Family Newsletter | August 26, 2026
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Dear HES Families,
The first day of school is fast approaching and we can't wait to welcome all our students! As a reminder, the first day for students in grades 1-5 is next Wednesday, September 2. Kindergarteners will have their first day on either Wednesday, September 2 or Thursday, September 3, and do not come the other day. All PreK students start on Tuesday, September 8.
To prepare for our first days, please be sure to carefully read the information below in our
school announcements and fill out this DISMISSAL INFORMATION FORM by Monday, August 31, to let us know how your child/ren will get home from school each day. It is very important that we have this information before school starts.
If you ordered supplies in the spring, they will be waiting for students in their classrooms. Thank you to our amazing PTO volunteers who sorted and delivered all the supplies this week! If you purchased your own supplies, your student is welcome to bring them on the first day of school or drop them off in our lobby on Monday or Tuesday next week. Please label the bag of supplies with your child's name and their teacher's name.
Some of our kindergarteners have been getting a preview of school! A big thank you to Melissa Niland and Allie White for running another successful year of Gear Up for Kindergarten. Our students are having a great time exploring the building, making new friends, and learning all about Kindergarten!
 
Last week we introduced you to our new 4th, 5th, and library/technology teachers. This week, please meet three more staff members. Of course, you can get to know all our staff member in our Get to Know You document. The link is at the top of this newsletter or on our website!
This week in Storytime with Dr. K and Mrs. Sturgis we are reading How to Get Your Octopus to School. Click HERE to watch!
See you next week!
Rebecca and Hilary
Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Ph.D., Principal
Hilary Sturgis, M.Ed., Assistant Principal
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Upcoming Dates
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Monday, August 31: DISMISSAL INFORMATION FORM due
Monday, August 31: First Grade Classroom Preview, 2:00-2:30 pm
Monday, August 31: Second Grade Popsicle Party, 2:30-3:00 pm
Monday, August 31: PTO Kindergarten Popsicle Party, 4:00-5:30 pm
Wednesday, September 2: First Day of School for Grades 1-5 and 1/2 of Kindergarten
Thursday, September 3: First Day of School for 1/2 of Kindergarten
Friday, September 4: PreK Orientation, 10:30-11:00 am or 11:00-11:30 am
Monday, September 7: NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, September 8: First Day of School for PreK
Monday, September 28-Friday, October 2: Book Fair on the Stage
Thursday, October 1: HES Curriculum Night, 6:00-7:30 pm
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School Announcements
Every year specific forms in Powerschool must be reviewed or updated. If you have not yet updated your child's forms for this school year, please do so as soon as possible. There are 4 forms that need to be reviewed/updated:
Demographic Verification Health Information Update Permissions/Agreements Parent/Guardian/Emergency Contact Verification
Click HERE for directions for accessing and completing these forms.
Arrival
The school day begins at 9:00 am and students are welcome to enter the building starting at 8:45 am. We strongly encourage everyone to arrive on time to ensure a smooth start to the day. After 9:00 am, parents/guardians must bring their child to the main office and sign them in.
BUS: If your child takes the bus, please note the time that the bus route begins and plan to be at your stop a few minutes early for the first few days.
WALKERS: Walkers may enter through our main door or door C-2 on the Mass Ave. side of the building.
CAR DROP OFF: Car drop off starts at 8:45 am. Students should stay in their cars until our staff members are present. Please note that cars should only enter our parking lot from Mass Ave. Both sides of Fairbank Street are closed to traffic during arrival and dismissal (see map below). Please wait in the car line until you are directed to pull up along our front sidewalk. Once your child exits the car, stay in the car line until the car in front of you leaves. Do not pull out of line or attempt to pass cars in front of you.
Dismissal
The school day ends at 3:30 pm. We dismiss all students in an orderly and safe manner as quickly as possible. Please know that dismissal always takes a little longer at the start of the year.
BUS: Registration was required as of early July to ride the bus. Please contact Jessica Reynolds at jreynolds@psharvard.org if you did not register but would still like to ride the bus. Depending on bus routes and ridership, the bus company may not be able to accommodate late requests.
WALKERS: Walkers are dismissed either from door C-2 to walk across the street to the Harvard Public Library OR from the main office door A-3 to walk down Fairbank Street. Dismissal from door C-2 is only available to students in grades 3-5 & their accompanying younger siblings. Parents of PreK-grade 2 students who would like them to walk home are welcome to walk to pick their students up at the main office door.
CAR PICK-UP: Students being picked up by car will be dismissed in groups from the Main Office door. Please place your school issued placard in the window for staff to see (distributed at the beginning of the year). If you do not display the placard you may be asked to provide ID before taking your child.
DISMISSAL CHANGES: Day-of dismissal changes require notifying the main office before 2:30 pm. Please email both your child's teacher and hesabsence@psharvard.org with your 'day of' dismissal changes as soon as possible.
Arrival/Dismissal Map
 School breakfast and lunch are free again this year. Students can get breakfast as they enter the building in the morning to eat in their classroom. Students in grade K-5 eat lunch in our cafeteria at assigned times. Full day preschool students eat lunch in their classrooms.
- At lunch, students can choose from the daily hot entree as well as salads, sandwiches, bagels, and more. Second servings cost $4.00 and are billed to the student's MySchoolBucks account. Lunch menus are posted on the HES website or you can use the link at the top of this newsletter.
- Students are always welcome to bring a lunch from home. Lunches for students in grades K-5 may contain nuts, but may not be eaten at the allergy-free table.
- Students should bring a snack every day that is nut free. All of our classrooms are nut free.
Join us Sunday, September 20th 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at the Bromfield courts for the PTO Pickleball Tournament! Open to adults of all skill levels (open doubles), kids (10 -12) and teens (13+). Registration closes Labor Day September 7th or when all spots are filled. Grab a partner and sign up today for this fun and casual, round robin into elimination style tournament. In addition to supporting a great cause, bracket winners will take home prizes including swag from our sponsor the Marcus Lewis Racquet Center and eternal bragging rights. Register now at harvardpto.org.
Questions to danakoliver@gmail.com
Raindate: October TBD.
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Community Announcements
Superstar Productions is excited to announce their fall musical: The Most Epic Birthday Party Ever!
Skyler is about to have a birthday, and she’s planned the biggest celebration of the year. But in the middle of the party, something mysterious happens – all the adults suddenly vanish! Trapped in the backyard, the kids realize they must create a brand new society. However when they elect Skyler’s older sibling, Charlie, as their ruler, things really begin to spin out of control. Eventually the kids learn a big lesson in responsibility, while Skyler and Charlie develop a greater respect for one another.
Rehearsal process takes place September through the beginning of November, Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-5:30pm
Auditions: Tuesday, September 8th
Performances: November 6th and 7th
Registration fee: $445
 Registration for RoboPets (Grades K-2nd)
Registration for Mega Machine Robotics (Grades 3–5)
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HYBSA has opened registration for Fall softball and baseball, grades 1-6. The Fall season is an instructional season, focused on building and refining skills while advancing player understanding of game. Scheduling is very accommodating to other youth sports.
PLAY BALL!!!
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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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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