Programs and Activities

Learning Coaches seek to provide the best possible education for their student and often enrich the child’s curriculum with extra activities and family trips. These activities may be logged into the student’s daily schedule and counted toward his/her mandatory hours of instruction if the activity directly relates to lesson objectives.

K12 and UTVA teachers facilitate clubs in which students may participate. Many of these are national online clubs. More information can be found HERE at our UTVA website.

K5 STUDENT OUTINGS

To assist parents in providing social experiences for their students, UTVA hosts monthly regional outings throughout the state. These outings may be attended by any student, regardless of the area in which a family resides. It is UTVA’s goal to provide quality and educational outings that also promote a social atmosphere. Monthly outings will be posted on the school’s webpage and announced in classes.

Outings are face to face student events on a set day and take place regionally throughout the state. Outings provide opportunities for all UTVA students to participate and engage with other students and school staff at a location near them. Outings are held monthly throughout the year.

The purpose of an outing is to provide opportunities for students to develop friendships and a sense of community with other students in the school and to connect with school staff.

COST

UTVA makes a strong effort to provide outings free of cost to enrolled UTVA students. If there is a cost for students for an outing UTVA will try to minimize that cost.

UTVA does not cover the cost of learning coaches and non-enrolled students, siblings, friends, or other family members.

COMMUNICATION ABOUT OUTINGS

Homeroom teachers provide information about upcoming outings in Emails to students. The MS website contains information about each monthly outing.

UTVA CLUBS

It is UTVA’s goal to foster a sense of community for our families during the school year. In an effort to help families build more meaningful relationships, UTVA offers in-person and online clubs based on students’ interests. Clubs meet online and/or at specific locations throughout the state. UTVA teachers facilitate clubs in which students may participate.

Further information about clubs can be obtained by contacting the staff sponsor(s) as well as checking the school announcements for updates and activities.

UTVA Clubs are provided and administered by UTVA staff.

K12 CLUBS

K12 Clubs are provided and administered by K12 staff, not UTVA. If you have questions or concerns about the K12 clubs, please contact K12 Customer Service.

K12 clubs are one hour sessions, one to two times a month from September through May. K12 encourages students to select no more than 4 of their most favorite clubs. Once a student is registered for a K12 Club the student will begin receiving Emails from the K12 club teachers and club sessions will appear on the student’s Class Connect schedules.

K12 offers many clubs in the in the following categories:

· World Interests

· Language Arts-History

· Math, Science, and Technology

· Hobbies

· Music, Art and Dance

· Success Builders

· Impact the World

· College and Career

For more information about K12 clubs please visit the K12 Student Clubs website at http://www.k12.com/k12-student-clubs.html

UTVA PARENT FACEBOOK GROUPS

The Community Liaison maintain UTVA parent Facebook regional groups. All members will be verified before membership is granted. Students are not permitted to join UTVA Facebook pages.

UTVA PTO (PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION)

The UTVA Parent Boosters organization is a group of Learning Coaches, parents and guardians who are committed to enhancing the school for the students. Their mission statement reflects that commitment: To empower and encourage UTVA families to make meaningful connections, participate in quality programs, and ensure that UTVA students get all they can out of the virtual school experience. For more information or if you are interested in this group, please visit the UTVA PTO Website http://utvapto.weebly.com/.

HONOR ROLL

Honor Roll recognizes students for their hard work, as well as incentive to continue working diligently. Honor roll status will be determined by teachers at the end of each semester using the Honor Roll and NJHS Eligibility Rubric. Students will receive recognition after honor roll eligibility is determined.

· Cumulative grade average of 85% (GPA 3.4 or higher), with no grade lower than a “B”

· Attendance at or above expected hours

· All work samples submitted on-time and meet the required objectives

· No Academic Probation warnings or plan initiated

· No Student Conduct Notices issued

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY

Membership in the National Junior Honor Society is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a middle school student. However, membership is more than an honor.

Membership in the NJHS requires a responsibility and an obligation to demonstrate those outstanding qualities (eligibility requirements) that resulted in selection for membership. Each member is required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service per semester, participate in monthly meetings, service projects and outings, and maintain the eligibility requirements. National Junior Honor Society is for students in 7th – 9th grade.

NJHS Eligibility Requirements

• Cumulative grade average of 90% (GPA 3.5 or higher), with no grade lower than a “B”
• Currently in 7th, 8th, or 9th Grade (6th graders maybe be nominated in May in preparation for 7th grade)
• Must be currently enrolled at UTVA for at least one full semester before nomination
• Attendance at or above expected hours
• All work samples submitted on-time and meet the required objectives
• No Academic Probation warnings or plan initiated
• No Student Conduct Notices issued

NJHS Nomination & Selection Process

Students who meet the eligibility requirements above will be evaluated for nomination based on the criteria below. Teachers will nominate students twice per year (January & May).

Students who are nominated for NJHS membership will be notified by email with further information on expectations and commitments.

· Scholarship: a cumulative grade average of 90% (GPA of 3.5) or higher, with no grade lower than a “B”.

· Character: consistently demonstrate such personality traits as cheerfulness, friendliness, kindness, and stability, be honest and reliable, show positive behavior and comply with school regulations, show courtesy, concern, and respect for others.

· Leadership: participate in class and school activities, be responsible, be able to follow as well as lead, inspire positive behavior in others, and demonstrate academic initiative.

· Citizenship: meet his/her responsibilities to teachers and school, show respect and pride for learning and education at UTVA.

· Service: works well with others, make voluntary contributions to the school or

community, done without compensation and with a positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit.

K5 ADVANCED LEARNERS PROGRAM (ALP)

DEFINITION OF ALP

ALP stands for Advanced Learner Program, which serves our gifted and talented students and our academically advanced students.

The ALP program at UTVA allows ALP students to advance through the K12® curriculum while providing resources and enrichment that ALP’s students need. UTVA’s goal is to enrich and inspire these students to reach their full potential.

Students are invited to a weekly class and face-to-face settings where they will engage with other advanced learners in project-based learning. These projects challenge our students to develop critical thinking skills, creativity, and to reach their full potential.

ELIGIBLE GRADE LEVELS

The ALP’s program at UTVA is for students in grades 1st -8th.

ALP’S STUDENT IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

To be invited to join the ALP’s program students must be identified by at least two identification factors.

Once a student is identified as a possible ALP’s student, an email is sent to the ALP coordinator. The ALP’s coordinator contacts the family for a phone interview. The phone interview is the final step in determining if the ALP’s program is the correct path for the student.

Identification factors

· DIBELS

o A student has advanced DIBELS scores (K-3rd)

· Working above grade level

o A student is successfully working above grade level in Math, ELA, and/or Science

· Participation in a Gifted Program at a previous school

o A student can show data from previous gifted testing or give evidence that they previously participated in a gifted and talented program at another school

· Teacher recommendation

o A classroom or homeroom teacher has data that shows a student is accelerated in the curriculum and that the student is able to grasp concepts very quickly and has a very deep understanding of learned concepts

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ALP STUDENT

ALP students usually have the following characteristics. This can help identify students for the ALP program, however these characteristics are not an identification factor.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS

ALP’s Instruction

Instruction in the ALP’s program is Project-Based Learning. This type of call fosters student research skills and incorporates STEM education.

· Monthly opportunities for ALP Discovery Day outings based on the topic of study in class

· Monthly Online Student Symposium/Talent Showcase

· Independent Study Projects

· K12 National ALP Learning Circles

· Parent training in nurturing your advanced child’s: hypersensitivity, perfectionism, underachievement, gifted gender stereotypes, highly creative abilities, peer interactions, frustration caused when a child has a wonderful idea but cannot execute it to the level of their physical ability

· It is important to note that the K12 curriculum does not change. The ALP’s program supports our ALP students with curriculum acceleration, compacting, and

enrichment. Being a part of the ALP’s program does not give the students more work, but provides them different learning opportunities.

ALP Students in grades 4-8 also choose one or more of the following classes to add to their weekly schedule:

· Student Newspaper

o Tuesday from 11:00am to 11:30am

o Students learn writing skills, keyboarding skills, technology, and basic photo editing

· We the People

o Wednesday from 11:00am to 11:30am

o An in-depth Study of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, with discussion questions/writing prompts

· Perennial Math Problem Solving

o Thursday from 11:00am to 11:30am

o Students collaborate on challenging/creative math problems and can choose to compete nationally.