Welcome Harbor Heights Families
Special Announcements
Volunteers Needed: Interested in getting involved? Volunteers are always needed! Contact us to let us know you’re willing to lend a hand this year: HarborHeightsVPO@Gmail.com
Fundraisers
Movie Night with the VPO
Head to Galaxy Theatres in Uptown on Tuesday, Dec. 17 for a special showing of “Elf” starring Will Ferrell.
The Harbor Heights VPO rented out the entire theater for this special showing for Harbor Heights Elementary School students, their families and friends.
Tickets: $7 Harbor Heights students; $10 non-Harbor Heights students/adults.
Purchase your tickets today – we often sell out before the event, so don’t wait!
December Restaurant Takeover: We’re taking over Fondi Pizzeria on Dec. 17. Head to Fondi’s for dinner, then walk over to the theater. We are dedicating this takeover to support the STEM specialist program at Harbor Heights. A portion of your food sales will be donated to support Ms. Jean and her program.
December Restaurant Takeover
Head to Fondi Pizzeria on Tuesday, Dec. 17 for our final restaurant takeover of 2024! We’re dedicating a portion of the sales from this evening to support Mrs. Jean and the STEM program at Harbor Heights.
Visit the restaurant at 4621 Point Fosdick Drive in Uptown Gig Harbor to dine-in or pick up an order to go. Tell them you’re with the Harbor Heights VPO and they’ll count your order toward our takeover.
Dinner and a movie? Make sure to purchase your tickets in advance to join us at nearby Galaxy Theatre for our special screening of “Elf” with Will Ferrell after you’re done eating.
Check out more events we have coming up on our Events page.
What is the VPO?
VPO stands for Volunteer Parent Organization. This is like a PTA, but as a nonprofit, the VPO does not charge dues for members. There is a board of six people that are in charge of oversight of the VPO, but all parents/guardians with children at Harbor Heights are invited and encouraged to get involved.
The VPO is responsible for putting on many of the school enrichment activities and events that the student body participates in. This includes:
- Boo Bash & Spring Event. These after school events are 100% organized, paid for and operated by the VPO volunteers. They also serve as a fundraiser for the VPO to help pay for other VPO events and school enrichment programs.
- Spell-a-thon. The VPO hosts this event as its major fundraiser for the year. Money raised from this event pays for other programs during the year.
- Read & Lead. This literacy-focused program encourages students and parents/mentors to read for a set number of minutes from February to March. Prizes are awarded for each milestone and children who complete the goal receive an engraved medal at the end and attend an assembly celebrating their accomplishment. Children collect the medals each year, wearing them to the assembly to showcase their achievements.
- Harbor Hikers/Fun Run. Harbor Hikers kicks off with a Fun Run at school where students and families walk and run around the track while music plays. Harbor Hikers encourages active participation by motivating children to walk/run around the HHES track during recess to earn “Feet” that go on a bracelet. PE Teacher Mr. Rucci also hosts “Walk/Roll/Run a Mile Day” during school, which ties into this VPO-led program.
- Theater programs. The VPO partners with Missoula Children’s Theatre to introduce children to the arts. The Missoula program is one week and offers students the opportunity to rehearse and put on a full play.
- After school enrichment. The VPO works with other programs like Snapology to bring afterschool programming for students.
- Teacher grants. The VPO allocates funding to teachers to purchase items for classrooms or teacher requests for specific projects they are doing with students.
- Movie Nights. The VPO hosts movie nights twice a year for families to come together to enjoy a discounted night at the movies.
Restock the Staff Lounge
Want to support Harbor Heights teachers and staff? We have an easy way for you to support those who support our children everyday. Check out this Amazon Wishlist to see how you can show some love for the dedicated staff at HHES. Once you select the item you want to purchase and go to checkout, the item will be shipped to the school so you don’t have to worry about anything!
Teacher Wish Lists
We asked Harbor Heights teachers and specialists what they need to help with the day-to-day operations at school. Below are Amazon wish lists created with their needs. If you’d like to support our wonderful Harbor Heights staff, please click the links below. At check out click the address link for Harbor Heights. It will send the items directly to school.
Thank you for your support of the teachers and staff!
Specialists/Student Support Service
Transitional Kindergarten
Kindergarten
- Mrs. Fray
- Mrs. Mapes
- Mrs. Nugent
1st Grade
- Mrs. Bagwell
- Mrs. Jensen
- Mrs. Morrison (1st/2nd split)
- Mrs. Sawyer
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
- Mrs. Boginksi
- Mrs. Evershed
- Mrs. Maxwell
4th Grade
5th Grade
- Mrs. Dower
- Mrs. Nelson
- Mrs. Pelander
Reader Board Rental
Have a special message you want to share with your student? Or maybe you want to give a Harbor Heights staff member a shout out? We can do that for you! Send us an email to hhreaderboard@gmail.com, let us know what day(s) you wish to rent and the message and we’ll let you know the cost and get the message up.