Edmonds eLearning Academy

Happy December Students and Families!

These last few weeks have been challenging at EeLA. We’ve had staff, students, and families that have been facing family emergencies, loss, and the current cold and flu that doesn’t seem to let go. We’ll also be doing our Signs of Suicide lesson today in Parliament classes. (Don’t forget that attendance is optional for this one.) With these weighty events, I think it is more important than ever to make sure we are all taking time for self-care.

The question I would like you all to consider is, how are you taking care of yourself right now? We each have things that bring us peace and calm. I encourage you all, even if it’s just for five minutes, to take a break today and do something that helps you be happy, peaceful, calm, safe, warm, or any other emotion that meets your needs right now.

Please know that we are here for you. If you are experiencing challenging times right now, we can be part of your support team.

• School Counselor: Jamie Regis, regisja@edmonds.wednet.edu

• Family Resource Advocate: Maria Garcia, garciam@edmonds.wednet.edu

• Attendance: Saundra Whittemore, whittemores479@edmonds.wednet.edu

• Office Manager: Katie Coffman, coffmank965@edmonds.wednet.edu

• Principal: Kim Hunter, hunterk@edmonds.wednet.edu

I sincerely hope that you have a December that includes self-care and joy.

~ Principal Kim

December 11-14: To make time for Student Led Conferences (SLCs), the Help hub will be closed in the morning and the CRC will only be open for students that need to take tests before winter break. Both the Help Hub and CRC will be open from 1:00-4:00.

December 16-January 1: Winter Break (No School)

During the break, no additional assignments will be added and you are not expected to work, but it is a great time to catch up if you are behind.

Keep in mind, teachers don't work over the break so make sure you get past a test or other assignment that needs a teacher to move forward!

Allyship, added to the dictionary in 2021, is defined as "the status or role of a person who advocates and actively works for the inclusion of a marginalized or politicized group in all areas of society, not as a member of that group but in solidarity with its struggle and point of view and under its leadership."

Izak Scheel is a dedicated student who consistently strives to learn more. He advocates for himself by asking questions and attending the Zoom Help Hub. Izak is always courteous and appreciative of his teachers' support. He never ceases to impress us with his growth as a student and person.

Congratulations Izak!! We are so proud of you!

As you've likely heard by now, the 2024-2025 FAFSA application will open December 31, 2023. This year includes major changes, along with a streamlined and redesigned form, and will expand eligibility for federal aid. The WASFA application will be be available in December; an exact release date has not been set. In future years, both FAFSA and WASFA plan to open their applications on October 1st, as they have in the past.

Do you want more money and more options?

If you want to secure a better future, further education and training beyond high school can lead to a good job, higher wages, and more. Financial aid like the Washington College Grant helps make college, trade school, or technical school affordable.

Why apply for college or training? Adults with a college degree or certificate:

• Are more likely to enjoy their work.
• Can change careers more easily.
• Are less likely to be unemployed.
• Live longer, healthier lives.
• Earn around $1 million more over their career than high school graduates.

Need to start working sooner than later? Move beyond minimum wage with an apprenticeship or other job training. Even a one-year program at a community college or technical college can increase your future earnings. In an apprenticeship, you earn while you learn. In many cases, apprentices can get paid to work and use financial aid to cover out-of-pocket costs like tuition, fees, and materials.

Put your passion to work. More education means more job stability and higher earnings—for life.

Learn more and plan your future on the Washington Student Achievement Council website.

• College Knowledge materials (23 digital handouts, covering the most requested college readiness topics. Offered in the top five languages spoken at home by students in Washington State: English, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese. Materials will be ADA accessible)
• College Success Foundation: calendar of Financial Aid webinars for staff & practitioners
• College Success Foundation: calendar of Financial Aid webinars for students & families
• Financial Aid Toolkit: Puget Sound College & Career Network shares a toolkit that includes common scenarios & strategies, promotional materials, and student & family resources!
• 12th Year Campaign resources (this WSAC initiative boosts college and financial aid application rates in Washington by helping those working with high school seniors and their families complete applications for college admissions and financial aid.)
• WSAC Financial Aid Resources Padlet

The BECU Foundation Scholarship opens Dec. 1, 2023 and closes Jan. 31, 2024. This renewable scholarship can be awarded for up to two years. Sixty-four students will be selected to receive 2-year awards worth $2,500 per year for up to $5,000. Eligible students may attend 2-year or 4-year colleges or universities.

CSF's new Empowering Equality Scholarship directly challenges the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn race-conscious college admissions policies by offering financial aid and steadfast support to historically marginalized students. Your support will provide financial assistance, skill development, and invaluable networking opportunities in pursuit of creating a just and inclusive educational terrain. We eagerly anticipate awarding and celebrating our first recipients in early 2024.

My name is Maria Garcia and I am the Family Resource Advocate for Edmonds eLearning Academy. Part of my role includes connecting students and families with school/community resources such as housing, food, clothing, transportation services, etc. as well as helping families with accessing mental health, health care, and drug/alcohol resources.

This month, we are focusing on progress reports. Parents/Guardians, please reach out if I can help you with accessing and understanding your student's progress report.

If you have any questions, I may be reached at garciam@edmonds.wednet.edu or 425-431-7128. Wishing you all a successful school year!

Did you know that Edmonds eLearning Academy conducts home visits for students and families? We made over 100 home visits last school year. Our goal is to seek out students that we haven’t heard from, that we’re concerned about their academic progress, or that we think would benefit from additional support and resources and bring that support to their doorstep. If you find our smiling faces on your doorstep, we hope you will be open to talking to us about how we can support you and your family best.

*Our home visits are unannounced unless they are at your request.

Reminder: Before you can access your class in Edgenuity, make sure you log into your Maestro dashboard and click on the "Launch Your Class" button. If you have any questions, please reach out to the team in the office. We can help if you are having difficulty accessing your classes.

Our on-campus support classroom is open Monday through Thursday from 9:45am-4:00pm. Students can drop in at any time to ask questions, get one-on-one help from teachers, or just have a quiet place to work.

*CRC will be closed in the morning the week of December 11-14

The CRC will follow district holiday and half-day schedules.

Prefer to meet virtually? You can also access academic support on Zoom. Drop in anytime between 9:45am-4pm, Monday through Thursday.

Links to virtual support sessions can be found on our school's Google Calendar, which will be included in students' welcome emails from their teachers or accessed through the student's dashboard.

*Help Hub will be closed in the morning the week of December 11-14

Did you know that you can drop into the eLearning Writing Center to get help with your essays or other writing assignments? You can also submit drafts to get teacher feedback before turning in your final draft! Take advantage of this great, free resource every Monday through Thursday from 9:45-12:15 and 1:00-3:30.

https://sites.google.com/edmonds.wednet.edu/elearningwritingcenter/home

Our goal at Edmonds eLearning Academy is to partner with families to ensure that students are meeting their attendance requirements. One of the most powerful ways to prepare a student for success in life is through regular school attendance.

How do we take attendance at EeLA?

Attendance is monitored through weekly contact. Our weeks start on Sunday and end Saturday at midnight. To be marked present, students are required to make two-way academic contact with at least one teacher, one time per week. Academic progress in classes is not the same as weekly contact, and parent/guardian contact does not count towards weekly contact.

Examples of weekly contact include but are not limited to:

• A student discussing feedback with their teacher to improve a writing assignment or a student meeting with their teacher in a Zoom session to gain a greater understanding of mathematical concepts.

• A student messaging their teachers through Maestro Message Center to discuss their goals for the week in their EeLA class(es).

• A student/teacher phone call to check in about progress, goals, or any questions the student has.

If a student has valid justification for missing weekly contact, as defined by the Edmonds School Board, a guardian must contact the attendance office within two school days, and provide valid justification and documentation to excuse the missed contact. The attendance office phone number is 425-431-3908. Alternatively, guardians can complete the Absence Excuse Form.

Attendance is a mandatory requirement and must be fulfilled as part of your student’s enrollment at EeLA. Consequences for missed weekly contact without valid justification are as follows:

• One week of missed contact - Student and guardian are notified of an unexcused absence by email address on file.

• Two consecutive or three cumulative weeks - A mandatory student and parent conference will be scheduled by email. The student’s needs will be evaluated and a written improvement plan will be established.

• Four cumulative missed contacts: A letter will be mailed home informing parents/guardians that the student is at-risk of a truancy referral.

• Five consecutive or six cumulative weeks - EeLA is required to refer the student and parent for truancy as stated in WAC 392-550-040.

Email: coffmank965@edmonds.wednet.edu
Website: https://elearning.edmonds.wednet.edu/
Location: 7501 208th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036, USA
Phone: 425-431-7298