OVS High School Weekly Update
January 11th, 2019 Volume 92
OVS Location Update
We will be moving our WHOLE program, including the High School, to the Omaha Public Schools' Teacher and Administration Center or the TAC building. At this time, we know that the K-8th grade classrooms will be on the 4th floor. Location for the high school within the building is still being finalized.
It is the plan that this will be our LAST move. We will share more information as we learn more.
Mark Your Calendars!
Upcoming events:
-Monday, January 14th
Core class online lessons begin
MAP Testing - During class time on Tuesday or Thursday
- January 15 or January 17 -Science & Reading
- January 22nd or January 24th--Math
- STEAM Fair at 60 & L
- All students will have something displayed
-Friday, January 25th- 8:30am-12:30
PE at Western Hills Elementary
6523 Western Ave, Omaha, NE 68132
-Thursday, January 31st
- Picture Retakes
8:30-9:30am at High School - room 206
11-12:00 at 60 & L location
*Tuesday students can attend either session
High School Schedule
Please note your learner's assigned online lesson day(s). Our goal with the online lesson schedule was to provide breaks between sessions and to provide consistency on the day in which learners have online lessons. Online lesson schedules will also populate in learner's K12 account. If you have concerns, please email Mrs. Ignowski.
Required Learning Coach Training
Follow-up from Wendy
Thank you for attending class with your learner(s) this week. We are confident that this first week’s sessions will result in a strong start for ALL of us—learners, learning coaches, and OVS Staff. A follow-up email will be sent to LCs that attended and those who were unable to attend to ensure that we are all setup for success.
Reflection
If you haven’t done already, please take some time to reflect with your learners about:
- schedule and routines
- learning environment (in the kitchen, office, library?)
- what worked first semester and what didn’t
and make adjustments accordingly.
The skills that learners in our program practice daily, making a schedule, making to do lists, reflecting on time, reflecting on learning, etc., are all skills that align with our vision of Future ready, today! These are skills that I’m still working on refining!
On that note, please take time to do reflection with yourself. What routines work for you, which don’t? Tweak, adjust, and repeat (and share out!). Remember, we are all learners at OVS. It was wonderful to see learning coaches sharing their tips and tricks this week during training!
Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to your learner's success!
-Wendy
FAQs
High School volunteer opportunities
OVS MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR JUDGING
Mrs. Felten, the middle school science teacher, is looking for volunteers (students and adults) to support our STEAM fair on Thursday, January 17th from 5:30-7:30.
Click HERE to sign-up and learn more about this event.
High School Hangout
More info to come.
Spielbound website: http://spielbound.com/
OVS Synergy Updates
Upcoming OVS Family Events Sponsored by OVS SYNERGY
2/22- Parents night out 5-8pm at 60 & L
2/28- Skate Daze 6-8pm--This date may change based on LC feedback--stay tuned
3/5-8 Book Fair- @ 60 & L
4/26- Game Night 5:30-7:30 @ 60 & L
More info:
- STEAM-Fair is next week! January 17th from 5:30-7:30pm. There will be preorders for OVS Hoodies available. Come see all the hard work the students have been doing!
- The Next Parents Night Out is Feb 22nd from 5-8pm. We are still looking for more volunteers so if you're interested please email Michelle at Michelle.leigh@hotmail.com
- Jan 29-31st will be the OVS materials exchange in the basement of the K-8 building. Please also bring lightly used OVS Gear you no longer need. Synergy Socials will be taking place in the Learning Lounge during this time as well. High School Parents can join any session. Tues/Thursdays at 9am or 1pm, Wednesdays at 9am.
- OVS is looking for a parent volunteer to help with the PTO taxes this year. Email Wendy if you are interested.
High School Learning Coaches Facebook Group
A few learning coaches have requested a separate facebook group for high school only. Here is the link for that group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269153923721409/?source=unknown
Classroom happenings
Mrs. Mendoza's Updates
Second Semester Week 1 is in the books! Here is what to expect next week:
English 9: Unit 1 Arguments and Speeches! We are taking a closer look at Logical Fallacies and developing arguments that are supported with good research and facts!
English 10: Unit 1 Literature with a Purpose! Learners are reading literary works that have a greater focus on social commentary!
Yearbook/Journalism: These two classes are grouped together as we begin building our book! Learners completed a survey in Week 1 identifying their interests and we will be planning out specific tasks for each Learner based on these interests in Week 2!
Weekly Online Lessons:
Monday
- 9:15-10:00am English 10
- 11:30-12:15pm English 9
Wednesday
- 9:15-10:00am English 10
- 11:30-12:15pm English 9
Friday
- 10:15-11:15 Journalism/Yearbook
Mr. Brannan's Updates
I have had a few students and parents inquire about driver's ed. I teach for All Metro Driving School during the summers and they conduct classes year round. Please visit their website: https://www.allmetrodrivingschool.com
Week in Review
It was great to see all of the students again after the long break, and reconnect with parents. I hope the orientation helped. I'm looking forward to a great start to the semester.
Looking Ahead
Students will begin their new Geography course (ContWorld). Please email me if you have any issues with the course as this is a brand new class to OVS.
Weekly Online Lessons
Monday: History 8:30-9:15
Geography 10:15-11:00
History-As Needed 1:00
Geography-As Needed 2:00
Wednesday: History 8:30-9:15
Geography 10:15-11:00
History-As Needed 1:00
Geography-As Needed 2:00
Mrs. Ignowski's Updates
Week in Review
All students should have access to the course and are following the pacing guide. This week was atypical with our recalibration presentation cutting into F2F time, so students used their science time at the learning center to ensure their K12 courses were all in order and completed some of their coursework.
Biology: Please note there are fewer virtual labs!!!! I envision this will make the Biology course more enjoyable :-)
Earth Science: Please note there are fewer graded assignments!!!! I envision this will make the Earth Science course more enjoyable :-)
Astronomy: I am so excited to add this course and I hope you are all as equally excited. If you are not already excited, I believe the ease of the course will ensure this. Please take a look at the pacing guide and reach out if you have any questions.
Physical Education: Students will have completed Unit 1 by the end of this week. This includes daily quizzes, 30 minutes of daily activity, and an activity outlining their daily activity. Please take a look at the pacing guide and reach out if you have any questions.
Looking Ahead
MAP Testing will require adjustments our schedule for the next 2 weeks.
Physical Science: Students will come to the learning center having completed their 1.05 graded assignment. Students will complete their 1.08 Unit 1 Project at the learning center. This project will be a "soft entry" to remind students of the requirements of their summative assessments.
Biology: Students will come to the learning center having completed their 1.05 quiz. Students will ensure they ask questions in order to complete their Unit 1 Project, which is due Wednesday January 16th. This project will be a "soft entry" to remind students of the requirements of their summative assessments.
Honors Biology: I will present your honors projects to you after we have finished this first week of MAP testing.
Earth Science: Students will come to the learning center having completed their 1.05 quiz. Students will ensure they ask questions concerning their 1.06 graded assignment, which is due Monday January 14th. Our first "dedicated" F2F session will be Friday January 25th.
Astronomy: Students will come to the learning center having completed their 1.07 graded assignment. Students will ensure they ask questions in order to complete their Unit 1 Project, which is due Thursday January 17th. Our first "dedicated" F2F session will be Friday January 25th.
Physical Education: Students will start Unit 2. Please be sure you are inputting your students daily 30 minutes for attendance purposes. This will accumulate towards their engagement expectations of 1,080 hours of instruction.
Weekly Online Lessons
The regular online lesson schedule will begin Monday January 14th. Please see my courses below.
- Physical Science: Mondays OR Wednesdays 10-10:45 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session)
- Biology: Mondays OR Wednesdays 11:30-12:15 (each student in this course was assigned a specific session)
- Earth Science: 2nd Monday of the month 9:15-10:15 our first sessions will be Friday February 8th
- Astronomy: 2nd Monday of the month 11:30-12:30 our first sessions will be Friday February 8th
Mr. Gamble's Updates
Week in Review:
Welcome back! We got in the flow this week with our orientations. If you have any questions about what was covered, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Looking Ahead:
This week we will be having MAP testing all week to take our Winter MAP to see how much growth was achieved during the first semester.
Resources:
This month’s resource can be effective for all courses. Mathway is a great resource for parents to support their learners in math. This free math problem solver answers Algebra, Geometry, and many more problems with step-by-step explanations. It is set in the form of a scientific calculator for all notations.
Weekly Online Math Lessons:
Online lessons have resumed. Remember that all math lessons are required for all learners. This will allow us to connect on past, present, or future topics.
The schedule for regular online Math sessions is as follows:
- PreAlgebra: Thursdays @ 1:30 – 2:00.
- Algebra 1: Wednesdays @ 1:30 – 2:00.
- Geometry & Honors: Mondays @ 1:00 – 1:30.
- Algebra 2 & Honors: Thursdays @ 1:30 – 2:00.
- PreCalc/Trig: Thursdays @ 1:30 – 2:00.
Mr. Koneck-Wilcox's Updates
January 15th
Students had great discussions regarding the local, nearby college choices such as UNL, Iowa Western, Bellevue to name a few. Ask your students to name a couple of the Nebraska state schools.
UNO may be a destination for you on Sunday , January 20, from 8:30 until midnight. Go see the free show and view the lunar eclipse at the Durham Planetarium.
Mark the home calendar for Thursday, March 21, as the students will head to Creighton University.
On Tuesday , April 9th , we will take a trip to Midland University.
The more opportunities to experience colleges , the more choices that will open up for our students .
"Every day make sure , no matter how small the effort, that you do something to make your dreams come true!"---McGregor
Welcome to 2019 !
This week students worked on setting schedules for school work at home. Thanks to all LCs for encouraging and helping.
We have plans to visit colleges this Spring. We want to check out Creighton and Midlands.
The students will be creating portfolios on the Nebraskacareerconnections.org site.
This will be a good start for post high school endeavors.
Dream big !
" Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination."
----Mae C. Jemison
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Mission Statement
Vision
Core Values
Positivity
Collaboration
Integrity
Self-advocacy
Accountability
Omaha Virtual School
Email: virtualschool@ops.org
Website: ovs.k12.com
Location: 4640 S 59th St, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: (531)299-0269
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSVirtualSchool/
Twitter: @OPS_Virtual