Hardy Happenings

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend. We’re making our way through a very busy February, and we’re also keeping an eye on the rainy weather forecast. Please see below for updated plans for tomorrow’s Lunar New Year Lion Dance (including our rain contingency) and our refreshed Literacy Week schedule, now that we have a full week of school.

I hope you’ll join us this Thursday evening for our PTA Association Meeting. We’d love to see you there. PTA supports so much of what makes Hardy special, and this is a great way to stay connected, share your voice, and get involved in your child’s school experience if you’re interested!

With Gratitude,

Principal Aragon

• Tomorrow: Lunar New Year Lion Dance, 1:00 pm on the new blacktop (Chánh Kiến Lion Dancers, funded by Hardy PTA)

• Families are welcome to attend. Please plan to walk or park off campus, very limited on-site parking available. Do not double park.

If rain, we will pivot to auditorium mini shows (students seated first, families standing room only as space allows, families may attend one show only)

• 12:55–1:15 TK/K/1

• 1:20–1:40 2/3

• 1:45–2:05 4/5

Congratulations to Mrs. Ashley Aguayo, our school clerk, on the arrival of her baby girl, Ariella. She was born at 3:52 am on February 13, weighed 6 lbs 9 oz, and was 19.7 inches long, with a full head of hair. Ms. Aguayo is recovering and doing well. Please join us in sending the Aguayo family lots of love and congratulations.

Now that we have a full week of school, we’ve updated and rearranged our Literacy Week plan. Please see the schedule below:

• Monday: Pajama Passport Party, wear pajamas and cozy socks, All School Read Out at 1:15 on the grass and blacktop (families invited, bring a blanket or chair)

• Tuesday: Tourist Tuesday, dress like a tourist (sunglasses, hat, fanny pack, camera, Hawaiian shirt), Book Bingo in the library from 6:00–7:00 pm

• Wednesday: Wear the World Wednesday, wear a jersey or colors from a country flag

• Thursday: Book Character Parade at 8:00 am, dress as a book character and bring your book for the parade

• Friday: Red, Read, and Ready to Soar: Wear Hardy red or Owl gear, turn in your passports to be entered to win a prize!

Families can start setting up Scholastic eWallets now– a cash-free way for students to shop at the Book Fair.

You can also donate to teacher eWallets to help classrooms build their book collections.

👉 eWallet link: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/hardyelementaryschool1

We’ll share more details about shopping, dress-up days, and events in next week’s Hardy Happenings and on Instagram at @HardyOwlsPTA.

I wanted to make sure you were aware that the district has reached an agreement with our teachers' union that impacts the planned strike. Below is an important message from our Superintendent Bagula:

Dear San Diego Unified Families,

We are pleased to share that the San Diego Unified School District and the San Diego Education Association (SDEA) on February 12, 2026 reached an agreement.

As a result, the one-day strike previously scheduled for Thursday, February 26 will not take place, and all schools will be open. The previously announced make-up date of March 9 will go back to being a non-instructional day with schools closed districtwide. We appreciate the patience and flexibility you have shown throughout this process.

There are several important proposals from our negotiations that will directly benefit your children and your family:

• Dedicated intervention counselors to better support the social-emotional needs of ALL students
• Improved Fall staffing practices to reduce schedule changes and disruptions for students when the school year begins.
• Stronger supports for students with Individual Education Programs (IEP), including additional time for education specialists to focus on case management, completion of assessments and collaboration with families
• Various strategies for retaining education specialists and filling vacancies through increased compensation and reimbursing general education teachers who have chosen to pursue a special education credential.
• Reaffirming our commitment to programs that provide safe and supportive spaces for our students, staff, and families.

These agreements will help us develop more stable, supportive learning environments where every student thrives, and are an important step towards the development of a robust continuum of services for each and every child. We are grateful for our educators’ continued service to our students, families, and school communities. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for San Diego Unified.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

This is a reminder that families will begin receiving emails this week from Paradigm Healthcare Services requesting their student’s health insurance information and consent to bill as part of San Diego Unified’s participation in the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Fee Schedule. We know families may have questions about this email. Please take a moment to review the helpful flyer below that contains more detailed information about why the district is requesting you complete this form and how it helps ensure the district receives reimbursement for services that support our students.

• Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) was a groundbreaking historian, author, and journalist, known as the "Father of Black History," who dedicated his life to studying and promoting the contributions of African Americans, leading to the establishment of Black History Month.
  
  
• Born to formerly enslaved parents, he overcame immense obstacles, working in coal mines to fund his education, eventually earning a PhD from Harvard, and founding the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) to ensure Black history was recognized and taught (Wikipedia)

February is a busy month, and we’ve had to adjust the dates for a few of our school tours. Please see the flyer below and help spread the word to incoming TK and Kinder families.

Families, staff, and community members are warmly welcomed to join us for our second Henry Cluster Meeting of the year on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. The location is TBD.

The Henry Cluster includes Patrick Henry High School, Lewis and Pershing Middle Schools, and the following elementary schools: Benchley-Weinberger, Dailard, Foster, Gage, Green, Hardy, Hearst, and Marvin.

This meeting is a time for members of all school communities to come together, get to know one another, and receive cluster information and updates. Together, we’re building connections across the TK–12 pathway, celebrating our vibrant community, and collaborating to support every student’s success. Here is a high level agenda of the topics you can expect to hear:

Topics for this upcoming meeting:

• Recap of last meeting and purpose of Cluster Meetings

• Collective Priorities and Action Planning

• Community Events and Announcements

All are welcome—let’s unite, connect, and build a bright future for our neighborhood schools!

We invite you—our students and families—to help us spread the love. If there’s a staff member who has made a positive difference in your school experience, let them know by sending them a LOVE Note. LOVE = Living Our Values Every(day). Your words of appreciation are powerful and lasting.

We’re forming our PTA Nominating Committee for the 2026–2027 school year and would love a few more voices. We have 4 members so far—thank you!—and welcome additional interest.

What this is: a short-term, supported role that helps identify and encourage candidates for next year’s PTA officer positions.
Who can participate: any current Hardy PTA member. No prior experience required.

👉 Interested? Fill out this non-binding interest form:
https://forms.gle/4eWfBRAdgqeBvTkx8

The Nominating Committee will be elected at the PTA General Meeting on Feb 19.

Please join us for our *evening* February PTA General Meeting. We need at least 13 members present to reach quorum and conduct elections and other important PTA business. Agenda coming soon, but your presence truly makes a difference.

Reminder: you must be an active PTA member to vote in elections. Not sure if you’re active? Check here! https://jointotem.com/ca/san-diego/hardy-elementary-pta

The Nominating Committee will be elected at the PTA General Meeting on Feb 19 at 6:15pm. Save the date!

This spring, Hardy PTA will host our first-ever online Silent Auction– a fun, flexible way to support Hardy students and programs without a big in-person event.

We’re now collecting donated items and experiences. If you have access through work, a business, or a personal connection, we’d love your help! Popular ideas include:

• Restaurant or coffee shop gift cards

• Family experiences (museums, attractions, camps)

• Date nights or staycations

• Kids’ parties, classes, or lessons

• Sports tickets, gear, or experiences

📧 Interested in donating or have an idea? Email fundraising@hardypta.com

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

FEBRUARY

Monday, February 16: No School

Tuesday, February 17: Lunar New Year at 1:00 PM

Thursday, February 19: PTA Association Meeting 6:15 PM

Monday-Friday, Feb. 23-27: Literacy Week and Hardy Book Fair

Tuesday, February 24: 4th Grade NAEP Testing

Wednesday, February 25: TK/K Awards (Invite only)

Friday, February 27: 1-5 Awards (Invite only)

MARCH

Tuesday, February 3: Lockdown Drill

Wednesday, February 4-6: Trimester 2 Family Conferences

Monday, March 9: Non-Instructional Day

Friday, March 13: Family Friday / Dad's Club Movie Night

Wednesday, March 18: Family Dine Out

Friday, March 20: World Down Syndrome Day - Wear crazy socks!

Friday, March 27: Minimum Day - Dismissal at 11:55 AM

Monday-Friday, March 30-April 3: Spring Break

Website: hardy.sandiegounified.org

Hardy PTA Website: https://sites.google.com/hardypta.com/pta

Address: 5420 Montezuma Rd, San Diego, CA 92115

Office Hours: 7:15-3:00 PM

Phone: (619) 860-5700
Facebook: Hardy PTA Page

Hardy Instagram: @HardyOwls

Email: karagon@sandi.net
Principal Aragon Instagram: @principal_aragon

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