GLA West Connections
Wednesday, April 15th
When They See Us, They Will See Greatness!
A Message from our CEO and Principal
As of Monday, we have officially launched 'Virtual Global'! We are very appreciative of the energy and spirit of the GLA family during this unprecedented time. While the circumstances that prevent us from being in the same physical space are not ideal, we are confident that this experience will only make us better. Our staff ROCKS and they are all working diligently to design creative and engaging learning experiences for our scholars.
We would like to thank all families and scholars who participated in our virtual parent orientations on Monday. The orientations were very successful and well attended! Your questions were excellent, your enthusiasm was appreciated, and it was so refreshing to see our scholars' smiling faces!
With our shift to 'Virtual Global' we look forward to the ways that we will continue to grow as a school community. As we constantly reflect on our overall practices, we are appreciative of your positive feedback. We want to continue to emphasize that we are not expecting perfection. Many of us are being pushed out of our comfort zones with this shift to virtual learning, and that is OK! We know that by working together, 'Virtual Global' will be a huge success for our scholars and staff.
One area that we are constantly working on is our communication with our families. For the duration of the school closure--however long that may be--we will make every effort to stay virtually connected as a school community. We need your help! We are asking each of you to complete the form below, which asks you to update your personal contact information. This will allow us to make sure families have access to all forms of school communication including all-calls, emails, the GLA website and our social media platforms. Thank you in advance for your continuous support and cooperation as we walk hand in hand to do what is best for our scholars.
Sincerely,
Dr. Naomi Johnson-Booker, Executive Director/CEO
Ms. Shoshana Tyler, Principal
Dr. Booker's Covid-19 Message
PARENTS, PLEASE HELP US STAY CONNECTED!
we look forward to seeing your scholar at harambee twice a week!
TEACHERS ARE HOSTING OFFICE HOURS DAILY TO REVIEW CONCEPTS, TEACH MINI-LESSONS AND OFFER SUPPORT IN SMALL GROUPS. SEE SCHEDULE BELOW!
Virtual Learning in Action!
Our awesome Art Teacher, Ms. James, has created a' Virtual Art Suite! Check it out!
Technology Corner!
As we launch our Virtual Learning on Google Classroom this week, technology is coming front and center. However, it's important for all of us to remember that the technology isn't the point. The point is learning, building relationships, and growing as people and as a community.
That said, in this section we'll include a couple tips each week to make sure our technology is serving our larger purpose.
1) Have some patience. A lot of this technology is new, and everyone is using it in a new way, in a stressful time. While we are hoping to make technology a valuable ally, it is inevitable that there will be hiccups. If something doesn't seem to be working right, reach out to us (see tip #3!) and we'll be happy to help!
2) Google Classroom: This is our hub for all things virtual learning at GLA. Make sure your scholar can log in and access their assignments for their general classes and cultural arts. Questions about logging in? Reach out to your scholar's teacher (or see tip #3)!
3) Use our new email help line: parenttechhelp@ga-schools.org. This email is open to all families who need some tech assistance, or just have a question.
From the Tech Dept., we hope you are staying safe and healthy.
How to Log In to Google Classroom!
Team Legendary Takes on the Popular 'No Rush' Challenge!
Covid-19 and Minority Communities ft. Dr. Jabril Oyeyemi
Your Questions Answered!
1. How long will school be closed?
The Department of Education in collaboration with the State Health Department & Governor's Office officially announced that all PA schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year.
2. Can my child use a cell phone or other home device to do their Remote Learning?
For a successful experience with 'Virtual Global' we are not recommending that a cell phone be your child's only accessible device. The device used needs to have internet access, the ability to compose writing assignments (typing or voice recognition) and the ability to access their Google classrooms.
3. We are confused about the assignment or having technology issues accessing the lessons/assignments - what do we do?
Please email the teacher first and give them time to respond. For tech issues, send email to: ParentTechHelp@ga-schools.org and someone will connect with you as soon as possible.
4. Can I still sign-up for an Ipads for my scholar?
We have completed our Ipad distribution to the 350 families that completed the needs based survey. We currently have a waiting list for technology and will not be taking any more requests at this time.
5. Will our scholars still be traveling on global excursions and if not do we receive a refund?
We have currently cancelled the 8th grade excursion and postponed the 5, 6 and 7th grade excursions due to the social distancing expectations of our country. All 8th grade scholars are being prioritized for refunds and 5, 6, and 7th grade scholars will be contacted on an individual basis to discuss next steps within the next 3-weeks.
6. If my child has completed their packet how do we submit it to the teacher?
We are asking you at this time to store completed packets in a safe area and when we have further information on a safe way to submit the completed assignments we will inform you.
7. Will there be any closing exercise activities for 8th grade scholars?
We are currently discussing what closing exercises will look like for our 8th grade Rites of Passage. We will not have an in-person ceremony this year but we are working to ensure our 8th grade scholars are celebrated for this milestone.
have you subscribed to our at-home learning videos?
Have you checked out our Home Learning Videos? All of our GLA at-home learning videos are posted in our GLA At-Home Learning Youtube channel! Subscribe to get notified whenever there's a new video, and check out the Playlist for your scholar's Academy.
Resources for Teaching Your Scholar About Coronavirus
yearly calendar
Follow Us On Our School-wide Instagram page. Follow Us!
Global Leadership Academy Charter School - WEST
Email: styler@glacharter.org
Website: www.glacharter.org
Location: 4601 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone: (215) 295-5700
Facebook: facebook.com/glacharter