ORVA Family Newsletter
January 20, 2016
Recipe for a Happy New Year!
Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time.
Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.
Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, prayer, meditation, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing—don't do it), and one well-selected resolution.
Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.
~Anonymous
Upcoming Calendar!
February 1: Start of second semester
February 10: Evening Open House for all ORVA families at OMSI, more details to come!
February 15: Presidents' Day - No School
February 24: Capitol Day in Salem for Virtual Public Schools. Click here to register today!
ORVA Strong Start Website
School Board Appreciation Month!
1. Why do you serve as a school board member?
I serve to try to make sure that opportunities available to me as a young student are available to the young students of today. I want to engage with the school staff, our sponsoring District, and the State – sharing what talents I have – to develop their programs and to achieve outcomes for students that go beyond good grades and high test scores and encompass a lifelong love of learning.
2. What do you find most rewarding in your role as a board member?
I find meeting the students, families, and teachers at graduation rewarding. Not as a ceremony marking the end of a process, but reaching one milestone where the students’ paths all intersect. I am continually inspired by the dedication of teachers and staff who can describe the tiniest details of months and years of effort to develop the skills and work habits in a single student who was at risk of not joining her classmates on the stage.
3. If you could tell the community (the whole state!) one thing about ORVA, what would it be?
I would tell the community that the Board is an engaged group of your neighbors from throughout the state that is dedicated to bringing classes to every student whether they have thrived in a traditional classroom setting or not. We set the policies and sit in the (boring) meetings that allow the teachers to encourage each student to achieve their maximum potential.
PreK-2 Corner
Thursday, January 28th by 3:00 p.m. is your last chance to enter attendance and any progress on course work that you may be behind on entering.
Friday Show and Tell! Check with your teachers if you have something you'd like to share, this will be a very fun community time!
3rd - 8th Highlights
Winter Scantron: All students should have completed Scantron last week. These tests help us track your students' growth as well as points where we need to do re-teaching.
History and Art for middle school: These courses will be added for Semester 2 for most students. Check with your teachers if you have any questions!
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
January 26-28: High School - Finals week
January 28: High School - 4 pm deadline for student work submissions
ORVA's High School Advisory Teachers and Counselors are here to work closely with your students and help keep the communication flowing and students on track. Be sure to reach out to this amazing team if you have questions or concerns! They are a dedicated and experienced group!
Counselors: Last name A-L: Jessica Bell; Last name M-Z: Melissa Arrigotti
9th Grade Advisory Teacher: Jane Rice
10th Grade Advisory Teacher: Carissa Trepka
11th Grade Advisory Teacher: Todd Anderson
12th Grade Advisory Teacher: Cindy Dauer
Grades: Remember, you can check your students’ grades in their classes at any time. If you need some reminders on how to access progress, below are “how-to” videos:
http://fw.unitymg.com/rdr/OD:104:836 - “How to check your students’ grades”
http://help.k12.com/support/video-resources - Library of support videos
Path to success at ORVA:
- Log in daily to each class
- Check your Kmails and reply as needed
- Attend every live Class Connect
- Turn in assignments on due dates
Oregon State Assessments
The ORVA staff have planned for the Oregon State OACCS assessment which will be given to all ORVA 3rd – 8th and 11th grade students during April and May. We are providing this information early so you can put it on the calendar. We are looking forward to the opportunity for the staff to meet you and your student in person. The following information will help in your preparation and planning for the state assessment. Be checking your Kmail for your specific location and time for testing!
Assessments:
All 3rd - 8th & 11th grade students will take 2 OACCS Assessments – Language Arts & Math
5th & 8th & 11th graders will also complete Science
Students bring their laptops to each assessment
Time: Students start at 8:30 am
Pick your student up at Noon for lunch - return at 1:00
You will be called when your student has completed testing for the day
Supports: Students will be allowed breaks as needed
Student may bring a water bottle
Student may bring a book for reading while waiting to be picked up
Security: Parents cannot be in the room during the assessment
Students cannot have cell phones, tablets etc. during the assessment
~STUDENT GALLERY~
Karasu - Reflection in the Water by Alyssa T., 9th Grade
Makeup Art for Halloween by Trinity D., 11th Grade
A Run with Horses by Samantha E., 11th Grade
Imagine a wide, open plain
Covering it, waves of plush green grass
Off a bit in the distance, the color changes.
Mixes of gray, white, brown, black, and shades of tan
Like a paint splatter, random. Or so it seems.
A small flicker of danger makes the crowd flee
Hooves pound over the Earth around them.
The stallion, a muscular buckskin, leads the herd to safety.
Sweat trickles down their flanks, chilling them
With danger present no more, they rest under a cliff.
The cool wind wisps their manes and tails in a hypnotizing movement
Every so often, a slight nicker is heard from a loving couple,
Or one would stomp and blow a raspberry.
Their slightest movements are graceful and proud.
Cherish those moments, no matter how little they are,
Those moments that you see the true beauty of nature.
Photograph of Greenland by Aidan R., 10th Grade
Life by Gabriel N., 7th Grade
Four legs, two legs, three
Seed, sapling, tree
Gray and wrinkled, dead
Trees fall down as the axes shred
Frame, finish, house, home
Beams, glass, ladders, domes
Rotten, wet, and splintered
Creak, crack, shattered
The cycle ends
Only to start again
Art by Gabriele D., 4th Grade
Food Created by Ember B., 7th Grade
Blueberries for Sal by Wyllow B., Kindergarten
Yamhill Valley Cultural Center Tour with Ryan (Tater) R., 4th Grade
Monstertown by Ryan (Tater) R., 4th Grade
~STUDENTS ON WHY THEY LOVE ORVA~
Brooke S., 9th Grade
Ruby S., 10th Grade
I love doing school at ORVA because it challenges me and makes me perform to my best potential, and yet it is flexible enough that it gives me time to do the things I love and focus on my passions.
Alyssa (Alli) T., 9th Grade
Arial D., 7th Grade
Charity G., 6th Grade
What I would tell my friends about ORVA is that it is not hard to get up, get dressed, and you don't have to get a bunch of school supplies, so that is what I would tell my friends and we already told some of our friends.
Daisy W., 4th Grade
Paola P., 11th Grade
Hailey V., 12th Grade
Trinity D., 11th Grade
Dishawn W., 5th Grade
Hannah H., 11th Grade
Madalyn T., 9th Grade
One thing that I like about going to ORVA is that you can meet people a lot easier and I get to stay in bed and still go to class.
Srikar V., 8th Grade
Rebekah W., 8th Grade
Kelsie F., 8th Grade
I don't have to be in school the extra hours that all the other kids have to be in it for, so it allows me to do school and not be in it until 2 or 3 o'clock.
Xander G., 4th Grade
Breena B., 10th Grade
I would tell my best friend that my favorite part about ORVA is the format of the school, and how they teach the students.
Emma M., 5th Grade
Noah R., 11th Grade
One reason is because the people at ORVA make it easy to learn.
Cutter H., 8th Grade
Gerren G., 10th Grade
I think one thing that I would tell my best friend is that there is so much more freedom than brick and mortar school. It's just so nice to be able to work ahead (or if you are behind, you can catch up!) and to be able to get up and take a breather if I'm stressed from schoolwork.
I'm getting the best grades I've gotten my WHOLE LIFE. Thanks ORVA, for giving me a chance.
Noah D., 4th Grade
Megan A., 8th Grade
Courtney G., 8th Grade
Jesse O., 12th Grade
Wulf S., 11th Grade
I constantly tell my friends about how ORVA has really nice teachers and great curriculum, and lots of them listen, some even possibly consider ORVA better than their public school.
Wyllow B., Kindergarten
Brandon B., 8th Grade
Marina D., 7th Grade
John D., 5th Grade
~LEARNING COACH TIPS AND ADVICE~
Lisa P., LC to Chloe P., 9th Gr.
Charlie D., LC to Carter, Preston, and Alexis, in 3rd, 5th, and 7th Grades
Christie W., LC to Deborah W., 8th Grade
Kasandra L., LC to Benjamin and Brendan L., 3rd and 8th Grades
The best tip as a learning coach that I can give is: Find a time that works well for your kids to start school and stick to it.
Brittney V., LC to Hailey V., 12th Grade
Lori M., LC to Coy M., 4th Grade
Coy has a work station that he does his independent studies at, but the subjects that we do together we often curl up on the couch together and it allows us to bond and work comfortably.
Priscilla D., LC to Ashley, Trinity, and Heather, 9th, 11th, and 12th Grades
Michele G., LC to Amanda G., 8th Grade
Stacy and Dan C., LCs to Mya C., 8th Grade
Motivators for our homeschooler is positive feedback. She works hard, acknowledging her work and giving praise is important!
Linda A., LC to Tara A., 8th Grade
Alexandra G., LC to Xander G., 4th Grade
Claudia R., LC to Cody C., 8th Grade
Tammy H., LC to Cutter H., 8th Grade
Tracy G., LC to Noah G., 1st Grade
Breaks - we both find that attention span is greater if we work out the wiggles in between. A good breakfast with healthy snacks are a must for us. Noah likes to tell me how he conveys an assignment before we begin, this is helpful to me to have the ability to see his weak points that need more attention.
Regina L., LC to Connor L., 7th Grade
Kathy S., LC to Trinity S., 7th Grade
Teha S., LC to Sophie and Wulf, 5th and 11th Grades
Kylene B., LC to Wyllow B., Kindergarten
Nichole B., LC to Brandon B., 8th Grade
For art we use lots of mediums and different art tools and have even added paint by numbers. We also have music class everyday playing either a real guitar or rock band for full family musical interactions.
Angela D., LC to Joseph, John, and Marina D., 3rd, 5th, and 7th Grades
If you have a student that is difficult you really just need to take it one day at a time. Try your hardest to see what triggers them and walk away and take a break if needed and try to break the bad habits that both you and them have established. I think education is so important but your relationship with your student is just as important.
Melissa D., LC to Gabriella D., 2nd Grade
Jennifer A., LC to Isaiah and Mya A., K and 4th Grade
In my daughter's physical kindergarten class, several years ago, her teacher used clothes pins with each student's name and colored paper to represent their behavior. Once a child was given several warnings for unacceptable behavior, they were asked to "move your clip down." I have never seen such sad kids in my life. As they trudged across the room and lowered their clip, I wondered "how that could possibly work?!" Once they shaped up, they had the privilege of moving their clip up.The kids were rewarded 1, 2 or 3 Skittles based on what color they ended the day on. Would kids really behave for 3 or even 1 Skittle? Those kids really wanted those Skittles!
I found that my kids need short term and long term rewards. So we use the 'pin system,' with an added flair. If the kids end the day on Blue they get a star in their punch card. If they end the day on Purple , they get a star and a piece of candy. I can honestly tell you that I don't remember what the consequences are supposed to be for ending on green or yellow, because they change their attitude pretty quick once they are asked to move their clip down. My son has only been on yellow once and my daughter never has. As a long term reward, once their punch card is filled, they receive a Dutch Bros. smoothie. This works really well for us.