Great School option Islandwide!

[dreamoutloud]

Hey there! Since we moved here 4 years ago, we have tried different schooling options and have finally settled on one and found a really great program. I just wanted to share with this forum so that others looking have this option. All of my 4 children grades K through 9th right now are doing Harmony. Its a program that allows them to do school at home but be under a local charter school. We have extreme flexibility and great academics. They provide free cirriculum and also a generous resource fund to purchase music lessons, books, art supplies, etc.
There are also 5 locations on the island with a once a week electives day taught by teachers. This is my kids' favorite part of the week. They get to learn Hawaiian culture, dance, art, music, lego robotics, Stem, PE, and also socialize with friends.
All of my kids are loving it. If you are interested, I would be happy to talk story with you! Just shoot me a message!
This program is no cost to you!
Aloha,
Laura

Its a colorful life!

[terracore]

Thanks for sharing.

Just FYI the messaging function here doesn't seem to work. You may want to post a URL or something.

[Guest]

Sounds awesome Laura mahalo!

[glassnumbers]

This sounds really, really strange. a FREE charter school program that you do at home, that has great academics, that gives FREE curriculum AND a GENEROUS RESOURCE FUND? Not even actual schools have generous resource funds. I've never actually attended any school, in my entire life, that has had a generous resource fund. There's 5 locations with once a week electives taught by teachers? So, they get paid nothing? This whole thing sounds really suspicious, especially since this is a Utah based company.

Aloha

[PaulW]

I was wondering the same thing. What’s the catch?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Harmony is a private company based in Utah. Just as charter schools in Hawaii receive money on a per student basis, so does Harmony:

... but it does explain how Harmony and My Tech give families some of the taxpayer dollars the companies receive from public schools.
According to the audit, Harmony offers parents $300 per student when they enroll. Parents also can get up to $500 more in reimbursements for curriculum they purchase and up to $35 a month for music lessons, the audit says.
https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=57580034&itype=cmsid

The company may have had some financial challenges early on (how many businesses don't?) trying to attract students, but seem like they're operating efficiently now. An important question might be, does Harmony provide a good education for the home schooled child? Many parents like the program and seem to think they provide their child(ren) with quality learning materials.

[ironyak]

Your suspicion appears to be based on a misunderstanding. Hawaii Charter schools are all free public schools that receive per-pupil state funding, like DOE public schools, but do not receive any facilities funding or support.

Some local charter schools have home-school support programs, some of which, like our local Kua O Ka La, use Harmony to provide the certified curriculum aligned with Hawaii standards, for which the school pays a fee. Students are mostly home-schooled but can attend some regular in-school classes and activities.

dreamoutloud can probably speak more directly to the resource fund but it appears to be a small stipend for supplies in the lower grades. Glad to hear you found a program that works for you and yours - education here can be a real challenge!

https://harmonyed.com/hawaii/enrollment/

[bluesboy]

if the kids love it, is it really school?

[dreamoutloud]

Aloha,
It is not suspicious at all. I have successfully done the program with my 4 children for 3 years now.
Harmony partners with local charter schools to increase their attendance. So technically Harmony students are part of a local charter school. But we do all our school from home. The charter school is still receiving funding for those students and I am sure passes some of that on to Harmony, who in turn, passes along up to $1000 per child per year to us parents to use for resources. The resource money goes from K through 12th grade. however, K only gets $250.
The once a week electives classes are also paid for by Harmony. I was in charge of setting up the one in Ocean View and yes, all teachers are getting paid (quite well, might I add) Harmony even employees moms who want to teach different things such as music classes, tumbling, karate, etc. They must pass a background check and file an application online.
As far as academics go, this program puts the parent in the drivers seat for finding the right cirriculum to fit your child. That being said, I have different kids doing different cirriculum to meet their individual needs. And believe me, when they went to do their testing last year, it showed that they are doing VERY well Proud mom moment!
I reached out to share this program with you all, because I had a hard time finding a good fit for my kids. We finally found it and I want to grow it here on the Big Island.
You can message me at dreamoutloud at mail.com for more info. Its not gmail, but just mail.com


Its a colorful life!