Harlan Happenings

What a joy it’s been to welcome our students back into a building full of energy, curiosity, and bright ideas. From day one, our halls have been alive with learning, laughter, and the promise of a great year ahead.

On behalf of our entire Harlan team, thank you for trusting us with your most precious gift—your children. We’re honored to partner with you this school year and can’t wait to share all the wonderful opportunities and experiences we have planned.

This week’s newsletter is packed with helpful reminders, important dates, and tools to keep your family connected and organized. Dive in below—you won’t want to miss what’s coming up at Harlan!

📌 In This Issue:
🦅 A quick refresher on our House System
📝 Absence Request Form link
⏰ School Hours: 8:40 AM – 3:40 PM
✅ New! Daily Checklist Template + Tips for Staying Organized at Home

📅 Key Dates:

• Wednesday, September 17 – Open House | 6:00 – 7:30 PM

• Thursday, September 18 – PTA Meeting | 6:00 PM via Zoom

• Tuesday, September 23 – No School Offices Open | Rosh Hashanah

Each school day is a valuable opportunity for your child to learn, grow, and succeed. Research shows that consistent attendance is directly connected to stronger academic performance, long-term success, and ultimately, graduation.

How You Can Help:
✔️ Plan family vacations during school breaks
✔️ Encourage consistent daily routines
✔️ Stay in touch with the school if your child needs to be absent

Reporting an Absence:
Families, please use the district’s Attendance Request Form to report absences, early dismissals, or tardies:
👉 Submit an Absence Here

📎 Attached: Please find our “Too Sick for School” informational flier—available in both English and Spanish—that explains when students should stay home. (The form is also available in Spanish.)

Together, we can support your student’s success—one day at a time! 🌟

We’ve had a few questions lately about whether school meals are still free due to federal funding changes—and we’re happy to report that YES, they absolutely are! 🙌

In fact, meal reimbursement rates have increased for the 2025–2026 school year, so our universal free meals program is going strong!

✅ Breakfast and lunch are FREE for ALL students—again this year!
🚫 No Meal Benefit Forms required
📅 Weekly menus with photos are posted every Sunday
🌱 All meals meet our Clean Label Standards

Let’s keep our students fueled and ready to learn! 💪 Check out the flyer and menu online—and spread the word: free meals are here to stay!

Our PTA has so much in store for Harlan families this year, and we’d love for you to be a part of it!

🗓 First PTA Meeting of the Year

• When: Thursday, September 18, 2025

• Time: 6:00 PM (Eastern)

• Where: Zoom

What’s Coming Up:
🍧 Special Treat Alert! Kona Ice and other refreshing desserts will be visiting our school—details attached.
📅 Monthly Events Calendar: Attached below so your family can stay in the loop.
🙌 Join the PTA: Becoming a member is just a one-time fee of $8—an easy way to support programs, events, and opportunities for all of our students.

Together, let’s make this year one to remember! 💙

What an incredible start to the school year! Our first-week pep rally was a huge success, with students and faculty showing off their house pride, fully geared up in their house colors. The energy, excitement, and school spirit set the perfect tone for the year ahead.

For families who are new, or for those who may need a refresher, Harlan’s MTSS House System is designed to build a strong sense of community, teamwork, and leadership among our students. Each house is represented by a different color hawk, symbolizing the unique qualities we encourage in our school.

💗 Positive Pink Hawks – Embody optimism, resilience, and encouragement. Members foster a supportive and uplifting environment.

💛 Yellow Yare Hawks – "Yare" means ready and adaptable. These students are quick thinkers, always prepared for challenges academically and socially.

💚 Grounded Green Hawks – Represent stability, balance, and responsibility. These students focus on self-discipline, emotional management, and personal growth.

🧡 Open-Minded Orange Hawks – Encourage creativity, diversity of thought, and curiosity. Members embrace new ideas and perspectives in their learning.

💙 Blossoming Blue Hawks – Symbolize growth, potential, and self-improvement. These students focus on personal development and helping others succeed.

Harlan’s House System fosters unity, healthy competition, and school pride—while encouraging every student to step into leadership and practice teamwork.

Back to school is in full swing! If you’re still finding it a bit challenging to get your kiddos into a routine, we’ve attached a checklist that may help.

This tool is designed to support students in taking accountability for their daily responsibilities—things like personal hygiene or reading a book before bed. We’ve already received wonderful feedback from families who shared that the checklist has helped their children stay on track, feel more responsible, and start each school day prepared and confident.

We hope it’s helpful for your family too!