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Announcement of school re-opening plan for Harmony Public Schools

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.

HARMONY SCHOOL START PLAN for 2020-'21

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

Meal services will continue to be provided beginning the first day of school. Students will be charged for meals according to eligibility. If you would like to apply for free or reduced price meals, go to www.schoolcafe.com. 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

After a diagnosis of COVID-19 or display of symptoms, students and staff must be symptom-free for at least 72 hours before returning to campus, including a temperature of less than 100 degrees without the use of fever-reducing medicines. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 must also have a doctor’s note allowing return.

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.

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