Indy Standard

On a recent Saturday morning, Rachel McIntosh, a neighbor and parent of a sixth-grader at Harshman Middle School, attended an important meeting about the school's future. The gathering included around 70 alumni, staff, community members, administrators from Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), partners, and other stakeholders. They convened for nearly two hours to discuss the direction of the school during an event called “Visioning Day.”

McIntosh supports transforming Harshman into a middle school with more academic and extracurricular options. She values its diverse environment, dedicated teachers, and high retention rates. "Community conversations like this are critical," she stated. "It’s how we ensure Harshman remains a place where all students feel supported and empowered."

Principal Amy Moore has been an educator at the school for 18 years. She explained that the meeting was part of the Rebuilding Stronger initiative to revisit Harshman's mission and vision as a dual language, high-ability school. "The goal was to brainstorm these elements and core values, and to define the ‘Harshmen Way’ characteristics,” Moore said.

Moore highlighted that despite having 90% new students and staff, the school is thriving with strong attendance and high extracurricular participation. About half of its students are involved in sports with several competitive teams.

McIntosh expressed gratitude for the leadership's commitment to fostering belonging among families. “I think we all are dedicated to being part of the solution," she noted.

Moore mentioned that input will continue to be gathered from families who couldn't attend in person. An update on Visioning Day will be shared at the next Family-Student-Teacher Association (FSTA) Meeting on February 12 at 5:15 p.m.

A session titled Harshman Middle School Mission and Vision Working Group is scheduled for March 10 at 5:30 p.m., aiming to create a shared Mission and Vision Statement along with Core Values and Harshman Way Characteristics.