Welcome from Mrs. Gardner
Fall 2015
Please Read All Information Below
Please scroll down and work through the steps that follow to start your course on time.
My Video Welcome - Meet Your Teacher
Check Your GaVS Email
Before You Can Start Your Class, You must COMPLETE THE SOC
The following items are required for the completion of the Student Orientation Course (SOC):
· students complete all sign off
· students complete all agreement quizzes
· students make a 100% on the final Student Orientation Quiz.
OR
- Students may choose to opt out of the Student Orientation Course; however, students who elect to opt out of the Student Orientation Course are still responsible for all content presented in the course.
**NOTE: AP courses do not offer a 12 week schedule option**
Regardless of the start date, the course ends December 4, 2015. Student work is due bi-weekly on Thursdays at midnight. Check course schedules for specific due dates. Work turned in after the deadline on the course schedule will be accepted within 3 school days with a late penalty assessed. Late penalty begins on Friday and is deducted at a rate of 10% of the assignment value per school day. Work submitted on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is considered 1 day late.
Look for Student Orientation Course
Begin By Clicking on the "CONTENT"
Complete ALL Quizzes
Brightspace Help Sessions for Students and Parents:
Enter the meeting as a Guest.
Type your first and last name.
Session Link: Adobe Brightspace Help Classroom
Join us and become a Brightspace expert!
Print Your Course Schedule & Work in Order
Understanding Your Course Schedule - How to Find Assignments
View Your Schedules Early
Mrs. Gardner's Schedules
Direct Link Address: http://padlet.com/MrsGardner/lvipt7ekrqg3
Learn How to Determine What is Due - Check Out Newsletter Below
How much time should I plan to spend on my course?
You are expected to login and participate in your online course on a DAILY basis.
Time required to complete work increases if the student enrolls in a shorter week course.
The estimates above are per course, so if you are taking more than one course, please plan accordingly.
Please note: You may not be logged in to the course the entire time, but you need to plan on your work taking that much time. You may be able to complete some of your work offline, but you do need access to your computer and the internet every day Monday through Friday. Allow more time if you are not comfortable using a computer.
Fall and Spring Semester:
Please be aware of the pacing guide and due dates for all assignments. Extensions past the last day of school will NOT be granted. Student work is due bi-weekly on THURSDAYS at midnight (11:59 pm) EST. Check course schedules for specific due dates. Work turned in after the deadline on the course schedule will be accepted within 3 school days following due date with a late penalty assessed. Late penalty begins on Friday and is deducted at a rate of 10% of the assignment value per school day. Work submitted on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is considered 1 day late.
At the end of the semester, all class work must be submitted prior to the time period the final exam is available. Thus, if final exams begin Wednesday of the last week of school, all other assignments which can still be accepted based on course schedule due dates, except the final exam, must be submitted by Tuesday of the last week of school.
Fall & Spring late work policy example: David turns in an assignment at 3:15 pm on Sunday. He scores a 7 out of 15 on the assignment. David will lose 1.5 points on this assignment (15 * .10) and the score recorded in the grade book is 5.5/15. A note should be made in the grade book detailing the late work deduction.
On that note, I do NOT offer extra credit.
I will provide ONE opportunity for ALL students to replace a grade, but other than that, NO extra credit will be offered.
** Please be sure your work is submitted on time. If you do not submit on time, please submit within the late work policy. **
Parents Can View Grades ~ Follow These Directions
The Parent Account gives you information about your child’s grades and progress in their course. If your child’s grade drops below a 75, you will receive an automated phone call. If your child’s grade drops below a 70, you will receive a phone call from me.
If you already have a parent account please do NOT create a new one.
1) Please check to see that your parent account is linked to your student’s account.
2) For more information click Help on the Log in page or click the following link: Parent Account Information Link
If you are uncertain about whether you have a parent account or not,
1) Log in to GAVS at www.gavirtualschool.org and at the Log In page type in your username and password.
2) For more information click Help at the top of the Log In page or click the following link: Parent Info from Helpdesk
*Information for parents who have NEVER created a parent account.
1) Login to our website www.gavirtualschool.org
2) Click the “Log In To GAVS” icon
3) Click “Create An Account” from the navigation bar.
4) You will need to know your child’s GTID and date of birth.
5) Please follow the directions on the screen.
6) Be sure you have linked your parent account to your student’s account.
7) For more information simply click HELP at the top of the Log In page or click the following link: Parent Information Link
Synchronous Sessions in Adobe Connect
We believe synchronous learning is important because it provides students the full benefits of our highly qualified instructors. The synchronous interaction provides immediate instructor and student feedback, reduces the feeling of isolation, fosters a sense of community with the learners, and offers a forum for student collaboration. By incorporating live and interactive learning opportunities in the online environment, teachers are leveraging synchronous learning to enhance learning and promote student engagement.
GaVS courses offer opportunities for students to meet online at the same time with the teacher of the course. These synchronous sessions are provided using web-based conferencing tool Adobe Connect.
Synchronous online meetings allow you and your classmates to meet online with your instructor for question and answer sessions, further instruction, or to practice speaking if you take a world language class.
Adobe Connect can also be used to provide online meetings. You may check your computer for required software needed by Adobe Connect at the following website:
http://na3cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm or by using the Adobe Connect Checklist: https://students.ga.desire2learn.com/d2l/lor/viewer/view.d2l?ou=1798&loIdentId=4189.
We will meet on Mondays @ 4pm
http://gavirtualschool.adobeconnect.com/gardner/Accepted File Types
Checking Dropbox Receipts
Use the Help Desk
How do I participate in discussions?
How do I take quizzes or tests using the quizzing tool?
How do I view feedback on quizzes and tests?
Use Correct Document Formats
An Incorrect File Type NOT Resubmitted Within 5 Days Will Earn a 0
Submitting Work Correctly
https://docs.google.com/a/gavirtualschool.org/file/d/0B4brRxBffOXAZ3lRTjN3R2o2dmM/edit
A Note About Using MLA Format in English Courses
* ALL submitted documents should have an MLA header (Name, Instructor, Course, Date)
* All work quoted, paraphrased, or summarized from other sources should use an in-text citation.
* A sample first page of an MLA style paper/assignment can be seen below.
MLA Tutorial Website: http://mlahelp.weebly.com/
Student Code of Conduct ~ Plagiarism Policies
Unless your teacher expressly states otherwise, all work must be original and entirely the student's own work without any outside help which includes other students, parents, textbooks, internet or any other outside source. Assignments that require documentation and/or references must adhere to guidelines presented by the teacher. When in doubt, clarify with your teacher before beginning an assignment or submitting it.
Special Accommodations
* Please note that GaVS teachers cannot make accommodations without a copy of the plan on file.
* A copy of the plan must be submitted EACH semester.
Where Can I Go To Find answers to other questions?
1. Start with the GaVS Knowledgebase, a searchable database of tutorials on the most common questions:
Click here to use the GAVS Helpdesk/Knowledgebase!
2. Look within the news announcements (in the Course) or other communication from me.
3. Familiarize yourself with the Student Handbook: Click here to access the Student Handbook.
4. Feel free to contact me directly via phone or email.
Parents & Students...
Here are some examples:
School Break Policy
Students should stay on the GaVS schedule that they choose upon entering their course. Even if the local school breaks do not coincide with the GaVS break, students must meet the assignment due dates. Students should communicate their school breaks with their teacher as soon as possible and if necessary discuss with their instructor how to get ahead.
For the Fall 2015 Semester, GaVS observes the following breaks:
September 7th: Labor Day
November 23 - 27: Fall/Thanksgiving Break
Symbaloo
~ Unit Overview Videos: These are videos of me walking through EACH unit in the course, while I explain assignments, expectations, and assessments.
~ Course Resource Videos: These videos contain information on how to read a schedule, how to navigate your course, and how to use proper email etiquette.
~ MLA Help: These links describe how to use MLA format, as well as how to format items correctly.
~ Online Navigation Videos: These videos include how-to information about how to take a screenshot, enlarge text, use Natural Reader, view mixed content in a browser, and use a camera scanner.
* Please review this Symbaloo page before you begin our course. Complete the form on that page to earn an extra point on your first quiz.
Complete the Survey and Earn a Bonus Point
After you have read the entire newsletter, please fill out the survey using the link below:
Newsletter Survey
Contact Me: Kelly Gardner
Email: kelly.gardner@gavirtualschool.org
Phone: 706-871-4287
Twitter: @kgardnerenglish
Emergency Situations
Keep my phone number & email address in a place that is easy to reach. If you have a special circumstance, please let me know. Here are some situations that might merit an immediate contact:
* Medical situation (hospitalization, extreme sickness, injury): Contact me BEFORE a due date if you have been too sick to complete work. Please note that a note from the doctor may be required to authorize any extensions for sickness.
* Technology emergency: Please notify me BEFORE a due date if you experience a technology issue. If you lose power, get kicked out of a test, have a computer crash, or other extreme situation, please let me know immediately. We understand that these things happen, but also expect students to have a back-up plan for technology issues. Plan to use a computer at school, the library, a friend or family member's computer, etc.
* General Assignment/Course Questions: These are best answered by email, but feel free to call me as well.