We are very excited to be holding the Simulated Congressional Hearings (SCH) once again.  

Invitations to judge will be sent out in mid February.

After you register, look for a confirmation email.  You will also recieve an email 1 week prior to the hearings with additional details and judging materials.

If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly_Eggborn@hcpss.org or 410-313-5678.

The Simulated Congressional Hearings take place from early May to mid-June. We are seeking government officials, school system personnel, community members and others who exemplify real-world applications of social studies instruction. This is a great opportunity for you to be involved in an inspiring and uplifting event that showcases what our students have learned. It would be an honor to have you participate.  

This event is a performance assessment that culminates our fifth-graders' year of social studies instruction. Your role will be to listen to students, ask questions, and provide feedback. You do NOT need to be a constitutional scholar to be a great judge. It will be the students' job to teach you. We will provide all the training you need on the morning of the event. The civic participation of community members is critical to the success of the program.

You will have the pleasure of hearing four to five student groups present their expert testimonies.  Each group of judges will have a lead judge who will lead the group.

   Each hearing is divided into five parts.  The questions asked for the prepared presentation and suggested judge follow-up questions can be found here.

• Introductions
• Students’ Prepared Presentations (4 minutes)
• Follow-up Questions to the students – these questions will be given to you. (6 minutes)
• Feedback (5-10 minutes)
•  Closing – Shake hands and congratulate the “experts”

Each Simulated Congressional Hearing is scheduled from approximately 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m (schedules vary by school). For information about all elementary schools, including school profiles, addresses, and more, visit the elementary school overview page.

IMPORTANT:   ONLY those that complete the online form will be eligible to judge.  It is not enough to just tell the someone at the individual school.  Spaces are limited and will be assigned on a first come basis; however, there will be a waiting list should a school become full and you are still interested in judging.

Thank you for considering this request to impact students’ understandings and experiences in social studies. For additional information you can contact: Kimberly_Eggborn@hcpss.org

What should I include on my nametag?

Your nametag should include your name and your current title, company, or responsibility. We will use this information to introduce you to the students during the opening ceremony. Examples of titles may include:

• Lt. Denise Daily, Howard County Fire Department
• Ms. Ann McLeary, Legislative Aide for Delegate Smith
• Mr. Lloyd Johnson, Citizen

What if I can't attend at the last minute?

If circumstances arise at the last minute and you cannot make your scheduled hearing, please email Kimberly_Eggborn@hcpss.org or call 410-313-5678 to let us know.

What if I have special dietary restrictions?

Judges are encouraged to eat breakfast on the day of their scheduled hearing. Due to budgetary cuts, we can no longer provide breakfast. If your SCH is a full-day event, the school will provide lunch for you. If you have special dietary restrictions, please let us know at Kimberly_Eggborn@hcpss.org or call 410-313-5678.

What should I wear to the Simulated Congressional Hearing?

Most judges wear professional attire to the hearings. Some judges wear their uniforms such as members of the armed forces or  police department.  As a reminder, campaigning on school property is not allowed (see HCPSS Circular No. 59), therefore please do not wear clothing that suggests you are a candidate running for office or clothing that supports another candidate. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

What should I expect from the roundtable discussion?

The roundtable discussion may be conducted in two formats:

• A small group of students will engage with the judges in informal discussions, OR
• The judges will travel to the students' classrooms. In this format, all of the students will have the opportunity to ask the judges questions.

Individual schools decide how their roundtable will run. The SCH facilitator will make sure to prepare you for the roundtable format on the day of your hearing.

Where can I provide feedback?

We truly value your feedback. There will be a feedback form in the folder you receive on the day of your hearing. You're welcome to complete the form and give it to the representative from the Social Studies Office. You can also complete the online version of the feedback form.

Do I need to be an expert on the Constitution to judge?

You do not need to be a constitutional expert to be a judge. The judge training video in addition to the training you will receive on the day of the event will give you the information you need to be an effective judge. It is the students' responsibility to teach you about their Constitutional knowledge.

How can I get more involved with this program?

Consider telling people about how effective this program is in helping our students become responsible and informed citizens. Your support as well as the support of the community is important to keep this program running.

• Access an electronic copy of the We The People textbook that the students use to prepare for the hearings.
  • Login: wtpjudge
  • Password: Y54i98t
• Unit Questions are the questions students use to write their prepared testimony. The follow-ups are some of the questions that judges may ask during the follow-up question period.