Hawk Pride News
G W Harby Junior High - October 31, 2025
Falling into Thankfulness
Dear Harby Parents and Guardians,
As we wrap up the month of October and enter into a season where the world stops to reflect on the blessing we have, our team at Harby wants you to know how thankful we are for you and your support. We had a wonderful week of celebration and commitments to be drug free and we are looking forward to the events we get to share with our loved ones coming up in November. This month we have Veterans day Celebration, Thanksgiving lunches and service projects and we are excited. Make sure to read the newsletter for more information on these events.
Thank you again for all of your support. Go Hawks!
Sincerely,
Mandy Day
Assistant Principal A-K
Veterans Day
We will have a light breakfast and ceremony to celebrate our veterans. Students have been submitting names and pictures of members of their family in the service and we are ready to welcome them to our campus. Be looking for more information in next week's newsletter.
When: November 11, 2025
Time: 8:00 am
Where: Harby Jr. High
Harby's Week at a glance
Monday - PTO Chipotle Fundraiser
Tuesday - 6-8 Social Studies CBA; Spelling Bee Round 2 (Invite only); Election Day
Wednesday -
Thursday - Soccer: girls at home, boys @ Iowa Colony Jr. High; Ignite Club
Friday - JH Night at AHS Football Game
Click HERE for more PTO information
Thanksgiving Lunch
Below is the link for the Thanksgiving Lunch to be held at Harby Jr. High on November 18, 2025. This link will begin working on Monday November 3rd and can be used to purchase tickets for lunch. There will be a limited number so be sure to get them early.
Access to Library Resources
Dual Enrollment Information:
Link to register English: https://forms.gle/wUCigdxPm9a8gSZJ8
Link to register Spanish: https://forms.gle/z9XcqFB9mdNvdTin8
Special Education Community Events
A Magical Holiday Classic- Now Sensory Friendly!
Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker 🩰
Houston Ballet is offering a sensory-friendly performance of Stanton Welch's The Nutcracker on November 28 at 1:00 PM at The Wortham Theater. This adapted show is designed for individuals with sensory sensitivities and their families, providing a relaxed and inclusive environment.
Features include:
- Quiet areas for breaks
- Interactive activity stations
- Trained volunteers throughout the theater
- Clear signage and maps for easy navigation
A Social Narrative is available to help attendees understand what to expect, with a video version coming soon. For tickets or accessibility requests, contact Houston Ballet’s Ticketing Services at 713.227.2787 or ticketsonline@houstonballet.org.
First Pathways – Play-Based Learning for Young Children!
First Pathways is a great free resource for parents looking for simple, engaging ways to support their child’s development through play!
First Pathways provides fun, interactive activities designed to help children build strong brain connections from birth to age 8. The activities use common household items, so they’re easy to do at home, in the car, or anywhere you have a few minutes to play together.
How It Works:
- Choose your child’s age group
- Spin the activity wheel to get a new game idea
- Watch short videos that show other families playing the same activities
- Learn how each activity strengthens important brain pathways
Provides quick, easy ideas for playful learning, including options for children with diverse learning needs, such as those who were born prematurely or have neurological differences.
Check it out at www.firstpathwaysgame.com and have fun exploring new ways to play and learn together! 🎉
Parent’s Rights: An Overview of Special Education Evaluations (SPED TX)
Navigating special education can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s new to your family. This quick guide explains the basics, your child’s rights, and important protections in the process. Remember, the school must get your permission before evaluating your child, and choosing special education services is always your decision. Click here to learn more.
Brazoria County Fair
Future World Language Options-Community Interest Survey
Alvin ISD is exploring the possibility of offering new language courses, including American Sign Language (ASL), at the high school level. Your input will help us understand the interests and needs of our families. This survey takes less than 2 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your help!
Click the link or use the QR Code to share your feedback → Future World Language Options – Community Interest Survey
Communities in School
Communities In Schools here at GW Harby JH provides supportive services to not only the students, but also their families. Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS offers our students and families services, which meet real needs and provide real opportunities. Our services include: Supportive Guidance, Academic Support, Enrichment Activities, Health/Human Services, Parent and Family Engagement, and College/Career readiness. We also provide lunch groups, which focus on a variety of topics. Everything from focusing on social skills, to encouragement, to building self esteem, and giving the students a safe place to socially interact with their peers and participate in a variety of activities. If you would like to enroll your student, please have your student stop by my classroom D104 and pick up a parental consent form or complete the electronic form below and email it to me.
If you have already enrolled your student in our program, please follow the second link below. Once you sign in to your Skyward Parent Portal, look for the area that says Forms. The form you need to Opt In is the Counseling form, open this form and select "Yes". Please let me know if you have any issues with completing this form and I will send a Hard Copy of the form home with your student.This new form is due to House Bill 12 and is now a requirement to provide services. It is also good to have this form in place just in case you need to request assistance from the counselors with regards to your student. Please email me with any questions. If you have already completed this form, I thank you very much. Once I receive these forms for all students enrolled in our program, we will be able to restart our lunch groups and other groups.
Johnnie La Quay
Site Coordinator
jlaquay@alvinisd.net or jblaquay@cistxjv.org.
Dual Enrollment through Alvin Community College!
Alvin ISD Parent Academy!
Parents, check out the workshops Alvin ISD is offering to support you and your students’ success!
Available in English & Spanish – don’t miss out!
Attendance Matters!
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Every day your child is in school is a day filled with learning, growth, and connection. Consistent attendance is one of the most important factors in academic success—students who attend regularly are more confident, perform better, and feel more supported.
If your child is absent due to illness, we kindly ask that you provide a doctor’s note to Ms. Matusek, our attendance. This helps us maintain accurate records and ensures your child’s absences are properly documented.
Your partnership makes a real difference. Together, we can help every student stay on track and thrive this school year.
You can email the doctor’s notes directly to Mrs. Matusek at amatusek@alvinisd.net
CTE's Career Extravaganza!
TEA School Profile Report
We are excited to share that Harby Jr High has grown on the TEA Accountability scale from a C in 2024 to a B in 2025! Additionally, we received a Distinction for being in the Top 25% of school for Comparative Academic Growth! We are proud of our students, we are proud of our teachers, and we are appreciative of all the supportive parents & guardians! We are looking forward to continuing this success through effective first instruction, formative assessments, and proactive plans to address deficits. Let's Go, Hawks!
Pre-Order your year book now!
Lock in your student's yearbook now by pre-ordering. Yearbooks are $40 and there are options for personalization and signing packages. Click the link to select your choice.
