Shark Bytes

Each week we share a reason to celebrate a Virtual Academy classmate. Do you have something great to share? Do you have something you'd like to share about another Virtual Academy student? Please fill out this form.

Congratulations to all of the Virtual Academy Seniors who will be receiving their High School Diplomas at the end of the month! The Virtual Academy teachers are so proud and excited for your next adventures!

The top five things you need to know for this week!

Please remember, that while we only have a handful of weeks left in the school year the following expectations still apply:

• Students must attend all Google Meets
• Cameras must be on
• You must be viewable in the camera and showing that you are actively listening and learning
• Chat must be academic and related to the lesson
• Assignments must be turned in by their due dates
• Students should check their email regularly for updates from their teachers and other Virtual Academy staff

We've had a tremendous year so far, so please don't give in to the easy temptations of doing a Google Meet while doing something else. You need to be in a safe and available learning environment!

Summer Meals/Parent Signup:

Coming this summer "to-go" meals for the summer will be available at LHS, CHS, OES and SRMS offering 5 day meal pick up on Monday’s starting June 10th. Parents must pre-register their children by filling out the form linked below or bringing them to the site when they pick up meals.

Sign up at this link: https://forms.gle/pcw6k1fuK7PXxaJi9

HAC Report Card Screen (viewing access for seniors)

• Open Friday, May 24th at 5:00 pm

• Close Sunday, June 2nd

• *This timeframe allows seniors and families to view/print grades and/or transcripts. After this Graduates would then have to reach out to home schools for printed copies of documentation.

HAC Report Card Screen (viewing access for underclassmen)

• Open Thursday, June 13th

• Close Tuesday, June 25th

Teacher appreciation day is Wednesday, May 8. Consider sending your teacher(s) an email with a favorite story from this school year and a brief note of gratitude for helping you succeed in your classes.

Creating Videos in Canva

You can quickly and easily create videos in Canva that can be shared out to your teacher or added to Schoology. There are tons of templates that allow you to drag and drop media right into the video. You can also use elements right from Canva or upload your own.

To save a video, click on the Download button, then click “Download.” This will download the video into your Downloads folder. To share the video, click on the three dots. Then, click “Share Link” and then “Copy.”

• Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - Biology State Test sections 1 & 2 (graduation requirement)
• Friday, May 10, 2024 - Two hour early dismissal

• Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - No School for students (primary election day)
• Wednesday, May 15, 2024 - Biology State Test sections 3 & 4 (graduation requirement

• Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - Government State Test sections 1 & 2 (graduation requirement)

• Monday, May 27, 2024 - No School for students, schools closed (Memorial Day)
• Wednesday, May 29, Government State Test sections 3 & 4 (graduation requirement)
• Wednesday May 29, 2024 - Chopticon Graduation
• Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Leonardtown Graduation
• Friday, May 31, 2024 - Great Mills Graduation

• Friday, June 7, 2024 - Last day of the 2023-2024 school year

If you are a graduating senior, you'll need to turn in your SMCPS laptop, and all accessories in order to attend graduation. You'll also have to turn in any textbooks and pay any outstanding debt.

Please be sure to mark your calendars for the following drop off times:

• 📢 📢 📢 Friday, May 17 from 8 am - 3 pm (front office of the Virtual Academy) This is the same day as the home high school. 📢 📢 📢

• Monday, May 20 from 8 am to 2 pm (front office of the Virtual Academy)
• Tuesday, May 21 from 8 am to 11 am (front office of the Virtual Academy)
• Wednesday, May 22 from 1 pm to 3 pm (front office of the Virtual Academy).

If you cannot attend, you will need to email Ms. Cabanacan (eacabanacan@smcps.org) to make other arrangements.

You will receive an email from Ms. Cabanacan with the list of items checked out to you so you can be sure to bring it all at once when you come to the Virtual Academy. Look for an email from Ms. Cabanacan.

Info for underclassmen:

* all returning VA students will keep their SMCPS laptops

* all students returning to their home schools will exchange their devices the first week of June.

State tests are required for graduation. Please plan on coming to the Virtual Academy for each scheduled day for each content you are currently taking. More information will be sent directly to each student and guardian involved. This section will remain in the S'More for easy reference during the testing weeks.

Spring Testing Information

ELA 10, Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, and Government

Wednesdays in April and May

Drop Off - 8:45 a.m. Pick Up - 11:45 a.m.

Biology

May 8: Sections 1 and 2

May 15: Sections 3 and 4

Government

May 22: Sections 1 and 2

May 29: Sections 3 and 4

Having trouble getting to Google Meets, Schoology, using your camera, mic or other tech problem? If so, reach out to Ms. Barker for help! Contact her at ajbarker@smcps.org or call the Virtual Academy at 301-863-4090 and dial 16122 to talk to her directly.

Ms. Barker is also reaching out to student whom the teachers have reported are having difficulty.

This site is created and managed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Here you can use many tools to search colleges throughout Maryland. You can run searches based on college type, degree offerings, population and location.

https://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/colleges_universities/index.aspx