Hornet Nation,

It's been a great Homecoming Week! We sure do hope to see all of you later today during the parade and at the game.

The parade begins at the county fairgrounds at 5:30 pm (line up begins at 4:50 pm). Below you will find a map of the parade route. The game begins at 7:00 pm, where your 4-0 Hornets will compete against St. Louis. Come cheer them on to victory!

Not only has our spirit been on display this week, but all season. Make sure you scroll down to learn how Hornet Nation spirit has already resulted in a $5,000 grant from TMobile.

Please remember that no pets are allowed inside the stadium, and the district prohibits the sale, possession, distribution, dispensation, or use of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, and all electronic nicotine delivery systems on property owned or operated by the District. We do want you to wear your Hornet gear, and bring all of your school spirit!

In partnership and with Hornet Pride,

Judy

Judy Walton

juwalton@harrisonschools.com

989.539.7871

The staff of Harrison Community Schools, in the spirit of a growing and changing community, pledge to educate all students by teaching the District Curriculum and beyond, ensuring the development of responsible learners prepared to take an active role in a complex society.

Honesty: We believe in being truthful in our actions and communications, and fostering a culture of honesty, trust, and integrity.

Openness: We believe in a culture of collaboration and transparency, where students, staff, and families openly share ideas and information.

Respect: We believe in an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all, and we value the diverse background of each individual.

Neighborliness: We believe in being welcoming and inviting to each person who walks through our doors. We also believe in being a good neighbor beyond our schools’ walls, actively engaged with our local community, and instilling a sense of civic pride and responsibility.

Excellence: We believe in striving for excellence in all we do, and encouraging both academic and personal growth through hard work and commitment.

Trust: We believe in a culture of reliability and confidence, where students, staff, and families work together to foster trust.

Stewardship: We believe in embedding good stewardship and governance into our decisionmaking to ensure long-term success and well being.

In this issue, we are highlighting our second goal, which is centered around CULTURE: All students, staff, and families will create and contribute to a culture of kindness, respect, and safety across our school community.

Our action steps include:

• Provide continued learning around the impacts of poverty and trauma.
• Provide training in restorative practices.
• Continually teach academic and behavior expectations and strengthen our multi-tiered systems of support.
• Teach, model, and infuse our Guiding Beliefs.
• Attend to the social and emotional wellbeing of our students, staff, and families.

When students enter kindergarten and seventh grade, we are required by state law to ensure that they are up to date on immunizations, or, the family has obtained a waiver in a manner allowed by law. In addition, if you transfer to HCS in a different grade level, we are also required to check.

Soon, letters will be going out to families for whom we do not have either an updated vaccine record or the allowed waiver (it must be on a prescribed form, from either a doctor or the health department). If we do not have them by October 11, the law provides that we must exclude those children from school. This is never a step we want to have to take, but if we do not have the required paperwork, our hands are tied by the law.

The good news is that you can make an appointment with our very own health clinic, located in the middle school, for immunizations. You can also use your private doctor or the public health department. Again, if you need a waiver because your child is immuno-suppressed, your doctor can provide that, or if you need a waiver for religious objection or other cause, you can obtain that from the local health department. We are prohibited from accepting any other types of waivers.

GSRP: October 8

Larson: October 16

Middle School: October 8

High School (both campuses): October 1

The Developmental Assets were assessed in Harrison Community Schools in March 2024, using the Search Institute survey Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. In August, we received a briefing with our data, and have spent the last month or so digesting and breaking it down.

On October 24, we are holding an evening community event to share the data, and to work together to plan where needed. We are inviting parents, staff, coaches, mental and physical health experts, religious community leaders, scout leaders, business leaders, and public officials to join us. Not one of us alone can meet all of the needs of our children and adolescents, but together we can.

Stay tuned for more details!

Would you like to be more involved in your child's school? Do you have time during the school day or just after to volunteer? We would welcome you with open arms!

In order to volunteer, you simply fill out and submit an iChat form (linked below). This enables us to run a criminal background check in short order, to ensure the safety of all students you may come into contact with. Assuming nothing of concern shows up, you are all set to help out wherever your school may need you -- the cafeteria, the playground, the gym, a field trip, or an individual classroom, just to name a few. If you would like to view our Board Policies in regard to volunteering, please view Board Policy 4205 on our website.

If your home/work responsibilities don't allow you to spend time with us during or right after school, there are still ways to support. Perhaps that might be chaperoning an evening event, or helping to organize a fundraiser for a team or group. Just reach out!

Hornet Nation was instrumental in helping the Athletic Department win the TMobile Friday Night Lights weekly sweepstakes! We are not stopping at the $5,000 -- we are striving for the next goal as a top 16 finalist, as we work toward the possibility of a million-dollar fieldhouse. You can help by sharing your best moments and tagging @TMobile with #FN5GL and #Sweepstakes on Instagram.

When Larson Elementary was being constructed in the early 1970s, its original name was to be Oak Hills Elementary School. However, superintendent Robert Larson passed away suddenly in 1973, and the school's name was changed to honor him.

Based on information from the CDC and our local health department, upon testing positive, children should stay out of school until: 1) if there was a fever, 24 hours of being fever-free without the use of medicines to reduce fever; and 2) symptoms are improving. It is also recommended that a mask be worn for 5 days after returning to school. We will be following the same protocol for our staff.

All Board meetings are open to the public, and are conducted in compliance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act. On rare occasions, the Board may go into closed session, but only as allowed by the OMA.

If it is your first time attending a Board meeting, you may not be familiar with the structure. Make sure you pick up an agenda on your way in, and if you intend to speak during the portion designated for public comments, please pick up a copy of Board Policy 2504, which is near the copies of the agenda. This will explain the parameters of the public comment portion of the agenda.

As you observe the Board conduct its business, the agenda will guide you. Common agenda sections are as follows:

• Opening of the Meeting (welcome, Pledge of Allegiance, additions/corrections to agenda/minutes, building instructional highlight, any other "organizational" items)
• Consent Agenda (items for approval that do not require a roll-call vote, and without objection from a Board member, can be considered all together)
• Non-Consent Agenda (one or more items that require a separate roll-call vote, such as budget approval)
• Informational Items (examples include resignations, other presentations, etc.)
• Public Comments (3 minutes each, Board members do not respond during the 3 minutes so that each speaker gets their full time; after, Board members may, but do not have to, pose questions or make statements)
• Communication (Superintendent's Report - includes subject matter of public comments; any other Board communication)
• Discussion Items (other matters any Board member may choose to speak about; may relate to public comments but not required)
• Adjournment

Within 8 business days of the meeting, minutes are posted on our website.

Zachary Driver -- Kendra Durga (President) -- Therese Haley (Secretary)

James Neff (Vice President) -- Chelsea Roland (Treasurer) -- Betsy Ulicki -- Carrie Whitaker

October 1: Middle School Title I Infor Night (4:30-5pm)

October 24: A&B Survey Community Event (7-8:30pm @ MS)

November 5-6: Conferences for grades 6-12, after school

November 15: No school for students or staff

November 20: Half day for student; teachers have professional learning in afternoon

November 25-26: Conferences for grades K-5, after school

November 27-29: No school for students or staff

• Early Childhood & Larson Elementary, 989.539.3259 (Principal Andrea Andera, aandera@harrisonschools.com, Assistant Principal Sandy Hargraves, shargraves@harrisonschools.com)
• Middle School, 989.539.7194 (Principal Jennifer Thrush, jthrush@harrisonschools.com)
• Hive, 989.539.7417 (Principal Stacey VanAntwerp, svanantwerp@harrisonschools.com)
• High School, 989.539.7417 (Principal Joe Ashcroft, jjashcroft@harrisonschools.com, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Brad Carlstrom, bcarlstrom@harrisonschools.com)

Superintendent, 989.539.7871 (Judy Walton, juwalton@harrisonschools.com)

Special Education (Stacey VanAntwerp, svanantwerp@harrisonschools.com)

Homeless Child/Youth Services (Shannon Haines, shaines@harrisonschools.com)

Bus Services, 989.539.7082 (Kelli Whitaker, kwhitakerclaffey@harrisonschools.com)

Allowed waiting area for afternoon pick-up at Larson is on West Hornet Drive, highlighted in orange