We are entering Week 3 of the 2024-2025 school year! Our Drop/Add period is ending in the next couple of days. Please take time to review your students' schedules to ensure they are enrolled in the proper courses. Reach out to the school counselor if any changes are needed.

In this update, there are several Cultural Events listed, so mark your calendar! I will keep the A-Z topics in the newsletter until the middle of September. If you haven't already, please review the video for Back to School Night. Teacher videos are also linked below.

Finally, this week, we ended our grace period for student work completion. Please be advised that if students do not complete assignments by the WEDNESDAY 11:59 PM due date, they will be marked absent retroactively for each day prior. All assignments MUST be submitted by 11:59 PM on SUNDAY as well.

Thank you for your continued partnership in ensuring that all of our students succeed! Have a lovely weekend ahead!

Sincerely,

Dr. Kecia Nesmith

Principal of the Downingtown Cyber Academy and Supervisor of Teaching & Learning

9/13 - Spread the Word to End the Word Football Game

9/24 - Cultural Equity Task Force Meeting

9/26 - The Importance of Hispanic Heritage Month

9/27 - Culture Fest

10/3 - No School - Rosh Hashana

DCA/BVA K-6 students will follow the CCIU Brandywine Virtual Academy calendar. See more in BVA sections below.

DCA 7-12 students will follow the same calendar and letter day sas the DASD brick-and-mortar schools, including early dismissals, two-hour delays, and inclement weather days.

• Mark Your Calendars! On Friday, September 13th, join us at 7:00 PM at Kottmeyer Stadium for an inspiring evening at the "Spread the Word to End the Word" football game!
• The Downingtown High School East chapter of Best Buddies International, with support from the Eagles Autism Foundation, is excited to host the school's 12th annual "Spread the Word" campaign. Let’s come together to make a positive impact!
• Ticket Sales: Tickets will be available for online purchase starting about a week before the event at https://my.hometownticketing.com/agency/4d6a63f7-86d4-433b-b016-f0a4c6f4096.

First Meeting is on September 24,2024, at 3:45 pm

The purpose of the DASD Cultural Equity Task Force (CETF) is to ensure equity for students, staff and families by eliminating bias and inequities in our classrooms and in our schools. The CETF supports enacting policies, procedures and practices that are both culturally responsive and culturally sustaining. Join our team by contacting JBrown@dasd.org.

Downingtown Area School District Celebrates Latino/a/x and Hispanic Heritage Month with Special Guest Actress Maria Canals-Barrera on Sept 26th at 6pm via Zoom. DASD will host acclaimed actress Maria Canals-Barrera, known for her iconic roles in Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Camp Rock," for an engaging discussion on the significance of Latino/a/x and Hispanic Heritage Month and how her cultural background has shaped her successful career.

Register Today: Click Here To Register

3rd Annual DASD Culture Fest on Friday, September 27 from 5 - 8 P.M. at the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center.
Join us for a vibrant celebration of global cultures and community spirit! Entertainment will be provided by a diverse array of talented student musicians, singers, and dancers, each showcasing their unique cultural heritage. These performances will represent a rich tapestry of countries, bringing together a variety of musical and dance traditions for a truly immersive experience. In addition to the cultural performances, food lovers will delight in the wide array of culinary offerings available for purchase. A variety of food trucks will be on site, each featuring delectable dishes from around the world. This exciting event is FREE to attend and is proudly sponsored by the Downingtown Community Education Foundation and the Downingtown Area School District's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative. Furthermore, all proceeds from this event will directly benefit the Marsh Creek 6th Grade Center Library.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/culture-fest-2024-tickets-916114973547

DCA 7-12 students will NO LONGER be required to complete attendance check-ins in Infinite Campus.

• Attendance for grades 7-8 Zooms will be taken by the teacher.
• Teachers will note asynchronous attendance for grades 7-12 via “Work Submission Checkpoints”, on Wednesdays and Sundays. 33 and .5 credit classes may have only one checkpoint. Check with your teacher.
• Students who do not complete any work in their classes over a week (assignments, discussion board posts, etc.) from Monday - Wednesday and/or Thursday - Sunday will be contacted, possibly deemed absent. and be retroactively marked absent at each checkpoint. .

This change to attendance AND work submission due dates is a result of feedback from students and families to mitigate unwarranted truancy letters and to better engage students in their courses throughout the week. If students cannot complete work during the week (e.g., participating in a competition), the parent/guardian should contact cyber_attendance@dasd.org before the event.

***Attendance in the cyber environment is critical. Students attend either live Zoom sessions, Office Hours, or Drop-In Help times. They also ATTEND to and ENGAGE in their daily and weekly asynchronous learning activities, assignments, and assessments.

Students who demonstrate a significant lack of engagement in their online learning courses may benefit best from in-person learning.

DCA students follow the same calendar and letter days as the brick-and-mortar schools, including inclement weather early dismissals, or delays. In the event of an early dismissal or a two-hour delay, students should check Schoology for any adjusted Zoom times.

Teachers will post all the material for classes on Monday.

Work is due by the end of the day at 11:59 PM each WEDNESDAY and SUNDAY.

Due dates may vary for .33/.5 credit courses.

DASD Service Desk

• New service requests for Technology, Transportation, and the Print Shop should be submitted via https://servicedesk.dasd.org.
• If needed, here are specific printable directions for students, parents, and employees. Video directions for parents and community members can be found here.

All students who are enrolled in the Downingtown Area School District are eligible to enroll in the Downingtown Cyber Academy at specific times during the school year. It is expected that students pass all of their courses to remain a part of our program. Students who do not maintain passing grades and/or attendance in their cyber courses will be placed on probation (meaning given additional supports), potentially disenrolled in our program, and re-enrolled in the home school building for relevant courses. More information to come regarding this policy as we determine processes and procedures.

Devices should have been from home schools for grade 9 or new students. Students in grades K-6 must have a DASD-issued Chromebook. Please contact us at cyberacademy@dasd.org if your child does not have a device. K-6 students who have a DASD ipad must turn it in for a Chromebook.

The Downingtown Cyber Academy is considered a program and not a school. Therefore, all full-time and part-time students are still considered students in their home buildings. They will retain the same counselors and are allowed to use the facilities during the school day, such as the library or counseling office. They are also encouraged to participate in any clubs, activities, sports, and events at their home high school.

All DCA parents will continue to receive newsletters from their home principals for this reason!

Whether your child is enrolled in the Downingtown Cyber Academy Full-Time or Part-Time, they are dual-enrolled in their home school. To access schedules and information for each school/program, you will need to TOGGLE between the Enrollment Drop Down. See the image below.

Please note: If your child is a DCA Part-Time student, DCA courses will only show up under the 24-25 Downingtown Cyber 6-12 tab and courses in the home school will show up under that school's tab.

Click here to access directions and tutorials to log on to our student information and course platforms.

If any materials are needed, your child's teacher will let you know when and where to pick them up. Most materials are in an online format for grades 7-12.

Grades 7-12 School Day - 8:00 am - 2:45 PM

School Start Times

Student Day Schedule

Period

1. 8:00-8:50

2. 8:54-9:39

3. 9:43-10:28

4 .10:32-11:17

Lunch and Learn 11:19-11:49/11:49-12:20

5. 12:22-1:07

6. 1:11-1:56

7. 2:00-2:45

Please view and complete the short assessment in the presentation below.

At the Downingtown Cyber Academy, we believe in a personalized approach to learning versus a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. We offer personalized learning plans for students in grades 7-8 regarding synchronous learning (Zooms).

Zooms are required for all middle school students unless the parents have signed a Personalized Learning Plan Agreement.

7th to 8th-grade families can decide between the following:

• No PLPA (default option): Zoom meetings are required, and students must attend.
• PLPA (requires approval): Zoom meetings are optional. Students are not required to attend as long as they maintain good standing in all classes and complete their work each week.

Families must have a valid reason for requesting a PLPA. These reasons could include, but are not limited to:

• Part-time students who have a brick-and-mortar class scheduled at the same time as their DCA Zoom.
• Part-time or full-time students who have internships or who are in work/study programs.
• Athletes who have intensive training during school hours.
• Full-time students in different time zones.

All Zoom meetings will be recorded and must be watched if they are not attended. Families who wish to apply for a PLPA should complete this form. Please do not email cyberacademy@dasd.org.

HIGH SCHOOL: ***PLEASE NOTE: Students in grades 9-12 DO NOT NEED A Personalized Learning Plan.

Purpose: Preparing for summative assessments is an essential skill for middle/high school students, and our role as educators is to help build their capacity for future academic success. The DCA Retake/Revision Policy is designed to support students as they learn to meet the rigors of middle/high school academics while encouraging them to put forth their best effort on each assessment opportunity and demonstrate mastery of the learned material.

Uniform Expectations:

• All Students will complete the linked DCA Assessment Retake_Revision Application before retaking an assessment.

• Students will complete all required assignments leading up to the assessment before retaking an assessment.

• Students will complete an Action Plan determined by the student and teacher before retaking the assessment.

Please select the link below to read the entire policy:

Whether your student is in the DCA part-time or full-time, the role of the parents/guardians/caretakers is very important.You can help their child be successful by:

• encouraging your student to create a calendar of Zoom/Office Hours/Drop-In Help times.
• help your student create a weekly to-do list.
• verify that lessons and assignments are completed in Schoology by Wednesday & Sunday.
• communicate with the teachers if the student is struggling.
• monitor grades and attendance in Campus and Schoology.

Suggested school supplies can be found on our website!

If your child has an IEP or a GIEP, the case manager should be reaching out to you if they haven't already to discuss supports for the student's cyber education.

New to the DCA? We've put together some student and parent tutorials to help you get acclimated. Please visit our website for tutorials on Google, Schoology, Infinite Campus and Zoom.

Students and families will receive weekly updates from the DCA Admin Team. You can read past updates on our website.

Part-time students in grades 7-12 may have some scheduling conflicts concerning Zoom/Office Hour times due to classes in the brick-and-mortar buildings.

If this is the case, there are a few ways to address this problem:

Grades 7-8

1. Request a Personalized Learning Plan Agreement to Opt-Out of Zooms- Grades 7-8 only.
2. Watch the recordings of the class - 7-8 Only.
3. Attend Office Hours/Drop In Help to get support from multiple DCA teachers.
4. Let your teachers know about this conflict so that they arrange another mutually agreeable time to meet with you.

Grades 9-12

1. Attend Office Hours/Drop In Help to get support from multiple DCA teachers.
2. Let your teachers know about this conflict so that they arrange another mutually agreeable time to meet with you.

All DCA students are considered students in their home buildings even if they are full-time DCA. Please check your child's school below for upcoming events and activities in which they can participate!

We are partnering with the Brandywine Virtual Academy (BVA) within the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to provide instruction and teachers for students in grades K-6 who wish to learn online. Students will follow the school year calendars provided by the BVA.

Please visit our DCA website at dc.dasd.org for more information.

Backpack Resources

K-6 Brandywine Virtual Academy website - https://www.cciu.org/bva

Email: cyberacademy@dasd.org
Website: dc.dasd.org
Location: 540 Trestle Place, Downingtown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-269-8460
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dca
Twitter: @dasd_dca