Points of Pride

K-2 Learning Centers

These are teacher directed, parent run centers. The purpose of these centers is to enrich the curriculum for our students. They provide challenging, problem solving activities. Children work individually or on teams in each center.

Guest Readers

Students enjoy hearing stories read by "Guest Readers." Mr. Keener, our principal, The Cat In The Hat, wonderful parents, fellow students, and characters from the Art Van furniture store are a few examples of "guests" who have come to Harwood to read to our students.

Grade Level Title I Nights

During Title I Nights, families from each grade level are invited to come school to enjoy a pizza dinner and various activities such as, family game night, movie night, or watching a magician perform his tricks.

National Honor Society and Leadership Visits

For the past 2 years, students from Cousino High School have been visiting our students on a weekly basis to provide mentoring, reading, and tutoring support. Kindergartners have enjoyed reading and coloring with the Cousino group. Fourth and Fifth Grade students have partnered with a mentor high school student to form a math team in order to master their math facts and compete against others.

5th grade Camping

Spend five memorable days on the sandy shores of Lake Huron bordered by towering white pines that gently wave in the breeze. Campfires on the beech, scavenger hunts in the woods, experience the Klondike Gold Rush. Students enjoy an educational but fun week at Camp Cavell which is located in Lexington Michigan. Get your back pack on and let's go.

Community Based Instructional Trips

Community Based Instructional Trips (CBIs) are a crucial part of the B.L.L.D./C.I. curriculum.  Our students are able to practice important skills that are learned in the classroom, in the environment that they naturally occur.  For example, students are able to practice decision making skills, problem solving skills, proper behavior skills and money skills in a restaurant such as Big Boy.  Also, students are able to practice good sportsmanship, turn-taking, and behavior skills in a bowling alley.  All skills present for our CBI trips are taught, practiced and assessed in order to make the most out of our educational trips.

Community Service

Throughout the school year, Harwood students are challenged to be socially responsible.  The student council, under the direction of Mr. Maras, lead many activities.

During the last five years the students have been involved in food drives, mitten and glove collections, blankets for homeless shelters, toys for children in hospitals, and food certificates for homeless children.  The students also participate in fund raisers which benefit the school itself.  Last year, balls were bought for each classroom.

Social responsibility is an important lifeskill and it is an active piece of our school community.

Field Day

Field Day at Harwood happens the last Friday of the school year.  Students spend the whole afternoon doing approximately 29 activities on the school grounds, field, and the gym.

Students should try each activity.  If they complete the activity, they receive a stamp or initial from the station volunteer.  At the end of Field Day, students turn in their card and receive a ribbon for their effort. 

This activity is one that students look forward to all year!  PTO provides a drink station and volunteers for each of the activity stations.  They also have popsicle treats for each class as they return to their rooms at the end of Field Day.

Turkey "Fun Run"

The Tricky Turkey "Fun Run" is held on the last half day before Thanksgiving.  Students bring a can of food to donate to a charitable organization.  They drop their can in at the beginning of the running course.

Our course starts out at the doors by the gym and goes around the perimeter of the school.  It ends back in the gym.  When the students finish they receive a cup of hot chocolate.

This activity collected over 750 cans of food in 2010.

Jump Rope for the Heart

This is an event where students collect donations for jumping at school during Physical Education the second week of February.  Students have an opportunity to try various styles of jumping rope and dedicate their jump to a family member or other person that might have had an experience with heart disease or stroke. 

The donations collected are sent to the American Heart Association and the student receives a thank you gift.  All students who participate receive a certificate.

The Harwood PTO generously donates water and snacks for each class as they finish their jumping.  Many parents volunteer their time to help count jumps and keep things moving.

Field Trips

All of the children at Harwood Elementary have the opportunity to go on field trips throughout the school year. Destinations include: the apple orchard, zoo, farm, children's theater, Detroit Science Center, nature centers, concerts, and Henry Ford Museum.

Culture Week

Third grade at Harwood celebrates a week of culture.  To show the diversity of our school, our district, and our country, we have the children celebrate.  Each child chooses a nationality which represents their family.  They prepare a poster board with pictures, maps, drawings, etc...  On culture week, each child gives a presentation of their culture using the poster as a guide.  They are also encouraged to bring in items such as clothing or toys.  The finale of this project is our feast.  On the last day, each child brings in a culture dish to share.  It's a learning week as well as a fun week.

Literacy Library

Harwood's Literacy Library was created in 1999.  The library is used by many teachers of many grade levels.  The materials in the library are used for classroom instruction:  specifically Guided Reading.  Our library has thousands of books which encompass many topics.  Some selections we offer are Fiction, Non-Fiction, Math, Social Studies, Science.  The Literacy Library is for students to use in the classroom and we update the library every year with new books.

The Literacy Library has grown tremendously this school year. It is the cornerstone of our Guided Reading Program.

Reading Celebration

Throughout the year we have approximately three or four reading celebrations.  During this time grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5 switch classrooms where they are read a story.  After the teacher reads a story on a theme that the teachers have chosen, they complete an activity.  The students switch to 4 or 5 classrooms and are exposed to several great activities.

Dinosaur Dig

This special assembly is brought to our school by the Dinosaur Recovery Bureau.  The company will bring a life-size juvenile Maiasaura skeleton to our school where students get the chance to be a paleontologist for a day.

They have over 70 museum-quality fossil replicas (with a retail price of nearly $15,000) and bury them in our school.

Our students will get a quick paleontology lesson on how to excavate the bones and then they will dig them up.

After the bones have been discovered, we will assemble the skeleton right on the spot while recreating what may have been the dinosaurs last minutes!

The children and teachers can't wait!

Recycling Program

At Harwood Elementary School, we recycle Capri Sun pouches and plastic water bottles. Our Student Council is currently looking into other ways to help make Harwood more environmentally conscious.

SOAR Assemblies

Every month, we have a SOAR assembly to honor those students who have SOARed throughout the month. Monthly assemblies are presented by the various grade levels.

Wednesdays with Wendy

Wendy, a therapy dog, and her handler, Fred Rosvold, come every Wednesday afternoon to listen to students read their favorite stories. Wendy is a 2 year old German Shepard who is trained to listen and work with young children. Students love getting the opportunity to read with Wendy and get extra reading practice too!

Site Last Updated: 02/16/2011 10:57 AM