The Bi-Weekly What: Friday, February the 26th, 2021

March 1st, 2021
 

The Bi-Weekly What:
Friday, February the 26th, 2021

 

 
 

A Message from our School Leader

 
 

Hello students and families!

I hope that everyone stayed safe and warm last week and that you are enjoying this week’s warmer weather. Thank you so much for all you’ve done to support your children while we have kept New Harmony virtual. As always, we continue to work with the Louisiana Department of Education and local relevant authorities, other schools, school leaders, districts, in Louisiana and across the country, to make sure we are able to provide the best possible resources to our families and students during this time.

We are excited to announce that our current Quarter 4 plans are to operate in a hybrid (virtual AND in-person) capacity. We are confident that if we use layered mitigation strategies and strictly follow our plans, we can limit the risk of transmission. It will require all of us to be exhaustively diligent in our actions. The CDC has provided thorough guidance on schools reopening.

Earlier this quarter, we re-surveyed families about intent to return in person if we opened in a hybrid capacity. About 75% of our families opted to return in person, while others remain fully virtual. We will continue to offer a virtual option through the end of this school year. Changes from virtual to in-person will not be accommodated due to the difficulty in scheduling a small school. 

Since the start of the school year, I have hosted weekly office hours alternating weeks between Tuesday mornings from 9-9:45 a.m. and Wednesday afternoons from 3-3:45. This is a time for parents/families to join Zoom to ask questions or provide feedback about anything happening in our school world. You can always find the Zoom link on our website’s calendar. If you need an individual appointment, use this link or call/text 504-444-9404.

I can’t wait to see you! Wishing for your safety and wellbeing.

Best,

Sunny

 

 
 

Lauryl’s US History Project Highlights

 
 

Though we know at New Harmony that Black history is US history and we work to decenter white narratives throughout the year, we still honor Black History Month as a time to celebrate Black culture, figures, movements, and achievements. In 11th grade US History, we have been comparing two major art movements, the Harlem Renaissance and hip hop. As one part of this unit, students chose a Harlem Renaissance poem and a hip hop song and compared their messaging. They created album covers portraying the connective tissue they found between the work of artists nearly a century apart. This week they are applying the themes they saw to create found poems about the Black Lives Matter movement using the words and genius of Claude McKay and Public Enemy. 

 

 
 

Jeff’s English III Project Highlights

 
 

Jeff’s English III class just wrapped up a unit called “Monsters + Men” where students analyzed a collection of historical and literary “monsters.”  Along the journey, students wrestled with the following questions:

1. In what ways do monsters reflect human societies, cultures, and thinking over time?
2. In what ways do monsters literalize our human fears?
3. Where do humans end and “monsters” begin?  What separates us from what we fear? 

At the end of the unit, students were challenged to synthesize and present their learning through one following projects:
* Children’s Literature (an original cautionary “monster” tale)
* Build-a-Monster (a visual representation of an American fear)
* Monster Movie or Radio Drama (an original script)
* Origin Story (research paper uncovering the origins of certain types of monsters)

Some highlights below:

 
Student: Sofia
Project: Build-a-Monster
Fear Represented / Name of monster: The American DreamDescription: My monster has seven different arms each representing the seven deadly sins. Wrath is holding a nuke. Sloth’s arm is doing nothing. Lust’s arm is forming a heart. Gluttony is holding a donut. Pride is holding a mirror, to make the monster feel better than everyone else. Greed is holding on to money while Envy is trying to take Greed’s money. The monster has a body of a woman copying the Statue of Liberty which symbolizes freedom and the welcoming immigrants (which is far from the truth). My monster appears calm and like a goddess to look positive and happy even though it symbolizes very scary things. The three heads symbolize America’s worst sins: Sloth, Envy, and Greed. Sloth,because when there is a problem with the system, the government barely does anything about it; Envy over other countries’ successes; and Greed because everything in America is run by money.
Students: Phineas and Kira
Project: Children’s Literature
Fear Represented: California Wildfires / Natural Destruction
Story: 
In the distant past, when man was not able to wield fire, there was a wolf. This wolf was born into a wolf pack who  hunted in the mountain forests of what is now known as California. This wolf lived happily with its pack and got along well with the other predators of the forests. One day the wolf was out in an unknown area of the forest when it stumbled upon a cave with a red stone. It thought this red stone was pretty, so it brought it back to its pack.
On the way back it was getting darker, and the winds were starting to pick up. It thought there was going to be a storm, so it sped up and hurried back to its pack. When it got back it was really proud and showed off the stone to the rest of the pack. When the elder of the pack saw the stone it told the young wolf to throw away the stone or else it would bring the wrath of the gods upon them. That night one of the worst storms in history blew through and ruined part of the forest.
The next day came and more and more wolves started to believe that the stone was cursed, thus urging the young wolf to throw the stone away. The young wolf reused. A month later the pack was getting less and less prey to eat and everyone was blaming it on the young wolf. At this point even the young wolf’s brother believed it. Then when the young wolf was out hunting, the pack called a meeting. They discussed for a long time and came to the conclusion that if the young wolf would not get rid of the stone, they would get rid of him.
The next night there was a really bad storm but this time it caused a fire. The fire was so intense that the wolves started fleeing. At one point someone yelled at the young wolf to let go of the stone or they would all die. He said no. This caused the pack to panic and they threw the young wolf into the fire to appease the wrathful spirit.
The young wolf begged them to save him but no one stood out to help. In the fire the wolf was about to die when the stone started to emit a strange light. The light caused the young wolf to change into a wolf enveloped in purple fire, with red eyes and black horns. From that point on the young wolf always started fires in memory of other life when it has been sacrificed. It has started fire for years for every fire that has been sacrificed from trees to plants to other animals. That is why we should not sacrifice our planet for our own selfish reasons or the fires will get bigger until they engulf the entire planet.
Students: Kyren
Project: Build-a-Monster
Fear Represented: Pandemic
Name of Monster: RoggenRona
Description: My monster is a representation of coronavirus, literalized as a monster. I wanted to keep that main virus looking shape and its features and build off of that. While it isn’t the scariest looking monster, its capabilities to make people sick causes fear. After knowing where I was going to go with the body, I moved to the other parts (hands and feet). I decided that for hands I would use wings to show how fast the virus is going around. Then I moved on to the legs. They were kind of simple to think about based on the fact that my monster needed something to grab/latch onto things with. Its legs are represented like a predator bird. I thought about them as being something to catch its “prey” and hold onto it, so that’s why they are long, sharp, and somewhat curved. Moving onto the face I found it pretty simple. For the eyes I wanted to make them basic, but at the same time give them this clueless look since corona isn’t a real person with emotions or thoughts. The mouth was pretty simple also, I went off of this sick, yet confused mouth expression and added in little-to-no teeth and made them yellow to show that this monster is really sick. This is my monster based on a modern American fear.
Student: Jalon
Project: Original Play (click here to read).
Fear Represented: The insatiable hunger for power.

 
 

Why New Harmony?

Students and parents we want to hear from you. Why did you choose New Harmony High? Complete the form below!

 
Tell Us Why Here

 
 

We’re Hiring! 
Director of Diverse Learning 

 
 

New Harmony is seeking a talented and passionate individual to serve as the Director of Diverse Learning (Special Education) for our high school. The Director’s primary responsibility will be to design, implement, and oversee Special Education, Section 504, and English Language Learner (ELL) programming at New Harmony High School.

 
Click Here to Apply!

 
 

Krewe of Kaeru presents SF born with NOLA roots artist Red G hosting at one of New Orleans favorites–Artisan Bar & Cafe every Friday from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM CST.
Red G will present a different inspiration art piece from local and global creatives. The inspirational artist will talk about his/her/their piece and the process. All art forms are welcomed: visual art, collage, oil, watercolour, poetry, music, healing, food, etc.Weekly Cajun Chef D will whip up some traditional, with his twist on, Southern, New Orleans, & Cajun favorites.
All are welcomed online.

At the venue, please, 21+ and SOCIAL DISTANCING PRACTICED!This is event is FREE and donations are welcomed. Proceeds to benefit New Orleans New Harmony High School and/or First Grace UMC Children.

 
Click Here to Register

 
 

Upcoming Student Events and Opportunities

 

 
 

CRCL’s Future Coastal Leaders Program

 
 

CRCL’s Future Coastal Leaders Program started this week with a virtual kick-off session, and New Harmony was well represented. Eight New Harmony students and 20 youth from our coastal community embarked on a journey that will supplement their knowledge of Lousiana’s environment and coastal communities. They will also make connections with professionals who working for our coast across various career fields, which include

  • Outreach and Community Engagement 
  • Science & Technology, Engineering, and Design
  • Law, Policy, and Economics
  • Resource Management
  • Arts and Culture 
  • Media and Education

Students will participate in activities that include:

  • Virtual Coastal Flyover Tour 
  • Green Infrastructure Design Workshop
  • Advocacy Training
  • Kayak Tour (May/June optional and COVID permitting)

Special thanks to our CRCL and the students and families participating in this program.

 

 
 

ACT EXAM:
March 9th, 2021

 
Complete the Parent Questionnaire Here

 
 

Youth Force NOLA Summer Opportunity

 
 

To learn more, New Harmony 11th grade students and parents be sure to:

  • Check out youthforcenola.org/yfi-recruitment for a video about the program, FAQs, and additional program details.
  • Join the New Harmony Info Session–taking place Friday, February 19th, 2:00pm to 2:45pm. (The invitation was emailed to all 11th graders.)
  • Check your inbox for more information.

 

 

 
 

If you ordered Girl Scout Cookies from Naje: 
They are available for pick-up and delivery next week!

 

 
 

Parent Actions and Need to Knows

 
 

 Parents of Juniors:
Please Sign 826 Permission Slips

 
 

Hello 11th Grade Parents-

We are really excited to share some news with you about a project your student will be working on in English III!

New Harmony High is partnering with 826 New Orleans on a two week creative writing project called “Me In This Moment.”  This is a personal narrative project meant to support students in telling the story of a memorable moment in their lives.  Writing personal narratives, particularly now, is a vehicle for healing, processing, and making meaning of our constantly evolving world.

The completed project will result in a book published by 826 New Orleans.  If you’d like to see an example, check out the beautiful book NHH and 826 NOLA created together last year!

Here is what we need from you — on this link you will find a consent form that we will need signed in order for your student’s work to be published in the book.  Please review and sign before February 22nd (note: this entire project will be conducted virtually during normal class meeting times). If we do not receive the form, we cannot include your student’s wonderful story in the book. 

If you have questions, please reach out to: jeff@newharmonyhigh.org. 

Thanks for your help!

 
Click Here to Sign

 
 

Parent Response to
Intervention Consideration Form

 
 

Parents/Guardians, please use this form below if you have any academic and/or behavior concerns in regards to your student. The information you provide will go directly to our School Building Level Committee (SBLC), who meet every week to monitor and evaluate the progress of students in need of extra support. Please email christine@newharmonyhigh.org if you have any questions. Thank you!

 
Click Here to Access the Form

 

 
 

Have a lovely weekend!

 

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