WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL ACADEMY
For more info about K12, please click on the below links:
MONTHLY EVENTS
See below for details
2020 K12 SUMMER CAMPS
Our online summer camps are a great way to get connected and stay connected to your school community and other students across the county over the summer. These virtual camps are scheduled from June through August and last anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour per session. Once you register for your grade level, Summer Camp sessions will be available in your Online School each week on Monday. We offer camps at multiple times per week to accommodate multiple time zones and family schedules, so you can attend the day and time that works for you each week. Attend one
session or all of them to make new friends, have fun, and explore interesting topics!
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Click to register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Camps
A FUN SUMMER PROGRAM FOR YOUR STUDENT
The last few months have been tough, and you have been amazing! Summer is just around the corner and we have some exciting courses that you can access to keep your joy of learning going even though we’re not together.
The Brain Boost courses give you a way to explore the Online School, play games, read books, and simply have fun. Don't forget to log into your OLS starting on June 15th to relax a bit and explore the Brain Boost summer program with your student.
SUMMER READING ADVENTURE 2020
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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SUMMER ACTIVITIES
NCVA, you are AMAZING! Thank you for your participation in our K12 Community Service projects. Our families doing great work to serve others in their communities.
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Continue to track your volunteer activities and hours you do over the summer. See you in August!
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TRACK your service hours here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K12Cares
SHARE your pictures: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaVirtualAcademy/
K12 NATIONAL LC SUPPORT SESSIONS IN JUNE
K12 is passionate about helping Learning Coaches be successful. Learning Coaches of students enrolled in a K12-powered school have access to national Learning Coach University and Coach-to-Coach sessions, which provide a platform for sharing best practices by Learning Coaches. Grab a cup of coffee and join us at the virtual table. These weekly sessions are held inside Class Connect throughout the school year.
RSVP is required using the links in the attached pdf.
CLASS CONNECT POWERED BY NEWROW
Starting in school year 2020-2021, you may start to see some changes in Class Connect! Your teachers may begin to use our new collaboration platform, Newrow, for some Class Connect sessions to provide an even more engaging live class session experience. Check out these videos to learn more about Class Connect powered by Newrow, coming in Fall 2020!
Elementary School Student- https://youtu.be/zTZ_s9XQCm0
Middle/High School Student-https://youtu.be/tDhJvSVVINo
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
Each week we have new students join the NCVA family. So if you are new...
Welcome to NCVA! You will notice some special sessions on your student(s)' Class Connect schedules the first week of school.
What to expect...
W.O.W. Sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. daily (Attendance is REQUIRED)
W.O.W. Sessions Wednesday & Thursday
NWEA Testing on Friday (Working camera and microphone required).
New Student Orientation is required for all newly enrolled students and Learning Coaches. Attend under the STUDENT log-in to receive credit.
NOTE: Elementary, Middle, and High School have separate sessions to address specific needs in those grade-bands. (Example: If you have a 3rd grader and a 6th grader, plan to attend 2 orientations, 1 for Elementary School and 1 for Middle School.)
Complete Online Learning Courses (OLL/ORN)
This course is required annually for all students.
Expect a call from your Advisor to check-in on your progress (Grades 1st-11th). 12th graders will receive communication from their Counselors. Kindergarten students will receive a communication from their teacher.
~This is going to be a great year!~
AVAILABLE COUNSELING GROUPS
New sessions to be announced when school starts back up in August.
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 (fmr FAST Supervisor)
Aimee Hanna, Student Attendance Specialist (fmr Family Compliance Liaison)
Paige Adams, Student Resource Coordinator (fmr Family Resource Coordinator)
Jillian Davenport, Community Engagement Specialist (fmr Family Engagement Coordinator)
Whitney Cress, K-8 Counselor
Student Support Advisors (formerly Family Academic Support Liaisons):
K-5: Amy Baker, Rebekah Logan, and Katie Szostak
6-8: Brittany Bonardi, Kristen Herd, and Danielle Smithers
9-12: Marah Barrow, Debbie DeLoach, and Jennifer Triplett
Our team is growing to better support our families. Expect to see some new faces in the coming months!
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
919-346-0121 Laura Zuber
The registrar can help with all paperwork requirements or LC changes (Ex: name change, update phone numbers & addresses, request student records, etc...)
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