Dec 16, 2024 Edition

Celebrations

Harvest Park Receives Golden Bell Awards 2024

Pleasanton Unified School District is proud to announce that Harvest Park Middle School has been honored with the prestigious 2024 California School Board Association’s (CSBA) Golden Bell Award for its innovative and inclusive approach to special education. This award recognizes the school’s three-year journey in transforming its special education programming to foster equity, inclusion, and academic success for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

“We are incredibly proud of our entire Harvest Park community for their dedication and hard work that led to this statewide honor,” said Maurice Ghysels, Interim Superintendent of Schools.

The collaborative efforts of teachers, administrators, district personnel, and families have played an integral role in the program’s success. Renovated special day classrooms, advanced professional development for staff, and personalized support for students have created a learning environment that is inclusive, supportive, and equitable.

As of 2024, nearly 90% of 6th grade students with IEPs at Harvest Park Middle School are participating in general education settings for the majority of their day, with access to electives and extracurricular activities. This landmark achievement has set the stage for long-term success, preparing students to graduate high school while fulfilling their A-G requirements and pursuing higher education.

The entire Harvest Park team is committed to ensuring that each student feels safe, inspired, and connected to their school community.

Reflections Celebrations

On Monday, December 9th, we celebrated our students' incredible artistic talents through the Reflections 2024-25 program. We were thrilled to receive 42 applications - the highest number ever submitted at HPMS! This remarkable participation reflects our students' creativity and passion for the arts.

Our students participated in five of the six Reflections categories, with most entries coming from the visual arts and literature categories. We are so proud of every student who created and submitted work.

Congratulations to all our amazing students!

Award of Excellence Winners:

• Bridget Werner: Dance Choreography, Grade 6
• Joanna Zhou: Literature, Grade 8
• Ishan Lokeshwar: Music Composition and Photography, Grade 7
• Chloe Ouyang: Visual Arts, Grade 6

Award of Merit Winners:

• Anisa Maksumova, Grade 8
• Pranav Challa, Grade 6
• Jasmine Wang-Jethi, Grade 8
• Seah Kim, Grade 8
• Nya Wang-Jethi, Grade 6
• Ella Ka, Grade 6

• Priyakshi Devasarma, Grade 8
• Sabrina Allen, Grade 6
• Medha Narla, Grade 6
• Sarah Oh, Grade 6
• Xuhan Huang, Grade 7
• Yujia Zhang, Grade 8

A special shoutout to our dedicated judges who thoughtfully reviewed each entry. We appreciate your time and effort—THANK YOU!

We are excited to announce that the following students advancing to the Pleasanton PTA Council level of the competition. 

• Bridget Werner, Dance Choreography
• Joanna Zhou, Literature
• Ishan Lokeshwar, Photography and Music Composition
• Chloe Ouyang, Visual Arts

Thank you again for your support and encouragement! It truly helps nurture the creative spirit that makes HPMS such a special place.

Announcements

Holiday Cookie Drive

HP PTSA is doing a Holiday Cookie drive to wish our teachers a Happy Holiday Season as well as to cheer them on at the halfway point of 2024-2025.

With your generous support, we are hoping to collect 100 trays of cookies that would allow each educator in HP family to take a tray home.

Warm the hearts of our teachers this holiday season with a generous donation. Please sign up today.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

Donations to Support Programs at Harvest Park

As we embrace the season of giving, we’re reaching out to our amazing community for support this Giving Tuesday.

The Harvest Park PTSA is committed to making our students’ middle school experience exceptional through programs that foster learning, creativity, and a sense of community.

Your support can help us fund:

• World Languages Tutorials: Empowering students to explore and embrace new cultures and languages.
• Science Fair: Sparking curiosity and innovation in young minds.
• Multicultural Fair: Celebrating the incredible diversity that enriches our community.
• Classroom Needs: Equipping teachers and students with the resources to succeed.

Your contribution is vital — these impactful programs are only possible with the generosity of caring individuals like you.

🌟 Please Donate 🌟

Every dollar truly makes a difference. Your gift — no matter the size — helps provide opportunities for our students to grow, connect, and excel in ways that shape their futures.

Together, we can create an environment where our children thrive academically and socially while celebrating the diversity and potential that make our school so special.

Thank you for your continued kindness and support. Let’s make this Season of Giving time of inspiration and generosity for our students at Harvest Park!

With heartfelt gratitude,

HP PTSA

PPIE Updates

Double Your Donation

We’re thrilled to share that PPIE has already raised over $76,000 in corporate matching donations this year, thanks to the generous support of donors like you! Last year, we raised more than $70,000 through corporate matching gift programs, and we’re excited to continue the momentum this year. If you’ve made a donation to PPIE but haven’t submitted your corporate match yet, it’s not too late! Please visit our matching gift page to check if your company offers a matching gift program. You’ll find everything you need to submit your match, including forms, guidelines, and instructions.

Thank you again for your continued support of PPIE and for helping us maximize the impact of your generosity!

https://ppie.org/corporate-donation-matching/

HP PTSA membership not only gives you the power to vote and help shape the programs and events we support, but it also comes with a range of exclusive perks. 

Pleasanton PTA Perks

CAPTA PTA Membership Perks

National PTA Membership Perks

HP PTSA membership card can be found here. Please use your HP PTSA membership card to utilize the perks.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with various activities and events at Harvest Park.  Please visit the Volunteer section of the PTSA Website to register as volunteer

Here are some useful links for parents to connect with the PTSA and the school events throughout the school year. 

• Weekly Communication to parents happens through the Patriot Press Newsletter. Please sign up by clicking here.  
• Follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
• Have Questions? Not sure who to ask? Email  ask_ernie@harvestparkpta.org
• To reach the PTSA, feel free to send an email to communications@harvestparkpta.org 
• Harvest Park School Calendar
• Harvest Park PTSA Meeting Calendar
• Sign up to volunteer

Harvest Park PTSA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID: 94-3399025). Contributions to Harvest Park PTSA are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the IRS.

The PTSA would like to express its thanks for the generous donations.

Employer Matching Funds



Did you know many companies match donations to Harvest Park PTSA? If your company offers donation matching, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Not sure if your company participates? Simply reach out to your HR department to find out. If you have any questions, feel free to email us—we're happy to assist and help double your impact if your company has a matching program.

Thank you for your support!