Heart of the Hurricane

Hartley PK-8 will cultivate a student-centered culture where every scholar experiences academic achievement, develops durable life skills, and is prepared to contribute positively to their community and future.

Coach Wally Hartley PK-8 creates a culture where academic excellence, personal growth, and meaningful relationships empower every scholar to achieve success.

We believe in working together with purpose, integrity, and collective responsibility to achieve our goals. We hold high expectations for every scholar and make data-informed decisions that support academic achievement, student well-being, and continuous growth.

Dear Hurricane Families,

We’re celebrating a big win! 🎊 Hartley earned a “B” rating in the 2026 TEA Accountability Ratings, reflecting our continued commitment to excellence and the success of every student. 👏🌟 We are incredibly proud of our students, faculty, staff, and families who helped make this achievement possible!

We have also had a great start to the school year. Our Hurricanes have started strong, and we thank our families for your continued partnership and support. Over the next couple of weeks, students will complete beginning of the year assessments to help us determine where they are academically in different subject areas. Please talk with your scholar about the importance of taking these assessments seriously, doing their best, and taking their time. The information we gather will help our teachers make informed instructional decisions and provide the support each student needs to grow.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue building on our success. If you have questions about your child’s assessments or academic progress, please contact their teacher.

We are proud of our Hurricanes, and we are just getting started! 🌪️

With Hurricane Pride,

Dr. Elisa Aranda
Proud Principal
Coach Wally Hartley PK 8

To help your child start each day successfully, please be mindful of our school schedule. The first bell rings at 7:40 a.m., and instruction begins promptly at 7:45 a.m. Students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m., and Early Release dismissal is at 11:35 a.m. We kindly ask that all students be picked up promptly at dismissal unless they are participating in a school-sponsored activity such as athletics, the after-school program, or Open Gym. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SIDE OF THE SCHOOL OPENS AT 7:20. WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT DROP OFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS BEFORE 7:20.

For the safety and security of all students, those who are not participating in a supervised school activity may not remain on campus after dismissal. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and orderly environment for all of our Hurricanes!

Parents, if your child is in 7th grade he/she might be pending immunizations (Tdap and MCV 4). Nurse Salas will be sending emails to those parents. Parents will have 2 weeks to provide a copy of the immunizations. If parents do not provide the immunization record, as per the state of Texas law, student cannot attend school. Thank you.

For the convenience of our military families, the Ft. Bliss back gate at Hartley PK-8 is open during designated times to provide easier access for student drop-off and pick-up.

Regular School Days

• Morning: 7:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.
• Afternoon: 2:40 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Early Release Days

• Morning: 7:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.
• Afternoon: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Open House (July 30 & July 31)

• 3:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

Morning Drop-Off Procedures

The Ft. Bliss back gate is open only to allow parents and guardians to enter for student drop-off. After entering through the gate, all visitors must proceed directly to the designated student drop-off zones at the front of the school. Parents and guardians may not enter the school building or walk onto campus through the back gate or any other gates.

Anyone who needs to enter the school for any reason must go to the administration building, proceed to the front office, and check in through the Raptor Visitor Management System before entering the school premises.

Important Reminder: For the safety and security of our students and staff, every person entering through the Ft. Bliss back gate must present a valid photo ID. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

Please plan your arrival and departure around the scheduled gate hours, as the gate will remain closed outside of the times listed above. We appreciate your cooperation in following these procedures to help us maintain a safe, secure, and orderly campus for all of our Hurricanes.

Thank you to our Ft. Bliss partners for supporting our military-connected students and families!

Dress code expectations will be enforced daily. Daily reminders to students out of dress code will be given. Please check your student's attire before they leave home to ensure they are in proper dress code. ALL STUDENTS must adhere to the dress code. There are no exceptions to the dress code, unless approved by the EPISD Board.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that students arrive at school in compliance with the campus dress code. Although EPISD permits navy and gray uniforms, Hartley's official school colors are purple, gold (yellow), and white. Families are strongly encouraged to purchase and wear these colors to represent our school with pride.

Students who are out of dress code may be required to change into appropriate attire before returning to class. Your cooperation is essential in helping us maintain a positive, safe, and distraction-free learning environment for all scholars.

For the first two weeks of school, students received daily reminders about wearing their student ID. Beginning this week, students who do not have their ID will receive consequences and will not be permitted to attend open gym in the morning or afternoon, and they will have to stay in the cafeteria after lunch. Please help us reinforce this expectation at home by reminding your scholar to bring and wear their ID every day. Thank you for your support!

To provide every student with a focused, safe, and distraction-free learning environment, all personal communication devices must be powered off and put away as soon as students arrive on campus. This includes cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, headphones, tablets, and any other personal communication devices.

If students arrive before the start of the school day, they must turn off and put away their communication devices immediately upon arriving on campus. As long as students are on school grounds during the school day, they are not permitted to use any personal communication device. Students may use their devices after school dismissal to communicate with parents or guardians regarding transportation and pickup.

If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during the school day, telephones are available in every classroom and the front office. In the event of an emergency, students will be allowed to use the phones provided by the school. Likewise, if a parent needs to reach a student, our office staff will ensure the message is delivered promptly.

Students will continue to use their district-issued laptops for educational purposes only to support teaching and learning.

For complete details about the district's Communication Device Policy, please visit the EPISD Cell Phone Policy: https://www.episd.org/page/cellphonepolicy

Hartley PK-8 is pleased to offer Open Gym for our middle school students (Grades 6–8) before and after school. Open Gym is designed to encourage physical activity, healthy habits, positive social interactions, teamwork, and overall student well-being in a safe, supervised environment. We encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity to be active, build friendships, and develop healthy lifestyles.

Morning Open Gym - 7:00 a.m. – 7:40 a.m.

• Monday through Friday
• 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ONLY
• Students must report to their 1st period class by 7:45 a.m.

Afternoon Open Gym

• Monday through Friday
• 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Middle school students who have elementary-aged siblings may bring them to afternoon Open Gym, provided they remain together at all times. Parents and guardians are asked to pick up students no later than 4:30 p.m. Students may not remain on campus after Open Gym ends unless they are participating in another supervised school activity.

For the safety of all students, Open Gym is a supervised activity, not a reason to roam the campus after school. Students must sign in each day upon arrival and remain in the designated Open Gym area until they are picked up. Students may not leave the gym or supervised area, roam the campus, or leave campus and return. Any student who signs in and then leaves the supervised area or campus for reasons other than to be picked up, will lose Open Gym privileges.

Please remember that Open Gym is a privilege. Students are expected to follow the EPISD Student Code of Conduct and all Hartley PK-8 expectations while participating. Students who engage in inappropriate behavior, fail to follow directions, misuse the program, or violate school rules may lose the privilege of participating in Open Gym.

If your family requires supervision beyond 4:30 p.m., please contact the Hartley PK-8 front office for information about nearby childcare providers that offer transportation to and from our campus.

Our goal is to provide students with a fun, active, and structured environment that promotes healthy lifestyles, positive relationships, good sportsmanship, and responsible decision-making while maintaining a safe campus for everyone. Thank you for partnering with us to support the success and well-being of every Hurricane!

Aug 17

iReady 1st grade and Elkins Assess Read AM Math PM

Aug 18

iReady 2nd Assess Read AM Math PM

Aug 19

DL Reading Spanish for K-3

Aug 24

iReady Kinder Assess Read AM Math PM

🤖 Calling All 4th & 5th Grade Future Robotics Stars!

Interested in Robotics? Stop by the nurse’s office to pick up your application form! Space is limited to 20 students, and selection will be based on grades, behavior, teamwork, and attendance. If you love creating, problem solving, and working as a team, we encourage you to apply. We can’t wait to see what our Hurricanes build! 🤖💜💛

Aug 18

iReady Reading Assessment for Kinder through 3rd grade

Aug 19

iReady 3rd Assess AM & PM and DL Reading Spanish for K-3

Aug 20

iReady 4th Assess AM & PM

Aug 21

iReady 5th Assess AM & PM

August 25

TIA Science Assessment, 6&7 Grade

August 26

TIA Social Studies Assessment, 6&7 Grade

Aug 26

Jazz Combo performance for 6-8th time TBA

Aug 27

Fall Pictures for Yearbook - Students are highly encouraged to wear purple or yellow uniform shirts

Aug 28

PBIS Celebration

Attendance Matters!

Being at school every day is one of the most important factors in your child's academic success. Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Texas law requires students to attend at least 90% of the school days or class periods in order to receive course credit or a final grade.

For elementary students, missing more than 17 days during the school year may impact promotion or receiving a final grade. In middle school, attendance is tracked by each class period, and excessive absences in the same class may result in loss of course credit.

Reporting an Absence

If your child is absent, please email hartley_notes@episd.org and include:

• Student's full name
• Student ID number
• Date of absence
• Parent or guardian's name
• Parent or guardian's phone number
• Reason for the absence
• Any doctor's note, appointment verification, or other supporting documentation (if applicable)

We encourage families to schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible and to ensure students arrive at school on time each day.

For additional information about attendance requirements and the Texas 90% Rule, please visit the EPISD Attendance webpage.

Every day counts. Thank you for partnering with Hartley PK-8 to support your child's success!

As part of our continued efforts to better serve our students and families, Hartley PK-8 will begin the transition to one unified front office for both the elementary and middle school campuses.

Throughout the Fall 2026 semester, we will gradually merge our elementary and middle school front office operations into the Administration Building. During this transition period, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to streamline services and improve the overall experience for our families.

All visitors are encouraged to report to the front office in the Administration Building for any school business, including student check-in and check-out, visitor registration, enrollment assistance, attendance matters, meetings, and general questions.

Beginning in January 2027, the front office located in the Administration Building (middle school side) will be the only front office open for visitors and all school business. All families and visitors should report directly to this location for assistance.

This transition will allow us to provide more efficient, consistent, and centralized support while continuing to ensure a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for everyone who visits our campus.

Thank you for your cooperation, patience, and partnership as we work through this transition. Together, we are building One School. All Scholars. Every Opportunity.

El Paso ISD Transportation Services is committed to providing safe and reliable transportation for eligible students. Families are encouraged to visit the Transportation webpage for information about bus routes, eligibility, safety procedures, and transportation guidelines.

Parents can also use the Stopfinder app to receive transportation updates and track their child's school bus in real time, giving families greater peace of mind before and after school.

For transportation information, bus services, and instructions for setting up the Stopfinder app, please visit:

https://www.episd.org/page/transportation

Never miss an important update! The EPISD App is the easiest way to stay connected with Hartley PK-8, your child's teachers, and El Paso ISD.

With the EPISD App, you can:

• Receive important school and district announcements
• Communicate securely with your child's teachers through Rooms
• Access classroom resources and materials
• Stay informed about upcoming events and reminders

We encourage all Hartley families to download the EPISD App and enable notifications so you never miss important information from our school.

The App Central webpage also provides step-by-step instructions for setting up Rooms, the district's communication platform, so you can communicate directly with your scholar's teachers throughout the school year.

For more information, download instructions, and help setting up Rooms, please visit: https://www.episd.org/page/app-central