Harwood High School Newsletter

Don’t forget to order your citrus!

With flu season coming - it’s the yummiest way to keep sickness at bay.

New this year - you can now order online! Follow this link to place an order or scan the QR code below.

Delivery is set for Monday, December 7, 2026.

Contact Molly Desrochers at HU Music with any questions at (802) 583-8178 or via email at mdesrochers@huusd.org.

Harwood uses PTCFast to schedule conferences and will be hosting conferences for high school parents from 3:30-7pm on November 19th. (Please note, middle school conference are November 11th AND November 19th)

You can begin booking conference slots today!

Here is link to PTC Fast: https://ptcfast.com/schools/Harwood_Union_Middle_High_School

The FIRST step - you will be asked to enter identifying information specific to your child(ren) AND THEN you will be prompted to check your email account to schedule a SPECIFIC time. This email will come from PTCFast.

The SECOND step – when you receive an email from PTCFast, please click on the available time slot(s) for your child(ren). If you are booking for more than one student, please select that option when presented. You will then be able to select multiple conference times, one slot specific to each child and teacher.

You will book ONLY 1 conference slot (a 20 minute slot) for each child.

Shout out to the Girl’s Soccer Team who finished an undefeated season at their semi-final game that drew the largest crowd HU has ever seen!

Shout out to the Girl’s Soccer Team who finished an undefeated season at their semi-final game that drew the largest crowd HU has ever seen!

Patrick Migonis and Vince Wing are heading to Maine next weekend after qualifying for the New England Regional Championship. Harwood’s Cross Country Running team had a strong showing at the Vermont High School State Cross Country Championship, with the boys’ team finishing third place overall in Division II and the girls’ team finishing in sixth place.

With the end of the Fall season we are looking ahead to our Winter sports - registration is now open, please click here to register. And we are in need of an Alpine Head Coach. If you are interested please click here to apply.

Friendly reminders

• If you would like to nominate someone for the Harwood Hall of Fame please click here. Unlike many other halls of fame, our Hall of Fame is not limited to former athletes or coaches. Once nominated for the Hall of Fame, a nominee remains active for consideration for ten years.

• Caregivers can find all information related to Harwood Athletic programming here. Additionally, you can visit our website for up to date information and all team’s schedules.

Thanksgiving Bags & turkey pickup

When: Nov 21, 2026, 10 AM to noon

Where: Waterbury Common Market

We will be distributing Thanksgiving bags and turkeys on Saturday, November 21st from 10am - noon. Come to the Common Market and we'll send you home with a Thanksgiving bag plus a turkey. Volunteers will be on hand to help you to your car.

Please sign up in advance, call us, or stop in. PLEASE NOTE: You must reside in our service area to get a bag.

Feel free to also shop at the Market while you're there that day! Special thanks to the Rotary for doing the turkey drive for us, as well as providing the dessert pies once again this year. Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year, the MRV Interfaith Council helps local families celebrate Thanksgiving with a full Thanksgiving meal. Available to MRV residents only, this is a completely FREE service. We provide all the food you need: turkey, stuffing, veggies, fruit, pie… and you cook and celebrate. Invite family and friends!

To participate, merely fill out a form with the number of folks for the meal and where to deliver it in the Valley (or you can pick it up).

Forms available:

• From Pastors in every valley church

• At the Waitsfield Community Pantry

• By calling the Mad River Community Fund at: 802-461-6241

• Or complete an on-line Google form: https://bit.ly/getMRVturkey or QR code

In 2025, we helped 122 families and their friends have a great meal. Please contact if you are interested. The deadline is Wednesday, November 18.

Financial Aid and Managing College Costs Presentation at Harwood

Please mark your calendars for a Financial Aid and Managing College Costs presentation with VSAC specialist, Ellen Bagnato, at Harwood on November 9th at 6:00 PM. At this presentation, we will provide an overview of how families pay for college costs and the different types of financial aid, as well as the application process and timelines. We will also share with you several websites that can help you research the true cost of colleges and get ready to file financial aid forms.

AP Exam PAYMENTS are Due WEDNESDAY November, 11th

Attention AP students and families! The deadline for students to pay for AP exams is WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th. Students must join their AP course on the College Board website AND bring their payment to Jen in the School Counseling Office by the end of the day. Exams paid for after this date will incur a $40 late fee.

Virtual College Fair

NACAC Virtual College Fair is coming up on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026 from 1 - 6 PM.

This complimentary virtual fair is a great opportunity for you and your student to connect with college representatives from across the country, all from the comfort and convenience of your computers. You can register for this complimentary event here.

Breakfast for high school students is available from 8:15 - 8:50 and again from 9:55 - 10:00am.

Halloween in the Park

Rotary interact members and volunteer students hosted a Halloween event in Rusty Parker Park on Halloween night. The club had generous donations to share with children and families who stopped by from Cold Hollow Cider Mill and Blackcap Coffee and Bakery. The Waterbury Recreation Department provided a screen and projector to show Halloween themed films and shorts. We truly appreciate the support received from our incredible community!

Our next Service activity is a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit the Mad River Valley Interfaith Council. We are collecting items for a Thanksgiving meal for families in the Valley to make the holiday a bright one for them. Please support the drive by sending in items with your student.

Dates for the Drive: 11/6-11/13

If you have any questions, contact Ellen Berrings at eberrings@huusd.org

The annual Sophomore class fundraiser is upon us again this year!

Much appreciation to George Schenk for hosting this drive for the 23rd year at Lareau Farm.

When: Friday, December 4th - Sunday, December 6th (additional hours on the following weekend if needed)

Where: Lareau Farm

Hours: Friday - 5:00-7:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Why: This is the major fundraiser for the class and will support the prom next year and senior expenses the

following year

Parents of sophomore students are invited to volunteer during one of our shifts. Volunteers will receive a $5 discount on a tree. Contact Ellen Berrings (eberrings@huusd.org) for more information or to sign up.

Over the past several weeks, Extended Studies options have been rolling out in 9th and 10th grade English, science, and social studies classes, as well as in the music department. Extended Studies is one way for students to engage in topics and skills beyond that which is covered and practiced in a course. Extended Studies also offers students a way to distinguish themselves academically by being noted on the transcript when it is earned for a specific course. Check this out for more details. Students had the opportunity to sign up through their classes, and courses may use some ELO time to introduce and provide support on assignments.

As one example of an Extended Studies exploration the English and Global Studies teachers are partnering for the first ever 9th grade Humanities Extended Studies unit. In this unit, students are reading, discussing, and completing a project inspired by Charity and Sylvia, a graphic novel by Vermont cartoonist Tillie Walden telling the true story of Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake, a same-sex couple in 19th century Weybridge, Vermont. Based on poems, journal entries, and nearly 900 letters, Charity & Sylvia documents the lives of two women as well as half a century of Vermont history. Students will choose between two project options: an English-leaning project that involves gathering a story from an elder and turning it into a comic, and a History-leaning project that asks students to conduct research and write about an historical artifact, event, or person touched upon in the text. The unit will culminate in an opportunity for students to join in a community book discussion at the Joslin Memorial Library on Monday evening, November 9th.

We look forward to continuing these options throughout the year, and supporting all students in engaging in an academic program that provides exploration and rigor.

Senior Portrait, Quote, and Activities due November 19th.

Go to the Harwood Homepage, the link is at the bottom of the Students tab

https://sites.google.com/huusd.org/hu-yearbook/home

You can also purchase the yearbook on that page.

Your cap and gown form is due December 1st.

Don’t wait! Submit it now!

At Harwood Union High School, community is at the heart of who we are. The Harwood Way invites students to honor our community through respectful action and by caring for our shared environment, keeping it safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone—both on and off our campus.

To deepen this commitment, students are expected to fulfill an annual community service goal of 10 hours each school year. We define community service as any unpaid work that benefits others, happens outside of academic classes, and takes place on the HU campus or beyond. We encourage students to find opportunities that spark their passions and contribute to the well-being of our community.

HELP US EXPAND OUR REACH: Are you looking for enthusiastic student volunteers for an upcoming event or project? We are eager to collaborate with you! Please share your request through the survey below, and we will help get the word out to our students. (*We can not guarantee coverage, but we will do our best to promote and encourage students to reach out.)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnxrkUKLcJoh3N8k35CrQfEZ4jtg9bEV1C9QectH14T6vmAA/viewform

Registration Link: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CentralVermontCareerCenterSchoolDistrict/CVCCAdultAndContinuingEducationCourseProgramRegistration

Info on Youth WIOA funds: https://labor.vermont.gov/workforce-development/job-training-education-and-apprenticeship/wioa-workforce-innovation

How to Apply for Youth WIOA Funding:

1. Register Online: Create an account on Vermont JobLink.

2. Contact a Job Center: Reach out to one of Vermont's 12 regional Vermont Department of Labor Job Centers to speak with a workforce specialist.

3. Complete an Assessment: Work with a specialist to review eligibility and map out an individualized service strategy.

More than just an after-school program, the Café provides a safe and supportive "third space" for teens—a place outside of school and home where they can connect, build friendships, feel welcome, and simply be themselves. In light of the recent tragedies affecting our school district and community, having spaces where young people can come together and feel supported is more important than ever. We want students to know there is a place for them at The Big Picture.

Program Details:

- When: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3:30–5:30 p.m. (following the HUUSD school calendar)

- What: Free meals, snacks, and hot drinks, plus space to hang out with friends, play games, do homework, or relax.

- Cost & Commitment: Free; no ongoing commitment required. Just drop in!

- Permission Form: Parents can complete the parental permission form here:

https://forms.gle/SewfJESteWMn1i4L9

We encourage students to make this space their own. Whether they want to start a club, host a Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: The Gathering game, work on a STEM or art project, or share a new skill, we are open to all student-led ideas and ready to help make them happen.

Website: harwood.org

Facebook: facebook.com/HarwoodUnionHighSchool

Instagram: instagram.com/harwood_union_high_school/
Phone: 802-244-5186

Location: 458 Vermont Rte 100, Moretown, VT 05660

Office Hours: 7:45 - 3:45