Welcome Letter
Dear James H. Harrison Tiger Family,
Welcome to the 2026- 2027 school year! It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to an end and it is time for us to adjust to our school routines. Tuesday, August 25, 2026 is the first day of school for students. Student hours are from 7:30a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Doors open at 7:15 a.m. Students will go directly to their classrooms on the first day of school. Parents and guardians will not be permitted inside of the building on the first day of school. Students will eat breakfast from 7:15 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. Instruction will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m. Office hours are from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
School Supply Lists: Click the link to access -
James Harrison Uniform Policy: Click here to access the JHHES Uniform Policy
Emergency Contact Form: Each student needs to have an updated Emergency Contact form. On the first day of school, each student will bring home an emergency contact form. Please complete the form and return it to school. Remember to talk with the family and friends that you add to the emergency contact form to let them know the school may contact them in an emergency situation.
Back To School Night: We will host Back To School Night for all families on Thursday, September 15, 2026. There will be two sessions: pre-K through 2nd grade will be from 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. and 3rd - 5th grades will be from 7:00 - 7:45 p.m. We look forward to partnering with you.
Bus Transportation: Postcards with student bus route information will be mailed during the week of August 18, 2025. Student bus route information will also be available in ParentVue. Be sure to check your child’s ParentVue account. Riding the bus is a privilege. Remind your child of safe bus riding expectations. In the beginning of the school year, the bus drivers and staff in the transportation department work diligently to get to the bus stops on time. If you need to make any changes to bus routes or bus stops, it can take between 5-7 school days for the changes to take effect. Thank you for your patience.
Meals (Breakfast/Lunch): Meals will be available to students at no cost. James H. Harrison ES is a Community Eligibility Provision School and meals will be free to all students. Breakfast and lunch are free to all students. Menus and nutritional information are available online at MealViewer Schools.
Student Orientation for Pre-K and Kindergarten: Students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten will participate in an orientation session on Monday, August 24, 2026. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Orientation is from 7:30 - 8:15 a.m. During the orientation, teachers will share expectations for students and parents. Pre-K and kindergarten students will also get an orange bus vest and will be able to confirm transportation.
New Student Orientation for Students in Grades 1-5: We will host a new student orientation for students in grade 1-5 on Monday, August 24, 2026 from 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. The new student orientation is for new students to the school. New students will go to the cafeteria to meet with Ms. Perret, our Assistant Principal and Ms. Peterson, our Parent Engagement Assistant.
Open House (Teacher Meet & Greet): We will host a welcome event at James Harrison Elementary School on Monday, August 24, 2026 from 9:00 -10:00 a.m. Remember to bring your school supplies in bags with your child’s name on them. You can leave the supplies in class so that students do not have to carry them on the first day of school.
Synergy/ParentVUE: Please update your phone number and email address in Synergy/ParentVUE. Updates from PGCPS will be sent throughout the school year. It is imperative that we have updated contact information; phone numbers and email addresses. If you moved over the summer and need to update your residency, please contact Ms. Kilgore at vanessa.boone@pgcps.org.
Teacher Assignments: Teacher assignments will be viewable in ParentVUE. Students will also meet their teachers during the Teacher Meet & Greet on August 24, 2026.
Enjoy the last few days of summer break. Let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerly,
Nema Manuel, Principal