GLOW GAZETTE
DEC 5 2021 - FAMILY NEWSLETTER: GLOW ACADEMY
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
GLOW Students & Families,
This week is our last regular week of high school students before exams begin on Monday, December 13, and our middle school students are only two weeks away from Winter Break! It is imperative that students are in attendance and on time each day so we can make the most of these final days of first semester.
Thanks to the creativity and leadership of one of our 8th grade students we are excited to kick off these last two weeks of the semester with a Holiday Spirit Week beginning on Monday, December 6. Please see more information in the newsletter below.
Additionally, please see the latest news and updates from GLOW in this issue of The GLOW Gazette...this week's edition is packed with info!
Wishing you all a great week ahead!
Kate B. Tayloe
Principal
THIS WEEK AT GLOW
π High School Exams & Schedule
During the week of December 13, students will be taking course exams, as well as state mandated End of Course (EOC) Exams for English II, Biology, Math I, and Math III.
At the beginning of this week, each high school student will receive their personalized exam schedule, so they know what to expect, can prepare, and so your family can plan accordingly.
A few notes about exam week:
- Monday & Tuesday (Dec 13-14): All high school students should be in attendance for a normal schedule. Students who are taking teacher created exams for their courses will have an opportunity to complete these exams during their regularly scheduled classes (Monday: 1st & 3rd Period Exams; Tuesday: 2nd & 4th Period Exams & Eng II EOC). In the classes not giving exams, students will have an opportunity to review for upcoming exams being administered later in the week.
- Wednesday (Dec 15): The ONLY high school students who will come to school will be those students taking the BIOLOGY EOC. All other students should attend remotely, using this opportunity to complete any missing assignments in Canvas.
- Thursday (Dec 16): The ONLY high school students who will come to school will be those students taking the MATH I or MATH III EOC. All other students should attend remotely, using this opportunity to complete any missing assignments in Canvas.
- Friday (Dec 17): The ONLY high school students who will come to school are those who missed an exam earlier in the week and require a MAKE-UP EXAM. All other students should attend remotely, using this opportunity to complete any missing assignments in Canvas.
The middle school will operate on a normal schedule during the week of December 13. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Cannon at lcannon@glowacademy.net.
π± COVID Protocols & Eating Outside
We have had the opportunity to talk to several of you who have inquired about our decision to continue with breakfast and lunch outside as the fall and winter months bring colder temperatures. We hear you!
We enjoyed almost 8 weeks of ZERO COVID diagnoses and quarantines, but our streak was predictably broken as a few positive cases impacted our school community following Thanksgiving Break.
We feel it is important to continue our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID as we navigate the holiday season, prepare high school students for upcoming exams, and wish to have all students enter Winter Break healthy and able to enjoy time with family throughout the holidays. Because breakfast and lunch are the only two times of day when students are not required to wear masks, we feel it is important to continue with our outdoor plans, EXCEPT when temperatures require that we move students indoors for these meals.
As a result, we have put the following measures in place for the remaining weeks of 2021, and if possible, in the early weeks of January 2022. If temperatures require us to move indoors in January, we will do so. Our hope at this time is to just get through the anticipated holiday COVID spike. We will then transition to indoor breakfast and lunch for the remaining winter months.
BREAKFAST/MORNING:
*NOTE: We are utilizing 45 degrees as our threshold because it is currently the threshold being used by our community's local public school district (NHCS) for students to be outside in the morning...and NHCS doesn't have the outdoor heaters that we utilize at GLOW.
- Temperatures AT or BELOW 45 degrees - Students will pick up breakfast from the hot breakfast cart and go straight to their classrooms.
- Temperatures ABOVE 45 degrees - When students arrive, heaters in each zone will already be running. Students will pick up breakfast from the hot breakfast cart and eat in their assigned zone until entering the building at 8 AM.
LUNCH:
- NOTE: With the exception of a few days next week, the weather outlook shows lunchtime temperatures in the 60s and 70s between now and winter break.
- On typical days between now and winter break, supervising lunch teachers at each zone can choose to utilize the heaters OR they can move tables from the shade of the outdoor classroom spaces into the sun of the courtyard, as needed, depending on the current temperature. (NOTE: Wednesday, December 8 currently shows colder temperatures in the mid-50s combined with rain. As a result, we will plan to move students inside for breakfast and lunch if this forecast holds true.)
- On typical days, students who eat school lunch will go through the cafeteria line to pick up their hot lunch and then report to their assigned zone to eat lunch.
- Students who pack their lunch will report to their Lunch Zone to eat by the heaters or in the warmth of the sun.
We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we work to mitigate the spread of COVID while also ensuring our students are comfortable and warm at breakfast and lunch.
π Bus Transportation Update
We are fortunate to be one of the only charter schools in Wilmington that provides bus transportation for students. We are committed to provide this service as an option for families to transport our students both to and from school, but like every school district in NC, it comes with challenges, especially in finding qualified, certified school bus drivers.
We appreciate your flexibility when schedules or routes need to change or are delayed due to a driver unexpectedly being out or in rare instances mechanical issues with the bus itself. We are excited to share that in the next week we will be adding two substitute drivers whom we believe will greatly reduce our need to make modifications to our bus schedules.
If you or someone you know is also interested in being certified to serve on our substitute driver list, please let us know (transportation@glowacademy.net).
Also, please note that in the early months of school, when a driver was unexpectedly out, we typically combined two bus routes; however, this creates longer ride times for students. Now that the days are shorter we do not feel that this is a viable option if we are unable to get all students to their designated stops in the daylight. In these winter months with fewer daylight hours, if we cannot find a substitute driver who can ensure daylight afternoon stops, we will notify families that a bus may be completing their afternoon route earlier, with a school dismissal occurring no earlier than 3 PM. This should be a RARE occurrence, but wanted you to understand why this decision may be made on occasion.
Thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we maintain our commitment to ensure safe transport for students to and from school.
π No Tardy Party (High School)
π 7th Grade December Reward
Front Office Transition
Congratulations to Mrs. Nancy Smith, our Front Office Coordinator, who is transitioning into her new role as Data Manager at GLOW! Mrs. Nancy will still be spending some time at our front desk and will be available if you have any questions as it relates to her previous role or her new role as Data Manager. You can reach Mrs. Nancy by email at nasmith@glowacademy.net.
We ask for your patience during this time as we will have a new front office assistant beginning in January, and are utilizing temporary support in the interim over the next two weeks. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding during this transition.
π Upcoming Holidays/Breaks
As we prepare to round out the 1st semester, EVERY DAY COUNTS! Please ensure that your child is at school and ON TIME each school day between now and the end of 1st semester. While some of the dates listed are work days for Teachers/Staff, please note that December 20-January 4 are Holidays/Non-Instructional Days for students.
FROM GLOW STAFF
π Student Drivers w/Learner's Permits
π Afternoon Car Rider Pick-Up
If you pick up GLOW students in the car line at the end of the day, we need your help!
Please understand that the safety of all students and their families has to be our first concern. To do so, we have a system for pick up that is organized and predictable. We wanted to share our procedures with you formally so that you can encourage your student to be Respectful, Responsible, Safe and Kind.
- Cars picking up students should not be loading until the car has passed the cross walk.
- So we can get as many cars as possible ahead of the crosswalk, please pull up as far as you can do so safely.
- We have had cars in the past that stop halfway into the pick up lane, preventing all cars behind them from moving forward to pick up their student. Please wait patiently until the car before you is loaded and the pull forward only when the line is clear.
- Beginning at 4:00pm we only utilize the right lane for pick-up.
Thank you for your help to ensure a safe and efficient dismissal for all students.
FROM GLOW'S PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO)
PARENT RESOURCES
Uniform Items for Cooler Weather
As the weather gets cooler, your GLOW Girl may need to update her uniform. Custom Logoware has long sleeve polos, cardigans, sweatshirts and jackets on their site. You can order HERE.
Also, remember that our uniform requirements have been updated to include a plain navy crew neck sweatshirt (no hood) and a plain navy cardigan sweater.
You can find our Uniform Requirements HERE.
Salvation Army Angel Tree
Salvation Army is accepting start accepting applications for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. .
The application process will be web-based, as it was last year. The application process will be web-based, as it was last year. Applications will be accessible through their website found HERE.
All applicants are required to have:
- Photo ID for head of household (license, state ID, passport or Matricular Consular ID)
- Proof of residence ( lease, utility bill or piece of government issued mail)
- Proof of custody (birth certificate, school / shot record - item must include birth certificate)
- Listing of all household residents(minors and adults)
- Wish / Needs list for children ages 0-12 including clothing and shoe sizes.
π»New BYOD Policy
GLOW Academy is pleased to announce that students may bring their personal devices to school for instructional use during the school day. The purpose of the GLOWβs BYOD program is to extend and enrich the learning environment. The use of technology to provide educational material is not a right, but a privilege provided by teachers and administrators under their directives. When abused, privileges will be taken away. When respected, the personal device will benefit the learning environment as a whole.
In order to begin using a personal device:
- Student and Guardian must print, sign, and return GLOW's BYOD agreement found here: ENGLISH or SPANISH. Agreements can also be picked up from the front office at GLOW.
- Email technology@glowacademy.net to let Mr. Matthews that you would like to bring your own device. He will collect this signed agreement and connect your device to the network.
Students and parents/guardians participating in the BYOD program must adhere to all policies, particularly the Network and Internet Acceptable Use Policy.
What is Leadership Advisory?
Leadership Advisory is one of the things that sets GLOW apart from other secondary schools, and your daughter's Leadership Advisory Teacher is a pivotal point person for you and your daughter throughout the year. So what is Leadership Advisory?
Leadership Advisory is a 50 minute daily class in the middle of the school day where "whole girl" instruction occurs. In Leadership Advisory relationships are everything, leadership is practiced, and ownership is cultivated.This period is a dedicated place where community is built and where our students learn and grow.
Leadership Advisory is also our school housekeeping hub and where all school communications are funneled. Leadership Advisory Teachers are a GLOW Girl's Academic Advisor, point person, and a co-parent, of sorts, to ensure success for all of our GLOW students.
Leadership Advisory Teachers are also are a parent's go-to for any questions and information. If you ever need to give or receive any information relative to your child at GLOW, your daughter's Leadership Advisory teacher is your first point of contact.
Parent Facebook Groups
Are you looking for a way to build community with other parents in your student's grade level? You are invited to join the Facebook group for your student's graduating year to connect, share info and socialize. These groups are for parents/guardians only and will not be moderated by staff.
***IMPORTANT*** If you have been denied access to one of these groups it is because you have not answered the questions. Please be sure to answer all the membership questions and agree to the rules to automatically gain access to these private groups.!. Otherwise you will be denied and will need to try again.
Class of 2028/6th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2028
Class of 2027/7th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2027
Class of 2026/8th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2026
Class of 2025/9th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2025
Class of 2024/10th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2024
Class of 2023/11th grade: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glow2023
βοΈ STUDENT HEALTH βοΈ
COVID Symptoms
There was a time when we fever/chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, and cough were the most typical symptoms of COVID. While these symptoms still apply, we wanted you to be aware that more recently those who have tested positive for COVID-19 have presented with what are lesser known symptoms including headache, nausea or vomiting, and sore/scratchy throat. It is also possible for students to have these symptoms one day and not the next, but to still be positive for COVID-19. As a result, it's important that if your child develops any symptoms of illness that those be taken seriously as possible symptoms of COVID.
If your child develops any symptoms of illness at school or at home, they will need a negative COVID test to be able to return to class/school. We are happy to conduct this testing at school while your daughter waits for you to pick her up. You can find more School COVID Testing information below. If you keep your child home from school due to illness, please contact the school so we can provide you with guidance regarding your next steps. We appreciate your cooperation and transparent communication to keep our students and staff safe at GLOW.
COVID Testing Available at GLOW
In order for us to test your child we will need your permission to do so, as well as a completed parent registration in the COVID Testing portal. We encourage all parents to pre-register their child, as this will be one less step for you to complete in the event that your child is unwell and needs to be picked-up from school. Please read the Important Notes below and pre-register your child at the link below this post.
A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PRE-REGISTRATION:
- Screen 1: click "For a Minor/Guardianship"
- Screen 2 will ask about symptoms. Hopefully your child is not currently experiencing any symptoms of COVID, so click the last option at the bottom that reads "the patient is not experiencing any of these symptoms."
- Screen 3 will ask about exposure. Hopefully as you pre-register your child, she has not knowingly been exposed to COVID, so click "No" or "I don't know"
- Screen 4 begins the registration so that your child to be tested in the future, if needed.
When we call to inform you that your child is ill, we will ask if you would like her to be tested. If you have already pre-registered, nothing more will be needed from you. We will have her rapid test completed and will share those results when you arrive for pick-up. If the rapid test is negative, we will send it off for a PCR test. Those results will be received in 24 hours and we will call you with those results. You can read more in the letters we sent out a couple of weeks ago: ENGLISH and SPANISH
β° 21-22 SCHOOL HOURS REMINDER β°
SCHOOL HOURS & TARDIES
EARLY CHECK-OUT
πΈ SNAPSHOTS FROM GLOW πΈ
GLOW Academy
Email: info@glowacademy.net
Website: www.glowacademy.net
Location: 4100 Sunglow Drive, Wilmington, NC, USA
Phone: 910.338.5258
Facebook: facebook.com/GlowAcademy1
Twitter: @Glowacademy1