On the Horizon
Final school week of 2020
Message from the Principal
What a historical fall trimester 2020! We are a courageous, generous, compassionate, and hard-working community here at Harbor Heights - staff, students, and families. Thank you for your partnership in educating and training up your child(ren). Although many things are different, canceled, or at least modified, we remain true to our Orca mission of being dedicated to the success of the whole child. We have amazing staff and families, we still have events such as Sharing and Caring and VPO fundraisers, and most importantly we have each other! Here are a few highlights:
- Report Cards
- Rapid Testing Dec 7th and 14th
- Sharing and Caring
- DocuSign and YRU reminder (Make sure your email/phone information is correct)
- VPO Fundraiser, Newsletter, and FB page
- Inclement Weather info
- Specialist Links
Here is the latest from PSD https://www.psd401.net/schoolreopening
Report cards
Report Cards - Method of Delivery: This trimester we will be publishing report cards in the Parent Portal again as we did last spring. You will receive a message after Dec 10th when they are ready for viewing. For parents who would prefer a hard copy, please contact our office at 253.530.1800.
The purpose of the elementary progress report at Harbor Heights Elementary is to communicate a student’s academic progress and learner competencies to parents/guardians. The Report Card is an important tool, but it is not the only tool we will use to showcase student growth and learning. The progress report shows student performance over a period of time and shares feedback regarding concerns and strengths. Accountability for learning is shared by students, parents, and teachers. The intent of the progress report is to provide a common understanding of the student’s progress to date and facilitate next steps.
Here is more information about the why behind the report cards at Harbor Heights. You can add comments/questions to this document if you would like to share any feedback on the Report Card process or product.
Final Pilot Testing Day for 2020 is Monday, Dec 14
Good afternoon families of in-person Kindergarten and 1st-grade learners,
We are excited to participate in the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department's School Testing Pilot Program. The program started on Monday, Nov 30. In order for your child to receive the test, a permission slip needs to be on file. If you already have one on file, there is no action needed.
You can access the permission slip here.
If the link is not working for you, please see the Testing Consent Form PDF attached below - these can be sent into Maria Forelli at forellim@psd401.net or a hard copy sent in with your child by Monday 12/7.
Dear Harbor Heights Community,
It is that wonderful time of year where we are typically kicking off our “Sharing and Caring” drive. This has been a year like no other. The need in our community is greater than it has ever been. In years past, we have typically collected non-perishable food, toys and gifts for families in need during the holiday season and donated all items to the Children’s Home Society out on the Key Peninsula and the FISH Food Bank.
We would like to continue this wonderful Harbor Heights tradition, starting Monday, November 23rd - December 11th. The Children’s Home Society and the FISH Food Bank have specific needs this year. The food bank has had a steady supply of food donations during this pandemic. Therefore, both organizations would like us to focus on specific items for kids of all ages, especially those aged 9-17. In order to support their needs we have created an Amazon Wishlist. This list can be found at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3I9X8XV9LGSR?ref_=wl_share. In addition to the items on the list, both organizations could use grocery cards and gas cards that may be dropped off or mailed directly to the school.
If you have any questions, please contact Jane Nelson at nelsonja@psd401.net. Thank you in advance for your generosity and continued support of our Gig Harbor community.
Doc U Sign
A DocuSign Rights and Responsibilities: Handbook email went out Friday, Nov 13, at about 4pm. Please check your inbox for this Docusign survey, it replaces the former handbook papers that used to be signed in hard copy forms by parents and student.
important: if you feel you are not receiving all HHES communication, please update your contact information via the YRU
YRU - Year Round Updates to ensure your contact information is up to date
Parents have the ability to log into their Parent Portal account and click the Year Round Update link to review and make changes to their contact information. If you don’t already have a ParentPortal account you will have to create one. For information on creating an account go to psd401.net/parent-portal. We ask that all families review the information at least once a year as well as any time they have changes.
Since accurate information for PSD is especially critical in this remote setting, below are the instructions to ensure your contact information is up to date via the Year Round Update in PowerSchool (Parent Portal).
Inclement Weather PSD
As the fall and winter storm season is upon us, we’re sending this to explain Peninsula School District's procedures and expectations during inclement weather and school closures. Below you will find guidelines to make this process easier, plus explain how weather decisions are made.
Delay or Closure Decisions:
• Weather information is reviewed the day and night prior to the decision. A review with our Transportation Department and neighboring districts is also done.
• Starting at 3:00 a.m. or sooner, district officials and the Transportation Department drive emergency bus routes throughout the district's current operating routes.
• The district may choose to operate on a normal schedule, start late, or close entirely.
• A decision to alter the school day in any way due to inclement weather, will apply to both in-person students/staff and remote students/staff.
• Late starts allow us:
o Time to monitor and adjust decisions to changing weather and road conditions;
o Safety of daylight for students and Transportation personnel;
o Additional time for Peninsula School District staff to arrive to work; and
o Time for the Transportation Department to further critique snow routes and make necessary adjustments or modifications.
Types of Communication:
• The SchoolMessenger System© notifies all staff and parents of a decision within 30 minutes by phone, text, and/or email.
• Emergency weather procedures can be found on the Peninsula School District website at psd401.net.
• The Peninsula School District emergency information line can be reached at 253-530-1088.
• Local TV and radio stations will provide timely updates.
• For questions regarding your child's emergency bus route, contact the Transportation Department at 253-530-3900.
Please remember the district has a large geographical size and weather conditions may vary greatly from area to area. This may warrant a closure or late start for the entire district due to conditions impacting only limited areas. Student and employee safety is our highest priority.
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