Hardy Happenings 10.13.26

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A Note from Mr. Steven Will, Interim Principal

Dear Hardy Families,

One of the things that continues to stand out to me about Hardy is how many people step up to support our students and school.

I want to start this week with a special shout out to Hardy PTA! I’ve been a principal for many years and have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful PTAs. Hardy Elementary’s PTA definitely shines as one of the better I’ve seen! Hardy is fortunate to have such a dedicated, involved, and active PTA supporting our students and school community. Take a moment to say thank you to a PTA volunteer and let them know how much they are appreciated. They ROCK!

I also want to recognize Shanna Avila for providing the care needed for a couple of our jog-a-thon runners! She calmly stepped up and provided exactly what the students needed! Thank you, Shanna!!!

Also, thank you Mary Reilly and the SOAR TV crew for bringing SOAR TV back to Hardy! Thank you for your efforts!

Thank you all for finding different ways to make Hardy a supportive, engaging place for our students.

I'm grateful to be part of a community with so many people willing to pitch in and help.

Go Hardy! 🦉

School Updates

📣 Hardy's Next Principal: Stay Tuned!

After final interviews last week, the principal selection process is nearing completion.As previously shared by Dr. Cazary, today, Tuesday, October 13 is the scheduled date for Board approval and an announcement, with a tentative start date of November 2. Stay tuned for an email notification from the District this evening.

🚗 Morning Drop-Off Reminder: Please Do Not Stop on Montezuma Road

For everyone’s safety, students may NOT be dropped off along Montezuma Road in the morning.

Cars stopping there create dangerous conditions for students and disrupt traffic as drivers try to merge back onto Montezuma. We’ve had reports of several close calls.

Please use Hardy’s designated drop-off area instead. Thank you for helping keep our students—and everyone traveling along Montezuma—safe.

This Weds: Henry Cluster Meeting at Patrick Henry HS

Join families and school leaders from across the Henry Cluster to meet with the Area Superintendent, principals, and other community members.

Wednesday, Oct 14 | 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Patrick Henry High School

This is an opportunity to hear updates from across the cluster and share your voice in the conversation.

What's the Henry Cluster? It's the group of all elementary & middle schools that feed into Patrick Henry High School.

♟️ Register Today for After-School Enrichment

Four new programs just opened registration and are ready for YOUR kids. Don’t delay; space is limited. Additional program sessions will be held in winter, but if you want to snag a spot for October-November, register today!

🎾 Tennis by Your Court Tennis - Mondays - register online
💃 Hip Hop & Pop Dance by Dynasty Dance Company - Tuesdays - register online
🐼 Kung Fu by 5 Elements Martial Arts - Thursdays - text ASKF-Hardy to 619-629-7704 to register
♟️ Chess with Mountain Chess Club - Fridays (no sessions on minimum days) - register online

Keep an eye on the After-School Enrichment webpage on the Hardy website for the latest links and flyers.

Choice Enrollment is Open!

San Diego Unified’s 2027–28 School Choice priority window is open through November 15. Choice allows families to apply to schools and programs outside their neighborhood boundary.

Know a family who might love Hardy? Help us spread the word!

SDUSD is also offering two virtual information sessions this week:

Wednesday, October 14, 5:30pm–6:30pm
Thursday, October 15, 11:30am–12:30pm
Join via Zoom at THIS LINK

Also, the next school tour is Thurs, Oct 29 at 8am. Tell your friends with littles!

Learn more about Choice Enrollment at the link below:

💻 Protecting Kids Online — Parent Presentation

Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Pershing Middle School

Families across the Patrick Henry Cluster are invited to an in-person presentation from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Human Trafficking Task Force.

The session will cover:

Warning signs of online grooming, sextortion, and cyberbullying
Safety and privacy settings for popular apps and games
Practical ways to talk with kids about online safety

See the flyer for details.

📚 Helping Hardy Readers Grow

Everyone A Reader (EAR) now has 25 volunteers supporting 68 referred students, with nearly every student receiving a weekly reading session. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered!

The goal is to provide students with two sessions per week to help them make stronger progress—and we need more volunteers to get there.

Parents, grandparents, and community members are welcome, and a new online training makes it easier to get started.

When more students read at grade level, the whole classroom benefits across all subjects.

Interested? Contact Alexis Hedgecock at achedgecock27@gmail.com.

💰 Quick Reminder: Complete Your LCFF Form

If you haven’t completed your student’s LCFF form yet, please take a few minutes to do so. Every completed form helps Hardy receive the state funding it is eligible for.

Log in to PowerSchool Parent Portal (powerschool.sandi.net) in a web browser and select LCFF Data Collection from the left-hand menu.

Reminder: The LCFF form is not available in the PowerSchool mobile app. Please use a web browser on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Weekly Attendance Snapshot

% Present Year to Date: 94.9% (Goal: 96.5%)

Chronic or Severe (2 Absences a Month): 15.3% (Goal: 8%)

If your student is homesick, please notify the front office by phone or by completing the REPORT AN ABSENCE form.

PTA & Dads Club Updates

❤️ Thank You, Hardy!

Hardy Owls soared to a new level! Together, our community raised $44,000—a new school fundraising record.

Thank you to our students who ran their hearts out, the families and friends who donated and shared pledge pages, our volunteers, teachers and staff, and the Apex team for making the day such a success.

These funds will support STEAM enrichment, field trips, classroom support, and other programs for Hardy students throughout the year.

And the celebrating isn’t over yet:

Wednesday, Oct. 14: Pajama Day
Friday, Oct. 16: Music at Recess
Bonus all-school assembly: Details coming soon!

We’re incredibly grateful, Owls. ❤️🦉

❤️ Every Owl Has a Spirit Shirt!

A big thank-you to Gemstone Gymnastics, the Brubaker Family, the Hedgecock Family, Hardy Dads Club, Hardy PTA, and Hardy parent Josh Plummer for making this year’s Hardy SOAR Spirit Shirts possible.

Thanks to their generosity, every Hardy student received a spirit shirt at no cost to their family. We love seeing our Owls showing their Hardy pride—and creating a shared sense of belonging across campus.

Thank you for helping our Owls SOAR! 🦉

🥙 Thank You for Dining Out!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Garden Fresh Grill & Smoothie for our Family Dine-Out—especially on an already very busy Jog-a-Thon day!

We had a great turnout and loved seeing Hardy families supporting our school while giving themselves a well-earned night off from cooking. Falafel were devoured, Pokemon cards were traded, it was a fun night. Save the date for the next one-- Weds, Nov 4 at Chipotle! Stay tuned for details.

🦉 Dads Club Meeting — Tonight!

Tuesday, October 13 at 6:00 p.m. | Cheba Hut

Hardy dads and father figures are invited to join the next Dads Club meeting tonight. Come meet other Hardy families, hear what’s coming up, and find easy ways to get involved.

No experience or regular commitment needed—come as you are.

🍷 Save the Date: Parents Night Out

Friday, November 6 at 6:00 p.m. | Barlando

Text the sitter now, our next Parents Night Out is coming up in November—a chance for Hardy grown-ups to get together, relax, and connect without the kids.

🏁 Join Hardy PTA for 2026–27 🏁

We’re at 128 Hardy PTA members! We’ve pulled ahead of last year’s total of 122 members and we’re racing toward our goal of 130! Who will be the last 2 people that help us take the checkered flag? 🏁

Every membership helps support our students, teachers, and the amazing events and experiences that make Hardy special. ⭐ Every member gets us one step closer to victory! 🏆

Membership is just $15 for the school year, and joining does NOT require volunteering. Thank you to everyone who has joined so far!

Join PTA Today

💡 Tip: Sign up your kids for their own memberships! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors can all be PTA members and help support Hardy!

📷 Upload Your Jog-a-Thon Photos Here for the Yearbook

If you’ve taken pictures at school events, in the classroom, or of your little Owl participating in Hardy activities, we’d love to include them.