Osos Outreach Newsletter
March 30, 2020 - Issue 30
2020 HSI Teacher of the Year
Ms. Westphal!
Congratulations Ms. Westphal!
Happy National Doctors' Day!
(National Today https://nationaltoday.com/doctors-day/)
LUNCH SERVICES UPDATE:
Dear Families,
As the situation with the COVID-19 crisis continues to evolve, so must our methods to ensure our students continue to receive as much support as possible during this changing situation.
Now that the City of Austin, Travis, and Williamson counties have issued a Stay-At-Home Order, HPS Austin is adjusting our meal service and pick-up options.
Beginning the week of Monday, March 30th, 2020, we will offer free lunch and breakfast pick-up each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to roughly 1 p.m. to every child under the age of 18, regardless of school enrollment status.
During these three days, families may pick up a sack meal for that day and the next consecutive day. Example; Monday - pick up meals for Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday - pick up meals for Wednesday and Thursday. Friday - pick up meals for Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
The meal pick-up locations are as listed:
Harmony Science Academy-Austin: 930 E Rundberg Ln. Austin, TX 78753
Harmony Science Academy-Pf: 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy STE 200, Pf, TX, 78660
Harmony School of Innovation-Austin: 2124 E St Elmo Rd STE A, Austin, TX 78744
Our schools may be closed, but our meal services for students are still open for business. Harmony Public Schools is committed to meeting the food and nutritional requirements of every child in our communities.
We look forward to serving you soon!
Harmony Public Schools
HSI Contact Information Update
HSI has new operating hours from 10 am - 2 pm
We also have 3 alternative numbers families may use to contact our front office staff during our new hours.
Ms. Dulce: 737.2284642
Ms. Angela: 512.820.9939
Ms. Iris: 737.228.4710
Austin Family Resources/Recursos Familiares de Austin
Virtual Resources for Science and Social Studies from home!
Google Arts & CultureWorld arts & culture
https://artsandculture.google.com/explore
Brookfield ZooZoo Virtual Tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol84SG0LWPY&feature=youtu.be
Discovery EducationVirtual Field Trip
https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/
Texas State CapitolVirtual Tour and facts about the state capitol
Sample Home Routine
We want families to remember that it's OK if your initial schedule isn't working for you, there may be many interruptions, and not all their work may be completed. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's best to start with a simple routine.
Support for Parent Owned Businesses/Apoyo Para Empresas Propiedad de Padres
Our campus would like to support our HSI families who are small business owners and may be struggling during this time of uncertainty. If you would like to have your business' information posted, please complete this survey to let us know how our community can help your business!
https://forms.gle/BsmZw9edP2z53fks8
Espanol:
Nuestro campus quisiera apoyar a nuestras familias de HSI que son dueños de pequeñas empresas y pueden estar luchando durante este tiempo de incertidumbre. Si desea que se publique la información de su empresa, complete esta encuesta para informarnos cómo puede ayudar nuestra comunidad.
A Note from the School Counselor
SEL Focus - Special Edition
Today's news may be stressful for children to understand and work through. Here are a few resources you will be able to access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhVad8ToCiU
Tippi Toes Dance
We know you're looking for things to do to keep your kids occupied and so they have extended this offer to our HSI families. Click the link for further information!
Teachers will have reached out to you all about hooking up to Google Classroom for lessons and assignments. Below you can also find links to Science and Social Studies virtual tours, field trips, and activities for children to do at home!
***Be sure to stay in contact with the school through Dojo, FB, and Osos Outreach as we will be updating information about reopening, academics, and food services.
We Help Two Socks: Fundraising Updates!
Here's some positive news during these difficult times. Thanks to ALL of you and our amazing community, we sold enough socks to help THREE people get prosthetic legs. Thanks to HSI's efforts, Angela from Tanzania, Rashid from Uganda, and Carlos from Honduras all received prosthetic legs and can walk again! You can see their pictures and read their stories in the attachments.
I'm so proud to be a part of such an incredible and selfless team. HSI always makes "it" happen, no matter what "it" happens to be!
Spring Reading!
We urge parents to help encourage their students to take advantage of this time to read books they are excited about. Read, Explore, and Learn!
You can find challenges for each grade level by clicking the link to our Spring Reading Challenge PDF below.
Afterschool program has a new name - Elite Learning
The popular after school educational program at Harmony Public Schools in Texas is getting a new name – Elite Learning – along with a new look and a new website.
Elite Learning (www.elitelearning.org) is still a part of and under the umbrella of the Harmony Education Foundation. Giving the after-school program its own identity will help parents and other stakeholders more clearly understand that the program is run separately from the school and will allow administrators to better serve students and parents.
Elite Learning is a non-profit organization that offers students a robust curriculum to continue their studies in a safe, fun environment at their own school until 6 p.m. each school day. Although the program just started in September, it already is serving more than 1,800 students across Texas, Director Mike Kahraman said.
“We’ve had a tremendous response from the very beginning, and everyone at Harmony schools has been very cooperative and gracious,” Kahraman said. “To the students in the Elite Learning program and to the parents who entrust us with their children’s care, there will be no change to how the program is managed or to the excellent service their children receive.”
Elite Learning has a new logo – the company’s name displayed over broad, colorful blocks that represent children’s playing blocks and symbolize diversity and inclusion. The new website also has feature called “Let’s Talk,” a portal that allows parents and students reach out directly to Elite Learning to discuss issues, concerns, compliments or suggestions.
“Many of our children come from households where both parents are working, and they truly appreciate the convenience and high quality of care that Elite Learning provides,” Kahraman said. “This has been a superb partnership between Harmony and Elite Learning, and we look forward to serving many more families in the years to come.”
Contact Us
9303 W Sam Houston Pkwy S Ste. 155
Houston, TX 77099
713-900-7173
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) at Home!
March Focus is Self-Management Skills
The ability to successfully regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations -- effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.Best Practices You Can Start At Home:
Stress management – Stress management can occur through a variety of strategies. Parents and teachers should expose students to several different methods through discussion and implementation.
Practical stress management can help students deal with their worries and become more productive, competent and efficient. Here are a few tips for managing stress:
- Manage time
- Exercise and get some air
- Stay positive
- Organize your academic life
- Stop procrastinating
- Take one step at a time
- Spend time with friends
- Water therapy
- Do something you love
Self-Motivation: Intrinsic motivation is a skill that is difficult to teach. Students must develop their own internal push that will keep them moving toward a goal. Having developed a specific goal is a great start to employing self-motivation.
- Give kids some autonomy-give them options and choices so they have buy-in to situations and experiences
- Nurture their interests and provide opportunities for exploration- encourage creativity and out of box thinking
- Let kids set their own goals and evaluate their own accomplishments-give them the opportunity to discuss how they think they're doing
- Give kids an allowance and let them choose how to spend it-can give them opportunities to learn how to be smart with money
- Give your kids opportunities to feel like they are important contributors to the family
Modeling the behavior you are wanting to see in your child will go a long way!
Sources:
Parent Engagement Opportunities
Fundraising for our PTO!
PTO has partnered up with Farmers Insurance to help us raise funds for our campus projects! By clicking on the link provided (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZMKVCF) this will take you to an online survey to receive a FREE insurance quote. For each quote completed, Farmers Insurance will donate $10 directly to our PTO.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact HSI-PTO at hsiaustinpto@gmail.com.
HSI Osos Calendar
2019-2020 HPS Austin District Academic Calendar
2020 Spring Clubs Schedule
Student & Parent Handbook
This year's handbook is now available online! Please take time to review this handbook with your students and use it as a reference throughout the year.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LMg5Kyapq1c6So0l1oxfVlae075SLyyN/view
CONTACT US
Email: achankin@harmonytx.org
Website: http://hsiaustin.harmonytx.org/
Location: 2124 E St Elmo Rd, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-300-0895
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hsiaustin/
Twitter: @HSI_Austin