Student Handbook

Please see our 25-26 Student Handbook here.

Student Orientations for 25-26

Thank you to everyone who attended orientation! If you missed it, see the slideshow below and go through the student handbook (linked above) thoroughly.

Orientation slides can be found here.

Senior Activities and Budget slides can be found here.

School Supplies list is here. We recommend waiting a couple days to fully purchase items until you know what you need and how your supplies can overlap. Advisory supplies are shared supplies and we ask those who can to donate to the shared supplies.

Student opportunities

Student opportunities are listed in each week’s newsletter. All parents and students are automatically signed up for the newsletter. If you would like for an additional email to be added to the newsletter, please fill out the contact information.

Current and former community partners are listed HERE.

Student Fees

As per Act 240 of 2019, our student fee policy below is as follows:

Authorized Fees: none

New Harmony is a free, public, open-enrollment school and does not currently collect fees of any type for curricular or extracurricular activities. New Harmony does not require the payment of any fees in order for students to enroll, to receive their records, or to participate in curricular or co-curricular activities. No fees that are not authorized by this policy will be assessed.

Each year, recommended student supply lists will be published on the New Harmony web site and/or supplied to parents and families upon enrollment. These recommended supply lists are approved by the School Leader. The supplies listed are not required to enroll or participate, and the total cost per child will not exceed $100 per year.

Because New Harmony does not collect any fees, there is no process for requesting an economic hardship waiver, nor are there waiver criteria or an appeals process for waiver decisions. Questions about this policy may be directed to Operations Coordinator Rae Banks at rae.banks@newharmonyhigh.org.

Families who have the means to do so are invited to make an annual contribution toward community engagement programming such as Leaving to Learn outings. Families may be asked to send money to school with their student on occasion to cover the cost of field trips, if they have the ability to do so; these contributions are not mandatory and no student will be prohibited from attending field trips on the basis of non-payment of field trip costs.

If a school ID is lost or damaged beyond use, the school assesses a replacement fee ($10) which can be paid to the office manager in the main office.

Student Concerns and mandated reporter info

Student voice is a cornerstone of the New Harmony experience. We value relationships, but also know that things aren’t always perfect. Student need help navigating socially, and adults at the school are here to help. If this is an emergency, if you are in imminent danger, you or someone else has been or may be harmed, abused or threatened, please report to a staff member immediately.

Employees of New Harmony are mandated reporters. A mandated reporter is a person who, because of his or her profession, is legally required to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the relevant authorities. View criteria for reporting here. The DCFS toll free hotline is 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) 

Online and Outside of School Homework Assistance

You can access online homework assistance through the State Library of Louisiana by clicking here or through your local public library by clicking here.

You can also find access to free online tutoring, homework services, test prep, and more on Homework Louisiana by clicking here.

STUDENT PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Student privacy is of utmost importance to New Harmony. Our school is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of student education records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable laws.

Key Rights Under FERPA:

  1. Access to Records – Parents/guardians (or eligible students age 18 and older) have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school.
  2. Request for Amendment – Parents/guardians (or eligible students) may request corrections if they believe the records are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights.
  3. Consent for Disclosure – Schools must have written permission from the parent/guardian (or eligible student) to release any information from a student’s education record. Exceptions: Certain information may be disclosed without consent to:
  • School officials with legitimate educational interests
  • Other schools where the student is transferring
  • Certain government officials, accrediting organizations, or in connection with financial aid
  • In compliance with a court order or health/safety emergency
  • Directory Information – Schools may disclose “directory information” (such as name, grade level, participation in activities, or awards) without consent unless parents/guardians opt out in writing.
  1. Right to File a Complaint – Parents/guardians (or eligible students) may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe their rights under FERPA have been violated.

Our School’s Commitment:

  • Student records are kept confidential and secure.
  • Access to student information is limited to staff who need it for educational purposes.
  • No personally identifiable information will be shared without proper consent, unless permitted by law.
  • For more information about student privacy, see the Department of Education’s handbook here.