HSS-Austin Tiger Talk
November 15, 2017 - Issue 3
Harmony Tigers...Changing Trends!
A Message from the Principal
Dear HSS Parents and Guardians,
The first part of the 2017-2018 year has gone by quickly, and it has been a very exciting and eventful time. We have completed our first quarter and are well into our second. I see dedicated and tireless individuals going above and beyond to make sure that great things happen in our school. These acts of service do make a difference and the children, in their own individual ways, appreciate and benefit from those efforts.
Thankfulness & Gratitude:
As we reflect on the many things for which we are thankful, I want to take this opportunity to share just a few of them with you: We are thankful for our students who come to school every day on time and ready to learn – they give us all a daily reminder of what is important and why we are here. We are thankful for the support of our parents in creating an outstanding partnership for our students. Most importantly, we are thankful for the parents that have kept the faith in us. They continue to share their most valuable possession with us, and in most cases work hard and advocate to be a partner in their children’s education, safety and well-being. For this, we are ever so thankful.
We are thankful for our teachers, teacher assistants, administrative staff, lunch room monitors, our health aide, support staff, therapists and administrators who really care about student achievement and have the best interests of our students at heart. We are also thankful for our volunteers who enthusiastically contribute so much of their time to our school.
Harmony Day of Giving - November 28th
At Harmony, we are a family and we want to empower our alumni. Many of our graduates come from underrepresented communities and seek life-changing opportunities through higher education. As a result, we’ve created the HARMONY COLLEGE FUND to provide: scholarships, mentoring, internships and other support services for our alumni to successfully complete their college education. On Tuesday, November 28th, we will have the first annual Harmony Giving Day. We will all have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our alumni by contributing to this effort.
I would like to wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!
Thank you,
Mr. Mehmet Subas, M.Ed.
Principal | Harmony School of Science - Austin
Announcements & Reminders
"We Are Thankful" Dessert Day - November 16th
Parents are invited to join their students for lunch during their lunch period on Thursday, November 16th to enjoy a holiday treat before our Thanksgiving Holiday break. The holiday treat will be provided. We are so thankful for you all!
Closed Campus for Lunch - November 17th
ACC Hands on Science - November 17th
Our cafeteria will be transformed into a full science lab on Friday, November 17th. This event will take place all day. We will have a closed campus for all lunches in order to accommodate all classes and allow the event to continue without interruption. We want to see that all students are able to have a full science experience.
* Closed campus for all lunches *
No Clubs on Friday, November 17th
No Saturday Technology Day This Saturday - November 18th
Thanksgiving Holiday Break - November 20th-24th
A Look Ahead - December Events
Spelling Bee - Friday, December 8th (additional details may be found under Academics)
Winter Concert for 1st-3rd Grade - Thursday, December 14th, 5:30pm
Winter Concert for KA & KB - Friday, December 15th, 9-9:30am
Winter Concert for KC & KD - Friday, December 15th, 10-10:30am
Winter Concert for 4th-5th Grade - Friday, December 15th, 5:30pm
Teacher Breakfast (3rd-5th Grade families) - Wednesday, December 13th
Winter Holiday Break - Wednesday, December 20th-Wednesday, January 3, 2018 (Staff Development Wednesday, January 3rd)
Students Return to School - Thursday, January 4th, 2018
Harmony 2017-2018 School Year Calendar - Mark Your Calendars
https://www.hssaustin.org/webshare/web/acalendar/academic_calendar.pdf
Credit Card Lunch Payments Now Accepted!
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.
November Calendar
November 2017
11/3 - Student Holiday / Staff Development
11/6 - Book Fair Begins
11/7 - Gifted & Talented Parent Meeting (returning GT students & parents)
11/10 - Veterans Day Parade 8am
11/10 - Book Fair Ends
11/10 - Movies Under the Stars Family Event - 5:30pm
11/15 - Coffee Talk with Mr. Subas (Kindergarten Parents) 8:15am
11/17 - ACC Hands on Science - Science Lab all Day! (closed campus for lunch)
11/17 - No After School Clubs - Regular Dismissal at 3:10pm
11/20-11/24 - Student & Staff Holiday - Thanksgiving Break
Check out our Events page on Facebook!
Breakfast & Lunch Menu https://www.hsaaustin.org/webshare/web/Lunch/2017/November.pdf
Academics
Spelling Bee (3rd-5th Grade) - December 8th
The study word list will be provided for interested students before the Thanksgiving break for students to review and prepare for the qualifying event on Thursday, November 30th after school during the Spelling club time of 3:10-3:50 in room 136. Students wishing to participate may receive the study word list from 4th Grade teacher, Ms. Smailes or Ms. Williams.
*Students must attend the qualifying event to be selected for the final*
round of the Spelling Bee competition.
Harmony Math Olympiad - Calling all HSS-Austin 5th Grade Students
Curriculum Information & Online Resources
Clever Portal:
Username: stuID# (Student ID# can be found in Skyward)
Password: 123asd
Code Badge: provided by teachers
Parent Connect:
Think Central:
https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com
Username: stuID# (Student ID# can be found in Skyward)
Password: 123asd
HSS-Austin Policy Reminders - Please Review
As a reminder, please review our campus policies. As we enter our 2nd Nine Weeks, we will review and clarify these policies with our students so they will remember their expectations in and out of the classroom. Please click the link below 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
Engagement
A Message from Your Engagement Coordinator!
Our first semester is close to an end. We have had a very busy semester with various activities and events. Last week we enjoyed a campus Veterans Day Parade to salute and give honor to those military officers that have sacrificed their lives and their own families to protect us all. We had a presence of parents and students that represented their family members with a photo while walking the parade route.
All HSS-Austin students were lined up outside of their classrooms and as the Veteran participants walked the parade route through the entire school. As they reached each grade level there was a different song performed by each grade level to greet them. Thank you to all of our family of Harmony Veterans and the participants who made our parade an eventful morning for our students. Enjoy the pictures of our honorable day!
Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving break and enjoy your families! I will miss you all and look forward to the remainder of the school year.
Ms. Jearnal Williams
Campus Coordinator - Engagement & Support
Veterans Day Parade - Harmony Family of Veterans, We Salute You!
Movies Under the Stars - Cars 3
Thoughts of Thankfulness
As we enter into the season of giving thanks, students reflect on their gratitude for all of the joys in their lives. #HarmonyGivesThanks
"My sister, my friends and myself. Also Social Studies because we learn about new things and places in Austin and China.” Sandra, Kindergarten
Holiday Gifting
During our time of celebration and holiday giving we'd like to make sure that all of our Harmony families experience the joys of the holidays. Please consider helping an Austin Harmony family during this season of giving and gifting. You may give directly through the Amazon link below or you can speak to your campus engagement coordinator to sponsor a family in need.
Would You Like to Serve as a Volunteer or Chaperone?
If you would like to volunteer for campus events, helpful tasks or even to be a chaperone for your student's class field trip, be sure to register on VOLY at: harmony.voly.org. Create your account and log-in to view available Harmony School of Science-Austin volunteer opportunities that have been added.
There are new opportunities on the VOLY website:
Hands on Science Event Volunteers
PTO Membership
Message Display Board Helper
STEM Materials Organizer
Please take the time to log in to your account and sign up for a volunteer opportunity that you are interested in.
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. Schedule your home visit with your teacher and let's get engaged! Learn more about the PATH PROGRAM.
Extracurricular Activities
After School Clubs - November Payments are Due
Please remember to make your November club payments if you didn't make it in by November 6th. If you are not going to continue your registered clubs, please notify us via email so we may open the available opportunities to other students. If you need to confirm available clubs please reach out via email. For more information about clubs, please contact Ms. Williams at: jearnal.williams@harmonytx.org
Club Dismissal Reminders - No Clubs on Friday, November 17th
Please note that there will not be clubs on Friday, November 17th. This will be a regular school dismissal day for all students at 3:10pm.
HSS-Austin Clubs Spotlight!
Recycling Club
November 15th is America Recycles Day and our Harmony School of Science-Austin Recycling Club members celebrate by taking the #BeRecycled Pledge! They pledge to reduce and reuse school papers as much as they can and to help our HSS-Austin teachers in this endeavor to recycle.
Every week our students take the time after-school to visit each classroom to empty the teachers recycling bins. Thank you to the Tiger Recycling Club and their Teacher Sponsors, Mrs. Campbell and Ms. Wonder!
#ReduceReuseRecycle #Recycle #DoBeautifulThings #AmericaRecycles
Great Job Recycling Club!
PTO News
Community News & Events
Free Crafts for Kids - Lakeshore Learning Store
Every Saturday, 11am - 3pm. Ages 3 & up, no reservations necessary.
9828 Great Hills Trail, Austin, TX 78759 - 512-241-2885
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