Family Newsletter - 6/2/23

Megan McDonough
Jun 2, 2023
2 min read

Harwood Families -

Last week Harwood’s Spirit could be felt and seen in every corner of our building. Our Middle School fully embraced the fun and gave the High School students some healthy competition - especially with the music videos!

Check out all of Spirit Week events here.

The Battle of the Bands continues to be a favorite event of the week and this year several solo acts from both the Middle and High School left the audience in awe.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 who had the most spirit points for the 3rd year in a row!

Chris Rivers and Bruce Sklar conducted their final concerts at Harwood for both Middle and High School these last two weeks. Their deep dedication was felt each moment and the incredible program they built will continue to thrive thanks to their extraordinary efforts.

The classes of 2027 and 2029 joined us at Harwood today for our annual STEP UP DAY. Next year they will be joining us as our new 7th and 9th grade class. Fun was had by all as they met their Teaching Advisory groups, getting to know each other and the building. Check out the welcoming assembly here.

Vermont Public will be airing pieces made by Harwood Union seniors - one piece per day next week leading up to graduation, during both Morning Edition and All Things Considered. This will include Addie Lilley's piece on Brave Little State and Xavier Brookens, Ellie Hammond, Arianna Clark and Adam Porterfield as well. The first one from Adam will air at 7:51 a.m. and 4:50 p.m.

Calendar:

06/06 - Music Dept. High School Awards - 3:45 - 5pm
06/06 - Music Department Senior Showcase - 5 - 6pm
06/06 - Harwood Middle/High School Art Show - 6 - 8pm
6/06 - Mentor Field Trip (Part 1)
06/07 - Senior Field Trip
06/08 - 8th grade Spirit of Ethen Allen
6/08 - Mentor Field Trip (Part 2)
06/08 - Final Assembly 1:35 p.m.
06/08 - Senior Awards Night - 6pm
06/09 - Middle School day of service
06/10 - Graduation - 10am
LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL (grades 7-11):

Safe - seen, heard, respected & understood:

Topics	Information/Links
Health Office Updates	Summertime is here! Here is a great resource from the Vermont Department of Health regarding safety tips for summer. A few things that we have seen in our health office: Ticks Sunburn Poison Ivy The linked resources provide information regarding these and other safety topics.

Rigorous & Robust Academic Program:

Topics	Information/Links
	Research shows that students are more likely to make a post-high school plan after visiting the campus of a post-high school option. Counseling and Next Step collaborated to provide 6 field trips this spring and 47% of the Junior class participated! Thanks to all of the HU staff for connecting with students and encouraging them to attend one of the following trips: Norwich University for the college fair, VTC for Try a Major Day, CCV with a focus on Early Childhood Education, UVM for a college tour, St Michael's College for College and Career Pathways Event and the Welding Institute for info on a career as a welder.
	Our Socrates Cafe on May 18th drew 85 members of the community together to discuss the question: Is happiness necessary for a meaningful life? Facilitated by students from Harwood's Harkness Leadership class, these conversations gave great opportunities for elders from our six towns and our youth to hear new perspectives on this complex topic. We were also honored to host a contingent of visitors from Myanmar who are currently in the Mad River Valley on a program sponsored by PH International. Their participation helped create a particularly rich exchange.
	Last week, migrants from Petén, Guatemala, Wendy Girón, and her teenage daughters Briggette and Nina visited Harwood. They taught us about their journey immigrating from Guatemala, and what it is like to be a migrant in America. They also taught us about their hometown, celebrations, traditional clothing, weather, and cultural food! A large part of their visit was spent cooking tortillas, tacos dorados, tayuyos, and tacos garnachas with the middle school and high school Spanish students. On Friday, May 26, the Giróns cooked a "fiesta" to end their visit. We enjoyed homemade tortillas, with many topping options. We are so grateful for this eye-opening and fun experience. From Harmony Devoe, Class of 2027