GLA West Connections
Cultivating Genius: Our Gifts, Our Glory!
Wednesday, September 16th
Virtual Global in Action!
Take Advantage of our Family Meals Program!
Wednesday and Thursday
1:00pm - 7:00pm
Our Next Parent Townhall Meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 22nd at 7pm.
We want to recogize and thank the following parents for your attendance at this Tuesday's Townhall Meeting!
Tiffany Jones - Parent of Mikell Silver 3rd
LaTonia Bassett - Parent o Aniya Bassett (1st) and Alyvia Bassett (4th)
Sheila Anderson - Parent of Samone Anderson (6th) and Sanai Anderson (2nd)
Antoinette Grimes - Parent of Tiara Sullican (1st)
Jacquie Robinson - Parent of Juliana Robinson (6th)
Kia Brown - Parent of Nadia Brown (4th) and Priya Brown (1st)
Kelly Scott - Parent of Anaiah Armstrong (8th)
Paris Pointer - Parent of Paris Pointer, Jaxson Pointer and Jadon Pointer
KaTiedra Argo - Parent of Kharter Burks (K)
Seymour Sejour - Parent of Cia Sejour (4th)
Ebony Taylor - Parent of Taylor Tull (4th)
Marsha Brown - Parent of Madison Brown-Kennel (4th)
Rashid Brown - Parent of Shana Mosley (6th)
LaJeana Andrews - Parent of Jeleah Andrews (7th)
Samaria Brandon - Parent of Jonas Camren Norman (1st)
Icelene Barksdale - Parent of Xavia Barksdale (7th)
Ruqyyah Parks - Parent of Kyli Choice
Back to School Night is Coming!
Have you read and completed the electronic sign off on our virtual handbook? It is past due! Please don't forget to e-sign it!
Virtual Handbook
The Parent Hub is a great resource that we encourage families to get familiar with. It has videos for tech support, virtual handbook, orientation presentations and more. Please check the parent hub weekly for updates.
A Glimpse into Virtual Learning with Madame Molitoris, our French Teacher!
CHECK OUT OUR FIRST GRADE SCHOLARS AS THEY LEARN TO SHARE WHAT THEY LIKE AND DON'T LIKE. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO START THAN WITH THEIR FAVORITE FOODS?
One-on-Ones Have Started!
CONNECTIONS COUNT! IN AN EFFORT TO STAY CONNECTED TO SCHOLARS, EACH GLA SCHOLAR HAS BEEN ASSIGNED A STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL HAVE A WEEKLY 10-MINUTE CHECK IN WITH THEM. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SCHOLARS GOOGLE CALENDAR TO ENSURE THAT HE/SHE ATTENDS AT THEIR SCHEDULED TIME.
Gearing Up for Week Two of I-Ready Testing!
i-Ready Testing will continue next week. If you haven't already, please take some time to familiarize yourself with the resources below to ensure that your scholar is set up for success.
NOTE: DUE TO UNFORSEEN CHALLENGES IN THE LOWER SCHOOL, I-READY TESTING HAS BEEN PUT ON PAUSE WHILE IPADS ARE UPDATED. TESTING WILL RESUME NEXT WEEK!
Hello GLA families!
Your scholars have been missed by all of us over the summer, and it has been amazing to see their smiling faces online this week! This school year has started unlike any other and will be one for the history books. We hope that your first week of school has been full of strong internet connections and minimal technology hiccups.
One of the important tools we will be using this year to support your scholar’s learning is i-Ready. i-Ready is an online program for reading and mathematics that will help your scholar’s teacher(s) determine their needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows your teacher(s) to meet your scholar exactly where they are and provides data to increase their learning gains.
This year we will be completing the i-Ready Diagnostic at home. It is important that you do not help your scholar with understanding or answering questions. Your scholar will benefit from your support and encouragement to ensure the information received accurately reflects what they know and still need to learn. To help you get started, we have created a checklist to set up for success.
Setting Up for Success
Check when your scholar is scheduled to take the diagnostic on Google Calendar. Look below to view a video on how to access Google Calendar
Find a quiet space for your scholar to take the diagnostic
Provide your scholar with paper and a pencil to use as needed
Ensure your scholar is able to log in to iReady via Clever
Check the iPad volume to make sure your scholar can hear the directions
Do not assist your scholar with answering assessment questions, as this may lead to the online lessons not being at the right level for your scholar or may lead to their teacher receiving inaccurate information.
You’ll be tempted to help on the test. We get it—the i-Ready test is hard. But this test is not for a grade. It helps teachers give your scholar the best instruction possible. Think of it this way—would you help your child with a vision test? No, because hints won’t help the eye doctor help them. Your child will struggle but it’s okay. Struggle equals growth and growth is the best measure of persistence.
We know it’s difficult to watch your child struggle, even if that struggle is productive. We’re asking for your trust that the best ways to help us meet your child’s unique needs this year are to help them set up for success before the Diagnostic and to allow them the opportunity to demonstrate their learning independently during the Diagnostic. Thank you again for your cooperation as we work together to grow your child’s learning in this unprecedented time.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties, please contact your scholar’s teacher and ParentTechHelp@ga-schools.org.
Google Calendar How-To Video
i-Ready Guidance & Tips for Assessing from Home Video
i-Ready Assessment Pledge via Google Forms
Pathways to Liberation Electives Postponed Until October 21st!
Wellness Corner
Family Life Coordinator Corner
Childcare for school-age children
Childcare is available for school-age children through programs across the city. Philadelphia’s Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) can help you find a childcare program and apply for a subsidy.
Visit philadelphiaelrc18.org or call 1-888-461-KIDS (1-889-461-5437)
Access Centers
If you work outside of your home and can’t afford or access childcare for your child (grades K-6), you may be eligible to register with an Access Center. The City and community partners will open Access Centers to provide supervised, connected spaces where children entering K-6th grade can participate in digital learning provided by their school.
Access centers are not drop-in centers. Families must begin registration by filling out the registration interest form or calling the registration line (215-709-5366) and must receive confirmation of their eligibility and registration in order to bring their child to an Access Center.
Access Centers will begin serving students on Tuesday, September 8.
For more information, including a map of sites, visit phila.gov/AccessCenters.
Scholar Schedules
2020-2021 Yearly Calendar
We are hosting a series of Townhall meetings every Tuesday evening in the months of August and September. You will have an opportunity to meet with the Global Academies' CEO/Principals to get your questions answered. We had almost 70 participants attend last Tuesday. We hope you will join us!