HARMONY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
September 7, 2022
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28TH
HARMONY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
3203 North Sam Houston Pkwy West, Houston TX 77038 Tel: (281) 444-1555 Fax: (281) 444-1015
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Friday, September 30, 2022-Hispanic Heritage Celebration( 5:30 pm-7:00 pm)
- Friday, September 30, 2022- GT Referral Form is due
- October 1, 2022- Saturday Academy Will Start
- Tuesday, October 4, 2022-PTO Board Members Election Meeting( 8:00 am)
- Friday, October 7, 2022- LONE STAR ESL/GED Preparation Seminar for ESL Parents(9 am-10 am)
- Wednesday, October 12, 2022- PSAT8/9( 8th Grade Only)
MEET YOUR ESL COORDINATOR MRS. PIRALLA
HST Family,
My name is Maria Piralla the ESL Coordinator at the Harmony School of Technology. I have been in bilingual/ESL education for about 28 years which 6 years has been in Harmony. I have been married for 33 years and I have a husband and son that works for the Harmony family. When I came to this country from Venezuela to go to University, I was an international and ESL student myself. This experience made me understand how difficult is to acquire and become competent in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in another language. Our mission of the ESL program in HPS is to provide EB (emergent bilingual) scholars with second language instruction that will promote English language development and enable them to become productive, successful, and participate equitably in both social and academic settings.
I hope you have the opportunity to attend our Title III /ESL parent involvement meetings to understand in depth how the ESL program is helping our students grow, and how the community can benefit and bring about a successful change in the academic journey of our scholars.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
Looking forward to see you,
Maria Piralla
Email: mpiralla@harmonytx.org
Mi nombre es Maria Piralla, la Coordinadora de ESL de la Harmony School of Technology. He estado en educación bilingüe / ESL durante aproximadamente 28 años, el cual este es mi 6º año en Harmony. He estado casada durante 33 años y tengo un esposo y un hijo que trabajan para la familia Harmony. Cuando llegué a este país desde Venezuela para ir a la universidad, yo misma era un estudiante internacional y de ESL. Esta experiencia me hizo entender lo difícil que es adquirir y llegar a ser competente en escuchar, hablar, leer y escribir en otro idioma. Nuestra misión del programa ESL en HPS es proporcionar a los estudiantes de EB instrucción en un segundo idioma que promueva el desarrollo del idioma inglés y les permita ser productivos, exitosos y participar equitativamente en entornos sociales y académicos.
Espero que tenga la oportunidad de asistir a nuestras reuniones de participación de padres del Título III / ESL para comprender en profundidad cómo el programa de ESL está ayudando a nuestros estudiantes a crecer, y cómo la comunidad puede beneficiarse y lograr un cambio exitoso en el viaje académico de nuestros estudiantes.
Si tienen alguna pregunta, no dude en contactarse conmigo.
Espero verlos pronto.
Maria Piralla
Correo electrónico: mpiralla@harmonytx.org
Hispanic Heritage Celebration
We are celebrating our National Hispanic Heritage Month, and this is a time to celebrate the diversity and richness of our culture! During this Celebration Month, our main event will be the Hispanic Heritage Festival tomorrow, on Friday, September 30th.
There will be FREE food from different Latin American countries, live entertainment, and much more!
We need your help!
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!
PSAT 8/9 WEDNESDAY OCT 12, 2022
HST BACK TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REMINDERS LETTER
Date: 9/27/2022
Dear Harmony Parents/Guardians,
Harmony Public Schools looks forward to educating your children during the 2022-2023 school year. We have prepared this letter to inform you of Harmony’s policies and procedures as they relate to your students’ attendance and academic success.
Please remind your student and keep these important tardy and absence points in mind:
● If a student is more than 20 minutes late to any class, he/she will be counted absent for the period.
● Parents who bring their children to school after the 1st period tardy bell rings, must park their car, enter the building and sign their child in at the front office. Our Student/Parent Handbook provides more information on Harmony’s Tardy Policy
● When your student is absent from school, parents are asked to inform the school. This contact can be made through Skyward using the Guardian Entrance Absence Request. This request allows the parent to submit an absence request directly to the campus Attendance Specialist through the parent’s Skyward Family Access. Once the request has been submitted, the Attendance Specialist will approve or deny the request. This action must be taken by the parent for each absence.
● If a student is absent and we have not heard from that student’s parent/guardian, we will notify the parent/guardian through the contact information on file. For this reason, it is important that you provide us with your latest and best contact information.
● Upon return to school, students have 3 days to submit either the Guardian Entrance Absence Request or provide a note of excuse that has been signed by their parent/guardian or the medical provider. The note must describe the reason for the absence.
● Our Student/Parent Handbook provides a list of excused and unexcused absences.
Please refer to our 2022-2023 Student/Parent Handbook for additional information. We encourage our students to attend school on a regular basis to achieve academic success.
Sincerely,
Mr. Huseyin Topcu
HSTechnology Principal
There are some extra 2021-2022 yearbooks available for purchase for $35(REVTRAK). First come, first served.
Questions? Email Mrs. Tas at aysetas@harmonytx.org
In accordance with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented students, Harmony School of Technology started taking referrals for newly enrolled students 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, on the school’s website, and on the following links:
Parent GT Referral Form in English
Parent GT Referral Form in Spanish
Online Parent GT Referral Form Link: https://forms.gle/QEkYUvoxM3pmU2AEA
Parent GT Referral Form to Print: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qsWBChbXHwrWyDr8hf4t_mXAMOE1_WAA/view?usp=sharing
Referral Form is due September 30, 2022.
If you have any questions, please contact our campus GT Coordinator, Ms. Ergul at eergul@harmonytx.org.
Thank you,
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 recién 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.
La fecha límite de referencia de GATE es el 30 de septiembre de 2022 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.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FROM OUR DEAN OF CULTURE, MS. JOHNSON
DROP-OFF and PICK-UP TIMES
No student drop-off is allowed before 7:00 AM. Please do not drop off your student(s) at the school before 7:00 am. If students arrive after 7:45 AM, they are to enter through the main lobby entrance.
Wednesdays are early dismissal starting at 2:15 PM.
On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays - no students can be signed out after 2:30 pm.
On Wednesdays - no students can be signed out after 1:30 pm.
DISMISSAL TIME REMINDER
Student Dismissal starts at 3:10 P.M. and ends at 3:55 P.M. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, dismissal will start at 2:15 P.M. and ends at 2:55 P.M. Please pick up your scholar(s) on time. Multiple late pickups will result in a call to CPS, a meeting with administration, and other consequences deemed by the Principal.
DRESS CODE REMINDERS
Please make sure your child arrives at school in an appropriate dress. Students will not be allowed to attend class until they are appropriately dressed. Shirts must be tucked in at all times. A solid-colored, long sleeve shirt may be worn under the school uniform shirt. “Hoodies” may not be worn inside the school building.
Pants must be blue, black, or khaki pants/slacks and fitted with a leather belt. Inappropriate pants include jeans, cargo style, yoga, joggers, and spandex. All pants must fit properly, be worn at the waist, must be free of holes/tears, and may not be rolled up at the legs.
Student ID is a required part of every student’s daily uniform. Students are required to wear it all day at school. It is used at the Tardy Kiosk if they arrive late to school and in the meal line at breakfast or lunch.
In an effort to improve the safety measures currently in place, HST requires all school students to use clear backpacks.
It is the responsibility of both the student and the parent/guardian to ensure that the student is dressed appropriately for the school day and follows the dress code.
Please refer to the handbook link below and refer to the information starting on pages 22-24.
CLEAR BACKPACKS ENFORCED
Parents, HST will be enforcing all students to wear a clear backpack effective Wednesday, September 28th for safety reasons. If a student comes to school without a clear backpack, the following consequences will be taken:
Verbal warning to the student
Out of dress code violation form(for backpack)
Parent phone call
CELLPHONES & ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Cellphones and electronic devices must be turned off and submitted to their first-period teacher to be kept in a Secure Phone case. Student late arrivals should submit their phone/electronic devices to the front office staff to place in their proper section phone case. The following link can be viewed of the new Cellular/Electronic Phone Policy and its consequences: HST CELL PHONE POLICY 2022-2023
ATTENDANCE MATTERS-EVERYDAY
Please ensure your scholar arrives on time(by 7:45 AM) every day. Classes start promptly at 7:45 AM.
FRONT OFFICE HOURS
The front office is open from 7:30 until 4:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
On Wednesdays, it will be open from 7:30 until 3:30 pm.
DISCIPLINE EXPECTATIONS
If any student receives an OSS, ISS, or 25 or more RP points within the semester(August-December) or ( January-May), they will not be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities or field trips.
SPIRIT SHIRT/COLLAGE SHIRTS & JEANS ON FRIDAYS
On Fridays, students may wear only Technology's last year's and this year's( coming soon) spirit shirt (only) with jeans. Students must wear their uniforms with uniform bottoms (not jeans) on Fridays if they do not have a spirit shirt. If students do not have a school spirit shirt, they may wear any kind of college shirt with jeans. Jeans should not have holes, rips, or tears in them.
Parents/guardians will be called to bring a change of clothes if students wear their uniforms with jeans, previous spirit shirts, or any t-shirt/shirt with jeans on Fridays.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS
HPS HOME VISIT PROGRAM
Harmony Public Schools implemented home visits over a decade ago now called the HPS PATH program (Parent and Teacher Home visits). We are proud to announce that all six districts and 58 campuses are active participants in the HPS PATH Program.
Home visits are intended to develop a positive and impactful relationship with families. This is an opportunity to get to know you and your child in the comfort of your own home. Time is taken to share your Hopes & Dreams for your student, academic expectations, and share school resources. Home visits are not parent/teacher conferences. They are meant to “get to know each other” and to build a viable relationship for the academic benefit of your student.
Studies show that this program has increased student academic achievement and improved parent engagement in schools. It has brought teachers and families closer together and created opportunities for better communications between home and school.
We are excited about the HPS PATH Program and look forward to meeting with you and your student!
BENEFITS OF HOME VISITS
STUDENTS
- Students whose parents agree to home visits have better behavior and conduct
- Exceptional academic performance
- Higher standardized test scores
- Better ease at learning, and trust of their teacher.
- Forms a higher level of respect for teachers, themselves, and others.
PARENTS
- Creates a trusting bond between the teacher and parent.
- Parents feel confident that their child’s future is in the hands of teachers who go beyond the call of duty to guarantee each student’s prosperity.
- Parents are informed of their child’s progress at all times.
- Allows parents to become a part of the school environment.
TEACHERS
- Teachers feel confident knowing that they can provide students with the utmost assistance in their academic journey.
- The teachers mainly benefit from the genuinely good feeling they have after watching the student’s that they taught succeed throughout their life.
- "With all the students, once they come back to the class their demeanor changes, their attitude changes. They feel a connection to you.“
Questions? Email Mrs. Tas at aysetas@harmonytx.org
All menus are now available on Harmony.nutrislice.com
we will no longer be sending out monthly menus.
HST ADMIN & COORDINATOR TEAM
Please contact us if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
If you have any questions regarding our programs, please contact the correct coordinator.
- Principal – Huseyin Topcu– htopcu@harmonytx.org
- Director of Program– Mehmet Cellik - mcellik@harmonytx.org
- Director of Student Culture –Deirdre Jhnson- djohnson@harmonytx.org
- Instructional Coach- Cali Nguyen- cali.nguyen@harmonytx.org
- Instructional Coach-Jennifer Thompson- jennifer.thompson@harmonytx.org
- Business Manager - Samra Didic- sdidic@harmonytx.org
- Student Success and Engagement Coordinator & 8th Grade Transition Counselor – Ayse Tas- aysetas@harmonytx.org
- ESL Coordinator – Maria Piralla- mpiralla@harmonytx.org
- GT/STEM Coordinator - Elif Ergul- eergul@harmonytx.org
- Special Education Coordinator – Moya Gayle mgayle@harmonytx.org
- Testing & Federal Programs Coordinator-Lela Kent lkent@harmonytx.org
- Behavioral counselor- Jessina Tom jtom@harmonytx.org
The Purpose of This Newsletter
The purpose of this newsletter is to create an effective communication channel between school and home.
Parents will continue to receive this email every Wednesday with the most recent announcements and updates..
Please review this with your scholars weekly.