September 24, 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year. Our dedicated team of educators is committed to fostering academic growth, personal development, and a strong sense of community. We look forward to a year filled with learning, collaboration, and new opportunities. I am happy to share new and important updates about the school:
Student Achievement: Our graduation rate is 95%! Special thanks to our amazing teachers and students who have made HARTs HS among the highest performing schools in the district. We are currently number #1 in Math and have among the highest Regents pass rates in the District and New York City.
Parent Coordinator: Congratulations to Ms. Tonge on her promotion. Although her role as Parent Coordinator at HARTs HS comes to an end, we wish her the best of luck in her endeavors. We are amid a transition as we search for a replacement and hope to fill the position within the next month. The parent coordinator plays a major role in maintaining communication between the school, parents, and the community. We ask for your patience and understanding during this time.
Uniforms: A few parents said they did not receive the school’s automated messages about our uniform policy changes. I sincerely apologize for this, and we are investigating the automated messages electronic system to ensure this doesn't happen again. HARTs HS has had a uniform policy since 2022 and updates to the policy were shared through automated messages, website, and Instagram throughout the Summer. The complete policy is posted on our website www.hartshs.org. Updates include plain and cargo khaki pants in several colors and other approved HARTs sweatpants/shorts. Please note that jeans and skirts are not allowed. We are aware of the delay in uniform deliveries from IDEAL, the uniform provider, and we have adjusted our expectations accordingly by extending our grace period. For returning students, all previous HARTs gear is still acceptable.
Cell phones: We have a no cell phone policy. To promote this endeavor, we provide students with a free Yondr pouch to encase their phones. If students lose or damage their free pouches, we require families to replace the pouch for $25.
Attendance: School starts at 8:07 am. A significant number of students programmed for first period arrive at school late and miss a significant portion of instruction. Historically, students who arrive late fail their first period class and face setbacks toward graduation. Please continue to encourage your students to arrive on time. Additionally, to ensure greater student success, students should not be absent more than 10 days in the school year. (No more than 5 absences in the Fall and 5 absences in the Spring.)
Program Update: After careful consideration, HARTS High School has discontinued the Cosmetology Program. We understand that this may be disappointing for some students and families, but we are excited to announce that we are actively working to expand our academic offerings, especially in software and technology programs. We are committed to providing our students with cutting-edge skills and opportunities to prepare them for the careers of tomorrow.
Upcoming Programs: We are also working on starting a College in High School program that offers students an opportunity to earn an Associate Degree while in High School. Exciting details to follow.
Meet the Principal: We will be hosting a Meet and Greet with Principal Ayetiwa during the State of the School Address in the coming weeks. Further details regarding the date and time of the meeting will be shared shortly.
Thank you for your continued support as we strive to make this year a success for every student.
Sincerely,
Mr. Kayode Ayetiwa
Principal