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The IVA Academic Calendar is 175 days of instruction, using curriculum and pacing that support a culture of thinking. Teachers will have five Faculty Academy days where students do not attend. These days are opportunities for our staff to think, alone and together, about each student's work and progress toward goals.
As we take this time for thoughtful evaluation, we ensure that our students are offered the most rigorous, yet personalized, instruction. Faculty Academy Days days are scheduled for the day before school starts, after the first month of classes, at the end of the fall semester, halfway through the spring semester, and after the last day of the school year.
Because we are committed to providing an excellent education for all students, our staff also works to continually develop our own growth in intellectual virtues, so that we may model the sort of thinking and learning that creates the desire to always want to know more.
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Fri, Sep 23 - Faculty Academy Day (no school)
Mon, Sep 26 - Bella Pizza FUNraiser
Mon, Sep 26 - Cross Country practice at 3:30
Wed, Sep 28 - Cross Country Meet
Wed, Sep 28 - Back to School Night
Fri, Sep 30 - Virtues Ceremony at 3:00 pm, parents welcome!
Sat, Oct 8, 6:00 - 10:00 pm - IVA Benefit Gala
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LOST! Make us FOUND:) Please check our Lost & Found rack on Fridays!
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You are Cordially Invited
October 8th
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THE EVENT
October 8, 2016
JOIN US AT
Intellectual Virtues Academy
6:00 pm
COCKTAIL ATTIRE REQUESTED
Gala will be held outdoors.
TICKET PRICES
Individual $100
Table of Ten $1,000
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To learn details about sponsorship opportunities, or to place an ad in our tribute journal, please contact Stephanie Robinette at 562-912-7017 or stephanie.robinette@gmail.com
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Counselor's Corner : School of Choice
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8th Grade Parent Activation Codes
We've been in communication with Jenni Brown, Administrator of School of Choice, about the next steps to creating ParentVue accounts for our 8th grade families. Surprisingly, of our 51 8th grade families, only 2 families need to contact the School of Choice to create an account. If you haven't received any contact from us recently (i.e., an email with subject line titled, "Schedule Appointment with Jenni Brown") then your account should fall into one of the two following categories:
1- You have already created a login and password for ParentVue. You can go to the ParentVue login page and use that to open your dashboard. If you've forgotten your password, there's a "forgot my password" link directly underneath the login button.
2- You have a ParentVue account created, but need an activation code.
We will be sending out emails today to our 8th grade families who need their activation code (approx. 27 families). Please look for the email with the subject line titled, "IVA ParentVue Activation Code." That email will have further instructions on how to activate your account.
As for LBUSD high school pathway information, our administrative staff (i.e., principal, counselor, and program administrator) are scheduled to meet with the School of Choice in the first week of October. From there, we will notify our 8th grade families on further points of contact to disperse more information in regards to the High School Choice process.
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School Messenger Alerts via Text!
School Messenger test text. We'll send a test message on Thursday, Sep 22. To opt in to texting, text 67587 and write the words OPT IN. If you don't receive the message on Sep 22, please let us know!
Clubs & After School Academy
October is club and after-school academy month! Parents - do you have a skill you would like to teach students? We are looking for volunteers to teach our After School Academy! In the past we have had ceramics, music, create your own website, handyman skills, creative writing and much more! Contact Danielle with your ideas and questions.
Will You Write a Letter of Support?
We'd love to share with our Charter authorizer, LBUSD, what IVA has meant to you, your student, and your family. Would you consider writing a letter? Our requested deadline is Monday, September 26. If interested, please send an email to Danielle Montiel. Thank you for considering!
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What do the grades in Illuminate mean?
What a good question!! In secondary school it definitely takes some investigation to know what each assignment is and how it is graded. Teachers go over these with students but a second review at home can provide a helpful one-on-one time!
If you are checking Illuminate to see how your child is doing - you might notice:
- An 'A' grade can be misleading - so can an 'F'
- An F?? Already?? -- Early in the semester, each new assignment will fluctuate a grade - a lot! One missing syllabus in a class with only two small assignments can tank a students grade.
- If there are any missed assignments - do this:
- Have the student go to office hours to ask the teacher about it, OR
- Have the student email the teacher to check in
- Encourage openness and respect! Teachers collect so many assignments on a daily basis. It could be that the name isn't on the paper, that the teacher hasn't put in the assignment yet, or that the assignment is still in the students' backpack. Teachers want to give credit to students for their work! Encourage your child to ask the teacher about the assignment to check in but (hopefully) without anxiety or attack.
- If the student was absent and is marked with a missing assignment or a zero - follow the same process as above.
- All A's?!? My job is done! -- Hold that thought - many classes have only assigned smaller activities that are graded for completion, engagement, or participation - but not yet for content understanding. IVA's curriculum in each class is based on units of study and all classes are heading into the performance task or big project portion of the first unit where students complete assignments that are be graded for understanding. This means grades will be impacted with much larger categories soon.
- Parents - help your child learn to look at the grade weight or category in Illuminate and remember - grades fluctuate at the beginning of the semester! Work to fix those missed assignments and get ready to focus energy on the larger weighted categories. Be prepared to have your child take advantage of redoing assignments in office hours if needed.
- IVA Teachers agree on common instructional practices and policies in line with our school's mission. These policies and teacher syllabi help explain how we set up a thoughtful, challenging, and supportive environment. Please have the student email the teacher or go to office hours for any questions.
Office Hours Encourage Communication
- IVA set aside 20 minutes on each day but Thursday so students can communicate with teachers - and complete, make up, or redo assignments. Have your child go to office hours if they are confused about any assignment or concept in any class!
IVA VISION: to equip students to engage the world with curiosity and thoughtfulness, to know themselves, and to live well.
We want our students to ask questions and have set up our bell schedule (block classes and office hours) and common instructional practices (retakes and late policies) so that we involve students in keeping track of their own learning and learn from mistakes. We believe in the growth of our students not just in content knowledge, but in the ability to communicate, use their resources, and be tenacious through struggle.
As grades on Illuminate begin to get more real (and include more than just syllabus-type completion assignments but rather grades based on quizzes, essays, projects, and larger tasks) help your child navigate! Help them know how to check in with teachers through office hours or how to send an email to a teacher.
To learn and live well,
Jacquie Bryant
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Cross Country
- Practices: this Wednesday (09.21) & next Monday (09.26) 3:30-4:45pm
- First meet NEXT Wednesday @ Kenneth Hahn Park @ 4pm (meet at IVA to carpool at 2:45pm)
- $30 registration fee cash or check to the front office or to Ms. McAdams
- Parent volunteers needed for transportation to the meet!
Please contact Ms. McAdams with any questions.
Upcoming Sports
- Basketball - winter (beginning in November)
- Track & Field - spring
- Soccer - spring
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The PTSA membership packet with a letter, membership slip, and volunteer form was sent home last week. Please return all payments and volunteer forms by Friday, Sept. 23rd.
PTSA will be at Back to School night on Sept. 28th and will be accepting cash, check or credit cards. This will be the last opportunity to pay for your student(s) ASB fee in person before the cutoff date of Oct 14th.
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