teacher Academy of Maryland works over the four years of a student’s high school career. In the past, students in the program were only seated at Harford Tech and Edgewood. Photo credit: Allisa Thomas

  Make room, North Harford! Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, the Teacher Academy will be moving to both Edgewood High School and the Hawk’s Nest.

     Mrs. Allisa Thomas, a teacher specialist from Edgewood, explained why the changes are being made to the program. 

     According to Thomas, “The decision to phase out the Teacher Academy at Harford Technical High School and phase it into North Harford High School was made in August 2023.” The decision was made for several reasons, primarily because seniors in the program “…spend the majority of that year interning at a partnering elementary or middle school.”

    There is not a middle school “…within walking distance for students who do not have their own transportation.” of HTHS, and “the closest elementary school is behind HTHS, past the football stadium.” Whereas at North Harford, the middle and elementary schools are located just across the street.

     The teacher specialist also added that as for Edgewood, the “…site affords opportunities for students who don’t have their own transportation to intern at Edgewood Middle and Deerfield Elementary, which sit right on the Edgewood High campus.”

     In summary, these two high schools were chosen due to the close proximity of HCPS middle and elementary schools, and “…would lend itself best to equitable experiences and opportunities for all students in the program.”

     The main impact will happen at HTHS, as “…there will be no more 9th grade students entering…” this school for the program. However, students who are already in the program there will remain there until graduation.

     Another change within this program is the method of how students are assigned to their school. “In the past, students applied to TAM, HCPS and [they] seated them at EHS or HTHS based on a random lottery.” Now, incoming students were asked to “…select their choice of site placement.” meaning there will be no lottery system this year. 

     While Harford Tech is phasing out this specific area of study, this will “…provide the opportunity to HCPS to add an additional trade/technical program to their current offerings.”

     This may be an adjustment for North Harford, as they have only ever had the agriculture and natural resources program.