NCVA Beacon Herald
April 2016
Our Mission:
Every Child......Every Class........Every Day......
A message from our Head of School
As a kid growing up, my mom used to always say the same thing about April – “April showers bring May flowers.” I would roll my eyes and shake my head as we planted flowers around the house. My mom is no longer with us due to cancer, but I can now smile as I type that phrase. You see, my mom was talking about more things than botany. Yes, the storms and the rain of April, combined with the increasing warmth, produce the beautiful flowers of May; however, there’s more to it.
It’s the work and diligence that make a difference over time. Yes, we will face tough times, struggles, or storms; but if we keep at it, beauty is just on the other side. I’ve planted a garden each of the last 10 years to teach my children the lesson that patience makes a difference. My kids want to see immediate results – plant a seed then harvest a vegetable – but we all know it doesn’t work that way. Everything you do on a daily basis adds up over time. See the picture below of our snow peas…they do not look like much now, but they will give our family of five enough peas to last us all of May, June, and July. How? They grow just a little bit every day!!
Simply put, beware of “spring fever.” Yes, it is gorgeous outside but do not work too quickly through your assignments or put them off till tomorrow. Stay the course because the year is almost over. I’m proud of the progress that each of you – students and learning coaches – have made, so keep moving forward.
Dr. Joel Medley
Head of School
North Carolina Virtual Academy
NEW! Learning Coach Mentor Program AND Social Hour
Hello NCVA Learning Coaches!
We're so so excited to share with you that NCVA will be launching two new opportunities for our Learning Coaches. Let me share these two separate opportunities with you.
1. NCVA LEARNING COACH MENTOR PROGRAM
The LC mentor program will provide new or struggling NCVA Learning Coaches an opportunity to connect with experienced Learning Coaches. It is our goal to create a partnership to benefit all Learning Coaches. This mentorship program will provide support/mentorship to new/struggling NCVA Learning Coaches.
This is a volunteer program which means the mentee can exit the program at any time. If you wish to volunteer as a LC mentor , you will be partnered according to strengths and individual circumstances. I will be creating a database of volunteer Learning Coach Mentors immediately so that when mentees sign up, we will have mentors in place to offer support.
Mentors will provide their time and support to new/struggling NCVA families by calling them, listening to them, sharing experiences, and offering solutions or guidance.
If you’re interested in being a NCVA Learning Coach Mentor or would like to request a LC Mentor, please RSVP here:
http://goo.gl/forms/qtjzSaRWTH
2. NCVA LEARNING COACH SOCIAL HOUR
It is our goal to provide an environment where Learning Coaches can share, collaborate on trending ideas and gain a voice in our school community. The Learning Coach Social Hour will be one hour dedicated to Learning Coaches to discuss a topic, collaborate, brainstorm and share ideas in a Blackboard Classroom. Some learning coaches will come to participate while others will come just to listen and get ideas. We welcome both!
We’ll have our first Learning Coach Social Hour on Friday, April 22nd. Our topic of discussion will be "Battling Burnout". If you would like an invite to our first LC Social Hour, please complete this google doc:
http://goo.gl/forms/Asa9tVWrCY
I am so excited about these opportunities and hope you are, too! I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kristin Contreras
Family Engagement Coordinator
Click here for some fun, physical family activities!
Family Resource Coordinator
Emotional intelligent. It’s very likely that you’ve heard the term but what exactly is it? Why is it important?
Emotional intelligence, known as one’s EQ, is the individual’s ability to manage his or her emotions in a healthy way. Your EQ encompasses self-awareness, self-acceptance, empathy, understanding social cues, and the ability to regulate your own anxiety in order to handle conflict and adversity in a constructive manner.
A British longitudinal study published in 2011 followed babies through their childhood and into adulthood for fifty years. The results showed that their success and happiness in late life strongly correlated to their emotional intelligence. There have been countless other studies that support this finding.
Join me for April’s FRC parent webinar where we will dive further into emotional intelligence, social and emotional learning, and ways that you can support a healthy EQ in your child. See the information below in the Parent Webinar section.
Happy April!
Sonimar Villegas, FRC
FRC Parent Webinars
"Emotional Intelligence and Social Emotional Learning for Families"
Target Audience: Middle/High School LCs
Click the on the title link on
Friday, April 22nd, 2016 @ 10 AM.
Attention All 8th, 9th and 10th Grade Students and Families!
Mark your calendar for these upcoming dates. You will receive important information about changes in high school for next year and select classes.
April 6th at 2:00 PM: Current 9th/10th Grade Information Session
April 12th at 2:00 PM: Current 8th Grade Registration for Classes
April 14th at 2:00 PM: Current 9th/10th Grade Registration for Classes
Check your Kmail for a link to attend the meetings. We are excited to help you prepare for another great year with NCVA!
Announcements from our school counselor, Ms. Barton
-Drivers Ed
Parents, if I have sent you a Driver’s Eligibility Certificate, please make sure you send me the PINK copy back as soon as you visit your local DMV. I need to put those on file. The address is Nicole Barton, North Carolina Virtual Academy, 4220 HWY 55, Suite 130, Durham, NC 27713.
-Future Endeavors
High School students should be continually thinking about their future endeavors beyond high school. If you have any questions or concerns about what’s next for you after graduation please contact me. I can help you get career ideas or strike up interests, and point you in the direction toward your dream. Let’s make it happen!
SCHOOL CALENDAR
4/8 K-5 Awards Assembly @ 12:30pm
4/15 Asheboro Zoo Outing and Bowl to Enroll in 3 separate locations (see below)
4/29 NCVA Lottery
5/2 - 5/6 4th Quarter Benchmarks
5/13 End of Year Outing (information to come)
5/20 Kindergarten Virtual Recognition Ceremony
5/24 Kindergarten Recognition Ceremony (Charlotte, Raleigh)
5/31-6/10 EOC and EOG Testing Window
5/30 No School
6/10 Last Day of School
Outing Information for the Spring Semester
April 15th: NC Zoo (Regions 2, 3, 4 and 5)
4/15/16 Bowl to Enroll (Regions 2, 5 and 8)
Asheville
12:30pm -2:30pm
AMF Star Lanes
For more info and to register: http://my.info.k12.com/NCVAInPerson20160415-2_01RegistrationLP.html
Wilmington
12:30pm-2:30pm
Cardinal Lanes Beach Bowl
For more info and to register: http://my.info.k12.com/NCVAInPerson20160415-3_01RegistrationLP.html
Winston Salem
12:30pm - 2:30pm
Creekside Lanes
For more info and to register: http://my.info.k12.com/NCVAInPerson20160415_01RegistrationLP.html
*While the event is listed in the "Prospective Families" list, current families are invited!
4/15/16 NC Zoo Outing in Asheboro (Regions 2, 3, 4 and 5)
4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205
8:45am
Adults, $15
Seniors, $13
Children 2-12, $11
Please bring cash and exact change.
Please RSVP: http://goo.gl/forms/jUF8CPtDUL
Please print, complete, and bring the following forms:
CURRENT STUDENTS: Re-register NOW for 2016-2017 !
The re-registration process is now open and ready for you to complete. This is the process by which we ask you to indicate your plans for the 2016-2017 school year, so we can prepare for your student’s return!
The process is easy and fast:
- Log into the OLS.
- Click on “My Info”
- Look for the “Re-register Now” icon and click go!
You can select from the following options:
Registering: yes, my student is returning.
- Not Registering: no, my student is not returning. (This does not change your student’s status for this school year)
- Undecided: you are unsure and would like to discuss this decision. Please note, if you choose this option, you will have to decide on registering or not-registering at a later point.
Re-registering early ensures that your courses will be loaded on time and you will receive your materials before the start of school. It also helps the NCVA staff to plan for next year. You can do this today and it will only take a couple of minutes.
Your family is an important part of the NCVA community and we look forward to our continued partnership!
OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR NEW STUDENTS
Please remember that you must complete a lottery application if you wish to enroll new siblings.
Click here to ENROLL NOW: http://www.ncva.k12.com/
Lottery will be held April 29th!
NC Science Festival: April 8-24
Drivers Education Information
Once your student completes the course, the legal guardian of the student will need to contact Nicole Barton (school counselor) by kmail to request the Driver's Education Certificate that must be taken to the DMV when the student goes to get their license. Ms. Barton will verify the student's academic standing and if the student is in good standing at NCVA, she will complete the certificate and send by snail mail to the mailing address on file. We will make a note of the certificate number in your student's record.
IMPORTANT: The legal guardian will need to sign the certificate and return the carbon copy to the NCVA office in Durham so that it can be added to your student's file. The certificate expires 30 days from issue.
We love to hear how we're making a difference in your life! Please take a moment and share your story with us!
http://goo.gl/forms/KBCC7qZ9zE
Are you brand new to NCVA?
New Student Welcome Orientations are required for all new students. Please sign up for one of the orientations as soon as possible. The information is included in your welcome kmail. You will only need to attend once, however, you must register each student.
K-8 students need to complete the Welcome to Online Learning Courses found in the Online Learning System (OLS). These lessons are to be viewed by the Learning Coach and the student. The lessons explain how to use the OLS in conjunction with the materials you are receiving. These lessons need to be completed immediately.
High schools students need to complete the HS Online Learning Courses. Under your "quick links" in the OLS be sure to choose Online High School. This will take you to the platform that all your High School courses are located in. Then click on the course titled HS Online Learning. Click the content tab, review all the course materials and then take all six units. These lessons need to be completed immediately.
Required Class Connect Sessions
To view the recording of a missed Class Connect Session, click on the "Go to Class Connect" link, search the date of your missed session, click on the link of the session, watch recording. ALWAYS send your teacher a Kmail to explain why you missed attending the LIVE session (unless previously arranged).
CLASS CONNECT TROUBLESHOOTING
ATTENDANCE
If your student is ill, attendance must still be recorded. You will enter zeros and click save.
OUTAGES IN THE ONLINE SCHOOL
1. Keep a log of the time you worked off-line.
2. Look at the objectives in the teacher guides that you can teach to and work on those.
3. When you get back online, go to those lessons and mark them off or have your student go straight to the assessment in order to demonstrate their mastery.
4. Print your weekly plan at the beginning of the week.
5. Sometimes it may be necessary to work out of order or skip ahead to a writing project, novel unit, or something else you can do offline.
When systems go down or out, it is not limited to only education--it happens everywhere around us! We can choose to make the best of this time by doing schoolwork off-line.
K-12 Mobile Apps
Check them out here: http://www.k12.com/mobile-apps.html
TIPS FOR CHECKING COURSE PROGRESS IN THE ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL
1. From your Learning Coach homepage click on the "K12 HS Homepage" link in the "Quick Links" box on the right side of your screen.
2. Select "Change to Student View" title in the center of the page
3. Select " Yes" for viewing purposes
4. Select "My Tools" button (top right of your screen)
5. Select "My Progress"
6. Under "Progress Summary" select the drop down arrow next to "Topics Visited" to see all recent work completed. This will also tell you how often and how long your student is spending in class.
Note: You can ONLY check progress from the STUDENT VIEW and not the LC view.
NCVA has partnered with Harris Teeter's Together In Education Program!
Is an immediate family member of your child connected to the US Military?
https://secure.echosign.com/public/esignWidget?wid=CBFCIBAA2AAABLblqZhCB9Fs7Ok6xvOi2IMNOQXSe8oxdLW9gfoNliaoopEYEEdu8sWxLIAdN7ora0-KqPfk*