OVS Weekly Update
Week of May 8-12, 2017, Volume 31
Mark Your Calendars!
Monday Class Connect Sessions
- 9:00am-Mr. Dowling
- 9:30am-Mr Gamble/Ms. Blackburn
- 10am-Mr. Jamshidi
- 10:30am-Ms. Rogers
Learning Coach Training:
- 9:45am-Focused Gathering: Onboarding/LC Trainings- during face-to-face time Tues, Weds, Thurs
- 11:30am-Attendace Party!
Teacher Office Hours :
Every Monday & Friday from 1:30-3pm
- In-person: TAC Building (3215 Cuming Street) 4th floor, left off the elevators
- Class Connect Meetings: Links will be in K12
- By phone:
Mr. Gamble: 531-299-9447
Mr. Jamshidi: 531-299-9453
Ms. Rogers: 531-299-9367
Ms. Blackburn: 531-299-9325
Every Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday from 1:30-3pm
- In-person: DoSpace (2nd Floor)
- Class Connect Meetings: Links in K12
- By email
- Bring a sack lunch and stay following face to face time
2017-18 Update
Next year, we are working to differentiate between the full-time and part-time experience. See below image.We are still developing this concept, but below are where we currently stand. Please share your input with Wendy.
ELA
We realize there are concerns with the ELA curriculum. It is a BEAST. We will do a considerable amount of curriculum work this summer to tame this best and make it a manageable and powerful learning experience for students. Teachers will take lessons off K12 ELA during F2F time and online lessons, in coordination with what the LCs cover at home. We will continue to keep the vocabulary component not required, and we are working on a better solution for spelling.
Reading
This school year, we did not have a reading intervention solution for students reading below grade level. We attempted one solution and it was not successful in our blended environment, because it was meant for brick and mortar.
K12 has provided us with a solution for 2nd-5th/6th graders called Mark12. Click on the below links for additional information. We are seeking out a similar program for middle school students to support their reading development. We will use student MAP scores, LLI Benchmark assessments, and a readiness checklist to determine if students will take these courses.
9th Grade Update
I will be meeting with Omaha North next week to determine which electives will be available for our 9th grade students next year.
I'm excited about this opportunity for our students as Omaha North has some amazing coursework and pathways for tech and engineering. Omaha North has some updates and renovations occurring that will transform 2 classrooms into highly engaging learning experiences focused on robotics. This renovation is the result of philanthropic funds totaling $1.3 million that provides a robotics arena as well as flexible furniture like at DoSpace.
Look for an event planned for potential 9th grade students and parents to provide additional information on this experience.
I will begin interviewing teacher candidates for our 9th grade team in the next few weeks.
Time to Re-register for 2017-18 School Year
- Log into the OLS (online.k12.com/login) using their Learning Coach username and password.
- Go to "My Info" under the Quick Links section
- On the My Info page, click the "Re-register Now" icon. This will take you to the registration page.
- On the re-registration page, the " re-registration status" in light blue box will default to the "unknown." Click "unknown" and a pop up window will appear
- Re-registering: Check "re-registering" from the drop-down menu if your student is returning next school year. If you have more than one student and they all will be returning, check the box next to "same for all students." Repeat the first step if not all students are returning next school year. Check the two boxes to to confirm understanding that previous agreements still apply and you have the legal authority to make registration decisions for each student. Press "Save" in agreement.
- Not re-registering: Select " Not re-registering" from the drop down menu if your student will not be returning for the next school year.
- Undecided: Select "undecided" if you have not yet decided whether your student will return. Please update your registration once you have decided if your student will be attending or not for the upcoming school year.
If you have not completed re-registration, we ask it be done immediately. Re-registration is a process to hold your spot, it is not the time where you have to select courses or enrollment status (Full vs Part -time).
Learning Coach Trainings and Committees
During the week of May 9-11th, current Learning Coaches will gather to discuss on-boarding and learning coach training. When we discuss on-boarding, we are referring to the experience Learning Coaches have when their student starts their first day. We will focus on what was helpful to know and what we could do differently in the future to improve the experience.
Committees will be forming to help revise the Student/Learning Coach handbook. Our goal is to have a well-rounded student and Learning Coach handbook for families to refer to throughout the year. This group will be for a limited amount of participants to review and submit comments and changes through email. The first draft will be available to view in the next two weeks for revisions. Please contact Ms. Sechrest if you are interested in this special focused gathering.
OVS STEAM Fest
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 02:00 PM
Do Space, Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, United States
MAP Testing Returns
End of the year MAP testing will be facilitated over two weeks during face-to-face time. The schedule will be as follows:
May 9-11 Reading during F2F time
May 16-18 Math during F2F time
**If absent, please work with teacher to schedule a make-up
Student MAP results will be distributed the following week during learning coach training on May 23-25. This training is to provide a refresher or introduction on how to use Study Island with your students. It is recommended that LC's bring a home device so they can learn how to login on the home device.
Visit Study Island this summer!
Students will have access to Study Island over the summer. We will upload the end of the year MAP scores into Study Island to create a new individualized learning plan for 2nd-8th grade students to work through.
Stay tuned for a Blue Ribbon incentive over the summer!
Returning Materials at End of School Year
K12 will be sending an email May 15th for Learning Coaches to return materials. Check out these Frequently Asked Questions to know what materials to send back. Materials can be combined together to be sent back in any box. We encourage you to package up materials prior to receiving the email with shipping labels to expedite returning the materials. You do not need to return the materials until the end of the course.
KANEKO Summer Camp Opportunities
This summer, KANEKO will host its annual summer kids camps.
Students will engage with local professionals to learn about the principles and processes of design, creativity, and much more. Each 4-day camp provides a group of 16 students a variety of exciting exercises and activities.
KANEKO CAMPS 2017
Video Game Design: Minecraft Edition // May 30 – June 2
Architecture Design Camp #1 // June 5 – 8
Architecture Design Camp #2 // June 12 – 15
3D Design & Fabrication Camp #1 // June 19 – 22
3D Design & Fabrication Camp #2 // June 26 – 29
Architecture Design Camp #3 // July 10 – 13
Perplexus Design Camp // July 24 – 27
Video Game Design Camp // July 31 – August 3
Camps are for ages 12 – 15. Registration is $225 ($200 for KANEKO Members, learn more about KANEKO membership HERE) and includes all materials and lunches, as well as a KANEKO Camp t-shirt and notebook. Camps run Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Scholarships – KANEKO offers a limited number of camp scholarships to students who qualify. Students must be enrolled in a free and reduced lunch program at school to qualify. Check out their website to apply for a camp scholarship. If you have any questions, please call us at 402.341.3800 or email info@thekaneko.org.
PTO Corner
- May Gathering: Joslyn Art Scavenger Hunt: Mark your calendar for Friday May 19th from 10:30-12:30pm. Families will guide themselves through the museum in search of works of art on their scavenger hunt. There will be plenty of room to explore inside and out! Bring a lunch for following the exploration! Entrance to the museum is FREE!
RSVP for this event HERE by Friday May 11th!!!
Still time to sell tickets for the Storm Chasers game on June 6th! Proceeds from the fundraiser go to support OVS! June 6th @ 12:05pm Storm Chasers Baseball Game
- PTO is selling tickets for the game as a fundraiser. Omaha Virtual School will be recognized as the Community Organization of the game.
- Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased here!
- PTO is having a contest between class days of who can sell the most tickets. Whichever day sells the most will get a visit from the Storm Chasers Mascot. The day with the most ticket sales by May 6th wins! Tickets can be purchased thru May 19th.
- Parent volunteers will be available before and/or after face to face time this week to take orders for tickets.
- Tuesday: Jess Chromy at 12:30pm
- Wednesday: Sara Richwine
- Thursday: TBD
PTO meeting is Thursday May 11th at 6:30pm at DoSpace. We hope to see everyone there!
Flash Fundraiser: Prior to the PTO meeting, drive thru to pick up dinner from Chick-Fil-A on 76th and Dodge from 5-7pm. Mention OVS and part of the proceeds will go to our school!
Assembly Theme: Teacher Appreciation Day
Classroom Happenings
Star Student of the Week: Eva Keslar
Multiplication Station
Mr. Dowling's Class
Week in Review
Students:
· finished building Japanese castles with their teams in Minecraft.
· continued documenting their observations for their science experiment.
· were introduced to idioms.
Looking Ahead
Students will:
· work their hardest on the Reading/Language Arts MAP test.
· create comic strips showing knowledge of idioms.
· continue to document the growth of our STEAM experiment.
Resources:
Mr. Jamshidi's Class
Week in Review:
Students took on another challenge, engineering their way to building strong bridges that could support several vehicles. They used their knowledge of triangulation, measurement, and design to build some very impressive bridges.
Looking Ahead:
Students will show off how far they've come this year by taking the end of year MAP Reading Assessment. Following the MAP, students will hear from the Omaha Stormchasers, who will be reading to them. Additionally, students will do another unplugged activity in Coding.
Resources:
Mr. Gamble's Class
Week in Review:
The class learned about varied math concepts in their K12 math curriculum that would reinforce their understanding and help begin their work on assignments and quizzes.
Looking Ahead:
The class will work on MAP testing to see the progress student have made during the last several months of hard work.
- I can demonstrate the skills I’ve learned over the past year in my courses and perform highly in my Reading NWEA-MAP testing.
Monday Morning Message:
Join me Monday to learn how to accurately restate information found online and in text using your own words. We will discuss how to take information and rewrite it into words that fit your usage.
Weekly Online Math Lessons:
Each week I am teaching the current math lesson, per the pacing guide, for each subject online 3:00-3:30 via ClassConnect. All students who attend this session, participate, and complete a few questions, will receive credit for this lesson by the teacher.
Monday: Fundamentals of Geometry and Algebra
- Tuesdays: PreAlgebra
- Wednesdays: Algebra
- Thursdays: Algebra I
- Fridays: Algebra II
Ms. Blackburn's Class
Week in Review: We worked on nonfiction text features using a review game, Kahoot, and Study Island.
Looking Ahead: We will be Map testing to determine our end of the year scores.
Monday Morning Message: Join me to learn more about poetry.
Online lesson: Thursday at 3:15 - American History "Hurricane Katrina".
Mission Statement
Omaha Virtual School
Email: virtualschool@ops.org
Website: ovs.k12.com
Location: 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: (531)299-0269
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSVirtualSchool/
Twitter: @OPS_Virtual