Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Announcement!

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Announcement!

In accordance with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented students, Harmony Public Schools will begin taking referrals for kindergarten and currently enrolled students in grades 1-12 for gifted and talented screening. 

Anyone interested in the educational welfare of these students may refer them for assessment. Referral forms are available at the front office and on the school’s website.

 

Parent GT Referral Form in English

Parent GT Referral Form in Spanish

 

The deadline for GATE referral is September 30, 2021, and G/T assessment period will take place in October. For more information about the screening and identification process, parents may contact the school’s G/T coordinator or G/T coach/teacher.

GATE (Educación para estudiantes dotados/talentosos) Anuncio

De acuerdo con el Plan Estatal de Texas para la Educación de Estudiantes Dotados / Talentosos, las Escuelas Públicas de Harmony comenzarán a recibir referencias para kindergarten y estudiantes actualmente inscritos en los grados 1-12 para la evaluación de estudiantes dotados y talentosos.

Cualquier persona interesada en el bienestar educativo de estos estudiantes puede nominarlos para dicha evaluación. Los formularios de referencia están disponibles en la oficina y en el sitio web de la escuela.

 

Forma de nominación

 

La fecha límite de referencia de GATE es el 30 de septiembre de 2021 y el período de evaluación de G / T se llevará a cabo en octubre.

Para obtener más información sobre el proceso de selección e identificación, los padres pueden comunicarse con el entrenador / maestro de GT de la escuela.

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Important update regarding Virtual Learning at Harmony

Dear Harmony Families,

Today, we would like to share some important news regarding a potential virtual learning option at your child’s school.

This weekend, a new bill to fund virtual learning in Texas public schools like Harmony cleared a major hurdle in the Texas Legislature. In its current form, schools such as Harmony Public Schools would be allowed to provide virtual learning for up to 10 percent of its student body throughout the remainder of the school year.

While the bill has not received final approval and specific details may change before being signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, it now appears very likely that schools like ours will be able to offer virtual learning in some form to students in the near future and we are looking forward to offering comprehensive virtual learning to our student population during 2021-2022 school year.

Currently, in your child’s Skyward account is a form asking your family’s interest in virtual learning. We ask that you please complete this virtual learning application form as soon as you are able. While we may not be able to accommodate every request due to potential new legal restrictions on the number of students who can participate, by understanding your preference we will be able to more quickly assign students to virtual learning should it become an option.

We will continue to share important updates with you as new information becomes available.

Thank you.

 

 

Estimadas familias de Harmony,

Hoy, no nos gustaría compartie algunas noticias importantes sobre una posible opción de aprendizaje virtual en la escuela de sus hijos. Este fin de semana, un nuevo proyecto de ley para financiar el aprendizaje virtual en escuelas públicas de Texas como Harmony eliminó un obstáculo importante en la Legislatura de Texas. En su forma actual, las Escuelas Públicas de Harmony podrían proporcionar aprendizaje virtual para hasta el 10 por ciento de su cuerpo estudiantil durante el resto del año escolar.

Aunque el proyecto no ha recibido la aprobación final y unos detalles específicos pueden cambiar antes de set convertida en lay por en gobernador, Greg Abbott, ahora parece muy probable que las escuelas como la nuestra puedan ofrecer aprendizaje virtual de alguna forma a los estudiantes en un futuro cercano y esperamos ofrecer un aprendizaje virtual integral a nuestra población estudiantil durante la escuela 2021-2022 año.

Actualmente, en la cuenta de Skyward de si hijo o hija hay un formulario que pregunta el interés de su familia en el aprendizaje virtual. Le pedimos que complete este formulario de solicitud de aprendizaje virtual tan pronto como pueda. Si bien es posible que no podamos atender todas las solicitudes debido a posibles nuevas restricciones legales sobre la cantidad de estudiantes que pueden participar, al comprender su preferencia, podremos asignar estudiantes más rápidamente al aprendizaje virtual si se convierte en una opción.

Continuaremos compartiendo actualizaciones importantes con usted a medida que haya nueva información disponible.

Gracias.

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Harmony expands COVID-19 leave benefits for all employees

On Saturday, the HPS executive board approved a recommendation allowing all regular employees 10 additional days of paid leave should they test positive for COVID-19 or be asked to quarantine due to  close contact with another COVID-19 positive individual.

 

The benefit is available retroactively to August 2 (first day of 2021-22 school year), and extends through December 31, 2021. 

 

Employees with additional questions or who need to request leave for any purpose should contact leave@harmonytx.org.

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Harmony Public Schools Mask Policy

Dear Harmony Families,

From its beginning, Harmony Public Schools has held onto two strong beliefs.

First, that by focusing on STEM, we could help our students better understand their connection to the world around them, and prepare them to help tackle the challenges of our collective future.

Second, that schools work best when parents, teachers, and school leaders are all working together to do what’s best for our students.

Few issues have put those two core beliefs – following science, and doing what’s best for kids – into sharper focus than the issue of protective face masks at our schools.

At Harmony, we firmly believe the preponderance of credible medical evidence proves that masks are a simple and effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, communities, and homes.  This is why we frequently and publicly advocate for their use by students and team members – because it’s good science, and it’s what is best for kids.

Today, we would like to share a new Harmony Public Schools mask policy that we believe is strongly based on science and student safety, while also taking into account the legitimate reasons some families may prefer for their child not to wear a mask. We also believe this policy can remain consistent regardless of the outcome of current legal decisions related to mask “mandates” in schools.

Harmony Student Mask Policy

(Effective DATE)

  1. All Harmony staff members are asked to wear a mask on campus, unless there are medical, religious or other specific reasons that is not possible.
  2. All Harmony Public Schools students are asked to wear masks on campus. If a student does not have a mask, one will be provided.
  3. The parents of children who are unable to wear a mask due to medical or other specific issues, including difficulty breathing while wearing a mask, may submit a formal exemption request on Skyward. (This is consistent with our long-standing student Dress Code exemption policy, which can be found on page 22 of the HPS Student & Parent Handbook).
  4. We are asking that all employees, students, parents and visitors voluntarily comply with this mask policy.

 

When it comes to masks, there may be no perfect policy for all families. Masks have become one of the more hotly debated issues of our time. The one thing we can all agree on, though, is that we all look forward to a day when no one needs to wear a mask.

In the late spring and early summer, many of us believed that day was close. Unfortunately, it’s not quite here, yet.  But by working together, we will get there – hopefully soon.

For now, we’re asking for Harmony to mask up.

It’s good science, and it’s what is best for kids.

Thank you.

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Parents have option for student to repeat grade or retake course

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Today, we would like to inform you of important education option for your family if you believe your student may have experienced significant academic losses during the 2020-2021 school year.

This summer, the 87th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 1697, which allows parents and guardians to elect for a student to repeat a grade or retake a high school course.

This gives parents or guardians the right to opt for their child to:

  • repeat pre-kindergarten or enroll in pre-kindergarten if the child was eligible to enroll in pre-kindergarten in the previous school year and has not yet enrolled in kindergarten;
  • repeat kindergarten; or enroll in kindergarten if the child would have enrolled in kindergarten in the previous school year and has not yet enrolled in first grade; and
  • for grades one through three, repeat the grade the student was enrolled in during the previous school year.

For the 2021-2022 school year only, parents or guardians have the right to opt for their child:

  • for grades four through eight, repeat the grade the student was enrolled in during the 2020-2021 school year; and
  • for courses taken for high school credit, repeat any course in which the student was enrolled during the 2020-2021 school year.

When determining whether these options may be right for your student, here are some things which may be helpful to consider:

  • For children in grades 1-8, repeating may be right for your child if he/she struggled learning while remaining virtual most of the year.
  • For students who took high school courses, repeating one or more courses may be right for your child if he/she struggled in a foundational course (e.g. Algebra I or computer science) and is worried about being successful in higher-level courses.
  • If a high school student received a passing grade for the course they are requesting to repeat, they will keep their original grade on their transcript.
  • For children interested in high school interscholastic competition, parents and guardians should review eligibility rulesbased on student age.

According to the new law, parents or guardians are required to notify the district in writing (letter or email to school principal) if they elect for their child to retake a grade level or course.

By law, if a district disagrees, the district must convene a retention committee and meet with the parent or guardian to discuss the proposed retention.

After the parent/ guardian has participated in the retention committee meeting, the parent or guardian will decide if the student will be retained.

For more information or to request retention for your student, please contact your campus administration.

Thank you.

  • Harmony Public Schools

 

Additional information is available at: https://tea.texas.gov/repeatgrade and https://tea.texas.gov/restartkinder

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Public Comment on Federal Grant Applications

Public Comment on Federal Grant Applications

In accordance with United States Code (U.S.C.) Annotated, Title 20, Chapter 70, Subchapter VIII, Part C, Section 7846, and Public Law (P.L.) 114-95, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Section 8306, an entity planning to submit a federal grant application must afford a reasonable opportunity for public comment on the application before it is submitted.

Harmony Public Schools hereby gives notice to the public that it intends to file the following applications and request awarded amounts for federal grant funds with the Texas Education Agency for the school year 2021-22. HPS welcomes comments or questions concerning any of these grants and requests that any comments or questions be submitted by Aug 30, 2021, using the form below.
Public Input Survey

HPS Federal Grant Applications Overview

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Attendance Letter

Information about Harmony’s policies and procedures as they relate to your students’ Attendance and academic success.

Click here for more info.

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Child Nutrition Program

We have some great news to share with you for this 2021 -2022 school year!

Click here for more info. in English.

Click here for more info. in Spanish.

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Bell Schedule 2021-2022

 

Bell Schedule

Early Dismissal

 

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An important COVID-19 update from Harmony Public Schools CEO Fatih Ay

The following is a message from Harmony Public Schools CEO Fatih Ay.

 

Dear Harmony Families,

Like many of you, we at Harmony Public Schools are greatly concerned by the rise in COVID-19 cases attributed to the Delta variant.

At Harmony, we are working diligently to keep our schools safe and provide families the tools they need to keep their child protected from COVID-19.

Today, we would like to share with you several important updates regarding Harmony’s COVID-19 policy and procedures.

First, we would like to announce that we will be offering a TEA-approved “remote conferencing” option that will allow students a limited ability to attend classes from home if they are sick, have been exposed to COVID-19, or in a COVID-19 high-risk group.

Per TEA requirement, the total amount of time for remote instruction may not exceed more than 20 instructional days for the entire 2021-22 school year. In order to be eligible, students must meet one of the criteria below:

  • The student is unable to attend school because of a temporary medical condition that is documented by a physician licensed to practice in the United States. 
    • The student’s healthcare provider is required to complete and sign an HPS COVID-19 High Risk Exemption Medical Certification form. Parents need to submit the form to the school health aide to confirm eligibility.  Failure to provide the completed form will disqualify a student from participating. Here is the link to download exemption application form: https://www.HarmonyTX.org/medicalrequest
  • The student has a positive test result for a communicable condition  listed in state regulations at 25 Tex. Admin. Code §97.7. Parents need to provide test results to the school health aide listing the communicable condition. This includes a positive test result for COVID-19.
  • The student has been identified as having been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual as confirmed by the school, the student’s health care provider, or local health agency.  Parents need to provide written notification or send email to the school health aide.

Next, we would like to share an update regarding contact tracing and reporting of potential COVID-19 cases on campus. 

Although it is not required for schools to conduct contract tracing and inform parents if someone in their child’s class had tested positive for COVID-19, we believe families have the right to know what is happening at their child’s school. That’s why we will continue to implement the following measures.

We will:

  • Inform parents if a child or team member tests positive for COVID-19 in their classroom.
  • Conduct contact tracing to determine the potential spread of COVID-19 in our schools.
  • Provide transparency to the public about our schools by continuing to update our COVID-19 “case count” dashboard, which can be found at www.HarmonyTX.org/coviddashboard.
  • Continue to work with local pharmacies and community health organizations to host on-campus vaccination clinics for team members and eligible students age 12 and older. (Please follow your campus Facebook page and parents newsletter for more info about upcoming campus clinics near you.)

Finally, we understand that a full remote learning option is something some of our families are highly interested in.  Currently, state leaders in the Texas Legislature are convening in Austin to vote on whether they will allow districts to offer full virtual learning.

We don’t yet know what the decision of the Texas Legislature will be, or how long it may take to reach that decision.

 What we do know is that an option for virtual learning is an important issue to our Harmony families across the state. That’s why, despite the challenges schools across Texas have faced in offering virtual learning this fall, we are fully prepared to quickly move to a virtual option for those families interested, should state leaders approve this option.

We will continue to keep you updated as new developments occur.

Thank you for your support and collaboration throughout this process, and for being a part of our Harmony family.

Sincerely,

Fatih Ay | CEO, Harmony Public Schools
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