VAR Quarterly Newsletter!
December, 2023
VAR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER 12/2023
DR. DENAKER'S MESSAGE
Happy Holidays!
As the holiday season is upon us, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone for the incredible collaboration and support you have provided to the Virtual Academy of Rochester throughout the year.
May this holiday season bring you moments of joy, peace, and fulfillment. May you find time to rest, recharge, and celebrate with loved ones.
Looking ahead to the coming year, I am excited about the continued collaboration and positive impact we can make together. Thank you for being essential to the Virtual Academy of Rochester community, and wishing you and your team a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Warm regards,
Dr. Steven Denaker
Director of Learning Management Systems
Department of Information Management & Technology
QUARTER 1 HIGHLIGHTS
ESF Field Trip
VAR students from our dual credit SUNY ESF Global Environment class attended a field trip to the SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry campus in Syracuse. The group met with Professor Dr. Raxanne Razavi, Digital Support Specialist Jason Kohlbrenner, Librarian Casey Koons, and other ESF staff.
The first half of the morning students participated in a lecture on the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative of Lake Ontario. Students learned about the ongoing research, recorded their own questions and connections about Lake Ontario and recorded with Mr. Kohlbrenner for the ESF Podcast. The Podcast will premiere in January/February 2024.
Recording for the ESF Podcast
RCSD Campus Arrival
Participating in a Lecture
During the afternoon, the group talked to Admissions officers and received a behind the scenes tour of campus. At the last stop of our eventful field trip, students participated in a social media simulated game called Post or Perish with the SUNY ESF librarian. This digital game highlighted the importance of verifying science articles as factual before sharing them.
Notes and Collaboration
Combined Heat & Power Plant Tour
Green Rooftop Tour
Dual Credit Intro to Digital Photography 📸
Students in VAR's Dual Credit class with RIT, Intro to Digital Photography, have begun to use their cameras to photograph their world. An assignment of note is the 6 Word Memoir. Students came up with a 6 word sentence that had meaning to them. They then took photos to depict the sentence and arranged in a collage.
Here are some highlights (click to pop the image out and view larger):
Dual Credit Introductory Studio Art 🎨
Armani Holley used TinkerCad.com to design a 3D object after learning about the artist Ekow Nimako who uses black Legos to create futuristic Afrocentric cities. Take a look at a few images of Armani's digital work .
VAR MERCHANDISE
Come and Shop
Head's up! Your NEW 24/7 Virtual Academy of Rochester Sideline Store is officially up and running. To celebrate, we're offering fans an epic, month-long promotion--25% OFF sitewide when you use code SPIRIT. Stop reading and start shopping to score the latest fan wear and accessories. Then get out there and cheer on your team.
Check us out on social to learn more. Go Virtual Academy of Rochester!
🎉 STAND OUT STUDENTS
Nominated students of Quarter 1, 2023
Below are students nominated from VAR staff for their hard work and dedication in Quarter 1 of 2023!
Sarah Adams
Sarah performed exceptionally well in the first quarter, demonstrating remarkable self-motivation and drive. Their ability to complete tasks with outstanding quality was notable. Sarah effectively utilized feedback to enhance performance. I am impressed by their ability to maintain a consistent pace, learn independently, and self-correct efficiently. Sarah is a delightful addition to the virtual AP Computer Sci Principles class.
Nominated by: Mike Latragna
Maria Bilen
Maria was absent from school for a few weeks due to surgery, but stayed in communication with me, asked questions, worked on assignments at home and has stayed caught up. Maria consistently strives to do the best, ask questions, and demonstrate knowledge even under difficult circumstances!
Nominated by: Tara Spitzer
Lillian Brinkman
When Lillian reached out in June with introductions and to ask what they needed to do to prepare for the AP Spanish course over the summer, I suspected this would be a great student. Lillian has far surpassed expectations! They are an active student who does stellar work in class. Lillian's communication skills are outstanding as they does not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns and I look forward to seeing their smiling friendly face in the lab! So excited to see what the future brings for Lillian!
Nominated by: Cindy Sanfratello
Peyton Crony
Nominated by: Melissa Fiorella
Nyasia Green
Nyasia is always present in the lab and always super focused on the VAR courses. They were determined to finish P.E. 2 quickly and efficiently and willing to put the extra effort in to accomplish this goal. Nyasia worked with me in the lab and stayed after school as well. Congrats, Nyasia!
Nominated by: Michael Screen
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn worked very hard on the PE1 OCR course this Fall. Rarely needing help, they were able to submit quality work. Lauryn brings a positive attitude to the lab daily and is a pleasure to have in class. Congratulations on receiving an A in the course!
Nominated by: Ray Priel
Armani Holley
Armani has done a great job with all of the Dual Credit art assignments this year. This student really has an eye for composition and is mindful of craftsmanship. Armani's reflections are insightful, taking pride in the work submitted.
Nominated by: Sydney Friedrich
Quemiyah Miller
Quemiyah is a force to be reckoned with! Their determination and focus are unstoppable!
Nominated by: Melissa Fiorella
Mitzu Aung
Mitzu is like a quiet storm, unstoppable! Mitzu is passionate about learning and loyal to their studies. Persistence in AP Psychology has been paying off!
Nominated by: Melissa Fiorella & Sam Sacco
Grayce Peltz
Grayce has an outstanding work ethic. The drive and passion for learning displayed by this student is inspiring!
Nominated by: Melissa Fiorella
Lillian Rowe
Lillian was nominated TWICE!
Lillian has kept up with due dates and submits quality work in the Dual Credit Physical Activity and Health class. This student is always thoughtful with answers and is invested in the material.
Lillian is such a pleasure to work with! In our computer programming class, this student shows such focus and drive in coding. The programming they have done thus far is amazing! Lillian was able to complete the entire 1st semester course in a little more than a marking period, while balancing other virtual coursework in Millitello's course. Truly a superstar student; congrats Lillian!
Nominated by: Mike Militello & Matt Bonawitz
Jeisllyann Santiago-Perez
Jeisllyann worked incredibly hard since the beginning of the school year to finish the OCR Global I course. They did a great job of advocating, as well as being open to feedback on assignments and quizzes. Jeisllyann has since started working on Global II and has been working equally as hard on that course. We are looking to finish that course soon as well!
Nominated by: Stephen Sickles
Willie Sloan
Willie is one of the hardest-working students I have come across in the virtual labs. Not only have they completed TWO OCR courses already this year, they are nearly finished with another, and making tremendous progress in the Algebra 2 OCR course. Willie is always eager to get to work when I am at Wilson, and continues to strive to complete as much as possible during the period. Great job, Willie!
Nominated by: Matt Bonawitz
Sheleyana Torres
Sheleyana did outstanding work in P.E. 1. This student always asked questions when needed and was determined to submit quality work for every assignment. Sheleyana was never distracted in the lab and always used the time efficiently. Great job, Sheleyana!
Nominated by: Mike Screen
Jolly Uwase
Jolly is an exemplary student that inspires, values, and excels in all academic areas!! We are so proud of you!
Nominated by: Melissa Fiorella
Micael Vega
Micael has come a long way since transferring to Edison. Once a student that didn't care much about education, Micael has turned it around and is feverishly trying to catch up and get back on track to graduating. Micael is dedicated to changing this preconceived image and to being a well rounded student.
Nominated by: Ryan Wise
Leia Wilson
It has been a true pleasure to work with Leia. The work produced is outstanding and this student shows exceptional effort. Leia is always positive and pleasant. She shows great motivation and interest in the work by asking questions, completing work ahead of schedule and staying in touch. I am excited to see Leia grow as a photographer this year!
Nominated by: Susan Rudy
Jaslene Otero
Jaslene is doing exceptional work in the RIT Dual Credit Photo class. This student has maintained an amazing A+ in both marking periods and shows remarkable effort and motivation. Jaslene is always responsive and enthusiastic. It is a pleasure to work with Jaslene this year.
Nominated by: Susan Rudy
Gabriel Hatch
Gabriel is a very hard-working and dedicated student that always submits work on time, actively engages in class and achieves high grades. Gabriel is a very thoughtful student and the work produced reflects excellent critical thinking and curiosity. It is a pleasure to work with Gabriel this year!
Nominated by: Susan Rudy
ADVANCED PLACEMENT & DUAL CREDIT NEWS
Winter and Spring Field Trips
Intro to Digital Photography will be taking TWO field trips to RIT this school year!
- The 1st field trip will be February 7th.
- Some features of this trip will be participation in a film development class using 130 year techniques, a fashion photography demo with a renowned professor, gallery walks, and more!
- If you are in this class or have students in this class, please see Ms. Rudy for field trip forms and more details!
- The 2nd field trip will be April (exact date TBD).
- There will be a combination of hands on photography and other art experiences in combination with lectures from various faculty.
📌 Students should reach out to their Dual Credit teacher(s) or email VAR@rcsdk12.org for further information and field trip forms.
AP Exam Updates
Students should reach out to their teachers for more information about the exams, exam prep sessions, and their classwork.
Drop Process for AP & Dual Credit
The Virtual Academy of Rochester (VAR) offers our RCSD students an opportunity to take advanced courses while in high school. VAR offers a variety of AP classes, as well as dual credit classes with SUNY Potsdam, SUNY ESF, and RIT. As a reminder, AP and Dual Credit course fees are paid for by the district. The AP test fees or the college registration fees are paid in the fall for all students registered. As a result, we have established drop deadlines for AP and Dual Credit courses. For any student that may wish to drop a VAR AP/Dual class, the encouraged deadline is September 30th, but this must be done at the very latest by November 1st for full-year or first-semester courses. Drop deadlines for Dual Credit second-semester classes is March 1st.
Once we are past the drop deadlines, students should not withdraw from the course without counselor approval. Please reach out to the VAR counselor (Wendy Nicholas) and VAR registrar (Jen Coon) to discuss the options. Students dropping a dual credit course should be reminded that a failing grade will stay on their college transcript, as we are past the college deadline to withdraw from a course. It is strongly recommended that the student meets with their ACA Advocate to weigh their options.
Please note it is imperative that both students and parents understand the commitment to AP and Dual Credit courses prior to enrollment in the courses.
Crystal Clark
Director of Student Support Services
Steven Denaker
Director of Learning Management Systems
IMPORTANT DATES!
🖥️ Online MPR Enrollment Opened for MP1
November 20th, 2023
Progress Grades input in PTG
December 22, 2023
End of MP2/S1
January 26, 2024