Hey-ya! Starting today, November 29, we only have 8 school days before classes end on December 11th. What are you doing to maintain your grade or catch up?

IMPORTANT:

1. EVERYONE- picture retakes, school ID for new students, and Senior Portraits are tomorrow, November 30. This will be the last day so come. Click here for more info.

2. Selected Students (but also open to all)- I, Mrs. Rogers, have sent invites to this year's last Writing Workshop. It's on December 1 from 2:00 to 2:30 pm. Video call link: https://meet.google.com/bwu-jnob-dbw I'm raffling three $10 gift cards so please come and learn a little something something about writing.

3. EVERYONE- Final Exam sign-up due December 2. Click here to register and read the FAQs. Make sure you complete all or most of your coursework prior to taking the final test/cumulative exam because all incomplete coursework will receive a zero score.

4. EVERYONE- "Get Your Festive Spirit" is our last socio-emotional lesson for the year. Since I, Mrs. Rogers, am hosting there will be a raffle of three $10 gift cards. Come! December 5, 10 AM, click here to join https://meet.google.com/odn-gksb-pba

5. 9th, 10th, and 11th graders- come to the EVIT Field Trip next week December 7, please register here and submit all the forms and waiver requirements by the end of this week December 2nd. A bus will be provided to take students from QCJH to EVIT and back.

6. 11th graders- please complete the ACT prep by December 9. It is not graded but is very important. Ms. Chasten, QCVA director, is using it as a data point to ready elective classes for you in Semester 2. Please complete the tests!

7. Seniors- Join the Google Classroom to get you ready for after high school life whether you are continuing college, selecting a trade, or picking a job for a career. There are tons of very valuable information available therein. Go to https://classroom.google.com The GC code to join is ehwcfl4

5. I apologize for being unable to grade all your submissions. An IT ticket was submitted because my teacher notes and scores on some submissions have vanished. This means that I have to go back to each student and regrade coursework. It's a lot of work and I'm overwhelmed. So thank you to all who have been understanding of my plight. Rest assured, I will work tirelessly to grade so students who qualify will get their final exam exemption. Promise!

This week, I leave you with this beast of a quote- "People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it"- George Shaw. When you get distractions, please remember that YOU can achieve. Put your head down and work, burn the midnight oil, pity yourself for a second if you must, but keep moving forward! 8 days before classes end, make your days count and complete your coursework.

Virtual Tutoring almost every day. Find the days and links here. Take care and I will see you soon during our in-person finals!

Cheers to a short week everyone! I hope you take this time meet your goals- whether it is to catch up at school or rekindle with a friend, clean your room or just chill, be productive or just binge-watch your shows... just don't let the days ahead go to waste. Do something meaningful soon!

I've been thinking a lot lately because our family will hit a milestone in a few months as my daughter will be graduating high school! It looks like she will stay local so there won't be a lot of changes. However, she still has second semester and a better scholarship may pop up that will lead her out of state 😅. While I was introspecting about being a mom and my own life- recalling what it was like to be a teenager, I was thinking about the path that lead me to my personal happiness. Don't get me wrong, I was so stressed out being a senior, I was way too confident that I was going to get accepted into the school of my dreams that I didn't apply anywhere else. I just remembered being busy all the time, yet being happy for some odd reason. The term "find your passion" really didn't resonate with me because I did not have time to find what I love. I just wanted to excel in school and hang out with fam and friends when time permitted. I just thought that "my passion was doing well". It wasn't until recently- many years later plus many life experiences in addition to seeking out counsel from role models, and reading a myriad of credible journals/articles- that I stumbled on this simple mantra. Instead of "finding my passion", what I was constantly trying to do was actually "finding my purpose"... and that journey of exploring made me happy, very happy. I have to admit, my life is boring because I don't have a lot of grand, life-altering stories to tell, but I do have a lot of little stories that built a colorful collage of how my life is now.

This year is drawing to a close. How is your journey? I hope that it has led you to happiness and personal growth. If it has, hat tip to you! Keep going and surprise yourself!

If the year has been so-so, it's okay. Tomorrow is a new day, you can start again. Cheer yourself on!

As we celebrate Thanksgiving (not for the genocide that followed, but for the friendship that was displayed during the early colonies), let me leave this quote, "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough" - Oprah.

Important this week

1. EVIT Fieldtrip for grades 9-11th registration due

2. SEL "Being Thankful: the Power of Positive Thinking" https://meet.google.com/usf-iarw-msu

3. Sign up for Finals, click here

More Important:

*Mark your calendar for Dec 5 at 10 AM SEL "Get Your Festive Spirit" virtual meeting. I will be raffling out gift cards so please come!

*Congratulations to our Costume Contest Winners- Reese, Quinci, and Eva T. I will email you soon!

Constant:

Virtual Tutoring almost every day. Find the days and links here.

Take care, everyone! I included a Brooklyn 99 highlight, warning, it has dark humor. Happy Gobble Gobble Day!

How was everyone's long weekend? I hope you had a chance to thank a veteran for his/her service!

This week, just a reminder, please see the QCUSD Newsletter for details and sign up https://www.smore.com/kzmvyx

November 19: 7th-12th grade, Hour of Code

November 19: 10th grade, ACE Virtual Presentation,

November 20: 7th-12th grade, register for X-Stem Convention in Mesa Dec 8th, https://usasciencefestival.org/x-stem-phoenix-registration/ Please click here to view the invite

November 23: 9th to 11th grade, deadline to submit forms for EVIT field trip, click here

November 23: 7th-12th grade, SEL on Being Thankful and The Power of Positive Thinking, 1pm, https://meet.google.com/usf-iarw-msu

IMPORTANT:

SENIORS!!! After high school work/life sounds daunting. Do not be fearful, be prepared. Please join the QCHS College and Career Google Classroom to learn information about scholarships and important upcoming events concerning life after high school. There is really a lot of important information Go to https://classroom.google.com The GC code to join is ehwcfl4

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS!!! See you on Thursday for our Informal Huddle, 9:00 to 9:30 Come and Go, Chit chat with peers and get some strategies on how to add more words or ideas in your paragraphs. Win a raffle so come join, click here.

FRESHMAN to JUNIORS!!! Any interests in having weekly meetings? Just Kidding. We will have writing workshops soon so the answer is yes.

........... PLEASE READ ...........

Starting tomorrow, Nov 16, students only have 13 school days left before Finals Week begins. Mark your calendars for December 7 to 19. If you have more than 3 classes, please consider signing up for two days. Please click here for more information and to sign up.

Also, if you dislike testing take advantage of the academic incentives and get exempted. If you are far behind, reach out to your facilitators now so you can catch up.

If you have a credit recovery class, please finish it as soon as you can so a new CR class can be added. You don't have to wait till December 7 to finish your class, finish now. Keep track of your relative grade, if you hit 60% you are good! Questions? Contact us! https://sites.google.com/qcusd.org/qcva/credit-recovery

It feels like the year is ramping up instead of slowing down. With all the festivities around the bend, school ending, and finals coming up soon- remember to breathe. Set your priorities straight, manage your time, watch your mood, avoid what triggers you, and seek out what calms you. The world has a funny yet annoying way of throwing wrenches here and there so don't create unnecessary stress and emergencies for yourself. Make the right choices. "Put yourself on the top of your to-do list!" It's your life so take charge! I wish you all the best this week QCVA friends. Take care!

Let me start by welcoming you to Quarter 2! This quarter will go by quickly- Halloween, Thanksgiving, Finals Testing, and then winter break. So please make sure that you are trying to keep on track and work ahead if possible.

BUSINESS FIRST!

1. Academic probation- students who are two weeks behind and are unable to catch up after the probationary period may be withdrawn from QCVA. This means that students will be dropped. Please devote time to ALL your classes. If struggling, reach out to your facilitators as soon as possible so we can develop an action plan. Pick up the phone and call, email, or attend tutoring via Google Meets, click here for info and links.

2. Academic Incentives- ditch finals and get exempted from English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Finish all your coursework before December 4, correctly submit time logs with 1500+ minutes a week on the QCVA website, earn an actual grade of 90% or better in your class, and complete your Success Meeting. Ask for retakes and resubmit low-score coursework to improve your grade. Click here for details.

3. EVIT Field Trip for 10th and 11th grades. View the details here, come join us, and please register soon!

4. There are a lot of tips and tricks to make Edgenuity work for you. Find your actual grade, know your average scores for quizzes and download guided notes. Find them all in our All about English class and Edgenuity SY 22-23 document.

5. Clubs- be a founding member and start a club at QCVA. It can be for drawing, songwriting, people empowerment, etc. Submit your applications on the QCVA website. Here's the flyer I made, click here.

6. Grades 7 and 8- optional live meetings start next week. We will review writing, elements of literature and poetry, and play games among other things. Invite for Google Meets will be sent out soon.

7. Success Meetings for Quarter 2 are on their way. This quarter, students are divided among facilitators so you do not have to meet with each of us, yay! The facilitator assigned to you will be sending you an invite. For the students assigned to me, you will complete a Success Meeting Response Powerpoint. It will be assigned in our English Google Classroom SPECIFICALLY for you 😁 If you don't get an invite from me, you will get one from a QCVA facilitator.

8. Civics Test this Friday, October 28. If you have not passed or taken it please contact Mr. Dillman cdillman@qcusd.org to get more details. It will be at Queen Creek Junior High from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. He also has review materials so please reach out to him. Feel free to CC email all facilitators if you do not get a response- jmcdonald2@qcusd.org lrogers@qcusd.org sreid@qcusd.org Good luck!

9. Live Office Hours for assistance M,T, Th, F from 9:00 to 9:45 https://meet.google.com/hfe-dtwc-xew

ON TO OTHER THINGS!

Last week I was out because I was in Maine. As some of you may know, I've been doing some synchronized swimming for the last 10ish months. Our team competed in the US Masters Championship. I met so many amazing people, got inspired by the spirit of the sport, and became hopeful about this new path I'm treading. Competing for four days was fun and I loved watching others perform. Ladies as young as 18 and as seasoned as 92 years old graced the pool with their splendid routines. The swimming arena felt like a dance hall with songs fit for the ultimate playlist. My four-woman team won 2nd place in our category. But that was NOT the highlight of my trip. While I was doing laps in the pool to get ready to perform our routine in front of the judges and synchronized swimming experts, I started to panic. The thoughts of feeling inadequate raced through my mind. I had so many doubts and was thinking of a way to back out. I told myself that I was so foolish to think I was going to be ready to compete. I can't even lock my knee to do a decent split let alone twirl my legs while keeping up with the beat of the music and maintaining formation in the water. I was dying inside. As I paused to calm my hyperventilating self, I thought the worst. I've never been a part of team sports before, sure I competed a lot in high school and college for debate, speech choir, journalism, etc. The skills for those don't even translate to synchronized swimming. It has been 21 years since I competed in anything big like this and I've lost my confidence. I lost my touch. As my last sparks of hope dissolved in the water I was sitting in, I remembered Edna Mode from the "Incredibles." I can see the scene ever so clearly in my head, Edna stands on the table across Elastigirl and smacks her with the newspaper. "Pull yourself together!" I let out a chuckle... and just like that, I was back! With a few minutes remaining, I swam to my team who were also silently anxious like me. I asked one of them to recreate the Edna and Elastigirl scene on TikTok with me. Next thing we know, all four of us were laughing and our jitters gone. It would be a lie if I told you my nervousness went away, nope, my face and fake smile said it all. Did I jump in the pool and gave my absolute best? You betcha! Did I swallow water a few times? Yes. Did I make mistakes? Uh-huh. But I pulled myself together!

As we finish quarter 2, please know that you are like Elastigirl. You are a superhero within you and you have the strength to persevere! You are not alone and you have teammates cheering you on all around you. With school you have us, your facilitators, so reach out! Call, email, and attend tutoring via Google Meets. I'm not going to smack you like Edna, but I will help you through.

Enjoy this silly TikTok I made. Here's a silly dance, too.

Share your thoughts, tell me your story, or comment in our English Google Classroom!

It's been a quarter, it's high time I and your classmates hear from you 😂

So... I skipped a week of announcements- 😅 what happened to me?

This is our last week for Quarter 1, you made it QCVA friends! That is nine and a half weeks of school. Are you proud of yourself? I definitely most am. You did it!

Fall break is from October 3 to October 14. We do not have mid-terms so that is a huge plus. For those of you who are on pace or ahead- hat tip! You've worked tirelessly to get to this point and now can savor the fruits of your labor by stepping into fall break carefree without the worries of school. Yay, you! I bet it feels grrrreat!

For those of you who are behind with schoolwork, it's okay. Take Fall Break as an opportunity to catch up. Complete your assignments and submit quality coursework. Good thing, late submissions do not have penalty and you can still get your full points for every coursework you submit. Make sure that you are passing your quizzes with 65% and over in order to move forward without any hiccups. Review your notes before the test and take your sweet time in order to get above 65%. Facilitators are not present during fall break so it will take a while to unlock quizzes and tests, so make certain that you pass your assessments with a 65% and over. Again, review your notes and take your sweet time testing in order to pass.

I leave you with this quote for fall break- "There is an Indian proverb that says that everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional, and a spiritual. Most of us tend to be in one room most of the time but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person" - Rumer Godden. This is an invitation for all of us to revisit the four rooms of our own person as we welcome fall break. Reconnect with yourself, family, friends, mother nature, and the universe. Complete yourself and evaluate if you are spending too much or too little in your life's four rooms. Revisit a passion, introduce yourself to a new one, leave a toxic room, and make yourself "complete".

This week is a busy one but before listing events off- positives first! Thanks to those who took their Civics Exam last Friday. You can check that box off your list 😁 If you missed it, there's one every month. Check the attached QCVA calendar or reach out to Mr. Dillman at cdillman@qcusd.org to schedule and get review materials. ASVAB participants, thanks for coming! Keep your motivation, look forward to paths of self-discovery and success.

Now, finally, announcements:

1. September 29- Picture Day. Seniors you have Senior Portraits on this day and have a designated time slot, please view the document. 7th to 11th grades, you have your designated times as well. Please come so you can have your picture taken and get an ID. Please see this document for more information, click here.

2. Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences September 27-30. At-risk students are encouraged to attend PTC so we can develop an action plan to assist you in successfully completing this semester. A sign-up was sent out to intended students, please check your district student Gmail.

3. Academic Probation- please stay on track. Students who are not able to maintain their pace will be placed on Academic Probation and may be withdrawn from QCVA. Emails for students who are on probation were sent out recently, please take that seriously and catch up on your classes or you may be dropped from QCVA. Please review the attached "All About English Class and Edgenuity" document to see tips and tricks on how to stay on pace, find guided notes, create e-notes for tests, and ask for retakes on assessments. It also shows parents/guardians how to get to the Parent Portal to view their student's progress.

4. Credit Recovery. Students who are credit deficient should have their initial CR class on their schedule. If you feel or think that you are missing a CR class, please contact your homeroom teacher: sreid@qcusd.org (9th), lrogers@qcusd.org (10th), jmcdonald2@qcusd.org (11th), cdillman@qcusd.org (12th). WHEN DONE with your current CR class, please request to add other CR classes by completing this form- https://sites.google.com/qcusd.org/qcva/credit-recovery

5. Time logs- please submit or you will get locked out of Edgenuity. Please remember to hit the SUBMIT button at the end of the form EVERY week. Visit the QCVA website for the Time Log Google Form and video instructions, see below. Join REMIND, it's a text app to remind you of what you need to be reminded of.

I think that is all.... hmmm... our Live Office hours this week are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. I'm out on Friday. Google Meet: M, T, Th, 9:00-9:45 AM http://meet.google.com/hfe-dtwc-xew if you need tutoring or assistance. Success Meetings are still happening and due on September 30, please check your grade-level English Google Classroom https://sites.google.com/qcusd.org/laelrogers/google-classrooms If you do not attend your Success Meetings for English, Math, Science, or Social studies, you will not qualify for the finals' exemption. Instructions for the English Success Meeting are in our English Google Classroom > Classwork > English Stuff > Q1 Success Meeting.

That is really all of it. Please note our activities this week. Have a wonderful fall break, everyone!

Hey-o! How did I not make an announcement yesterday? I got to the office, started working, and the next thing I know it was 4 o'clock and time to leave. Oh my goodness, how time flies when one is busy 😂

So how are we doing, QCVA friends? We only have this week and 2 more weeks before fall break on October 3 to October 14. If you are behind, please catch up. If you are ahead, keep working so you can have an earlier Fall Break. If you have finished your work up to October 3, then you can chillax and throw your cares to the wind. How exciting is having a three-week break? Very!

IMPORTANT:

1. The deadline for PSAT payment was last week, September 9. If you are having issues, please reach out to the book store: Raylene Bates, Bookstore Coordinator, Queen Creek High School, 480-987-5910. Please let me or anyone of the facilitators know if you plan to take the PSAT. Please click here to view information on how to prepare for it.

2. QCVA is hosting its first Socio-Emotional Learning Activity. This month, we will be talking about “Growth Mindset” and how it can be applied to becoming a better student. Please join Ms. Bass on this day from 9:00 to 9:30 AM via Google Meets, please click here to join. A recording will be available after the meeting. See you then!

3. QCHS Theatre Troupe is performing a comedy "The Good Doctor" this Thursday to Saturday, September 14 to 16 at Queen Creek Theatre Company, 22149 E Ocotillo Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142. Please support your fellow QCVA students and be prepared for a great laugh. To purchase tickets, click here.

4. Get exempted from the Finals test/Cumulative Exam OR get an additional 10% on your Final test SCORE. Please view QCVA's Academic Incentives to see how easy it is to skip the finals for English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Take advantage now so you only have to complete exams for your electives. Prepare early so you can just chill when Finals Week rolls around. Read the document now on the QCVA website, click here 😎

5. September is a busy month- check out our newsletter for important dates and links on the QCVA website, click here.

6. Credit Recovery. Students who are credit deficient should have their initial CR class on their schedule. If you feel or think that you are missing a CR class, please contact your homeroom teacher: sreid@qcusd.org (9th), lrogers@qcusd.org (10th), jmcdonald2@qcusd.org (11th), cdillman@qcusd.org (12th). WHEN DONE with your current CR class, please request to add other CR classes by completing this form, click here.

7. Complete your Success Meetings. If you do not attend your Success Meetings for English, Math, Science, or Social studies, you will not qualify for the finals' exemption. Instructions for the English Success Meeting are in our English Google Classroom > Classwork > English Stuff > Q1 Success Meeting.

This week I leave you with this quote from Grace Strobel, model and amazing human being, click here to view on Instagram. "If people doubt how far you can go, go so far you can't hear them anymore." Sometimes negative thoughts or comments come floating into our minds and space. These thoughts may affect us and diminish our motivation. When you have a worthwhile dream and you are working towards your passion or trying to keep your joy- FIGHT. Walk so far that the naysayers are so muted in the background 😁. If the "naysayer" is yourself, just stop that thought right in its track 😆

I wish you all the best. Remember to "go so far." Whom do you consider an amazing human? Please comment in our grade-level Google Classroom!

Did you know that we only have 17 school days before Quarter 1 ends?

How are you doing with schoolwork? Are you on pace? Do you like your grade? Do you feel that you have given all, if not, most, that you can do for your own personal success?

Last week, I had our first batch of Success Meetings. How I love reading your responses and treasure the few minutes of hearing your thoughts. I'm so convinced that you all are lovely souls- you have your goals and plans, your sense of self, and your tenacity to pave your path. I love that you look forward to the future. More importantly, I'm ecstatic that each of you is persevering. Oh my gosh, makes my teacher-heart so proud 😁

Some of you mentioned that you are "exploring", seeing what inspires you, sustaining what motivates you, and trying to find your lasting joy. That is great! "Keep going and you will never stop surprising yourself."

Life's journey is not a race. We, creatures of the Earth, are all moving through life at our own pace and hitting our milestones along the way. The only person you should try to beat is the person you were yesterday. Don't let your happiness depend on other people, live a life that's empowering you. Remember, never, never ruin a good day by thinking about a bad yesterday. If there is pain and struggle, it's okay, life is not all bliss.

Life is great, life is precious, life is you! So what are you waiting for, live your life 😁

NOTE NOTE NOTE:

This week is almost over. We still have our Live Office Hours via Google Meet: T, Th, F 9:00-9:45 AM if you need tutoring or assistance. Our Success Meetings are still ongoing so please, please sign up. Don't forget to complete your Success Meeting Response PowerPoint under CLASSWORK prior/before attending the virtual meeting, otherwise, you'd have to reschedule.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1. Time logs- submit them. Go to the QCVA Website

2. Mark your calendars:

Sept 9 > 10th & 11th grades- deadline for PSAT payment

Sept 14 > 7th to 12th grades- virtual Socio-Emotional Learning activity, 9:00 to 9:30 AM

Sept 23 > 9th to 12th grades- in-person Civics Exam at QCJH, 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM

Sept 26 > 11th & 12th grades- in-person ASVAB testing at QCJH, check in at 9:45

Sept 28 to 30 > 7th to 12h grades- Parent Teacher Conference for at-risk students

Sept 29 > Kindergarten to 12th grades- in-person Picture day at QCJH, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

**Please see the QCVA September Newsletter for links and more information, click here.

3. Support your fellow QCVA students as they perform with QCHS on September 15 to 17. Be prepared for a good laugh for the comedy play "The Good Doctor." View their Instagram account @qchstheatreco. (This is NOT a QCVA-sponsored event, this is hosted by QCHS Theater Company). Tickets can be purchased here.

I hope you all are enjoying this short week! I've heard so many good things about YOU (in our Success Meeting) that make my teacher-heart proud. Share a bit or two about the stuff that has been keeping you busy lately. Share your stories, websites, or handles. Showcase you 😁

Week 5! We are now halfway into the quarter. Can I get a what-what? That reaction right there is seriously dating me. I'm old!

I hope that your weekend was great. Mine was! I went to this pop-up event at this planty place and I was able to get some plants that I didn't know I wanted but found out that I did when I saw them 🤣. I was also nudged to buy this one plant that I would not have bought, but I was in panic mode and just said "yes" when the store owner asked if I wanted it. I hope that in the future, I will not regret this decision of mine and that this plant will give me happiness. I bought it but didn't "love it" and only purchased it because I didn't take the time to think if I reaaaally wanted it. So now when I see this plant, I question my feelings about it and debate if there's a Marie Kondo spark or joy about it.

Anyhu, this experience, reminds me of what Steve Jobs said during his 2005 Stanford commencement speech about "connecting the dots". Sometimes, what an unassuming event in our life can turn out as something pivotal for the future. At that time, we do not know if that singular moment will be meaningful or not, but when we look back, it may be crucial for something we do in the future. I hope that this plant mishap is one of those.

Steve Jobs also quoted Stewart Brand- "Stay hungry. Stay foolish". Obviously, these phrases are figurative but they contain a deeper underlying, subliminal message that we can all live by. Steve's life experience sheds light on failure, loss, and eventually triumph. Before you continue on this week, please take the time to view this short yet powerful clip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1. Sign up for our English Success Meetings. Please complete the SM Response Powerpoint in our Google Classroom. No meeting, no Powerpoint, no grade. It is due on Sept 30 so get this activity out of the way.

2. Mark important days in September. Please click here to view QCVA's calendar. Details will be sent out via email and posted on the QCVA Website under Announcements.

Sept 14- virtual Socio-Emotional Learning

Sept 23 Civics exam 7th-12th

Sept 26 ASVAB- For more information, click here.

Sept 28-30 Parent Teacher Conferences for students with a "C" grade or less

Sept 29 Picture Day In-Person

3. Time logs- please submit or you will get locked out of Edgenuity. Mr. McDonald already sent out emails about getting locked out. Please remember to hit the SUBMIT button at the end of the form EVERY week. Visit the QCVA website for the Time Log Google Form and video instructions.

4. Mid-week announcements to follow. There's a place that is holding auditions, Schneff farms are hiring seasonal workers, there are several places to apply for scholarships, NPR is providing free digital workshops, EVIT may still be open for enrollment, etc. I'll post details soon.

This week, we have Live Office Hours for tutoring Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 to 9:45 AM. Please click here for a virtual meeting/tutoring/assistance via Google Meets.

Above is a picture of myself so you can see what I had gotten myself into. Can you guess which among the plants I'm clutching is my non-Marie Kondo plant? I hope this will be a connecting-the-dots moment for me in the future. Anyway, watch Steve Job's clip- Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish...

How's your weekend? Have a similar moment to mine? Share your thoughts, feelings, audio, video, pictures, and comments in our Google Classroom. I'd love to hear your stories!

Hello, hello!

I hope you all had a great weekend :) I've noticed that our classroom stream is missing comments fom y'all. (Insert cricket chirping). I guess I should be more active and post more pictures and re-send invites 😅 Our Google classroom is a window to QCVA updates, houses our class resources, and is the "board" for our online community. I hope that you can take the time to share your thoughts and participate in our simple weekly Q&A shenanigans. C'mon folks, I know you are itching to share pieces and tidbits of your life/thoughts!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1. Students are expected to stay on track and keep pace OR s/he will be placed in Academic Probation and may be dropped from QCVA. If you have concerns or is struggling, please reach out to your facilitators so we can help you. Please check the Facilitators Live Office Hours so you can meet us virtually throughout the week.

2. Please sign-up for REMIND- so you can get text updates and stay in the loop. #FOMO. This was you can get text messages for important QCVA stuff.

3. Family Portal Parent activation codes were sent via email last week so your significant adults can support you in your educational journey and hold you accountable. If the login info was not received, please contact me. Weekly Progress Reports were emailed last week #stayontrack #keeppace

4. Student Success Meetings are coming. I'm sending out email invites for students to meet with me for a short 5-7 minute convo. More info to follow. This activity is graded and mandatory. Yep!

This week, we have Live Office Hours for tutoring Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 to 9:45 AM. Please click the link above for a virtual meeting/tutoring/assistance via Google Meets. Use your district credentials.

As some of you may know, I've been part of a synchronized swimming competitive group for the last 7 months. May I tell you that I've never been so humbled by my inability. I'm neither athletic nor musically inclined- and synchronized swimming is just that. I've often excelled in the activities that I've chosen or been "thrown" into, but NOT this one. Our nationwide competition is in October and we're up against so many skilled and veteran swimmers that it makes my stomach churn just thinking about. To be honest, I don't think I will be ready for the competition since I can't even lift my legs out of the water nor hold my breath upside down for longer than 3 seconds in any routine, not exaggerating. Am I scared? Yes... Am I giving my all by swimming 5 times a week? Yep... Am I competing? Definitely, no turning back now... Am I ready? As ready as I will ever be 😟! I choose to show up to practice even if I feel like crying- before and after. I'm betting on me. I know that with time and enough effort, I will eventually be good at synchronized swimming :)

Please know that we all have our inabilities- some of us more than others. No matter how grand or small it is, know that WE are in-charge of our reaction and action. "You are your greatest asset. Spend time and effort on yourself." So at times when you feel meh, bleh, or just done- pick yourself up, breathe, and keep going!

For our Q&A this week, please share your humbling moment. What did you do, are you doing, or working towards? Share your thoughts or your "counsel" 😍

Have a great week everyone! Remember our Important Reminders!

Jumping into Week 3!

Oh my word, it's happening :) We are almost a month into school. If you are still in summer mode... hmmm... maybe you should switch to school mode soon 😅 This will help you set your path to a successful Quarter 1.

For SY 2022-2023, QCVA is making quite a few changes. If you have not noticed, or are new to QCVA, we are now following the in-person schedule for classes. This means that students will have 6 classes a semester, or 5 if you are a Senior, or 3-4 if you are in EVIT. This also means that we only have finals testing/cumulative exams every end of the semester- whoooo hoooo!

Another change is that students will have to maintain the pace or keep track. Unlike last year when students can complete their classes anytime before the end date/finals week, this year students NEED to meet due dates or as close to it as possible- NO later than 1 week behind. Gone are the days when students would burn the midnight oil and not sleep for days on end trying to complete coursework before finals. This year, facilitators will be contacting and reaching out to students who are behind or not on track. Emails will be sent to parents/guardians/significant adults. In addition, students will now be placed on Academic Probation and may be dropped from QCVA if they are unable to maintain their pace.

I'm sure some of you are like- "WHAAATTT?! I can't cram a quarter's work in a week anymore?"

To which I reply, "YEP."

Per our experience/data, it shows that students who are on pace are highly likely to get better grades, finish successfully, and earn credit for the class. It's because students come to tutoring, receive more assistance, and request retakes or resubmissions throughout the class as they go through coursework. In addition, students also retain academic information which is crucial for next school year's classes. Learning is foundational so it's important that you keep the information you learn! That's what school is for LOL.

This week, I will try to get our SMART Goals and resources in our Google classroom, I have to re-record and make the lessons concise/short. Hopefully next week, you can review these and set your own goals for the semester.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1. The District Pre-test for English and Math ends on August 16. Click here to view instructions on how to complete the District Pre-test. If you are having issues, please click here for the latest announcement. Please take the time to complete this and answer all questions to the best of your ability even if you do not know the answers. The information gathered here will serve as your baseline academic learning for this school year. Really important stuff, folks! Thank you!

2. Submit your Time Logs. The Google Form is on the QCVA website click here. Please remember to log 1,500 minutes a week. If you have more time, yay! You can also edit your minutes and work ahead if you feel like it.

3. Students should have all their classes in Edgenuity. If not, please contact your homeroom teacher or qcva@qcusd.org. Seniors, Ms. Chasten will be reaching out to meet with you about your classes, credit-recovery classes, etc. so please keep an eye out for that. Juniors who are in EVIT, please check your Edgenuity classes. Your EVIT classes should count as your electives, you will not have a full load of 6 classes. If you have not informed Ms. Robin that you are in EVIT, please do so, send email to qcva@qcusd.org. Thanks!

Abraham Lincoln said, "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." As we get started this week, let the thought of tomorrow NOT worry you by slowly or eagerly working on your tasks today. Sadly, school work will not complete itself... even with a grumpy mood, WORK; feeling lazy and drained, START; wanting to procrastinate, DON'T. A few small tasks completed are still tasks completed. May your productivity this week snowball so that by the weekend, you are care-free!

This week, we have Live Office Hours for tutoring Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 to 9:45 AM. Please click here to join meeting/tutoring/assistance via Google Meets.

Speaking of work- what's on your playlist? Please comment and share your thoughts in our grade-level Google Classrooms, name the top 3-5 songs you have been listening to. Please feel free to share your playlists if you have any and to comment on your peers. (Remember to follow online etiquette 😁)

Have a wonderful week, QCVA Friends!