Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Regions Texas folks - Harmony Science Academy?

Does anyone's kid go to a Harmony Science Academy? Right now is enrollment time and I am thinking of calling and taking a tour. There is one not too far from us (sort of on my way to work, at least) and it seems like it would be a better situation than the HEB public school - they do advancement as appropriate, they have STEM teachers with actual STEM training, not just elementary education, etc, etc. Also, since it's a charter school it's free (woot). I'm just interested in folks first-hand experience when it comes to gifted children in one of these schools.

So, we went to the open house tonight. We are going to put the kids name in the lottery.

There the drawbacks you'd expect from a small charter school (no band/orchestra, not really any sports teams) but they have lots of cool clubs (robotics, science, math league that I forget the name of, and so on). They have a GT program that's just a once a week pull out, but they do in class differentiation, as well per-subject acceleration. Plus, K-11 (they will go to 11 this next year, then 12 the next) are all in one building, so there's no concern about maxing out of the elm building or the like.

We did find out there is another one that will be opening in FtW, but we didnt hear where. We are going to check on that one as well. Apparently it's much easier to get into a new one than an existing one.

Oh, I forgot to mention, starting in 4th,they get to choose to study a foreign language - Spanish, Turkish, Japanese or Russian.

We have one nearby in Laredo, but I always thought it was a middle school. I see them advertising for middle school programs in the summertime. We don't live in Laredo, but we shop there. But it's too far to go to school there every day. Given my screen name says Texas I didn't want to ignore you, but I don't have any information on that school. We have one local elementary and that's what we're going to use. (even though the wouldn't give him early entry to pre-k this year, due to State law., grrr).
Also, don't know what part of north Texas you're in but there's a gifted magnet in Carrolton Tx. & one in Garland Tx. that I was reading about. A STEM charter sounds like it would be good, but I'm a rookie mom so that's just a guess.

As the individual Harmony schools grow they do tend to split off into separate elementary/middle school/high school buildings. This one is only 3 years old so it still all in a single building.

Is that where you decided to go? I've heard good things about Anderson Gifted School out in Weatherford but it's a ways from anywhere. There's also the new gifted school in Keller, Education in Action, that is supposed to be good. I think this is only their second year.

I hadn't heard of Harmony Schools. I know this is an old thread but thought I'd ask what you thought. We're not likely to move anywhere since we moved three years ago to be in the school district we are in, but I like to know what's available.

Amy,

In Austin, there was a big protest about the school (being the founder is Islamic and he brings in his countrymen (turkey) as teachers and spreading Islam, and the founder's mentor was a reputed terrorist, etc.. I don't know how much of that was true. I found that out after submitting online application :-)

Anyway, my DD got accepted so my wife took her to the school to fill out registration, etc.. in early August. There was orientation for new teachers going on at the time and she saw a lot of Turkish or middle eastern men. My DD wanted female teachers > male and she decided she did not want to attend that school.

Their schools do have STEM programs and they compete in Robotics, Math Penathlon, Math counts, etc...

We did end up sending our DS8 to Harmony and it's been great! He is 2e (PDD-NOS, ADHD & GAD) and they've done a great job so far working with us. We are waiting on the G&T results, but his teachers have already started differentiating his work (he gets a little more of it, and it's more difficult.) As with all Charter schools, though, your experience is going to depend on the principal at your particular school.

The parent organization (The Cosmos Foundation) is, in fact Turkish, but there is no religious instruction in the school. They do, however, offer Turkish as an option in 4th grade for foreign language class (as well as Japanese, Spanish.. and I can't remember the 4th option.) I think a lot of middle eastern parents choose to send their child to school there because the school is very accepting of them and their needs (the girls wear hijab and don't always wear the normal PE uniform, as well as those that keep Halal.) My son's particular class is probably 75% white/hispanic and the rest a mix of asian, black and middle eastern. Definitely a lot more than the local public, but not exactly super far off, either.

The vast majority of the teachers in the K-3 side of the school my son goes to are woman. I think the PE teacher is a man and the technology teacher. I am not sure what the ratio is on the 4-12 side, but honestly, that doesn't concern me at all. I'd like for my son to have more male teachers.