VA Weekly Navigator
Your guide to news, updates, and reminders in the Upper VA
(Week of March 21, 2022)
Support for Seniors
Use this Zoom link to join: https://bit.ly/MVASeniors
- Meeting ID: 878 5717 9561
- Passcode: mva
SSL Opportunity: Cherry Blossom 10-Miler Volunteers
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10mi / 5K is in need of volunteers for April 3rd at the Washington Monument Grounds. Volunteer duties include but are not limited to handing out water, refreshments, medals, race packets; staffing the race course and bag check; timing and video recording the race
We are able to offer SSL volunteer hours for school. Students will learn what it means to be part of a team, raise funds for a non-profit, and manage a large-scale event. All proceeds from the race are donated to Children’s Miracle Network (which includes our very own Children’s Hospital of DC).
In exchange for your time, you’ll get a t-shirt, commemorative gift, and a guaranteed entry to next year’s race. Our race fills to capacity through a lottery system. We thank our volunteers by allowing them to bypass the lottery system to enter the 5k or 10 mile race. More information (including where to meet) and the link to register can be found at http://cherryblossom.org/generalinfo/volunteer.php It takes over 2,000 volunteers to make this a successful event.
Please reach out to Nita Lalla Roncone (nita@cherryblossom.org) if you have any questions. Thank you for your service and I look forward to meeting you in April!
Volunteer Registration for the April 2022 race is open! Please join us at http://www.cherryblossom.org/generalinfo/volunteer.php
MVS Technology Survey
There is also an opportunity to indicate interest in a focus group conversation. Thank you for taking the time to complete this helpful survey!
Student Service Learning Awards
Any high school senior who has submitted documentation to show the completion of 240 SSL hours or more by April 1, 2022, will earn the Certificate of Meritorious Service along with a purple tassel for graduation. This award requirement has been prorated to account for the period of time during which school buildings were closed.
The required deadline for all documentation that qualifies seniors for the Certificate of Meritorious Service and middle school students for the Superintendent’s SSL Award is April 1, 2022. All SSL forms (MCPS Form 560-51: SSL Activity Verification form - https://bit.ly/SSLReflection) should be emailed or turned in to Dr. Simarjeet Sandhu by April 1 to be considered for these awards.
How to Check SSL Hours in ParentVUE
- Navigate to https://md-mcps-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login.aspx.
- Select "I am a parent" or "I am a student."
- Enter your User Name and Password, then click "Login."
- Click "Course History" from the left-hand navigation.
- The Course History page shows the student's graduation progress, test requirements, and SLL hours earned. (Students need 75 hours for graduation.)
- Toggle on "Detail" to see full Service Learning details.
Choose Respect PSA Contest
Respect Fest 2022 - Earn even more SSL hours!
The VIRTUAL RespectFest is from March 21st - March 26th (earn up to 5 SSL hours)
The IN-PERSON ON MARCH 27th from 1 - 4 pm (earn up to 3 SSL hours)
Join us to learn about dating violence and prevention while having fun, earning SSL hours, and winning raffles!
Click here for details (the images below are not live links).
SAT Day -- This Wednesday
SAT Day on Wednesday, March 23. All 11th graders are eligible to take the SAT for free at their home school. Please contact your home school for more detailed information on what time to arrive and what to bring with you. All students who participate in SAT Day will have an excused absence from their Virtual Academy classes. Please email Hikeyya Falden to let us know that you will be testing that day.
Also, all 8th grade students who are taking the MISA test at their home school will also have an excused absence. Please email our attendance secretary, Hikeyya Falden, in addition to having students contact their teachers.
Chautauqua #2: "Nevertheless, She Persisted"
National College Fair April 5 & 6
The NACAC College Fair is free and open to the public. The fair attracts representatives from approximately 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and internationally. During the fair, admissions representatives will provide an opportunity for students to learn about their institutions, including college life, popular majors, admissions criteria, and much more. Students will have an opportunity to gather brochures and other materials about the schools that interest them.
Click here for the times, address, and more information.
MVA Spring Spirit Week starts tomorrow!
Students: show your school spirit all this week, and you could win a free pizza! This student-organized event is a chance to shake things up on Zoom and celebrate the diversity of our virtual community. Let's go, VA!
SSL Opportunity: Hands2Inspire
Our very own Dr. Sandhu owns a non-profit organization called Hands2Inspire. She has created an SSL opportunity that can earn students up 15 SSL hours.
Students will create a Google Slideshow to spread awareness about a scholarship that Hands2Inspire has set up in honor of Dr. Sandhu's grandfather, Sardar Maluk Singh Sandhu. Students will talk about the scholarship and how it can benefit students. These slideshows will then be shared throughout the community and the nation to raise awareness for the scholarship.
This opportunity is open to all students, with special focus on seniors who need credits to meet their graduation requirements. Students are also more than welcome to apply for this scholarship, as it is open to high seniors.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dr. Simarjeet directly via email: Simarjeet_K_Sandhu@mcpsmd.org.
Important SSL Links: Student Service Learning HUB for MCPS Students and Families
Earn SSL hours by helping us celebrate Women’s History Month!
We will continue to share select presentations with the MVA community in our Canvas daily announcements as well as in our weekly student and parent newsletters.
Check out some of the presentations below!
- Leslie Castillo Aquino: "Malala Yousafzai"
- Jeffrey Arevalo Villeda: "Women's History Month"
- Sadiyah Assani: "Aretha Franklin"
- Jemimah Lee: "The Women's Suffrage Movement"
- Brian Jackson: "Contributions of Women in History"
Summer School Registration
The 2022 Central High School Summer Program (CHSSP) has a range of blended (synchronous and asynchronous) offerings, including core courses, Career Technology Education, Health Education, World Language, and Fine Arts. Students can take a course for grade replacement, grade improvement, or in some instances, original credit. Please note that students taking summer courses to replace a failing grade, or planning to graduate in the summer of 2022, will take precedence over students who have already earned credit in the courses for which they register.
CHSSP consists of two sessions:
- Session 1: June 29 - July 19 (no school July 4)
- Session 2: July 20 - August 9 (no school July 25)
The Montgomery Virtual Academy will also offer summer courses for MVA students; more information about those courses and how you can register will be coming soon.
MVA Parent Teacher Council Updates
All Grades MVAPTC Outdoor Meet and Greet:
Filicori Zecchini at 12500 Park Potomac Ave, Potomac, MD 20854 on Sunday, March 27th from 2-4 PM.
Enjoy delicious coffee, hot chocolate, sandwiches and treats! No purchase necessary. MVPTA will bring a few games/activities but if you have any games/activities for kids to share, please bring them. We will make signs to create a slide show for staff appreciation week. If it rains or the weather is poor, the event will be rescheduled. Please see our facebook pages listed below for updates. MVAPTC Shirts can be pre-ordered for pick up during the Meet and Greet. Ordering information below! https://www.facebook.com/filicori.parkpotomac
Teacher Appreciation Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/KW86FXCZ3F5L/guest-view
Please help us purchase shirts and other items for our wonderful staff.
We need about 80 additional shirts to provide one to each staff member for teacher appreciation week. Shirts do not need to be purchased off Amazon. We just need blank shirts to logo.
Montgomery Virtual Academy Shirt Sales and Donations: https://mvaptc.square.site
Please contact Jessica at parentcouncil@cpjsweb.com with any questions. Pick up in Kensington or can be mailed at an additional cost.
MVAPTC Links:
Website: https://vaparentcouncil.godaddysites.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=montgomery%20virtual%20academy%20parent%20teacher%20council
Facebook page for unofficial Parent Group called MCPS - Montgomery Virtual Academy Families and Staff (Montgomery County, MD): https://www.facebook.com/groups/530674078014807
MVAPTC Membership Signup (no dues this year): https://forms.gle/ATxuHnUWnvEqVD9Y8
MVAPTC Lower School Family Directory Sign Up - https://forms.gle/c7kwQ8pBRPJM6VTD9
MVAPTC Middle School Family Directory Sign Up - https://forms.gle/kpUAfwsDPbSJNXsZ6
MVAPTC High School Family Directory Sign Up - https://forms.gle/YqfbRyt11E8eAYjp7
Upcoming Parent Teacher Council Meetings: Next Meeting Thursday, April 7th at 6:30 PM
Future meetings: 1st Thursday of the Month at 6:30 PM (April 7, May 5, June 2 - Board Member Elections)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/82444490744?pwd=elRpSkcybmY3TXZ3TzlnamtFSlhOQT09
Meeting ID: 824 4449 0744 and Passcode: 092867
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,82444490744# US (Washington DC)
+13126266799,,82444490744# US (Chicago)
Distinguished Young Women's Program
Distinguished Young Women of Montgomery County is part of a national scholarship program that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent in young women.
Cash scholarships are awarded at the local level and millions in college-granted scholarships are available ($1 billion nationally). And local winners will advance to the state program in Montgomery, Alabama where they give away more than $32,200 in cash tuition scholarships.
And it’s FREE to participate!
YOU CAN...
- Make new friends from around your area
- Participate in workshops on interviewing, public speaking and more
- Have fun putting on a showcase of your achievements
- PLUS help pay for your college education!
- You must be a senior in high school to participate.
Grading, Reporting, and Feedback Updates
- Interims were posted online last week -- please check ParentVUE to review your child's grades and any communications or comments from teachers.
The final deadline for student work submissions in marking period three has been extended to March 29. Please continue to contact your child's teachers and/or counselors directly if you have questions about assignments, due dates, or deadlines.
MVA Virtual Café
The Virtual Café is a Zoom gathering space where students can get together to meet friends, play games, participate in activities, and engage in casual conversations while they eat their lunch. The Café will be open every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:40-12:15. Teachers will facilitate shared activities such as chess, anime, mindfulness, community circle conversations, and more.
ZOOM LINK: http://bit/ly/mvavirtualcafe
Meeting ID: 854 7704 2831
Passcode: lunch
Student Service Learning Information Presentation
SSL Informational Slide Presentation
If you or your family have additional questions, please contact Dr. Simarjeet Sandhu, our SSL Coordinator, via Outlook: Simarjeet_K_Sandhu@mcpsmd.org.
Virtual Academy Calendar for March 2022
Virtual Academy Accepting New Applications for the 2022-2023 School Year
The following message was posted on the MVA Website on February 2, 2022. Please feel free to share and pass it along! (Students who are currently enrolled do NOT need to complete a new application for next school year.)
The Montgomery Virtual Academy, a full-time virtual learning program for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Students interested in the program are required to apply for admission and must be approved to participate. (Students currently enrolled in the Virtual Academy do not need to reapply). Applications will be considered on a rolling admissions basis. Application reviews will begin March 1 for initial enrollment and staffing purposes.
The Virtual Academy serves students in a comprehensive, full-time online instructional program. The program will continue to expand its infrastructure and services, innovative instructional approaches and flexible options to access coursework, particularly for high school students.
Admission considerations include:
- For elementary school students: Primarily for students with extenuating circumstances related to health or other reasons that can be mitigated through a virtual learning program.
- For middle and high school students: For students to gain access to innovative courses, flexible scheduling and specialty courses that may not be available in all schools, and for students with extenuating circumstances, including health and other reasons, that can be mitigated through a virtual program.
Applications can be submitted through ParentVUE beginning Feb. 2.
For families needing assistance submitting an application, please call 240-740-6060 or email MoCoVirtual@mcpsmd.org.
For more information, visit these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or the Montgomery Virtual Academy website.
Note for Rising Kindergarteners
Students who will be kindergartners in the 2022–2023 school year must register at their home school prior to applying to the Virtual Academy. To receive a student ID number, contact your local neighborhood elementary school to schedule an appointment. Application reviews for kindergarten students will begin May 1.
Attendance Questions and Absence Notes
- Hikeyya_A_Falden@mcpsmd.org
- 240-740-6060
Advisory ("Homeroom") Reminders
Every student in the VA is scheduled for Advisory (indicated as "Homeroom" on their schedules).
Advisory meets Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays. Students are able to:
- connect with peers from their home school
- receive Virtual Academy updates and information
- participate in fun and interesting advisory lessons
It is important for students to log in each Advisory day for learning and attendance.
Contact your advisory teacher for information and to answer questions.
Activating and Utilizing ParentVUE
Activate Your ParentVue Account
This important tool will provide near real-time access to information on assignments and scores, attendance, class schedules, transcripts, graduation status, and more. You may access ParentVUE online, but for the best mobile experience, we encourage you to download the ParentVUE App from the Google Play Store or Apple Store, as this app will replace the current myMCPS mobile application.
Contact Your Child's Administrator or Counselor for your activation letter
Free English as Second Language Classes for Parents
In collaboration with MCPS, the Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) is offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for MCPS parents. The classes will be held virtually and there will be options for all levels of English speakers. They are available to any MCPS parent for whom English is not their first language.
Please see this flyer for details:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CWxRzof4pPS95Fi7SjEadPgf3_w39orL/view?usp=sharing
Parents can complete this Interest form to receive a placement test.
Bulk Meal Kits for Virtual Academy Families
Families can now pre-order meals using the same link each week. The link will open on Mondays and will close temporarily over the weekend so that the data can be accessed by our Food Services partners. Please note the form is not managed or maintained by the Virtual Academy.
Virtual Academy Bulk Meal Kits Pre-Order Form
These kits will provide 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 7 Suppers and 7 Snacks. These kits will be distributed every Friday from 11:00am - 1:00pm at most locations (see the form for details).
Magruder HS
Clarksburg HS
Damascus ES
Gaithersburg HS
Paint Branch HS
White Oak MS
Parkland MS
Blair HS
Northwest HS
Richard Montgomery HS
Poolesville ES
Walter Johnson HS
The kits need to be reserved by Friday 12:00 p.m. one week in advance to ensure availability.
Confirmation of order will be sent via email.
Questions regarding meal kits can be sent to the meals drop box: DFNSMealKitOrders@mcpsmd.org
We are so grateful to our partners in Food Services!
(Need to type the Pre-Order Form link? Here it is: https://forms.gle/XQHyNJe5kG6fzj6v9)
Technology Support
If you are having technology issues, please submit an e-ticket by emailing your question or issue to communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org or submit a ticket via the Community Tech Support portal. This account is monitored daily and you will receive email notifications throughout the process.
For helpful support guides and screencasts in English and Spanish, please visit https://montgomery.service-now.com/csm.
A support guide for the Community Tech Support portal is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cczbhEXF7x3TBquSMQGUGsxIcqsm_BtG2KBBi_bA0_0/edit
Student Newsletter
Click here to review the updates that we share with students each week in our student newsletter Google Site.
VA Weekly Navigator Archive
SEMESTER TWO
- Week of March 21, 2022
- Week of March 14, 2022
- Week of March 7, 2022
- Week of February 28, 2022
- Week of February 22, 2022
- Week of February 14, 2022
- Week of February 7, 2022
- Week of January 31, 2022
SEMESTER ONE