Harmony Public Schools is a network of charter schools that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). On November 1, 2023, Harmony Public Schools will begin accepting applications for enrollment for the 2024–25 school year, and open enrollment will continue through February 10, 2024. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about the four Harmony Public Schools campuses in San Antonio and take steps to enroll your child for the next school year.
About Harmony Public Schools
Since its founding in Houston in 2000, Harmony Public Schools has focused on STEM education—the fields of study that examine the natural world and how it operates. Project-based learning enables students to master academic concepts by making them work in the real world. Students are encouraged to compete in STEM activities like science fairs and robotics contests to test their knowledge against other challengers. Harmony serves a significant number of economically disadvantaged students, and helps them achieve high rates of graduation and college acceptance.
As part of their 2025 strategic plan, Harmony Public Schools has defined their North Star for 2025 and beyond: a graduate profile that defines the characteristics they want their students to exhibit when they graduate and move on to their post-secondary endeavors. The team at Harmony Public School is confident that if they implement their key design elements with fidelity and quality, then they will be successful in producing North Star students.
Touring Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio was a great experience where we spoke with high school student ambassadors about their course work, projects, and community service. These students were pursuing different courses of study, but they were all full of joy, curiosity, and optimism about their futures.
The success of the Harmony Public Schools model depends on meticulous planning of curriculum and course sequences, as you can see from the academic guide and handbook. Then all that preparation comes to life in the classroom as students work on their projects. Here are some activities that we observed:
- Architectural models that demonstrated the elements of the Italianate architectural style and the construction techniques of a roof.
- A team approach to writing a chatbot that can respond to a user’s written commands to carry on a sort of conversation.
- A gaming personal computer built by a team of students who are studying computer maintenance.
- Anatomical models of muscles sculpted by students who are studying health science.
All students build a foundation in reading, writing, and math, but as they get older, they can specialize in tracks that fuel their interests and prepare them for college and career. We spoke with a high school student who is interested in law enforcement as a career, and he is able to take courses at Harmony that will help him get started. Students have access to honors, AP, and dual credit courses.
As students work on their projects, they learn how to set an ambitious goal and work towards it in smaller steps. If they experience a setback or failure, they learn how to recover and get back on track. They have to make it work in the real world—whether that’s finding the right materials to run the experiment, or contacting people in the community who have the expertise they need. When students work as a group on a project, they learn teamwork, including how to specialize and coordinate their work. Harmony Public Schools students are encouraged to present and display their work, whether as oral presentations to their classmates, or publicly at a science fair, or in competition with teams from other schools, such as for robotics challenges or racing solar cars.
To read more about Harmony Public Schools in the news, we recommend that you click on the articles linked at the bottom of this post. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current Harmony Public Schools families who can comment with answers based on their own experiences.
Harmony Public Schools in San Antonio
In 2024–25, Harmony Public Schools will have four schools in the San Antonio region. On the district’s most recent school report card, the South Texas region (including the five campuses in Laredo and Brownsville) earned a B rating; the list below includes links to each campus’s school report cards.
- Harmony School of Excellence—San Antonio: 2015 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227 (map); 210-645-7166; grades PK3–5; school report card—rated B
- Harmony School of Innovation—San Antonio: 8125 Glen Mont Dr., San Antonio, TX 78239 (map); 210-265-1715; grades PK3–9; school report card—not rated
- Harmony School of Science—San Antonio: 5566 Wiseman Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78253 (map); 210-267-9954; grades PK4–8 in 2024–25, expanding to PK–12; no school report card data yet for a new campus
- Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio: 8505 Lakeside Pkwy., San Antonio, TX 78245 (map); 210-674-7788; grades 6–12; school report card—rated B
Download the free San Antonio Charter Schools app for an interactive map that includes these campuses and many more. You can also find campus information about Harmony Public Schools (and many other schools of choice) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.
How to Enroll
Families can apply online to enroll their children at Harmony Public Schools. Open enrollment for 2024–25 school year will begin on November 1, 2023 and will continue through February 10, 2024. On February 15, 2024, the schools will hold random lotteries for any grades that received more applications than there are spaces. Students who are selected will receive an email inviting them to register; the remaining students will be placed on waiting lists, and will be notified if a spot becomes available.
During application season, the schools will provide opportunities for prospective families to learn and apply. Contacting each school by phone is a good way to gather information. We also recommend following these Harmony Public Schools social media accounts:
- Harmony School of Excellence—San Antonio on Facebook
- Harmony School of Innovation—San Antonio on Facebook
- Harmony School of Science—San Antonio on Facebook
- Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio on Facebook
- Harmony Public Schools—South Texas Region on Facebook and Instagram
- Harmony Public Schools on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn
In addition, please join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook to post questions and search previous discussions about Harmony Public Schools.
Facts About Harmony Public Schools
At Harmony Public Schools, the curriculum is designed to support all students in learning about STEM and understanding how things work in the natural world. The schools also work to build students into adults who will lead with courage, integrity, and kindness. Those core values inform the course work, projects, and extracurricular activities.
The Harmony Public Schools curriculum is designed to give students a solid foundation of knowledge. Gifted and talented students are identified and offered enrichment, including pullout sessions and additional project time. Harmony welcomes students who are in need of special education and English language learners. Through the family engagement program, teachers and leaders meet with parents at home visits to listen, build trust, and talk about students’ dreams for the future.
To build community and team spirit, Harmony Public Schools offer a wide range of athletics programs. At Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio, students can choose flag football, softball, basketball, cross country, volleyball, and soccer. Clubs at HSA include STEM activities like coding for First Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics, Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), Mathcounts, Scholars In Motion (SIM), Drone Club, as well as liberal arts activities like theater. There are also community oriented activities like Service Leadership Society (SLS), student council, and College Readiness Leadership Program (CLRP). Volunteer hours are also required for high school graduation.
At Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio, they offer two distinct programs for middle school students. The first one, Middle School to Medical School, in collaboration with Texas Tech University Health Science Center, introduces students to medical careers early on. The second program, Genius Engineering, prepares students for the high school engineering program at HSA.
Also, Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio is proudly investing in NeuroMakerspace for its students to help their STEM program of studies. This makerspace provides materials and resources to foster learning through inquiry. It also offers authentic learning experiences which can be connected to the real world through 3D modeling and design.
At Harmony School of Innovation—San Antonio, students can choose more than twenty academic, athletic, leadership, and social clubs which include a fitness club, basketball, art club, robotics, 3D design, and many more. Also, Harmony School of Innovation has a dedicated makerspace area that encourages collaboration, fosters creativity, and builds critical thinking and decision-making skills.
At Harmony School of Excellence—San Antonio, students can choose from the following clubs: LEGO, music, book club, solar club, Code Monkey, eSports, newsletter, yearbook and National Elementary Honor Society. For competition-bound clubs, they offer Math Olympiad, Vex Robotics, and First Lego League (FLL) robotics. They participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) math and spelling. For sports, they offer soccer and Run for Life. At HSE, they are proud to have TEA-recognized teachers for their instruction that performed at or above state testing levels. For students, they have scholar incentive programs that motivate and reward attendance and academic progress. They are dedicated to helping young scholars build confidence and gives them the opportunity to participate in project-based learning.
At Harmony School of Science—San Antonio, students can choose more than twenty academic, athletic, leadership, and social clubs which include soccer club, robotics, drone club, art club, gardening club, dance, art & craft, 3D design, and many more. Also, Harmony School of Science has a dedicated makerspace area; phase II of the construction project includes athletic fields and a secondary school building.
The Harmony Public Schools network has 62 campuses across Texas, serving over 38,000 students, organized into seven districts—all with A or B ratings on their district report cards. San Antonio is the headquarters of a district that also covers Laredo (Harmony Science Academy—Laredo and Harmony School of Innovation—Laredo) and Brownsville (Harmony Science Academy—Brownsville and Harmony School of Innovation—Brownsville). Harmony Public Schools has cultural ties to Turkey, but is a non-sectarian public school.
If you like what you have learned so far about Harmony Public Schools, we recommend that you apply for enrollment now. You are also welcome to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group to learn more and interact with current Harmony families.
Charter Moms Chats
Watch Guadalupe Ruiz, Student Recruitment and Retention Specialist at Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio, Megan Parrish, District Director of Communications and Marketing at Harmony Public Schools South Texas, and Claire Haller, PreK–2 District Coach at Harmony Public Schools South Texas, speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on November 13, 2023 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.
Guadalupe Ruiz is the Student Recruitment and Retention Specialist at Harmony Science Academy—San Antonio. She has a diverse background in education, with experience in substituting and assisting in special education. Ms. Ruiz actively engages with the community to support the school and students.
Megan Parrish is the District Director of Communications and Marketing at Harmony Public Schools South Texas. With a background in communications and marketing, she has the skills to establish brand identities, craft narratives and nurture connections within the community. Ms. Parrish’s dedication to education, combined with a commitment to promoting excellence, aligns with Harmony’s mission of equipping students for success in both college and their future careers. She is committed to ensuring that the remarkable work happening within Harmony Public Schools South Texas District is effectively communicated to all their stakeholders, from parents and students to staff and the broader San Antonio, Laredo, and Brownsville communities.
Claire Haller is the PreK–2 District Coach for the Harmony Public Schools South Texas Region, a mom of two beautiful girls, and a wife to a wonderful husband. She started her career in education right out of college as a 2nd grade teacher at the Harmony School of Fine Arts in Houston, TX in 2010. During her time as a teacher, Mrs. Haller held the role of Department Chair and Curriculum Writer. In 2013, Mrs. Haller was promoted to the District Instructional Coach position in the Houston Southwest region of HPS. In 2020, Mrs. Haller’s family moved to San Antonio, Texas, and in 2021 she resumed her role as District Instructional Coach for the South Texas region of HPS.
Read More
- “Harmony Public Schools finds success with teacher retention program,” Dylan McKim, KXAN, September 12, 2023
- “23 Harmony Public Schools campuses named to ‘Best High Schools in America’ list,” LMTOnline, September 5, 2023
- “Charter Moms Chats — Harmony Public Schools South Texas, With Cruz, Murati, Lopez, And Rodriguez,” YouTube, November 3, 2022
- “San Antonio teacher who had school supplies stolen thanks community for donations,” Japhanie Gray, KSAT, January 9, 2022
- “Charter Moms Chats — Harmony Public Schools Enrollment, With Marcy Andrade,” YouTube, November 10, 2021
- “Leadership in STEM Education with Principal Christian K. Parra at Harmony School of Excellence,” Christian K. Parra, San Antonio Charter Moms, September 23, 2021
- “Harmony Public Schools will offer virtual learning for K-12 students in Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress,” Hunter Marrow, Community Impact Newspaper, September 16, 2021
- “Harmony schools set to return to class Tuesday with name change, new teachers,” Christian Alejandro Ocampo, Laredo Morning Times, August 10, 2021
- “Harmony teachers, team members get $4,000+ pay raises,” Salvador Del Cid, News 4 San Antonio, June 28, 2021
- “Charter Moms Chats — Harmony Public Schools Enrollment, With Marcy Andrade,” YouTube, November 10, 2020
- “Harmony Public Schools launches Esports program to keep students engaged in extracurricular activities,” Briana Edwards, Click2Houston, October 29, 2020
- “Harmony Public Schools awarded $27.8 million federal grant to develop principals,” Andres Picon, San Antonio Express-News, October 2, 2020
- “Top Somerset ISD teachers get pay boost from new state program,” Emily Donaldson, San Antonio Report, August 27, 2020
- “Harmony Demonstrates How Charter Schools Lead on STEM,” Starlee Coleman, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, November 19, 2019
- “School of Medicine Launches Middle School to Medical School Program,” Suzanna Cisneros, Daily Dose, September 10, 2019
- “John Quiñones speaks to San Antonio high school graduates,” Priscilla Aguirre, San Antonio Express-News, June 4, 2019
- “Harmony Public Schools hosting STEM festival, sets open house,” Michelle Iracheta, Houston Chronicle, January 11, 2019
- “Harmony Public Schools receive perfect score on TEA financial accountability ratings,” Houston Chronicle, November 29, 2018
- “Harmony Public Schools awarded federal STEM grant,” Houston Chronicle, October 8, 2018