shARK Bites · November shARK Bites
November 2026shARK Education Foundation · Harmony Salmon Creek School
info@harmonyark.orgHello wonderful Harmony Salmon Creek families!
Welcome to our first ever edition of shARK Bites, the monthly newsletter from your favorite parent-run volunteer org. Get news on upcoming school events and the details you need to stay in the know with what is going on around campus!
Move-A-Thon! - Friday, November 13th
This year’s Move-A-Thon is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to get your students involved and show them the power of community fundraising. You can get involved now by setting up your student’s profile, or volunteering on the day of – check ParentSquare for “Move-A-Thon Volunteer Sign Ups”.
You have collectively already raised a total of $24,196! Way to go!
Participation rate is what we’re really aiming for, because no donation is too small and we want the whole community to get involved.
The overall HUSD participation rate is currently 46%.
Every class that gets to 90% participation earns a Two Dog Night ice-cream party on 11/20 in our school garden.
Participation by grade
- TK71%
- 8th grade65%
- K56%
- 3rd grade48%
- 1st grade44%
- 2nd grade41%
- 5th grade39%
- 6th grade38%
- 4th grade29%
- 7th grade10%
Here’s a quick breakdown on how to set up their profile page, which you’ll use to send to family and friends:
1. Make the page theirs
Use the private link in the 9/30 email from shARK. It's the only way in. Lost it? Email us at info@harmonyark.org.
Help your student add a photo, set a goal and say why they're moving, in their own words.
2. Share it
Send their page link in an email to grandparents, neighbors and friends, or use the Invite tab. Or post it to social media. Younger grades: it may be clearest to ask for a flat amount, so the total is clear up front.
The donation checkout adds a 17.5% tip for 99Pledges by default. It’s optional, so drag the slider to 0% if you’d rather not.
3. Say thank you
After the run, help your student thank everyone who gave, with a note, a drawing or a short video.
More info can be found on our main page here, where you can also keep track of current donation numbers and search for participants: app.99pledges.com/fund/harmonysalmoncreek
Find a student's pageapp.99pledges.com/fund/harmonysalmoncreek
Where it goes
TK to 5th grade: the general school fund.
6th to 8th grade: help offset the cost of the 8th grade trip.
What to expect on the day of
| TK and K | 1:00 to 1:15 |
|---|---|
| 1st to 3rd grade | 1:15 to 1:45 |
| 4th to 8th grade | 2:00 to 2:45 |
Regular school morning. Shirts are handed out that day.
Wear shoes they can move in and pants they're okay with getting dirty.
Popsicles at the end of each run!
Want to help? Email info@harmonyark.org
The Classroom Adopt-the-Garden Program!
To nourish and tend our beautiful garden, we're joining hands with Ms. Krista, Head of Garden & Farm! Once a month, a classroom will "Adopt-the-Garden" through a 2-hour volunteer workday on a weekend. Parents, grandparents, and students gather once a year to dig in the dirt, cultivate growth, and help our shared green space thrive.
Classroom parents from each grade level collaborate with Ms. Krista on seasonal garden projects. Our 2nd and 1st grade families have already lovingly beautified and cared for our garden in September and October.
Next up, our 5th grade crew steps up to lend their hands in November, and 6th grade helps winterize in December! It’s a beautiful way to directly dig in and uplift our incredible, groundbreaking garden in its 30th year.
Thank you to all the families who have already given their time!
2026-27 schedule
- September2nd grade
- October1st grade
- November5th grade
- December6th grade
- January4th grade
- FebruaryKindergarten
- MarchTK
- April7th grade
- May3rd grade
- June8th grade
Illustration by Jeremy Ehling, school parent
Your classroom parent will share the date.
2nd grade pitches in on a September weekend to prep for Autumn Gather
December Events
Our school has a rich tradition of winter celebrations before the break. Join the festivities!
🎁 Season of Giving at HUSD
The Giving Tree is back! Mr. Morgan will invite district families who’d like to take part to share a wish list, and every request stays anonymous and private. Each wish becomes a note on the tree, and anyone in our community can pick one to fulfill. Find the tree at the Pancake Breakfast, and in the Front Office the rest of the time. Watch for details from Mr. Morgan.
🎄 Thursday, December 3 · Occidental Tree Lighting, Downtown Occidental. Businesses serve cider and the tree lights go on. This is not a shARK event.
🥞 Saturday, December 5 · Pancake Breakfast & Giving Tree, Harmony Salmon Creek School cafeteria. Pancake breakfast with festive decorations, photo opportunities with Santa, fabulous hot cocoa bar by Ms. Shanena and the Spirit Squad.
🫔 Sunday, December 6 · Tamale Making
Come join Parent Lucibel Nunez and learn to make tamales the traditional way! These tamales will be served at our Winter Festival dinner and enjoyed by our whole community.
📖 Monday, December 7 - Thursday, December 10 · Book Faire & Reading Week, Harmony Salmon Creek School Falls Building. The annual Scholastic Book Faire is back! Catalogs will be handed out to each kid soon, and books can be ordered at school during the Book Faire, all in time for the holidays. Every book purchase benefits the school!
We can use some help setting it up Monday, running sales throughout the week, and breaking it down on Friday.
🕯️ Thursday, December 10 · Winter Festival, Harmony Salmon Creek School. A seasonal celebration before the holiday break, with our beloved evening luminary walk in our redwoods, a delicious community-made tamale dinner, and sweet winter caroling by our students.
➡️ Suggestions or offerings? Please send us a note: info@harmonyark.org