Online Learning Academy - PPS
May 2023 Newsletter
Principal Message
Dear OLA Families,
It seems like just yesterday that I wrote my first welcome to OLA in September 2021. So much has happened at OLA since that time. We have had the distinct honor of serving your students with the amazing support of you - our OLA families. From the early moments we felt your energy and we hope that our efforts to welcome and educate your children have been meaningful and memorable.
Here at OLA, your children have learned not just the academics we offered, but the important skills of time management, self advocacy, organization, persistence, and reflecting on their learning face to face with their teachers. I do hope that this online learning experience prepares them for a range of opportunities for learning in a variety of modes as they progress through their education. I believe each OLA student will discover that their online learning experience just opened up a world of possibilities.
I want to take a moment to thank the entire OLA staff for their persistence and creativity over the past two years. They embraced opening a new school with all the energy and care that was needed to make OLA a special place from day 1. They demonstrated so much flexibility given that we had no infrastructure on day 1!! They learned a new curriculum, a new Learning Management system and they got to know kids all within days of being hired. On a daily basis they took on new systems and workflows, and all the while, they provided a meaningful education for kindergarteners through 12th graders. I am still in awe of this staff for all of their hard work and dedication to the OLA community.
And to all of you… thank you for entrusting the OLA staff with your children. Thank you for your patience as we built OLA. Thank you for making sure your students got online everyday… no small feat we know! We have so enjoyed their smiles, their creativity, and their wonderfully unique personalities. It has been special for us to get to know each and every one of them.
So… reluctantly I share that this is our final newsletter…. As our awesome seniors graduate this week and prepare themselves for a positive future, all of the OLA staff are also getting ready for a new future both in and out of PPS. We are collectively deeply sad that we will not be with all of you next fall.
Wishing each of you a restful summer .. and thank you again. We will miss all of you.
Mrs. H
Diane Berthoin-Hernández
Principal, OLA and Virtual Scholars
Counseling Corner
K-8 Families:
To our wonderful, amazing OLA students and families It has been such a joy traveling together through this memorable year. It has been a pleasure being your School Counselor and getting to know you and the things that make you special! You will be missed! This is a bittersweet moment for all of us, but please remember that with all endings there are also beginnings. Your next chapter is waiting for you and the skills you learned at OLA will make that next chapter even more successful. You will all do great things!
If you are having a difficult time with this transition, talk to a trusted adult, feel your feelings and know that it is normal to feel sad about something coming to an end. (I know I am!)
Here are links to the 5th and 8th grade transition presentations that I have been doing this month:
Summer is a time for rest and self care. Remember to:
*Move more, sit less
*Stay hydrated
*Stick to your school sleep schedule as much as you can
*Eat whole foods
*Read, read, read or find something to keep your brain active
*Talk to a trusted adult when you are having strong feelings
* Do anything that brings you joy!!!!
Have the best summer ever!
Ms. Mate
High School Families,
What a ride we’ve been on over the past few years! Whether you joined us at the beginning of last year, or just at the beginning of this semester, it has been my pleasure to get to know you all and to work with you on meeting your goals. I’ll miss you all, but I also have faith that you will continue on to your next schools and adventures with a ton of new skills as well as great memories from your time here at OLA.
Here’s some information about support opportunities moving forward.
Summer Scholars (This program is different than the Summer Completion Camp through OLA)
This is an excellent opportunity for students to make up any classes they haven’t passed yet and need for graduation. I have begun sending out individual invites, and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. If you don’t hear from me and are still curious, let me know. Registration goes through me, so it’s important that you reach out if interested. Here’s the website with a list of offerings, dates, and more information: https://www.pps.net/domain/4358
College and Career Opportunities
Click here to see what kind of opportunities are available from your neighborhood school.
SummerWorks: AWESOME program that has students can enroll in to be matched with a PAID summer internship or work experience. https://worksystemslaunch.org/summerworkspdx/
Bodecker Foundation Workshops: Led by professional artists, writers, musicians, and educators, the Bodecker Foundation free creative workshops for high school students encourage immersive learning and collaboration. Workshops are offered in virtual, hybrid, and in-person forms throughout the year. Class sizes range from 6 to 12 students. https://bodeckerfoundation.org/workshop/
I will be available through June 26, so please reach out if you need anything.
Thanks,
Michelle McMillan
School Counselor
Third graders and families got together for a fishing party on Saturday, May 27, at Blue Lake Park. A crawfish was captured!
LGBTQ Community Supports
Hello OLA Families, PPS has launched its new LGBTQ supports page on their website:
