Harmony Connection - Secondary District Newsletter

Superintendent's Message - September 2023

Hello Harmony North Texas Community!

As we start a new month, I am proud to announce that U.S. News & World Report has named all eight of Harmony Public Schools’ high schools in its North Texas District among its top high schools in America in its highly-anticipated annual rankings of U.S. public schools. Moreover, two of our North Texas high schools -- Harmony Science Academy-Carrollton and Harmony Science Academy-Euless -- have been ranked as the #1 high school in their respective cities!

This achievement is a testament to the incredible dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment of our entire school community. It is a reflection of the outstanding efforts put forth by our exceptional students, the support of our engaged parents, and the guidance of our talented teachers.

Speaking of our teachers -- I am also thrilled to announce that more than 200 teachers in Harmony's North Texas District have received bonuses equaling $1.9 million as part of the Texas Educations Agency's Teacher Incentive Allotment, a special fund created to reward the state’s highest-performing teachers. The recognition means that approximately 212 Harmony teachers across North Texas saw up to $23,579 in additional salary in their paychecks.

Here in our Secondary District, 95 of those teachers are receiving the TIA bonus with a total payout of nearly $1 million! Of those, 26 teachers received "Master" designation (43 for the entire North Texas District) and will earn the maximum allotment for their extraordinary efforts in helping boost student achievement.

This well-deserved recognition is yet another example of the tireless efforts of our teachers in nurturing their students' intellectual growth, providing a quality education, and fostering a love for learning permeates every aspect of our school community. And I am grateful for each and every one of them.

I am so happy to be able to share these celebrations with you as we begin the first full month of the school year. While we still have a lot of work ahead of us, I am sure there will be many more successes and celebrations to come.

For now, please know how honored I am to be a part of this community, and to partner with each of you on this journey. Let's continue to strive for excellence and make our District a beacon of inspiration for others.

Thank you for choosing Harmony, and I wish you all a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend!

Harun Karan

Area Superintendent | Secondary

Harmony Public Schools North Texas

ACADEMIC CALENDARS

Dallas/Fort Worth Academic Calendar

Waco Academic Calendar

SEPTEMBER DATES TO NOTE:

Sept. 4: Labor Day: (All Campuses and District Office Closed)

Sept. 18: Student Holiday (Campus PD Day)

Sept. 10-16: National Arts in Education Week

Sept; 15-Oct. 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month

Sept. 23: Education Technology Day

Sept. 29: National Teacher's Assistant Day

Parents: Be on the lookout for news from your child's campus regarding campus events, as well as celebrating and recognizing special monthly calendar observances.

CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS

Solar Car Challenge Honors for HSI-Fort Worth Senior

Congratulations to Harmony School of Innovation-Fort Worth's Christopher Chagoya for bringing home the Jeff Barrett Solar Car Spirit Award! Christopher was part of the school's team that built and drove a solar car to California over the summer as part of the Solar Car Challenge. The Spirit Award is given by the Solar Car Challenge Foundation. To be considered for the award, a student must show that they:

unselfishly supported their own team;
supported the efforts of other teams at scrutineering or during the race;
represented their team with distinction.

Congratulations to Christopher on this amazing honor!

HSA-Carrollton Senior Named to Rising Leaders Cohort

Harmony Science Academy-Carrollton junior Maya M. has been accepted into the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools' Rising Leaders Initiative. As one of only ten students across the nation accepted into the 2023-2024 Class of Rising Leaders, Maya will train for one year in civic participation, education advocacy, leadership development, and public speaking.

Maya's biography from the "Meet the Rising Leaders Class of 2023-24" website reads as follows: Through her role as student council president, Maya was crucial in guiding her school to be elected as the vice president school for district three of The Texas Association of Student Councils. She has also been involved in other leadership organizations, such as NJHS/NHS, where she contributes to leading and participating in various service-related activities to benefit her community. Outside of school, she has a significant role in a state-wide conference held at the Texas State Capitol for Harmony's Service Leadership Society. Her passion for participating in different organizations reflects her desire to create positive change in her community.

Students are selected from more than 100 applicants to grow their leadership and advocacy skills through intensive programming, team building, and opportunities outside of their school classrooms. Students will receive a year of training and mentorship from policy professionals and various experts. The program was designed to further develop students who have a demonstrated commitment to service, scholarship, and improving their schools and communities.

Congratulations Maya!

HSE-Dallas Class of 2024 Senior Sunrise Tradition

Seniors at Harmony School of Excellence-Dallas kicked off their senior school year with an annual senior tradition on Aug. 25. Approximately 61 seniors gathered in the early morning hours as a way to metaphorically and literally "rise" on their senior year. The seniors had breakfast, played games, and reflected on their hopes and dreams for their futures.

DISTRICT NEWS & INFORMATION

Harmony Offering Free and Reduced-Price Meals to Eligible Students

Harmony is providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the current income eligibility guidelines. Last month, Harmony began distributing letters to the households of the children in the district about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to apply for these benefits. Please be sure to review this letter if you have not already done so. Applications for free and reduced-price meals also are available at https://www.schoolcafe.com.

Asbestos Management Plan Notification

The Asbestos Management Plan for your child's campus is now available for review at the school's administrative office during regular campus operating hours. More information can be found here.

Harmony Public Schools of North Texas is seeking new Community Partners

Our North Texas District has many opportunities for community organizations and citizens to engage with our Harmony community. Here are just a few examples of how you can be a part of our students’ lives:

Career Day Speakers and Presenters
Computer Coding Buddies
Dinner with the Experts
Internships for Students
Job Shadowing
Reading Buddies/Literacy Mentors
School Supplies or other Donations
Tutoring
Mentoring
Scholarship Programs
Afterschool Programs
Summer Programs
Science fair judges

Become a community partner by creating a profile for your organization so that we can communicate your services to our campuses. Or, if you'd like to learn more about Harmony Partners in Education please reach out to District Director of PR & Outreach Rebecca Murry at rmurry@harmonytx.org.

HARMONY ONLINE STORE

HPS Online Store

Be sure to visit the official online store for Harmony Public Schools! You can find everything you need to support your student's education, including uniforms, school supplies, and promotional products. Our online store is easy to use and provides fast and convenient shipping options.

COME JOIN OUR TEAM!

Explore HPS Jobs

Interested in joining our team? Harmony Public Schools offers competitive salaries, great benefits, professional support, and opportunities for career advancement. Current openings in the North Texas District include several teaching positions, as well as administrative support positions.

COMMUNICATIONS CORNER

HARMONY IN THE NEWS

Students from HSI-Fort Worth built a solar-powered car as part of this summer's Solar Car Challenge Competition--the most demanding STEM event in the nation!

Check out their story in this NBC-5 news segment from Wayne Carter's "Carter in the Classroom."

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Harmony is Inspiring Futures!

Harmony is doing so many wonderful things each and every day. So be sure to check out the latest edition of Harmony Public Schools' I nspiring Futures magazine!

You can also visit www.HarmonyTX.org/news and subscribe to the Harmony Times where you’ll find the latest news on Harmony Public Schools!

SECONDARY SHOUTOUTS

Help Recognize Our Harmony Community!

Help build community throughout the North Texas Secondary District by showing appreciation to parents, teachers, or staff!

Just submit a shoutout here and we'll publish it in future editions of Connection to help recognize great things about each other!

TELL US SOMETHING GOOD

Share Your Good News!

We want to help share your good news with our community!

Whether it's news about a student, teacher, school staff, class or event -- we want to hear anything that makes your scholar or your campus shine. Just scan the QR code and let us know!