Events - Month View

A lot of us are back out there again, on the field, on the court, in the pool etc... Share photos of your kids in ACTION on our GroupMe APP (Monthly Challenge Thread). The photo with the most likes wins.

Bring your family down to Barba‘s Point, and join biologist and Harvard resident, Bob Douglas, for an educational exploration of vernal pools! Discover how this essential ecosystem, brimming with flora, fauna and amphibians comes to life each year at this time.

This one-hour event will take place on May 1st (10 am and 12 pm) and May 8th (10 am and 12 pm) at the vernal pools along the trails at Barba’s Point, 14 Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard (directly behind the high school). This learning session is appropriate for most school age children and inquisitive preschoolers with their caregivers. Viewing sleds and some nets will be provided, and families are welcome to bring their own too. Masks are required. We encourage you to pack a snack and finish the hike to the end of the Barba‘s Point Peninsula to take in the beautiful views of Bare Hill Pond.

The walk is approximately one mile roundtrip. You will find parking behind the Bromfield School near the tennis and basketball courts. Volunteers will greet your family and guide you to the event location.

How to Register:
Spots are limited!
Register for the Vernal Pools Visit here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vernal-pools-visit-tickets-150842675503e.

Priority will be given to Harvard Conservation Trust members. Not a member? To ensure that your family enjoys this and other events throughout the year, visit https://harvardconservationtrust.org/join/.

The HFA is partnering with Fruitlands for another fun, artistic installation on their trails. Last summer, Fruitlands launched what became known as Hope Quest -- a particular trail where staff and visitors placed painted rocks that bore hopeful and inspirational messages and designs. They would like to expand the Hope Quest this spring, and would love to have the HFA participate.

Rocks may be painted at home or at member gatherings, and then either dropped off at Fruitlands for volunteers to place, or small groups of members are welcome to bring their rocks out onto the trails to place themselves. Fruitlands just asks that we give them a heads-up when groups are coming by, and then they won‘t need to go through the process of registering for grounds access.

They are planning for an informal "relaunch" of the Hope Quest in their materials and social media around May 15, but rocks can be placed at any time before or after then! The purpose is to have fun, and to engage the community and our visitors to participate and add their own messages along the way.

They are also thinking of adding a collection of pocket or healing stones that visitors can take with them. These would be small, smooth stones with a single word or phrase that one can put in their pocket, so that they carry that inspirational message with them, or bring it home and put it somewhere that they see it regularly and are reminded of the sentiment. They will have a little sign encouraging visitors to the trails to take a stone with them and/or contribute their own. They would love to have a bunch of these, as well, and they‘re quick & easy to paint!

Join us for a playground meetup at Pirone Park in Ayer. Masks are required for all aged 2 and up. Hope to see you there!

Join us for a Cinco de Mayo/Mother‘s Day combo celebration where we‘ll be eating guacamole and sipping on Margaritas. Weather permitting, we will meet outdoors @ Anabel‘s home. If raining the event will be held virtually, where we‘ll have fun making delicious recipes together.

Please join us for a walk - weather permitting. We may change the location closer to the date if the trail proves to be too muddy or icy/snowy. Masks are required for this event.

Bring your family down to Barba‘s Point, and join biologist and Harvard resident, Bob Douglas, for an educational exploration of vernal pools! Discover how this essential ecosystem, brimming with flora, fauna and amphibians comes to life each year at this time.

This one-hour event will take place on May 1st (10 am and 12 pm) and May 8th (10 am and 12 pm) at the vernal pools along the trails at Barba’s Point, 14 Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard (directly behind the high school). This learning session is appropriate for most school age children and inquisitive preschoolers with their caregivers. Viewing sleds and some nets will be provided, and families are welcome to bring their own too. Masks are required. We encourage you to pack a snack and finish the hike to the end of the Barba‘s Point Peninsula to take in the beautiful views of Bare Hill Pond.

The walk is approximately one mile roundtrip. You will find parking behind the Bromfield School near the tennis and basketball courts. Volunteers will greet your family and guide you to the event location.

How to Register:
Spots are limited!
Register for the Vernal Pools Visit here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vernal-pools-visit-tickets-150842675503e.

Priority will be given to Harvard Conservation Trust members. Not a member? To ensure that your family enjoys this and other events throughout the year, visit https://harvardconservationtrust.org/join/.

Stephanie has offered to host a playgroup for 5 Families on Saturday. RSVP below to register. Masks required for ages 2 and up. Hope to see you there!

Have incoming kindergarteners this fall? Come meet up with your fellow classmates. K-Connections Playground Meet-up Sunday May 16th 10a-11a HES playground

What is it?
This Harvard Family Association zoom-gathering hopes to create a space for white and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) parents to have a conversation about talking about race and racism with our kids. Let’s come together to find places to grow and be honest with ourselves and each other. Knowing both where to start and how to keep this work sustainable can sometimes be challenging. Fear of making mistakes and/or impacting others can hold us back. Fortunately, we can move past these fears and get comfortable with being uncomfortable to engage our families and end racism together. Maybe you have started these conversations in your homes or maybe you‘re thinking about starting. That’s great. We‘re all in different places on the journey and our journeys can and will always look different. What‘s important is that we understand the importance of equity, peace and justice in our children’s lives and we’re willing to do the hard work to create that shared reality, together. Racism affects everyone and it won’t end unless we all do our part to stand up, speak up and show up, against it.


What should parents do before the call?
Preview the following videos. You can watch #4 and #5 with or without your children. I’m sure we’ll have rich conversations either way.
Lifelong Journey (2 mins)
Talking with Children ( 2mins)
Ideas for Families (2 min)
PBS Kids Talk about Race and Racism (28mins)
Elmo: Explaining What is Race? (3 mins)
Consider the following questions:
What mistakes are you afraid of making? When have you made mistakes and learned from them?
What are some beliefs you previously held and have since changed?
What does it /could it look like in your family to have these conversations over and over?
If needed, what things can you do to diversify our homes, routines, and experiences?
What can your family do to be advocates, (speaking up, speaking out, and supporting others?)

Join us at the Castle in the Trees for a Friday afternoon playground meetup. Masks are required for all 2 and up

Please join us for a walk - weather permitting. We may change the location closer to the date if the trail proves to be too muddy or icy/snowy. Masks are required for this event.

Nate Berg is trying to get a group of dads together in May for a golf outing one afternoon. Hopefully HFA dad‘s already received Nate‘s email. If not, please contact Nate if you are interested in joining in. From there, you guys can talk schedules and pick a tee time that works for you.

The HFA is partnering with Fruitlands for another fun, artistic installation on their trails. Last summer, Fruitlands launched what became known as Hope Quest -- a particular trail where staff and visitors placed painted rocks that bore hopeful and inspirational messages and designs. They would like to expand the Hope Quest this spring, and would love to have the HFA participate.

Rocks may be painted at home or at member gatherings, and then either dropped off at Fruitlands for volunteers to place, or small groups of members are welcome to bring their rocks out onto the trails to place themselves. Fruitlands just asks that we give them a heads-up when groups are coming by, and then they won‘t need to go through the process of registering for grounds access.

They are planning for an informal "relaunch" of the Hope Quest in their materials and social media around May 15, but rocks can be placed at any time before or after then! The purpose is to have fun, and to engage the community and our visitors to participate and add their own messages along the way.

They are also thinking of adding a collection of pocket or healing stones that visitors can take with them. These would be small, smooth stones with a single word or phrase that one can put in their pocket, so that they carry that inspirational message with them, or bring it home and put it somewhere that they see it regularly and are reminded of the sentiment. They will have a little sign encouraging visitors to the trails to take a stone with them and/or contribute their own. They would love to have a bunch of these, as well, and they‘re quick & easy to paint!

A lot of us are back out there again, on the field, on the court, in the pool etc... Share photos of your kids in ACTION on our GroupMe APP (Monthly Challenge Thread). The photo with the most likes wins.