Weekly Mail

There are still several clubs with openings!

The last day to sign up for a club will be Tuesday, October 5, 2021.

Listed below are the clubs with openings:

Monday - Spanish Club, Name That Book, Running Club and Off-Season Volleyball Club (starts Feb.)

Tuesday - Gardening, Fitness Club

Wednesday - The Thread Cafe

Thursday - Sports Club

Saturday - Off-Season Basketball Club

To enroll your student, you must complete this application and make payment with check or credit card. We DO NOT accept cash.

You can pay for clubs by visiting or calling our front office (832)-532-0728.

Parents must pick up students promptly at 5 pm after club dismissal. Please make arrangements to ensure students are off campus by school closing time, 5:00 pm. If a student is picked up late more than two (2) times, he or she may not be able to continue in the club.

HSE-SL Spanish Club meets on Mondays from 4-5 p.m. to help enrich understanding of the Spanish Language, culture and people by offering a relaxed and fun atmosphere to encourage students to express themselves freely. Spanish club is open to all students who attend HSE-SL. Questions about Spanish Club should be directed to Sra. Guillen, Club sponsor, lguillen@harmonytx.org

Please enroll your student now, we still have some spots available.

Our first grading period will end Oct. 14. Please make sure your students turn in late or missing assignments by their teachers' classroom deadlines to ensure their grades are as strong as possible on their first report card of the 2021-22 School Year. Work needs to be turned in several days prior to Oct. 14 to give teachers ample time to grade the assignments. Please refer to each teacher's syllabus for late or missing work policies.

We are getting ready for our PSAT that will take place Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 8:30am - 12pm. The Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT/NMSQT® (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), is a practice version of the SAT exam. The purpose of the PSAT is to establish a starting point in terms of college and career readiness as students transition to high school. Score reports will be sent out to your home address. For more information on the PSAT and how to prepare for the test click here. Make sure to eat a good breakfast!

Questions? Email our Testing Coordinator, Mrs. Guillen, lguillen@harmonytx.org.

Our eighth-grade class is selling Boo! Grams from Sept. 30 through Oct. 22. Students may purchase the Boo! Grams for $1 each during their lunchtimes.

A Boo! Gram is a note with some candy attached that students can have delivered to classmates or staff members Oct. 29. The proceeds will be used to sponsor a school dance the evening of Oct. 29. More details to come!

Cash only, please! Questions? Email Mrs. Williams at vproo@harmonytx.org.

Fill out the Household Income form on Skyward by October 4th and your student will be eligible for free-dress Friday on October 8th! Please contact our Child Nutrition Assistant, Hira Waris, hwaris@harmonytx.org for any additional questions.

Saturday practice for Unity: Cheer and Dance Troupe will be from 2-4:30 pm on October 2, 2021 in the gym. Practice is mandatory for all members. Questions? Email Mrs. Baty, sbaty@harmonytx.org.

Spelling Bee information is going out September 30th! Please keep an eye out in the email provided and your student email. If you do not receive the information please email Ms. Espinoza, despinzoa@harmonytx.org, by October 4, 2021. Good Luck!

Pratham Uchila - 8C, represented Harmony School of Excellence - Sugar Land in the Inter-School Chess competition conducted at Nimitz High School on Saturday Sep 25th. There were 91 players across 6 sections. He played in the advanced section and won all 4 of his rounds to take home the first place trophy. Way to go Pratham!

Dear HSE-Sugar Land Parents/Guardians:

As you may know, all campuses within our district are focusing on character development and

are pursuing the Character.org certification. Last year, our campus received an Honorable

Mention, meaning we are super close to becoming a state-designated School of Character. This is

a lengthy process that involves many steps; there are 11 principles, and each one has several

components. The PRIDE Team has decided to break down each principle into actionable, weekly

items for campus focus.

Principle 1: Core values are defined, implemented, and embedded into school culture.

1.1: Stakeholders in the school community select or agree to core values.

We are going with the Mustang PRIDE values we have been using for the last several

years. PRIDE is an acronym that stands for Purpose, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and

Empathy.

1.2: Core values guide every aspect of school life.

The language of the PRIDE values guide us in all we do; it is who we are. Whether it is in the

classroom, at lunch, in the hallways, or at school events, we live our values.

1.3- Reminders and statements of core values are visible throughout the school community.

Now that we are back on campus, look for these visible reminders in the classrooms and

hallways. Let us know if you would like to be a part of creating these!

Help us drive the message on our campus! Together we can all shift our culture!

Sincerely,

Ms. LaGesse

Assistant Principal-Dean of Student Culture

Did you know…. that each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American

countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period.

Why does it matter?

With over 5.6 million Hispanics and Latinos living in the United States, Hispanic Heritage is a

meaningful celebration of culture and identity. Regardless of whether someone is an immigrant or not, Hispanic Heritage Month offers the perfect platform for Hispanics and Latinos to recognize and embrace their identity.

Dear Parents,

In accordance with the 40 CFR Part 763 (enacted by Congress in 1986) of the Asbestos Hazard

Emergency Response Act (AHERA). Section 763.93 pertaining to the Asbestos in School

Identification and Notification Rule, Harmony School of Excellence- Sugar Land hereby notifies

all parties of the Asbestos Management Plan availability.

The Asbestos Management Plan is available for review at the administrative office during

regular campus operating hours.

We would like to inform you that there are currently no asbestos-containing building materials at

our campus.

For additional information about AHERA or any specific questions regarding the Asbestos

Management Plan, you may contact the campus business manager, Mr. Ceyhanli at

iceyhanli@harmonytx.org.

Selection for tutorials depends on your student's:

• NWEA MAP scores
• Previous year's STAAR scores
• CBAs or other assessment data
• Current classroom performance

Monday - Math

Tuesday - ELA

Wednesday - Science

Thursday - Social Studies

Tutorials will take place from 3:20-4 pm. If you arrive to pickup up your child prior to 4 p.m., please do not get in the dismissal traffic line. Please park and wait until 4 p.m. to go to the back of the school.

Harmony School of Excellence Sugar Land has partnered with the Houston Food Bank to provide weekend food supplies for students in need. If your child(ren) can benefit from receiving a discreet collection of food every Friday, please fill out this form, and the counselor will contact you with further information.

If you have more than one child, only fill out one form, and you will provide additional information on the permission form that will be sent home upon receiving your input on this form.

*This form is confidential and will only be seen by school counselor.

Dear Harmony Families,

Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott officially signed into law a new education funding bill that will allow public schools like ours to offer full virtual learning to up to 10 percent of our student body enrolled in Grades K-12.

Accordingly, Harmony Public Schools is pleased to announce that it will begin offering a virtual learning option beginning Monday, October 4 for eligible students, as enrollment limits allow.

Under the law, to be eligible to participate and remain in virtual learning, students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Students must have passed the most recent STAAR exams (if applicable to grade level). If student did not take STAAR, NWEA grade-level proficiency is required, AND;

• Students must have earned a “C” grade of higher in “foundation curriculum” courses taken virtually or remotely in the previous school year (ex. Math, reading), AND;

• Students must have no more than 10% unexcused absences during the previous school year, and maintain less than 10 unexcused absences in a six-month period.

Recently, we asked families to log into Skyward to let us know if they prefer for their child to attend virtual learning or continue in-person learning on campus. The deadline to make your selection was Wednesday, September 15, 2021. For those who select “Virtual Learning,” we will cross-checking their student records to determine their eligibility status. Those selected will be notified by their home campus soon and given further directions on how to begin online learning.

For those not selected for virtual learning or who wish to remain in-person learning from campus, Harmony will continue to offer its “remote conferencing” option on an as-needed basis. Under this program, students can learn from home for up to 20 instructional days if they have a pre-existing medical condition, or are forced to quarantine due to positive COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure. Additional days may be granted upon TEA approval with required documentation.

Thank you for your ongoing support and patience as the situation regarding virtual learning unfolded these past few weeks. Whether your student is attending virtual or in-person, we look forward to a great school year with you and your family.

Sincerely,

Harmony Public Schools

(refer to the link for the “remote conferencing” option)

https://www.harmonytx.org/medicalrequest

-----

Estimadas Familias de Harmony:

La semana pasada, el gobernador Greg Abbott promulgó oficialmente una nueva ley de financiación de la educación que permitirá a las escuelas públicas como la nuestra ofrecer aprendizaje virtual completo para hasta el 10 por ciento de nuestros estudiantes.

En consecuencia, Harmony Public Schools se complace en anunciar que comenzará a ofrecer una opción de aprendizaje virtual a partir del Lunes 4 de Octubre para los estudiantes elegibles, según lo permitan los límites de inscripción.

Según la ley, para ser elegible para participar y permanecer en el aprendizaje virtual, los estudiantes deben cumplir con todos los siguientes criterios:

• Los estudiantes deben haber aprobado los exámenes STAAR más recientes (si corresponde al nivel de grado). Si el estudiante no hizo STAAR, se requiere competencia de nivel de grado de NWEA, Y;

• Los estudiantes deben haber obtenido una calificación "C" o superior en los cursos del "plan de estudios básico" hechos de forma virtual o remota en el año escolar anterior (por ejemplo, matemáticas, lectura), Y;

• Los estudiantes no deben tener más del 10% de ausencias injustificadas durante el año escolar anterior y mantener menos de 10 ausencias injustificadas en un período de seis meses.

Recientemente, les pedimos a las familias que inicien sesión en Skyward para informarnos si prefieren que su hijo asista al aprendizaje virtual o que continúe con el aprendizaje presencial en el campus. La fecha límite para hacer su selección era Miércoles 15 de Septiembre de 2021. Para aquellos que seleccionen “Aprendizaje virtual”, verificaremos sus registros de estudiantes para determinar su estado de elegibilidad. Los seleccionados serán notificados por su campus de origen pronto y se les dará más instrucciones sobre cómo comenzar el aprendizaje en línea.

Para aquellos que no hayan sido seleccionados para el aprendizaje virtual o que deseen seguir aprendiendo de manera presencial desde el campus, Harmony continuará ofreciendo su opción de "conferencias remotas" según sea necesario. Bajo este programa, los estudiantes pueden aprender desde casa durante hasta 20 días de instrucción si tienen una afección médica preexistente o si se ven obligados a ponerse en cuarentena debido a un diagnóstico positivo o exposición a la COVID-19. Se pueden otorgar días adicionales con la aprobación de la TEA con la documentación requerida.

Gracias por su continuo apoyo y paciencia mientras se desarrolló el aprendizaje virtual estas últimas semanas. Ya sea que su estudiante asista virtual o presencialmente, esperamos tener un gran año escolar con usted y su familia.

Atentamente.

Escuelas Públicas de Harmony

(consulte el enlace para la opción "conferencia remota")

https://www.harmonytx.org/medicalrequest

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our Safety Team continues to analyze our drop-off and dismissal procedures, as well as to work with the Sugar Land Police Department, to ensure students enter and exit our campus as safely and quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and cooperation to help us expediate these processes.

Here is a map of our traffic flow plan to help you with the information below.

Important Drop-off Information

• Drop off begins at 7:15 a.m. in the back of the school only. There is no drop off in the front of the school or on the sides in the parking lots. Please DO NOT drop your students off in any location but the drop-off zone in the back of the school. Our Safety Officer with the Sugar Land Police Department will continue to monitor drop-off to ensure procedures are followed for the safety of our students.
• In the drop-off zone, please pull all the way forward until a staff member tells you to stop before letting your child out of the car. This ensures students are exiting safely and keeps the traffic moving at a steady pace to get everyone out as quickly as possible.

Important Pick-up/Dismissal Information

• Dismissal begins at 3:17 p.m. for 6th and 7th grades and 3:22 p.m. for 8th grade Monday-Thursday.
• We have early dismissal every Friday: 2:25 p.m. for 6th and 7th, and 2:30 p.m. for 8th.
• You MUST have your car plate to pick up your child. You cannot tell us the number. You MUST show us the plate. You can show us a picture of the car plate, if necessary. If you do not have your car plate, you will need to park and wait until the front office opens at 3:45 p.m. to get a copy of the car plate. Please honor this procedure; it is the only way we can ensure your student is going home with someone authorized to pick them up. Student safety is our No. 1 priority, all day every day.
• In the pick-up zone, please pull all the way up until a staff member tells you to stop to ensure traffic keeps flowing and to prevent delays. Please do not stop if you see your child; they will follow you car and come to you as soon as they are allowed to cross. Please do not call out to your child or motion them to come to you; we know you are happy to see your children, but this creates safety issues because they may attempt to cross in front of a moving car. It also slows down the dismissal process for you and everyone else.

Dismissal Changes, Effective Tuesday 9/7/21

• The interior pick-up lane (closest to the school building) is reserved for 6th and 7th grade pick-up only until 3:25 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 2:30 p.m. Friday. If you are picking up 8th grade or siblings, please use the exterior lane until after 3:25 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. Friday. This will speed up the pick-up process since 6th and 7th are dismissed earlier, and 8th grade is not in their dismissal location and ready to leave until a few minutes after their last bell.
• If you child attends Elite Learning (after-school care), and you wish to pick them up before 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday or before 3 p.m. Friday, please enter our parking lot through the North Entrance at the traffic light and stay in the exterior lane with the daycare vans/buses. Our staff members will direct you to pull into the designated area and then bring your child out to you. Afterward, you can leave directly out our south exit. Please do not go to the back of the school to pick up your child from after-school care; it creates delays as we wait for your child. If you forget and go to the back, we will direct you to park and wait until 4 p.m. or 3 p.m. Fridays to pick up your child.

Walkers

• Students who wish to walk from campus must walk to a residence or parent/guardian's workplace within 1.5 miles of our campus. Students may also walk to Harmony School of Innovation-Sugar Land or Harmony Science Academy-Sugar Land if they have siblings being picked up at either location, or if they have a family member who works at either location.
• Parents must provide a utility bill verifying proof of residency or a check stub verifying proof of employment for a student to walk to a specified address. For students walking to another campus, parents must provide the sibling's name and grade level or name and position of the Harmony employee.
• Students may NOT walk to a vehicle parked near the school, such as in the neighborhoods across the street. Students may NOT walk to a nearby business, such as Valero, Walgreens, or a nearby church. If we are made aware a student is doing this, then they will no longer be permitted to walk from school.
• Walker forms are available at the front office.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email jlagesse@harmonytx.org or tobe.johnson@harmonytx.org.

Thank you so much for your help and cooperation,

Jamie LaGesse, Assistant Principal-Dean of Student Culture

Tobe Johnson, Campus Coordinator-Discipline & Safety

Masks are required for all persons inside Harmony Public Schools buildings and transportation services (ex. buses). If an individual does not have a mask, one will be provided.

For students and staff members who are unable to wear a mask, a mask exception form is available in each parent’s Skyward account. Staff exception request will be collected via Google form.

HSE-Sugar Land is a middle school in Sugar Land, TX, serving approximately 650 6th through 8th grade students. We are home of the Mustangs!

Website: www.hsesl.harmonytx.org
Location: 14228 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: (832) 532-0728
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HSESugarLand/
Twitter: @HSE_SugarLand