On the Horizon
Week of 8/31-9/3
Message from the Principal
The Harbor Heights Staff are training this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in 3 intense days of school preparation with the most up to date information to be prepared for students next week. We look forward to seeing you during the first week of school at teacher conferences. You will receive an introductory email from your teacher this week, and class lists will be officially communicated via PowerSchool on Friday, Sept 4th.
This Thursday is our Back to School night (Meet the Teacher event) at 6 pm. This is a big day with Chromebook, Read and Lead Medals, and maybe even Yearbooks to pick up. I will send out a reminder Wednesday night with a yearbook update...exciting!
See "This Week" below for links and details.
We will focus so much of our time and effort on making good connections with families that we will not reach the full academic rigor until after the first week of school. Please know that we stand by our mission to meet the needs of the whole child, both academic AND social, with our talented classroom teachers and support staff working collaboratively.
As we have stated in our weekly Community Chats, we have a robust program built with structure to provide flexibility for your schedule needs. Teachers will be sharing specific daily schedules with you soon whereas you can see the weekly schedule on our HH Website and especially the fall 2020 tab in the top left.
Let's make it a great week, please let us know if you have any questions about the information below.
Gratefully,
David Bentler
HHES Proud Principal
This Week
- Chromebook Pick up: K-2 10am-11:30, 3-4 12:00-1:30, see more details below
-5th grade will be 100% Chromebook exchange at parent-teacher conferences - Please fill out this Request Form if you need a Chromebook or Hotspot, or both
- Read and Lead Medal Handout 10am - 2pm
- Yearbooks might be here Thursday too...an update will come Wednesday night
- BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT at 6:00-6:30 pm. Come meet our staff presented by Admin, and then meet all your grade level teachers.
- If you are not in the first 300 (zoom cannot exceed 300), please wait until 6:10 to meet your teachers (slide #15 has grade level zoom links, or see below)
ChromeBook Pick Up
- Chromebook check out, please fill out the form
- Grades K/1/2 10:00 - 11:30
- Grades 3 and 4 12:00-1:30 (5th-grade teachers will have them at conferences)
- Read & Lead Medals hand out to 2019-2020 recipients, 10 am-2 pm.
- Yearbooks scheduled to arrive Wednesday...perhaps ready for hand out this day!
- Virtual Welcome Back to School Night at 6 pm (zoom)
Thursday, Sep 3, 2020, 10:00 AM
4002 36th Street Northwest, Gig Harbor, WA, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Next Week
To set up each family for success, all Harbor Heights teachers are committed to holding 1:1 conferences with each family in the first week of school. Be looking for specific information sent directly from your teacher soon. If you have not received communication from your teacher by 6:30pm on Thursday Sept 3rd, please email me directly. We look forward to starting strong this fall, and that strength will come in the teacher-parent-student connection.
Our teachers are dedicated to the success of your child. We will launch the first weeks of school with an emphasis on the social and emotional learning, rather than diving right into curriculum and assessments.
If you did not receive materials directly from your teacher, we will have a drive by style materials handout on Monday, Sept 14th for "Learning Kits", following the WIN time (See schedule) of grade levels for class materials pick up. This will ensure you have access to essential learning material supports provided by Harbor Heights and PSD.
Zoom Links for Teachers at 6:10pm on Back To School Night, Sept 3rd.
Kindergarten
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/96669338317?pwd=NERQcndPZG9rTVJTVmxKM0tSTTBBQT09
First
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/97257276076?pwd=ZEJFWnNIOERmc0NKckJmdXYvRWVqdz09
Second
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/2836259705?pwd=OU1ra0llSm1MSGFrYWtuQTc5RjFldz09
Third
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/98047090554?pwd=UzdLU1Qyc09hVDh2QUlUVWhSeFhqUT09
Fourth
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/99832067531?pwd=d09JRTFXeE9VQnBJZ0pwTHFMWUZlZz09
Fifth
https://psd401.zoom.us/j/92546560403?pwd=dUdRTTdUMnd5Z0VKcDg3TEN5SFIydz09
Free Lunch/Breakfast extended!!!!
Summer program will continue through Decmeber 2020! This means any child, 0-18, can pick up a lunch and breakfast M-F. We have so missed our staff and wonderful students and can't wait to get back over there to start reconnecting with them.
GOOD NEWS! Any family who qualified for Free/Reduced meals last year will automatically be eligible for 2020-2021! See OSPI EBT
Community Chat Slides from Aug 20, Aug 27 recorded on HHE website
HOMEWORK FOR PARENTS - getting ready for school
- Parent Portal and PowerSchool - the main hub for student data
- Teacher, contact information, lunch account, etc
- Parent Portal Information
A PowerSchool and Schoology log in email should be coming this week, likely Wednesday.
- Schoology - our Learning Management System for all PSD
- Central location for all learning resources, directions, assignments
- Schoology Step by Step
- Zoom - Video Conferencing for direct, Synchronous connection
Since we are now all learners at home, one of the families of the most supportive practices we can do is become familiar with these 3 primary platforms. Teachers, the office, and Admin can help with basic resource or technology questions, but please refer to these how-to resources to increase familiarity with our primary communication tools.
Dear Families,
Dear Orca Families,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to the 2020-2021 school year!
All of us here at Harbor Heights have been diligently preparing for the return of our Orcas and we are looking forward to another year of excellence. Our dedicated educators have been engaged in professional learning opportunities to keep their teaching skills honed, and our committed custodians have been meticulously cleaning and disinfecting our building. While we know this school year will be different than previous ones, it will not damper our spirits nor our dedication to provide a top-notch education to our students!
Students are scheduled to begin the 2020-2021 school year on September 8. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as required by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, students will start the school year in a remote platform and come back to school for in-person learning as soon as possible (please refer to updates for The Dials). To ensure connectivity, please submit an HH Request Form for a Chromebook unless you already have a PSD issued or sufficient device for each student attending Harbor Heights. To inform PSD of your technology needs, please fill out the PSD Tech Needs Survey.
As done in previous years, families will still be able to meet their teacher. Our “Back to School Night” will be held virtually this year on Thursday, September 3rd at 6 pm. Principals will open the virtual zoom event, and then transition to grade level and individual teacher presentations. Please visit our updated webpage for tech tips, news, and all the latest fall 2020 information.
Communication between home and school is critical, especially during a time when circumstances can change overnight. I will provide information to families via text, email, and our school webpage, and Facebook. Emails and phone numbers must be up to date in the Parent Portal. Teachers will be reaching out to students by next week, and look for an informative email from the office titled “Parent Portal Access”.
New to Harbor Heights? Parent Portal account information for our newest Orca family will be sent out in the coming week. If you need to update your contact information in the interim, please contact our office manager via email: desotok@psd401.net.
This school year will be a new journey for all of us, but please know that I am committed to keeping our students, staff, and families healthy and safe while we navigate through these unchartered waters together.
On behalf of the entire Orca Staff, we look forward to a great year with you and your child!
Gratefully,
David Bentler
Harbor Heights Principal
530-1800
Food BackPack for Kids
We are going to continue to use the “Drive Thru Food Backpacks” model that we started when school was canceled.
Families who are currently signed up will stay on our program and continue to pick up at their designated locations. New families will be able to choose one of 3 options.
1) Pick up at GHHS on Fridays from 3-5 pm
2) Pick up at our KP Distribution Center on Fridays from 3-5 pm.
3) Arrange for home delivery. We have partnered with Harbor Hope Center to provide this service.
This model has allowed us to provide more large bags of food or boxes of food depending on family size. We are even providing produce and dairy regularly now!
So, we will not be bringing food bags to each school directly. However, if you find a need for a few bags to be on hand at the school for families, please let us know and we will get those to you.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
You can also text/call me at 253-313-6291
Michelle
Community Event by Key Pen and Penmet Parks
Educating the Whole Child
Harbor Heights Elementary
We are a passionate community dedicated to the success of the whole child
Email: bentlerd@psd401.net
Website: https://hhe.psd401.net/
Location: 4002 36th Street Northwest, Gig Harbor, WA, USA
Phone: (253) 530-1800
Facebook: facebook.com/hhorcas