☕️ Today we celebrated National Coffee Day in a special way!
Superintendent Jennifer Parsons provided coffee for all Harlan Independent employees this morning as a small gesture of appreciation.
It’s just one way to say thank you for the dedication, preparation, and hard work our staff pour into making Harlan Independent a great place to learn and work every single day. 💚🐉
#EveryDayEveryDragon #FamilyofDragons #NationalCoffeeDay
9 days ago, Eric Greene
Little Cheerleaders, This One’s for YOU! 🎀
Come join the HHS Cheer Little Girl Mini Camp for a night of fun and cheer! 💚🖤
📅 Date: October 4
🕓 Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 HHS Gym
For just $40, your cheerleader gets:
✅ Camp with the HHS Cheerleaders
✅ A snack
✅ T-shirt & poms
✅ Learn a Thriller dance to perform at halftime on Halloween night! 🎃
Registration here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpUDvQL5r3IbxBMssDWVIqfbW1tRdPBrhwkiEZ8DEOF0pbnA/viewform
**For those that have already registered, please notice the time change. It is now in the morning on October 4th.
10 days ago, Megan Freyer
💫Our teachers have had an excellent training day with Capturing Kids' Hearts. As a National Rising Star School, we've learned invaluable strategies and made exciting plans to engage our students' hearts and minds this school year. Together, we’re ready to lead and inspire our students to reach new heights! It’s going to be a fantastic year ahead! 💚🐉
#CapturingKidsHearts
#RisingStarSchool
#EveryDragonEveryDay
#FamilyofDragons
about 1 month ago, Katlyn Williams
Just a reminder: there will be NO SCHOOL for Harlan Independent Schools on Monday, September 1st, in honor of Labor Day, and Tuesday, September 2nd, for a teacher in-service day. 🐉
about 1 month ago, Megan Freyer
📢Don’t miss out on Summer EBT support. If you haven’t received Summer EBT yet, there’s still time! Apply by August 15th. ☀️
The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (SEBT) program helps reduce hunger and food insecurity by providing eligible school-aged children with benefits to buy groceries during the summer months when school meals aren’t available.
👦👧 Who’s Automatically Eligible?
If students are currently enrolled in SNAP, KTAP, Kinship Care, or certain income-based forms of Medicaid for at least one month since July 1, 2024, they should already be enrolled. However, kids not enrolled in these programs from households with incomes at or below the 185% poverty level are eligible but need to apply.
📝 Need to Apply?
If your student hasn’t received SNAP, KTAP, or Kinship Care since July 1, 2024, you’ll need to apply starting October 1, 2024 at:
https://KYSEBT.ky.gov/ or through
https://kynect.ky.gov/benefits/💳 How Benefits Are Received:
If you’re already receiving benefits, SEBT will be added to your existing EBT card. Otherwise, a new card will be mailed to you.
🛒 What Can You Buy?
Almost any grocery item—except hot, ready-to-eat foods. SEBT does not cover tobacco, alcohol, pet food, or non-food items.
Visit the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (
https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dfs/pages/sebt.aspx) for more info!
about 2 months ago, Eric Greene
Harlan Elementary dismissal begins at 2:50 pm. Buses will exit before anyone exits the buildings.
Reminder for after-school pick up. Kindergarten pick up is the the purple line on Mound St. 1st and 2nd grade is the green line, Clover St., 3rd & 4th grade is the red line, you enter off of KY38. If your child has a sibling in 3rd or 4th grade, they will be picked up outback in the red line of traffic. Your child should have brought home a paper with their name on it in large print. Please place this paper on your dashboard in order to make identifying your vehicle easier and quicker. Thank you for being patient with us!
If you are picking up a middle/high school student, please do not enter downtown until after 3:05.
2 months ago, Tara Posey
📸 What an incredible time we had yesterday at the Harlan Independent Schools campus-wide block party! 🎒 Families had the chance to visit classrooms, meet teachers, and get excited for the year ahead. From games and music to food and fun, it was the perfect way to kick off the new school year and celebrate our amazing #FamilyofDragons. 🐉💚
Our first day of school for Elementary, Middle, and High School is TOMORROW, Wednesday, August 6th! We can’t wait to welcome all of our students back. Let’s make it a great year! #EveryDayEveryDragon
2 months ago, Eric Greene
📢 Important Policy Updates for the 2025–26 School Year at Harlan Independent Schools! 🐉
As we gear up for a new school year, please take a moment to review a few important policy changes:
District Staff/Student Communication
Beginning June 27, 2025, SB 181 requires that all school communication with students occur only through approved platforms including ParentSquare, district email, GoGuardian, Google Workspace, and Infinite Campus. Communication through texting, personal emails, and social media will no longer be allowed.
As a result of new Kentucky legislation, Harlan Middle/High School has made the following policy changes for the 2025-2026 school year.
Moment of Silence or Reflection
In accordance to KY Senate Bill 19, “at the commencement of the first class of each day in all public schools, there shall be a moment of silence or reflection of at least one (1) minute, but not to exceed two (2) minutes in duration,” during which “all pupils remain seated and silent and make no distracting display so that each pupil may, in the exercise of his or her individual choice, meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity which does not interfere with, distract from, or impede other pupils' exercise of individual choice.”
Personal Electronic Devices
In response to KY House Bill 208, and in an effort to maximize student engagement during instructional time while limiting distractions throughout the day, all personal electronic devices—including but not limited to cell phones, AirPods, earbuds, smartwatches, camera-equipped glasses, etc.—must remain turned off and out of sight from the start of the school day until the end of the school day. Parents may contact the office to leave messages for students as needed. Students will be permitted to use office phones in cases of emergency.
2 months ago, Eric Greene
🐉 You're Invited to Our Back-to-School Block Party! 🐉
Green Dragon families, we are excited to kick off the 2025-2026 school year with our annual Back-to-School Block Party on Monday, August 4th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM!
From 5:00–6:00 PM, all of our amazing K-12 teachers will be in their classrooms to welcome students and parents. It’s a great time to meet your child’s teacher, check out their classroom, and get ready for a strong start.
After that, stick around for food, fun, and games as we celebrate the beginning of another incredible year together.
We can't wait to see everyone back on campus! Let’s make this year our best one yet!
#FamilyofDragons #EveryDayEveryDragon #MorethanaSchool
3 months ago, Megan Freyer
Sunshine School Open House
3 months ago, Shannon Lawson
🐉Back-to-School Season is Almost Here, Green Dragons!
We're gearing up for an exciting new school year at Harlan Independent, and we've got several important events to help students and families get a strong start! From Kindergarten Jumpstart to our Back-to-School Block Party, there's something for everyone as we count down to the first day of school.
Be sure to check out the flyer below for all the key dates—including 5th Grade Open House, Freshmen Orientation, and Sunshine Preschool Open House!
Stay tuned as we will be sharing more details about each event over the next few weeks.
Let’s make 2025-2026 the best year yet! #FamilyofDragons #EveryDayEveryDragon 🐉
3 months ago, Megan Freyer
Enroll today! Call or go to enrollatharlan.com
3 months ago, Shannon Lawson
We have openings for single session and double session!
3 months ago, Shannon Lawson
🔥🏀 Students had an incredible time at the HHS Basketball Youth Camp! Big thanks to all the students who came out ready to learn, hustle, and have fun — and to Coach Varner and the Lady Dragons for making it such a great experience! 💚🐉
📸 Check out some of the highlights below!
📢 Missed it? We’ve got good news!
We’re hosting another camp on June 21st — same time, same place!
🗓 June 21st
🕘 9 AM – 12 PM
📍 HHS Gymnasium
💲 $20 per child (discounts for siblings!)
👦👧 Open to Pre-K through 6th grade
🎯 Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/356y6HAwKLzw31Qc6
Don’t miss out on the fun — we’ll see you on the court! 🏀
#HHSYouthCamp #LadyDragons #BasketballFun #HarlanKY
4 months ago, Eric Greene
It is Family Fun Day at Huff Park today!!! Stop by the Harlan Independent Schools tent to register for the 2025-2026 school year. Sunshine Preschool will be on-site to register new K3-K4 students, as well as representatives for Harlan Elementary, Middle, and High School.
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It’s never been easier to enroll at Harlan Independent and become a part of the #FamilyofDragons!
Follow the link (
www.enrollatharlan.com) to reserve your seat and enroll for 2025-2026.
#MoreThanASchool
#BuiltForResults
#15BestInKy
#RisingStarDistrict
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4 months ago, Eric Greene
🥫Join us for a Food Drive happening today! Support our current and former Dragons as they contribute to a worthy cause. All donations will benefit Ann’s Pantry and Christ’s Hands in Harlan.
5 months ago, Katlyn Williams
🎉Happy Principals Day! 🎉 Join us in saying “thank you” to our dedicated principals for their leadership, support, and guidance. Their commitment to nurturing our students and leading our educators makes all the difference in our school community. We appreciate you all! 🐉🐉🐉🐉
5 months ago, Katlyn Williams
🎉 Exciting news from Harlan Independent Schools! 🎉
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Fugate-Mattingly Foundation, Harlan High School is proud to announce $10,000 in scholarship funding for the Class of 2025!
Four outstanding seniors will each receive a $2,500 scholarship to support their future educational journeys.
This gift honors the legacy of Flora Mattingly, a Pineville native whose love for children and animals continues to inspire positive change.
📸 Pictured left to right: Mrs. Jennifer Parson, Dr. Shawn Fugate, Mike Bolton, and Superintendent C.D. Morton.
We are deeply grateful for the Fugate-Mattingly Foundation's commitment to investing in our students' futures! 💚
- Student enrollment is currently taking place across the Harlan Independent School District. The process is simple - visit
www.enrollatharlan.com to begin your life-changing journey today.
#HarlanHigh #HarlanIndependent #Scholarships #StudentSuccess #ThankYou #MoreThanASchool #FamilyofDragons #EnrollatHarlan.com
5 months ago, Harlan Ind.
May is just around the corner and it appears we have some seniors who have a serious case of senioritis. There is a false social media post regarding no school for Friday, April 25th due to Internet and Water outages.
They get an A for effort, but unfortunately that post if false. As much as we would all enjoy an extra day off in April we will have school tomorrow so we don’t have to make it up at the end of May.
Remember, the Harlan Independent School District will be on a regular schedule for Friday, April 25th. Again, we will be on a regular schedule for Friday, April 25th.
6 months ago, Harlan Ind.
In a special called meeting on Monday, the Harlan Independent Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint Mrs. Jennifer Parsons as the next Superintendent of the Harlan Independent School District. She will assume the role on July 1, 2025, succeeding current Superintendent C.D. Morton, who previously announced his resignation effective June 30th. Congratulations to Mrs. Jennifer Parsons!
6 months ago, Harlan Ind.
