NCVA Beacon Herald
December 2018
Our Mission
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL
December! Where has nearly half of the school year gone????
My “nugget of history” for this month will probably share a familiar name, but a not-so-familiar story. Do you recognize the name John Paul Jones? He was the famed American captain during the Revolutionary War that, when asked if he was surrendering his ship, replied with these words: “I have not yet begun to fight.” He and his crew went on to defeat a much larger and more powerful British ship, but that is not the story for today.
John Paul Jones went to sea as a 13 year old. He watched, learned, experienced, and received his own ship at age 21. These years of work, study, and dedication are what gave him the opportunity to, in 1775, be the first American to raise an American flag atop an American vessel. He, in short, became the Father of the American Navy through learning, much practice, and time.
Your future stands before you, and current your hard work will produce results for you in the future. Sometimes it is hard to see how what you are doing today will make a difference tomorrow, but never forget that “you are now becoming what you will one day be.” We expect great things from each of you and are thrilled that you have chosen NCVA!
~Dr. Medley
Important Dates
- 12/4: Learning Coach Town Hall via LC BbC
- 12/7: K-2 Town Hall via BbC
- 12/14: Learning Coach Social Hour via LC BbC
- 12/14 (Cont): MS/HS Virtual Art and Talent Show
- 12/14 (Cont): 3-5 Town Hall via BbC
- 12/20: "Bonus" Adventure Day (See E-mail)
- 12/24-1/2: WINTER BREAK (School Closed)
- 1/3-1/4: Teacher Workdays (Complete assignments in Online School)
- 1/7-1/11: HS EOC Testing Window (See e-mail for Testing details)
*NEW* NCVA Social Events Quarterly Calendars
Features include:
- Community Service Activities
- *Bonus* and Gradeband Adventure Day Activities
- Town Hall Topics
- LC Events
Check it out and print a copy. Hopefully, this additional tool will help our families with advance planning and e-mail reduction!
UPDATE Your Contact Information
Please ensure your phone number and e-mail are up to date in the OLS under your LC Account.
- Change of Address: Proof of Residence (utility bill, lease, home owner's statement) is required to update your physical address. Please e-mail the information to the Registrar at ccameron@ncvacademy.org.
K12 Cares: Toy Drive 2018
Our December Community Service Project is a Toy Drive! During the holidays, various organizations accept donations of toys to be shared with families in need. North Carolina was heavily impacted by various severe weather-related events this year, making that need even greater this holiday season.
~Ways to participate~
- DONATE a toy to any local charity or individual family of your choice.
- Toy donations will also be accepted at the 12/20 Adventure Day events in Durham and Charlotte.
- VOLUNTEER to help with a local toy or food drive.
- POST a picture on our NCVA Facebook Page of your student in action!
*TRACK your community service hours here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares *
K12 Support 1-866-512-2273
K12 Customer support is open 24/7 to provide assistance to our families.
New to NCVA?
- READ the Strong Start Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/ae15n
- REQUIRED New Student Orientations (Will appear on Student OLS Schedule)
*Parents & Students attend*
Mondays: 10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
* Only 1 is required per grade band (ES,MS, and/or HS)
For example, a family with 3rd and 5th graders only attend 1 ES session. Whereas a family with a 7th and 10th grader would attend both MS and HS sessions.
- Complete Online Learning/Welcome to Online Learning Course
- Complete a Connection Call with your student(s) Homeroom Teacher(s)
- Log-in to Student and Learning Coach Accounts daily
We are here to support you! Thank you for choosing NCVA.
K12 Clubs
K12 offers a variety of student clubs where like-minded students can share their areas of interest. These clubs are offered typically two times a month, and last one hour. K12 Clubs are available between September and May annually.
OPEN REGISTRATION!
To register, visit: http://www.k12.com/k12-student-clubs. Student and Family questions about national clubs & other national programming may be directed to clubs@k12.com .
Regional Parent Groups
- Make new friends
- Attend informal social activities outside of school
- Share tips and tricks
How do I join? : E-mail the Regional Parent Group where you reside. Use the map below to find your Region by County. Include your name, county, student(s)' name(s), grade levels, and phone number.
Region 1 ncvaregion1@gmail.com
Region 2 ncvaregion2@gmail.com
Region 3 ncvaregion3@yahoo.com *NEW*
Region 4 ncvaregion4@googlegroups.com *NEW*
Region 5 ncvaregion5@gmail.com
Region 6 ncvaregion6@gmail.com
Region 7 ncvaregion7@yahoo.com
Region 8 ncvaregion8@gmail.com
*NEW* RPG Newsletter (Quarter 2 2018): https://www.smore.com/3hsnx
PLEASE NOTE: The Regional Parent Groups are comprised of Learning Coaches. They do NOT have access to student information. Please contact your student's Homeroom or Content Area Teacher(s) for academic questions.
Were you displaced by Hurricane Florence?
Elementary School Updates
Don't Forget to Check out the K-5 Website!
Winter Break
Overdue Tab
Want to Get a Head Start?
K-5 Websites for Extra Practice
Reminders
2. Class Connects- These are required sessions that all students must attend.
3. OLS Lessons- Follow your daily plan to ensure you are on track with your lessons.
4. Overdue Tab- Check this often to make sure you do not have any late assignments.
5. Attendance- Should be entered DAILY!
Middle School Updates
Reminders
2. Follow your lesson plan and schedule
- Follow the DUE dates on your Schedule and Class Plans.
3. Make sure you're completing assignments in Go Formative as well - These are required.
4. IMPORTANT: Log into individual courses to do work - Don't click assignments on your schedule. This will allow you to read announcements that may apply to that day and will show your teachers that you have logged in.
- The "Content Tab" is another resources to ensure you are seeing all the parts of your lessons daily.
5. Remember that Class Connects are required! It's super important that you're on time and an active participant in any session that may be scheduled for you.
For all technical errors, please call k12 tech support at 866-512-2273
MS Microsoft Suite & K12 Help Articles
This is free for K12 students. Assignments will only be accepted in these Microsoft programs! The directions and links are about half way down the page. https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Download-Office-365-School-Email-for-Students
If you have questions on how to use Lockdown Browser or other programs, remember that the K12 website has tons of helpful articles, videos, and visual aids! You can use the search box to look for ANY topic: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Download-and-Install-LockDown-Browser
Coffee with Mrs. V
Learning Coaches: Be on the lookout for a “Coffee with Mrs. V” invitation on your learning coach class connect schedule. This a special session held for the middle school learning coaches covering a variety of different topics and is hosted by our administrator Mrs. Villegas.
We'll bring the info, you bring the coffee!
Stride
Learn more about Stride here: https://start.k12.com/national.html?st=stride&product=public_schools_generic&leadsource=drtv
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, 12/12 by 5:00 p.m.
Are you a budding ARTIST, MUSICIAN or PERFORMER? Then this is for you!
It is that time again to start prepping for the NCVA MS/HS Art and Talent Show, few new and exciting things this year. First we are having a show in the fall and the spring, so maximum opportunities to participate and receive recognition. Second we are expanding to ALL ARTS disciplines, we are welcoming visual artists as well as musicians, singers, dancers, poets, etc to share their talents with us. Lastly we are holding an OPEN Mic session during the actual show!
Intrigued? Please listen to this recording for more details and requirements:
We look forward to your participation and please let us know if you have any questions:
Ms. Brancaccio (MS Art) : dbrancaccio@ncvacademy.org
Ms. Mabe Royal (HS Art) : kmaberoyal@ncvacademy.org
Ms. Warshany (HS Music) : mwarshany@ncvacademy.org
NCVA MS Dance 2019: Durham, NC
*See your e-mail (attached) regarding details.
Families that would like to stay at the venue for the event can use this link to book their room. https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1543426528810&key=GRP&app=resvlink . The rate is $119/night and includes breakfast. Any questions regarding these events can be sent to Jaimee Miller at jaimiller@ncvacademy.org .
High School Updates
Reminders
Please remember that certain high school courses have EOC's (End of Course Tests). Thus, if your student has an EOC course and has a scheduling conflict, they should attend the EOC course first and then watch the recording for the other course. Work still has to be completed in BOTH courses.
Just a reminder, if you have a scheduling conflict you need to let your teachers know if you have live CC sessions that overlap and an EOC course: (Math 1, Math 3, Eng 2 and Biology)
EOC courses have State Exams at the end of the semester that count for 20% of their grade!
The semester one courses are coming to a close quickly. Please make sure to check your email daily and keep up with the assignments on your plan as the semester comes to a close.
Other Resources:
Help raise money for your school!
Watch the video to find out how.
We are excited to have you as part of NCVA's High School! Please make sure to check your email daily and keep an eye out for important info coming your way.
NCVA HS Prom 2019: Durham, NC
*See your e-mail (attached) regarding details.
Department of Exceptional Children
Counselor's Corner
High School
Join the Counselor Chat!
See the session list on the flyer below. This is a chance to learn more about these topics and ask questions. The March session will be required for all high school students and learning coaches. Sessions will be listed on your schedule.
Reminders for Seniors
Seniors, please be sure to let your counselor know when you are accepted to a college or earn a scholarship. We want to celebrate your accomplishments with you!
If you have not placed your order for your cap and gown, please do so as soon as possible.
New Website!
Check out the new Student Services website! We will continue to add information to help students and families achieve success. Let us know if you have suggestions!
K-8 Counselor: Whitney Cress
Hello all! Please take note of our new student services website packed with a tremendous amount of helpful community, academic, social and emotional resources! See it here: https://ncvastudentservices.wixsite.com/ncva
Monthly Town Halls
Town Halls will show up on your class connect schedules. We look forward to seeing you there! The topics for December will be:
K-2: December 7 @ 12:00 Spreading Kindness!
3-5: December 14 @ 12:00 Spreading Kindness!
Learning Coach (NEW!): December 4 @ 9:00 and 2:00 Apps Your Child is Using and What to Know About Them
FAST (Family Academic Support Team)
A "Strong Start" for EVERYONE
The FAST Team would like to wish all of our families a "strong start" to the school year. Check out this S'more for resources you will use all year long!
Strong Start Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/ae15n
LC Information Exchange (ONLINE VIA BbC)
Tuesday, 12/11
(Under the LC Account)
Specially designed to connect LCs with one another by location!
- K-5 @ 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
- 6-12 @ 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
*Regional Parent Groups
*NCVA Staff
Fire Safety
Every year firefighters respond to hundreds of thousands of house fires, and just over 50% of them are caused by cooking accidents. Please review this safety checklist with your child(ren) and make sure your family has a plan to stay safe. Remember, prevention is the best medicine!
(taken from https://p.widencdn.net/ohbroq/145733-Tier-61-Home-Fire-Checklist-Regional-FINAL2-002)
STUDENT AND PARENT OPPORTUNITIES
Social Media
Please take advantage of opportunities to connect with the K12 and NCVA communities online and social media, via
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncva_k12
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ncva_k12/
K12 Learning Liftoff Newsletter
Register here: http://www.learningliftoff.com/
Community Activities
Victory Junction: Located in Randleman, NC. Camp opportunities are available year round for children with special needs and various medical conditions at no cost to families. Contact Victory Junction at https://victoryjunction.org for more information.
Carolina Parent: The Carolina Parent website is an excellent resource for family friendly activities and resources throughout the state. Visit http://www.carolinaparent.com/ for more information.
Museums for All
Museums for All allows low income families (who can show proof of an EBT card) to enter specific museums across NC with an admission fee ranging from free to $3 depending on location.
Program Link
http://www.childrensmuseums.org/about/acm-initiatives/museums-for-all
List of museums that participate:
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
K12 Customer Support Videos
https://www.help.k12.com/s/topic/0TO0B000000I2moWAC/technical-support-videos#?tabset-26361=2
- Audio Set-Up: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Setup-a-Headset-Microphone-and-Configure-Audio-for-Class-Connect
- Time Zone Configuration: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/How-to-Update-the-Time-Zone-in-the-Online-School-and-on-Your-Computer
- Clear Cache and Cookies: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Internet-Browsers-Clear-Cache-and-Cookies
When to Clear Cache & Cookies
Having trouble logging in to the OLS? Try clearing your browser cache and cookies.
OLS continually loads or redirects – “Redirecting…Please wait”
OLS navigation between pages is slow
OLS pages load but missing information
Browser error messages
Getting booted out of the OLS or LMS
After a planned maintenance outage
After an unexpected outage
How To: https://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Internet-Browsers-Clear-Cache-and-Cookies
K12 is working diligently to eliminate and replace content that was built on Flash, as web browsers are ceasing support of it. However, you may still encounter some Flash content.
For the best user experience, we recommend accessing your online classes using the Mozilla Firefox browser. To download the most recent version of Firefox, please visit: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/ .
If you are using a Chromebook or need to access your online classes using Chrome, we recommend not updating to the newest release (Chrome 69), which forces users to re-enable Flash every time they restart their browser. Please refer tohttp://www.help.k12.com/s/article/Enabling-Flash-in-Chrome-69 on help.k12.com for a step-by-step guide to enabling Flash in Chrome 69.
HELPING OUR SCHOOL
Box Tops for Education
As a public school, NCVA is able to participate in Box Tops for Education by General Mills and has signed up to create an account. As you shop and purchase normal, everyday products, you can cut those box tops off and get them to our school so that we can gain additional supplies. The products vary and include food, storage, paper products, and cleaning supplies.
When you cut them off, there are printable, fun sheets to be able to collect them. The link below will take you to those sheets:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/~/link.aspx?_id=CD4A2815C2894609BCBA7A1A3DB6E65F&_z=z
Once you have collected several, here are the ways to be able to get them to our coordinator – Carrie Daniel:
- Bring them with you at an outing and give to a teacher
- Bring them with you to a testing site and give to the Site Coordinator
- Mail them to the Office at the school address attention to Ms. Daniel.
"Together In Education Program"
Account # 3669
"Tools For Schools"
(Account # 31300)
Contact Information
North Carolina Virtual Academy
4220 NC HWY 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 919-346-0121
Fax: 919-324-6597
Website: http://ncva.k12.com
K12 Customer Support: 1-866-512-2273