- Home
- News Grid
- Local News
- Green Hawk
- Business
- Politics
- School Zone
- Nonprofits
- Missing Pets
- Multimedia
- Arts
- Movies
- Outdoors
- Sports
- News Releases
- Columnists
- Blogs
- Opinions
- Classifieds
- Advertise
- Donate
- Partners
Harding School’s Reopening Marks Beginning of an Era
Noozhawk’s note: Noozhawk and givezooks! are proud to participate in a project to replace Harding School’s hawk weathervane, which was stolen earlier this summer. Read on to learn how you can help.
Continuing with its tradition of innovation, Harding School, now known as Harding University Partnership School, held a grand reopening ceremony Friday evening and kicked off its new alliance with UCSB’s Gevirtz School.
“We’re so excited for our partnership,” Principal Sally Kingston said as she welcomed Harding children and their parents, Santa Barbara School District officials, and representatives from the Gevirtz School to the Harding campus, 1625 Robbins St. A children’s mariachi band played, and the ribbon to the school was cut by Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider and Mario Hernandez, last year’s student body vice president.
“This is exciting,” Santa Barbara School District Superintendent Dr. Brian Sarvis said. “This is the start of something new and something big.”
The partnership will be a close one, according to Gevirtz School Dean Jane Close Conoley. The graduate school’s faculty and students will be “taking responsibility” in the partnership not just for the children’s academic progress, but for related issues such as their emotional and psychological well-being. In return, Conoley said, the Gevirtz students doing research on innovative methods of child development and education will be stimulated in their efforts.
“The goal is that five years from now the Harding kids are making proficiency levels in their tests and the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education is famous for its unbelievable research,” she said, adding that the Harding children, who are typically from low-income and often Spanish-speaking-only families, will receive the same access to educational services as those from more affluent schools.
It’s an idea that evolved over time. Conoley and Kingston were introduced to each other through the Bialis family, active donors at Harding School. The heads of both schools found that they had much in common, including a desire to enrich the education experience for their students.
Little by little they shared ideas, efforts — even staff. When Harding faced the need to restructure as a result of its Program Improvement status, it turned into an opportunity to partner with the university.
The school also took the opportunity Friday to make a pitch for funds to replace its stolen weathervane, a 75-year-old solid metal hawk that was stolen in June. The value of the historic piece has been described as “priceless,” but the cost to replace it is about $15,000.
“Someone stole our hawk. When we found out, it broke our hearts into little pieces,” said sixth-grader Lupita Torres, who hopes to see the bird back on the roof of the school before she leaves for junior high.
The school got together with two of its newer partners, Noozhawk and givezooks!, to raise the funds needed to replace Harding School’s hawk weathervane.
Click here to make a tax-deductible online donation to the Harding Hawk Project through givezooks!
Click here to join the Facebook group, Bring Our Hawk Home.
Related stories
» Drive Takes Wing to Replace Harding School’s Stolen Hawk
» Leading Off: Can a Weathervane Really Make a Difference at a School?
» Harding School Has a Proud History, and a Bright Future
» givezooks! Makes Online Nonprofit Fundraising a Social Event
» Harding School Cultivating a Climate for Top Scholars
» Harding School’s Partnership with UCSB Pays Off for Students, Teachers on Both Campuses
» Harding School Proudly Shows Off Its Green Streak
— Noozhawk staff writer Sonia Fernandez can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments
Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules as part of Noozhawk's shared online community. Please keep your comments civil and helpful. Don't attack other readers personally, and do not use vulgar, abusive or discriminatory language. Use the "Report Abuse" link if a comment violates these standards or our Terms of Use
» on 08.21.10 @ 08:53 AM
Nice article. I wish Harding all the success in its new endeavors. One comment, the weather vane was NOT(!) 75 years old. There was nothing but a crooked piece of metal for years on top of “The Little Side”. Then, about 15 years ago, a parent donated a brand new one to the school. Perhaps, a little more investigative reporting is due since it seems to be a salient and stressed point in this article and previous ones.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 08.21.10 @ 04:32 PM
Yes, ANOTHER, nice article on Harding. I wish Harding all the best too but really now….. There are other schools in Santa Barbara doing good things. Thanks to the previous correction about the weather vane. The weather vane is missed but how can it cost $15,000 to replace it??
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
More Local News »
Santa Barbara County Moving Forward on Changes to Mental Health Department
Board of Supervisors hears detailed report findings and public comment in support of revamping ADMHS
Goleta Council Opposes Plan to Reduce Staffing at Storke Road Fire Station
City Council votes to send a letter objecting to Santa Barbara County's cost-cutting proposal for Station 11
Water-Rescue Exercise Lures Spectators at Santa Barbara Harbor
The U.S. Coast Guard, Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol and Santa Barbara Fire Department team up for training drill
Woman Jailed After Wreck That Severely Injured Toddler Son
Santa Barbara woman faces felony DUI and child-endangerment charges
Bail Increased for Milpas Street Shooting Suspect
Weather: Fair 54.0º
Search Noozhawk »
