NCVA Beacon Herald
August 2018
Our Mission
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL
Welcome to the month of August as the 2018-19 school year is right around the corner. We are thrilled that you have chosen NCVA for your educational needs and will do our best to live out our motto – “every child, every class, every day.”
If you are new to NCVA and this is your first Beacon Herald, you will see me share lots of historical nuggets because I formerly taught history. To that end, on August 1, 1944, Anne Frank – who you will read about in history class – penned her last diary entry and part of it read this way: “I keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would like to be, and what I could be.” Those are powerful words at any time but especially at the beginning of a school year.
Our commitment as a school is to provide you with tools so that you can seize the future opportunities that will come your way. With a strong and collaborative partnership between school, student, and learning coach, we all can succeed.
Looking forward to a great year!
~Dr. Medley
Important Dates
- 8/15: Regional Adventure Day (See E-mail)
- 8/22: 1st Day of School!
- 9/3: Labor Day Holiday (School Closed)
- 9/6: 3rd Grade BOG Testing (Locations/Times to be e-mailed)
**Coming Soon: LC Face to Face Training (TBA via e-mail)**
UPDATE Your Contact Information
Please ensure your phone number and e-mail are up to date in the OLS under your LC Account.
- Change of Address: Proof of Residence (utility bill, lease, home owner's statement) is required to update your physical address. Please e-mail the information to the Registrar at ccameron@ncvacademy.org.
K12 Customer Support Videos
https://www.help.k12.com/s/topic/0TO0B000000I2moWAC/technical-support-videos#?tabset-26361=2
New to NCVA?
- READ the Strong Start Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/ae15n
- REQUIRED New Student Orientations (Will appear on Student OLS Schedule)
*Parents & Students attend*
Mondays and Tuesdays: 10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
Thursdays and Fridays: 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
* Only 1 is required per grade band (ES,MS, and/or HS)
For example, a family with 3rd and 5th graders only attend 1 ES session. Whereas a family with a 7th and 10th grader would attend both MS and HS sessions.
- Complete Online Learning/Welcome to Online Learning Course
- Complete a Connection Call with your student(s) Homeroom Teacher(s)
- Log-in to Student and Learning Coach Accounts daily
We are here to support you! Thank you for choosing NCVA.
K12 Cares August Service Project
Back 2 School Supply Drive
~Ways to participate~
“Adventure Day” Meet and Greets on 8/15: Bring any donations to the location with you.
- Donate to your local Salvation Army or schedule a pick-up at https://satruck.org/
- Purchase a "Care 4 Your Community" Backpack at to keep or fill and donate at https://www.customink.com/fundraising/k12-cares-back-to-school-supply-drive . Sale proceeds will be donated to the Salvation Army.
- POST a picture on our NCVA Facebook Page of your student in action!
*TRACK your community service hours here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares
Elementary School Updates
Welcome K-5 Families!
Meet our Fabulous Admin, Teachers, and Support Staff...
- Academic Administrator: Jill Curtis
- Lead Teacher: Chrissy Nash
- K- Gretchen Mulkerrins, Lori Jensen, Kaitlyn Batten, Hannah Cessna
- 1st- Sarah Delamar, Nancy Lindsay, Gwen Ashburn, Kate Dusenbury, Hannah Cessna
- 2nd- Kim Clifton, Jevonda Perkins, Nadia Munisteri, Tracy Johnson, Julie Meltzer
- 3rd- Brenda Wright, Jamie Forbes, Polli Sonntag, Kristal Tickle, Laura Lefcoski
- 4th- Amanda Sieg, Brandy Johnston, Sara Haan, Koryn Dilday, Kelly Shanahan, Brettany Claudio
- 5th- Whitney House, April Gamble, Michelle Randell, Victoria Ahearn, Laura Smith, Charissa Harris
- Interventionists- Pam Shepherd, Cheri Foreman
- K-8 Counselor- Whitney Cress
Week #1 Action Items
- Be on the lookout for a welcome call from your HR teacher
- Check e-mail daily
- Set up learning coach and student OLS account and familiarize yourself with your student's K12 curriculum
- Attend grade level specific orientation (look for the invite on your daily plan)
- Attend New Student Orientation (new families to NCVA only)
- Log attendance daily (6 hours per day/ 30 hours per week)
- Complete beginning of year assessments assigned by your HR teacher
- Attend DIBELS Assessment at assigned time with your HR teacher
- Complete "K8 Intro to Online Learning" courses and begin working on your lessons in the OLS
- Set-Up a student work area at home
- Reach out to your HR teacher with any questions
Middle School Updates
Heads up!
Things to Remember:
- Be looking out for information from your HR teacher about first week tasks, important documents and our connection calls (woo-hoo!)
- Go over the Parent/Student Handbook and the Academic Integrity documents (parents, please remember to return the handbook signature to your HR teachers!)
- Make sure you have email, LC and Student accounts set up
- Attend your grade level orientation
- Attend New Student Orientation (new families to NCVA only)
- Complete “Welcome to Online Learning" courses – your HR teachers will have more info about this as well
- Stay tuned for more information about your content classes and your daily schedule!
Helpful Hint:
This article will help with setting up the student email as well as give links to download Power Point, Word, etc. : https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Download-Office-365-School-Email-for-Students
High School Updates
Important Things to REMEMBER
Wow! It is back to school time already. Please make sure as we get ready to start back to school that you are taking time out to prepare. Make sure you get your desk ready in an area where you are not easily distracted. Please also make sure you review the Parent and Student Handbook and the NCVA academic integrity and late policy. Additionally, please remember that Class Connect Sections are REQUIRED. If you are taking MATH 3, please make sure you have a hand held calculator. Take some time to make sure that you have all the required materials for your courses. Make sure that you have a working mic and headset or speakers. TEST THIS BEFORE THE FIRST DAY!
If you have ANY questions be sure to reach out to your teachers.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES/INFO
All high school outing coming up in October (more info will be coming soon)
The high school writing website is as follows
https://ncvahsenglish.weebly.com/
We want ALL students to succeed here. But, you must do your part. We want to welcome you back to a learning community. But, please remember that YOU have to be ready and prepared each day.
We hope you had a wonderful summer and WELCOME BACK!
-The high school team
5 Tips in 5 minutes
Message from our counselors
Please make sure you checking your student’s schedule that is assigned to them. Please remember that not all courses students requested will be available to them due to how the master schedule is laid out. Please also know that students cannot receive credit for courses that they already passed. Reach out to your school counselor if you believe there is an error in their schedule.
Department of Exceptional Children
Counselors' Corner
Do you have a question about your schedule, graduation requirements, college, or career planning? Contact your counselor today!
Katie Beck
A-F
Nicole Hairston
G-N
Erin Farmer
O-Z
FAST (Family Academic Support Team)
A "Strong Start" for EVERYONE!
Strong Start Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/ae15n
NCVA provides McKinney-Vento/Homeless assistance and supports to qualifying students.
You may be eligible for assistance through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Below is the definition of what qualifies a family to be considered eligible for supports and services.
According to section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)), the term “homeless children and youths”—
(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence...; and
(B) includes—
(i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals.
(ii) children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
(iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
(iv) migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).
Children and youth are considered homeless if they fit both Part A and any one of the sub-parts of Part B of the definition above.
If you feel you may qualify or if you have any questions, please contact Paige Adams, Homeless Liaison & Family Resource Coordinator, at padams@ncvacademy.org or at 919-346-0121 ext. 2030.
Celebrating Attendance Awareness Month
Resources
STUDENT AND PARENT OPPORTUNITIES
Social Media
Please take advantage of opportunities to connect with the K12 and NCVA communities online and social media, via
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncva_k12
**NEW* Regional Parent Groups
- Make new friends
- Attend informal social activities outside of school
- Share tips and tricks
How do I join? : E-mail the Regional Parent Group where you reside. Use the map below to find your Region by County. Include your name, county, student(s)' name(s), grade levels, and phone number.
Region 1 ncvaregion1@gmail.com
Region 2 ncvaregion2@gmail.com
Region 3 ncvaregion3@gmail.com
Region 4 ncvaregion4@yahoo.com
Region 5 ncvaregion5@gmail.com
Region 6 ncvaregion6@gmail.com
Region 7 ncvaregion7@yahoo.com
Region 8 ncvaregion8@gmail.com
Check them out here: https://www.smore.com/avzdx
PLEASE NOTE: The Regional Parent Groups are comprised of Learning Coaches. They do NOT have access to student information. Please contact your student's Homeroom or Content Area Teacher(s) for academic questions.
K12 Clubs
K12 offers a variety of student clubs where like-minded students can share their areas of interest. These clubs are offered typically two times a month, and last one hour. K12 Clubs are available between September and May annually.
Registration is opening soon!
To register, visit: http://www.k12.com/k12-student-clubs. Student and Family questions about national clubs & other national programming may be directed to clubs@k12.com .
K12 Learning Liftoff Newsletter
Register here: http://www.learningliftoff.com/
Community Activities
Victory Junction: Located in Randleman, NC. Camp opportunities are available year round for children with special needs and various medical conditions at no cost to families. Contact Victory Junction at https://victoryjunction.org for more information.
Carolina Parent: The Carolina Parent website is an excellent resource for family friendly activities and resources throughout the state. Visit http://www.carolinaparent.com/ for more information.
Museums for All
Museums for All allows low income families (who can show proof of an EBT card) to enter specific museums across NC with an admission fee ranging from free to $3 depending on location.
Program Link
http://www.childrensmuseums.org/about/acm-initiatives/museums-for-all
List of museums that participate:
HELPING OUR SCHOOL
Volunteers Needed
Attention Learning Coaches
NCVA has several upcoming events. There are many exciting opportunities to participate and share your unique skills. Let us know more about your interests. Please complete the following survey to join our team: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gXbUsp1YC6-nS16ezGTNGZLV9DLUlEYYwsFJQgcshu0
*Background Checks are required for all school volunteers.
Box Tops for Education
As a public school, NCVA is able to participate in Box Tops for Education by General Mills and has signed up to create an account. As you shop and purchase normal, everyday products, you can cut those box tops off and get them to our school so that we can gain additional supplies. The products vary and include food, storage, paper products, and cleaning supplies.
When you cut them off, there are printable, fun sheets to be able to collect them. The link below will take you to those sheets:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/~/link.aspx?_id=CD4A2815C2894609BCBA7A1A3DB6E65F&_z=z
Once you have collected several, here are the ways to be able to get them to our coordinator – Carrie Daniel:
- Bring them with you at an outing and give to a teacher
- Bring them with you to a testing site and give to the Site Coordinator
- Mail them to the Office at the school address attention to Ms. Daniel.
Together in Education Program
Contact Information
North Carolina Virtual Academy
4220 NC HWY 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 919-346-0121
Fax: 919-324-6597
Website: http://ncva.k12.com
K12 Customer Support: 1-866-512-2273