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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Chromebook Parent letter

August 11, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians:

With excitement and anticipation, Harmony School of Innovation- Katy will assign  1:1 Chromebook for all 6th – 12th grade students during  the 2021 – 2022 school year.   Every student will be assigned a device for use during the school year and will be allowed to take it home each night. The purpose of this assignment is to have access to the technology tools to fully engage students academically and socially during pandemic and create an effective learning environment that fosters critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. 

To request  the chromebook for your child, please fill out the 2021-22 Student Chromebook Request and Agreement FORM which includes required information (section 1) and the agreement (section 2) by Wednesday, August 18th, 2021. If your child needs a hotspot as well, please make sure that you put the request in the survey as well.The limit for hotspot checkout is one device per Harmony family.  

We will have hard copies of agreement forms available during meet the teacher day on Thursday, Aug 12, 2021as well. You are welcome to fill out and return to the assigned tables in the gym/cafeteria/front lobby. 

The devices will be distributed within the first week of school after all required documents are signed. 

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow. 

Sincerely,

HSI-Katy Administration

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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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Orientation Digital Packet

Dear HSI Katy Parents/Guardians

We are excited to welcome our children back into schools, and we are excited to see their faces – in person – once again.
Our orientation day has just started, and the schedule is below. In case you missed it, please see the orientation day packet in the attachment.

Date: August 7th, 2021
Time: High School: 9:00am -12:30pm
Middle School: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
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HSI Katy Principal Welcome Back Letter_2021_22

Dear HSI Katy  Parents and Community,

Greetings! 

As principal of Harmony School of Innovation-Katy, it  is my pleasure to welcome everyone back for another great year in HSI Katy.  I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. I also hope you are relaxed, recharged and ready to start a new school year. 

This is my eleventh year working at Harmony Public Schools and I am confident this will be another great year as we continue to foster a culture of learning.  As my third  year as principal of Harmony School of Innovation-Katy begins, I feel extremely fortunate to be working with such an exceptional group of students, families, and staff members. I have a passion for maximizing academic achievement of every child and I will strive to successfully guide our campus’ academic and social goals for the years to come. We are all excited to have students back in our classrooms and hallways filling them with energy and enthusiasm for learning.

With proper safety precautions, HSI Katy students will be able to participate in a full range of in-person extracurricular activities this fall, including sports and other interschool competitions. We’ll also continue to offer many of the clubs and activities that students enjoyed last school year. Keep an eye on the Clubs page of your campus website for more information on activities offered at our campus that will be updated soon.

According to an order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, public schools are no longer allowed to require their students or team members to wear masks. Instead, masks are optional for both students and team members. Currently, the CDC strongly recommends masks for unvaccinated individuals ages 2 and older. (Ages 12 & Up: Find a free and convenient vaccine clinic near you.) Our campus will continue to offer masks for those who request them.

We hope that you will find our website helpful and informative. All of the information we send out via email can also be found on this site. Our weekly newsletters (Wednesday Mails) will be emailed to parents on Wednesdays starting on Aug 18th, 2021.  We also will enter dates for all events and activities into the “Calendar” feature of our website starting on Aug 16th, 2021. Additionally, we  have a facebook account (@HSIKaty) that we will use to send out updates and quick announcements as we go through the school year.

 

As we prepare for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year, we wanted to share with you some important dates and information to ensure a great start to this exciting year. Please read it below and let me know if you have any questions.

  • 2021-22 School Year Orientation: August 7th, 2021. In order view the link for Orientation Day Brochure-HSI KATY   
  • Meet the Teacher and Staff Day:  August 12, 2021 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm. 
  • As announced earlier, our campus will start the academic year in -person on Monday, August 16th. 

I hope to have a wonderful school year for 2021-22 and I look forward to working with all of you!  Below is the contact information for myself.  Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Serif Mercan,  Principal        

smercan@harmonytx.org 

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FAQ: Back to School 2021-22 at Harmony Public Schools

The following is a list of questions commonly asked by parents and students about the start of the 2021-22 school year at Harmony Public Schools.

For more information, visit https://www.HarmonyTX.org/playbook.

Harmony Public Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:  Will Harmony Public Schools offer virtual learning this year?

A:  No. Harmony will return to  face to face instruction  at all campuses for the 21-22 school year as mandated by the Texas Education Agency. We are excited to have our students back in the classroom and will continue to support their social, emotional, and academic growth.

Q:  What will on-campus instruction look like for this year?

A:  Just as before the pandemic, students will attend in-person learning  according to the academic calendar. This calendar can be found on your campus website.  Teachers will provide in-person learning, which includes hands-on activities, small group projects and intervention, station rotations, teacher one-on-one support, etc.

Q:  What COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place for students and teachers?

A:  Face masks are optional for both students and Harmony team members, but are strongly recommended.  Physical distancing may be maintained to the extent possible.  Hand sanitizer will be provided, and students will be encouraged to practice frequent hand washing, use of hand sanitizer, and physical distancing.  Teachers will sanitize high-touch areas in the classroom when necessary.  Because the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving, we may update protocols as the situation dictates.

Q:  My child struggled with virtual learning, and I am concerned they are academically behind.  How will Harmony help my child regain academic progress?

A:  We understand that some students struggled last year.  Our educational teams are here to diagnose learning loss and provide an intervention plan to address it.  This will include regular Response to Intervention (RTI) system implementation, after school tutoring, small group instruction, Saturday school, and summer school options.

Q:  My child excelled with virtual learning last year.  Will they be academically challenged this year?

A:  Yes!  We will continue to provide rigorous instruction with differentiated options for students including emphasis on college and career readiness.

Q:  Will extracurricular activities resume this year?

A:  Yes!  We anticipate all extracurricular activities to resume for students, including academic clubs, athletics, fine arts, UIL, competitions, etc. Check the Clubs page of your campus website throughout the year for new clubs and extracurriculars.

Q:  After a year out of the classroom, how will students and staff be supported in transitioning back to a social setting?

A:  Harmony will provide mental health support to our students and staff during and after the back to school transition period.  Each campus will utilize a Behavioral Counselor and implement support systems to ensure all students and staff receive the help they need.

Q:  Where can I apply for free or reduced price meals?

A:  All students eat FREE this year at all schools! Your child will automatically receive their free meal(s) each day in your campus cafeteria. You may, however, still be asked to complete a Free & Reduced Meal eligibility form once the school year starts, as this plays a crucial role in determining the amount of federal and state funding your child’s school may receive.

Q:  What safety protocols will be in place during breakfast and lunch?

A:  Cafeteria teams will continue to clean and sanitize dining areas.  Physical distancing will be maintained to the extent possible.  Students will sanitize their hands before and after eating, and will not be allowed to share food or utensils.  Harmony will maintain adult supervision in the cafeteria to reinforce mealtime safety measures.

Q:  Will water fountains be available for students?

A:  Students will have access to touchless water fountains and are encouraged to bring their own reusable clear water bottles to use throughout the day.  Water bottles should be taken home daily to be cleaned.

Q:  What if my child displays symptoms of COVID-19 while at school?

A:  The teacher will immediately call the Health Aide, who will pick up the student from the classroom and place the student in isolation to minimize interaction.  The school Health Aide will communicate with the parent/guardian, and the student will be sent home.  The student may not return to school until clearance is given by the school Health Aide.  Additional guidance on the criteria that must be met prior to the student’s return to school is located in the Harmony Public Schools Back to School Playbook, 2021-2022.

Q:  Should I notify the school if my child tested positive for COVID-19 or was in close contact with someone who tested positive?

A:  Yes, families will self-report within 48 hours to the Health Aide if their child(ren) tested positive for COVID-19 or if they believe the child(ren) has been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Q:  How will I be notified if my child is exposed to COVID-19 at school?

A:  If classroom exposure occurs, families will be notified via letter home, call, or school messaging services and the classroom will be sanitized.

Q:  May I visit my child’s school?

A:  Harmony always welcomes visitors to campuses and district offices, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic we will implement some limitations to minimize risk.  Visitors will check in through the front office security system, and we will continue utilization of temperature checks.  All visitors should complete a self-check before entering a school building, and visitors with COVID symptoms should NOT enter school buildings or offices.

 

 

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What to expect at Harmony Public Schools for Fall 2021

The following is a message from Harmony Public Schools CEO Fatih Ay for HPS students, families and team members.

Hello … and happy summer vacation!

 

We hope you are having a fun and relaxing break. Here at Harmony, we’re already hard at work preparing for another exciting and engaging school year for our students and team members.  With the first day of classes just a few weeks away, we wanted to take this opportunity to provide our students, team members, and their families a little more information on what to expect in the coming school year.

 

Here are a few highlights, but expect more details along with our annual Back to School Playbook in the days ahead:

 

 

CAMPUS-BASED LEARNING FOR ALL: Last year, many of our families elected to learn remotely rather than sending their student to campus. Accordingly, Harmony came into the summer preparing to expand and further improve its virtual learning options for families in 2021-22. Unfortunately, state leaders in the Texas Legislature have declined to continue funding for full-time virtual learning in 2021-22 for all Texas public schools, eliminating the option for virtual learning for millions of public school students at thousands of campuses like ours across the state. We are closely monitoring all potential developments and will provide family updates as new developments may occur. In the meantime, we are eagerly looking forward to greeting all of our scholars back in person when the 2021-22 school year begins.

 

 

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TRANSITION HELP: Many of our students will be returning to campus for the first time in a long time this fall. For some of our youngest students, it will be their first time coming to campus ever. So we’ve developed a comprehensive transition plan that focuses on helping students regain possible academic losses from the past two years, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) support, increasing access to campus behavioral counselors, and a behavior intervention system that rewards good choices.

 

 

RETURN OF EXTRACURRICULARS & SPORTS: With proper safety precautions, Harmony students will be able to participate in a full range of in-person extracurricular activities this fall, including sports and other interschool competitions. We’ll also continue to offer many of the clubs and activities that students enjoyed last school year. Keep an eye on the Clubs page of your campus website for more information on activities offered at your Harmony campus.

 

 

MODIFIED CAMPUS SANITATION PROTOCOLS: Health experts have learned a lot about how COVID-19 spreads since the start of the pandemic. So with all of our learners returning to campus this fall, we have modified some of our safety procedures and eliminated others to comply with the most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Texas Education Agency. Chief among those changes is a reduced social distance requirement in some indoor settings, a change in mask recommendations for outdoor activities, and the opportunity for visitors and volunteers to come to campus again under certain circumstances (at principal’s discretion). Look for more complete details on these and other COVID-related guidelines in the coming days in our “Back to School Playbook.”

 

 

MASKS OPTIONAL: According to an order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, public schools are no longer allowed to require their students or team members to wear masks. Instead, masks are optional for both students and team members. Currently, the CDC strongly recommends masks for unvaccinated individuals ages 2 and older. (Ages 12 & Up: Find a free and convenient vaccine clinic near you.) Harmony will continue to offer masks for those who request them.

 

As you can see, helping our students move forward from the past two years both academically and social-emotionally will be key goals of the 2021-22 school year. We appreciate your ongoing support in this critical effort and will provide you more details soon.

 

 

Thank you for being a member of our Harmony Public Schools family.

 

 

We can’t wait to see you this fall!

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Welcome Back to School HSI-Katy!

The 2021-2022 School Year is just around the corner and we would like to welcome all stakeholders to join our Back to School Orientation.
Please pay close attention to the following times for our 2021-22 School Year Orientation:
Date: August 7th, 2021
Time: High School: 9:00am -12:30pm
Middle School: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Topics will include:
Learning Management Systems (Schoology)
Academic Resources
Schedule
Honors Programs and Eligibility Criteria
Uniforms
Lunch Applications
Homevisits & Extra Curricular Activities
School Core Values
Gifted and Talented Program
ESL & SPED Services
Orientation Day Package
TSI and High School Programs
We will also be holding out Meet the Teacher and Staff Day August 12, 2021 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to meet our wonder teachers and administrators as we welcome back our students and prepare families by answering any questions you may have.
Phone Line Update: Thank you for your patience with our phone lines, an engineer has been assigned to correct the problem and has promised to have our main office line operational before school is in session.
Attached is our anticipated supply list for the upcoming school year.
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Please join us for the Harmony Public Schools S/W District Safety Meeting on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, at 9:00 A.M.

Zoom Link: https://harmonytx.zoom.us/j/89838569818?pwd=Ty8vazN2Q1EwUitkME5OL0E2WHhJQT09

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Summer Meal Announcement

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Harmony Public Schools announces compensation increases for all teachers, team members

The Harmony Public Schools Executive Board unanimously approved a systemwide compensation increase for its 4,000+ teachers and team members across Texas.

Harmony teachers and other education professionals will receive between $4,000-$7,500 per year in additional compensation beginning the 2021-22 school year for a total annual system investment of roughly $15 million.
“The obstacles our schools have overcome the past two years have shown the profound impact that highly-qualified, highly-dedicated teachers can have on positive student outcomes,” Harmony CEO Fatih Ay said. “Opportunities like this are just one way we are showing our appreciation for all that our team members have contributed the past two years and for all the hard work still to come.”

The compensation increase comes in two parts:

A $2,000-$5,500 base pay increase for teachers and education professionals. The exact amount varies by community based on local market pay scales (see chart below).

A $2,000 across-the-board “Acceleration Stipend” for all teachers and professional employees.

All non-exempt (i.e. hourly) employees also will receive a raise of at least $1/hour, with some employees receiving $2/hour or more increases depending on position and location. With these increases, no full-time hourly worker in the Harmony system will earn less than $15/hour.

The increase was the third occasion in the past two school years in which Harmony announced a major improvement to employee compensation and benefits.

In January 2021, Harmony announced a sweeping upgrade of its employer-paid benefits that provided free vision and dental plans to all full-time employees, introduced matching retirement plan contributions for 403(b) and (457(b) participants, and increased life insurance payouts from $20,000 to $100,000.

In Summer 2019, Harmony also announced statewide base pay increases for employees ranging from $3,500-$5,000, as well as additional stipends for teachers working in hard-to-staff subjects.

Harmony also was selected by the Texas Education Agency in 2020 among its first round of Teacher Incentive Allotment recipients, which provided annual bonuses for a select group of high-performing educators.

“Our teachers are always looking for new ways to invest in their students, so it’s important to Harmony as a school system to always find new opportunities to invest in our teachers,” Ay said. “Whether its compensation or benefits increases like these, or professional development opportunities that help team members grow their personal skillset or advance their careers, we believe that an investment in our people is among the best investments we can make.”

Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide public charter school system with campuses serving PreK-Grade 12 students in 23 cities across the state, including Greater Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Odessa, Bryan, Beaumont, and the Rio Grande Valley. Harmony’s curriculum places a heavy focus on STEM skills, Character Education, project-based learning, and college readiness.

Harmony Public Schools is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year for both students and team members.

About Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools are 58 high performing PreK-12 college preparatory charter schools throughout Texas. Harmony blends the highest standards and expectations, with a rigorous math- and science-centered curriculum and dedicated and engaged teachers and families to cultivate excellence and prepare students to succeed in college, careers and life. At Harmony Public Schools, we believe every child can succeed, and we are committed to helping them realize their full potential. To learn more about Harmony Public Schools and our 58 campuses across Texas, please visit: www.harmonytx.org, and follow us on Twitter at @HarmonyEdu and ‘Like’ us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas.

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Summer Meals Announcement

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Technology Return

Dear HSI-Katy Parents and Students,

As a reminder, today is the last day of school, thanks to everyone for helping make this a successful year! Technology drop-offs will begin tomorrow 5/27/2021.

 

All technology items borrowed from the campus must be returned. Please see the information below:

The following items must be returned to campus:

· Chrome books

· Hot spots

· Chargers

·  Laptops

· Calculators

· Headphones

 

We will begin collecting the above items on:

June 1st – Tuesday — 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

June 2nd – Wednesday — 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

June 3rd – Thursday — 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

June 4th – Friday — 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

Before Arriving at the campus:

·       Returning items: Place items in a Ziploc or sealed bag. Clearly label the bag with your student’s last & first name and grade level.

·       Items in Trunk: Place bag in your trunk.

 

Arriving to campus:

Enter HSI-Katy from 99 and Grand Corner. Please, go to the front office and turn in any technology items. Thank you!

If you are an AP student AND testing in June, your technology items will need to be returned by June 18th between 9:00 am -4:00 pm to the front office. Please wear a mask.

For theft or damage or if accessories were not included, the student will be responsible for reimbursing the district for the repair costs listed below.

Chromebooks

  • Screen – Up to $90 depending on the device model
  • Keyboard/touchpad – Up to $60 depending on the device model
  • Power cord – Up to $35 depending on the device model.
  • Full replacement – Up to $332 depreciation value from Asset system

CTE Laptops

  • Full replacement – $1,625

Hotspots

  • Full replacement – $150

Headphones

  • Full replacement – $22.46

*Failure to turn in a Chromebook will result in the student being charged the full current market value for a new one (Up to $332, depending on the device model). Additionally, a report of stolen property with the local law enforcement agency will be filed by the school or school designee.

Thank you for your understanding,

HSI-Katy

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Harmony families may qualify for financial benefits for summer food through P-EBT program

This letter is for families with:

• Children who are certified for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
• Children who attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 (P2) school that offers free meals to all students.*
• Children born after Aug. 1, 2014, in families who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.
*Contact your child’s school if you have questions about the school’s participation in these programs.

If you do not meet at least one of the requirements listed above, your child is not eligible for the P-EBT benefits described below.

Enrolled students (up to 21 years of age) in families that temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals for the 2020–2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT). P-EBT benefits can be used to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Lone Star Card.

The application for P-EBT will open June 2, 2021. Go to yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT to apply.

The application link is case-sensitive. The deadline to apply is Aug. 13, 2021.

Who Needs to Apply?
A parent/guardian must apply if eligible child is:

o Enrolled in K-12 and NOT part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one
month between August 2020 and June 2021.

o Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for the first time during the 2020–2021 school year in May or June 2021.
• A parent/guardian does not have to apply if eligible child is:
o Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and April 2021.
o Born after Aug. 1, 2014, and is part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.
For more information about eligibility, applying and getting your P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–6
p.m. Central time.

Esta carta es para las familias con:
• Niños que están aprobados para recibir comidas gratuitas o a precio reducido a través del Programa Nacional de Almuerzos Escolares (NSLP).
• Niños que asisten a una escuela beneficiaria de la Cláusula de Elegibilidad Comunitaria (CEP) o a una escuela de la Cláusula 2 (P2) que ofrece comidas gratuitas a todos los estudiantes.*
• Niños nacidos después del 1 de agosto de 2014 en familias que recibieron beneficios de SNAP durante al menos un mes entre octubre de 2020 y junio de 2021.
*Comuníquese con la escuela de su hijo si tiene preguntas sobre la participación de la escuela en estos programas.
Si usted no cumple con al menos uno de los requisitos mencionados anteriormente, su hijo no puede recibir los beneficios de P-EBT descritos a continuación.

Estimado padre o tutor,

Los estudiantes matriculados (hasta los 21 años de edad) de familias que perdieron temporalmente el acceso a las comidas escolares gratuitas o de precio reducido para el año escolar 2020-2021 debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 podrían reunir los requisitos para recibir la Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios durante la Pandemia (P-EBT). Los beneficios de P-EBT pueden usarse para comprar alimentos en cualquier tienda que acepte la tarjeta Lone Star.

La presentación de solicitudes para P-EBT se abrirá el 2 de junio de 2021. Visite yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT (en inglés) para presentar la solicitud. El enlace para la solicitud distingue entre mayúsculas y minúsculas. La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud es el 13 de agosto de 2021.

¿Quién debe presentar la solicitud?
Un padre o tutor deberá presentar la solicitud si el niño que reúne los requisitos:
o Está matriculado en K-12 y NO pertenece a una familia que recibió beneficios de SNAP durante al menos un mes entre agosto de 2020 y junio de 2021.
o Nació el 1 de agosto de 2014 o antes y pertenece a una familia que recibió beneficios de SNAP por primera vez durante el año escolar 2020-2021 en mayo o junio de 2021.
• Un padre o tutor no tiene que presentar la solicitud si el niño que reúne los requisitos:
o Nació el 1 de agosto de 2014 o antes y pertenece a una familia que recibió beneficios de SNAP durante al menos un mes entre agosto de 2020 y abril de 2021.
o Nació después del 1 de agosto de 2014 y pertenece a una familia que recibió beneficios de SNAP durante al menos un mes entre octubre de 2020 y junio de 2021.
Para más información sobre los requisitos, la presentación de la solicitud y cómo recibir sus beneficios de P-EBT, visite hhs.texas.gov/es/pebt, o llame al Centro de llamadas de P-EBT al 833-442-1255, de lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 6 p.m. hora del centro.

 

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HPS Houston South/West District Wellness Plan Committee Meeting & Triennial Assessment

We invite all parents, staff, and other community stakeholders to attend Harmony Public Schools-Houston South/West District Wellness Plan Committee meeting and triennial assessment. The meeting will be held virtually on May 19th, 2021 from 2:00-3:00 PM. We will review our current District Wellness Plan as well as complete our triennial assessment on the implementation of our District Wellness Plan. If you are interested in joining please send an email to cmoreno@harmonytx.org. A link to join will be sent to you before the meeting.

For questions or additional information, please contact Celeste Morales at cmoreno@harmonytx.org.

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Google Voice/Phone Lines Down/Rebuilding Phones

Good afternoon, HSI-Katy Families,

we do apologize for the phone outage that we are experiencing. We are currently having phone issues and had to rebuild our whole phone server. We can currently call people from outside of campus with our phones. However, we are not able to receive phone calls outside of campus.

ETA for this issue to be resolved is by June

If you are in need of assistance please use the following google phones down below, thank you!

Ms. Khawaja
 
Ms. Waheed
Google Voice #: (281) 356- 4351
Ms. Randa
Secretary Google Voice #: (361) 494-1419
Email: randa.mohammed@harmonytx.org
 
Mr. T

Ms. Bala
Email: bvadlamani@harmonytx.org

 

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Virtual Job Fair – May 22

?Mark your calendars?
 
Harmony Public Schools South/West District is hosting a Virtual Teacher Job Fair on Saturday, May 22, 2021, from 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.
 
https://app.brazenconnect.com/a/harmony_public-schools/e/WgjJ7TD
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Kendra Scott to donate 20 percent of jewelry sales to Harmony Public Schools ‘COVID-19 Gap Fund’

 

Harmony Public Schools is excited to announce a new partnership with Texas’ favorite designer jewelry brand Kendra Scott.
As part of the brand’s “Shop for Good” community initiative, Kendra Scott will be donating 20 percent of all sales during a two-day event in May to Harmony’s COVID-19 Gap Fund, which supports Harmony Public Schools students experiencing learning gaps due to COVID-19.

To participate, simply purchase any item from select Kendra Scott stores from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 or online at KendraScott.com anytime May 4 & 5, and have 20% of your purchase automatically donated to the HPS COVID-19 Gap Fund when you use promo code “GIVEBACK-1D9P” at checkout.

To learn more or RSVP in order to receive reminders, visit https://www.HarmonyTX.org/KendraScott.
Participating Texas store locations include (5-7 p.m. May 4 only):

AUSTIN
• The Domain: 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Austin, TX
• Lamar: 3800 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX
• South Congress: 1701 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX

DFW
• ClearFork: 5217 Marathon Ave, Fort Worth, TX
• Preston Center: 8383 Preston Center, Dallas, TX
• Highland Village: 1500 Cottonwood Creek, Highland Village, TX
• Plano: 5800 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX

EL PASO
• La Villita: 6801 North Mesa Street, El Paso, TX

HOUSTON
• Bay Brook: 700 Baybrook Mall, Friendswood, TX
• City Centre: 806 Town & Country, Houston, TX
• Cypress: 9945 Barker Cypress, Cypress, TX
• Highland Village: 2701 A Drexel Dr Houston, TX
• Katy: 23501 Cinco Ranch, Katy, TX
• Sugar Land: 16535 Southwest Fwy, Sugar Land, TX

ODESSA
• Commons at North Park: 2900 Loop 250 Frontage Road, Midland, TX

SAN ANTONIO
• The Quarry: 310 E Basse Rd, San Antonio, TX
• La Cantera: 15900 La Cantera Pkwy, San Antonio, TX

SHOP ONLINE USING PROMO CODE GIVEBACK-1D9P (May 4 & 5):
https://www.KendraScott.com

About Kendra Scott
Kendra Scott is a leading jewelry brand named for its founder Kendra Scott, a single mom from Texas who created a fashion empire by making and selling jewelry from her home. The brand now has store locations in almost every state and three countries (though their headquarters are still right here in Texas). Their founder is also well known for her frequent appearances as an investor on TV’s “Shark Tank.”

About Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools are 58 high performing PreK-12 college preparatory charter schools throughout Texas. Harmony blends the highest standards and expectations, with a rigorous math- and science-centered curriculum and dedicated and engaged teachers and families to cultivate excellence and prepare students to succeed in college, careers and life. At Harmony Public Schools, we believe every child can succeed, and we are committed to helping them realize their full potential. To learn more about Harmony Public Schools and our 58 campuses across Texas, please visit: www.harmonytx.org, and follow us on Twitter at @HarmonyEdu and ‘Like’ us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas.

 

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HSI KATY PHONE UPDATE

Dear HSI Families, we apologize for the wait. Our phones are currently up and running!

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School Culture Survey

Read more
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Society of Petroleum Engineers Presents Career Conversations: Engineering

You’re Invited!

Harmony Public Schools South/West District is hosting a virtual career talk in partnership with the Society of Petroleum Engineers. It’s happening on Wednesday, April 7th at 5:30 P.M. Students, parents, and staff are all invited to attend.

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Waiver of the Student Success Initiative (SSI) Promotion Requirements

The purpose of this announcement is to inform our HPS communities about changes to the Student Success Initiative (SSI) promotion/retention and retesting requirements for the 2020–2021 school year. In light of past and anticipated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commissioner of Education has waived grade promotion requirements for students in fifth and eighth grade for the 2020–2021 school year. Notwithstanding anything the contrary in prior policy or procedure, Harmony Public Schools will comply with the Commissioner’s waiver of SSI requirements for this school year.

For additional information, please click on this link to review TEA’s correspondence in regards to the matter: Waiver of the Student Success Initiative (SSI) Promotion Requirements)

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Update for Week of February 21 – 27

All Houston & Beaumont campuses along with the District office will be closed on Monday & Tuesday, February 22-23.
 
Classes resume on Wednesday February 24.
 
All classes will be “Asynchronous-Online Only” Wednesday thru Friday. There will be no in-person or live classes. Students must submit their exit tickets and/or other assignments by the end of each day.
 
Meal Distribution:
Meals will be distributed for three days on Wednesday, February 24.
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Weather Update


Update: All Harmony schools & the District Office in Houston and Beaumont will remain closed on Fri, 2/19. There will be no virtual or in-person instruction, and employees will not report to work.

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Lottery

Lottery has been postponed to February 24 @ 10 A.M.

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Weather Update


WEATHER UPDATE

All Harmony campuses & the District Office will be closed on Wednesday, 2/17 & Thursday, 2/18.

There will be no virtual or in-person instruction and staff will not report to work.

A decision for Friday will be made on Thursday.

Tentative plan for Friday 2/19 – students will have asynchronous virtual learning and staff will work from home.

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Weather Update

Due to the inclement weather forecast & the potential for hazardous road conditions, Harmony Public Schools Houston South/West District campuses will be closed on Tuesday, February 16. All staff will work from home. All students will participate in asynchronous virtual learning.

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