HPE March Family Newsletter

Happy lifelong learners. Passionate and positive in every way!

🌷 Happy first Sunday in March, Harris Park Families! 🦄

Welcome to March! This month is a bridge between the typically snowy days of winter and the bright beginnings of spring. I love our community and the way we support one another through every season. Thank you for being such amazing partners in your child’s education. 🌷❄️

📅 Important Dates

Monday, March 2: No School for students.
Sunday, March 8: Daylight Saving Time Begins. Set your clocks forward one hour! ⏰
March 16-20: Spring Spirit Week
Friday, March 20: First Day of Spring.
March 23-27: Spring Break

🌟 Celebrating Excellence: Science Fair & Spelling Bee

We are so incredibly proud of our students who represented Harris Park at the District "Celebrating Excellence" event! These students showed bravery, hard work, and brilliant thinking. Please join us in celebrating them!

Science Fair Participants:

Dannie G., Samantha G., Gemma F., Lesley B., Owen P., Emilio G.L., and Sawyer S.

Science Fair Winners:

🏆 1st Place: Ellie R., Declan P., & Alex R. (Group Project)
🥈 2nd Place: Owen P.

Spelling Bee Participants: Abishek S. and Jazmine R.B.

Congratulations to all of these scholars for going above and beyond! Go Team Unicorn! 🦄

📚 Scholastic Book Fair

We are so excited to host our Scholastic Book Fair this week! Reading together is one of the best ways to help your child grow.

When: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (March 3, 4, and 5)
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Where: Harris Park Library We would love to see everyone there!

❄️ Dress for the Weather

Did you know March is usually Colorado’s snowiest month? Because the temperature changes so much during the day, please help your child dress in layers (a t-shirt, a sweater, and a coat).

Helpful Tips:

Label everything: Please write your child’s name inside their coats and hats.
"Pack it in, Pack it out": Help your child practice bringing home everything they took to school. This helps us keep our Lost & Found empty!

🚗 Safety Reminder

Our children’s safety is our #1 priority. Please help us by not walking between cars in the front parking lot. Always use the crosswalks. This sets a great example for our students and keeps everyone safe. Thank you!

📝 Register for Next Year!

It is already time to sign up for the 2026–2027 school year! Registering early helps us make sure we have the best teachers and small class sizes ready for your children.

🎉 Class Prize: Any class where 80% of students register early will get a special class celebration!
Update Your Info: Please make sure your phone number and address are correct in the Parent Portal so you never miss an emergency update.
Need help? Call us at 303-428-1721. We can help you reset your password!

🤝 Join Our Family Partnership Team

Next year, Harris Park and WAIS are coming together to be one big, amazing school family! We want YOU to help us plan this transition.

We are looking for family members to join our Family Partnership Team. You will help us think about new traditions and how to make our combined campus feel like home for everyone. If you want to help, please email me at nmills@wps.org or stop by the front office.

🌟 Simple Strategy: The "3-Breath" Break

March can be a long month for kids. When your child feels frustrated or has "big feelings," try this together:

Stop and take 3 slow breaths.
Name it: "I feel frustrated."
Action: Take a break or ask for help.

Practicing this at home helps them be successful at school!

Go Team Unicorn! 🦄

With love,

Nancy C Mills

Principal

Harris Park Elementary
nmills@westminsterpublicschools.org
W: 303-428-1721

The Board approved the following phased recommendations:

2026-2027

Westminster Academy of International Studies (WAIS) will relocate to Harris Park, forming a PK-6 International Focused Program.
WAIS students who will be in Grade 7 and 8 attend Uplands Discovery Campus PK-8.
Sherrelwood become PK-6
FM Day becomes Day Treatment Center

2027-2028

Fairview PK-8 will transition to a PK-6 program; grades 7 and 8 will attend Colorado Summit Leadership Academy.
Tennyson Knolls Preparatory School will transition from a PK-8 to a PK-6 program; grades 7 and 8 will attend Hodgkins Leadership Academy.

2028-2029

Mesa PK-5 will close; a boundary committee will determine student transitions, and not all students will attend Uplands Discovery Campus.
Sunset Ridge PK-8 will transition to a PK-6 program; grades 7 and 8 will attend Uplands Discovery Campus PK-8.

2029-2030

Hidden Lake Secondary School (HLSS) will close as a site; the educational program will continue and relocate to the former Mesa building.

Hello Harris Park Elementary School Families – We’re midway through Kids Heart Challenge and our students are learning how to keep their hearts healthy and about life-saving skills at school.

We need your families help at home – Click here: ➡➡ http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=12402&pg=company&company_id=531887 or download the free AHA Schools App to join our school’s service project and see updates for student and class rankings including all the ways your student can get involved!

Complete Finn’s Mission together at home then share your page with friends and family to spread lifesaving skills and support your fundraising goals.

Register to get your name on the poster!

🎟️ Raise $25 = score discounted Rapids tickets!
🏀 Raise $50 = unlock discounted Nuggets tickets and an exclusive on-court experience! ✨

Thank you for being part of our school’s service project with the American Heart Association. Students aren’t just having fun and earning rewards– they’re building leadership skills and learning how to protect their hearts! Our school also receives equipment for PE or recess, and we can apply for wellness grants.

This year's average daily attendance goal is

Last week's average attendance was

February's average attendance was

Every Monday is Early Release

7:25–1:30 PM Hours for ALL students PK-5
Every Monday will be early release—great for afternoon appointments!

Monday, March 2

No School

Tuesday, March 3

3:00-5:30 Scholastic Book Fair in the Library

Wednesday, March 4

3:00-5:30 Scholastic Book Fair in the Library

Thursday, March 5

3:00-5:30 Scholastic Book Fair in the Library

Tuesday, March 10

4:00-4:45 PTA/BAAC Meeting

Spring Spirit Week

Monday, March 16 - 🌀 Inside-Out & Backwards Day
Tuesday, March 17 - 🍀 Green, White & Orange Day
Wednesday, March 18 - 📚 Dress Like a Teacher Day
Thursday, March 19 - 🎭 Favorite Character Day
Friday, March 20 - 🛋️ Comfy Cozy Day

Monday, March 23 --> Friday, March 27

No School, Spring Break

Tuesday, March 31

4:15-5:00 Phoenix and Yeti Music Program

Friday, April 3

No Preschool (all K-5 students DO have school)

Tuesday, April 14

4:00-4:45 PTA/BAAC Meeting

Tuesday, April 21

4:15-5:00 Ms. Hurrle's Music Program

Saturday, April 25

9:00-3:00 WPS Celebrating Artistic Excellence

Tuesday, April 28

4:15-5:00 Ms. Myah's, Ms. Nelson's, and Ms. Apodaca's Music Program

Tuesday, May 12

4:00-4:45 PTA/BAAC Meeting

Monday, May 18

12:00-1:30 Field Day

Monday, May 25

No School, Holiday

Wednesday, May 27

Final Day of School for the 2025-2026 School Year

❄️ Inclement Weather School Schedule Updates

In the event of inclement weather, updates about school closures, delayed starts, or remote learning days will be communicated through:

A district phone call
The district website
Local news stations

If Westminster Public Schools does not issue a notification, the school day will proceed as normal.

Weather-Related Schedule Adjustments:

School Canceled

No school for students
No remote learning

Delayed Start

School begins two hours later than usual
Student drop-off begins at 9:15 AM and school begins at 9:25

Remote Learning Day

Students learn from home by:
- Logging into Zoom classes or
- Completing work in their Remote Learning Day folder
Remote Learning Day folders have been sent home or will be sent home soon
Folders include login information and daily schedules
Students should log into Zoom through their Clever account using their Chromebook
Clever can also be accessed through the district student portal on a home computer at https://www.wps.org/familiesinfo/students
Families without device access may complete folder work instead
Completed folder work should be returned on the next in-person school day

pdf

insert_drive_file

2025-2026 School Year Calendar.pdf

2025-2026 School Year Calendar SPANISH.pdf

WPS Calendar for 26-27 SY FAMILY ENGLISH.pdf

WPS Calendar for 26-27 SY FAMILY SPANISH.pdf

Download

122.1 KB

Moved? New Phone Number? Keep the Harris Park Team Updated!

It is very important that we have current contact information for every parent or guardian. We use multiple methods to communicate with our Harris Park families. The primary way we communicate with you is through Sunday phone calls and emails. You will also receive a monthly newsletter by email. Teachers will use Class Dojo, email, and phone calls. Our office team will primarily use phone calls.

Please be sure that we have current phone numbers and email addresses for you. The best way to update your contact information is through the Parent Portal in Infinite Campus. If you need assistance with your Parent Portal, please call 303-428-1721. We can provide you with your user name and reset your password for you.

Westminster Public Schools Athletic Opportunities for Elementary Students

For more information click here.

WPS is excited to offer opportunities in athletics to students in elementary school. Each activity will cost $50 per student-athlete. Each activity will offer practices and games. Student-athletes will receive a uniform they keep. Transportation will not be provided to or from games. Games begin in September for elementary-based sports (Westy Juniors).

Westy Juniors (K-5) – approximate ages; levels are grade based

Grades K-1 (5-7 years old)

Grades 2-3 (7-8 years old)

Grades 4-5 (9-11 years old)