Montgomery Virtual Academy K-5 News
Week of October 11, 2021
A Note from the Dean's Desk
Greetings Montgomery Virtual Academy Voyagers!
Last Friday was possibly one of the happiest days ever! Not only did we begin the very important process to distribute the materials which just arrived (some the same day!), but I had the pleasure to meet so many families for the first time! It was truly a joyful occasion and I want to thank everyone for the many expressions of support and encouragement! Making it possible behind the scenes were all of the Virtual Academy leaders, staff from the Office of Technology Integration, and staff from the Department of Materials Management. It was quite a team effort and we are pleased to continue the process of distribution this week. Please see below for details. For those who are unable to sign-up for a time this week, we will continue to look for additional times and dates and to ensure every student will have their supplies. Thank you for your cooperation, support, and patience!
This week's newsletter has a few added features including a built-in automatic translation tool. I hope this helps make this newsletter more accessible to all of our families! Finally, I also want to draw attention to the new Counselor's Corner feature in this week's newsletter. Please check it out for some additional supports for students and families.
Thank you for your ongoing support on this amazing voyage! Let's make it great week of learning and a great week on purpose!
Mrs. Cassandra Heifetz
Dean
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 11-15: Materials distribution continues by sign-up
- October 15: Meal Distribution at select sites for pre-registered families
- October 18-20: MCAP testing (virtual administration)
- October 20-22: MCAP testing (in-person administration)
- October 29: Fall Fest classroom celebrations (more information coming soon!)
SUPPLIES & CURRICULUM MATERIALS
We were so excited to receive the majority of our curriculum materials last week and were thrilled to begin the distribution process on Friday. Distribution will continue this week from 15 West Gude Drive, 2nd Floor. We are continuing to add additional time slots as our available staff and volunteer support allows. Please use this link to sign-up for a time if you have not yet done so. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040844a9ad2fabf58-materials
ACTION ITEMS
PTA Interest Form
We are seeking parents interested in starting our very first PTA! Please complete this brief interest survey if you are interested!https://forms.gle/uAbaWhseX2G62ZDN9
Parent/Guardian & Emergency Contact Information
It is very important that we have current contact information for each parent/guardian. This includes email, phone numbers, and mailing address. After activating your Synergy ParentVUE account, please be sure to review and update this information.
You may also contact one of our registrars, Ellen Dimond at Ellen_Dimond@mcpsmd.org for assistance with your ParentVUE code.
Parents/Guardians - Getting Started with ParentVUE https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ukuv45XQeE3h0LWv8I5rRee5Eo_e7dmlkifpwPZdvy0/edit?usp=sharing
FARMS Applications
All families are encouraged to complete an updated application for Free and Reduced Meals status. Complete it online here! https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
MEALS
The form to pre-order meals for October 15 has closed. The link for pre-ordering meals for October 22 will be shared when it becomes available from our partners in Food Services.
ATTENDANCE
Now that we through the first weeks of school and we all have a better understanding of the daily routine, please help us ensure your child is logged in for all synchronous classes and remain logged for the full instructional block. If you need help understanding your child's schedule, VA leaders and your child's teachers are willing to help! Thank you for your support and partnership!
TESTING UPDATES
MAP Testing is Complete!
Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP)
- As part of continued COVID-19 recovery efforts, the Maryland State Department of Education is conducting an early fall MCAP assessment for fourth and fifth grade students as one of several strategies to identify how students are performing academically. The results will help educators better understand student needs so that we can address disrupted education and accelerate learning opportunities for all students. These results never stand alone in assessing student growth, and will be used in combination with other assessments and class work to gauge overall student performance.
- Students who do not require testing accommodations are permitted to take the test remotely from home. Students who require test accommodations must take the test in-person. Families of students who require accommodations were emailed last week.
- The dates for remote test administration is October 18-20. Grade 4 will test in the morning and Grade 5 will test in the afternoon.
- The dates for in-person test administration is October 18-20. Grade 4 will test in the morning and Grade 5 will test in the afternoon.
- For more information please read the Early Fall MCAP MSDE Flyer English Español
MCPS INFORMATION and RESOURCES
Community Tech Support
Need help resolving a technology issue? For helpful support guides and screencasts in English and Spanish, please visit https://montgomery.service-now.com/csm. Email communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org or submit a ticket via the Community Tech Support portal for technical issues not resolved by reviewing the guides. A support guide for the portal is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cczbhEXF7x3TBquSMQGUGsxIcqsm_BtG2KBBi_bA0_0/edit
Families may also call our main office at 240-740-6060 to determine if someone in the office can assist or direct you.
Saturday School
Saturday School provides academic tutoring and instruction with certified teachers in a nurturing and supportive virtual environment. The program is aligned with the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) curriculum. MCPS students Grades K through 12 may attend after registering for Saturday School for $85 per year ($40 for students who receive FARMS).
- Grades K through 8 focus on reading, language arts and math
- Grades 9 through 12 focus on core subjects (English and math); support for High School Assessment; SAT/ACT support
- College and career readiness is emphasized
Also Offered:
- Robotics
- Coding
- Crash Course to College
- SAT/ACT Prep
Learn more or register at: https://saturdayschool.org/
MCPS Parent Academy To Go Virtual Workshops
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/workshops.aspx
Reporting Bullying or Harassment
Bullying, harassment (including sexual misconduct and sexual harassment), intimidation, hazing, incidents of hate-bias, and concerning issues involving student gender identity are not tolerated in MCPS. We are committed to ensuring our students feel safe, valued, and respected in our schools. Please see the linked flyer for information on how to report an incident or seek help. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/compliance/Ways%20To%20Report_School%20Flyer(1).pdf
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Holiday Giving Project of Montgomery County
The Holiday Giving Project (HGP) of Montgomery County has provided Thanksgiving meal and December holiday assistance to families in need for over 30 years. A network of social workers, school counselors, and other human service professionals refer families and individuals in need of assistance. Local non-profits, faith-based organizations, service organizations and other government agencies serve Holiday Giving recipients, as donations are available.
If you and your family are in need and would like to be referred to possibly receive assistance for the Thanksgiving or Winter holiday season, please complete the following Google referral form. The information is required to make a referral to The Holiday Giving Project. You may apply for both Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays.
To be referred for assistance, you must complete and submit this form by FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 to be considered for the Thanksgiving services. Forms need to be submitted by November 15th, 2021 to be considered for the Winter Holidays. Please understand that referrals are not guaranteed to receive assistance.
Holiday Giving Referral Request links
ENGLISH: https://forms.gle/2ihPdCeKWVvdAdkr5
ESPAÑOL: https://forms.gle/5Rb1xcfttufSZSV8A
Please contact your child´s counselor at the emails listed below regarding any questions with the referral process.
Grades K - 2 please contact Nicole Bamberger at nicole_m_bamberger@mcpsmd.org
Grades 3 - 5 please contact Corinne Whited at corinne_e_whited@mcpsmd.org
Virtual Grief Support Program for Families
Visit their website for additional information and resources: https://www.caringmatters.org/
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Food Giveaway Events this week:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/get- help/food.html#events
Family And Friends Mental Health Support:
http://namimd.org/family__friend_support
Health Care for the Uninsured (English): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FoOQWe-GVr6ljzHjIxYRcl5VxtdBQCHN/view?usp=sharing
Health Care for the Uninsured (Spanish):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Pss-kVuL1IDh7cG1o47PrF0ZWImn1GY/view?
Child Tax Credit Information (English): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fHEKdyK16Bhy3xJtpa18dwQb5amTEd7x/view?usp=sharing
Child Tax Credit Information (Spanish):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LLObvYjnLCAQIvRHISSRC6dzEZdBYRsz/view?usp=sharing
COMING SOON!
- MCAP State Testing
- Parent Volunteers
- PTA Membership
- Fall Fest celebrations
- Parent Teacher Conferences
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING STUDENT PRIVACY GUIDELINES IN THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY
Student privacy in the Virtual Academy is a shared responsibility. Please read the linked letter regarding policies, protocols and digital security measures MCPS has established to protect student privacy online.
Student Privacy in the Virtual Academy for Online Learning.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15LOsY9GVtIWpHX50lublaS_aSiabQfvD/view?usp=sharing
Find us at...
Email: Cassandra.Heifetz@mcpsmd.net
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/virtualacademy/
Location: 15 West Gude Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-6060
Twitter: @MVA_DeanHeifetz