📢 REMINDER: Early Dismissal Tomorrow
Hi Parents! Just a quick heads-up that school lets out early this Friday, Feb 20th.
Dismissal Time: 1:00 PM
Date: Friday, Feb 20th
Hold onto your fascinators! 👒✨ Tonight is the big night as our incredible Junior Miss contestants head "Off to the Races!" 🐎🏆
These girls have trained hard, found their stride, and are ready for the winner's circle. We are so proud of the grace and heart they’ve shown throughout this journey.
Good luck to all our competitors--including Addalyn Southwell, who missed our photo op--may your confidence be high and your finish be photo-perfect! 🏁💖
Mr. Ritenour’s Class Decides!
Things got a little "cloudy" in Mr. Ritenour’s science lab yesterday—in the best way possible! Students dived deep into the world of chemical compounds by experimenting with dry ice.
We even had a special guest scientist, Assistant Principal Coach Kemp, stop by to join the fun! He helped students navigate the mystery of sublimation as they watched dry ice transform straight from a solid to a gas. 💨
🥤 The "Bubbly Potion" Challenge
The stakes were high! To earn ingredients for their own custom dry ice sodas, students had to correctly answer questions about compounds and lab safety.
The Menu:
🍋 Lemon-Mint
🍊 Orange Creamsicle
🍎 Fruit Punch
Once the questions were conquered, it was time for the final touch: adding the dry ice to create a bubbling, "magical" soda. It was a messy, high-energy, and delicious way to see science in action!
Mrs. Eures' Annex students had a "berry" special Wednesday! 🚜 The class headed out to Sunny Sweet Farms in Fort Green for a hands-on look at agriculture.
Our amazing host and owner, Robbie Abbott, gave the students a behind-the-scenes tour, teaching them exactly how strawberries are planted, grown, and harvested. The best part? Everyone got to head into the fields to pick their very own fresh berries! 🧺✨
To wrap up a perfect day, the group enjoyed a McDonald’s lunch—topped off with those delicious, hand-picked strawberries for dessert. 🍔🍓
Check out these smiles! 👇
These reports are a great way to see how your student is growing and where they might need a little extra boost before the end of the term. Remember, these are just a "snapshot" in time—progress is a marathon, not a sprint! 🏃♂️💨
Take a moment tonight to chat with your child about their wins and their goals.
Questions about a grade? Reach out to your student's teacher via email or the FOCUS portal. Let’s finish the semester strong!
There is NO SCHOOL this Monday, February 16th, in honor of Presidents' Day. Enjoy the extra day of sleep, play, or whatever makes your long weekend great. See everyone back in class on Tuesday!
We love seeing the kindness and appreciation our students show for one another! While Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to express how much you care, we want to ensure our classrooms remain focused on learning.
Please note: To prevent disruptions to instruction, the front office will not be accepting outside gifts or deliveries (such as flowers, balloons, or gift baskets) for students.
We encourage families to save these special deliveries and gift exchanges for home celebrations. Thank you for helping us keep our school day focused and productive!
Happy National School Counseling Week to the team that keeps us moving forward! We appreciate everything you do to support our students' dreams and well-being. 🌟
We love seeing the kindness and appreciation our students show for one another! While Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to express how much you care, we want to ensure our classrooms remain focused on learning.
Please note: To prevent disruptions to instruction, the front office will not be accepting outside gifts or deliveries (such as flowers, balloons, or gift baskets) for students.
We encourage families to save these special deliveries and gift exchanges for home celebrations. Thank you for helping us keep our school day focused and productive!
🏆 DISTRICT CHAMPS! 🏆
Huge congratulations to our incredible FFA members who competed at the District competition today. We are bringing home FIRST PLACE in not one, but three categories!
Our members showed up, spoke up, and led the way. Join us in celebrating our winners:
🥇 Prepared Public Speaking: Lainey Johnson
🥇 Extemporaneous Speaking: Adalynn Southwell
🥇 Opening and Closing Ceremonies: Lainey Johnson, Jillian Keen, Ella Hayes, Danielle Congleton, Adalynn Southwell, Rylee Tubbs, Julianna McDuffie
All those hours of practice and memorization paid off! We are so proud of the hard work, professionalism, and blue-jacket pride displayed by this group. Next stop: Florida State FFA Convention in June! 🚀💙💛
Want to surprise a friend or your favorite teacher? Stop by Room 609 or 610 between January 20th – 30th to send a treat to someone special.
Best of all, every treat you send helps support our Student Council! 🐾
📅 Dates: Jan 20 – Jan 30
📍 Location: Rooms 609 & 610
💸 Support: Student Council Fundraiser
Hardee Junior High Yearbook 2025–2026 sneak peek!
Here’s what the 2025–2026 HJH Yearbook cover will look like!
Pre-order your yearbook now to make sure you get a copy when they arrive in May.
Cost: $35.00
Order location: See Ms. Knight in Room 601
Don’t miss out on capturing this year’s memories!
We are proud to “B” the HJH Wildcats!!
We have a week full of special activities planned, and the Book Fair will be open all week for students to shop. Whether you love mystery, graphic novels, or nonfiction, there is something for everyone!
The rivalry continues! Students, mark your calendars for Friday, March 13th as our volleyball teams go head-to-head against the faculty in the ultimate volleyball showdown!
🎟️ ADMISSION: This event is FREE for students to attend, but there’s a catch!
Students must stay "Game Ready" starting RIGHT NOW. From January 20th through March 12th, the following rules apply:
✅ Attendance Matters: Students must have 4 or fewer unexcused absences.
✅ Behavior Counts: Students must have ZERO referrals resulting in ACE or OSS.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Student eligibility starts TODAY! Keep those grades up, stay in class, and keep your record clean so you don’t miss out on the action.
🔬🏆 Science Fair Awards Ceremony 🏆🔬
We are so proud of our students and their hard work in this year’s Science Fair!
📍 Hardee Junior High School
📅 Friday, January 16, 2026
⏰ 9:00 A.M.
📌 Location: Auditorium
Parents and families are welcome to attend! Please enter through the front office, bring your ID, and pick up a visitor’s sticker before heading to the auditorium. We recommend arriving early to allow time for check-in.
✨ Important: All students who participated in the Science Fair will be recognized.
We can’t wait to celebrate our young scientists and their amazing projects. Thank you for supporting our students! 💙📚
It is time to celebrate the hard work, leadership, and dedication found in our hallways! Please join us in congratulating our Student and Teacher of the Month recipients for January. These individuals have gone above and beyond to make HJH a better place to learn and grow.
🎓 Students of the Month
6th Grade: Brayden Smith
7th Grade: Belen Medina
8th Grade: Bella Medina
🍎 Teacher of the Month
Mrs. Erica Durden
Thank you all for your commitment to excellence! Your Wildcat family is so proud of you. 🐾✨
🗓 When: Tuesday, Jan 20th
📍 Where: HJH Cafeteria
🚗 Parking: Please use the parent parking lot.
Behind every successful student is a team of dedicated professionals. Tonight, we have the honor of celebrating two individuals who represent the pinnacle of excellence in education: Micah Myers, our Teacher of the Year and Michelle Knight, our Educational Support Staff of the Year.
From the classroom to the front office and everywhere in between, these honorees go above and beyond every single day. Their passion, leadership, and commitment to our school community are an inspiration to us all.
Join us in wishing them a wonderful evening at tonight's banquet! 👏
📅 When: Tuesday, January 13th
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
📍 Location: Hardee Junior High Gym
Important Entry & Parking Info:
Please enter through the bus loop gate.
🚫 Reminder: Please DO NOT park on the grass.
We can’t wait to see you there! 🧬🧪🧫
