Harmony School of Excellence - Houston

My daughter just started kindergarten this year at HSE and I am impressed with how much she has grown academically and socially in such a short time. Also, I am yet to see any peeling paint as mentioned in the previous post. HSE listens to parents as well, a new sports complex is being built as we speak and I see this school only getting better.
—Submitted by a parent

The best thing about HSE is the students. There are almost no behavior issues. Of the students who have been in attendance since it opened (majority Muslim or Indian), most were already high achieving students with above average IQs.This explains the excellent test scores. The majority of students have likely been hand selected in the past despite claiming a lottery. In the past year, a real lottery has been used and the new students more accurately reflect the Houston culture. They claim an excelerated curriculum but dropped most excelerated classes last year in lieu of higher STAAR Test scores despite much objection from parents. Only one GT class per grade is now ahead in curriculum. The great teachers with experience are enouraged to quit after a few years by being harassed by administration so they don't have to pay them the higher salary. For 2012-2013 there are appr. 20 new teachers. Many of the teachers lost were great and the new ones are first year teachers with NO experience. They are so cheap that the inside hasn't been painted in three years. Paint is peeling. Expect this school to be an average school within the next couple years.
—Submitted by a teacher

My Daughter has been going to a Harmony School since Kindergarten. She is now in the 4th grade and reads at a 6th grade level. She is an avid reader and reads on average about 30 books a year, which she has to take tests on weekly. Her math skills are currently at about the 5th grade level. I am particularly impressed with her ability to solve multi-level mathematic word problems. She scores 100% on both the Math and reading sections of the TAKS. All of my life growing up in America I have been told that these types of academic achievements are not possible for African American girls, given their inferior cognitive capacity as a result of genetic pre-dispositions. I can confidently say that 80% of my daughter accomplishments can be attributed to the outstanding teachers and administrators at her school and the culture of high expectations they have created. I have never witnessed the type of constructive competitiveness that has grown organically within the student body at such a young age. The dedication of the teachers and staff is amazing, as they come in on the weekends or stay afterschool to help studnets who are having problems.
—Submitted by a parent

we love Harmony School of Excellence, great school, great parent involvement, and great teacher!!!!! so happy with the school!!!
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been attending school since 3rd grade, she is now a 6th grader and I am very pleased with the education she has received thus far. I was skeptical in the beginning because of the mainly Turkish/Muslim backgrounds of the educators but my mind is at ease now....there is no forcing of their religion/belief system. The education of the students is the primary goal at HSE. I love the enthusiasm of the teachers and the parent involvement is AWESOME!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is EXCELLENT! My son had been attending Cy-Fair schools and had been having a problem with bullies. This school has no bullies, the students there are educationally motivated. Students, parents and teachers are all interested in education - they are not killing time or using the school as a "babysitter" as so many regular school districts seem to be now. My son was able to be around other kids who valued education, and there is a HUGE multicultural element. There are students of all nationalites and cultures. There isn't a large focus on sports activites, academics takes center stage. That being said, lunch is not a good experience and most children choose to take their lunches. Harmony now offers a seperate High School that he attends and is very happy with it.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been very pleased with the education my two children have been receiving at Harmony. The teachers are wonderful and give great one-on-one attention to the students. The curriculum is challenging and my children are learning the necessary skills to prepare them for college. They are getting a private school education without the expense.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter and son love going to Harmony and that is such a great feeling as a parent. They have made such good friends. They are learning in a challenging enviroment and one where the teachers are always there for their students. I know as a parent that they are going to be safe and are preparing for their future.
—Submitted by a parent

Our decision to attend HSE has been one of the best choices we've made concerning our children's education. The school has so much to offer from an academic perspective. The staff and student population is very diverse which allows young people to experience other cultures and begin to understand how to navigate in a global setting. We are extremely pleased with their no-nonsense stance on discipline and feel that they have created a positive learning environment for the students. Great school, great choice.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 3 children that have attended HSE since it opened. Here are a couple of important facts that may be helpful for someone: Don't be mislead by the high score! In comparison, all public schools would reflect higher scores if they were able to select their student body! These students making the grade for HSE are doing so because they were already great students in their formal schools-not bcause of a superior education rec'vd at HSE. There is a new principal each yr. Regardless of what is said, HSE students are not selected by a "blind lottery". Student's test scores, report card, & an interview process (in order to be entered into the lottery pool) would not be necessary for a "blind" lotto. Also, know that many teachers are not certified thru the state of TX-it's not required! Read up on Charter schools (report) on T.E.A. site.
—Submitted by a parent

After many months of research we found this school is the best in Houston, TX, admission here is kind of luck game but good luck!
—Submitted by a parent

For starters, I went to Harmony for a year and thought this was going to be a great school. Though later on it got pretty strange. I feel like this school has less education. And I was hoping for electives rather than paying hundreds of dollars afterschool. And the teachers have accents which are really hard to understand them when learning. I also think that they force you to classes. The school i go to now is free and have great classes for optional learning. But i liked the other things like people, computers etc. The food is disgusting! some people have found other things rather than normal foods. The library is too small, and the school is small. And less freedoms from uniforms. Overall, even though i wrote too long, you should try it at least. ?
—Submitted by a student

This school is horrible!! There is a language issue between students and teachers and they have a conduct system that is out of this world. Your child will hate the lunch. There is no good after school care or clubs just reconsider what you are doing when enrolling your child. Ask other children who go to the school what they think about it .

I have a love/hate relationship with this school. It is like more or less any other school, with pros and cons. For example, pros could be that the math and science departments are very excellent and that you will learn a lot more than any other of the public schools in the area. The after school clubs are of good variety, and the library is a comfortable place to be in. Also, the school has modern computers and excellent computer classes. The downsides are that the school does have a few problems with some teachers in the school who either do not make much sense or cannot fully explain questions. The school food is the worst thing ever, so PLEASE pack your own lunch. Also, there are not that many electives. I love Harmony, but it has its pros and cons.
—Submitted by a student

I am a student at harmony school of excellence! I really enjoy this school! The staff memebers are very friendly and the academics are incredeble.! This school has fun things that you can be involved in. And the teachers are very caring and generous. It is a very safe school and nothing bad really goes on! I have never witnessed one fight during the whole 4 years i have been there! The school is very small, and I like that a lot. I feel very comfortable and safe.! Overall I really love harmony! (ps you might want to pack your own lunch! but other than that, :D)
—Submitted by a student

I am a 9th grade student of this school, but not only does this school look for students who are great in their studies but also this school has athletic activity's such as a basketball team for boys and girls and also a soccer team. For the girls basketball team in the middle school division they had won the URL basketball championship. This is an excellent school for any kid and will help them succeed in getting their finally goals and also school choosing. I also have a third grade brother who love this school and has made lots of friends.
—Submitted by a student

I am a student in the 6th grade at Harmony.If your child is not into sports then this would most likely be a good school for them. HSE foucses on challening the students,which is good .But sometimes I feel like we can't be kids,or just be ourseleves.A lot of the times there are problems with execution on things.For example during the Play's Something Happens to the microphones, and the props arent working..Or during Field Trips they do not have enough chaperones.As far as extra-curricular activies and sports,they are minimal.The school does have lots of clubs after school,but In my opinion they are a waste of time. The room is usually loud and chaotic and the teacher of the club does not seem to have control over her class.Moreover, that is a waste of money. I think it is ridiculous that 6th graders only have gym 2 periods a WEEK.(continued... next comment)
—Submitted by a student

my brother and i have gone to the school since its opening three years ago, and i have to say, if you want your child focused on mathematics and science, then this is a great school for you. however, when it comes to extracurricular activites, music, the arts, etc. this school definitely lacks that. also, the lunch is very poor. both my brother and i agree that it stinks. even if you do eat the food, youll most likely end up being hungry again in a couple of hours. also, even though hse does provide extracurricular activites, they really could use some work. when it comes to organizing events such as plays or field trips, there is usually a problem. also, due to the fact that most of the teachers come from turkey, understanding them and getting them to fully answer your questions can be a problem.
—Submitted by a student

We heard much about Harmony, this year we enrolled our child there. The school is academically challenging for the students. Overall we are happy with academics here, we will be back next year.
—Submitted by a parent

We are ending our second year at Harmony. Harmony seems to be aggressive on academics, but unfortunately looses the 'whole of the child' thru the process. Limited funds reasons out Harmony to be understaffed, causing less available structure and control of the kids. As a parent, this has become a grave concern for the safety of my child. Teacher inexperience also lends to this problem. Many, not all, of their teachers do not seem to be equipped with proper support and knowledge in handling student situations. Academically, Harmony is just as good as our public school. Individually, Harmony suffers, falling behind other school choices.
—Submitted by a parent