March Newsletter
21st Century Cyber Charter School
A Note from the High School Principal, Dr. Teresa McSweeney
What’s Cool About Cyber School?
Last month I shared some of your teacher’s answers to the question, “what’s cool about cyber school?” I invited students to share their thoughts. Any guesses as to one feature that makes 21CCCS a “Cool Cyber School,” according to our students? You guessed it...the teachers!
We have awesome, caring teachers who call, text, email, and send carrier pigeons to reach their students (ok, maybe not carrier pigeons.) Our teachers do whatever it takes to keep you informed about your points, your grades, your attendance, and other important information to help you succeed.
Another positive aspect of cyber school that students mentioned is the absence of the peer pressure to “fit in” that students sometimes experience in traditional schools. Students mentioned “socialization without peer pressure” and “socialization...without negative effects from neighborhood schools.”
Another positive aspect that our students mentioned is “portability.” Your cyber school curriculum is truly portable. You can take your school with you anywhere, and everywhere, you go. To borrow the words from a popular airline commercial, “you are free to roam about the country” in cyber school.
So what was the number one response students gave to the answer, “what’s cool about cyber school?” FLEXIBILITY! Staying home (or not staying home), working the schedule you want, and wearing whatever clothes you want (including pajamas) are all part of the flexibility students love at 21CCCS. You make your own schedule, and complete assignments based on what works best for you. That flexibility extends beyond the flexibility of our curriculum. One of our students responded, “you get to make your own lunches.” Since students often complain about school lunches in traditional schools, it makes sense that students would appreciate the flexibility of having lunch at home.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts for “What’s Cool About Cyber School.” In the next newsletter edition, I will share my thoughts about my experience as “Joe Cyber,” our project which allows school staff to become students for a day.
As we approach the midway point for quarter 3, remember, always do your best at anything you do. For anything that is worth doing is worth doing well.
A Note from the Middle School Principal, Mrs. Monica Frank
Middle School Happenings:
This month I have several groups to thank!
Have a wonderful month!
A Note from the Director of Special Education, Dr. Nancy Giagnacova
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Council of Exceptional Children Conference. One of the main focuses of the conferences was the importance of teaching “soft skills.” You can see a list of these skills below. The research presented at the workshop demonstrated that teaching soft skills is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do to help students succeed. In fact, according to recent research, the most common reason a person loses his or her job is because of a lack of soft skills. We want to help families guide students as they learn these necessary skills. To help this process, I will be focusing on soft skills in each newsletter.
Communication skills
Making decisions
Self motivation
Leadership skills
Team working skills
Creativity and problem solving skills
Time management
21CCCS joins parents in helping prepare our students for the future!
2018 Graduation
RSVP due by Friday March 2nd
We will hold two ceremonies this year:
Downingtown Area
Saturday June 2nd
Immaculata University
1145 King Rd, Immaculata, PA 19345
Graduate and Family Arrival time: 10:30 am
Murrysville Area
Thursday June 7th
Westmoreland County Community College
145 Pavilion Lane, Youngwood, PA 15697
Graduate and Family Arrival time: 5:30 pm
Click here to complete the graduation RSVP
Please be sure to complete the RSVP and future plans section even if you DO NOT plan to attend one of the graduation ceremonies.
Course Selection for 2018-2019
The Middle School course selection email was sent to families and students on
February, 14th.
The High School course selection email was sent to families and students on
February, 21st.
Course selection will close on March 16, 2018 @ 4PM
If you have any questions or concerns contact your School Counselor directly.
Click here to view the 2018-2019 Course Catalog
Counselor's Corner
Hello 21CCCS Family,
We write to you this month with mixed feelings and heavy hearts.
Here in Eastern PA we have been celebrating a long awaited Super Bowl victory. We have witnessed what the City of Brotherly love truly means. People of all ages, races, religions, economic backgrounds, etc., have all come together to celebrate our Philadelphia Eagles, our community, our family. It has truly been amazing to not only witness but be a part of something so uplifting.
Sadly, ten days later we are dealing with another mass shooting. Although this did not happen here in Eastern Pennsylvania, our entire nation is feeling the effects of this tragedy in Parkland, Florida. Their community and families just experienced the unimaginable. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families directly affected by this heinous crime.
Some may think that just because we are a cyber school, our students and families may not be concerned about this. On the contrary, we as a cyber school need to be concerned about this because mass shootings are unfortunately not just happening in schools. As a nation we have witnessed mass shootings in movie theaters, malls, churches and concerts. This unfortunately is this world we live in today. So what do we do?
We cannot let fear take over our lives. We need to continue to live our lives and go out in public. It is not healthy to seclude yourself. However, we can be proactive about looking for signs of mental health problems in our homes, in our neighborhoods, and on social media. Students, if you are personally dealing with difficulties please know that you do have school counselors available to you. Parents and guardians, please keep an open line of communication with your children and know what they are doing. There is a fine line between a child’s right to privacy and your right as a parent to know what they are doing. Students and families, if you see someone post something suspicious on social media or hear someone talking about something suspicious, please report it to the authorities immediately.
Families, please also take this time to talk about family plans for an emergency situation. It seems a lot of families stopped doing this once everyone got cell phones, however it is an old practice that should come back. When you go out in public, set a designated meeting location should you get separated or if there is an emergency. Also when you are in a new area, take notice of the exits.
We know this is a scary time and we hope that as a nation we can get a handle on this. In the meantime, open communication is key. Know what is going on in your home. Talk to your children about what to do if they hear or see a friend showing suspicious behavior. Have a family meeting about what to do in an emergency situation.
Families and students, please call 911 if you are ever faced with an emergency situation. Otherwise, you have 24/7 access to https://www.mentalhealth.gov. Please visit this website to learn more about mental health and to find suicide hotline information and mental health treatment facility locations. We are in this with you.
“Eagles, we will get through this together. Our community is strong. Our students are strong. We will persevere in these trying times.” - Principal Thompson of Stoneman Douglas High School
This month we ask the 21CCCS Eagles to embrace and live the Stoneman Douglas High School Eagles’ Motto.
Teacher Talk
Pi Day
RSVP By March 9, 2018
Click here for more information
Field Trips
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
RSVP By March 28, 2018
Cost is $10 per person
Click here for more information
Adventure Club
Upcoming Assembly
Archived Newsletters
21st Century Cyber Charter School
Downingtown Location
126 Wallace Ave
Downingtown, PA 19335
Murrysville Location
221 Blue Spruce Way
Murrysville, PA 15668
Email: enroll@21cccs.org
Website: 21cccs.org
Phone: 484-875-5400