Family Newsletter | June 17, 2026
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Dear HES Families,
It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of school. We are so grateful to all of you for your partnership, trust, and collaboration this year. A special thank you to the PTO and Harvard Schools Trust for helping us do even more for our students and teachers.
Of course, all of the student growth and success this year would not be possible without the amazing educators who work so hard every day to teach and care for our students. We would especially like to recognize four of our educators who are retiring: Cynthia Ambrosino, Elizabeth Hart, Debby Lyvers, and Marybeth Quaadgras. They have impacted hundreds of students during their careers, and their skill, dedication, and kindness will be deeply missed.
Tomorrow students will have a chance to meet next year's team of teachers during step up "day." Students will see classrooms, hear about exciting projects, and learn a little about all of the grade's teachers. Click HERE to get to know our staff, including our new teachers!
At the end of the day you will receive your child's report card, which will have the name of next year's teacher. Teachers have worked incredibly hard to create balanced classrooms for next year and set each student up for success. We will not be making any changes to class placement.
We want to encourage families to make connections during the summer. Last week we sent out an email to each grade level with spreadsheets so that families can choose to share contact information to arrange playdates over the summer. When you receive your child's teacher's name on their report card tomorrow, you may choose to add that as well.
This final week has been filled with celebrations, presentations, and opportunities for parents to see what students have been learning. Here are a few pictures:
 Fifth grade Celebration this morning was preceded
by our traditional clap-out. Students lined the halls and
clapped as fifth graders paraded through the school.
 PreK students celebrated their "graduation"
from preschool
 Fifth graders wrapped up their final unit of our new
ELA curriculum with an Energy Conference. Students
presented their research-based arguments for
bringing specific types of renewable energy
to Massachusetts.
 First graders finished their last unit of our new ELA curriculum with
songs, a performance of the book Feathers: Not Just for Flying,
and sharing their bird research with families.
 Students in second grade shared writing
and songs with families.
We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer!
Rebecca and Hilary
Dr. Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Principal
Mrs. Hilary Sturgis, Assistant Principal
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Upcoming Dates
Thursday, June 18: Last Day of School, Half Day, Dismissal at 12:15 pm, Report Cards Sent Home
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School Announcements
 
 We want to encourage and support students to keep reading over the summer! Literacy Coach Kerry Cusick and Library/Tech Teacher Marybeth Quaadgras have put together lots of resources for families about summer reading. Click HERE and happy reading!
 We will be donating all of the items left in the lost and found over the summer. Please encourage your child to check the lost and found if they are missing something.
 Thank you for your support of Project 351 Club's summer food drive, which was a new service project launched this spring. We collected 211.9 pounds of kid-friendly summer food donations and 25 packs of swim diapers. All donations went directly to our friends and neighbors at Loaves and Fishes. Thank you!
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Roll for Quest, A Dungeons & Dragons adventure for beginners, ages 10 to 14, July 6 through July 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
 
Celebrations Around the WorldThe Harvard Public Library and Arm in Arm are currently building a year-long exhibit called "Celebrations Around the World," and we want our displays to reflect the real, vibrant cultures of our neighbors. Do you have a piece of your heritage you’d be willing to lend? We are looking for items that spark curiosity in children, such as:
Traditional Clothing: A child’s festive outfit or a beautiful textile. Kitchen Treasures: Specialized cooking tools or unique spice tins. Sound & Music: Small instruments or traditional noisemakers. Holiday Decor: This past year, we have showcased items used for Chuseok, Day of the Dead, Orthodox Easter, Golden Week, Ramadan, Hanukkah, Carnival. We welcome ideas for other holidays and from additional cultures.
All items will be kept in locked display cases. We are also looking for Cultural Ambassadors who might want to share brief stories about their items. Our displays are presented monthly from October 2026 through May 2027. This is a beautiful way to help local children connect with global traditions through real objects they can see up close.
Want your Cultural Celebration on display? Have something to loan the HPL in support of a scheduled display? Please contact Arm in Arm at arminarm.townofharvard@gmail.com
Click HERE to check out all the events at the Harvard Public Library
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Ultimate Frisbee Summer Clinic
Open to rising 5th-12th graders
June 22-June 26 on The Bromfield School Field
Cost: $225
To register: https://harvardma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29876
Let’s Play Soccer! Summer Youth Clinics with Coach Alex & Coach Evan
Join Alex Horne and Evan Woodworth, varsity coaches at The Bromfield School, for a fun and high-energy 3-day soccer clinic this summer! Led by experienced coaches and supported by Bromfield players, each session focuses on building strong fundamentals through engaging skill work and small-sided games that bring out every player’s confidence and competitive spirit. This is the perfect environment for players of all levels to learn, improve, and love the game.
Sessions are offered in June and August. Limited spots available. Early registration encouraged.
We can’t wait to see your child out on the pitch!
Sign up at https://harvardsoccer.org/
The Harvard Select Board is hoping to increase participation in Town Meeting by making it more accessible, particularly for families with children. Please take a minute to complete this Town Meeting Scheduling Survey: https://www.harvard-ma.gov/798/Please-take-our-survey
Pond Play is Back!
Pond Play returns this summer beginning Thursday, June 11th! Join local families on Thursdays starting around 4:30 PM (or whenever your extracurriculars wrap up) for a casual, come-as-you-can gathering at the pond.
Whether you attend every week or just once or twice during the summer, we'd love to see you. It's a great opportunity for kids and parents to connect, play, and build community.
All are welcome! Sign up to receive updates here.
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HILDRETH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dr. Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Principal
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| 27 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard MA, 01451 | (978) 456 - 4145 |
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