Family Newsletter | September 9, 2026
HES Homepage | School Calendar | AlphaBEST | Who Do I Contact? I Menus I Get to Know Us | Bus Change Form
Dear HES Families,
It has been so great having all our students back in the building! From PreK to 5th grade, students are making new friends, learning the routines in their classrooms and around the school, and settling into the rhythm of the year. There is such wonderful energy throughout HES, and we are excited for the year ahead!
  
Arrival and dismissal have been running very smoothly so far this year! Thank you for helping us get the year off to such a great start. Here are a few reminders to help us keep these busy times safe and efficient for everyone:
- Fairbank Street is closed on both ends during arrival and dismissal. All cars must enter from Massachusetts Ave.
- Please stay in your car and a staff member will help your child in or out of the car.
- When dropping off in the morning, please have your child exit the car on the side closest to the sidewalk.
- Please be sure all dismissal changes are emailed to the main office (hesabsence@psharvard.org) and your child's teacher no later than 2:30pm. We cannot accommodate changes after this time.
Over the next two weeks, students in grades K–5 will participate in beginning-of-year screening assessments in reading and math. We use two DESE-approved screeners: DIBELS for reading and mClass for math. These brief assessments are completed on an iPad and give us valuable information about each student’s strengths and areas for growth. Along with classroom observations and other data, the results help teachers plan instruction and determine how best to support students. We will repeat these screeners later in the year to monitor progress and ensure we continue to respond to students’ needs. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or Literacy Coach Kerry Cusick.
Have a great week!
Rebecca and Hilary
Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Ph.D., Principal
Hilary Sturgis, M.Ed., Assistant Principal
|
|
|
Upcoming Dates
September 23: Half Day, Dismissal at 12:15 pm
Monday, September 28-Friday, October 2: Book Fair on the Stage
Thursday, October 1: HES Curriculum Night, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, October 6: Picture Day
Wednesday, October 7: Half Day, Dismissal at 12:15 pm
Monday, October 12: NO SCHOOL
Monday, October 19-Friday, October 23: Grade 5 at Nature's Classroom
|
|
|
School Announcements
 The district has moved from school-based student and family handbooks to one for the entire district. Please be sure to read through the new handbook and reach out with any questions. It can be found on the Harvard Public Schools website under "for Families" or by clicking HERE.
 Mark your calendars for Monday, September 28 - Friday, October 2, 2026, as we partner once again with The Silver Unicorn Bookstore for the PTO/HES Book Fair! This year’s fair features 215+ book titles, all published within the past 18 months, carefully selected by our very own amazing HES Literacy Coach Kerry Cusick, and by Paul Swyndon, owner of The Silver Unicorn.
From hardcover and paperback picture books to easy readers, early chapter books, middle grade titles, graphic novels, MCBA 2026-2027 selections, nonfiction, and activity books—there’s something for every young reader!
Parent/Caregiver Night is set for Thursday, October 1, 5:00-7:30 PM, coinciding with Curriculum Night.
Interested in volunteering? Fall 2026 Book Fair Signup
All proceeds from the PTO/HES Silver Unicorn Book Fair will support the teachers and staff of Hildreth Elementary and The Bromfield School. Stay tuned for more details and get ready to dive into a world of reading!
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.
Hildreth School Council Parent Member Openings *(Personal Statements Due Friday, September 18th)*
The PTO is overseeing an election to fill 2 open Parent Representative positions on the Hildreth Elementary School Council beginning this school year. The openings are for a 1-year term and a 3-year term (and eligible for re-election, if applicable). The school council, which functions at the mandate of the state Department of Education, is a representative, school-building-based committee, composed of teachers, parents, and community members and is co-chaired by the school principal and a parent representative. The council meets monthly after school and its purpose is to assist the principal in carrying out specific responsibilities. Learn more HERE.
Eligible candidates will have a student at HES during the 2026-2027 school year. Please be advised that if your student leaves HES during your term then a new representative will be elected for the remainder of the term.
In order to be considered as a candidate, please send a personal statement about yourself, which term you are applying for, and your interest in the position to info@harvardpto.org by Friday, September 18th with the subject "HES School Council." Statements should be no more than 225 words and will be used as ballot statements in the election which will be held (if needed) in late September.
Please consider giving back to the school community by running for these important positions. Contact us at info@harvardpto.org with any questions or to ask about other ways to get involved!
 We still have quite a few families that need to update their child's forms in Powerschool for this school year. These forms ensure that we have accurate information about each child. If you have not done so, please fill out these 4 forms as soon as possible:
Demographic Verification Health Information Update Permissions/Agreements Parent/Guardian/Emergency Contact Verification
Click HERE for directions for accessing and completing these forms. Thank you!
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
HILDRETH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dr. Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Principal
|
|
| 27 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard MA, 01451 | (978) 456 - 4145 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
