January 26th, 2026
Winter is finally upon us. This seems like a good time to go over our cold-weather and delayed-start protocols.
Delayed start - school will start two hours later. Students should be at school by 9:40 am. Schedules are altered on these days to accommodate the late start.
Soft start - this occurs on days when the temperature is 20 degrees or lower, including the wind chill. The district uses the AccuWeather app to determine the temperature. When the temperature is below 20 degrees, we will open the doors at 7:30, and students will go straight to class.
Indoor recess: follow the same temperature guidelines. If it is under 20 degrees, students will remain in their classrooms, doing the activities the teachers leave for them. This could be coloring, playing educational games on their Chromebooks, or reading.
Please remember that if it's above 20 degrees, we will head outside for recess. Please be sure to send your students with jackets, gloves, hats, and scarves. If you need assistance with a coat, please reach out to our family liaison, April Banaitis, at albanaitis@aurorak12.org.
Click here for this week's Raptor Report
Classes for students start the first week of February.
Who: Boys and Girls Grades 3-8th grade
When: Practices are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays depending on the group. Calendars will be given at first practice with the dates and times for future practices.
A Parent meeting will be held on Thursday January 27th 2:45-3:15 pm for all interested families in the mobiles room 7.
Where: Mobiles room 7
Fill out the form if you are interested.
Contact Mrs. Dwyer for more information! rdwyer@aurorak12.org
Girls Volleyball Wrap up
The girls volleyball season has wrapped up and overall, it was one of the most successful seasons in Harmony’s history. From 6th graders coming out for the 1st time all the way up to the 8th graders who have played all of middle school Harmony grew a lot this year!
8A was loaded with experience and talent and showed that all season. They leaned on that experience to earn the 9 seed in the tournament and fight their way to the quarter finals. In the quarter finals they played with 5 girls and gave the #1 team all they could handle. During the season they showed steady improvement and determination. They fought the entire season, even completing some improbable comebacks along the way, we are so proud of the 8A team!
8B also had a lot of talent, but there was also inexperience at that level as 8B was made up of many 7th graders. Even with lack of experience this team earned the #1 seed and a bye in the tournament. Although they didn’t win their quarter final game they fought hard. They have so much to be proud of, they dominated a lot of the regular season and had to play the tournament down a few of their best players. This team shows that Harmony has a bright future ahead and we are looking forward to next season!
7A showed a lot of grit and determination this season. This team worked extremely hard all year and got better every day and every game. The regular season was tough and filled with a lot of learning. 7A only won 1 regular season game, but upset the #6 team in the tournament and made it to the quarter finals where they took the #3 team to 3 sets and almost upset them to get to the semi finals. This team was also young and inexperienced but stuck together and shows that again, Harmony has a bright future ahead. This group is laying the foundation for an exciting future.
7B was one of the tougher teams in the league. They showed toughness and team work all season long. Starting out with little experience and some timid play, they soon turned into a team that no one wanted to play against. They turned it on about midway through the season and finished with the 8 seed and also made a run to the quarter finals. With a solid mix of 6th and 7th graders we’re also excited about this group to continue to grow our program!
7C was our youngest team by far. Mostly made up of 6th graders they were able to secure the #5 seed in the tournament and that came with a first round bye. This group was hungry to get better and hungry to win. They always played with a smile on their faces and played hard every single game. The support they showed each other was phenomenal. They too made it to the quarter finals and played well in that game and learned a lot this season.
We are so excited to see the increased participation in girls volleyball and can’t wait to see what next season brings. Coach Kocher, Coach Votodian and Coach Ross are so proud of the effort the girls put forth and are so excited to continue learning and growing together! GREAT SEASON RAPTORS!
Valentine Grams
The PTO will be selling Valentine Grams after school starting today until February 5! If the weather is bad we will be selling in the vestibule of the main office
Here is the link for the online order form:
Harmony Ridge P-8 is proud to host guest author Joseph Caldara, author of The Black Walrus series! Jason will present to the 5th grade on Feb. 20th to read an excerpt from his book, participate in student-led Q&A, and sign books for students. If you're interested in ordering a book for your student to get signed, Amazon carries a paperback copy for $11.99!
Art Club starts soon:
Grades 4–6
📅 Mondays
• February 2
• February 9
• February 23
• March 2
• March 16
Grades 1-3
📅 Thursdays
• January 29
• February 5
• February 12
• February 19
• February 26
Free Intermediate ESL Class for APS Parents
Improve your English this spring! Mosley P-8 and Spring Institute are hosting a hybrid ESL course for all APS parents and guardians.
- Dates: Feb 17 – May 14, 2026
- Tuesdays: 4:00 – 7:00 PM (In-person @ Mosley; Free childcare provided)
- Thursdays: 4:00 – 6:00 PM (Online)
Mandatory Registration: Thursday, Feb 12 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Pre-Register Now: Email hmilad@aurorak12.org or call (303) 366-2807 (Ext: 23329). Please include your name, email, phone, and how many children need childcare for Tuesday sessions.
