OVS High School Weekly Update
November 16, 2018 Volume 88
Mark Your Calendars!
Upcoming events:
Starting December 3rd: Online classes will occur Monday and Friday according to these times:
- 9:00-10:00--Mr. Brannan
- 10:00-11:00--Mr. Gamble
- 11:00-12:00--Mrs. Mendoza
- 1:00-2:00--Mrs. Ignowski
Students will be REQUIRED to attend these session if they have a D/F, are on a Back on Track plan, or if they are 2 weeks behind the pacing guide.
These sessions will be optional to all other students. The Class Connect lesson may appear as "required" on your K12 class page and it will be at your discretion whether to attend.
The sessions are an opportunity for students to ask questions, work, and receive help from the teachers.
Tues., Dec. 4th OR Thurs., Dec 6th
- All 10th graders will take the Pre-ACT during their regular class time
- FREE! Provided by the Nebraska Department of Education
Thursday, Dec. 20th @ midnight--
- Last day to turn in Semester 1 assignments
Support OVS MS/HS Robotics this weekend!
Our robotics teams are working hard! All teams have operational robots and have begun their work on attacking the course and accomplishing the game goals. It is going to be a great year for Mr. Gamble and his teams!!
This Saturday, November 17th, is our first competition for the middle/high school teams. Our teams will put in a full day from 8:00 until about 4:30. They are competing at Norris Middle School. Qualification matches begin about 10:00 and last until about 3:00. Finals to follow that for qualified teams. All of us Ocelots wish them the best of luck.
Good luck to Elijah Muller, Ethan Huebert, Caleb Cummings, Aidan Anderson, Grant Diederich, Ethan Nelson, Jasper Payne, Carter Muller, and Ethan Cox. Pictures and follow up to follow next week.
BrightBytes Technology Survey for parents & students
Why use OneDrive?
- Documents can be accessible on any device with the students O365 login.
- Documents are safely stored on the cloud
- Learners can edit, collaborate, and share any file
- The search feature in OneDrive easily allows you to find files
- If a computer stops working, it might be re-imaged, this results in wiping the device, including documents that are saved on local drives and on the desktop. This could be catastrophic to a learner and his/her progress in coursework.
See the below tutorials on how to upload files and folders to OneDrive and how to manage files and folders in OneDrive.
OPS Text Messages
OVS Synergy Updates--UPDATED INFO!!
Parents Night Out!!!!
What: -Drop your children (ages 5+) off at 60 & L and OVS Staff and LCs will babysit. This is a fundraiser for our school, and a chance for you to go out to dinner, shop, or just enjoy quiet time!
Where: 60 & L location
When: Friday, December 7th, at 5pm - 8pm
How much: $10 per child, with a max of $25 for a family.
It is drop in/pick up at any time, but the cost will still be the same.
Schedule for evening:
5:00 - 6:00 - Students bring a cold sack lunch or food from a restaurant to eat and socialize in the commons.
6:00 - 7:00 - Basement fun 1. Parachute , 2. Yard games (indoors) 3. Just dance on projector
7:00 - 8:00 - Board games
High School Learning Coaches Facebook Group
A few learning coaches have requested a separate facebook group for high school only. Here is the link for that group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269153923721409/?source=unknown
Pre-ACT
Classroom happenings
English Updates
Mrs. Mendoza has returned from Maternity Leave! Her baby is doing wonderfully and is enjoying time at home with Daddy!
Upcoming
-Pre-ACT for 10th graders next week
Online ISL:
ELA core and elective classes:
Online help is available with Mrs. Mendoza from 11:00am-12:00pm
These may be required for students who need assistance to get back on pace.
Mr. Brannan's Updates
Week in Review:
Our Stock Market game ends Dec. 7. The students have invested all their money in a last attempt to score a profit and win the game.
*When reviewing your students grades please make sure to check their missing assignments and low assignment grade. Your student may be showing a 'C' even thought they are have many zeroes for assignment scores. You may do this by clicking on "Grades" at the top of the K12 page
Looking Ahead:
History: Students are wrapping up the 1920's their Unit 6 test and RSP were due last week. As we begin Unit 7 WWII, students will also prepare to complete another RSP over the 30's and 40's.
Economics: Students should be completing the Unit 5 test and then we will be learning about the International Economy.
Online lessons The schedule for my regular online lessons is below.
- Computer: 1st and 3rd Monday of the month 9:15-10:15
- History: Wednesdays OR Fridays 8:30-9:30 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session) "As Needed" Sessions are at 1:00 on Mondays and Wednesdays, a great time to get individual help.
- Economics: Wednesdays OR Fridays 10:15-11:15 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session) "As Needed" Sessions are at 1:00 on Mondays and Wednesdays, a great time to get individual help.
Mrs. Ignowski's Updates
Mrs. Ignowski has had her baby boy! Mrs. Justice has started her role as our long term sub for science and PE. Her email is anjanette.justice@ops.org.
Week in Review:
Students focused on getting caught up on their coursework and understanding expectations of upcoming assignments. Learning Coaches and students should always keep in mind the pacing guide for all courses. High School Students must earn a passing grade by the end of the semester (December 21st) in order to earn a credit for the course. Please continue to reach out as needed, these clarifications have proven very successful for students.
Looking Ahead:
Topics covered will build off of previous units, so it is important for students to attain mastery (63%) on each assessment. This upcoming week at the learning center I will be specifically addressing students that have not attained mastery.
Weekly Online Lessons:
Online lessons have already begun. The schedule for my regular online lessons is below.
- Earth Science: 2nd Monday of the month 10:15-11:15
- Physical Science: Wednesdays OR Fridays 10:15-11:15 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session)
- Biology: Fridays 11:30-12:30 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session)
Mr. Gamble's Updates
Week in Review:
The semester is going quick! We are looking at about 5 weeks left for learners to complete all lessons and submit all required work. I have sent home pacing guides with plans for those learners who are behind in their work. December 21st will be the final day to submit work as the courses will be removed from the learner’s dashboard that night.
Online lessons continue to happen daily. See below for the schedule to ensure your learners are in attendance. If a student is optional, they are not required to attend, but are welcome to for additional assistance. “Required” learners must attend the session for lesson assistance. We are still missing numerous learners for their required online lessons. Please ensure your learner is logging into the Class Connect sessions for their instruction and assistance. This is vital to their progress and comprehension.
Looking Ahead:
Next week we will only have learners here on Tuesday. Wednesday teachers are in training and the holiday break follows. The break is a great time to spend with family and enjoy each other’s company. It is also a great time to get more work done since the pacing guide does not assign work on those days.
Should your learner have a question or struggle, please encourage them to reach out to us. If they are reserved, then please email the appropriate teacher and we will make note of that need and address it. We are a team and encourage all parties (facilitator, coach, and learner) to communicate.
PIT Stop is available on Friday mornings from 10:00 – 11:00 for learners that need assistance. This is an ONLINE session. I will be actively in the session and available to answer questions or model lessons for learners in need. Regular PIT Stop continues Wednesdays from 1:00 – 3:00. Reach out to your teacher for information.
Resources:
There are countless resources on the internet for math. Throughout the year I will post some here that could assist your learner or yourself. Learning coaches can use these to check the work of a learner or preview topics.
This month’s resource can be effective for all courses. Geogebra provides a free graphing calculator and many other tools that are helpful for verifying or graphing equations, expressions, and inequalities as well as drawing geometric shapes and finding their properties. It can be used to show graphs if equations in assignments or to check the work of a learner.
Weekly Online Math Lessons:
Most online sessions will not last the entire block of time, unless needed for individual help. We will work in mini-lessons addressing specific needs. If “Required” is listed on the session, you must attend that session. If “Optional” is listed, you do not have to attend, but CAN attend if you’d like help or a review.
The schedule for regular online Math sessions is as follows:
- Geometry & Honors: Tuesdays @ 1:00 – 2:00.
Mr. Koneck-Wilcox's Updates
November 20
The Metro Community College Tour gave students a good vision of the future, a chance to see post secondary life up close !
We will be back next week working on more skills for test preparation. The PRECAT will be Tuesday , December 4th.
" Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. "
----Henry van Dyke
American Educator
November 13 and 15
We began the test preparation section this week. Students identified study strategies that they might use . Visualization , first-letter mnemonics, analogies , chunking of information, highlighting main ideas, were all discussed as useful tools.
Ideally , one will be most prepared for tests and remember to stay calm , not letting stress and anxiety overcome our thoughts.
Next week will be the Metro Community College Tour at Fort Omaha.
Parents are to sign the permission slips .
OVS High School
College Tour
Metro Community College
Tuesday, November 20,2018
Walking Tour on Fort Omaha Campus
9:15---11:00am
I give permission for________________________________ to attend the tour.
__________________________________________ __________________
Parent signature Date
The test prep sessions will continue November 27th and 29th.
The PREACT will be given on Tuesday , December 4th. The make-up date will be Thursday December 6th.
"The secret to happiness is being grateful for what you have , not what you don't have or what you've lost. "
-----Muniba Mazari
November 6 and 8
One step in the third mindset, 'We are all connected', asks us to seek ways to serve others. The folks who have chosen career paths in the rescue, fire , police and military domains give examples of serving others.
The students this week will write letters of thanks as part of Operation Gratitude. Our collected letters , some typed some hand written , will join nearly 250,000 being distributed in care packages. Ask your student to whom and what they wrote about.
Parents and students sometimes feel a need to visit regarding issues at home, school, work. The Community Counseling Program offers an option for families at school sites or neighborhood locations. Students were all given the lists and phone numbers. Mr. Victor Sherman directs the program, and may be reached at 402-354-8005.
October 30 and November 1
The 7 Mindsets--- an awesome path to follow through our lives.
During advisement we reviewed the first two, 'Everything is possible' and 'Passion first'.
The third one , 'We are all connected', allows us to see the wide array of ways we are touched by others throughout our lives, whether in person or digitally. We may even ask ourselves , 'how may I better serve others ?'
The students took a character strengths inventory and shared their perspectives.
Next week we will participate in Operation Gratitude.
" Character is doing the right thing even when it costs more than you want to pay."
----Michael Josephson
October 24,2018
Advisement this week included awards for attendance and growth mindset.
Our EQ, essential question , was " What helps us to remember new information ?"
Ask your student to share the three parts of our memory experiment. We had 63 words to recall and write down . What total did they get ?
Mnemonic devices help many folks . Some of us are better auditory than visual and even some truly excel in kinesthetic learning. Share with your student what your best might be.
School-Connect module 3: Building Academic Strengths and Purpose
" How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. "
----Anne Frank
October 16,2018
During advisement , the students discussed the issue of bullying. Ways to prevent it and methods of responding were part of our dialogue.
Ask your student to describe the three parts of a bullying scenario.
Some informational reading could be found at 'Steps to Respect, Committee for Children ' and www.respect2all.org.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
-------Ralph Waldo Emerson
Troubles with your device?
Parents will get an email response following your submission. One of our staff members will email parents back to provide assistance, so be sure to check your email after sending your concern.
Mission Statement
Vision
Core Values
Positivity
Collaboration
Integrity
Self-advocacy
Accountability
Omaha Virtual School
Email: virtualschool@ops.org
Website: ovs.k12.com
Location: 4640 S 59th St, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: (531)299-0269
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSVirtualSchool/
Twitter: @OPS_Virtual