March Messages

Hello Learning Coaches!

This week's announcements, reminders and deadlines, and tips are below. Use this link if you'd like to listen to the message first, and return here to access any links that are referenced in the audio message.

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Announcements

1. Spring Break begins next Friday, April 2nd. Students will resume daily assignments on April 12th.

2. [Grades 3-8] Today (3/26/21) is the last day to submit the LEAP survey from the UVA Testing Department. The link is provided for you right there. --> Grades 3-8 LEAP Test Survey

3. [High School -- LEAP-Tested Courses Only] Learning Coaches of students taking high school LEAP-tested courses received the LEAP survey from the UVA Testing Department on Tuesday, 3/23/21. Please click the following link to submit the form if you have not done so already. Today (3/26/21) is the deadline. --> HS LEAP Test Survey

4. Due to the Spring Break schedule, our April 1st Learning Coach Info Session schedule and format will be modified slightly. I will host a one-hour Q&A session at noon on April 1st. There will not be an evening session because Spring Break begins on Friday the 2nd.

You may submit your Info Session questions via this survey. The deadline to submit your questions is Monday, March 29th at 11:59 pm. I will take questions during the session as well, but the survey questions will allow me to research answers if necessary.

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Deadlines/Reminders

1. You have less than a week to submit the Records Update form to Student Services. The deadline is March 31st, which is next Wednesday. Many of you have submitted your form already (thanks!), but if you haven't submitted the form, please click here to complete the Records Update form today.

REMEMBER -- No form will result in a delay in receiving your Internet Subsidy card if your child was a fall student, and you also risk not having a spot for your child next school year if you are considering returning.

NOTE:

1. Undecided? Say "Yes" for now and save a spot. Just remember to retract your "Yes" if you decide not to return.

2. Graduating senior? Complete the form anyway. Select the "Senior" option. They need to confirm some information.

Please contact Student Services at studentservices@uview.academy; 225-421-2900 if you have questions.

2. UVA's Testing Newsletter from last week is available here if you have not read it already. Consider bookmarking the link for future reference.

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Learning Coach Tips and Resources

1. Spring Break provides at least five days of no new assignments on the Calendar. If your child is behind, please use this upcoming opportunity to guide your child to get back on track. Have your child treat the week as a regular school week (excluding Live Sessions), and define a schedule for daily lesson completion.

Use the Missing Submissions report and the grade book (for assignments with temporary 50% scores* that are not on the report) to identify the overdue assignments. Please emphasize learning, not just ticking assignments off the list. When you devise the make-up schedule, please make sure your child has learned what is expected in the course and that the cutoff date for being caught up allows enough time for course content to be reviewed so that it is retained and can be recalled.

*Remember -- Temporary 50% scores are assigned for activities that are more than two weeks overdue

• The Alert Bell is in the Canvas Student account

• The Missing Submissions report is in your Canvas Observer account.

2. The following resource has come my way twice -- once from a parent and once from a teacher. If you are interested in accessing LEAP Practice tests in math and ELA, check out this Lumos Learning website. I will provide additional resource links next week.

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Motivate your child to be on pace or very close to on pace before next Friday so that Spring Break can truly be a break without the burden of overdue assignments. Reach out to me if you need support in establishing a recovery plan or motivation strategies.

Have a good weekend!

-- Eugenia Cardozo

Your Learning Coach Partner

225-421-2837, ecardozo@uview.academy, and Remind (preferred)

Hello Learning Coaches!

This week's announcements, reminders and deadlines, and tips are below. Use this link if you'd like to listen to the message first, and return here to access any links that are referenced in the audio message.

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Announcements

1. [HIGH SCHOOL] Algebra I and Geometry students will take their LEAP360 Interim 2 assessments next week as follows:

March 22 thru March 26

Testing credentials and instructions to access the assessment are available in the student's account. Please ensure that you or your child follows the navigation path below to access the instructions before next Monday morning so that your child is prepared:

Account > Files > Testing Information > Spring-2021-LEAP 360 Test Information...pdf

2. [Grades 3-8] Have you submitted your responses on the LEAP form that was requested by the District Testing Department last week? Click here to answer the short form today. Your responses are required so that testing plans can be finalized.

NOTE: The form for high school testing is coming soon. Stay tuned!

3. LATE BREAKING! UVA's Testing Newsletter was released last week. It contains details about test site protocols and it identifies the cities where testing will occur. Please link to the newsletter here if you have not read it already. Consider bookmarking the link for future reference.

4. [HIGH SCHOOL] Our high school counselors send important Canvas messages nearly every week with information about education, training, and career-based opportunities. Please ensure you and your high school child are up-to-date with Canvas messaging so that these opportunities are not missed. There are always deadlines associated with registration, etc.

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Deadlines/Reminders

1. [Grades 3-5] Students will take their LEAP360 Interim 2 Math and ELA assessments next week -- March 22 thru March 26. Login to your child's account and follow the navigation path below to access the instructions before next Monday morning so that you and your child are prepared:

Account > Files > Testing Information > Spring-2021-LEAP 360 Test Information...pdf

2. Third nine-week grades are available in the Student Progress Center. Use this link to find the instructions that explain how to set up a new Student Progress Center account or to refresh your memory about how to log in to your account.

NOTE:

Dual Enrollment courses will not have a mid-semester grade due to the possibility of being out of alignment with the university grade. DE teachers keep their students informed about their grades throughout the semester. So, there should not be any surprises, but reach out to the DE teacher if you have questions.

3. Please click here to complete the Records Update form today if you have not done so already. The form allows you to update or confirm your contact information and you will indicate whether your child will return next year (aka Intent to Return). The deadline is March 31st.

NOTE:

1. If you are still undecided by March 31st, it might be wise at this point to say "Yes" your child is returning. Otherwise, you might not have a spot for the '21'-'22 school year. Open Enrollment is in April and released slots will very likely get filled by new enrollees for the '21-'22 school year. You can always retract your "Yes" (and we would appreciate that as soon as you know you are not returning) but consider securing a spot for now.

2. Learning Coaches of graduating seniors, please complete this form as well. You will find a "Senior" option on the form. Mailing addresses and phone numbers need to be verified.

Please contact Student Services at studentservices@uview.academy; 225-421-2900 if you have questions.

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Learning Coach Tips and Resources

1. Two articles were in this week's Understood.com email that I thought some of you might be interested in. Article links and short excerpts are below:

• Understanding Hyperactivity

"What is hyperactivity? Hyperactivity is constantly being active in ways that aren’t appropriate for the time or setting. It’s the constant part that makes the big difference. If it happened once or twice, nobody would think much of it... [H]yperactivity isn’t caused by a lack of discipline or intelligence. Bad parenting doesn’t cause it, either. There can be different reasons for hyperactivity. But a main cause is ADHD, a common condition that results from differences in how the brain develops."

• ADHD Symptoms at Different Ages

"...kids and adults with ADHD (also known as ADD) struggle a lot more with [ADHD] behaviors than other people their age. Kids and adults with ADHD often: Have trouble focusing; Are impulsive; Have trouble managing emotions...Some people with ADHD are also hyperactive, or need to constantly be in motion...ADHD signs can play out at different ages."

2. A reminder to run a Missing Submissions report every day. Redirect your child to complete those assignments and assist your child with a schedule that will guide them towards completion. We are halfway through the semester with district test events approaching quickly. Make sure your child has learned what is expected in the course and that enough time is allowed for that content to be reviewed so that it is retained and can be recalled.

• The Alert Bell is in the Canvas Student account

• The Missing Submissions report is in your Canvas Observer account.

3. The following resource has come my way twice -- once from a parent and once from a teacher. If you are interested in accessing LEAP Practice tests in math and ELA, check out this Lumos Learning website. I will provide additional resource links next week.

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Congratulations to those of you whose children are participating in today's online Ring Ceremony. That's always a special moment in high school.

Have a good weekend!

-- Eugenia Cardozo

Your Learning Coach Partner

225-421-2837, ecardozo@uview.academy, and Remind (preferred)

Hello Learning Coaches!

This week's announcements, reminders and deadlines, and tips are below. Use this link if you'd like to listen to the message first, and return here to access any links that are referenced in the audio message.

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Announcements

1. A Dashboard announcement was posted, and an email was sent to parents on Wednesday, March 10th, regarding the Records Update form. This form allows you to: (1) update or confirm your contact information so that the fall Internet subsidy can be mailed to families of fall enrollees, and (2) indicate whether or not your child will be returning to UVA next year (aka "Intent to Return").

This is a very important and time sensitive form. The form must be submitted by the March 31st deadline to receive the internet subsidy this round if you were here for the fall semester and to reserve your child's spot for the '21-'22 school year if you are returning. So, if you have not done so already, please click here to complete the Records Update form today while you are thinking about it. Again, the deadline is March 31st. Please complete the Records Update form today.

If you have questions, please contact Student Services -- studentservices@uview.academy; 225-421-2900.

2. When you complete the Records Update form, be prepared to indicate whether or not you want your child to receive an upgraded computer for next year if you are returning. You can read the announcement about our computer upgrade option on the Dashboard or in the Canvas notification that you received on Tuesday.

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Deadlines/Reminders

1. Please read all school communications from the faculty when they are sent. Counselors and teachers are sending time-sensitive messages, and other departments will be sending information in the coming weeks. (For example, did you know the deadline for 8th-11th grade students to submit the Schedule Request is today? ) Be sure you (and your child) are reading these communications thoroughly so you do not miss important details and deadlines.

2. Third nine-week grades will be imported into the Student Progress Center next week. The 9-week progress report will be a snapshot of your child's grades as of March 9th. Overall grades will include items that were submitted before the cutoff on 3/9/21. There should not be any surprises if you have been monitoring the grade book daily as recommended.

Use this link to learn how to set up a new Student Progress Center account or to refresh your memory about how to log in to your account.

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Learning Coach Tips and Resources

1. Has your child taken advantage of Homework Louisiana for free tutoring, test prep self-study tools, job search assistance, and other resources? The service is promoted on our school website. (In fact, lots of information is on our universityview.academy website. When is the last time you browsed the site to see what's happening?)

2. A concern that begins to surface around this time of year is that "teachers only teach for LEAP" and that they are not teaching what your child needs to learn. We understand how that perception can develop, especially because there is increased emphasis at this time of year on LEAP prep activities (e.g., LEAP360, test-taking strategies, Live Session topics, etc.) and because school communication begins to focus heavily on testing. The following items might shed some light on the topic:

• The state defines the educational requirements that public school students are expected to learn (i.e., the state standards) and that teachers are expected to teach in each subject area and at each grade level.

• UVA's courses are designed to ensure our students learn the standards that are identified by the state.

• LEAP simply assesses whether or not your child has learned what Louisiana identified as the course's standards.

In addition to delivering content to our students, teachers must teach their students how to perform optimally on the LEAP test (or any other standardized test) so that the student understands how to demonstrate what was learned. This is achieved a number of ways including explaining and demonstrating test strategies and test tools; reviewing key concepts from last semester and this semester; and having students apply skills and test-tasking strategies repeatedly as we move closer to testing.

Engaging in those activities and exercises prepares your child to demonstrate his or her level of mastery of the state standards when the LEAP assessment is taken. (And, yes, test-taking ability comes into play as well -- thus the need for test prep activities to increase confidence and minimize anxiety as best we can.)

So, despite our visible emphasis on preparing for LEAP and other assessments at this time of the year, we are actually "preparing for LEAP" all year long in courses that will be LEAP-tested because we are teaching our students what the state says they should learn.

I hope that helps to address some of the recent concerns that have been voiced. Feel free to reach out for additional discussion as desired.

3. Understood.com provided a link to an interesting article this week -- Self-Care for Kids: 6 Ways to Self-Regulate. The article provides practical tips about ways to calm down in the face of stress and anxiety. Take a look, especially if your child is learning to manage anxiety. The information might come in handy for test-taking.

4. Use one of the links below to review how to run the Missing Submissions report in your child's student account or in your Observer account. Identify missing submissions every day, redirect your child to complete those assignments, and assist your child with a schedule that will guide them towards completion.

• The Alert Bell is in the Canvas Student account

• The Missing Submissions report is in your Canvas Observer account.

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Enjoy the nice weekend weather!

-- Eugenia Cardozo

Your Learning Coach Partner

225-421-2837, ecardozo@uview.academy, and Remind (preferred)

Hello Learning Coaches!

Please read the information below so that you are informed and in the loop. (Use this link if you'd like to listen to the message. (Remember to return here to access any links that are provided below.)

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Announcements

1. The Student Attendance and Engagement Policy has been updated. The revised document is available via the link in the first sentence as well as in the following Learning Coach resources on the linked pages:

• Learning Coach Refresher Course (for experienced Learning Coaches)

• UVA On-Boarding Course (for new families)

• UVA On-Boarding Course for Designated Learning Coaches* (for an adult designated by a parent or guardian to be a student's Learning Coach)

* NOTE:

The UVA On-Boarding Course for Designated Learning Coaches is a new course. It provides orientation and training for new designated Learning Coaches. It is also used when a parent or guardian has to assume Learning Coach responsibilities suddenly when a previous Learning Coach is no longer available.

2. Our March Learning Coach Info Sessions were held yesterday. General information about state testing protocols were provided. The session concluded with an open Q&A segment on a variety of topics. The 6pm session recording and the recording of the Q&A segment of the morning session are available on this page. Please watch the 6pm session and consider watching the Q&A segment from the morning session where tips for addressing test anxiety were discussed by those in attendance. (Feel free to review the agendas from previous Info Sessions as well.)

NOTE:

The UVA State Testing Notification is available here on your Learning Coach Communications Hub website (where you are reading this message). The announcement explains the safety protocols that will be taken during in-person test events as well as the significance of state testing for our standing as a charter school.

3. [8th Grade and High School] Counselors have launched the scheduling process for next school year! Look for a new "21-22 Scheduling" course card on the Dashboard and be sure to read all communications from the counselors. Don't miss out on this important planning opportunity for next year.

4. Stay on top of school communications in the coming weeks. A communication about your intent to return to UVA next year will be sent soon. I will alert you that the communication has been sent when I send the weekly message that week but keep your eyes open.

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Deadlines/Reminders

1. [MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grades 6-8)] Students have the rest of today to complete their LEAP360 Interim Assessments in ELA and math. Access ends at 11:59pm tonight (Friday, March 5th). Please verify that your middle school child has taken both assessments. (Read #2 below for the location of test instructions if you discover that your child has not taken both assessments.)

2. [ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Grades 3-5)] Students will take their LEAP360 Interim 2 Assessments online from home later this month. These benchmark tests help teachers and students identify areas to develop further as we advance towards LEAP testing in early May. The dates for LEAP360 Interim 2 Assessments are as follows:

• ELA and Math -- March 22 thru March 26 (mark your calendars)

Testing credentials and instructions to access the assessment are available in the student's account 72 hours before the first day of testing. Login to your child's account and use the following navigation path to access the instructions:

Account > Files > Testing Information > Spring-2021-LEAP 360 Test Information...pdf

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Learning Coach (and Student) Tips and Resources

1. You can log into your Remind account online at Remind.com. Simply:

• • Click the Log In button near the upper righthand corner of the Remind.com window

  • Enter your phone number or your email address and follow the prompts. (Gmail subscribers can click the "Log in with Google" button on the login page. You'll be in your Remind account very quickly after entering your email address and password.)

NOTE:

Ignore the prompts about downloading the Remind app. That is for mobile devices and has nothing to do with online access to your Remind account. Feel free to install the app on your mobile device though.

2. Did you know that your child's teachers might be providing important feedback to the answers that your child provided in a graded assignment? Please click links for graded assignments in the grade book and scroll down the assignment to look for comments. When provided, comments are located in a comment box beneath the question.

NOTE: This is different from the general comments that are noted when you scroll through the grade book.

3. As always -- Remember to run one of the following Missing Submission reports every day and check the grade book for temporary 50% grades* each day as well. Hold your child accountable for completing overdue assignments during a defined, near-term interval so that your child gets back on pace as quickly as possible. (Work with your child's teachers if overdue assignments are a result of the winter storm.)

Click the active links below to learn about the Missing Submissions report of your choice if you need a refresher.

• The Alert Bell is available in the Canvas Student account to identify assignments that are flagged as MISSING from the day before or prior. (Second semester enrollees' reports might include assignments from last semester. Those are to be ignored.)

• The Missing Submissions report generates the same list of overdue assignments as the student's report, but it is found in your Observer account.

*Assignments with temporary 50% grades are two weeks or more overdue. They will probably be on the Missing Submissions report, but there are exceptions. Compare the missing submissions report with the grade book.

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Have a good weekend.

-- Eugenia Cardozo

Your Learning Coach Partner

225-421-2837, ecardozo@uview.academy, and Remind (preferred)