Huskies Talk Newsletter - September 19

Welcome to another edition of Huskies Talk! There is always something exciting happening across Harrison Hills City Schools, and we’re proud to share the latest news, celebrations, upcoming events, and important reminders from around the district. Take a look at what our Huskies have been learning, achieving, and enjoying this week!

Assistant Principal Stephanie McKinney shares how our teachers are using the Science of Reading to build strong literacy skills and help students become confident readers. She also discusses what makes Harrison Central Elementary a place where students are excited to learn each day. Watch the video to learn more!

Students and staff across campus wore camouflage Friday in memory of Carter, an Indian Creek fourth grader who dreamed of serving in the military. Our Huskies were proud to honor his life and show support for his family, classmates and the Indian Creek community.

ELA 11 students in Miss Zanath’s class began reading Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible this month. Set in 1692, the play depicts the chaos and tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of 25 people. Miller’s play also draws parallels to the anti-Communist “witch hunts” of the 1950s during the Red Scare in the United States.

After reading and performing Act 1, students went back to the beginning to illustrate the events that take place before the play begins. Although these events are discussed rather than acted out, they are important to understanding the story because they serve as the catalyst for the hysteria that eventually overtakes Salem Village.

Our eighth graders are taking history beyond the classroom tomorrow with a field trip to Historic Zoar Village!

Founded in 1817 by German Separatists seeking religious freedom, Zoar became a communal society where residents worked together and shared resources. The community thrived for more than 80 years, and today its preserved buildings and gardens give visitors a look at life in 19th-century Ohio.

Students will have the opportunity to explore this unique piece of Ohio history and see firsthand how the people of Zoar lived, worked and built their community.

Students in Mrs. James’ preschool class are building important early literacy skills through their Really Great Reading lessons! This week, students worked on part-to-whole concepts, learning how individual parts come together to make a whole.

Our Harrison Central book machines are making reading a little more exciting!

Throughout the year, students have opportunities to earn a free book from the book machine by reaching academic goals and being recognized for positive choices at school.

This week, two students earned a trip to the book machine after receiving positive write-ups, while several others earned books for completing their IXLs.

The best part? Students get to visit the machine, choose a book that interests them and take it home to keep!

Congratulations to our latest book machine winners. Keep up the great work, Huskies!

Tenth-grade students put their grammar skills to work with a “Lightning Grammar Review.”

Using the classroom whiteboard wall, students created sentences with missing or incorrect punctuation. Other groups then worked to identify and correct the errors, essentially creating grammar quizzes for one another!

The activity, known as the Error Analysis Strategy, gives students a hands-on way to review grammar and punctuation while preparing for upcoming essay writing.

Students across campus celebrated International Dot Day, a day inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot. The celebration encourages students to be creative, try something new and “make their mark.”

Our second graders joined in with plenty of Dot Day fun, including graphing with candy dots and completing creative activities and projects throughout the day.

Check out some of the Dot Day fun in the photos below!

First graders are learning all about apples during their apple unit! Students created diagrams to identify the different parts of an apple and put their learning to work through hands-on activities.

The unit got an extra-sweet addition when one student visited an apple orchard and brought back apple donuts for a class taste test! 

These kiddos kicked off the year strong, scoring 100% on their first Topic Math test! Way to go, Huskies!

Students in Miss A. Tipton’s kindergarten class were busy learning during reading centers! The centers connect with the Wonders reading program, giving students opportunities to practice and reinforce the reading skills they are learning in class.

Students celebrated Constitution Day by learning about the U.S. Constitution and why it is important.

As part of the lesson, students created two Constitution booklets. They kept one for themselves and made a second to share with a younger student, giving them the chance to pass along what they learned!

Students in Mrs. Solomon’s class got up and moving while reviewing place value, expanded form and exponents! Students traveled around the room answering questions and putting their math skills to the test.

Fourth-grade students got up and moving during writing class while practicing how to recognize sentence fragments and run-on sentences.

During a “Scoot” activity, partners searched the room for clue cards and worked together to determine the correct answers. The activity gave students a fun, interactive way to strengthen their sentence-writing skills while practicing teamwork and problem-solving.

Fourth-grade students put the scientific method to the test this week with a Skittles lab!

Students investigated whether the color coating on Skittles would dissolve faster in hot or cold water. After conducting their experiment, they graphed their data and used the results to see which temperature caused the color to dissolve faster.

It was a colorful way to practice making observations, collecting data and drawing conclusions!

Students in Mrs. Moss’ class were on the hunt for math problems during a classroom scavenger hunt!

As they moved around the room, students worked through different challenges to practice comparing and ordering numbers. The activity gave students a fun way to build their math skills while learning on the move.

Harrison Central Elementary will celebrate the life and legacy of Dolly Parton on September 25, a special “9 to 5” tribute! Dolly’s Imagination Library has helped inspire a love of reading in children around the world, including many Harrison Central students and our current preschool and kindergarten students.

Students and staff are invited to dress like Dolly by wearing pink, denim, sparkle, big hair or country flair. More information about the celebration will be shared soon!

Parent-teacher conferences will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, from 3:30–8 p.m. A registration link will be sent through ParentSquare this week. Appointment times fill quickly, so families are encouraged to register early!

The Harrison Central Gifted Program is hitting the road for STEM!

Students are raising funds for an upcoming STEM trip to North Carolina, and you can support their adventure while getting your car cleaned.

Stop by the Stephenson Center on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 2–5 p.m. for a car wash. The suggested donation is $20, but any amount is appreciated.

Come out, get your car sparkling and help provide our Gifted Program students with a hands-on STEM learning experience beyond the classroom!

Our seniors are getting ready to put service into action with two upcoming Senior Service Learning projects! These projects give students an opportunity to give back, connect with our community and make a difference while completing an important part of their senior year.

Check out the two upcoming opportunities below and see how our Class of 2027 is preparing to serve!

The first week of Harrison Central’s Perfect Attendance Challenge is officially complete! Keep up the great work, Huskies. Great prizes are on the line!

Students who maintain perfect attendance from Sept. 8 through Oct. 13 will be entered to win a prize package for their grade group. Each qualifying elementary student will also receive cafeteria fro-yo courtesy of Principal Parker.

The challenge is part of the district’s recognition of National Attendance Awareness Month and its new Attendance Matters partnership with Harrison County Juvenile Court. Juvenile Court Liaison Stephanie Dunkle is on campus each week to address attendance concerns, connect families with resources and support students before absences become a larger barrier to learning.

Even small amounts of missed time add up. 

Arriving just 15 minutes late each day can result in more than a week of lost learning during the school year. Let’s keep the momentum going!

The PTO has several easy ways for families to support classroom projects, field trips, assemblies, teacher appreciation and more:

See the flyers for details and instructions. Thank you for supporting our students and staff!

Make plans to visit Texas Roadhouse in Steubenville on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 4–8 p.m. for a 10% Donation Night benefiting Harrison Central Youth Baseball!

Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of qualifying food purchases to the program when customers present the fundraiser flyer. Bring your family, enjoy a great meal and help support our local youth baseball players!

Please remember to present the flyer when ordering so your purchase counts toward the fundraiser.

Mark your calendars and get ready for a full week of Homecoming fun! We hope to see our students, families, alumni, and community members come together for the Community Bonfire and cheer on the Huskies at the Homecoming game.

More details are coming soon—stay tuned!

Every Friday is Huskies Way Day! Students and staff are encouraged to wear their favorite Harrison Central gear to show their school spirit and remember to do things the Huskies Way. 

We’re inviting families, local businesses and community members to join the tradition, too! Wear your blue, black and white or your favorite Huskies gear each Friday and help spread Huskies pride throughout our community.

Fall volleyball tryouts are coming up through Ohio Valley Volleyball Company!

Tryout dates include:

Visit www.ohiovalleyvolleyballco.com to register and find additional details.

Have questions or need more information? Visit our website to learn more or contact us directly—we’re here to help! Visit us at hhcsd.org.