December 1st News

Let's All Stay Safe!

We're shifting from paper health care checks to Pick Up Patrol. Stay tuned for directions on registration and use. If your child will be coming into the building for club meetings, photos, testing, or other reasons, we ask you to use Pick Up Patrol to report that they are healthy before interaction with other students.

The Power of Agency + Mentorship

Online Learning & Teaching Practices

Each week, Brave Virtual Academy teachers and I discuss our core principles at the heart of BVA.

Personalization: providing unique learning pathways for individual students
Agency: giving learners opportunities to participate in key decisions in their learning experience
Authentic Audience: giving learners the opportunity to create for a real audience both locally and globally
Connectivity: giving learners opportunities to experience learning in collaboration with peers and experts locally and globally
Creativity: providing learners individual and collaborative opportunities to make things that matter while building skills for their future.

Read Laura & Abby's Proposal to Sell at The IH Holiday Market

Kremer Zender Why you should choose our business?

This week, I'd like to share a story about the power of mentorship. As we give our learners more agency, get out of their way, and see the solutions they create to problems large and small, consider how our role as adults can support children to bring their great ideas to fruition.

Laura Kremer and Abby Zender are two 8th graders with a big idea - they decided to launch their own jewelry store! In the spring, they chose to learn new skills, develop a hobby and then realized they could get their goods out to an authentic audience - shoppers! Their families helped them to see the possibilities and smoothed the way to figure out pricing, planning inventory, and accessing an online way for purchasing.

Mrs. Kate Deye, PTO Holiday Market coordinator encouraged and met with the girls to give them coaching on how to be successful in selling their goods as a part of Literacy Nights and the Online Holiday Market.

Abby and Laura have big plans - they are enjoying the launch of their online store and are talking about how to grow their business. Ultimately, they want to use some of the money they earn to support causes they care about.

So, the next time your child and his or her friends come up with a wacky idea, consider what you can do to support them in developing, clarifying, and executing their plan - or connect them to someone who has the connections or knowledge to help!

See (with the option to purchase, of course) Laura and Abby's work on Etsy!

The Importance of Play

The Importance of Play: How Kids Learn By Having FunFor kids, playing is learning. Through play they benefit physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. In short, the importance of play cannot be understated.

Playtime Isn’t Just for Preschoolers—Teenagers Need It, TooHelicopter parents and teachers, stand down. Kids of all ages need time to learn through play in school.

This Week's Enrichment Resources

Each week I'll post resources that offer extension and enrichment opportunities for our BVA learners.

This week we're focusing on the importance of play. The value of play in a child's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development has been well documented. We should also remember that play is still important for teens, although it may look different from toddlers.

In thinking about play, you may find that your children could use some fresh input to find more joy and playfulness during their days. I like the New York Times' Toy Matrix as a way of finding the right gift for children ages 1-10. It appeals to my love of bringing thought tools to organize the chaotic.

Fatbrain is a good site to find toys for tinkerers and explorers. Smart Toys for Every Age suggests what is important at each level of a child's development and what toys support that growth.

Feeling a little dull while working and learning from home? Check out these games that can make you smarter!

If Black Friday or Cyber Monday left you questioning our quest for new things, consider play ideas that don't require a new purchase, focusing on the joy of reading or being outside.

BVA Community Book Club

Looking for ideas with how to support your BVA learner at home? From Corwin: "The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents: How to Support Your Child′s Academic, Social, and Emotional Development in Any Setting - This essential guide will arm you with the tools and insight to:

Create an environment conducive to learning, establish routines, and most importantly, take care of yourself and your child
Maximize the time you spend supporting learning by focusing on what is proven to work best in education
Help your child develop the cognitive attitudes and habits that foster creativity, critical thinking, and increased responsibility for their learning
Support the development of your child’s social and emotional learning skills, including the ability to navigate social interactions, build friendships, and regulate emotions at a time when they have never been more important to have, and more challenging to maintain

The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents outlines supportive strategies for navigating virtual environments to ensure effective and impactful learning that aligns the needs and expectations of teachers, parents, and students alike."

Our next meeting is Tuesday, December 1st.

See the video from our first session and from November 10th.

Please contact us if you would like financial assistance in purchasing the book in order to participate in our book study.

Interested in serving as an expert in our classrooms?

Fill out this form and we'll match you up with the right content and grade level.

Upcoming Events

NO SCHOOL

Early Release Day - December 11th

Winter Recess - December 21st - January 1st

Did You Know?

We have virtual clubs and activities available for learners? And more to come soon!

Middle School - Student Arrow - Watch Our Student Announcements to Learn More

MS Virtual Clubs - Future Cities | Power of the Pen | Latin Club | Math Counts

High School - 20-21 Activities Handbook;

Bring 2 Change, Courageous Conversations, Fragments, French Club, Partner's Club, Red Cross Club, Competitive Writing Team, & Writing Club are All BVA Friendly

Braves Beat - Keep Up with HS Happenings!