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Note: This document is intended as a simplified version of our “Harmony Public Schools Back to School Playbook.” For further information or clarification on any topic, please refer to the Playbook.

When is the first day of school?

The first day of school for all Harmony campuses is Monday, August 17. It will be held online-only.

When will campuses re-open?

As of August 1, 2020, campuses are scheduled to open Tuesday, September 8 for in-person learning to those students who wish to attend in person. Families may also elect to continue learning in a virtual setting from home. 

Could the campus reopening date change?

Possibly. Harmony Public Schools is closely following guidance from the Texas Education Agency, public health officials, and others in determining when to reopen our campuses. Our top priority is ensuring the safety of our students, team members, and communities while preserving academic continuity for our learners.

Is anything different about online learning this year?

Yes, quite a bit. Harmony has upgraded its online learning by switching to a new system called Schoology. Through Schoology, students will be able to interact and engage with their teachers and peers in real-time throughout the school day to provide and more advanced and enriching school experience. Families will also have full access to grades, progress reports, assignments, classroom learning materials, calendars, and more from within the Schoology platform, providing a simple one-stop-shop for all things related to their student’s learning experience. Students and families will receive more instruction on accessing and logging into Schoology as classes begin.

What safety measures will be in place when campuses open?

Harmony is instituting a wide variety of health protocols, which are described in detail in the Harmony “Back to School Playbook 2020-2021.” Among the new measures are:

• Temperature screenings for students and staff.
• Requiring all students and employees to wear a mask when on campus or in other group settings. (Students may bring their own mask, or the school will provide them.)
• Limiting average class sizes to allow for social distancing. (Exact class size will be dependent on number of students attending in-person versus online-only.)
• Spacing desks at least six feet apart to maintain proper social distancing and/or installing partitions where students cannot be kept six feet apart.
• Severely limiting classroom rotations/switches to prevent the spread of germs across campus and to limit person-to-person exchanges.
• Staggered drop off and pickup times to limit person-to-person exchanges.
• Modified drop off and pickup procedures (ex. Students going directly to class after drop off and/or waiting in classroom at the end of the day until parent arrives for pickup).
• Requesting all students wash hands frequently.
• Detailed nightly cleaning by contracted company.
• Required Coronavirus Awareness & Prevention trainings for all employees.
• Remaining flexible regarding student and team member absences due to COVID-19, as allowed by TEA guidelines and applicable employment laws.

How do I inform my campus that I would like to continue learning from home or return to campus to learn once campuses re-open?

Parents will be sent a survey in Skyward the first week of school asking them to inform the campus of their choice.

Once campuses reopen, how do I switch between online and on-campus learning later in the school, if needed?

Parents should notify their campuses in advance through Skyward of their decisions to change learning environments. Failure to notify campuses could result in a student to be marked as absent.

What hours of the day will online classes be taught?

Your campus will announce the specific schedule for your student, but generally speaking, classes will be taught online in real-time by their teachers during normal school hours (instructional minutes may vary by grade, according to Texas Education Agency requirements). This is called “synchronous learning.” Students needing to learn outside this timeframe can choose to learn independently. This is called “asynchronous learning.”

How will absences and attendance be counted for online learning?

Students who are logged in and learning alongside their teacher and classmates during normal school hours (synchronous learning) will be counted in attendance when they lo in to learn. 

Student who learn independently through self-guided instruction (asynchronous learning) will be counted in attendance when they meet daily learning benchmarks and/or turn in daily assignments by no later than 11:59 p.m. on the given schoolday.

What will my child need to complete their schoolwork from home? 

At-home learners will need consistent access to a computer and the internet (see next question for more information). Headphones, especially noise-canceling headphones, may be helpful for online learning, but are not required. 

Do I still need to buy school supplies from the campus school supply list?

Yes. All students regardless of learning location (i.e. home or campus) will be completing assignments alongside their peers using the supplies listed by their campus.

What happens if my child doesn’t have a computer to do their schoolwork on while learning from home?

Harmony will supply a computer device and/or internet access for the purpose of completing schoolwork to any student that does not have consistent access at home. These will be provided beginning the first week of August and distributed by drive-through pickups at your nearby Harmony campus.

Will my child have to wear a Harmony uniform for online learning?

Students may choose to wear a uniform if they would like to when learning online, however they are not required to. Instead, they are required to follow the dress code guidelines set forth for “Free Dress Days” set forth in the Student & Parent Handbook. This states:

“Garments must be free of holes, tears, inappropriate wording, logos, messages or advertising. No short, skin tight, or legging dresses, or skirts may be worn. All dresses must have sleeves. Students may not wear low cut, midriff-baring, or backless blouses. Students may wear jeans, but they cannot be tight pants including jeggings, tights or skinny style pants. Clothing items must not depict images of violence.”

Note: This document is intended as a simplified version of our Harmony Public Schools “Back to School Playbook 2020-2021.” For further information or clarification on any topic, please refer to the Playbook.

What do I need to learn from home?

Students will need access to a computer device and the internet to complete schoolwork from home. Students without consistent access to either may receive them from their Harmony campus. Campuses will begin distributing them via drive-through pick-ups starting the first week of August. Additionally, students may find that headphones, especially noise-canceling headphones, are helpful for online learning, however they are not required.

Will I need to shop for school supplies?

Yes. All students regardless of learning location (i.e. home or campus) will be completing assignments alongside their peers using the supplies listed by their campus.

Is anything different about online learning this year?

Yes, quite a bit. Harmony has upgraded its online learning by switching to a new system called Schoology. Through Schoology, students will be able to interact and engage with their teachers and peers in real-time throughout the school day to provide and more advanced and enriching school experience. Families will also have full access to grades, progress reports, assignments, classroom learning materials, calendars, and more from within the Schoology platform, providing a simple one-stop-shop for all things related to their student’s learning experience. Students and families will receive more instruction on accessing and logging into Schoology as classes begin.

Will online learners be taught differently than on-campus learners?

No. All students will be taught using the same material and at the same pace by the same Harmony teacher. In most cases, online learners will be taught simultaneously alongside their on-campus peers, unless the student is taking part in asynchronous learning (i.e independent learning outside normal school hours).

How will grades be calculated?

Grades will be counted on the traditional 0-100 scale. The “pass/fail” grading system that was implemented out of necessity during the Spring 2020 semester will not be used.

What hours of the day will online classes be taught?

Your campus will announce the specific schedule for your student, but generally speaking, classes will be taught online in real-time by their teachers during normal school hours (instructional minutes may vary by grade, according to Texas Education Agency requirements). This is called “synchronous learning.” A sample schedule can be found in the Harmony “Back to School Playbook 2020-2021.” Students needing to learn outside this timeframe can choose to learn independently. This is called “asynchronous learning.”

What rules or expectations are there for online learners?

Synchronous online learners will be asked to comply with the following rules:

• Student’s camera must be on during class time.
• Student should maintain school-appropriate behavior.
• Student should be dressed appropriately. (shirt, school shirt, jeans or khakis are OK).
• Only the student may be visible (no friends or siblings).
• Student’s microphone should be off unless instructed by a teacher (this prevents background noise).
• Students are expected to interact through the Zoom chat function.
• Students must show up on time.
• Students must use appropriate and respectful language at all times.
• Students are asked to use tools such as “raising your hand” (available in Zoom) and the chat feature if you have a question or want to answer a question.
• Student should remove distractions, such as going where there’s less background noise and turning off your phone.
• Student should use headphones, if possible, for increased privacy and better speaker and microphone quality.
• Students should have all required materials for class (books, paper, markers, etc..) nearby before the session begins.
• Students should be prepared to be called on to answer a question or participate in a discussion or activity at any time.

How will absences and attendance be counted for online learning?

Students who are logged in and learning alongside their teacher and classmates during normal school hours (synchronous learning) will be counted in attendance when they lo in to learn. 

Student who learn independently through self-guided instruction (asynchronous learning) will be counted in attendance when they meet daily learning benchmarks and/or turn in daily assignments by no later than 11:59 p.m. on the given schoolday.

What happens if my child doesn’t have a computer to do their schoolwork on while learning from home?

Harmony will supply a computer device and/or internet access for the purpose of completing schoolwork to any student that does not have consistent access at home. These will be provided beginning the first week of August and distributed by drive-through pickups at your nearby Harmony campus.

Will my child have to wear a Harmony uniform for online learning?

Students may choose to wear a uniform if they would like to when learning online, however they are not required to. Instead, they are required to follow the dress code guidelines set forth for “Free Dress Days” set forth in the Student & Parent Handbook. This states:

“Garments must be free of holes, tears, inappropriate wording, logos, messages or advertising. No short, skin tight, or legging dresses, or skirts may be worn. All dresses must have sleeves. Students may not wear low cut, midriff-baring, or backless blouses. Students may wear jeans, but they cannot be tight pants including jeggings, tights or skinny style pants. Clothing items must not depict images of violence.”

At Harmony Public Schools, our top priorities are the health and safety of our students and staff, as well as the academic and developmental growth of our scholars.

In response to the continued spread of COVID-19 in the communities which we proudly serve, Harmony Public Schools is announcing the following revised plan for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

THE BASICS

Students at all HPS campuses statewide will start the academic year on Monday, August 17 in an online-only setting. Classes will continue online-only until at least Tuesday, September 8. During these three weeks, you will receive a survey asking your family to choose the option of either continuing classes online only, or returning to campus for in-person learning after Labor Day, if possible. Harmony will announce no later than the first week of September whether there is a need to extend online-only learning further, or if families who have opted for on-campus learning may return for in-person instruction. Students who opted for at-home learning will continue to learn remotely throughout the remainder of the school year, unless they notify their campus of a change request through Skyward.

All HPS staff will continue to work remotely while campuses are closed, unless a specific and essential job function requires their presence on campus or at an administrative office.

REASON FOR CHANGE

The primary purpose of these changes is to provide a safe educational environment for both our students and staff members, as well as to comply with local ordinances in many of our Harmony communities which specifically prohibit in-person schooling until after Labor Day.

SUPERIOR NEW ONLINE LEARNING SYSTEM, FEATURING ENHANCED STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Accelerating your child’s education – even when learning from home – is one of our core missions. That’s why we’ve spent the summer completely revamping our online learning system to create a more interactive learning environment that’s easier to use for families, better connects students to their teachers and classmates, and – most importantly – promotes academic growth even while our campuses are closed.

With our new Schoology learning management system, students attending classes online will experience a robust academic experience with more one-to-one engagement with teachers through live classroom sessions, regular online office hours, as well as academic tutorial sessions, and intervention services for students who need them.

Students also will enjoy options for at-home, online extracurricular activities — including club activities, and both e-sports and academic competitions — that will allow them to stay connected with their classmates online, even if they can’t be together in person.

Parents will have full access to instructional materials, assignments, grading, calendars, student progress updates, and parent messaging in one simple platform.

Best of all, when it’s time for your student to return to campus, the Schoology system will follow them seamlessly back to campus, making the transition easier for both your student and your family.

Harmony teachers have spent their summers learning the intricacies of Schoology and will be prepared to incorporate it into their learning beginning on the first day of class.

STUDENTS NEEDING COMPUTER DEVICE OR INTERNET ACCESS

For the purpose of completing schoolwork, Harmony Public Schools will provide computer devices and/or internet access by request to those students without access at home. Each campus will have a drive-by pickup option for computer and WiFi access in early August. For more information, please contact your Harmony campus.

MEAL SERVICES
Free meal services will continue to be provided beginning the first day of school. Please contact your campus or follow them on Facebook to learn more about meal pickup dates, times, and locations.

ATTENDANCE FOR AT-HOME LEARNERS

A daily digital attendance record will be taken for all students learning from home, according to Texas Education Agency guidelines and requirements. Those at-home learners not in attendance will be marked “Absent,” as they would if learning on campus.

ENHANCED ON-CAMPUS SAFETY PROTOCOLS

To make sure our on-campus learning experience is as safe as possible for HPS students and staff members, Harmony will institute a broad spectrum of campus safety protocols once on-campus instruction resumes.  Some of the new safety protocols include:

• Temperature screenings for students and staff.
• Requiring all students and employees to wear a mask when on campus or in other group settings. (Students may bring their own mask, or the school will provide them.)
• Limiting average class sizes to allow for social distancing. (Exact class size will be dependent on number of students attending in-person versus online-only.)
• Spacing desks at least six feet apart to maintain proper social distancing and/or installing partitions where students cannot be kept six feet apart.
• Severely limiting classroom rotations/switches to prevent the spread of germs across campus and to limit person-to-person exchanges.
• Staggered drop off and pickup times to limit person-to-person exchanges.
• Modified drop off and pickup procedures (ex. Students going directly to class after drop off and/or waiting in classroom at the end of the day until parent arrives for pickup).
• Requesting all students wash hands frequently.
• Detailed nightly cleaning by contracted company.
• Required Coronavirus Awareness & Prevention trainings for all employees.
• Remaining flexible regarding student and team member absences due to COVID-19, as allowed by TEA guidelines and applicable employment laws.

HANDLING OF COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

Whether screened at school or self-screened at home, the following conditions are considered symptomatic of COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and could lead to a required leave from campus:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste or smell
• Diarrhea
• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
• Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19

RETURNING TO CAMPUS AFTER COVID DIAGNOSIS OR SYMPTOMS

Anyone displaying the signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should follow below self-quarantine policy:

Exposure (confirmed or unconfirmed) or Illness with Positive Testing

The following criteria must be met in FULL:

• at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);

• the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and

• at least 14 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

2. Exposure (confirmed or unconfirmed) or Illness with Negative Testing or MD Note

If an individual has symptoms of COVID-19 and wants to return to campus before completing the above stay at home period, the following criteria must be met in FULL:

• Either obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis OR obtain a negative COVID-19 test AND

• at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications).

Exposure (confirmed or unconfirmed) or Illness with No Testing and No U.S. Based Medical Provider’s Note

The following criteria must be met in FULL:

• at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);

• the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and

• at least 14 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

FAMILIES NEEDING ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE

We look forward to partnering with your family this school year to help your child continue to grow academically. We understand that any adjustments to the normal school environment or calendar may create unexpected challenges for some families. If you would like to discuss specific needs for your student or family that are not addressed above, please contact your local Harmony campus or contact us via our Let’s Talk online platform.

AVISO DE CAMBIO EN EL PLAN DE REAPERTURA DE LAS ESCUELAS PÚBLICAS DE HARMONY

En las Escuelas Públicas de Harmony, nuestras prioridades son la salud y la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y nuestro personal, así como el crecimiento académico y de desarrollo de nuestros estudiantes.

En respuesta a la continua propagación del COVID-19 en las comunidades a las que orgullosamente servimos, las Escuelas Públicas de Harmony anuncian el siguiente plan revisado para el inicio del año escolar 2020-21.

ASPECTOS BÁSICOS

Los estudiantes de todos los campus de HPS en todo el estado comenzarán el año académico el lunes 17 de agosto en un entorno solo en línea. Las clases continuarán solo en línea hasta al menos el martes, 8 de septiembre. Durante estas tres semanas, usted recibirá una encuesta en la que se le pedirá a su familia que elija la opción de continuar las clases solo en línea o regresar al campus para el aprendizaje presencial después del Día del Trabajo, si fuese posible. Harmony anunciará, a más tardar en la primera semana de septiembre, si es necesario extender más el aprendizaje solo en línea, o si las familias que han optado por el aprendizaje en el campus pueden regresar para la instrucción presencial. Los estudiantes que optaron por el aprendizaje en casa continuarán aprendiendo a distancia durante el resto del año escolar, a menos que notifiquen a su campus una solicitud de cambio a través de Skyward.

Todo el personal de HPS continuará trabajando a distancia mientras los campus estén cerrados, a menos que una función de trabajo específica y esencial requiera su presencia en el campus o en una oficina administrativa.

MOTIVO DEL CAMBIO

El propósito principal de estos cambios es proporcionar un entorno educativo seguro tanto para nuestros estudiantes como para los miembros del personal, así como para cumplir con las ordenanzas locales en muchas de nuestras comunidades de Harmony que prohíben específicamente la escolarización presencial hasta después del Día del Trabajo.

NUEVO SISTEMA SUPERIOR DE APRENDIZAJE EN LÍNEA, CON MEJORES OPORTUNIDADES DE PARTICIPACIÓN DE LOS ESTUDIANTES Y ACTIVIDADES EXTRACURRICULARES

Acelerar la educación de su hijo, incluso cuando aprende en casa, es una de nuestras misiones principales. Por eso hemos pasado el verano renovando completamente nuestro sistema de aprendizaje en línea para crear un entorno de aprendizaje más interactivo que sea más fácil de usar para las familias, que conecte mejor a los estudiantes con sus maestros y compañeros de clase y, lo que es más importante, que promueva el crecimiento académico incluso cuando nuestros campus estén cerrados.

Con nuestro nuevo sistema de gestión del aprendizaje Schoology, los estudiantes que asistan a clases en línea experimentarán una sólida experiencia académica con un mayor compromiso individual con los maestros a través de sesiones de clase en vivo, horarios de oficina regulares en línea, así como sesiones de tutoría académica y servicios de intervención para los estudiantes que los necesiten.

Los estudiantes también disfrutarán de opciones de actividades extracurriculares en línea en casa -incluyendo actividades de club y competiciones académicas y de deportes electrónicos- que les permitirán estar conectados con sus compañeros de clase en línea, incluso si no pueden estar juntos en persona.

Los padres tendrán acceso completo a los materiales de instrucción, tareas, calificaciones, calendarios, actualizaciones del progreso de los estudiantes y mensajes para los padres en una plataforma sencilla.

Lo mejor de todo es que cuando sea el momento de que su estudiante regrese al campus, el sistema Schoology lo seguirá de forma constante de regreso al campus, haciendo la transición más fácil tanto para su estudiante como para su familia.

Los maestros de Harmony han pasado sus veranos aprendiendo las complejidades de Schoology y estarán preparados para incorporarlo a su aprendizaje a partir del primer día de clase.

ESTUDIANTES QUE NECESITAN COMPUTADORA O ACCESO A INTERNET

Con el fin de completar las tareas escolares, las Escuelas Públicas de Harmony proporcionarán computadoras y/o acceso a Internet, previa solicitud, a aquellos estudiantes que no tengan acceso en su casa. Para solicitar un dispositivo o acceso a Internet, comuníquese con su campus de Harmony.

SERVICIOS DE COMIDA
Se seguirán ofreciendo servicios de comida gratuitos desde el primer día de clases. Comuníquese con su campus o sígalos en Facebook para obtener más información sobre las fechas, horarios y lugares de retiro de las comidas.

ASISTENCIA PARA LOS ESTUDIANTES EN CASA

Se llevará un registro digital de asistencia diaria para todos los estudiantes que aprendan desde casa, de acuerdo con las directrices y los requisitos de la Agencia de Educación de Texas. Aquellos estudiantes en casa que no asistan serán marcados como “Ausentes”, como si estuvieran aprendiendo en el campus.

PROTOCOLOS DE SEGURIDAD MEJORADOS EN EL CAMPUS

Para asegurarnos de que nuestra experiencia de aprendizaje en el campus sea lo más segura posible para los estudiantes y miembros del personal de HPS, Harmony instituirá un amplio espectro de protocolos de seguridad en el campus una vez que se retome la instrucción en el campus. Algunos de los nuevos protocolos de seguridad incluyen:

• Controles de temperatura para los estudiantes y el personal.
• Exigir que todos los estudiantes y empleados usen mascarilla cuando estén en el campus o en otros ambientes de grupo. (Los estudiantes pueden traer su propia mascarilla, o la escuela se la proporcionará).
• Limitar el tamaño promedio de las clases para permitir el distanciamiento social. (El tamaño exacto de la clase dependerá del número de estudiantes que asistan de forma presencial o solo en línea).
• Espaciar los pupitres al menos seis pies de distancia para mantener un distanciamiento social adecuado y/o instalar separaciones donde los estudiantes no puedan mantenerse a seis pies de distancia.
• Limitar severamente las rotaciones/los intercambios de clase para prevenir la propagación de gérmenes en el campus y limitar los intercambios de persona a persona.
• Escalonar los horarios de entrada y salida para limitar los intercambios de persona a persona.
• Modificar los procedimientos de entrada y salida (por ej., los estudiantes van directamente a clase después de la entrada y/o esperan en el aula al final del día hasta que los padres llegan a buscarlos).
• Pedir a todos los estudiantes que se laven las manos con frecuencia.
• Limpieza nocturna minuciosa por la empresa contratada.
• Requerir capacitaciones de Concientización y Prevención del Coronavirus para todos los empleados.
• Permanecer flexible en cuanto a las ausencias de los estudiantes y miembros del equipo debido a COVID-19, como lo permiten las directrices de TEA y las leyes laborales correspondientes.

MANEJO DE LOS SÍNTOMAS DE COVID-19

Ya sea que se examinen en la escuela o que se autoexaminen en casa, los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades consideran que las siguientes condiciones son sintomáticas de COVID-19 y podrían implicar un abandono obligatorio del campus:

• Tos
• Falta de aire o dificultad para respirar
• Escalofríos
• Temblores repetidos con escalofríos
• Dolor muscular
• Dolor de cabeza
• Dolor de garganta
• Pérdida del gusto u olfato
• Diarrea
• Sentirse afiebrado o una temperatura medida mayor o igual a 100 grados Fahrenheit
• Contacto cercano conocido con una persona con COVID-19 confirmado por un laboratorio

REGRESO AL CAMPUS DESPUÉS DE UN DIAGNÓSTICO O SÍNTOMAS DE COVID

Después de un diagnóstico de COVID-19 o de la aparición de síntomas, los estudiantes y el personal deben estar sin síntomas durante al menos 72 horas antes de regresar al campus, incluyendo una temperatura de menos de 100 grados sin el uso de medicamentos antifebriles. Aquellos diagnosticados con COVID-19 también deben tener una nota del médico que permita el regreso.

FAMILIAS QUE NECESITAN APOYO EXTRA

Esperamos asociarnos con su familia este año escolar para ayudar a su hijo a seguir creciendo académicamente. Entendemos que cualquier ajuste en el entorno o calendario escolar normal puede crear desafíos inesperados para algunas familias. Si desea hablar sobre las necesidades específicas de su estudiante o familia que no se han tratado anteriormente, comuníquese con su campus local de Harmony o comuníquese con nosotros a través de nuestra plataforma en línea Let’s Talk.