WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL ACADEMY
For more info about K12, please click on the below links:
MONTHLY EVENTS
NCVA CELEBRATES SCHOOL CHOICE 2021!
*Activities TBA; subject to change*
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Monday: Celebrate our Classmates
Tuesday: Celebrate our Learning Coaches
Wednesday: Yellow Day (Color of NSCW)
Thursday: Celebrate our Teachers/Staff
Friday: We are NCVA! -Wear School Shirt or Blue & White
*NEW* NCVA LEARNING COACH EVENTS
NCVA offers monthly workshops for Learning Coaches to attend. If you've missed any, check out the below link to view recordings from past events.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT
NCVA CLUBS SY 20-21
Though there is a brief delay with K12 National Clubs, NCVA has several school-based clubs. There is still time to join! Click this link to find out more about club offerings NCVA Clubs SY 20-21 . Please direct additional questions about school-based clubs to the appropriate Club Organizer listed.
2020-21 K12 CLUBS
K12 National Clubs provide social connections with students throughout the nation.
National clubs will be offered on a variety of topics through engaging online club sessions. Keep checking back for updates on our club offerings and consider joining a K12 online club today.
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Click on the this link to view all K12 clubs and to sign-up.
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K12 "WALK TO CLASS: SESSIONS
Walk to Class: "Set Up for Success" is a 60 minute session designed for new families to help prepare for the school year. Topics include expectations, involvement, sample schedules, veteran learning coach tips and organization.
Registration Link for Elementary School: https://bit.ly/WTCSUS_Elem
Registration Link for Middle and High School: https://bit.ly/WTCSUS_MSHS
Walk to Class: "Online School" is a 60 minute session designed for new families to introduce them to the Online School. Topics include resources in the Online School, features of the K12 App, accessing Class Connects, and the Introduction to Online Learning course.
Registration Link for Elementary School: https://bit.ly/WTC_OLS_Elem
Registration Link for Middle and High School: https://bit.ly/WTC_OLS_MSHS
NCVA's Beacon Herald Monthly Newsletter
This is a monthly school newsletter created from our Family Engagement coordinator to help new and returning families get involved with NCVA. It contains tips/tricks for learning coaches, lists upcoming events, and a spotlight on all NCVA news.
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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK UPDATE
Link to pre-order: https://www.treering.com/validate?PassCode=101597672751897
Questions: Dr. Sara Kourtsounis at skourtsounis@ncvacademy.org
K12 CARES SERVICE PROJECT: STRIDE SERVES
During the month of January, students and staff are invited to participate in a variety of service activities to honor the memory of Dr. King and to answer his question, "what are you doing for others?"
While the COVID-19 pandemic has made volunteering in a group-setting a little difficult, these are just a few ways that you can make a difference in your community.
•Help clean up a neighborhood park
•Deliver meals or groceries to vulnerable seniors
•Organize a used clothing/toy drive
•Find a local volunteer opportunity based on your interests
Use hastag #StrideServes
TRACK your service hours here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares
SHARE your pictures: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaVirtualAcademy/
CLASS CONNECT UPDATE: USING BLACKBOARD
Originally we were slated to use Newrow in place of Blackboard Collaborate at the start of this school year. However, Newrow has been put on hold for the time being and we will continue to use Blackboard Collaborate 1st semester. Newrow is tentatively scheduled to be used 2nd semester. We'll keep you posted with the latest updates.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Welcome to a new school year. We know it's an exciting and overwhelming time of the year. Please reach out to your advisor or content teachers with questions.
Over the next few days, please put these tasks on your to-do list:
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​*Attend WOW sessions (Week of Welcome)
*Attend grade level orientation (required for all students)
*Attend new student orientation (required for new families to NCVA)
*Set up your work area
*Organize school materials
*Familiarize yourself with the course materials
*Talk with your Student Support Advisor on the phone for introductions
*Read and acknowledge the Parent Student Handbook (below under ‘Resources’)
*Check and read emails
*Check out this website and watch tutorial videos
*Complete 'Welcome to Online Learning' course
*Get some PE time in by doing some fun indoor or outdoor activities (see PE Resource Guide below for ideas)
All of the above items count towards daily attendance, so be sure to log in the time spent in each.
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**FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR TEACHERS
WEEK OF WELCOME
Welcome to NCVA! Our Student Support Team has some exciting activities planned to help you prepare for classes. W.O.W. sessions begin Monday, August 17th at 8:30 a.m. We look forward to meeting you!
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
LOG-IN to the Online School-Monday, August 17th at 8:30 a.m.
Complete Online Learning Course (OLL)-All parts, 100%
Attend W.O.W Sessions- REQUIRED for NEW families. Some sessions are optional for returning families.
NWEA Beginning of Year Assessments-Begin Wednesday, August 19th
*Working camera and microphone are required.
Read and review any course introductions or course syllabus
Organize your course materials
Set-up your workspace
Make contact with your Student Advisor
What will I learn during W.O.W. Sessions?
Daily expectations
Attendance Training
Online School Navigation and more...
*See your Daily Plan for specific dates and times for W.O.W. Sessions and NWEA Assessments.
BEACON TIME
Monthly Beacon Times are offered to further develop students' social and emotional skills. These assemblies will be offered each month during the school year by our school counselor and student resource coordinator. We look forward to seeing you there!
K-2 Beacon Time (Jan 7th @ 2:00):
Dealing with Feelings
3-5 Beacon Time (Jan 14th @ 2:00):
The POWER of Positivity!
MS Beacon Time (Jan 18 @ 2:00):
Motivation
HS Beacon Time (Jan 19 @ 12:30):
Motivation
LC Beacon Time (Podcast released the first week of January via email)
Is it Time to Ask for Help?
STUDENT SERVICES WEBSITE
Please take note of our student services website packed with a tremendous amount of helpful community, academic, social and emotional resources! See it here: https://ncvastudentservices.wixsite.com/ncva
STRONG START FOR NEW FAMILIES
Strong Start, Strong Finish!
Introducing your Student Support Team (formerly known as the Family Academic Support Team F.A.S.T.) We have a new name, but our continued commitment to student success remains the same. The Student Support Team would like to wish all of our families at NCVA a "strong start and strong finish" for the upcoming school year!
Meet your Student Support Team
Lea King, Student Support Administrator
Aimee Hanna, Student Attendance Specialist
Paige Adams, Student Resource Coordinator
Jillian Davenport, Community Engagement Specialist
Whitney Cress, K-8 Counselor
Student Support Advisors :
K-5: Amy Baker, Rebekah Logan, Allison Mosley, Nkechi Orabuchi-Fluker, Jevonda Perkins, and Katie Szostak
6-8: Brittany Bonardi, Tiffany Carson, Kristen Herd, and Danielle Smithers.
9-12: Marah Barrow, Debbie DeLoach, Karie Shuler, and Jennifer Triplett
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE INTERNET OUTAGE
We know there will be times when your internet connection goes out. It happens to all of us from time to time. When it does here is the backup plan for you to follow:
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Contact teacher by phone or email to let her know of the situation (school number-919-346-0121, type in teacher extension or ask for teacher by name)
Work off-line in their k12 materials (For example: completing at least one lesson in each course, catching up on lessons you know are overdue, reading a book, writing in a journal, getting PE and/or health hours in, portfolio assignment if during that time frame, etc…)
Complete a minimum of 6 hours per day of educational activities (K12 work, health/PE, extracurricular activity, reading, enrichment/review activity, educational video/song/activity….)
Record on paper the lessons completed and hours worked (when wi-fi is back up, log-in to OLS and mark lessons complete and manually log in hours completed for that day)
**Student will have to make up any live class connect sessions they miss while their internet is down by watching the recordings. LC is to continue to stay in contact with the teacher of their situation status.
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ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to log a minimum of 6 hours of attendance and lessons a day (30 hours a week)
Tip: set aside time each night to log in hours and mark lessons complete
*Work marked complete must match with hours logged
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*See 'Attendance and Truancy' section of the Parent Handbook under the LC Resources tab
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR
*All 1st semester outings will be virtual. If something changes, we will let you know.
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Aug. 7: Outings
Aug. 13: Meet the Teacher/Open House
Aug. 17: 1st Day of School
Aug. 17-21: 1:1 Meetings with teachers (advisor connection call, diagnostic testing)
Aug. 19-21: NWEA testing online *required for all students
Aug. 24: Live instruction begins online
Aug. 31-Sept. 2: BOG testing (3rd graders only)
Sept. 7: No School Labor Day
Sept. 18: Outings
Oct. 9: Outings
Oct. 12: Holiday- No School
Oct.14-16: PreACT testing
Oct. 16: End of Quarter 1
Oct. 19: Quarter 2 begins
Oct. 19: Teacher Workday, no live classes, students work on daily assignments
Oct. 23: Quarter 1 Report Cards emailed
Nov. 2-5: Online Interims *requird for all students
Nov 6: Outings
Nov. 11: Veteran's Day- No School
Nov. 26-27: No School
Dec. 4: Outings
Dec. 14-17: High School EOC Assessments (In-person)
Dec. 18: Quarter 2 Ends
Dec. 21-Jan. 1: No School
Jan. 4: Quarter 3 Begins
Jan. 4-5: Teacher Workdays, no live classes, students work on daily assignments
Jan. 8: Quarter 2 Report Cards emailed
Jan. 15: Outings
Jan. 18: No School Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 19-22: NWEA online testing *required for all elementary and middle school students
Feb. 12: Outings
Feb. 15: No School-President's Day
Feb. 23-25: ACT Testing *required in-person test
Mar. 2-5: Online Interims *required for all elementary and middle school students
Mar. 17: Quarter 3 Ends
Mar. 18: Quarter 4 Begins
Mar. 18-19: Teacher Workdays, no live classes, students work on daily assignments
Mar. 26: Quarter 3 Report Cards emailed
Apr. 5-9: Spring Break-No School
Apr. 16: NCVA Enrollment Lottery
Apr. 19-23: Online Interims *required for all elementary and middle school students
May 17-19: Kindergarten Celebrations
May 26-June 4: EOG/EOC testing *required in-person testing for all students 3rd-12th grade
May 31: No School Memorial Day
Jun. 9: Last Day of School
Jun. 10: High School Prom and Middle School Dance
Jun. 11: High School Graduation
Jun. 10-30: 3rd Grade Summer Camp
Jun. 10-25: High School Summer School
Jun. 21: Quarter 4 Report Cards emailed
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HELP CENTER
Who to contact and when
K12 TECH SUPPORT
866-512-2273
K12 Tech Support offers assistance when it comes to fixing equipment issues (laptop, audio headsets, printer, etc..), changing LC passwords, correcting errors or issues found in the OLS, and missing materials.
ADVISORS/TEACHERS
919-346-0121
First point of contact for all questions
Each student has an assigned advisor and content teachers who will answer specific grade level or school questions you may have. Please look under the appropriate grade level tab for their contact info.
NCVA REGISTRAR
To request student records:
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To submit an account change:
When in doubt of who to contact, reach out to your homeroom teacher & they'll help direct you appropriately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS NCVA?
North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) is a virtual, tuition-free public school chartered by the State Board of Education. NCVA uses the K12 curriculum to offer a competitive, rigorous, and data-driven program for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
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The partner governing board exists of 6 members who meet monthly to oversee the school's financial, academic, and operational aspects. The board has 3 committees; finance, academic, and policy- that meet regularly to conduct business related to their areas of expertise on a regular basis.
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NCVA has experienced vibrant demand from parents to gain entry to the school. During the state-mandated lottery in April 2017, nearly 2500 applications were submitted for only 360 open slots. We also have a current wait list larger than 700 children.
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100% of NCVA's teachers are licensed and highly qualified in NC, with 90% residing in State.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF VIRTUAL SCHOOLS?
Virtual Schools exist to serve students who would better thrive outside the four walls of a traditional classroom. Specific reasons why families choose a virtual education for their child include: escaping bullying, traveling schedules for youth performers, undergoing medical treatment, or wanting to simply exercise public school choice. For many NC families, we are the only public option available to them in their area of residence.
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NCVA offers a Family Academic Support Team (FAST) that works to ensure students are engaged in this virtual model. They work with families to ensure students are following Back on Track plans, and in extreme situations, work to identify local community resources to meet their needs (examples: fires in the home, flood damage, etc...).
WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION?
For the SY1718, NCVA drew students from 107 of the State's 115 LEAs and has served 97 of the State's 100 counties. Both figures are the highest in the short history of our virtual school.
*Last year enrollment was capped at 2160 across all grade levels (K-12).
*Our students primarily originate from public schools (69%) along with other venues: homeschool (17%), private school (3%), and not in school (10%).
*For student demographics, we have slightly more females (53%) than males (47%) at NCVA. Ethnically, the breakdown is as follows: Caucasian (63%), African-American (26%), Hispanic (6%), American-Indian (2%), and Asian (2%).
*14.3% of our students have disabilities and 65% of our students qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch. We also serve students through 504 plans, in McKinney-Veto Homeless situations, and English Language Learners.
HOW WILL MY CHILD MEET OTHER FAMILIES IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT?
To help with socialization for families, quarterly outings are hosted in every region of the state and include a wide array of topics: historic tours, fall pumpkin patches, skating/bowling events, hikes at State parks, or just eating ice cream at local establishments. For students not able to attend, we host virtual outings to include them as well. Outings are a great way to connect with NCVA staff, learning coaches, and students in your area.
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We also offer a variety of opportunities on-line for students and learning coaches to get connected with each other. For example: online K12 clubs, Friday Homeroom Hangouts with your teachers and classmates, and special online events.
HOW DO I ENROLL A STUDENT WITH NCVA?
You will contact the k12 Enrollment Department at K12.com to begin the process. Once on the site, click on 'Ready to Enroll', type in your zip code, choose NCVA as the school choice, and select 'Start Enrollment' or visit this link:
GET IN TOUCH
North Carolina Virtual Academy is committed to exceeding your needs. Questions, comments or special requests? We’d love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to reach out today.
4220 NC Hwy 55 Suite 130 Durham, NC 27713
919-346-0121