CMVS Newsletter
November 5, 2023
Our Mission: To provide a flexible, personalized learning experience that transcends traditional education models and prepares students for 21st century citizenship.
It's always a good day to be a Charger!
Help us Spread the Word!
We would love for you to help us spread the word about our school! Please share this information with any individuals, groups. or organizations who you think might be interested in learning more about CMVS. The dates and links are also posted on the CMVS Website. Thank you!!
CMVS Information Sessions
November 8, 2023—6:30 PM: Click here to join the meeting
December 5, 2023—6:30 PM: Click here to join the meeting
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Monday, November 6th & Tuesday, November 7th: Teacher Work Days--NO CMVS CLASSES
- Wednesday, November 8th: 1st day of Quarter 2
- Wednesday, November 8th: Pre-ACT--On-Campus--REQUIRED for all 10th graders
- Friday, November 11th: Veteran's Day Holiday--NO SCHOOL
- Thursday, November 16th: Pre-ACT make-up date
- Wednesday, November 15th: Panorama Survey--Extended Homeroom. Details will be in next week's newsletter and sent out via ParentSquare.
QUICK LINKS
- CMVS Login Cheatsheet for Students and Parents
- CMVS Monitoring Grades & Attendance
- Tutor.com--FREE, one-on-one tutoring for CMS students
- CMVS 23-24 Exam Schedule
- CMS Express Stops Schedule
- CMVS Website
- Time Management Resources
- CMS Calendars
- CMS Website
- CMVS Virtual Calming Room
- Driver's Ed Information--SCROLL DOWN to bottom of this newsletter
A NOTE FROM MR. CLINE
Greetings Charger Families,
We want to thank all of our high school families for a great job with in-person midterms last week. It is hard to believe that we are one quarter through the year! Please enjoy the two teacher workdays Monday and Tuesday and come back ready to start strong on Wednesday.
Wednesday, Nov 8th, is the PreACT test which is in-person testing required of all 10th grade students. All 10th graders received detailed information from Ms. Anderson and should arrive Wednesday (7030 Nations Ford Rd) between 6:45-7:00. The PreACT is extremely valuable to students to prepare them for the ACT their junior year. It will also give us data to focus on as a school as we see where students are strong and where they need additional support before the ACT administration.
It is so helpful for our prospective families to learn about our school as early as possible and we want to answer any questions they have. In light of that we are holding two information sessions on Wednesday, November 8th and Tuesday, December 5th. Please see above for the links.
With all of the new technology introduced this fall, it is critical that all students update their chromebooks. All students should click here and follow the instructions to complete the update.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, we are reminded of how grateful we are for every one of our families and want all to have a wonderful holiday. In light of that, if your family or you know of a family that is in need of a Thanksgiving meal; please let us know. This is fully in confidence and you can submit a request here.
With so many remarkable families at CMVS, we want to learn more about why you chose CMVS for your student(s). If you would be so kind to take a minute and complete this link, our team would greatly appreciate it.
At CMVS, we make our best efforts to ensure that all families have consistent internet connectivity by providing hot spots to those who request them. At times we have to wait for our hot spot supply to be replenished and we also know that hot spots may not always provide optimum connection speeds. We encourage CMVS families, when needed, to take advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Please click here for information on eligibility and how to participate.
We want to remind you that CMVS’s attendance processes are aligned with our mission:
The mission of Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual School (CMVHS) is to transcend the traditional learning environment by providing flexibility, personalization and relationships that prepare students for 21st Century citizenship.
This year’s changes in local PowerSchool permissions have required us to make some adjustments in how we continue to honor our mission and record attendance in alignment with it. Please review the information below under the heading, ‘“ATTENTION STUDENTS AND PARENTS: ATTENDANCE INFORMATION!”
Thank you for your attention to the items in this newsletter and for being an integral part of the learning team..
It’s Always a Great Day to be a Charger,
John
Attention 6th-8th Students! Important changes for Quarter 2!! Read Carefully!
Congratulations Samuel Bogomolov--National Merit Scholar Semifinalist!
CMVS Gamers Club
Don’t forget about our 9:30 gamers meeting for EVERYONE who wants to join – not just ESports - hosted this week by the fabulous Jewel Kinlaw and Michael Harner . This week we will be playing a round of AmongUs and planning our in-person gaming party. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT!
Join the meeting here! Don’t forget to Join our New Gaming Discord! https://discord.gg/RJPyFydxOSTT
OSTT Tutoring Invitations
- WHAT: CMVS is proud to offer OSTT tutoring through StudentNest, an outside tutoring company.
- WHO*: It is intended to help students who struggle with English (5-12), Math (5-12) and Science (grades 5, 8, and Biology ONLY). These students and parents were sent an invitation to join the program last week on ParentSquare and should have received a call from StudentNest.
- WHEN: Hours of tutoring are 6am - 12am Monday through Sunday.
- WHERE: ANYWHERE - it is all virtual
- WHY: Why not…it is free and specialized for your student.
Didn’t get an invite: As spots open more invitations will be sent out to deserving students..
Social Media Club!
Social Media Club Interest Form
Want to learn more about graphic design? Have creative ideas to expand our school’s social media presence? This is the place for you! Fill out the interest form to join the Social Media Club and keep your email open for further information on meeting times.
Free Thanksgiving Meals
Thanksgiving Meals have been donated to our school to support families during the holiday season. We currently have 6 more meals to give away. If you are interested, please sign up on the google form below. Pick up will be at our school on 11/20/23, details will be emailed out regarding the time closer to the date. For any questions, please reach out to the school social workers: Grades 5-8 D'Andra Troy dandran.mitchell@cms.k12.nc.us and Grades 9-12 Maya McNeely at Mayaf.blumenfeld@cms.k12.nc.us
Thank you!
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides:
Up to $30/month discount for broadband service;
Up to $75/month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands; and
A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.
For eligibility and enrollment info, click here.
NCVPS & EDGENUITY GRADING INFORMATION
- NCVPS & Edgenuity courses do NOT have midterm exams
- NCVPS & Edgenuity courses do NOT have quarter grades. Nothing will be recorded in Quarter 1 for these classes. The final grade is entered in PowerSchool at the end of the semester.
The easiest way to see your child's progress in these classes is to have them log into the class and review their progress together. Alternatively you can create Guardian/Observer Accounts following the instructions below:
https://cms.instructure.com/courses/580447/pages/how-to-monitor-grades-and-attendance
Please see the CMS Grading Plan for Virtual Options for more details.
Questions? danieller.south@cms.k12.nc.us
November is Dedicated to Career Development!
Career Development is the process of managing life, learning and work over a lifetime. It applies to everyone and is a great time for students and employees to focus on future career choices. Students will use Naviance to complete SELF DISCOVERY Tasks to learn more about themselves and Careers as well as the Career Cluster. Career clusters are groups of related types of work. Which provides an easy way to explore different kinds of jobs within one broad category. During this month, all high school students will complete three tasks in Naviance Self Discovery tab that will allow them to navigate and explore career and college opportunities. These tasks are Strength Explorer, Career Interest Profiler and Career Cluster Finder, all which can be located under the Self-Discovery tab in Naviance. Here are some additional resources that will be highlighted throughout the month and in our virtual lunch and learn on November 17th.
Naviance, CAREER One-Stop, NCCAREERS and CFNC
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library- College Career Connections
There will be a virtual a hour long Lunch and Learn on Friday, November 17th at 11:00 am. Students should RSVP by November 10th.
Seniors, Take the Next Steps!
Seniors, Take the Next Steps! College Application Week is complete. Do you need help with the next steps?
Central Piedmont will host an in-person application and FAFSA workshop for high school seniors on Saturday, November 11th at 9:00 AM. Location is Central Campus, Zeiss Building, Third Floor.
Families will be able to get help with the NC Residency completion, creating the Federal Student Aid ID and preparing to complete the FAFSA. Spanish-speaking staff will be available to support families. Families must register using this link. Questions, you may contact Central Piedmont at 704.330.2722.
Super Smash Bros
Unlike our previous tournaments, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, or SSBU for short, is a single-player game, not a team-based one. This means each student who is interested will be competing individually on behalf of our school. There is no limit to the number of students from CMVS that can participate.
SSBU TRYOUTS:
Tryouts for SSBU are going to be in a round-robin format within the school. This means that each student from a school will have to play every other student from that same school to qualify for the tournament.
Students are still able to register on vesl.gg until the end of tryouts (mid-November), parents if you have questions check out this email from VESL: ‘NC VESL Email to Parents’
Wellness Wednesday
Wellness Wednesday is back NOVEMBER 15 after midterms and the Pre-ACT. We will be bringing a focus to AVOIDING DISTRACTIONS with a calming and grounding meditation! See you Wednesday on this link, Be well- Ms. Schaefer
COUNSELOR NEWSLETTER 5-8
Virtual FAFSA Night--December 6th
Class of 2024 information
**NEW** CREATE YOUR CFNC ACCOUNT
- Seniors, please make sure that you have created and updated your CFNC account and that you have the current school, "Charlotte-Mecklenburg Virtual" listed so that you can complete your NC Residency, start your FAFSA and apply to colleges that are waiving the application fees during the week of October 16-23
Order your Senior Yard Sign Today! ORDER HERE
Senior meetings start Tuesday, 9/26. Click here to schedule your appointment with your counselor - CMVS - Counselor Contact Information
Keep track of it all with our Class of 2024 - Senior Year Checklist
- Visit our Senior Year/Graduation Page on our Student Services site for direct links for ordering your cap and gown, senior yard sign and senior photos.
ORDER YOUR CAP & GOWN!
- To order your cap, gown & all things senior year and graduation: https://www.herffjones.com/ Search - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Virtual School
- Herff Jones - Class of 2024 Senior All-Inclusive Catalog
SENIOR PICUTRES
CMVS has partnered with CADY for our Senior Photos. Please visit https://home.cady.com/ to schedule your session!
Class of 2027 IMPORTANT INFORMATION
QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual School has been chosen by CMS to be a QPR school. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer.
- This Training will be rolled out with all freshmen this year through English classes. Please see the attached letter for more information CMVS QPR Parent Information
- If you have any questions, please email me at ashleyn.sanogueira@cms.k12.nc.us
FRESHMAN INFO MEETING RECAP
- Thank you to all the students who attended my sessions for HS 101. For those that missed it, I wanted you to have access to the powerpoint!
- CMVS Franchised Lesson - High School 101
Absence Due to Technology Issues
When a student has a tech issue that is affecting their ability to attend class or complete their work, it is important that they let their teacher know, so that attendance can be recorded correctly. If the teacher is not able to help, the student should email tech contacts christenp.higgins@cms.k12.nc.us or alicev.mclean@cms.k12.nc.us explaining the tech issue in detail and copy all of their teachers in the email.
Communication must be done during the current class block, do not wait until the end of the day! Teachers need to know about tech issues as soon as possible, and many issues can be resolved quickly by our tech contacts.
If the student is unable to log in to launchpad and can’t email with their student account, the family should fill out the Help, I Can’t get Logged In Form
If the issue can be resolved via email, the tech contact will “reply all” with the solution. This will limit the disruption of learning and allow teachers to know to expect the student back in class or to submit work promptly.
If the issue can’t be resolved through email, it will require the student to come to the campus. The tech contact will “reply all” letting the student know to bring the device to school. Once a resolution is reached on campus, the student will be directed by the tech contact to email teachers to inform them that they no longer have a tech issue before leaving the school building.
- If a student has a tech issue and comes to campus without emailing, tech contacts will do their best to support. We can’t guarantee prompt service if staff members are not aware of the visit ahead of time. Tech contacts are available from 7:30am - 1:30pm on full school days.
- The teacher will be able to determine the student attendance based on the information shared in emails. This will include whether absent or not and, if absent, if it is an excused or unexcused absence. The amount of time taken to send notification and the required time to find a resolution will factor into the decision.
Career & College Promise Dual Enrollment
Career and College Promise Registration is open now until December 1, 2023. If you are interested in Spring 2023 or Summer 2024. Please schedule a meeting with Ms. Jackson by completing this link and Ms. Jackson will follow back up with you to schedule a meeting time with you. To learn more about Career and College Promise Programs, please click link. Questions, email Ms. Rosalind Jackson.
Connect with Your Counselor!
Are you in 9th - 12th and have questions about GPA, Graduation Requirements, Graduation Progress, etc? Connect with Your Counselor during open office hours - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:05 pm - 12:35 pm. Click here to join - CMVS - 9th - 12th Connect w/ Your Counselor.
IMPORTANT CHROMEBOOK UPDATE!!
Here are the directions for how to update your Chromebook.
Attention Students and Parents: Attendance Information!
School attendance is vital to your student’s success at the virtual school. The unique needs of our learning environment require us to think differently about how we plan for synchronous and asynchronous instruction and accurately code a student’s attendance outside of a brick and mortar school. We want to ensure we are supporting our mission of providing a flexible learning environment and allowing students time to complete assignments and tasks outside the hours of 7:15-2:15. As shared in parent orientation, students have until 11:59 of the school day to complete work. Attendance is taken based on both submission of work and synchronous participation with cameras on.
Attendance is recorded in Powerschool on the following school day. In other words, attendance in synchronous instruction and completion of asynchronous work on the current day will be recorded the following day. (i.e. Monday’s attendance will be recorded in PowerSchool on Tuesday). Students who have an A/B day course will be marked every two days (ie. Monday’s attendance will recorded in PowerSchool on Wednesday).
MATERIALS PICK UP
BEFORE coming to campus, please email:
- 5th-8th Grade Books/Supplies: Ms. Graham
- 9th-12th Grade Books/Supplies: Ms. South
Materials will be available for pick up in the front office.
**No materials pick-up on Tuesday, September 19th**
TECHNOLOGY PICK UP
Tech pickup Tuesday - Friday from 7:30 am until 1:30 pm
A notice will be sent out via Parent Square when hotspots are available for pickup.
PARENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS
All parents must complete the CMS Student Information Form prior to November 7th.
School Improvement Plan
We welcome your feedback on our School Improvement Plan and your involvement on our School Improvement Team. Please review the School Improvement Plan and parent letters here.
STUDENT SERVICES WEBSITE 9-12
CHECK OUT OUR VIRTUAL LIBRARY!
PARENTSQUARE
CMVS uses ParentSquare to communicate. Join today!
You will receive an invitation email or text to join ParentSquare on August 1st. Please click the link to activate your account. It takes less than a minute.
You can use ParentSquare on any device. You can download the free mobile app for iOS or Android or use the desktop version at www.parentsquare.com.
Watch this video to learn more!
5TH GRADE SCHEDULE
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MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULE
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HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULE
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Driver's Ed
Students who are interested in taking the Drivers Education course during the week should contact Jordan Driving School for more information: http://www.jordandrivingschoolcharlotte.com/.
Once the course has been completed, the drivers eligibility form for DMV can be received from Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual School. Students must be in good academic standing to obtain their eligibilty certficate. Eligibility forms are available for pick up on Wednesdays from 9 AM to 2 PM.