Can you believe it? School starts in just TWO weeks from today!!

We're are excited to get the new year started and know that it will be a fantastic school year.

If you are returning to the Virtual Academy, you know that I publish this weekly newsletter on Monday mornings for the week ahead. Once school is started, I will continue on that same schedule. If you are new to the Virtual Academy, you can expect this newsletter in your inbox at 7 am Monday mornings to help you prepare for the week. Please be sure to always read this newsletter, as it will contain information from the home schools (when available) as well as important things you'll be expected to know and be aware of.

There are some changes that were made to the Virtual Academy as we were impacted by the ending of a COVID related grant fund. But don't worry

This year's Open House will be a little different and we're excited for this change.

Purpose: All NEW students of the Virtual Academy as well as those that are returning for another year are invited to come to an Open House Orientation to ensure the school year is off to a smooth start. If attending, students should schedule to be here during the full duration. If students choose not to attend, they will be responsible for understanding each of the items listed in the agenda portion of this document.

Date: Monday, August 19, 2024

Time(s): Choose ONE of the following:

9:00 am - 10:30 am

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Location: Virtual Academy Professional Development Center located at 20833 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653

RSVP: Please RSVP using this LINK, space is limited in each session.

What to bring: Students need to bring their fully charged laptop and mouse (optional). New students to the VA may swap out their home school laptop up to 30 minutes prior to the Open House Orientation to ensure it is fully set up.

We're asking students and families to RSVP (let us know when you're coming) by using this Google Form.

Additional details can be found on this flyer

Due to recent changes in Google Workspaces for education, students who would like to use Google Tools beyond the basics of:

• GMail
• Google Calendar
• Google Documents
• Google Spreadsheets
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings

Will need to have a parent sign the Authorized Usage Policy for SMCPS, which you can find here. These applications include platforms such as (but not limited to):

• Google Books
• Google Earth
• Google Maps
• Google News
• Google Translate
• Third-Party App Backups
• YouTube

If you need additional information regarding these changes you can find them by Google Workspace for Education St. Mary’s County Public Schools

Ready to see your scheduled classes? Good news!!

Home Access Center (HAC) will open on Friday, August 16th at 5:00 pm. If you are unfamiliar with HAC, please use this link to learn about how to log in. If you have trouble logging in, please contact your home school's front office for assistance. Unfortunately, we're unable to help.

Please keep in mind that while you maybe able to see your classes in other locations, schedule changes are still happening, so please rely on HAC only for your official schedule.

An email went out earlier this summer, but in case you missed it or were accepted to the Virtual Academy after the email was sent, on October 9, 2024, your home high schools will give the PSAT to all students in 10th grade, sophomores as well as any juniors(11th grade) who pre-register with SMCPS for the test. All sophomores will automatically be registered for the test. Juniors who want to take the PSAT will need to complete this form by August 29, 2024

If you haven't had a chance to use your computer this summer, please plug it in, turn it on and run any updates. It might take a few minutes to a few hours for the update to reach your computer, so please be patient.

If you would rather, you can manually update the computer by

1. Make sure that your device is connected to the internet.
2. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , and then select Check for updates.

Here's the items on your supply list!

• A good night sleep each school night
• A self-managed routine that allows you to complete your assigned work on time.
• Understanding our Shark Expectations (will review at open house/orientation).
• Accountability for one's actions (including completing honest and authentic school work).
• A quiet place to work and attend your Google Meets
• Responsibility for ensuring your computer is charged and working
• Ensuring you are in a location best suited for a Google Meet (not in the car, a restaurant, salon, etc).

These will be linked whenever they are available.