NCVA Beacon Herald
May 2019
Our Mission
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL
It seems just like yesterday that we started back in August, so how in the world did we get to May this quickly? Instead of my normal nugget of history, I want to highlight a poem that I received at the end of April.
We all know that May and June are when we have the State mandated assessments – the End of Grade (elementary/middle) and End of Course (high school). Sometimes, we get afraid of these tests and worry about the scores. The most important thing is to take your time and do your best. One of NCVA’s middle school students put their thoughts on paper with a poem. I will include it below for you to enjoy and love the title: “Embracing our Growth”
Embracing Our Growth
By: Emilee C.
As we sprout into young adults
The school year comes to an end once more
The teachers give lectures like every year before
You sit down and get your pencils ready
Feeling like a flower blooming
You sit and take the test
Remembering that patience is key
By the end of the test
You have become so excited as the last minutes roll by
Wondering what your grades would be like
When your scores come
We all have bad days… Don’t let a little mishap bring you down
Those last 10 days of school, we will be offering state tests at more than 20 different locations across North Carolina. We’ll see you soon!
~Dr. Medley
Important Dates
- May 6th-May 10th: Teacher Appreciation Week!
- May 10th: 3rd-5th Town Hall
- May 10th (Cont): LC Social Hour at 10:00 a.m.
- May 10th (Cont): NCVA Virtual Art Shows
- May 12th: Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
- May 16th: Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony (In Person See E-mail for details)
- May 17th: Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony (Virtual)
- May 21st-May 22nd: Teacher Training (OLS/OMS/OHS Lessons only)
- May 24th-June 7th: EOG-EOC Testing window (See E-mail for details)
- May 27th: Memorial Day Holiday (School Closed)
- June 7th: Last day of school!
- June 12th: HS Graduation Ceremony
*Congratulations to the Senior Class of 2019!
EOG/EOC Testing SY 18-19
The testing window for our 2018-2019 Spring exams starts on May 24th and ends on June 7th. Families will receive an email from Testing Nirvana (donotreply@testingnirvana.com) Exact locations and schedules for all required testing sessions have already been e-mailed to families. Please click on the link provided in this email to confirm your student will be at testing.
Keep in mind that per our handbook, all students are required to attend state testing sessions face to face; failure to do so could result in withdrawal from NCVA. Please reach out to your homeroom teacher if you have any questions.
EOG Volunteer Proctors
Proctor Volunteer Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmdqCHBu51UnOBW0gaqZtMKhU_2KIFHcixnvvU8qeAmHEGAQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
UPDATE Your Contact Information
Please ensure your phone number and e-mail are up to date in the OLS under your LC Account.
- Change of Address: Proof of Residence (utility bill, lease, home owner's statement) is required to update your physical address. Please e-mail the information to the Registrar at ccameron@ncvacademy.org.
NCVA Re-Registration SY 19-20
Open Enrollment SY 19-20
If you have a student that you would like to enroll for the 2019-20 school year, you may apply starting May 13. Questions about enrollment of your new student can be directed to the Enrollment Center at 855-669-3660.
Teacher Appreciation Week
We love our teachers!
Leave a message HERE: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GO5VGui9fk3FmrnLFbUYAE6KaVawbthIqzJlTjtco5Q
Congratulations Class of 2019!
*NEW* Attendance Corner
IMPORTANT: Classes are still in session so continue to log in daily and work until the last day of school, June 7th.
- Learning Coaches, make sure to log all attendance until the last day of school.
Keys to Successful Attendance:
1. Attend all required Class Connect Sessions
2. Complete all lessons and assignments due for the day
3. Make up any over-due lessons
4. Manually log ALL attendance in the LC Account of OLS under the Attendance Tab
- TRACK your service hours here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares
- SHARE your pictures: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaVirtualAcademy/
May Project: Stamp Out Hunger
You’re invited to participate in the largest one-day food drive in the nation!
Saturday, May 11th is the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. On that day, letter carriers all over the country will collect non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes. This is a wonderful opportunity for you, individually or as part of a group, to show support for local families in need. Watch this video to see the difference you could make: https://www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive/food-drive-toolkit/videos-audio-public-service-announcements.
~Various Ways to participate~
- May 11th: Fill a bag or box with non-perishable food items. Leave it by your mailbox on Saturday, May 11th for your letter carrier to pick up.
- Make an individual donation to a local food back or shelter anytime during the month of May.
Tallo: Digital Resume
K12 Support 1-866-512-2273
K12 Customer support is open 24/7 to provide assistance to our families.
Elementary School Updates
Check out the K-5 Website!
Finish Off Strong!
2. Attend all class connect sessions.
3. Complete and log 6 hours of attendance per day.
4. Check your overdue tab often and complete any late assignments.
5. Go back and re-do any un-mastered lessons.
6. Check to make sure your progress is where it needs to be in all subjects.
7. Make sure your PE and Health hours are logged.
8. Look ahead in the OLS to see if there are any upcoming lessons you need to prep for (ex: Readers Choice lessons).
9. Utilize Razkids, Big Universe, and Stride.
10. Study/practice for the EOG Tests!
Dates to Remember
- May 10th- Art show
- May 16th- Kindergarten graduation (in-person event)
- May 17th- Kindergarten graduation (on-line event)
- May 21st-22nd- Teachers at PD, no live classes
- May 24th- End of Year testing begins
- May 27th- No School
3rd-5th Grade EOG
Be on the look out for an email from Testing Nirvana with your specific testing date, time and location...
EOG Tests and How Practice Tests Help Students to Prepare for Exams:
https://edulastic.com/assessments/nc-eog-practice-test/
Math Practice Test:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedforms?&print=true
Reading Practice Test:
•http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/eog/sampleitems/reading
Tips for Helping with Testing Anxiety:
9 Tips for Helping Grade Schoolers with Learning and Attention Issues Cope With Test Anxiety:
The Parent’s Guide to Helping Anxious Children Cope With Test Anxiety:
http://anxietyfreechild.com/test-anxiety/
Calming Anxiety in Children:
Submission Deadline: May 8th at 5:00 p.m.
This year we are happy to announce that we will be launching an Annual Art Show for grades K-5! Please see the attached flyer for details and guidelines for participating. Students are allowed (2) submissions. The show will take place May 10th from 11-12pm. We look forward to your participation!
- Please direct any Art Show Questions to Ms. Katie Mabe Royal kmaberoyal@ncvacademy.org
Middle School Updates
Can you believe it's May? The end of the year is staring us down. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Dates to Know
May 21st - 22nd: Teachers at PD
May 24th - June 11th: EOGs. YOUR specific dates will be coming to your email, so keep an eye out!
Remember you can check the calendar out at any time! Calendar Link
Want to get some EOG practice in now? Check out our Middle School Reading EOG Vocab at THIS QUIZLET LINK
Art News!
NCVA had our very first Artist in Residence workshops this year!
We held 3 workshops around North Carolina: Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh. Katie Mabe Royal (NCVA High School Art Teacher), Deanna Brancaccio (NCVA Middle School Art Teacher) and Jeannette Brossart, a well-known North Carolina-based Mosaic Artist, helped our students collaborate and create a Mosaic Mural. During these 2 ½ hour workshops, elementary aged students used their creativity and math skills with fractions to construct beautiful mosaic tiles, the final collaborative piece will be hung proudly at our Durham office.
It is that time again for NCVA's Spring Art and Talent Show for grades 6-12. Please see the attached flyer for details and guidelines for participating. Students are allowed (2) submissions. The show will take place May 10th from 12-2pm. We look forward to your participation!
- Please direct any Art Show questions to Ms. Katie Mabe Royal kmaberoyal@ncvacademy.org .
Reminders
- Make sure you are coming to classes - review is incredibly important right now, so be there or be square!
- Teachers will be out for testing dates in May. There will be no live CCs during this time, so make sure you are checking your emails, announcements, and daily plan to know what to do during this time.
- While teachers are at testing, remember that they will be away from their offices. Email responses may be a bit slower, so please be patient!
For all technical errors, please call K12 Tech Support at 866-512-2273
High School Updates
Reminders
Please remember that certain high school courses have EOC's (End of Course Tests). Thus, if your student has an EOC course and has a scheduling conflict, they should attend the EOC course first and then watch the recording for the other course. Work still has to be completed in BOTH courses.
Just a reminder, if you have a scheduling conflict you need to let your teachers know if you have live CC sessions that overlap and an EOC course: (Math 1, Math 3, Eng 2 and Biology)
EOC courses have State Exams at the end of the semester that count for 20% of their grade!
The semester one courses are coming to a close quickly. Please make sure to check your email daily and keep up with the assignments on your plan as the semester comes to a close.
Other Resources:
Help raise money for your school!
Watch the video to find out how.
We are excited to have you as part of NCVA's High School! Please make sure to check your email daily and keep an eye out for important info coming your way.
Department of Exceptional Children
Counselor's Corner
Katie Beck
Nicole Hairston
Erin Farmer
High School
Attention: Rising Seniors
Counselors will be meeting with all rising Seniors to discuss plans for the upcoming school year. Watch your email for an invitation to attend a meeting from your counselor.
New Website!
Check out the new Student Services website! We will continue to add information to help students and families achieve success. Let us know if you have suggestions!
K-8 Counselor: Whitney Cress
Hello all! Please take note of our new student services website packed with a tremendous amount of helpful community, academic, social and emotional resources! See it here: https://ncvastudentservices.wixsite.com/ncva
Monthly Town Halls
Our monthly Town Halls are winding down! Please note the below dates that will appear on your CC schedule. I hope to see you there!
3-5: May 10 @ 12:00 How to be Safe this Summer
FAST (Family Academic Support Team)
A "Strong Finish" for EVERYONE
The FAST Team would like to wish all of our families a "strong start" to the school year. Check out this S'more for resources you will use all year long!
Strong Start Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/ae15n
STUDENT AND PARENT OPPORTUNITIES
Social Media
Please take advantage of opportunities to connect with the K12 and NCVA communities online and social media, via:
If you have not already, take a few moments to review our school on the NCVA Facebook page. Share your experience with others by clicking on the "Review" tab. This is a great way to make friends and connect with other NCVA families.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncva_k12
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ncva_k12/
K12 Learning Liftoff Newsletter
Register here: http://www.learningliftoff.com/
Regional Parent Groups
- Make new friends
- Attend informal social activities outside of school
- Share tips and tricks
How do I join? : E-mail the Regional Parent Group where you reside. Use the map below to find your Region by County. Include your name, county, student(s)' name(s), grade levels, and phone number.
Region 1 ncvaregion1@gmail.com
Region 2 ncvaregion2@gmail.com
Region 3 ncvaregion3@yahoo.com *NEW*
Region 4 ncvaregion4@googlegroups.com *NEW*
Region 5 ncvaregion5@gmail.com
Region 6 ncvaregion6@gmail.com
Region 7 ncvaregion7@yahoo.com
Region 8 ncvaregion8@gmail.com
*NEW* RPG Newsletter (Quarter 2 2018): https://www.smore.com/3hsnx
PLEASE NOTE: The Regional Parent Groups are comprised of Learning Coaches. They do NOT have access to student information. Please contact your student's Homeroom or Content Area Teacher(s) for academic questions.
Community Activities
K12 Clubs
K12 offers a variety of student clubs where like-minded students can share their areas of interest. These clubs are offered typically two times a month and last one hour. K12 Clubs are available between September and May annually. SUMMER CAMP information coming soon!!!
OPEN REGISTRATION!
To register, visit: http://www.k12.com/k12-student-clubs. Student and Family questions about national clubs & other national programming may be directed to clubs@k12.com .
Victory Junction: Located in Randleman, NC. Camp opportunities are available year round for children with special needs and various medical conditions at no cost to families. Contact Victory Junction at https://victoryjunction.org for more information.
Carolina Parent: The Carolina Parent website is an excellent resource for family friendly activities and resources throughout the state. Visit http://www.carolinaparent.com/ for more information.
Museums for All
Museums for All allows low income families (who can show proof of an EBT card) to enter specific museums across NC with an admission fee ranging from free to $3 depending on location.
Program Link
http://www.childrensmuseums.org/about/acm-initiatives/museums-for-all
List of museums that participate:
Bowling Opportunity
NCVA is unable to endorse any specific business or organization.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
K12 Customer Support Videos
https://www.help.k12.com/s/topic/0TO0B000000I2moWAC/technical-support-videos#?tabset-26361=2
- Audio Set-Up: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Setup-a-Headset-Microphone-and-Configure-Audio-for-Class-Connect
- Time Zone Configuration: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Update-the-Time-Zone-in-the-Online-School-and-on-Your-Computer
- Clear Cache and Cookies: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Internet-Browsers-Clear-Cache-and-Cookies
When to Clear Cache & Cookies
Having trouble logging in to the OLS? Try clearing your browser cache and cookies.
OLS continually loads or redirects – “Redirecting…Please wait”
OLS navigation between pages is slow
OLS pages load but missing information
Browser error messages
Getting booted out of the OLS or LMS
After a planned maintenance outage
After an unexpected outage
How To: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Internet-Browsers-Clear-Cache-and-Cookies
K12 is working diligently to eliminate and replace content that was built on Flash, as web browsers are ceasing support of it. However, you may still encounter some Flash content.
For the best user experience, we recommend accessing your online classes using the Mozilla Firefox browser. To download the most recent version of Firefox, please visit: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/ .
If you are using a Chromebook or need to access your online classes using Chrome, we recommend not updating to the newest release (Chrome 69), which forces users to re-enable Flash every time they restart their browser. Please refer tohttp://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Enabling-Flash-in-Chrome-69 on help.k12.com for a step-by-step guide to enabling Flash in Chrome 69.
HELPING OUR SCHOOL
Box Tops for Education
As a public school, NCVA is able to participate in Box Tops for Education by General Mills and has signed up to create an account. As you shop and purchase normal, everyday products, you can cut those box tops off and get them to our school so that we can gain additional supplies. The products vary and include food, storage, paper products, and cleaning supplies.
When you cut them off, there are printable, fun sheets to be able to collect them. The link below will take you to those sheets:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/~/link.aspx?_id=CD4A2815C2894609BCBA7A1A3DB6E65F&_z=z
Once you have collected several, here are the ways to be able to get them to our coordinator – Carrie Daniel:
- Bring them with you at an outing and give to a teacher
- Bring them with you to a testing site and give to the Site Coordinator
- Mail them to the Office at the school address attention to Ms. Daniel.
- Use the Box Tops App: https://www.boxtops4education.com/bonusapp
"Together In Education Program"
Account # 3669
"Tools For Schools"
(Account # 31300)
Contact Information
North Carolina Virtual Academy
4220 NC HWY 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 919-346-0121
Fax: 919-324-6597
Website: http://ncva.k12.com
K12 Customer Support: 1-866-512-2273
- TRACK your service hours here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares
- SHARE your pictures: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaVirtualAcademy/