HSS-Austin Tiger Talk
October 4, 2017 - Issue 1
Exploring New Worlds - Keep on Roaring!
A Message from the Principal
Dear HSS Parents and Guardians,
As you know this year we have implemented the use of a personalized literacy program called myON. As an award winning online personalized literacy environment, myON incorporates the following advantages:
- A state-of-the-art learning platform
- Enhanced digital reading content
- Daily news articles are written for students
- The Lexile® Framework for Reading
- Cutting-edge literacy tools
- Embedded metrics to monitor activity and growth
Maximizes reading growth.
myON generates individualized, interest-based recommendations within all learners’ target Lexile® ranges to engage them with just-right texts.
Deepens vocabulary.
Flexible reading scaffolds—audio narration to model fluency, highlighted text and embedded dictionaries—allow learners to develop academic-specific vocabulary in context.
Provides power of choice.
Learners select books from the entire library, choose from a recommended list of titles curated just for them or read from book sets created by their teachers to support instructional goals.
Ever-growing digital library.
More than 13,000 enhanced digital texts from Capstone and over 60 partner publishers, as well as daily news articles, are available.
Authentic texts, books and news articles.
Illustrated and picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, literary non-fiction, informational texts and daily news articles support reading across the curriculum.
Supports standards-based instruction.
The collection includes 70% non-fiction and informational texts and 30% fiction, with 10% of the overall collection consisting of Spanish or dual-language titles.
Available 24/7, year-round.
Learners access myON whenever and wherever they want to read — at home or school, in the library, on the bus and throughout the community — on weekends, holidays and school breaks too!
Online and offline.
Learners can log into myON from any web-enabled device. Free mobile apps allow downloads of up to 20 titles at a time for offline reading.
Concurrent multi-user license.
Multiple learners can read the same digital books and articles at the same time. There is no limit to the number of times each student can read the same book or article.
Encourages family involvement.
Students extend their reading from school to home with their families building a greater love of reading, comprehension and critical-thinking skills.
From their own dashboards, students are able to manage their preferences, respond to the displayed text using writing tools that support literacy development and monitor their own progress.
Also, I am happy to share that HSS Austin students have read a total of 4,743 books and spent 1,115 hours reading, to current date. What a great success!
Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher if you have any further questions regarding the myON program.
Thank you for your support,
Mr. Mehmet Subas, M.Ed.
Principal | Harmony School of Science - Austin
Announcements & Reminders
Student Holiday/No School - Monday, October 9th
Credit Card Lunch Payments Now Accepted!
Parent Teacher Conferences, October 26th - Coming Soon!
HSS-Austin Policy Reminders
As a reminder of a few items regarding campus policies, please review the link containing the Parent Information Packet to review the following information:
- Harmony Student Dress Code
- Visitor Policy
- Absences Policy – Absences – excused and unexcused
- Tardiness to School Policy
- Makeup Work Policy
- Loitering Policy
Media Release Forms
due back to school. If you have not yet signed your student's media release form, please do so and return it with your student or to the front office.
October Calendar
October 2017
10/2 - Go Blue Day - World Day of Bullying Prevention
10/4 - "Don't Be a Monster" Anti-Bullying Presentation
10/6 - PTO Family Game Night 5-8pm
10/9 - No School-Student Holiday - Columbus Day
10/10 - Fire Prevention Week - Fire Truck Assembly 9-11am
10/11 - Donuts With Dads - students invite Dad to school to join you - 8:30am
10/20 - First 9 Weeks Reporting Period Ends
10/23 - Red Ribbon Week
10/26 - Parent Teacher Conference Day - Early Dismissal
Check out our Events page on Facebook!
Academics
October Testing Calendar
Progress Reports Were Sent Home
Parents, please be advised that 1st Nine week Progress reports were sent home last Friday, September 29th. Please review your child's grades, sign the bottom of the report and return it back to your child's homeroom teacher.
Curriculum Information & Online Resources
Parent Connect:
Think Central:
https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com
Username: stuID# (Student ID# can be found in Skyward)
Password: 123asd
ESL Parent Meeting
Thank you to our ESL Department!
Engagement
A Message from Your Engagement Coordinator!
October is Bullying Prevention Month. We started the month off by recognizing Go Blue Day on Monday, October 2nd. Students and staff were invited to wear blue shirts to show their support of this important initiative.
This week we also had a special presentation, "Don't Be a Monster"! The assembly was a presentation provided to our 4th and 5th grade students to instill the importance of being an Upstander vs. a Bystander. The story line involved a student named "Frank" who looked different. Because of Frank's differences, he was not treated nicely by some of the other students in his school. However, Frank did have some friends that made the choice to be an Upstander and support Frank. We were all delighted to have Frank here with us so we could show him some HSS-Austin support!
The presentation was very enlightening and powerful, pointing out that everyone is special in their own way and they deserve to be celebrated. We hope our students enjoyed the presentation and learned the importance of making responsible choices and supporting an Anti-Bullying environment.
Ms. Jearnal Williams
Campus Coordinator - Engagement & Support
"Don't Be a Monster!"
Be an Upstander for Good!
Dabbin' With Frank!
You Are Worthy!
Thank you for Visiting With Us Frank!
Students were allowed to meet Frank up close!
Mrs. Hanvey provided a recap of the presentation.
Some students even gave Frank a hug!
Volunteer!
We need you! Can you help? Community members and parents are encouraged to volunteer at HPS. Every day, volunteers fulfill essential needs especially in the administrative, support and fundraising areas so that HPS's teaching staff can focus all its energy on its young students. Volunteers may be utilized in the classrooms, assisting in the office, library, and cafeteria, or at community fundraising events.
If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up at harmony.voly.org
Home Visit Program
Have you had a chance to sign up for your Home Visit? No worries...there is still time. If you would like to schedule your Home Visit to begin your partnership with your student’s teacher and HSS Administration, please let us know. Ask the front office for more information! Learn more about the PATH PROGRAM.
Extracurricular Activities
After School Clubs - October Payments are Due!
Club Dismissal Reminders
HSS-Austin Clubs Spotlight!
Lego Club
We Live for Legos!
PTO News
Community News & Events
Don't Miss These Free October Events
Girlstart Starry Nights
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Anytime Between
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Girlstart STEM Center
1400 W Anderson Ln.
Austin, TX 78757
Free and Everyone Welcome
(please click the link below)
October 27, 2017 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm
About us
- District: Austin
- Grades served: K-5th
Email: msubas@harmonytx.org
Website: https://www.hssaustin.org/Default.aspx
Location: Harmony School of Science, Stonehollow Drive, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: (512) 821-1700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hssaustin/
Twitter: @HSS_AUSTIN