Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our FAQ!
Here, you'll find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

If you have additional inquiries about our programs or would like to connect with us directly, feel free to call us at 218-722-7574. You can also reach out to:

Dean of Students: Beth Burnett - [email protected]
Administrative Assistant: Krissa Boman - [email protected]
Executive Director: Aryn Bergsven - [email protected]

What is a charter school?

Harbor City International School is a public charter school that provides an alternative to traditional public education. As a charter school, we are publicly funded and tuition-free, allowing for greater flexibility in our curriculum, teaching methods, and school operations. This autonomy allows us to create unique learning experiences tailored to our students' needs and interests (check our our symposium program!). While we have the freedom to innovate, we are held to high academic and financial accountability standards to ensure student success. Like all public schools, we are open to all students- unlike non-charter public schools, we are not limited to a school zone boarder, though we can only service students that live in Minnesota.

Do I have to pay tuition to attend Harbor City?

What grades do you serve? How many students do you serve?

What is your student to teacher ratio?

What is your average class size?

I would like to take a tour of your school. Do I need to make an appointment?

We are happy to show our school to anyone interested in a tour, but we do ask that you make an appointment. Students and families wishing to tour the school before enrolling should make an appointment with Beth Burnett, our enrollment coordinator, by calling (218) 722.7574, ext. 225, or emailing [email protected]. Please note that all visitors and guests must sign in at the main office upon entering the building.

What options does my student have with regard to transportation to and from school?

We utilize the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) for student transportation. All students are eligible to receive DTA passes, making it easy for them to commute to and from school using the public transit system.

Students living outside the ISD 709 district who drive to school / are dropped off at school can receive mileage reimbursement at a rate of $0.15 per mile, up to $37.50 per month. This reimbursement is based on the distance from the student's home to the ISD 709 district border. Siblings traveling together are each eligible for reimbursement. HCIS will verify the mileage from the student's home to the ISD 709 border.

Students who drive to school can be reimbursed for parking costs, up to $20 per month. To qualify, students must submit a receipt from the parking facility they use.

What is your attendance policy at HCIS?

We believe that regular school attendance is directly related to success in academic work. Furthermore, the State Department of Education and the Minnesota Mandatory Attendance Law require students to attend all classes and/or study halls every day school is in session. Students, parents, and schools share the responsibility for attendance. We realize, however, that on occasion it will be necessary for a student to be absent from school. In order for an absence to be excused, a parent must notify the school within 24 hours of an absence, and the absence must meet one of the following criteria:

Sickness of the student
Sickness in the student’s immediate family
Danger of imminent exposure to illness
Medical or dental treatment
Important events requiring student participation (with advance notification/approval)
Temporary absence from the city (with advance approval upon personal request of a parent/guardian, unless the situation is an emergency)
Other reasons verified by a parent/guardian and mutually acceptable to both parent/guardian and school administration.

For students to receive full credit for work missed in a class due to absence from the city, students must have their teacher sign an advance absence form and must turn it in to the main office before leaving. In the case of emergency, students must make arrangements with their teachers upon returning to school.

Students who accrue more than 15 absences in a class per semester, excused or unexcused, will lose credit for the class. Students may appeal the loss of credit by following the process laid out in the Student Handbook.

Will my student receive free breakfast and lunch at HCIS?

How can my child order a hot lunch?

What is your food and drink policy?

What is your cell phone and personal device policy?

Per our Student Handbook (Section 6.8: Electronic Device Usage), students must keep cell phones and personal devices off and out of sight during school hours (8:30 AM–3:21 PM), except during lunch or when authorized by a teacher for curricular purposes. Unauthorized use will result in confiscation, with increasing consequences for repeat offenses, including requiring parent retrieval or holding the device until a meeting is held. Other electronic devices, like headphones and MP3 players, are also prohibited during class and passing time but may be used before/after school or during lunch. Parents are asked to contact the office, rather than their student, during school hours to minimize disruptions.

Are students allowed to leave campus during school hours?

Students in 9th and 10th grades are not allowed to leave campus during school hours; however, we do allow 11th and 12th graders to leave during lunch and on school-related business during the day (provided that they have teacher permission). We expect our students to exemplify the HCIS core values of Respect, Responsibility, Relationship, Reach, and Resilience while they are off campus; and we will revoke or suspend off-campus privileges for students if they violate the 5 Rs while at school or in the community or if they return late to class after being off campus. We encourage you to review the details regarding our off-campus expectations for students, which you can find in our student handbook.

How can I keep track of my students grades and find out how they are doing on assignments?

We use the PowerSchool student information system in order to help students coordinate assigned work and to allow parents to access information about grades and assignments. We highly encourage parents to access and review this information weekly with their students. You can access PowerSchool through the quick link on the Home page (https://hcis.powerschool.com/public/); and if you have any questions regarding passwords or other PowerSchool issues, please contact the main office (218-722-7574) or email our Administrative Assistant Krissa Boman at [email protected].