The WAVA Wave
October 1, 2016
Hello WAVA Parents and Students!
We have had a busy beginning to the school year with lots of new and exciting changes to our program! Thank you for your patience as we work out a few kinks and get everyone settled into a strong routine for the school year.
Teachers are enjoying getting to know their students and families and we are very excited about the new teaming model that has every student working with just a few teachers for all of their courses. We firmly believe this will provide the best support for students to help them be successful in middle school and ready for high school in the not-to-distant future.
Looking forward to a great year ahead!
Tammy Alonzo
WAVA Middle School Principal
Counselor Connect
Greetings! My name is John Bieker and I am the school counselor for WAVA Middle School. I would like to let you know about several upcoming opportunities that students may be interested in.
Anxiety/Stress Reduction Group Sessions: Everybody deals with some degree of stress in their lives, and most of us can benefit from learning about where stress comes from, how our bodies and minds naturally respond to it, and how to effectively deal with stress and anxiety. These are the topics that will be dealt with in a series of classes starting Wednesday, October 12. Interested students will meet for an eight-week series of classes Wednesdays at 2:00 in class connect and be guided through a series of information, activities, and reflections that will help them learn to handle the stress they experience at school and in their daily lives. Classes will be held every Wednesday at 2:00 starting October 12 and running through November 30 and will run for approximately 30 minutes. Classes are completely optional. Please note: The role, responsibilities, and training for a school counselor are very different from a mental health counselor. If your student is struggling with or has been diagnosed by a medical or mental health professional with an anxiety disorder, they are more than welcome to attend and may find the content useful, but these courses are not intended as a substitute for outside mental health counseling or therapy.
Leadership Club: While not technically related to my role as school counselor, Leadership Club is an optional extra-curricular activity that I will be supervising. We will meet once a week (Tuesdays at 3:00) for about 30 minutes, but there may be additional projects that will require more time if students choose to sign up for them. We will learn about ourselves and how be a leader by serving others. Leadership Club students will help plan and put on assemblies for the whole school and explore ways to improve the school experience for all students as well as how to help meet the needs of others in their homes and communities. Interested students will need to complete an application in order to participate. Applications will be sent to interested students who have expressed interest on October 17 and the first meeting will be October 25.
Social Club: Sometimes students just need a chance to get together and socialize with each other. Social Club is a supervised but unstructured time in Class Connect for WAVA MS students to meet, talk, play games, and practice social skills. Social Club meets every other Friday at 2:00 starting October 21 and will be hosted by myself and WAVA K-5 school counselor Mrs. Martin. This group is just for fun and students may attend or not attend as they please. However, students will need to contact me to sign up so I can invite them to the CC session.
If your student is interested in any of these opportunities, please send me an email at jbieker@wava.org with the name of your student and which groups or clubs your student would like to attend, and I will add them to the list!
John Bieker
Middle School Guidance Counselor (6-8)
Washington Virtual Academies
Student Spotlight
Grade: 6
Favorite Book: The Little House on the Prairie
Favorite TV Show: Top Gear
Favorite Video Game: Gran Turismo
What is one thing that makes you laugh? "My dad."
Where is the best place to visit? "Seattle."
Required for 7th Graders: Hearing and Vision Screening
Washington law (WAC 246-760) requires that vision and hearing screening services be offered to students in grades K-3, 5 and 7. WAVA offers you 4 options to complete your child’s screening. Please take 2 minutes and fill out the registration survey and indicate your preference. All families will receive follow up communications from the Assessment Team to ensure you can complete this screening requirement. Contact Jazmine McCoy at jamccoy@k12.com if you have any questions, thank you!
Join WAVA's Facebook Group for Middle School Learning Coaches
If you have requested to join but have not heard anything please check your alternate folders on Facebook. We send private messages to learning coaches if we cannot verify their student is enrolled in WAVA.
If your income has changed, you will need to fill out this form.
Kathy Swartz Office Hours - Family Resource Coordinator
- Link student and/or family to necessary resources
- Offer support
- Help find solutions to non-academic problems hampering educational growth
Wednesday, Oct 5, 2016, 12:00 PM
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Denise Roberts Office Hours - Family Engagement Coordinator
Login through your learning coach account or click here to login.
Friday, Oct 7, 2016, 12:00 PM
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Spooner Farms Meet and Greet
Let's pick our pumpkins together!
Children under 13 - $7.00
Adult - $9.00
Saturday, Oct 8, 2016, 12:00 PM
Spooner Farms Retail Berries and Pumpkin Patch, Washington 162, Puyallup, WA, United States
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Learning Coach Coffee Chat
Thursday, Oct 13, 2016, 01:00 PM
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SIEMERS FARM EXPERIENTIAL TOURS
Join an experienced K12 teacher for a K12 Meet-and Greet! Prospective and currently enrolled ISWA and WAVA students are invited to join us for a Siemers Farm Experiential Tour on Friday, October 14th at 4pm.
Let's meet at the main entrance at 4pm to buy tickets ($8.50 each, so please bring cash) and we'll enjoy this tour and spend some time together! Look for the K12 teacher in the K12 shirt!
$8.50 Each
The Siemers Farm Tour is an Experiential Tour with a guide at every activity.
The tour begins as you pick-up a numbered farm map, enter the Kingdom of Id, and walk along paths bordered by tall corn stalks and lush green shrubs on you way to the four-story Magical Castle. On the third floor of the castle you can take in a fabulous view of Green Bluff and mountain ranges.
While gazing over the farm, use a treasure map to locate thePirate's Treasure Chest, ("X" marks the spot), take your share of the loot, and don't forget to board the Pirate Ship as you leave the Maze.
While on tour take a Train Ride, Pedal Car Ride and Slide Ride (weather permitting), then choose a Pumpkin, play the Feed the Pigs beanbag game, and watch an informative Pollination Video.
Friday, Oct 14, 2016, 04:00 PM
11125 E Day Mt Spokane Rd, Mead, WA, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
2016 Art Contest
K12 is calling all artists to step up to the drawing board and enter our 11th Annual Art Contest! Create and submit a piece of art using the theme “What will you be?”, and show off your artistic talents! Click here to enter.
K12 Student Clubs
Learning Coach University
K12 Learning Coach University™ was created to support the Learning Coaches who guide the schooling of their children at home. Click here to view the October sessions.
Follow us on Pinterest!
Join our WAVA Facebook group for Learning Coaches
Follow us on Twitter
Washington Virtual Academies
Email: info@wava.org
Website: wava.k12start.com
Location: 2601 S 35th St Suite 100 Tacoma, WA
Phone: 2539641068
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WAVAMSLC/
Twitter: @K12_WAVA