Highlights from House C
APRIL 2021 - 6th Grade Updates
Dear 6th Grade Mavericks,
WELCOME TO QUARTER 4!!! We are getting a fresh start to shine in Quarter 4. Be sure to continue to check your school email and grades in StudentVUE daily. Take advantage of retake opportunities, always try your best on assignments and assessments, and ask for help or clarification when you need it.
Interested in a Virtual Movie Night with your 6th grade classmates? Scroll down for more info or click HERE!
Interested in joining us for the weekly Monday Meetup with your 6th grade classmates? Scroll down for more info or click HERE!
Upcoming Dates:
- Friday 4/9: End of Quarter 3
- Monday 4/12: Student Holiday
- Friday 4/16: Asynchronous Day (no live classes, but work will be assigned)
- Monday 4/19: MAP Testing for Reading (Google Meet)
- Monday 4/26: MAP Testing for Math (Google Meet)
- Monday 5/3: Reading 6 SOL for DL Students
- Tuesday 5/4: Reading 6 SOL for Hybrid Students
- Wednesday 5/5: Reading 6 SOL MAKEUP for DL & Hybrid Students
- See the May SOL Calendar below to find the testing dates for each respective math course (Math 6, Foundations of Algebra, or Pre-Algebra).
Virtual Peer Tutors:
- Do you want some help in Math, English, Science, and/or Social Studies from a fellow 6th grader? Click HERE to sign up for help during Resource.
- Are you exceling in any of these classes and want to sign up to be a Peer Tutor? Click HERE to sign up to be a Peer Tutor during Resource.
Need to meet with Mrs. Letina, Mr. Kaiya, or Mrs. Butler?
Your teachers are here to support you and so are your Dean, Counselor, and House C Secretary! If you need to meet with one of us, please click HERE to complete a brief Google Form. We will email you to schedule a Google Meet or a "Walk & Talk" if you are Hybrid and would prefer to meet in person.
Reminders:
- Scroll down to access a list of resources and tools to help you with organization and time-management.
- Attendance to all classes, including Connect/Advisory and Resource, is required unless the school receives notice from a parent/guardian of an absence. Students are expected to stay engaged, participate in their classes, and wait to be dismissed by the teacher.
- Reflect and set goals for yourself on how you can grow. Your focus should be on ways to improve, not for perfection. Think: little by little, day by day. You WILL see results if you make a plan, stick to it, and ask for help when you need it!
We want to hear from you! Send us a video or picture via email or Schoology message or connect with Mrs. Letina on Twitter @sarah_letina. You can also follow Smart's Mill on Twitter @Smart's_Mill and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SmartsMillMS.
Stay safe!
All the best,
Mrs. Letina & Mr. Kaiya
Questions should be directed to Assistant Principal Joe Guinther at joseph.guinther@lcps.org or 571-252-2030.
Course Request Update from Mr. Kaiya
Thank you to those of you who have made your final elective course selections for 7th grade!
To those of you who have not, please contact me as soon as possible. The deadline is Wednesday, April 14th, 2021. After the deadline passes, there is no guarantee that your student will get their preferred classes.
As a reminder, here are the two elective choices to make:
Fine Arts Elective (Please select one of the following options):
Art
Band (only 6th grade Band students)
Chorus
Guitar (any student can select this class)
Orchestra (only 6th grade Strings students)
Core Elective (Please select one of the following options):
Introduction to Computer Science (ex. computer programming, basic computer functions)
Computer Science Foundations (ex. coding, video game design, graphic design)
Foreign Language (Please select either French 1, German 1, Latin 1, Spanish 1, or Spanish for Fluent Speakers 1)
Communication Studies (This course is the study of various forms of communication, ex. print, broadcast, theater, public speaking, etc.)
If you have any additional questions, please contact me at omari.kaiya@lcps.org or 571-252-2030.
Thank you,
Mr. Kaiya
Virtual Loudoun Information
Virtual Loudoun is gearing up for our upcoming ten-week summer Term 3 session, which will run May 31 through August 6. Registration for this term will open on Monday, April 19th. You can see all of the dates and deadlines of this term as well as our future terms for the 2021-22 school year on our Program Calendar webpage.
Additional updates and reminders for this summer include:
- Registration fees for Term 3 are the same as the reduced rate that was approved and implemented last summer, $375 per 1 credit and $187.50 for a ½ credit. You can see all of the registration fee details on our Payment webpage.
- Families who are experiencing financial hardship are welcome to complete an Application for Reduction or Waiver of Fee form and submit this to their student’s school administrator for consideration.
- At the 3/9/21 School Board meeting, members approved that students who have previously earned two credits through virtual coursework completed in a summer term may be approved for a third virtual credit for this summer 2021 via a virtual summer program such as Virtual Loudoun, Virtual Virginia, or other approved virtual learning program. Students may only take one virtual course per summer.
- Similar to Summer 2020, this summer students currently in grades 8-11 may enroll in a Virtual Virginia course this summer if that course is offered through Virtual Loudoun and is at capacity.
- Students are permitted to take a Virtual Virginia course if that course is not offered in Virtual Loudoun. The decision to offer the course is still a school-based decision.
- Middle schoolers are limited in their virtual options for summer. Please see the VL Middle School Information webpage for these specifics and remember these limits apply to ALL virtual programs.
6th Grade Mavericks of the Week
Smart's Mill has partnered with Solo Pizza. Recipients of the award will be mailed a certificate that is good for a slice of pizza and a drink at Solo Pizza! Congratulations to our previous and future honorees!!!
Self-Care, Organizational & Time Management Tools, & How-To Videos
- Virtual Calming Room - Access music, coloring, meditation, yoga, and more.
- Editable Assignment Tracker - Use it as an agenda or to break down large assignments into more manageable steps.
- Timer - Use it to get to class on time and to manage your work time across multiple classes during Resource, in the evening, and on weekends.
- Best Practices for Digital Learning
- Student Writing Checklist
- Step-By-Step Instructions for Solving Math Equations - Check for accuracy with an inverse operation.
- ParentVUE/StudentVUE Help - Check your grades daily!
- "Who to Contact?" Chart - includes Chromebook help
- HOW-TO VIDEOS:
- How to access and compose an email - Remember to be kind and respectful with your writing. Check email daily!
- Schoology Calendar
- Google Meet Features
- Clearing Browsing History/Cache - to increase the performance of your Chromebook
Feel Good Friday Teacher Ambush
Getting to know the Dean and Counselor:
Mrs. Letina's Go-To Karoake Song: Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"
Mr. Kaiya's Go-To Karoake Song: MC Hammer's "Too Legit to Quit"
Mrs. Sarah Letina, 6th Grade Dean
My direct line is 571-440-2530, ext. 59684.
Hablo español, también. Contácteme con algunas preguntas o preocupaciones.
Email: Sarah.Letina@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/domain/25664
Phone: 571-252-2030
Twitter: @sarah_letina
Mr. Omari Kaiya, 6th Grade Counselor
Email: Omari.Kaiya@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/Page/209235
Phone: (571) 252-2030