Our Wednesday Mail for May 16th has been posted. Wednesday Mail contains important school-wide information for ALL students, K - 7th Grade. Please refer to the left side of the web-site for Wednesday Mail. read more . . .

U.S. News has announced the best high schools of the nation. The 2012 edition includes data on almost 22,000 public schools, 500 of which received gold medals.

Harmony Science Academy High School - Houston is ranked #309 in the nation, making the school one of the Gold Medalists. Harmony Science Academy is also ranked 24th within Texas. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Harmony Science Academy is 89 percent. The student body makeup is 44 percent male and 56 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 86 percent.

Harmony Science Academy Dallas is ranked #554 in the nation, enabling the school to receive a Silver Medal. Harmony Science Academy – Dallas is ranked 50th within Texas. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Harmony Science Academy – Dallas is 62 percent. The student body makeup is 48 percent male and 52 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 88 percent.

Harmony Science Academy North Austin received a Bronze Medal. At Harmony Science, the student body makeup is 47 percent male and 53 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 89 percent.

You can read more here.

A segment of the May 13 television news show 60 Minutes included references to Harmony Public Schools (HPS) of Texas that may have left some inaccurate impressions. Please note the following facts about Harmony Public Schools, all of which were shared with 60 Minutes before the show was broadcast: Read more at Harmony Public Schools and 60 Minutes: Setting the Record Straight

HSI is proud to announce that we will hold our first Spring International Festival at HIS on Saturday, May 12th from 10:00am – 3:00pm as our last major fundraiser of the year. The festival will feature activities that will include but are not limited to: cultural performances concert; scheduled craft classes and demonstrations; food sampling and purchase (from vendors); cultural costume/dress fashion show; cultural display boards, and; cultural organization booths with information/services. Admission is $3 for HSI students, $4 for HSI parents and siblings and $5 for all other non-HSI guests (friends, extended family members). Each guest will receive 5 complimentary tickets with admission, and more tickets are available for purchase. Tickets may redeemed for festival activities. There is still availability to reserve a booth, and assist as a volunteer for the festival. For more information on how you can support this fun event, see Ms. Lewis or email her at blewis@harmonytx.org . We hope you will join us!

The HSI Drama Club will perform "The Prince and The Pauper" on Thursday, May 10, 2012 from 5:00PM-6:00PM in the Cosmos Building Multi-Purpose Room. Tickets are on sale during students' lunch times for $5.00. Tickets at the door are $7.00. The play is based on Mark Twain's classic novel of two young boys with similar looks with very different lives accidentally switch places and change each other's lives forever. See what happens when the wrong boy is about to be crowned King! For inquiries please contact Mrs. Render at trender@harmonytx.org.

Our Spring Book Fair is scheduled for Monday, May 7th - Saturday, May 12th in the H.S.I. Library. We will be open daily from 7:30am - 4:00pm and until 5:00pm on Thursday. Families can shop together on Saturday, May 12th from 10:00am - 3:00pm (during the H.S.I. International Festival). See you at the Book Fair!

High-five all HSI's Robotics team members if you see them in their robotics shirts on Monday, because all seventeen of them did an amazing job on May 4th during NASA Early and Early+ Robotics Tournaments and our middle school team - HSiBots-1 - became the Tournament Champion!

Despite all complications and the fact that three of our teams had to re-build and re-program their robots during competition, they all completed their matches with high scores and proved to everybody that they are tough competitors.

Unfortunately, during elimination matches our teams were matched with each other, so only one of them - HSiBots -1 (Faheem, Josiah, Hari, Khiem and Taha), after eliminating HSiBots-2 and Classy Glassy teams, could move to quarter-final and got to compete with other teams, which they defeated with outstanding scores. They also won final match 2-0 and as a result team HSiBots-1 became the Tournament Champios and received two awards - "First Place Robot Performance" and "Team Work"!

Great job, HSiBots -1, way to go, HSI Robotics team! Congrats to Austin H., Brandon T., David F., Faheem Q., Fahad Q., Josiah G., Hari S., Hasham D., Khiem T., Mireia R., Nandana R., Neha R., Sevval E., Taha A., Theresa Kh., Tiffany P., and Vincent Ph.

Harmony Public School Board has approved H.S.I.'s 20012-2013 Calendar read more . . .

The H.S.I Name That Book teams had a great day at the Harmony NTB Competition at HSE on Saturday!

Our Name That Book Clubs started in November---the K - 2nd group had over 30 students, the 3rd - 5th group had about 30 students, and the 6th & 7th group had about 15 students. The K - 2 and 3rd - 5th Clubs met weekly after school and the 6th & 7th group met during DEAR time 3 times a week. In March, we had an in-school competition to determine the Teams that would go on to compete at Harmony School of Excellence.

The K - 2nd Grade Team, led by Mrs. Martinez & Ms. Zapalac, took 1st place . Team members were Cemal D, Gopika N, Jesna G, Daphne Ch, Nathan L (team captain), Gerhen B, and Krishnendu S.

The 3rd - 5th Grade Team, led by Ms. Pamplin, Ms. Ranalli, and Mrs. Quinilty, took 1st place. Team members were Iliana R, Ebube E, Tommy N, Fahad Q, Maryam Helin E (team captain), Imran A, and Blessing A.

The 6th & 7th Grade Team, led by Ms. Wilson & Ms. Schlembach, took 2nd place. Team members were Sena P, Hasham D, Kelechi A, Hari S (team captain), Cat Tuong P, Austin P, and Nawal A.

The students, decked out in t-shirts designed by Ms. Ranalli, had so much fun on Saturday. Congratulations Name That Bookers!

Pre - Order next year’s spirit shirt now! You will also be able to wear them on any day you are allowed to wear jeans this year!

Shirt Color will be indigo blue.

All Pre-orders must turned in by April 18.

Price $15.00 check or credit card only.

Download order form here -------> read more . . .

In celebration and recognition of our school’s tremendous diversity both within the student body and the staff, we will hold our 1st Annual International Festival, on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 10am-3pm at our campus. In addition to solidifying relationships with our parents as well as functioning as our last major fundraiser of the school year, the event will also serve to strengthen relationships with vendors in our community and send the students off to the summer break with great memories.

Admission:

PRESALE $3 for HSI students, $5 for HSI parents, $5 for all non-HSI guests (other family members)
DOOR $5 for HSI students, $7 for HSI parents, $10 for all non-HSI guests (other family members) (those who have paid pre-sale will receive a receipt which will be presented on the day of the event for an entry bracelet; those paying at the door will receive their bracelet at that time)

The festival will feature activities that will include but are not limited to: day-long cultural performances schedule (song, dance, poetry recitation, etc…); scheduled craft and music classes; food sampling and purchase (from vendors); cultural costume/dress fashion show; cultural display boards; cultural organization booths with information/services.

The HSI I-Fest will provide an excellent opportunity for you as a parent to show your support of your child’s school. We would really like to know your ideas and suggestions as well as have you participate in the event itself. Students were sent home with a letter and parent participation survey last week. Please complete the survey and return to the front office by Friday, March 30, 2012. Those students whose parents return the survey by this Friday, 3/30, will get FREE JEANS DAY ON THAT DAY!!!

We hope all HIS students and families will join us for this exciting event.

Harmony Public Schools has received BBB rating again by Standard & Poor's in a report dated March 16th 2012. The report stated that the outlook of the Harmony Public Schools is stable. BBB rating is the highest possible rating for a charter school operator to receive. Dr. Soner Tarim, the Superintendent of Harmony Public Schools, said: "In the midst of national and global financial instability, Harmony Public Schools System has demonstrated its ability to remain financially stable through fiscally sound organization and management. Renewing our BBB rating along with a stable outlook will enable us to save thousands of dollars which can then be used to further advance the efforts of our students, teachers, and staff members".

Do you have a passion for teaching? Houston Harmony Schools are expanding. Come and join our winning team!

Teacher Job Fair

Date: Saturday April 28, 2012
Time: 10AM-2:00PM
Location: HPS Central Office
9321 W. Sam Houston Pkwy S. Houston, TX, 77099

Apply online at http://www.cosmostx.org/employment for campuses in Beaumont, College Station/Bryan, and 13 campuses in Houston.

Dear Parents/Guardians, K-3rd will be hosting two Parent Informational meetings to give concrete details on each child’s required family based science fair projects that will be due on Tuesday, May 15th. Each child and their family will receive a Science Fair packet along with project guidelines/due dates set by their teacher. On May 15th, students will set up their Science fair boards in the Cosmos Multipurpose room and give oral presentations during judging.

Parents are required to attend their child’s designated informational meeting session to learn more about how they can help their child with his/her Science Fair Project. In addition, parents will learn how the project should be put together and the expectations that have been set forth by our Elementary Dept.

Wednesday, 4/4, 8:00am-8:30am, 2nd -3rd grade
Thursday, 4/5, 8:00am-8:30am, K-1st grade
Location – HSI Cafeteria

Presentation conducted by Ms. Z, Elementary Dept. head and also Mrs. Taylor, Elementary Principal

Translators: Vietnamese, Spanish, Chinese, and Turkish translators will be present to answer any questions

15 students from 6th & 7th grade recently participated in a Science Olympiad Regional Competition during which event they received awards in various events and praise for their efforts from the event judges. Our students came home with awards for:

Awesome Aquifers – Manuel G. & Nurettin B., 1st place
Meteorology – Alexandros R. & Cat Tuong P., 3rd place
Microbe Mission – Rita W. & Traci B., 2nd place
Science Word – Rita W. & Traci B., 3rd place

The whole team worked really hard to prepare for this event and their efforts were rewarded with the advancement to the State Competition at Texas A&M. We congratulate all of our team members and coaches and wish them luck in their upcoming event.

• Tuesday, March 27th: 5th Grade Math, 4th & 7th Grade Writing Day1


• Wednesday, March 28th: 5th Grade Reading; 4th &7th Grade Writing Day 2


• Thursday, March 29th: 7C Class Math  

This Saturday, Harmony School of Innovation will host students from 4 other Houston area Harmony schools for a day of academic competition. The day will start at 7:30am and finish around 4:00pm.
Students in grades 2 - 8 will compete in writing contests such as Creative Writing, oral speaking events such as Storytelling, and academic contests such as Maps, Graphs & Charts. These events span the curriculum and are designed to complement and expand what students learn in the classroom. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) was created by The University of Texas at Austin in 1910 and exists to provide educational academic, athletic, and music contests.
Students from H.S.I. that are participating in the Meet should have received an informational letter from their Coach. The cafeteria at Houston High next door is where all students will wait for their contest. Please be sure your student is there 45 minutes before their scheduled test. They SHOULD NOT wear their uniform or Harmony spirit shirts of any kind but should be dressed neatly for this special event. PTO will be selling concessions throughout the day or students may pack snacks. Students are free to leave when their event(s) are concluded.
There will not be a closing award ceremony on Saturday, March 3rd. Preliminary results will be posted in the Houston High cafeteria as they become available. Final results will be posted on Monday, March 5, 2012.
Many Harmony teachers and staff are working to make this a special day for all students. A Hospitality Room will be open to these volunteers. Can you help by donating a food or drink item? It is preferred that they be store bought. They can be dropped off to the H.S.I. front office starting on Thursday. We appreciate your generosity.
You can contact your student's UIL Coach or Mrs. Quinilty, squinilty@harmonytx.org, with any questions.

On Thursday, February 23, 2012, the Assistant Chief of Police for Houston Police Department's West Division visited with Harmony School of Innovation CRLP students. While putting our students at ease by telling a few jokes and engaging them in conversation, Assistant Chief Chen spoke to the students about the necessity of ethics when it comes to being a great leader. He closed his presentation by praising our students and reminding them that they are already leaders, even at a young age. Before he departed, Assistant Chief Chen was given a small gift from HIS staff and posed for a photo.

On Tuesday February, 21st several members of HSI-Houston's championship chess team along with administrative staff from both HSI-Houston and the HPS Central Office were recognized for their outstanding achievements. Our newly elected and inaugurated District J Council Member Mike Laster was on hand to not only share kind words about HSI-Houston and Harmony Public Schools, but also publicly present us with a proclamation that was issued by another Council Member, Al Hoang, last November in honor of the STEM Conference. The proclamation listed November 14, 2011 as "Harmony Public Schools Day" in Houston, Texas. After hearing of HIS-Houston's wonderful accomplishments and the words of the proclamation, Council Member Melissa Noriega, At-Large Po. 3, commented that in her research of schools for her own children, she was deeply impressed with Harmony Public Schools and encouraged the four students present by saying that they were the pride of Houston and that all their accomplishments made our city a better place to live. The students and staff present were then invited to take photos with CM Laster and the mayor pro-tem, Council Member Ed Gonzalez.

Council Member Mike Laster plans on visiting HIS-Houston in the next month to tour the campus and speak with students.

To stay up to date on everything happening at Harmony Public Schools, go to www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas and LIKE us.

In celebration of the kick off for Houston's world-renowned rodeo, HIS will be observing Go Texan Day this Friday, February 24 th.
Students are allowed to wear their favorite western gear, including jeans, boots and hats. Items such as lassos, bandanas and spurs are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Also, this day IS NOT a free dress day. Any student not wearing western attire will be required to wear the school uniform. All dress code guidelines will be enforced.

As part of our celebration and observation of Black History Month, HSI students and parents will be treated to a wonderful program, entitled Black Heroes Worldwide: Then and Now. This program will focus on Black heroes the world over, both living and deceased, in hopes of giving our students more of a global perspective of Black culture and history. Two assemblies will be held on Wednesday, February 29, 2012: KG – 3rd grade at 11:45am followed by 4th– 7th grade at 12:55pm. Both assemblies will be held in the 1st floor multi-purpose room of the Harmony Public Schools Central Office Building (behind our campus). Performances include student presentations, a student play, African drums and a step team routine. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

On February 11, 2012 HSI Chess traveled to Austin to compete in the State Chess tournament sponsored by the Texas Charter School Academic & Athletic League. The tournament was held in the State Capitol where 22 middle and high school teams competed.

As the tournament started we began with only one loss after the first round. Alex R. suffered this loss and it would be his last. At the end of the day Alex R. tied for second overall individual having 5 wins.

The first round put us in 1st and 2nd place where we would remain until the fourth round. With fierce competition our teams remained in the top three the entire tournament. At the end of the day Team B was crowned State Champions and Team A took third place. With only one loss and one stalemate three of our players tied for third place individual: William J, Zain U, and Ever F.

We are extremely proud of our Chess teams. They practice almost every day and their efforts paid off.

State Champs – HSI Team B
Alex R. – 2nd place individual
William J – tied 3rd place individual
Gregory P
Antony H
Alex M – Alternate

State 3rd place – HSI Team A
Ever F – tied 3rd place individual
Zain U – tied 3rd place individual
Cat P
Hoang P
Kevin L – Alternate

A new legacy has begun and we cannot wait until next year to defend our title! I am so proud of our boys – they fought hard and deserve the win!! I am honored and humbled to coach such an amazing group!

Since the beginning of this year, Harmony School of Innovation has been continually strengthening its every aspect outreach efforts. Starting in 2012, the school launched its Harmony Hot Topics Panel Discussion Series. The purpose of the series is to provide a forum where relevant topics such as cultural diversity in Houston, health care, drop-out rates and child abuse/neglect are presented by leaders and/or experts in those fields, then discussed amongst those in attendance in an effort to produce solutions to those solutions.

The first installment, which focused on bullying in schools, featured Dr. Alma Allen, Texas House of Representatives, Susan Shaw, director of education for the Anti-Defamation League, Dr. Kregg Cuellar, principal of Jackson Middle School (HISD), Dr. Richard Olenchak, professor and director of the Urban Talent Research Institute (University of Houston) and Phoebe Taylor, assistant principal of Harmony School of Innovation. In addition to providing a platform for students, families and community members to partake in a collaborative discussion, suggestions and solutions that arose from the discussion will be compiled and presented to local and state leaders for consideration.

After registering, the audience enjoyed light refreshments, followed by a lively discussion amongst the panelists that was moderated by Matthew Barnes, the executive director of Families Empowered, Inc. Audience members then engaged in one-on-one dialogue at their individual tables and shared their feedback with panelists. More than 120 people were in attendance including representatives from Houston, Alief and Ft. Bend ISD's, KIPP Schools, University of Houston, University of St. Thomas, the Office of U.S. Congressman Al Green, the office of Texas Senator Rodney Ellis and many Harmony Public Schools administration and staff, including Superintendant of schools, Dr. Soner Tarim and HPS Board President, Dr. Oner Celepcikay.

Harmony School of Innovation plans to hold its 2nd installment of the series in the early fall of 2012.

Harmony School of Innovation (HSI), a local K-7th grade charter school, will launch the first installment of its Harmony Hot Topics Interactive Panel Discussion Series: "Bullying Past and Present: How its different now and the role of research, policy and parenting," which will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Harmony Public Schools Central Office, located at 9321 W. Sam Houston Parkway South, Houston, TX 77099. The purpose of the series is to provide a forum where relevant topics such as cultural diversity in Houston, health care, drop-out rates and child abuse/neglect are presented by leaders and/or experts in those fields, then discussed amongst those in attendance in an effort to produce solutions to those solutions. The results of the panel discussion will then be compiled, published and presented to local and state leadership/politicians. HSI students, families and those from the community will be invited to attend and participate in discussions about these topics. Harmony School of Innovation (HSI) is part of the largest charter school system in the state of Texas, with thirteen campuses in Houston and 38 statewide. Harmony Public Schools focus on math, science, engineering, and computer technologies to provide opportunities for underserved communities. For more information, contact Brittane Lewis at 713-541-3030 or to RSVP, please email rsvpinnovation@gmail.com .

Yesterday our two chess teams traveled to the E-STEM campus to participate in the TCSAAL Regional Chess meet. Our A team held first place all 5 rounds of competition becoming Regional Champions!!

Great Job A Team: Hoang P., Ever F., Cat T., and Zain U.

Our B team consisting of: Alex R., Gregory P., William J., and Antony H. Played wonderful as well.

At the end of the tournament they were locked in a tie for third place. After a heated play-off match our team ended up in fourth place losing by just one piece. As a result of our 1st and 4th place wins both teams advance to state! They will be playing in Austin at the State Capitol on February 11. Congratulations and Good Luck at State!!

Go Tigers!!

Nominations for testing for Harmony's Gifted and Talented program are being accepted now through February 23, 2011. Students K-7 grade can be nominated. The Parent Nomination Forms are available in the front office. Please fill out the GT Parent Nomination Form and return it to the front office. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Cakan at (713)541-3030.

The 6th & 7th grade students at H.S.I. impressed the judges with some of their projects during our annual Science Fair competition. " Peripheral Vision is a very creative project as well as the most thorough in research and testing. The girls are highly knowledgeable of their subject and have clearly spent a lot of time and consideration on their endeavor" commented one of the judges.

There were many wonderful projects and a lot of anxious students in our school cafeteria and we would like to congratulate all of our students who worked so hard on their projects. The students who won special recognition are:

6th grade Environmental, Engineering, & Behavioral Sciences

1st place - Vildan C.
2nd place - Michelle D.
3rd place - Cellyna V.
Honorable Mention - Samantha B.

6th grade Life Science

1st place - Mireia R. & Nandana R.
2nd place - Betzy M.
3rd place - Neiima M.
Honorable Mention - Zeynep C.

6th grade Physical Science

1st place - Hasham D. & Saeed M.
2nd place - Devin J.
3rd place - Tiffany P.
Honorable Mention - Austin H. & John H.

7th grade Environmental, Engineering, & Behavioral Science

1st place - Eren O.
2nd place - Tasnim F.
3rd place - Faheem Q.
Honorable Mention - Hadis M.

7th grade Life Science

1st place - Cat Tuong P.
2nd place - Hilal E.
3rd place - Azra K.
Honorable Mention - Meryl Z.

7th grade Physical Science

1st place - Monique A.
2nd place - Gregory P.
3rd place - Kimali B.
Honorable Mention - Haley B.

Congratulations to all.

There will be no classes on Monday, January 16th in observation of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Classes will resume Tuesday, January 17th. Thank you!

HOW: Support your child in the American Heart Association's Jump Rope For Heart program
WHAT: A life-saving and educational community service program we are launching in our physical education department
WHY: Your child will help kids with special hearts, learn about how to be heart healthy and feel good
Your child will be receiving a Jump Rope for Heart packet this week in class. The program will run through February 10th when all packets and donations are due.
* please do not turn in cash, we ask that parents collect the funds and write one check to the American Heart Association*
Contact Coach Fry for more details

Dear Prospective Students/Parents,

As enrollment season approaches, we would like to share a couple of reminders with you.

1 - The application period for Harmony Public Schools is between January 10 and March 15 for the 2012-2013 school year.
2 - All applications prior to January 10, 2012 will be considered for the 2011-2012 school year.
3 - Any application received after March 15, 2012 will be placed on the waiting list in the order of the date in which the application is received.
4 - The Lottery will be drawn during the last week of March 2012.
5 – Selected students will be announced by the end of the 1st week of April 2012.

Please note that any application received is only considered for one school year. If your child is not selected for enrollment, a new application must be submitted for each year.

Harmony Public Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, or disability in providing educational services, activities, and programs, including vocational and career technology programs, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (as amended), Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended).

On Wednesday, January 30th, the school round of the National Geographic Geography Bee was held. Of the students that participated, the final three students were Alex R., Austin P., and Nawal A.. The championship round was between Austin and Nawal, with Nawal winning. He will go on to the State Bee if he scores in the top 100 on the Geography Bee Exam.

HSiBots are proud to announce that two of our three teams advanced to the Championship.

One of our teams (HSiBots-1) received the main award of the event - the Champions Award (we had the highest single match score and first place in robot game) and another (HSiBots-3) placed First in Project category. Our third team - HSiBots-2 (Classy Glassy) - was ranked 3rd in Robot Game.

Congrats to all our team members - Faheem Q, Harinandan S, Taha A, Khiem T, Josiah G (HSiBots-1), Tiffany P, Neha R, Nandana R, Mireia R, Helin E (HSiBots-2), David F, Austin H, Hasham D and Vincent P (HSiBots-3)
Big THANK YOU to all parents and teachers who volunteered their time to help us.

GO Tigers!!!

In an effort to teach students the value of serving one's community and country as well as express our deep gratitude to those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces, HSI will hold assemblies on Thursday, November 10 at 12:30p.m. in the 3rd Floor Auditorium in the Cosmos Building in honor of Veteran's Day. The program includes a student presentation on the history and importance of the holiday, a video tribute, and presentations from both Reverend John Hirling, a Vietnam veteran and Jason Williams, a veteran of both the Gulf and Iraqi wars. HSI students will close the program by performing "I am Proud to be American." Parents are invited to attend.

Harmony Public Schools are organizing a STEM Education Conference, which will take place on November 14-15, 2011 at Harmony Public Schools Central Administration Building. You are all cordially invited to this distinguished event. More details can be found here -----> read more . . .

Dear Parents of Students in 4th - 7th Grades,
The ELA Department invites you to an Open House night on:

Monday, October 17, 2011, 5:30pm for 4th & 5th Grades
Tuesday. October 18, 2011, 5:30pm for 6th & 7th Grades

We will start in the cafeteria with important information about reading instruction, our balanced literacy curriculum, the Accelerated Reader program, and choosing great books. You will then get a chance to visit your student's ELA classroom. Our Book Fair will also be open both nights! Hope to see you there!

Our Fall Book Fair is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 17th - Saturday, October 22nd. Daily hours are 7:30am-4:00pm with extended hours on Thursday, Oct. 20th until 5:00pm. Students and families can shop together on Saturday, Oct. 22nd from 10:00-1:00pm. We'll have a great selection of picture books, favorite series, the latest reads for middle schoolers, posters, cool bookmarks, & more. Students that make a purchase on Thursday afternoon from 3:00-5:00pm can enjoy popcorn and punch in the cafeteria. All book fair purchases benefit the HSI School Library. See you at the Book Fair!

All HSI students and families are welcome to join us in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! On Wednesday, October 12 at 6pm in the HSI Cafeteria, students and their families can enjoy Latin foods, family-friendly entertainment, traditional games and learn about the important of Hispanic culture all for free. Don't miss out on the fun – we hope to see you there!!

Our continuing goal, as educators, is to increase our students' achievements. As an effort to get the most reliable results possible, it is very important that students become familiar with the format of the STAAR tests. To enhance the performance of our students on STAAR TEST, Practice STAAR TEST 1 has been scheduled for October 12 thru 14, 2011.

October 12, 2011 SCHEDULE Mathematics:
Grades 3 thru 7- Periods 1 thru 3

October 13, 2011 SCHEDULE Reading Test:
Grades 3 thru 7 - Periods thru 3

October 14, 2011 SCHEDULE Writing test:
Grades4 and 7 – Science test: Grade 5 Periods 1 thru 3

There will be no make-up sessions; therefore it is very important that your student attend school on testing day

Dear Parents/Guardians/Students,

We are pleased to welcome local author, Erica Stidham, to Harmony School of Innovation on Friday, September 30, 2011. Erica's passion for writing began at a very early age and she is going to visit with all students about this passion. She will also do a read aloud of her book Those Silly Sisters - Swimming in the Rain. This event will take place in our cafeteria from 8:15am - 9:15am for students in 4th - 7th grades and from 9:30am - 10:30am for students in Kindergarten - 3rd grades. You may want to purchase a copy of Mrs. Stidham's book and can do so by completing the attached order form ($16 each, checks made payable to Smooth Sailing Press). There is a place on the order form for you to tell her how to autograph the book. Please contact Mrs. Quinilty with any questions, squinilty@harmonytx.org.

Thank you.

HSI's Annual Fall Family Festival which was held on Saturday, September 24th was a great success and lots of fun. Thanks to all the HSI teachers, staff, students and parents as well as Cosmos and HSA staff for chipping in to help or coming to support. A special thank you goes to all our sponsors, especially City Wide Moonwalks for making the largest donation to this year's festivities. For more information on City Wide's products and services, please visit www.citywidemoonwalks.com

Go Tigers!!

4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade parents are invited to a math informational meeting on Wednesday, September 21st. It will be from 5:30 to 6:30. We would like to provide you with the tools to help your child succeed in math this year. The HSI math department looks forward to seeing you there!

Beginning in spring 2012, students will start a new voyage with the launch of the next testing program, called the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR™.

What is STAAR?
STAAR is a more rigorous standardized testing program that will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for elementary, middle school, and high school students. The new STAAR program will emphasize "readiness" standards, which are the knowledge and skills that are considered most important for success in the grade or subject that follows and for college and career.

Harmony Public Schools have released 2011 College Acceptance Report and 2011 SAT Report.

The reports clearly prove that Harmony Public Schools continue to provide high-quality education to Texas children. As Harmony Public Schools, we will strive to take this success to the new levels.

To take a close look at the reports, please click on the names of the reports above.

From Superintendent Dr. Soner Tarim To the Harmony Public Schools Community: A disappointing article on charter schools in this week's New York Times attempts to put Harmony Public Schools in Texas in a context that is not accurate, necessitating this brief response. Many of us at Harmony Schools cooperated extensively with the Times on this story over the last several months, providing documents, interviews, tours and dozens of detailed responses to specific questions in good faith. But, as sometimes happens, the end result was not entirely what we had hoped. See the rest of Dr. Soner Tarim's response here: http://harmonytx.org/news/122/letter-to-stakeholders-on-ny-times-article/

It is the policy of the Harmony Science Academy Charter School to locate and identify any child who contacts or enrolls in the Charter School who may have a disability and be in need of special education and related services, regardless of the severity of the disability, in accordance with its procedures as reflected in the CHILD FIND legal framework of the Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Special Education Process, located at: http://framework.esc18.net/. read more...