ORVA Community Newsletter
May 2022
In This Issue
- In Loving Memory
- Re-Registration and Open Enrollment
- State Testing
- Activities Coordinator Corner
- Learning Coach Corner
- Text opt In
- Parent and Student Connect
- Box Tops
- Scholastic Books
- Amazon Smile
- Vector Solutions
- Elementary Spotlight
- Middle School Spotlight
- High School Spotlight
- Special Programs Spotlight
- From our School Psychologist
- Community Resources
- School Calendar
- Contact Us
We would like to recognize ORVA 9th grader, Finnian Lewis, who recently lost his life. A letter was sent out to learning coaches on 4/22/22 with more details. Our School Crisis Team continues to support students, staff, and families, as needed. We have counselors available for any student who may need or want help or any type of assistance surrounding this loss. We encourage you, as parents, to also feel free to use our resources. The Crisis Team will be providing Individual support on an as needed basis.
If you would like additional information or need assistance from ORVA school staff, please do not hesitate to contact our School Psychologist, December Tueller (dtueller@oregonva.org, (541) 751-5714) or School Social Worker, Karina Smyth (ksmyth@oregonva.org, (541) 294-1068). They can be reached during school hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. Should you need information about helping your child at home, The Dougy Center website contains helpful guidance and resources, https://www.dougy.org. If you need assistance outside of school hours, you can find information on available 24/7 Crisis Lines at https://www.dougy.org/grief-support-resources/crisis-support.
We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as you need. Please see the section below from our School Psychologist for more information and support.
Re-Registration
Our Community Engagement Specialist, Tiffany Folsom, will be holding weekly Re-Registration help sessions in Zoom. These sessions will be on Wednesdays and offered at both 10:30 and 4:00. These will be hour-long sessions and you are welcome to pop in any time during those hours for Re-Registration help.
Here are the links to the sessions (these links will stay the same each week):
10:30-11:30am sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81067695392
4:00-5:00pm sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87852842962
Open Enrollment (New Students)
Do you know someone who would be interested in attending ORVA? Enrollment for the Fall 2022 is open! Legal Guardians can enroll their student(s) by visiting oregonvirtual.org or by calling 866.529.0160.
If you already have a student enrolled but would like to enroll another student, please log into your Parent Portal and click on "Information on New Enrollments" and then "Enroll another student." If you would like to enroll another student on the K12 app, go to Menu then Enrollment Dashboard. From there, you can click on "Information on New Enrollments" and then "Enroll another student."
Yearbook
Re-Reg Help Sessions
Here are the links to the sessions (these links will stay the same each week):
10:30-11:30am sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81067695392
4:00-5:00pm sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87852842962
As a reminder, when logging into your Parent Portal, please use this link: https://k12parentportal.force.com/portal_sitelogin?SchoolID=3000&imp=553234694-060252021
Activities
Learning Coach Corner Newsletter
When filling out the opt-in form, please be sure to include all of your students' names and student ID numbers even if you select no for student texting. This allows us to mark your opt-in choices on each of their accounts in our system. Additionally, please be sure to include the phone numbers for each person you are opting in.
If you are opted in and would like to opt OUT or make any other changes, please contact Tiffany Folsom at tfolsom@oregonva.org.
Parent Connect
Student Connect
IMPORTANT:
- Form MUST be filled out by the student's Legal Guardian
- Please do not put gaming handles (Nintendo, Xbox, PS4, app games, etc.) on this form. Any gaming handles found on the form will be removed before info is added to the directory.
- What is shared between students over the phone or email is at the discretion of their Legal Guardians
- The Student Connect Directory will only be accessible to those who have filled out the Student Connect opt in form. Your student will receive a link to this form via their school email.
- To remove your student from the Student Connect Directory, you will need to contact Tiffany Folsom (tfolsom@oregonva.org)
Please note: if you choose to add an email address to the directory, it must be a personal email address and not their school email as students are not able to email each other through their school (oregonva.org) email. Thank you!
Orders for summer reading are currently being accepted. This is the last order of the school year, so it’s the perfect time to stock up on books to read over the summer.
When you use the school’s code below with your order, ORVA earns points with Scholastic. The points will be used to purchase books as incentives and prizes throughout the year. Our school account says MS, but it’s the account for K-12.
Website/ordering link: https://orders.scholastic.com/XQ8XT
If you’re asked for our school code, it’s XQ8XT.
Be sure to choose the ship to home option when you’re ready to order.
Orders will be placed for this month on June 3, which means that orders will ship after that date.
ORVA teacher to contact if you have questions: Tina Lowen, (541) 751-5410, tlowen@oregonva.org
How do I shop with AmazonSmile?
How do I activate AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app?
VectorSolutions (previously SafeSchools Alert) is our online tip reporting system that allows students, staff and parents to confidentially report safety concerns to our administration 24/7/365 via:
1.Mobile App
2.Text
3.Phone
4.Email
5.Website
NOTE: Vector Alert is for non-emergencies. For true emergencies, always call 911.
Fifth Grade Fly-Up!
Happy May ORVA Middle School Families!
Student Congratulations!
Seven members of Mrs. Thompson’s Creative Writing Club had poems selected for publication in Poetic Power’s spring anthology A Celebration of Poets: Kanada C.-T., Ava D., Isis D., Huda K., Naima N., Carly S., and Eve T. Previously, Carly S. was selected and published in the winter anthology. Congratulations to these budding poets!
Academic Dates!
In Middle School this month, students and teachers are working hard to finish the school year strong! Please remind your student of these important academic dates:
- May 9th to May 13th is All School Testing Week! There will be no live classes and all testing students will have daily CC’s with their testing proctor as well as grade level assemblies with their advisors.
- May 30th is Memorial Day: No School
- June 13th is the last day to turn in large assignments, such as labs, essays and projects for Quarter 4!
- June 16th is the last day of school, a half day and the last day to turn in all school work for Quarter 4!
- June 17th: Summer break begins! Please make sure you have re-registered for ORVA for next year ASAP. You are a valuable part of our community!
As a reminder, please stay informed in your student’s Online Learning System. Many Middle School students may save work for the last minute and this can be very challenging for the adolescent mind (and the learning coach too!) Please reach out to myself, teachers and advisors for support. We are here for you!
Communication:
Please keep checking the ORVA Middle School Padlet Information Page for Learning Coaches to access important links in a one-stop-shop format. Please check out our Learning Coach Information Padlet linked here or visit https://tinyurl.com/ORVAMS. As we continue in semester 2 together, please stay connected to your student’s teachers and advisors and make sure healthy academic habits are incorporated into daily family life this year.
Warmly,
Caitlin Klenz
ORVA Middle School Principal
Greetings ORVA High School,
We are nearing the end of the school year and encourage you to finish the year strong by attending and engaging with classes, completing assignments, and communicating with your teachers. Be sure to read the student newsletter “The Butterfly Times”.
Check out our amazing Career and Technical Education Program at the High School. Reach out to Jaimie Brady if you have any questions about this wonderful opportunity at the high school.
Here are some important dates to remember:
June 2nd—Last day for Graduates
June 13th—Last day to turn in big projects/essays
June 16th—Last day to turn in any work
June 11th—Graduation
June 16th—Last day for students (Half Day)
Here are some important reminders:
Make sure to complete your forecasting for next year (An email was sent from the counselor.)
The State Testing Extravaganza is May 9th-May 13th
STAR360 Testing for Grades 9-11 is May 16th-May 27th
Dual Credit Options
Contact Kari Carter, Dual Credit Specialist, at kcarter@oregonva.org or 541-520-4238
IEP Goal Progress Reports
At ORVA we provide parents an update on IEP goal progress 3x per year: 2 of these are at the end of each semester and the last one is at the students annual IEP. As we approach the end of the second semester and the school year, we wanted to prepare families for what to expect.
- On June 17th each Legal Guardian/Adult Student will receive a digital copy of their IEP Progress Report
- The IEP Progress Report shows data and progress toward meeting each IEP goal
- You may also request a paper copy by emailing the request to your students IEP Case Manager
- If you have any questions or concerns about the IEP Goal Progress Report, please contact your student's IEP Case Manager
Extended School Year
At ORVA we provide Extended School Year (ESY) services for students with IEPs who meet qualifications for these supports. As we approach the end of the school year, we wanted to provide information to families about ESY.
- Qualification for ESY services is an IEP team decision and is based on goal progress data taken before and after school breaks
- While all students regress over extended breaks from school, students on IEPs who show significant regression and limited recoupment after school breaks may qualify for ESY
- When a student qualifies for ESY, the specific goals in which they show regression are identified and services are provided for those specific goals
- ESY services are held over the summer, across a 6-week period
- ESY services are meant to help a student to maintain skills or to limit regression, but they are not meant to gain skills
- ORVA’s ESY this year will be held from July 5th – August 12th
- If you have a student who qualifies for ESY and it is outlined in their IEP, you will be contacted in June to schedule ESY services
- ESY is NOT summer school. Summer School is available to all students and focuses on coursework. ESY is only available to those who meet the qualification criteria and only focuses on specific IEP goals
Grief and Loss Guide
When a crisis event occurs—in school, in the community or at the national level—it can cause strong and deeply felt reactions in adults and children, especially those who have already experienced crises in the past. Acts of healing such as making drawings, writing letters, attending memorial ceremonies are important for all students. How adults express their emotions will influence the reactions of children and youth. Further, they will react to the trauma and stress based on their past experience and awareness of the current situation. Caregivers and school personnel who know a student well can best predict his or her reactions and behaviors because they have observed the student’s response to stress in the past.
Emotional reactions to death:
Denial/shock – thoughts that this can't be happening or no response at all
Anger - why did this have to happen?
Bargaining - make this go away
Depression - feeling sad or overly quiet
Fear- will this happen to me or someone I love
Physical symptoms - fatigue, stomachache, trouble breathing or sleeping
Acceptance - being at peace with what happened
What parents/LC’s can do to help their student:
- First, ask your student what they know about the situation and determine if there are any misconceptions you may need to clear up.
- Based on what they already know, try to avoid telling your student too much detail but make sure they understand the truth about the situation.
- Explain to your student that the emotional reactions to death (above) is a cycle and any of these feelings can come up at any time, but time will help these feelings to become easier to deal with.
- Remember the importance of maintaining a routine and keeping normal roles and limits as much as possible. Offer choices of activities rather than forcing.
- Utilize community supports such as friends, family, religious organizations, after school programs, etc.
- Encourage opportunities to share and discuss feelings and concerns.
- Use the term "dead" rather than passed away. Try to explain that death means to not breathe or live and help them to understand that the person who died will not come back.
- Discuss the natural reactions to death (attached) and remind your student that their feelings are normal.
- Understand that after experiencing a death, your student may be reminded of past trauma (if there are any) and may want to talk about previous issues.
- Remind them to go easy on themselves. What they’re feeling is normal for someone who is grieving.
- Thank them for reaching out and/or for communicating with you. Remind them to keep communicating with their teachers so they understand their needs and can support them.
Activities that can help:
- Expressing feelings through dramatic play
- Reading student’s books about death and dying
- Writing or drawing what they saw or what they remember about the person they lost or how they feel or what they are worried about
- Watching a movie with death as a theme and then talk about it
On behalf of all ORVA staff, we are here for you and your families! If you need counseling support services in your local community, please reach out to our Student Resource Coordinator, Anne Farrell anfarrell@oregonva.org. If you need school supports, please reach out to our School Psychologist, December Tueller, dtueller@oregonva.org. or our new social worker, Karina Smyth ksmyth@oregonva.org, your counselors, advisors or teachers. Anyone can point you in the right direction for support. As always, if you have an emergency, please dial 911.
School Calendar
Contact Us
Instagram: @oregonvirtualacademy
TikTok: @oregonvirtualacad
Email: oregonvirtual@oregonva.org
Website: oregonvirtual.org
Phone: 541-751-8060
Facebook: http://facebook.com/OregonVirtual
Twitter: @AcademyOregon