Shark Bytes
An update from the Virtual Academy
Week of January 1, 2024
Student Spotlight
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.
President's Volunteer Service Award: Ireland Webb!
Please congratulate Ireland Webb (LHS '24) for her President's Volunteer Service Award! In order to receive this award, Ireland had to volunteer a minimum of 175 hours over the last 12 months with the AmeriCorps. She's been able to volunteer while keeping a nearly straight A average in all classes! Way to go Ireland!
Top Five in Five
The top five things you need to know for this week!
1. School Resumes Tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 (tomorrow) we will resume school with our normal full 8 period day schedule. Please remember, it is important to attend every scheduled class and content support meeting in order to finish the marking period strong!
2. Ending the marking period strong!
The end of the marking period is Friday, January 26, 2024. That is just 4 weeks from this Friday!
Make sure you are on top of your assignments and if you have any marking period recovery in EDGENUITY, it MUST be finished with a relative grade of 60% or higher by 1/26/24 to receive a grade change from marking period 1.
3. Evening Counseling - REMINDER
SMCPS is once again offering School-Based Counseling Support in the evening for SMCPS students. Counseling support focuses on the following areas: Healthy Relationships, Social Skills, Self-Esteem, Stress Management, Worry, Sadness, and Emotional Regulation. Services will be located at Margaret Brent Middle School and Greenview Knolls Elementary School on Tuesday evenings from 4-7:30 p.m. Please complete the Parent Contact Form for Evening Counseling to request services
4. Email Etiquette
Starting in January, any emails sent without proper formatting, spelling, punctuation and grammar could be sent back to the student for a revision.
Students: please fill out this you fill out this form no later than Wednesday (reminder emails will be sent via Google Form!
5. Tech Tip of the Week
Use your Google Calendar!
Do you have a big assignment due in a few weeks? Do you have a content support meeting you need to attend? Try scheduling events in your Google Calendar and add notifications (you can be emailed a reminder of the event, or alerted with a pop up. Read more about how to use the calendar to your advantage HERE.
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Upcoming dates
- Tuesday, January 2, 2024 - Classes Resume
- Wednesday, January 3, 2024 - Winter Testing for identified students
- Tuesday - Thursday, January 9 - 11; FAFSA nights (see counselor corner)
- Wednesday, January 10, 2024 - Winter Testing for identified students
- Monday, January 15, 2024 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School
- Wednesday, January 17, 2024 - Winter Testing Make-Ups for identified students
- Thursday, January 18, 2024 - Tech Expo (see below)
- Friday, January 26, 2024 - 2 hour early dismissal, End of MP 2
FORREST CENTER PRESENTING THE 24th ANNUAL TECH EXPO
Thursday, January 18th, 2024; Leonardtown, MD - The Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center (Forrest Center) will facilitate its twenty-fourth annual Forrest Center Tech Expo on Thursday, January 18, 2024. The following sessions will be available for students to visit their favorite programs.
Doors open at 5:30 pm
Session 1: 5:45-6:00 pm
Session 2: 6:05-6:20 pm
Session 3: 6:25-6:40 pm
Session 4: 6:45-7:00 pm
Session 5: 7:05-7:20 pm
Q&A with Counselors and additional time to visit programs: 7:30-8:00 pm
The purpose of the Forrest Center Tech Expo is to familiarize students and parents with Career and Technology Education (CTE) career options offered by the St. Mary’s County Public Schools. This is an opportunity to meet Forrest Center Staff and learn about the 21 completer programs as well as our five elective classes. High school counselors will be available to answer questions about career clusters and to assist students in planning their academic pathway.
For more information, visit the Forrest Center website, http://schools.smcps.org/tech or email questions to techcenter@smcps.org .
TECH HELP!
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.
Support VA
Support the Virtual Academy!
To help fund our MTSS events and purchase small rewards for our students, we will be hosting a few fundraisers this year.
The first one is our SquadLocker Spirit Wear sale. You can shop anytime day or night and 15% of the sale comes directly back to the Virtual Academy to support our students. Use this LINK to shop.