Harding Elementary, a community school

Next Thursday, August 20th is OPEN HOUSE!
💜Find out who your child’s teacher is & meet our teachers and staff.
💚Learn about new policies and procedures at one of our short information sessions in the auditorium.
💜Get ready to start the 26-27 school year strong!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event at Martin Luther King Center- Bayfront NATO, Inc. on August 21st!

Thanks to the The Erie Community Foundation for sponsoring our Back to School Drive!

Make sure you come down to the MLK Center and pick up what your child needs to start the school off strong!

🎒Bookbags and supplies
👕School Uniforms
⭐A whole lot of family fun

Limited supplies while they last.

See you August 21st from 12-4 at the MLK Center.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, here are the Top 5 things to know about school attendance - as well as a video created by students in our after-school "Lights, Camera, Dragons!" program this past spring.
https://youtu.be/YcruhzTFtdQ

🐉 Harding Dragons' Top 5 Things to Know About Attendance

📚 1. Be on time!
School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:30 PM. Students have until 8:20 AM before tardy minutes begin adding up.

🚪 2. Arriving after 8:20?
Please enter through the Lincoln Avenue entrance and stop by the main office for a tardy slip before heading to class.

⏰ 3. Every minute matters.
Late arrivals and early dismissals count toward missed instructional time. Every 300 minutes missed equals one full school day! For example, arriving at 8:45 AM each day means a student has missed a full day of school after only 12 school days.

❤️ 4. The school day starts right away.
Breakfast, morning meeting, and classroom routines help students build friendships, feel connected, and get ready to learn. Being on time helps students start the day successfully!

🤝 5. We need your help!
Our goal is to keep every student in school and learning. Missing 10% of the school year (about 16 days) can make it harder for students to stay on track academically. We know illnesses and emergencies happen—just remember to send in an excuse and let us know if your family needs support.

🐉 You belong here, Harding Dragons—on time, all day, every day! Let's work together to make every day count. 💜💚

Attendance Matters! You belong here - on time, all day, every day!

Mark your calendars for these upcoming important dates at Harding as we head into the 26-27 school year!

🍎August 13: Kindergarten Kick Off for all incoming Kindergarten students and families - 10 AM or 6 PM. Register online at https://bit.ly/hardingkinder

🍎August 20: Open House - 6-8 PM - Meet your child’s teacher! If you are new to Harding, please make sure that your child's enrollment is complete the week before Open House to ensure that your student will be on our roster and assigned to a teacher in time for Open House and the first day of school! https://eriesd.org/registration

🍎August 24: Pre-K Kick Off Family Meeting for all incoming Pre-K students and families at 8:00 AM

🍎August 25: First Day of School - 8 :00 AM

Step 1: Register your child for Kindergarten at eriesd.org/registration

Step 2: RSVP for Kindergarten Kick Off at Harding on August 13th at 10:00 AM or 6:00 PM - http://bit.ly/hardingkinder

Step 3: Get ready for your child to have an incredible year of Kindergarten, beginning on the first day of school: August 25, 2026!

We look forward to seeing all of our Harding families at Open House on Thursday, August 20th!

Hello, EPS families! Thank you to all who took the time to fill out ParentSquare surveys regarding open houses dates. Based on your input, we will hold open houses at all high schools and middle schools on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and at all elementary schools, Eagle's Nest, and the Patrick J. DiPaolo Student Success Center on Thursday, Aug. 20. Open houses on both nights will be held from 6-8 p.m.

Please take this opportunity to let us introduce ourselves to you (or re-introduce ourselves, if you're a longtime member of our EPS family). After all, a lot has changed since last year! Don't miss the chance to tour your child's school, meet their teachers and administrators, learn about our programs, gather important information about the coming school year, and ask any questions you may have. We're looking forward to seeing you!

Hello, Harding Families 👋

Sign up for one of the upcoming engagement sessions with Erie's Public Schools and receive standard school attire items for your students!

Are you REGISTERED and READY for your child to begin Kindergarten at Harding Elementary?

SAVE THE DATE for our annual Kindergarten Kick Off Event on Thursday, August 13th at 10:00 AM or 6:00 PM.

RSVP for our event online at http://bit.ly/hardingkinder

Is your child turning 4 or 5 before August 31, 2026?

Have you enrolled them for Pre-K or Kindergarten yet?

NOW is the time to ensure that your application is complete with all of the required documentation so that they are ready for day one, on August 25, 2026!

Families who are enrolled by August 3rd will be sure to receive an invitation to our annual Kindergarten Kick Off event before school begins to get a sneak peek at your upcoming Kindergarten experience.

eriesd.org/registration