Harambee's New Vision

Dear Harambee Families,

I’m excited to share an update on the important transitions and visioning work taking place to shape the future of Harambee Elementary School. Your voice and partnership are essential to this process.

Last year, I committed to keeping you informed about the work we are doing to create a new vision for Harambee as we prepare to transition to a 9-month calendar beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Since our last update at the end of the previous school year, we’ve welcomed new families and made meaningful progress.

This message provides a comprehensive summary of the work completed so far. Please take a few moments to read through it. We will share another update during fall conferences, where I will also be available to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.

As always, I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to hearing your thoughts as we continue this important work together.

Same team,
Principal Nathan

School Calendar Transition Confirmed

The Roseville Area Schools school board officially voted to transition Harambee Elementary from a year-round (12-month) calendar to a 9-month calendar, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

• This decision was recommended by the district administration to support students' Pre-K to grade 12 academic journey, provide greater consistency for siblings and families, and address declining enrollment and attendance patterns.

• The transition process was launched with family information meetings held in April to discuss the changes and answer questions.

Progress on Harambee's New Vision

Following the calendar announcement, we immediately began the work of creating a new vision for Harambee. This comprehensive process involves staff, students, families, and external partners to ensure the new vision is grounded in community values and high-quality instruction.

Key Partners and Staffing

• Steering Committee: A Family & Staff Steering Committee was formed to help guide the vision process and ensure meaningful representation. This committee continues to meet through August to shape the future of our school.

• External Consultants: We partnered with Brightworks, a consulting group specializing in student-centered vision and learning experiences. We are also working with Captivate Media for marketing support and to help collect community input and communicate the new vision.

• New Specialist: We are thrilled to welcome Jenny Eckman as our new Environmental Education Specialist. Ms. Eckman, who spent 19 years at Harambee, will be connecting students with nature and leading environmental learning.

Renewed Focus on Nature and Outdoor Learning

We are excited to renew our focus on Harambee's beautiful natural campus—which includes woodlands, prairie, and ponds—as the perfect setting for exploration and hands-on learning.

• The PTO led a volunteer effort to rebuild the school’s raised garden beds, allowing students in the Out-of-School-Time Program to plant a pizza garden, a three sisters garden, and a pollinator garden.

• Our grounds crew has cleaned up the outdoor classroom and trails to enhance learning opportunities.

• Our new Environmental Education Specialist has been building community connections and attending national institutes to deepen expertise in nature-based, inquiry-based experiences.

• This fall students began working directly with Ms. Eckman in Environmental Science class.

Community Voices: What We Heard

Through listening sessions and interviews conducted by Captivate Media with over 25 families and staff, we've gathered valuable feedback that will define our new vision.

The community strongly affirmed the following key values and desires for Harambee's future:

• Culture & Community: Harambee is known for its welcoming, nurturing environment and strong sense of family, built on genuine relationships.

• Diversity: There is a deep commitment to multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusivity that is a cherished part of the school's identity.

• Unique Identity: A strong desire exists to preserve Harambee's unique identity as a culturally affirming, diverse, and community-centered school, especially its foundational environmental focus.

• Priorities: The community wants to see a focus on consistency and the highest standards of high-quality instruction.