PLA Virtual News
Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy
"Bytes" From Your School Leader, Dr. Townsend
September 2, 2022
Greetings Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy Families,
Happy Friday and the successful completion of Week #4 of Teaching and Learning at PLA Virtual! Happy Labor Day and 3-day weekend!
Thank you to all families who were able to join us in-person at Riverside Park or virtually in the evening via Blackboard for our Annual Back to School Bash. It was wonderful connecting with everyone and having fun together as a school family.
We are gearing up for NWEA Testing, Wednesday, September 7, 2022-Friday, September 9, 2022. As we shared during Back to School Night, it is critical that all Learning Coaches and Parents not provide any help or support to their scholar as they are testing. We know it is tempting to help, but this is an assessment, not an assignment. Your help is a hindrance, as you are showing us your ability level and we need to know your scholars ability level to best support them in the classroom. So, please resist ALL temptation and allow your scholar to take NWEA on their own, without your help and support with the questions they are asked.
We kicked off our "Leading with Reading" initiative last night on Facebook Live and we want to cordially invite you to join us this upcoming Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 7:00pm for Story Time with Dr. Townsend (me!). I will be reading a story LIVE every Thursday the entire month! I hope you will like us on Facebook and join me!
Have an awesome 3-day weekend.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Townsend, Principal
THANK YOU for an AMAZING Back to School Bash
We had a blast at the park meeting all of you ensuring you have PowerSchool access, playing games, fun activities, great fellowship, sharing of stories and experiences, enjoying yummy snacks, choosing books to take home and more. We also hope everyone who attended in person loved the backpacks filled with school supplies and snacks, the parent resource table with household supplies, and the scholar shirts and goodies in the PLA Virtual swag bags.
We would also like to thank all families who brought a potential family to hang out with us and learn more about our school.
We would like to share the beautiful memories with you in our PLA Virtual Back to School Bash Album, exclusively for our families. Please click the link below to see the memories we were able to capture in photos!
How to Log-in for DAILY LIVE Classes
Chromebook Login
Username(Scholar email): __________@plavirtual.org
Password(Example): AWalker1180!
Blackboard Login (How to Login to Class)
(YES! This is different from last year. Please use this updated login format for 2022-2023)
https://elearning.phalenacademies.org/
Username (Scholar email): __________@plavirtual.org
Password: STN Number
Homeroom Teacher Contact Info by Grade Level
Kindergarten: Mrs. Beriault, tberiault@phalenacademies.org
1st Grade: Mrs. Lakin, dlakin@phalenacademies.org
2nd Grade: Mrs. Surface, ksurface@phalenacademies.org
3rd Grade: Mrs. Thomas, cthomas@phalenacademies.org
4th Grade: Mrs. Brady, mbrady@phalenacademies.org
5th Grade: Mr. White, rwhite@phalenacademies.org
6th Grade: Ms. Hawks, chawks@phalenacademies.org
7th Grade: Mrs. Groulik, mgroulik@phalenacademies.org
8th Grade: Mrs. Putt, eputt@phalenacademies.org
9th Grade: Mrs. Dunbar, cdunbar@phalenacademies.org
10th Grade: Mr. DeHaven, cdehaven@phalenacademies.org
11th Grade: Ms. Embry, sembry@phalenacademies.org
12th Grade: Ms. Stewart, alstewart@phalenacademies.org
Scholar Schedule Support
Kindergarten-5th Grade Schedules:
Mrs. Semon, asemon@phalenacademies.org
6th-8th Grade Schedules:
Ms. Hershey, khershey@phalenacademies.org
High School Schedules
Ms. Stewart, alstewart@phalenacademies.org
Tech Support @PLA Virtual
2022-2023 School Events
Labor Day (No School)
Monday, September 5, 2022
NWEA Testing (Grades K-11)
Wednesday, September 7-9, 2022
Scholars will test with their Homeroom Teacher
Story Time on Facebook Live with Dr. Townsend
Thursday, September 1, 2022 at 7:00pm
Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 7:00pm
Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 7:00pm
Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 7:00pm
Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 7:00pm
Staff Development Day (No school for Scholars)
Friday, September 16, 2022
No school for Scholars
All Teachers and Staff will be Available
End of Quarter 1
Friday, October 7, 2022
PSAT Testing Day (10th and 11th Grade Scholars ONLY)
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Additional information will be shared by our State Testing Coordinator, Ms. Sepaniak
PLA University Announces Its 2021 Training Start Dates, Expanding Free Job Training in Health and Information Technology
Indianapolis, IN - Phalen Leadership Academies is honored to announce the official launch of the upcoming 2021 cohort of PLA University, a tuition-free job training program for the adult family members of current PLA scholars.
Last year’s cohort launched with Health & Life Sciences training. The new cohort, beginning August 23rd, expands training to include Information Technology (IT). PLA families can now apply for training to become: IT support professionals, Forklift Operators, Certified Nursing Assistants, Veterinary Assistants, Pharmacy Technicians, Medical Billers and Coders, or Medical Assistants.
“We are excited to expand the offerings of PLA University to bring more training options and training partners for PLA families,” said PLA University Executive Director, James Swift. “We have been bolstered by the support of local businesses and institutions such as the Launch Hope Foundation, the Hardon Educational Institute and Penn Foster College. These partners are helping us to lay a strong foundation as we work to help our families secure jobs with competitive salaries and long range potential.”
Created in the wake of the murder of George Floyd to foster self-sufficiency and economic parity, PLA University is among the first career training institutions of its kind as it seeks to improve the outcomes of both PLA scholars and families. The program works to teach families life skills, provides certification training and job placement. The program is located at James and Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy on Indianapolis's Far Eastside.
The next PLA University cohort begins August 23rd. For more information or to apply to join this PLA Universitycohort, please visit PLAUniversity.org and apply or contact info@plauniversity.org.
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Download our APP!
The latest news and information from schools in the Phalen Leadership Academies Network are now available on smartphones and mobile devices with a new mobile app launching today. PLA is working to expand its communications outreach with a mobile app that is now available in the online iTunes® and Google Play® app stores for free.
The mobile app will offer a constantly updated feed of school and network news and events with photos and links to PLA school websites. The app can also be customized by the user by selecting the schools they are most interested in for news and updates. Users can also choose to receive push notifications to get breaking news, updates about school closures, calendar changes, or even sports updates.
Have Questions? Contact Us Today!
Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy (PLA Virtual) is a tuition-free online learning academy for Indiana families in grades K-12. We are backed by an accredited university to help empower our scholars and families to accelerate academic success with high-quality curriculum taught in their own environment. We use technology to provide interactive and rigorous online classes that allow our scholars to learn and thrive. Our scholars excel not just in academics, but also socially and emotionally with a blend of online coursework and options to engage in sports and enrichment at a local PLA campus.
Email: ttownsend@phalenacademies.org
Website: PLAVirtual.org
Location: Indiana, USA
Phone: 317.939.3787
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhalenLeadershipAcademies
Twitter: @AcademiesPhalen