Diamond Gazette
February 2016
At the Heart of a Diamond
At the heart of a diamond you will see the reflection of the cuts that make the diamond unique. Each of those cuts were created through pressure and yielded such a precious result in the final product. A beautiful distinction that separates it from all other gemstones. "Enduring pressure, yields precious results."
We have endured the pressures of school and now we are yielding the precious results. The precious results visible in the heart of our diamonds are lasting and unbreakable. At the heart of an ARVA Diamond the reflection is that of Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Attentiveness, Participation, a Determination to Succeed and so much more. What precious and beautiful results in our Diamonds!
Love the Island
Reasons to LOVE the Island
- It's like virtual Flash Cards!
- It introduces your student to material they might not have seen yet.
- It keeps those brains fresh with material they have done but not in a while.
- It prepares them for testing by always challenging their brains to THINK.
Study Island helps students practice and master grade-level academic standards. Teachers will also place assignments in Study Island. Be sure to check your grade-level and teachers' assignments & requirements for Study Island.
Students log into Study Island using their student ID number in this convention: 12345@arva and using the password: arva.
Keep Arkansas Beautiful- Youth Poster Contest
Keep Arkansas Beautiful coordinates a Youth Poster Contest in conjunction with the Great American Cleanup in Arkansas to involve elementary school students, increase awareness of the Great American Cleanup and educate the public about the importance of a clean and beautiful community to economic development, civic pride and environmental quality of life.
Prizes will be awarded in two divisions: Grades K – 2 and Grades 3 – 5. KAB is providing gift cards for the Top 3 posters in each division. One poster per class may be submitted for statewide judging.
Contest entries are due no later than February 26, 2016. KAB and representatives of the Great American Cleanup in Arkansas will recognize winners in their local communities. Winning posters and honorable mentions will be displayed in Thea Foundation’s art gallery on Main Street in North Little Rock March 14-18. Posters will also be posted to KAB’s Facebook page.
Click here for 2016 Contest Rules & Curriculum Connections
Technical Difficulties, anyone??
What Browser Works Best On K12 Computers
It’s important for us all to know that Chrome is the default browser on student issued K12
computers and should always be the starting point for accessing K12 tools. Familiarize yourself with
Chrome so you can help your student when little glitches arise.
Learn more about the Chrome Browser functionality at the K12 Customer Support Site:
http://tinyurl.com/K12support-chrome
Chrome not working for you? Try these other browsers to access your K12 tools.
Internet Explorer 9.0 and higher (IE 10.0 may need to be in compatibility mode)
Mozilla Firefox 10.0 or higher
Find more information here:
2015-2016 Booster Meeting Schedule
We Need You!
The next Booster meeting will be held Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 online from 8-9PM. Click here for information to attend the next meeting or to access recordings.
Box Tops
School Spirit
Tshirts and Hoodies are on sale again! The sale ends February 10th so you are just in time to order yours. Tshirts and Hoodies will ship around February 29th. All monies raised will be used by our ARVA Booster Program to support our students and school. You can access the site to order your tshirt and/or hoody at this link. https://www.booster.com/arvabooster
Shining Like A Diamond
Meet the Teacher
Front row(L-R) Egan Gunter, Blakely Williams
Back row(L-R) Emma Turner, Mrs. Karen Samuhel, Seth Mason
Dear Gem Diamond,
Join a Club!
CS Coding Club for 6-8 Grade Students
Do you have students that are excited about a working with coding? Have they expressed an interest in learning more about how to code? Students can easily learn coding in this dynamic club where students learn by watching videos, interact with other students that share the same interest, and code using an online tools.
If you have students that you think would benefit from this interactive club, have them sign up at http://www.k12.com/k12-student-clubs/math-science-technology.html .
This club has a sign up deadline of 2/8/2016.
There are many other clubs that K12 has to offer! You can sign up HERE.
LCU: Learning Coach Math Help- Tuesday, February 9th & 23rd @11:30am
"Working with Variables - Solving Expressions, Combining Like Terms" and "Solving Algebraic Equations"
This workshop will help you guide your students to the correct answer by taking you through the steps to problems-solving success. A supportive and friendly workshop taught by a K12 parent, for parents who want to brush up their own math skills.
LCU: Learning Coach Writing Help- Tuesday, February 16th @11:30am
Even if you don’t feel confident in your own writing, you can still work with your child. You’ll enjoy our step-by-step approach to grammar and writing in the K12 curriculum. A supportive and friendly workshop, taught by a K12 parent, for parents who want to brush up their own skills.
"Sentence Structure, Subjecet-Verb Agreement, Sentence Fragments, and Run-Ons"
LCU: Keeping Up With Social Media- Tuesday, February 9th @1pm
Keeping up with how kids and teens use social media can be challenging for the most tech-savvy parents. This session will help parents better understand how their kids are using social networking and how to get the most out of the experience.
Miss the live session and want to view the recording? Look for it here!
Code Wars for grades 9-11
CodeWars is a first-class computer programming competition for high school students. CodeWars was hosted on Hewlett-Packard's Houston campus for its first 15 years of existence. A CodeWars event successfully combines several quality ingredients: a high-tech setting, a wide range of programming challenges, plenty of programmer food, music, plus giveaways - all in an exciting, stimulating, and competitive environment. Students enjoy pushing their limits in the energetic atmosphere. After the formal contest is over, we award trophies to the top competitors, plus loads of exciting door prizes. This is the ultimate high school computer programming competition." More information on CodeWars can be found at http://www.hpcodewars.org/index.php?page=home
(shortened link: http://goo.gl/SSTvho )
If you are interested in becoming a part of ARVA's Team please kmail Mrs. Kristen Alford with your NAME and Grade Level.
Calling ALL High School Artists!
Governor and Mrs. Hutchinson have announced the 2016 Governor's Young Artist Exhibit Competition, in conjunction with the Governor's Mansion Association. Beginning January 4, 2016, high school students from across the state are invited to submit their artwork based on the 2016 theme, BRIDGES.
Facing challenges is a part of life. Challenges may be physical, emotional, cultural, personal, institutional, or in the area of communications. What challenges do we face in everyday life, or in the world around us? Where are the barriers? What might be the bridges? Here are a few prompts that students may want to consider:
1. What may be a barrier that prevents movement, understanding, or connection?
2. What means, connections, or structures can bridge obstacles or create new pathways?
3. Where can bridges be found? When can bridges find you?
All entries must be received no later that 6 p.m. February 26, 2016.
Arkansas Anti-Drug Abuse Logo and Slogan Student Contest
Calling all 9-12th graders!!
The Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education, the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, and the Division of Behavioral Health Services of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, is sponsoring a logo and slogan contest for a drug abuse prevention campaign. The logo will be used online and in print.
Objectives
- To promote awareness of students to the potential harm of drug abuse
- To encourage students to stay drug-free
- To support the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council’s drug abuse prevention campaign
Prize
The winner will receive the following:
- A $500 scholarship provided by the Thea Foundation.
- Recognition by the governor, state drug director, commissioner of education, attorney general, and the director of the Division of Behavioral Health Services, at a ceremony in Little Rock to take place on a date to be determined following spring break 2016.
- The right to be named the logo and slogan designer.
Participants may enter individually or in teams of two. Only one entry is allowed per individual or team. Individual entrants may not also enter as a member of a team, and team members cannot be members of more than one team. Each entry must include both a logo and a complementary slogan. Submissions should be sent by e-mail to ADE.Logo.Contest@arkansas.gov no later than 6 p.m. March 4, 2016.
For Contest Details, Click Here.
Study Skills to the Rescue!
Did you know that ARVA has a Parent Lending Library?
ARVA's Parent Lending Library is available to loan to parents and learning coaches. It includes titles such as Doing Math in Morning Meeting, Get Organized Without Losing It, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, among other fun titles. To find out more information about the ARVA’s Parent’s Lending Library or to check out a book, click here.
(Click book images below to read more about these featured titles.)
Doing Math in Morning Meeting
Bring joy and energy to math learning without adding to your already-packed schedule! 150 fun and engaging math activities for kindergartners to 5th graders: guessing games, songs, chants, hands-on experiments, and more.
Get math-themed ideas for all four Morning Meeting components: greeting, group activity (for families with multiple children), sharing, and morning message. Includes an appendix that shows how the activities in Doing Math in Morning Meeting correlate with recommended practices for mathematics.
Get Organized without Losing It
How to Talk so Kids will Listen & Listen so Kids will Talk
This bestselling classic includes fresh insights and suggestions as well as the author’s time-tested methods to solve common problems and build foundations for lasting relationships, including innovative ways to:
· Cope with your child's negative feelings, such as frustration, anger, and disappointment
· Express your strong feelings without being hurtful
· Engage your child's willing cooperation
· Set firm limits and maintain goodwill
· Use alternatives to punishment that promote self-discipline
· Understand the difference between helpful and unhelpful praise
· Resolve family conflicts peacefully
Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals around the world, the down-to-earth, respectful approach of Faber and Mazlish makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding.
ARVA's Family Academic Support Team (FAST) and the Strong Start Site
Website: http://arva.k12start.com/
Location: 4702 West Commercial, Suite B3, North Little Rock, AR 72116
Phone: 501-664-4225
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArkansasVirtualAcademy
Gina Moore, editor
Amanda Lloyd, assistant editor