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Superintendent's Briefing
April 2024
HBGSD is Changing and Growing!
Dear Harrisburg School District Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members,
I am excited to share that we are changing and growing – and we are doing it together!
By now, parents should have received letters that were sent home with students, phone calls and text messages about the reconfiguration changes in the district. All the information about these K-8 changes is on our reconfiguration webpage and we’re sharing it on our Facebook page.
The elementary changes go into effect this upcoming school year – 2024-25. The middle school changes will occur gradually over the next three years so we have time to make adjustments we need.
Student success is our goal with these changes. They are designed to increase and improve educational programming and academic performance, provide space to balance enrollment, realign attendance zones, create true neighborhood schools, renovate spaces that are more conducive to learning, create a robust College and Career Pathways program, and provide safer passages to and from school.
While change can sometimes be difficult to embrace, I firmly believe that the changes we are making will lead to great opportunities for our students and staff.
Please visit our website or click the links below. To receive the latest updates about upcoming changes, please be sure to provide accurate contact information to your school office.
- Reconfiguration video
- Reconfiguration webpage
- Reconfiguration chart
- Find your child’s school for the upcoming school year
Thank you for your support of our schools and our students.
Sincerely,
Mr. Eric Turman
Superintendent
Celebrate Our 2nd Annual Citywide Cougar Community Day on May 4th!
Harrisburg School District's Family Engagement Team cordially invites students, families, staff, local residents, and our entire school community to its 2nd Annual Cougar Community Day celebration on Saturday, May 4 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on the field at Camp Curtin Academy, located at 2900 N. 6th Street in Harrisburg. Come and enjoy this FREE citywide family fun day -- featuring inflatables, vendors, entertainment, dancing, food trucks, free snacks, kindergarten registration, resources, and MORE! Check out the video invitation from our Family Engagement Team. We look forward to seeing you!
HBGSD's College and Career Pathways Highlighted on Good Day PA
HBGSD Superintendent, Mr. Eric Turman and John Harris student, Zachary Marshall, recently joined Good Day PA on WHTM abc27 to highlight College & Career Pathways and the District’s innovative healthcare partnership with Hamilton Health Center and its Medical Assistant Training Program. Click here to watch the video. For information about educational/career partnerships and opportunities with the Harrisburg School District, please email Dr. Rossi at SRossi@hbgsd.us.
The GIANT Company and HBGSD Partner to Eliminate Child Hunger
We are excited to announce that the Harrisburg School District is a recipient of GIANT’s Feeding School Kids initiative! Thanks to GIANT’s support and ALL of you who rounded up at the register, our school district will receive $7,534.49 to support our backpack program to help eliminate child hunger among homeless and/or displaced students. Together, we are ensuring that students have access to the nutrition they need to grow and fuel their education. Watch the video presentation.
National Bilingual Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
In celebration of students and families that speak diverse languages and the outstanding work of our English Language Development Department, the HBGSD is proud to observe National Bilingual Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month! For resources, click here: http://ncela.ed.gov/resources/oela-resources/outreach. For questions or additional information, please email Ms. Kathy Alston, Director of English Language Development at kaalston@hbgsd.us.
C.A.R.E.S. Program Exposes Students to Careers in Research
Recently, a group of John Harris students and faculty connected with Penn State professors and genetics experts at Penn State’s College of Medicine and Penn State’s Cancer Institute to learn about DNA sequencing, cancer cell examination, and laboratory research, sponsored by the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. We extend thanks to Ms. Cecconi, Mr. Bur, and Ms. Stokes-Rodriguez for coordinating the participation of our students. Many thanks to the PA Breast Cancer Coalition and Penn State for making this opportunity possible.
Determined, Ready, and Pumped-Up for the PSSA!
In preparation for the annual Pennsylvania System School Assessments (PSSA), HBGSD students, teachers, staff, and administrators hosted districtwide PSSA pep rallies to help boost confidence and cheer students onto greater achievement and testing success. Elementary and middle schools participated in fun and engaging activities that included games, academic data review, competitive challenges, singing, dancing, teamwork and relationship building, and special performances from Harrisburg High School cheerleaders and our Mighty Cougars drum line! Visit PDE’s website to learn more about the PSSA. https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Assessment%20and%20Accountability/PSSA/Pages/default.aspx
HBGSD's Special Education Department to Host 2024 Special Olympics at Severance Field!!!
Save the date of Thursday, May 9, 2024, for Harrisburg School District's Special Olympics Track & Field Games at Severance Field @ John Harris Campus. The opening ceremony will begin at 9:45 am. The rain date is May 10. Please come out to support our amazing athletes and our Special Education Department!
Harrisburg School District is Proud to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week - May 6-10, 2024!!!
Dear Harrisburg School District Teachers,
Thank you for ALL that you do to support the academic and future success of our students. Your commitment to going above and beyond the call of duty is noticed and greatly appreciated. As a school district, we join our students, families, administration, staff, school board directors, and our entire school community to extend honor and appreciation to the amazing teachers/educators of the Harrisburg School District. During Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, 2024, the Harrisburg School District will celebrate its teachers in special ways to say…THANK YOU!