Hartford Hurricanes 2026-2027

Dear Hartford High School Students, Faculty, Staff, Parents, Caregivers and Families,

What a fantastic six weeks it has been at Hartford High School! First, I want to celebrate Homecoming, it was an absolute success. The dance was packed, loud, and so much fun, and it was wonderful to see our students showing up with such incredible energy and school spirit at all of the games as well.

I also want to extend a sincere thank you for your support at home during our recent Star Reading and Math diagnostic assessments. Thanks to your encouragement, our students took these assessments seriously, giving us valuable data to help tailor our instruction and support every learner. If you would like to review your student’s results, please reach out to their counselor, advisory teacher, case manager, or me, and we will gladly provide a copy.

Finally, I am reaching out today to ask for your voice and perspective on an important matter facing our entire district. The Hartford Board of School Directors is seeking community input on the budget models and approaches presented at last week’s Board meeting.

As many of you know, recent state legislation has created unprecedented financial hurdles for our school system (to better understand these challenges, please take a moment to read the Joint Statement from the HSD Board, HSD Leadership, and HEA Leadership). Navigating these legislative constraints is tough, but decisions about our path forward must be guided by the needs of our school community.

Feedback from our HHS parents, families, caregivers, and students is critical, and we need to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts by completing the HSD Community Budget Survey. Your input is deeply valued and will directly inform the Board as they make key decisions for our district's future.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership!

My best,

Amy Molina

Principal, Hartford High School

This month's "Artist, Designer, and Innovator Awards" go to Dani Aftowski for Photgraphy One and Amaya Robinson for Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Pep Band.

Dani is a skilled artist who comes to class every day ready to work and try new things with her camera. We always look forward to Dani's amazing work.

Amaya is a senior trumpet player and section leader in Concert Band. She is not only a skilled trumpet player but also a reliable and helpful community member. Amaya recently auditioned for and was accepted into the VT District VI Concert Band. She also designed this year's "Spamalot" musical poster! She is always seeking out ways to help others and make the classroom community more welcoming, productive, and accepting of all.

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your passions and talents with the Hartford community!

We’re celebrating 10 Harford High School students who join over 300,000 students from across the country in earning academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Program based on their achievement on AP® Exams and/or PSAT-related assessments.

Eligible students had the opportunity to claim three awards: First-Generation Recognition Award, Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award, and the School Recognition Award.

The following Hartford High School students received a School Recognition Award:

Colby Albrecht, Andre Banks, Gabe Duncan, Samuel Durgin, Isaac Dustin-Eichler, Noah Miller, Lucas Sanderson, Kathryn Summarsell, Amelia Whipple and Jackson Whitney

Five HHS students received additional recognition:

Rural and Small-Town Recognition Awards: Andre Banks, Samuel Durgin, Noah Miller, Jackson Whitney

First-Generation Recognition Awards: Andre Banks, Kathryn Summarsell

The National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing students every year on BigFuture®.. Students can submit their eligibility information during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the beginning of the next school year.

Congratulations!

Coach Scudder reached a major career milestone this month with her 400th career win (4-1 win over Brattleboro). Coach Scudder has been with Hartford since 1987 when she took over a program that had 1 win in the previous 4 years combined. 400 wins and 13 state titles later...still going strong! Congrats Coach!

Good Evening HSD Teaching and Learning Community,

The Hartford Board of School Directors is seeking community input into the budget models and approaches that were presented to them at last week's Board meeting.

Here is a link to the survey that was developed to gather feedback from all of the various stakeholders in the school and district community and beyond.

Your input matters and is so valuable as the board considers the path forward, a path that has been made incredibly challenging by the legislation passed last session (for an understanding of the hurdles that have been placed in front of us, please also see the joint statement that was signed by the HSD Board, HSD Leadership, and HEA Leadership).

We very much appreciate your feedback and support as we navigate through this challenging situation together.

With Gratitude,

Caty

Dear Parents and Guardians,

An addition to the Yearly Update in Online Registration is parental consent for school Google use. For some features, Google is requiring yearly parental permission. It is all explained within the Yearly Update and permission is gathered in Online Registration.

It is time to start gathering all the beginning of the year paperwork. All the required information will be gathered through the Registration Yearly update button available in the Parent Portal app, directions here. If you do not have a parent portal account, please contact your child's school registrar, Lorena Burnett (burnettl@hartfordschools.net). For other Infinite Campus support articles visit the HSD Family Infinite Campus Support page.

Please complete this as soon as possible, as this information is needed for effective communication and other state and federal education requirements. It also updates the student's FERPA settings in Infinite Campus, which includes media release and student directory preferences. Student directory preferences are used to allow and limit student/parent directory information for PTO and Athletic teams. Both these areas are Opt-out.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact your child's school administrative office.

Thank you for your time,

Bill Yates

Hartford School District

Data Administrator

Vermont families are encouraged to complete the 2026-2027 Household Income Form, even though, thanks to Vermont’s Universal Meals law, all students have access to free meals regardless of household income. Information reported on the form helps determine eligibility for and access to important programs and funding to support students and families. These include Title I, E-rate, Early College benefits, and other educational resources.

By completing the confidential form, you help our school receive resources that support programs and services benefiting our entire school community. The form can be filled out online and it takes just a few minutes. Thank you for your time and willingness to help out. The form can be completed here

• Friday, October 31 - End of Quarter 1

• Monday, November 2 - Early Dismissal for Teacher Inservice

• Tuesday, November 3 - No School for Teacher Inservice

• Wednesday, November 11 - No School for Veteran's Day

Students who participate in a co/extra-curricular activity such as participating on a sports team or the musical are required to be on-time for school (and attend all classes) in order to be eligible to participate in after-school activities. Please help/encourage your student to be on-time EVERY day, for EVERY class.

Hello Hurricane Families!

The fall season is winding down and the postseason accolades are starting to come in! Unified Soccer won the Gold Medal at the state tournament at Norwich University on 10/6. This is the 2nd year in a row the Canes have taken home the gold! Congrats to our Unified Soccer team! A special thank you to our friends at HPD and HFD for their welcome when the team arrived back in town. The superintendent’s office, HMMS, and HHS buildings all emptied out to cheer for the team as the buses pulled up the driveway. What a sight!

Also on 10/6 our girls golf team competed in the state tournament and finished 3rd as a team! And…sophomore Bella Lombardi was Medalist for D-II and qualified for New England's (10/25 in Connecticut) Great day for our very new and very young girls golf team. Future looks very bright!

Winter sports (Indoor Track, Basketball, Ice Hockey) student-parent-coach orientation is scheduled for November 9th at 7:00. Please register for your winter sport (if you haven’t already) on Infinite Campus. You should enter the building in the main entrance and follow the signs to your sport specific breakout room.

Reminder - The Maxfield Bus will depart at 3:10 daily from Barwood Arena.

Reminder - Fall fitness center hours are as follows:

• Monday: 3:00-5:30
• Tuesday: 3:00-5:30 & 7:00-9:30
• Wednesday: 3:00-5:30
• Thursday: 3:00-5:30 & 7:00-9:30
• Friday: 3:00-5:30
• Saturday: 10:00-11:30
• Sunday: CLOSED

Want to Purchase Sports Passes?

Please see the attached GoFan Flyer for special All Sports Passes good for fall and winter when we charge admission.

The Booster Club needs your help!

The Booster Club is looking for parents and family members to help staff the concession stand this fall (and winter...and spring). The Boosters are a massive source of funding and support for our athletic teams and with the tough budget season that is being predicted we need all the help we can get! If you are able to serve (even a single game shift!) please reach out to Booster President Jen Lyman (lyman.jenifer@gmail.com). Thank you for your support!

Jeff Moreno

Athletic Director

Hartford High School

Last week, the Counseling Office brought 29 students to the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) College Fair. Students had the incredible opportunity to connect with representatives from 125 different colleges. The day also included a guided tour of the campus and wrapped up with a competitive session of bingo hosted by the SNHU admissions team.

For more details about each scholarship and the eligibility requirements, read the details below carefully.

• Scholarships Available
• United States Senate Youth Program Scholarship (USSYP) - Due 10/20
• Distinguished Young Women
• Student Scholarships - rolling applications/deadlines. Always being updated

• Admissions Representatives from schools all over visit Hartford High School. This is a great time to learn about schools, show interest, and meet the people who read college applications. You MUST sign-up for each college visit ahead of time. You can sign up in Infinite Campus using Responsive Scheduler for the 5th block time slot or in the Counseling Office with Lauren for earlier day visits. Your name must be on the list to be excused from class for the visit. *** Students are responsible for make up work and notes if attending a college visit during class time. You may not miss a test for an on-campus college visit***

• Here is the list of scheduled visits and times!

• Common App Help - Want time, space and maybe help filling out your Common App? Set up an appointment during your free block with Lauren in the Counseling office or sign up to join during 5th block with responsive scheduler.

Virtual Date: Tuesday, October 20th 6:00-7:00pm
Registration Link: ccv.edu/ECinfo - For more information, go to gotocollegevt.org

You’ll hear about:

• How to apply for Early College at CCV
• How Early College can put you on a pathway to a FREE associate degree

through the Free Degree Promise

• How to access financial aid for the Early College year and beyond
• How Early College helps high school seniors pursue their interests, enjoy greater flexibility and independence, and get a head start on their future.

Seniors and parents join Katie Rafferty from VSAC for a personal one on one 30 minute appointment in the Counseling Office on Monday, October 19th 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Please start the process and come prepared as possible because appointments are only 30 minutes long. Bring all your questions and concerns. Below is information on how to create your FSA ID which should be made at least a week in advance and the links provided to help. If the available times do not work please sign up through VSAC for a personalized Zoom appointment or contact Katie directly at rafferty@vsac.org

FSA ID Directions

VSAC FAFSA Information

Personal Appointment Sign Up Sheet

Please contact Katte Rafferty or Lauren Parker with any questions.

Are you a Vermont student that needs help filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2027-28 school year?

VSAC is available to assist Vermont families in person or virtually. Virtual meetings are being offered Monday-Thursday with in-person meetings available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Find out what documents are needed by visiting our Focus on FAFSA page and navigating to the "7 Steps to FAFSA" tab.

Already filed your FAFSA or have other financial aid questions (such as "what's next?" or "did I do this right?") that you would like to ask? Email resourcecenter@vsac.org to request an appointment. Please include any specific discussion topics (IE: grants, scholarships, SAI, college awards, etc.) so we may better serve you.

Beginning in 1990, many U.S. states and cities replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day to correct historical narratives glorifying colonization. Christopher Columbus did not "discover" a land where millions already lived, but instead initiated centuries of violence, forced displacement, and enslavement. By shifting focus away from an explorer whose arrival brought devastating war and disease, the holiday acknowledges the true impact of colonization while celebrating the rich heritage of the Americas' First Nations.

Communities mark the holiday with cultural gatherings like powwows, sunrise ceremonies, educational museum events, and markets showcasing Indigenous art and food. The day also acts as a platform for political activism regarding environmental protection and tribal rights, while encouraging individuals to support Native-owned businesses and learn about local tribal territories.

Today, life for the 5.4 million Indigenous people in the United States is defined by a powerful duality where cultural resilience coexists with deep systemic hardships. While the country's 574 federally recognized tribes exercise unique legal sovereignty and experience a vibrant resurgence in language and arts, they still face profound inequalities. Nearly 27% of Native Americans live in poverty—double the national average—and communities continue to combat severe health disparities, inadequate infrastructure, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis.

The evolution of Indigenous Peoples' Day and the enduring sovereignty of tribal nations represent a significant shift toward historical truth and cultural reclamation. While severe systemic inequalities and socioeconomic gaps remain critical battles to fight, the growing recognition of Native history provides a vital platform for justice. By balancing the celebration of heritage with active political advocacy, Indigenous communities continue to shape a future defined not by past colonization, but by self-determination, resilience, and a lasting impact on the American landscape.

6 Stories Celebrating Native American History and Culture

Previous Curiosity Corners

Julia Lau

Equity Coordinator

HSD

The Hartford High School National Honor Society, in partnership with HHS Staff members Robin Martin & Jamie Briggs, organizes the Hartford High School Food Shelf. The food shelf provides a variety of foods and hygienic products to student families in need. Currently we provide resources to 9 student families on a weekly basis. Every year it is uncertain how many people will be in need of our help.

• Ramen Packs

• Dry cereals

• Oatmeal

• Fruit Cups

• Pasta & Sauces

• Peanut Butter

• Jelly

• Canned tuna

• Canned chicken

• Macaroni & Cheese

• Granola Bars

• Canned soups

Thank you for your support.

The Hartford High School National Honor Society Students are participating in the CHaD Hero race on Sunday, October 18th. This is an awesome fundraiser for Dartmouth Health Children's. Our team is HURRICANE HONOR. We are encouraging all HHS Staff, students and families who are interested in participating to join us. For more information, click here.

We had our first Link Crew Lunch last week. Freshman and Link Crew leaders gathered to eat and check in on how the first six weeks have gone.

October is our national depression education and awareness month. With this in mind I have provided a link for parents and students that offers a quick guide to depression and how it can impact teens. There are also some resources for parents who are managing their own depression while dealing with the challenges that arise during parenting. Please take the time this month to check in with yourself and your child as we work together to raise awareness about depression and how it impacts both teens and adults in our community.

Be well and take care,

Alex Bronner, LICSW,

Hartford High School, ext. 2216

bronnera@hartfordschools.net

Show dates are:

• Friday, November 13 at 7:00pm
• Saturday, November 14 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm
• Sunday, November 15 at 2:00pm

$10 for adults and $7 for students/seniors.

Tickets can be purchased here! Tickets are limited, so please get yours early!

Please visit the HHS Performing Arts Calendar of Events for all of our upcoming events!

Unified Club Apparel

The Unified Club is having an apparel sale to raise money for their programs. Here is the link to the Unified Store for some really cool merch! The sale closes 10/18.

Unified Soccer Updates

The Unified Soccer team has had a great season! This photo is from their first win of the season when they beat Burr and Burton on Tuesday, 9/22. They wrapped up their season last week at the VT State Championships!

https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=101747803035920

All students can create 2 free custom pages in their book! These pages will only print in your book, but it is a great opportunity to get your memories in there!

This month, we would like to highlight the partnership between HSD and HPD. The Hartford Police Department Outreach Division serves as a vital community safety net by pairing law enforcement with specialized professionals to tackle the root causes of a crisis. Deploying an Outreach Commander, a Police Liaison, and a Substance Use Responder to handle non-criminal emergencies—like housing instability, mental health, substance use, or child safety issues—the division ensures that vulnerable youth and families receive compassionate, specialized care, ultimately fostering a safer and more supportive environment for the entire school community.

The outreach team has partnered specifically with school staff to be available at open houses, school events, and at bi-weekly prevention planning meetings. This month, HPD will be joining Hartford Community Coalition and HSD Student Assistance Counselor in providing awareness events around bullying prevention month and Red Ribbon Week.

Janet Potter,

Student Assistance Provider (SAP)

HMMS

The Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color (DACC) is hosting a series of activities for BIPOC youth and their families. Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color is an organization on Dartmouth's campus. We host weekly play dates connecting kids of color in the Hanover/Upper Valley area and Dartmouth students of color! We welcome children of color from the area and their parents to join us.

For many of the minority children in the Upper Valley, it is not uncommon to find themselves in situations where they are the only person of color in school or community settings. DACC volunteer program is designed to promote positive cultural awareness and expression, and to foster strong relationships between involved students of color and Dartmouth and Upper Valley minority children and their families.

Here is a link to the DACC listserv which will send you invites to their upcoming events.

Hartford-Norwich Holiday Basket Helpers have served vulnerable community members in the towns of Hartford and Norwich, Vermont since 1983. Connecting households with children to sponsors who fulfill gift wish lists. If you are a Hartford High School family who needs help this year please use this link for support. * complete this link NO LATER THAN Monday, November 2

https://holidaybasketsvt.org/family-registration-form/

Students can see Becky Whitney in the Library for paperwork OR anyone can go to THIS WEBSITE to register before November 3rd.

The Public Health Council is pleased to announce 2026 Community Flu Vaccine Clinics. A full list of the clinics is below, and a poster is attached. A full list of flu vaccine clinics is also available HERE.

Offered by the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, in partnership with Dartmouth Health and the Geisel School of Medicine

• Walk-in vaccine clinic.
• All PHC clinics are free, open to the public, and do not require registration. If your insurance information is on file with Dartmouth Health, when vaccine records are stored. Your insurance will be billed as a preventive care service. There will never be an out-of-pocket cost to you.

• Clinics are open to all adults & children ages 10+.
• All PHC clinics offer both the regular dose vaccine and an enhanced dose formulation for people 65 years and older.
• All vaccines are preservative-free.