Download Parent Orientation Guide 2010-2011

Parent Orientation Guide
2010-2011
Arizona Virtual Academy
K12 Tucson Enrollment Center
4605 S. Palo Verde Rd. Suite 605
Tucson, AZ 85714
Fax: 866.989.0713
Phone: 866.467.6183
PARENT ORIENTATION GUIDE CONTENTS
Dear Arizona Virtual Academy Family: ....................................................................................................... 5
AZVA Administrative ................................................................................................................................... 6
Organizational Chart ................................................................................................................................... 6
AZVA Administration Town Hall Meetings .................................................................................................. 6
Back to ContentsArizona Virtual Academy ................................................................................................. 6
Arizona Virtual Academy ............................................................................................................................. 7
10-11 School Calendar ............................................................................................................................... 7
K-8 .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Parent-Student Handbook .......................................................................................................................... 8
2010-2011 ................................................................................................................................................... 8
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 9
AZVA MISSION STATEMENT ................................................................................................................ 9
ADMISSION & ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 9
APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT....................................................................................................... 9
Back to Contents ................................................................................................................................... 12
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ........................................................................................................................ 12
ATTENDANCE & TRUANCY ................................................................................................................ 12
ATTENDANCE FAQs ............................................................................................................................ 13
ACADEMIC CALENDAR ....................................................................................................................... 17
ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT ............................................................................................................... 17
PARENT, STUDENT, TEACHER COMMUNICATION .......................................................................... 20
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE CALLS/PORTFOLIO SESSIONS .............................................. 21
EXPECTATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 21
I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE ............................................................................................................. 22
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY ......................................................................................................... 23
STUDENT DISCIPLINE CODE ............................................................................................................. 24
AZVA STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND ...................................................................................... 24
ACCEPTABLE USE GUIDELINES........................................................................................................ 24
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................. 28
OUTINGS AND CLUBS......................................................................................................................... 28
EXTRA-CURRICULAR POLICY............................................................................................................ 29
ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................................................... 29
CHILD FIND .......................................................................................................................................... 30
SPECIAL EDUCATION ......................................................................................................................... 31
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RtI) ................................................................................................. 32
DIBELS .................................................................................................................................................. 33
TITLE I SERVICES ............................................................................................................................... 34
ADVANCED LEARNER PROGRAM ..................................................................................................... 35
FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA) ............................................................ 35
SCHOOL PROPERTY........................................................................................................................... 37
OPTIONAL OUTINGS ........................................................................................................................... 37
PARENT CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................................... 38
OBJECTIONABLE MATERIALS POLICY ........................................................................................... 39
PROGRESS REPORT .......................................................................................................................... 39
STUDENT RECORDS .......................................................................................................................... 43
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES AND USAGE ................................................................................................. 43
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP) REIMBURSEMENT POLICY ................................................ 44
WITHDRAWALS ................................................................................................................................... 44
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COMPLAINT RESPONSE PROCEDURE........................................................................................... 44
ADMISSION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH ...................................................................... 45
PARENT ACCESS TO STAFF RESUMES ......................................................................................... 45
REQUIRED SIGNATURE PAGE............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessing Student Achievement .............................................................................................................. 56
PORTFOLIO PLAN 2010-2011 ............................................................................................................. 57
WORK SAMPLE SCHEDULE AND COVER SHEET ............................................................................ 58
WORK SAMPLE FEEDBACK TEMPLATE: 8th GRADE ........................................................................ 60
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC .......................................................................................................... 61
STUDENT GOALS THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLANS ............................................... 67
PROGRESS REPORT GUIDELINES ................................................................................................... 68
Back to Contents ................................................................................................................................... 68
Academic Support ..................................................................................................................................... 69
WEEKLY ONLINE ELLUMINATE CURRICULUM SPECIALIST SESSIONS-TEACHER LED ............. 70
All Sessions Start in September ............................................................................................................ 70
ELLUMINATE TIPS AND TRICKS ........................................................................................................ 71
AZVA WRITING PROGRAM ................................................................................................................. 74
GRADES K-2 WRITING RUBRIC ......................................................................................................... 75
Student Honor Roll .................................................................................................................................... 77
& NJHS ..................................................................................................................................................... 77
ELEMENTARY HONOR ROLL (K-5) .................................................................................................... 78
MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL (6-8) ............................................................................................... 78
National Junior Honor Society Membership (Grades 6-8) ..................................................................... 79
Back to ContentsMIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL AND NJHS RUBRIC ........................................... 79
MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL AND NJHS RUBRIC ...................................................................... 80
NJHS VOLUNTEER WORK TRACKING SHEET ................................................................................. 82
The Learning Coach: Programs, Tips & Tricks ........................................................................................ 83
SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT TRAININGS ..................................................................................... 84
The special education department will be offering trainings on a variety of topics each month to all
parents. Please join us in the online Resource Room during the open times to review the training, and
have your questions answered by a special education teacher. ........................................................... 84
Back to Contents ................................................................................................................................... 84
AZVA PARENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ..................................................................................... 85
MOTIVATING STUDENTS .................................................................................................................... 87
LEARNING COACH TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SCHEDULING AND ..................................................... 89
MANAGING IT ALL ............................................................................................................................... 89
SCHEDULING ....................................................................................................................................... 91
Virtual School Community: ........................................................................................................................ 93
Family Directory, Events, Clubs, & Outings .............................................................................................. 93
FAMILY DIRECTORY ........................................................................................................................... 94
K12 /AZVA YAHOO GROUPS ............................................................................................................... 96
K-8 OUTINGS ..................................................................................................................................... 100
8th GRADE TRANSITION ................................................................................................................... 100
Back to Contents ................................................................................................................................. 100
LIABILITY RELEASE AGREEMENT ................................................................................................... 101
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K PC Setup Guide .............................................................................................................................. 102
SETTING UP YOUR COMPUTER, KEYBOARD, AND MOUSE ........................................................ 105
HOW TO LOG ON AND CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD .................................................................... 106
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.................................................................................. 107
Back to ContentsA GUIDE TO COMMON COMPUTER TERMS ....................................................... 108
A GUIDE TO COMMON COMPUTER TERMS ................................................................................... 109
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ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................ 110
Technology Best Practices ..................................................................................................................... 115
& Self Help Guide ................................................................................................................................... 115
TECHNOLOGY PRACTICES & SELF-HELP GUIDE ......................................................................... 116
WINDOWS UPDATES ........................................................................................................................ 116
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE ................................................................................................................... 117
SPYWARE/ADWARE REMOVAL TOOLS .......................................................................................... 118
CONTENT ADVISOR .......................................................................................................................... 119
TROUBLESHOOTING INTERNET BROWSING ISSUES .................................................................. 119
TROUBLESHOOTING ELLUMINATE ISSUES................................................................................... 122
Close the Java Control Panel .............................................................................................................. 124
Back to Contents ................................................................................................................................. 124
CYBER BULLYING ............................................................................................................................. 125
INTERNET SAFETY TIPS .................................................................................................................. 125
INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES ........................................................................................................... 127
OPENING E-MAIL ATTACHMENTS ................................................................................................... 127
TO OPEN ATTACHMENTS IN MICROSOFT OUTLOOK AND OUTLOOK EXPRESS: .................... 128
OPENING ATTACHMENTS IN OTHER E-MAIL PROGRAMS ........................................................... 128
School Supply List .................................................................................................................................. 129
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Dear Arizona Virtual Academy Family:
Welcome to the 2010-11 school year at the Arizona Virtual Academy. AZVA is serving students in every
county in the state, and the size of our school continues to grow. To best serve our continuing and new
families, our teachers and administrators have developed several new programs. These programs are
briefly described in this orientation packet, but your family will enjoy the greatest success in our program
if you discuss your interest and participation in these programs with your teacher.
During the last year and over the summer, the AZVA team has developed several online trainings for
parents and students. The training sessions are highlighted in the Weekly Updates. Please join us at
these trainings to learn more about the school and its programs. These trainings supplement the
information provided in this Parent Orientation Guide.
Our goals for this school year are to improve student achievement and build school community. The
K12 Curriculum and our school programs were designed with these goals in mind. Our teachers are
your partners, and they are eager to support and assist your family.
Please keep your orientation packet handy. This packet contains important calendars, phone numbers,
and descriptions of programs. We have an exciting year ahead of us and are pleased you have selected
our school. Please do not hesitate to contact your teacher or the AZVA administration if you have
comments.
Best wishes for a great year,
AZVA Administration
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AZVA Administrative
Organizational Chart
AZVA Administration Town Hall Meetings
Please take this opportunity to meet the AZVA Administrative team and share in a round table
discussion.
More information will be available at a later time.
Back to Contents
vi
Arizona Virtual Academy
10-11 School Calendar
Back to Contents
vii
Arizona Virtual Academy
99 E Virginia, Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 476-1320 - phone
(602) 595-6874 - fax
K-8
Parent-Student
Handbook
2010-2011
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INTRODUCTION
This Parent-Student Handbook sets forth general guidance for parents and students
enrolled in the Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA). AZVA is a charter school and is
subject to the rules and regulations of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools. The
State Board for Charter Schools guidelines are available online at
http://www.asbcs.state.az.us. The AZVA charter contract is available from the AZVA
office.
AZVA MISSION STATEMENT
Revised by the AZVA governing body 6/5/07
AZVA is a partnership of families and teachers that empowers students in a flexible
learning environment with a challenging curriculum, regardless of geographic, financial,
or demographic circumstance. We are a community of pioneering educators providing
an innovative use of technology to educate well-rounded, well-educated students.
ADMISSION & ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Students in first through eighth grade participating in the AZVA must reside in Arizona
and meet the age requirements in order to be eligible to enroll in AZVA.
Admission to AZVA is based on completion and submission of all enrollment forms and
materials within state guidelines.
AZVA conducts open enrollment in April and May. A lottery is implemented if new
enrollments exceed AZVA‘s approved capacity during the open enrollment period. After
the open enrollment period, students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Should the need for a waitlist emerge, a waitlist application is date-stamped when AZVA
receives all paperwork and placement test results. Siblings of AZVA students receive
admission preference.
State law requires a child to be five years of age on or before September 1 to start
Kindergarten. AZVA extends this eligibility to students who are five years of age on or
before December 31 if they demonstrate the necessary skills required to be successful
in our Kindergarten curriculum. State law also requires a child to be six years of age on
or before September 1 to start first grade. AZVA extends this eligibility also, to students
who are six years of age on or before December 31st.
Back to Contents
APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT
The enrollment application for AZVA is available online at www.azva.org. Learning
coaches submit the online application online via this link. AZVA strongly recommends
faxing the required physical compliancy paperwork to 866-989-0713. If a learning coach
completes a paper enrollment, he/she submits the completed form to K12 at the address
or fax number provided on the enrollment application.
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Required Documentation
All students are required to submit the first two documents listed prior to gaining
admission into the Arizona Virtual Academy. If you are a legal guardian, or your child
has an active IEP/504 plan, please note the additional required documentation listed.
 Proof of residence
 Birth certificate
 Report card from the prior (2009-10) school year (if appropriate)
 State Standardized tests score from the 2009-2010 school year (if
appropriate)
 Proof of guardianship if not the biological parent (if appropriate)
 IEP/504 Plan (if appropriate)
Submission of the enrollment application does not guarantee acceptance into the school.
All enrollment applications are placed on an enrollment list. If AZVA‘s enrollment list
exceeds the charter‘s capacity after the open enrollment period, AZVA uses an equitable
method to select students for admission. Sibling preference is given to students who
have a sibling enrolled in the AZVA during the current or prior school year. Upon
selection, families are notified by the AZVA to confirm intent to enroll and complete the
enrollment process.
Parents must fully complete the online or paper enrollment form, submit required
documentation. Failure to provide all requested information may delay or forfeit the
enrollment process. Students who have received services under the Individuals with
Disabilities In Education Act (IDEA) must provide this information and, when possible, a
copy of the student‘s most recent Individual Education Plan (IEP). Falsification of any
information may be grounds for removal from the school.
Back to Contents
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM
Families new to AZVA have the luxury of participating in a K¹²course entitled Introduction
to K¹² Online Learning. This course will appear in the student‘s daily plan in the Online
School and should be the VERY FIRST course that the learning coach and the student
complete together.
The course is required and is intended to be completed during each day of the first ten
days of school. During this time the learning coach and student will:
Receive instructions about how to best use the Online School (OLS)
Review daily attendance and login requirements
Learn how to use the synchronous tool Elluminate
Participate in Scantron diagnostic assessments
Log on to Study Island, K¹² ‗s test preparation program
Receive an introduction to all courses
Get directions on communicating with the teacher via our internal mail system
called K-mail
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We believe learning coaches and students will benefit greatly from participation in this
course. We know that the lessons will help jump start the school year so learning
coaches and students will soon be swiftly soaring to success!
OLS STUDENT ACCOUNT
AZVA requires students in grades 4-8 create a student account that is separate from the
adult log in. The student account prevents student access to the answer keys,
assessments, and other sections intended to be supervised by the Learning Coach while
permitting access to the independent student material. All AZVA 4th through 8th grade
students must have their own student login.
As stated during the enrollment conversation with the enrollment specialist, a student‘s
courses will be active 24 hours after the official enrollment date. Since the Online
School (OLS) is a secure site, you will need to use the user name and password you
created during the enrollment process to access it.
Directions to log on to the OLS Adult Account:
1. Go to www.azva.org
2. Select Online School in the upper right-hand corner
3. Enter user name and password and click Login
Directions to create the OLS Student Account:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Login to the OLS using the Adult OLS Account username and password
Select My Account in the upper right-hand corner
Select Edit next to Student Accounts
Click the student‘s name and then complete the form on the right,
entering a username and password
5. Click Save
Under no circumstances should the student be given the Adult Login information or
allowed to access the OLS using the Adult Login. Students who gain access to the OLS
via the Adult Login will be given a warning and the teacher will reset the Adult Login
Information. If a second incident occurs the student will be placed on Academic
Probation which may result in withdrawal.
Teachers who suspect a student has gained access to the OLS via the Adult Login will
immediately notify the Learning Coach. The teacher will work with the Learning Coach to
change the adult username and password and help the family establish username and
password safety procedures as well as establish a separate student account. If the
teacher is unable to make contact with the Learning Coach, the teacher may reset the
password and user name for the Learning Coach.
Progress and/or attendance logged under suspicious circumstances will require
verification. If progress and/or attendance cannot be verified in a timely manner;
progress and/or attendance will be removed by the teacher.
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Back to Contents
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME
Arizona Revised Statutes 15-901(A)(2) requires all public schools offer a minimum of
one-hundred-eighty (180) days of instruction between July 1 and June 30. Additionally,
statute requires a minimum number of instructional hours by grade level:
Grade Level
Part-time
Kindergarten
Grades 1-3
Grades 4-6
Grades 7-8
Yearly Hours
356
712
890
1,068
Required
Weekly Hours
Daily Hours
10
20
25
30
2
4
5
6
AZVA students may log instructional time anytime during the day beginning with the first
day of school, August 4, 2010 and the last day, May 20, 2011. Instructional time must
directly relate to lesson objectives which are aligned to the Arizona Academic Standards.
ATTENDANCE & TRUANCY
As a public charter school, Arizona Virtual Academy is required to monitor student
attendance in accordance with all applicable statutes and State Board of Education
Rules. AZVA teachers and administration monitor student attendance.
Responsibility for compliance with state attendance statutes and regulations belongs to
the parents, but the school is obligated to keep an accurate record of daily attendance.
An AZVA student is considered truant if he/she fails, without a legitimate excuse, to log
attendance for 10 consecutive calendar days or at a rate that is 10% below the
attendance requirements over a given month. AZVA staff follows the procedures outlined
below to notify parents of a truancy situation. Truancy may result in expulsion from the
Arizona Virtual Academy. If a student is expelled from a public school in Arizona, any
public school in the state may refuse the student admission.
Process for Withdrawal and Expulsion of Truant Students:
1. K-8 teachers monitor student attendance and progress weekly through their
Online School (OLS) class list.
2. Individual K-8 teachers send an e-mail or conduct a phone conference informing
parents that their child(ren) has been absent for 10 or more calendar days or
attends 10% less time than mandated by state requirements and is in danger of
being withdrawn or expelled due to excessive absenteeism. If parents respond
within 24 hours, the teachers create attendance action plans with the families.
Adherence to these action plans are monitored by AZVA teachers. (Response
expected within 24 hours)
3. Attendance logged in the OLS must reflect the progress made in the courses. If
attendance does not match the progress, teachers have the option of deleting the
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attendance for those hours logged. Please also note that if a student fails to
attend a portfolio conference call he or she will be asked to turn in work samples
in regards to the objectives. If a student fails to turn in the work samples within
two weeks, the teacher will delete hours logged for those certain objectives until
the objectives can be verified. This deletion of hours can put the student in
jeopardy of becoming 10 consecutive days behind in attendance or 10% below
the mandated state requirement for attendance. The student would then be
considered excessively absent.
4. If a family does not fulfill the attendance action plan, the family is withdrawn from
AZVA due to excessive absenteeism. AZVA‘s teachers and administrators may
make a recommendation to the Expulsion Hearing Committee to expel a truant or
excessively absent student.
Parents are notified in writing of this
recommendation and provided a date and time for a hearing during which the
Expulsion Hearing Committee considers expulsion.
The decision of the
Expulsion Hearing Committee is final.
5. K-8 teachers take responsibility for monitoring family progress toward the
attendance action plan and updating the operations manager regarding the
family‘s progress at the dates outlined in the plan.
6. If there is no response within 24 hours, K-8 teachers forward the student‘s name,
contact information and file documentation (number of missed days, etc.) to the
operations manager with a copy to the appropriate academic program leaders. A
letter is sent to the family via e-mail and ground postage that notifies the family
that the child(ren) has been withdrawn from the AZVA due to excessive
absenteeism. AZVA‘s teachers and administrators may make a recommendation
to the Expulsion Hearing Committee to expel a truant or excessively absent
student. Parents are notified in writing of this recommendation and provided a
date and time for a hearing during which the Expulsion Hearing Committee
considers expulsion. The decision of the Expulsion Hearing Committee is final.
Back to Contents
ATTENDANCE FAQs
1. When can I log attendance?
You are able to log attendance from your first day of school, August 4, 2010 until
May 20, 2011, the last day of school.
2. What if my child exceeds the required attendance hours?
Your child is encouraged to attend school above the required attendance hours.
3. Where do I need to log my child’s attendance and how often?
Student attendance hours are logged in the attendance screen on the parent‘s
OLS and must be entered daily.
4. Why should I log attendance?
In addition to meeting the legal attendance requirements for AZVA, logging
attendance provides you and your child with a log of the work accomplished.
5. What are supplemental hours?
Provided you complete your K12 coursework first, attendance time may be
logged for activities in which your student engages that relate to the course
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objectives. Please contact your teacher before entering supplemental attendance
time to ensure the additional activity you wish to include satisfies course
objectives.
6. What should I do if I forgot to log my child’s supplemental hours?
You can go back and add hours after initially entering attendance. If you have
already entered hours for the specified day and clicked the ―Submit‖ button,
contact your teacher and he/she may assist you in entering additional hours.
7. How many hours should my child log if they enrolled after the start
of school?
Hours are based on a yearly required amount based on the student‘s grade level.
Students who start after the first day of school should follow the daily or weekly
attendance guidelines outlined in the Instructional Time section of this
Parent/Student Handbook.
8. Is there a maximum number of hours a day a student can log?
There is no maximum number of hours per day that a student may log, however
the student‘s teacher must document hours in excess of 12 hours per day. Notify
your teacher of each circumstance requiring more than 12 hours of instructional
time.
9. Do I log attendance for the actual time the lesson took or just the
default time that comes up on the OLS?
You must log the actual amount of time it took for the student(s) to complete the
lesson(s) each day. If you consistently observe your student(s) complete lessons
before he/she accumulates the required amount of time, you may benefit from
setting a time limit to each subject rather than just expecting one lesson per day.
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Excused and Unexcused Absences
Students are expected to attend all assigned classes each day. Teachers shall keep a
record of absences.
1. Excused Absences
The following are valid excuses for absences. Assignments and/or activities not
completed because of an excused absence may be made up in the manner
provided by the teacher.
A. Participation in school-approved activity. To be excused this absence must
be authorized by a staff member and the affected teacher must be notified prior
to the absence.
B. Absence due to illness, health condition, family emergency or religious
purposes.
When possible, the parent /guardian is expected to notify the homeroom teacher
on the morning of the absence by sending a K-mail note of explanation. A parent
or guardian may request that a student be excused from attending school in
observance of a religious holiday. In addition, a student, upon the request of
his/her parent or guardian, may be excused for a portion of a school day to
participate in religious instruction. A student shall be allowed one makeup day for
each day of absence.
C. Absence for parental approved activities. This category of absence shall
be counted as excused for purposes agreed to by the principal and the parent
guardian or guardian. The district ―Planned Absence‖ form is to be completed
and submitted to the principal for approval. An absence may not be approved if it
causes a serious adverse effect on the student's educational progress. In such a
case, a parent or guardian approved absence would have an adverse effect on
the student's educational progress which would ultimately be reflected in the
grade for such a course.
D. Absence resulting from disciplinary actions — or short-term
suspension. As required by law, students who are removed from a class or
classes as a disciplinary measure or students who have been placed on shortterm suspension shall have the right to make up assignments or exams missed
during the time they were denied entry to the classroom if the effect of the
missed assignments shall be a substantial lowering of the course grade.
E. Extended illness or health condition. If the student is unable to do his/her
schoolwork, or if there are major requirements of a particular course which
cannot be accomplished due to extended illness or being hospitalized, the
student may be extended deadline accommodations. Parents are required to
15
submit a doctor‘s note or hospital admittance paperwork to AZVA through their
student‘s teacher.
F. Excused absence for chronic health condition. Students with a chronic
health condition that interrupts regular attendance may qualify for placement in a
limited attendance and participation program. The student and his/her parent or
guardian shall apply to the principal or counselor, and a limited program shall be
written following the advice and recommendations the student's medical advisor.
The recommended limited program shall be approved by the principal. Staff shall
be informed of the student's needs, though the confidentiality of medical
information shall be respected at the parent or guardian's request.
2. Unexcused Absences
Unexcused absences fall into two categories:
A. Submitting a written or telephonic excuse which does not constitute an
excused absence as defined previously; or
B. Failing to submit any type of written or telephonic excuse by a parent,
guardian, or adult student.
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ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Due to the design of the linear calendar, students in a traditional school are expected to
progress at the same rate during the one-hundred-eighty day (180) day school year. Highperforming students may be held back and low-performing students may be left behind. All
students are presented the same lesson at the same time. Students are often not required
to master the lesson objectives before advancing to the next grade level. Advancement of
students before they are ready may result in gaps or deficiencies of knowledge that is
essential for success in the next subject level.
Within the AZVA program, every child can progress through the curriculum at his/her own
pace as long as he/she is meeting the minimum progress requirements. Decisions to
advance in a course level are made jointly by the parent and teacher at any time of the
year. Advancement of a student from one course level to the next requires the approval of
the AZVA administration. Every lesson is presented independently to each child at his/her
own ability level. Students are required to master the course objectives before advancing
to the next course level. This approach results in a solid foundation of core knowledge
essential for success in the next subject level.
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STATE TESTING DATES
Pursuant to A.R.S. 15-808 B, AZVA must notify students and parents of mandatory state
testing requirements. AZVA 2nd grade students must take the Stanford 10 and 3rd through
8th grade students must take the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards 3-8 (3rd through
8th) in the spring during a testing window determined by the state of Arizona. If AZVA fails to
test 95% of its students within each applicable subgroup, the students who did not take the
test become ineligible to continue enrollment in AZVA.
ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT
It is important to understand that the decision to advance a student to the next course or
grade level is made jointly by the parent and teacher and focuses on what is in the best
interest of the child. Academic achievement through content mastery is the cornerstone
of the Arizona Virtual Academy and the K12 curriculum. AZVA understands that children
do not learn at the same rate or in the same manner. The program offers families
flexibility in scheduling and instructional strategies. AZVA focuses on mastery of lesson
objectives, encouraging families and students to spend the time needed daily and
throughout the year to reach mastery of most lesson objectives.
It is the goal of AZVA to allow students to advance to the next course level at any time of
the year up to March 24, 2011. Parents and teachers evaluate every student‘s course
level and grade level prior to the conclusion of the current school year. This evaluation
does not affect course level changes, which can be made at any time up to March 24,
2011. Together, the AZVA teacher and parent arrive at a decision on the advancement
of the student. Advancement of a student from one course level to the next requires the
approval of AZVA administration. Sufficient progress in all courses is expected before
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course level advancement in one area may be considered. Students must be on grade
level in language arts and math before being promoted in other subjects.
Mid-Year Course Promotions
We intend that our students complete 100% of the content in each course, should time
permit. With this in mind, mid-year course promotions are not ordered until a student has
achieved 90% mastery of a course.
End-of-Year Course Promotions
AZVA encourages students to complete all lessons in a course, if possible, since
courses in the subsequent grade levels assume completion of lessons in the prior grade.
A lesson is completed when the student has mastered the objectives as measured by
the lesson assessment. It may not be necessary to complete every lesson if the student
can demonstrate mastery of the objectives on the assessments. Please see the
progress report completion table for details related to your student‘s individual start date.
End of year course promotions for science, history, art and music will be based on each
student‘s grade level and content mastery. Students must complete at least 90% of their
enrolled English and math courses by the end of the year to order the next level at the
end of the school year.
The Online School is designed to collect and record data that substantiates the
academic progress of our students. Therefore, it is mandatory that the Online School be
used to enter attendance and assessment data that reflects the standing of the student.
The Online School data serves as the primary tool for determining advancement into
subsequent course levels. It is essential that parents/learning coaches understand that
by signing on with Arizona Virtual Academy, they agree to participate in the program as
designed including documenting regular and appropriate academic progress in the
Online School, participate in required phone conferences with the assigned teacher, turn
in work samples, and participate in the state-mandated academic assessments.
AZVA requires that parents maintain samples of student work to assist teachers with the
decision to advance a student to the next course/grade level.
Examples of
materials/work to keep on file include, but are not limited to, the following: handwriting
samples, artwork, creative story samples, math worksheets and spelling tests. AZVA
requires student work to be original with appropriate citations for references to published
works. Parents of K-8 students are provided a work sample submission guideline at
parent orientation sessions and work sample submission is a topic of discussion during
teacher phone conferences. Work samples must be mailed or scanned and K-mailed to
their teacher. Parents should not ―drop-off‖ work samples to teachers‘ houses.
At the Arizona Virtual Academy we understand that our school is academically rigorous.
Meeting the challenge of completing one year of course work in this model can be
demanding. Our certified teachers are here to assist parents and learning coaches to
meet the associated challenges. Parents and learning coaches may utilize their
expertise as they progress through our program.
18
8th Grade Promotion Policy
For an Arizona Virtual Academy student to be promoted from 8th grade, he/she must
complete at least 90 percent of Pre-Algebra A, Intermediate Language Skills A, and
Intermediate Literature A. AZVA teachers may bring parents‘ appeals to the school‘s
administration for consideration. AZVA is pleased to provide parents with a scope and
sequence of their student‘s completed courses to take to the next school for placement
purposes. Promotion for Special Education students in 8th grade will be decided by the
IEP team. In the event that a student is currently working in the above courses, but is
not on track to complete 90 percent of the coursework by the end of the school year, the
student may choose to take the final semester assessment with an AZVA staff member.
If the assessment is mastered by at least 80 percent, the student may be promoted from
the 8th grade. In addition the student must be making progress in all of their courses,
whether in the minimum required courses or beyond, to be promoted from the 8th grade.
Back to Contents
Assessing out of Curriculum
Your student is encouraged to assess out of curriculum already mastered. In doing this,
your student takes the unit or semester assessments and if he/she achieves a score of
80% or higher, the student may move on to the next lesson/unit. Students are given
credit for the lessons skipped towards course promotion. If your student assess out of
the first unit in math, he/she is still required to complete math on a daily basis, moving at
a quicker pace. A unit with 5 lessons taken and mastered does not count as 5 days
work. Lessons students skip are counted in progress towards moving into the next
course but are not counted in the student‘s grade mark. Only lessons completed count
towards grade marks. The AZVA staff wants to encourage continual growth and
achievement and we cannot allow credit for lessons not completed. At a brick and mortar
school students would not be allowed to take an assessment in math and then if they
earn a passing grade, refrain from any math for a week or month since they are ahead.
As a student assesses out of the curriculum, learning coaches will mark the ―assessed
out‖ lessons in the unit as skipped and move on to the next unit. Once a unit in which the
student is no longer mastering the material, he/she should begin working in this unit,
completing each lesson prior to taking the unit assessment. It is important that while
doing this, the student is completing a minimum of one lesson each day, with an average
of 5 lessons each week. If he/she assesses out of a unit on Monday, this would count as
one lesson and he/she would start on lesson 1 of the next Unit on Tuesday, and so on.
Course Chunking
Chunking is working on a course for blocks of time above the default time listed in the
OLS. You as a learning coach are given flexibility regarding which lessons and/or how
many lessons are to be done on what day. You can decide to complete one lesson per
day or chunk more than one lesson together for history, science and art. For example: 2
history lessons on Mondays, 2 art lessons on Tuesdays, 2 Science lessons on
Thursdays.
The benefits of chunking include decreased preparation time and reduced transition time
between subjects which results in more time spent learning. Chunking also allows you to
involve students in creating their own schedule, which may increase student motivation.
19
Please note that all lessons scheduled for the OLS each week must be completed.
Students are expected to complete math, language arts and writing daily. However,
more than one lesson may be scheduled for these core subjects per day. Science,
history, art and music are optimal courses to consider chunking. Chunking these courses
allows for students to complete more lessons for the same subject on fewer days. Math
and language arts courses need continual practice and daily reinforcement. Students are
not allowed to chunk writing and complete all writing units in the first month of school as
students will need to practice and review composition skills throughout the year.
Likewise, math continually builds upon previous skills. Students need daily reinforcement
to increase retention. The staff at AZVA does not encourage or allow students to go long
durations without continual math and language arts course work.
Please note that any changes to the online school schedule must be approved by the
teacher. If you think your student(s) may benefit from chunking courses please discuss
the option with your teacher. Your teacher can adjust your online school schedule to
allow chunking. Successful chunking may take up to 10 days to adjust to. Be sure to
keep in close contact with your teacher if you decide to choose chunking courses as an
option.
Fast Track Plans
Your student‘s teacher may send fast track plans for your student to complete. These
plans outline the essential material within your student‘s grade level in language arts and
math and are available for grades K-8. Fast track plans are designed to help students
who enroll after the start of the school year to catch up to their peers in the curriculum
and assess out of material already mastered. Fast track plans allow students to skip all
optional lessons and only complete the necessary lessons as per the unit assessment
results. These fast track plans take out the optional, review lessons or lessons not
relevant to master at the particular grade level, and they pare down each grade level into
standards/lessons necessary for the targeted grade level. The K12® curriculum is robust
and rigorous. The fast track plans pare the curriculum down to the essentials.
PARENT, STUDENT, TEACHER COMMUNICATION
Certified Arizona teachers are an essential and a vital piece of the educational model
utilized by the Arizona Virtual Academy. The teacher is responsible for validating student
attendance, curricular progress and educational growth. The teacher is also the first
point of contact for the parents and students with all issues regarding the school.
Resources provided by AZVA teachers include: instructional and curricular support,
organizational assistance, and ‗good old-fashioned‘ encouragement. A healthy working
relationship between the student/learning coach and the assigned AZVA teacher is
essential. Parents of K-8 students are required to participate in conference calls with
their AZVA teacher.
K12 ‘s internal email communication system, K-mail, is a primary source of contact
between the AZVA teacher and the parents/students, therefore parents and students are
encouraged to check their K-mail at least twice a day (morning and evening). Parents
and students are asked to promptly reply to any K-mail received from the AZVA or K12 .
AZVA teachers are instructed to allow their voice mail to answer all in-coming calls. This
20
allows teachers to thoroughly research the answer to questions or problems posed by
parents and to prioritize returning calls to make the most efficient and effective use of
their time. This also allows long-distance calls to be charged to AZVA and not to the
parent. AZVA does not reimburse parents for long-distance calls. Parents and students
are expected to inform their AZVA teacher of any changes to contact information.
Parents must also update contact information within the My Account section within the
Online School.
The Online School includes a landing page for each parent and student account. The
landing page provides families easier access to all aspects of the Online School. AZVA
posts important, school-wide information in the Announcements section of the landing
page. Included on the landing page is a link to My Info. My Info allows parents to
access important information such as the email address, phone numbers, and shipping
12
address that K
has on file, the courses in which their children are enrolled, shipments,
and a direct link to communicate via K-mail with their assigned teacher.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE CALLS/PORTFOLIO SESSIONS
One of the strongest points of the school‘s program is the close monitoring of each
student‘s educational progress. Parents of students in grades K-8 are required to
participate in scheduled conference calls with their AZVA teacher. The conference calls
are conducted periodically throughout the year. Teachers will begin portfolio sessions
with the student when they feel it is appropriate. These sessions will be held periodically
in Elluminate. Please read about Portfolio Sessions on page 41. The date and time of
the conference calls are arranged at a mutually agreeable time. The conference
calls/Portfolio Sessions are an opportunity to voice concerns, relay good news about the
student, obtain enrichment ideas for the child, and discuss attendance and progress
through the curriculum. The conference calls/Portfolio Sessions are vital for tracking
student accomplishment of assignments and attendance. Since regular attendance is
mandatory to stay enrolled in AZVA, it is expected that students and parents attend all of
their scheduled conference calls, provide 24 hours notice if a cancellation is required,
and reschedule a new appointment (at the time of cancellation) for the same week.
Failure to participate in the conference calls may result in the removal of the student
from the program.
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EXPECTATIONS
Schooling children at home is a full-time job. AZVA‘s program is challenging. Parents of
K-8 students can expect to work with their child five hours per day in addition to lesson
planning to maintain a typical school year‘s pace for accomplishing lessons associated
with assigned grade levels. The Online School and its curriculum have the flexibility
which allows students to be challenged according to their mastery of skills. Most
elementary school learning coaches and students spend between 15 and 25% of their
day actually online and the remainder of their time working off line with their children in
workbooks, printed lessons, or other related activities. Middle school students and
learning coaches may spend between 20 and 30% of their time on their computers.
21
AZVA has chosen the K12 curriculum because it is designed to help children exceed
state, national and international standards. For an overview of the educational
approach, please visit the ―K12‘s Approach to Learning‖ section of K12 ‘s web site.
Lesson planning, materials preparation, progress planning, mentoring and the
administration of a student‘s day-to-day education are both exciting and challenging and
require parental commitment to the discipline and organization implicit in the skills
needed to manage a first-class education.
It is a useful practice to cite basic expectations and understandings with which all
parents of AZVA should be acquainted. Please read the ―I Understand and Agree‖
statements below very carefully as these expectations should be a part of each parent‘s
calculation of commitment as an AZVA parent.
I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE
The purpose of this ―I Understand‖ section is to set expectations for AZVA parents.
Students‘ success is a primary goal of AZVA and that can only be achieved if you, the
parent, are successful. To be successful it is important that parents of AZVA children
understand, and are in agreement with, the following curricular and attendance
requirements:
 I understand and agree that I am required to have access to a computer and Internet
access at all times during my student‘s enrollment in the Arizona Virtual Academy. I
understand that I am responsible for personal computer repairs.
 I understand and agree that I am responsible for submitting work on time even if I am
experiencing computer difficulties.
 I understand and agree that I am enrolling my student in a public charter school and
schooling at home is not homeschooling.
 I understand that by submission of this form I am requesting to enroll my student in a
public school with attendance requirements that I am expected to meet. (Attendance
Requirements: Grade K = 356 hours, Grades 1–3 = 712 hours, Grades 4–6 = 890
hours, and Grades 7–11 = 1068 hours) State requirements are slightly less for 9-12
grades
 I understand and agree that I must log student attendance daily.
 I accept the responsibility to supervise my student in using the K12 curriculum, and I
understand that I am expected to become knowledgeable about it. Any other work
accomplished by the student is supplemental to, and not in place of, the K12
curriculum lessons. AZVA does not consider it acceptable to leave a student home
alone or unsupervised all day to complete coursework.
 I understand and agree that student progress is an expected part of the AZVA
program in addition to the hours logged. Teachers review progress and consider
22
Assessing Student
Achievement
56
PORTFOLIO PLAN 2010-2011
Portfolio Policy
Virtual student portfolios are a collection of essential questions students must master in
order to continue on the road of superior academic growth. The portfolios are designed
to assist teachers in determining student‘s academic goals and workload. Portfolios
enable the teacher and the learning coach to identify specific areas in which additional
12
academic focus must be given and are derived from the K
curriculum, Arizona State
Standards, and Study Island coursework.
Teachers will administer portfolio questions to students throughout the year, and they
are held in Elluminate. If an area of academic performance is identified as needing
12
improvement, the teacher will provide effective strategies in addition to K ‘s superior
curriculum, to help improve the area of academic weakness.
If a student fails to attend the required conference call in which portfolio questions are
administered, the teacher then has the right to request work of mastered lessons within
the Online School to ensure the student has indeed met the essential performance skills.
If the teacher does not receive the requested work within two weeks of the initial request,
the infraction will then be presented to administration. AZVA Administration will then
determine if the student is truly completing mastered lessons within the OLS. If
administration discerns the student is not truly working, attendance hours will be
subtracted from the student‘s cumulative attendance, possibly resulting in a student
attendance action plan or withdrawal from the program.
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57
WORK SAMPLE SCHEDULE AND COVER SHEET
Work Sample Policy
AZVA has a mandatory work sample submission policy. Student work provides an
essential means of ascertaining a student‘s skill level and provides a window into that
student‘s performance. Parents/guardians are required to submit writing and math work
samples from each of their enrolled children on a monthly basis. Work samples are due
the 1st of every month. The samples submitted may be photocopies of original work
samples. The parent may submit the samples electronically (scan & email), via fax or
through the US Mail. Writing and math work samples, for grades K-8, are to be
submitted on a monthly basis, according to a course-specific checklist. Your assigned
teacher will coordinate the collection of these work samples with you on an individual
basis. Students on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or on a Fast Track Plan will
work with their teacher(s) to coordinate an appropriate plan.
Student work samples are a key component in assessing student progress and abilities.
Writing and math work samples will be used to determine your child‘s final grade.
Students who do not submit the required work samples will not be able to earn an M
(Meets the Standard) or E (Exceeds the standard) on their progress report. They will
also not be eligible for honor roll or National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), and may not
be eligible for course promotion at the end of the year. Online School (OLS) progress
may be reset if samples are not submitted.
Additional work samples, beyond what is required, may be requested by your child‘s
teacher. Teachers will also meet with students during phone and/or Elluminate
conferences to assess other content areas such as reading. Parents and students may
opt to submit additional samples from what is required or submit samples more
frequently to their AZVA teacher.
Work Sample Cover Page
Please be sure to complete a work sample cover sheet for each student and include it
with the writing sample submission. Learning coaches must include the course, unit and
topic with each submission. Your student‘s work samples will be evaluated in terms of
satisfying the objectives for the specific unit.
Teacher Feedback
Teachers will grade 8th grade writing samples utilizing the feedback template (see page
44). Teachers will informally provide feedback on work samples to K-7th graders during
scheduled conference calls and/or Elluminate sessions.
Work Sample Schedule
Students must submit unit writing assessments only. All samples must reflect their
required OLS unit and lesson objectives. In order for teachers to provide proper
feedback, all samples must be in their final form. Rough drafts will not be accepted as
the final product but can be included with the final drafts along with the prewriting and
may be requested by your child‘s teacher if he/she deems necessary. If the writing
sample does not meet the OLS objectives, students may be asked to resubmit the
assignment and OLS lessons may be reset.
58
WRITING WORK SAMPLE ASSIGNMENTS & DUE DATES
A work sample submission schedule will be available at the beginning of the school year.
Back to Contents
MATH WORK SAMPLE SCHEDULE & DUE DATES
A work sample submission schedule will be available at the beginning of the school year.
59
WORK SAMPLE FEEDBACK TEMPLATE: 8th GRADE
Arizona Virtual Academy
8th Grade Work Sample Review
Month:
Teacher:
Student’s Name:
Mathematics
Did the student meet the learning
objective?
Comments:
Writing
Total Writing
Score:
Did the student
meet the learning
objective?
Comments:
Student Performance Level for Each Writing Trait:
Conventions:
Voice:
Ideas & Content:
Sentence Fluency:
Organization:
Word Choice:
How to interpret your child’s writing scores:
1. Find the appropriate writing rubric in the Parent Orientation Guide
2. Interpret the score for each individual trait (ideas, organization, voice, etc…) Evaluate the
current performance level in each Writing Trait Area. Focus on improving one or two areas
at a time.
3. Interpret the overall writing score. Use the guide below to help you better understand how
your student’s writing is improving.
Total Score Rubric
Score of 1-15 = Falls Below the Standard
Score of 16-21 = Approaches the Standard
Score of 22-27 = Meets the Standard
Score of 28-36 = Exceeds the Standard
Individual Trait Scores (ideas, organization, voice, etc…)
1 = Experimenting
2 = Pre-Emergent
3 = Emerging
4 = Developing
5 = Capable
6 = Experienced
*Scoring guides and writing rubrics have been taken or adapted from those used by the Arizona Department of Education.
They are used with permission of the Oregon Department of Education, Salem, Oregon 97310.
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60
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC
AIMS Six Trait Analytic Writing Rubric – Official Conventions
6
5
4
The writing demonstrates exceptionally
strong control of standard writing
conventions (e.g., punctuation, spelling,
capitalization, paragraph breaks, grammar
and usage) and uses them effectively to
enhance communication. Errors are so few
and so minor that the reader can easily
skim right over them unless specifically
searching for them. The writing is
characterized by
• strong control of conventions;
manipulation of conventions may occur
for stylistic effect.
• strong, effective use of punctuation that
guides the reader through the text.
• correct spelling, even of more difficult
words.
• paragraph breaks that reinforce the
organizational structure.
• correct grammar and usage that
contribute to clarity and style.
• skill in using a wide range of
conventions in a sufficiently long and
complex piece.
• little or no need for editing.
The writing demonstrates strong control
of standard writing conventions (e.g.,
punctuation, spelling, capitalization,
paragraph breaks, grammar and usage)
and uses them effectively to enhance
communication. Errors are so few and so
minor that they do not impede readability.
The writing is characterized by
• strong control of conventions.
• effective use of punctuation that guides
the reader through the text.
• correct spelling, even of more difficult
words.
• paragraph breaks that reinforce the
organizational structure.
• correct capitalization; errors, if any, are
minor.
• correct grammar and usage that
contribute to clarity and style.
• skill in using a wide range of
conventions in a sufficiently long and
complex piece.
• little need for editing.
The writing demonstrates control of
standard writing conventions (e.g.,
punctuation, spelling, capitalization,
paragraph breaks, grammar and
usage). Minor errors, while perhaps
noticeable, do not impede readability.
The writing is characterized by
• control over conventions used,
although a wide range is not
demonstrated.
• correct end-of-sentence punctuation,
internal punctuation may sometimes
be incorrect.
• spelling that is usually correct,
especially on common words.
• basically sound paragraph breaks
that reinforce the organizational
structure.
• correct capitalization; errors, if any,
are minor.
• occasional lapses in correct
grammar and usage; problems are not
severe enough to distort meaning or
confuse the reader.
• moderate need for editing.
3
2
1
The writing demonstrates limited control
of standard writing conventions (e.g.,
punctuation, spelling, capitalization,
paragraph breaks, grammar and usage).
Errors begin to impede readability. The
writing is characterized by
• some control over basic conventions; the
text may be too simple to reveal mastery.
• end-of-sentence punctuation that is
usually correct; however, internal
punctuation contains frequent errors.
• spelling errors that distract the reader;
misspelling of common words occurs.
• paragraphs that sometimes run together
or begin at ineffective places.
• capitalization errors.
• errors in grammar and usage that do not
block meaning but do distract the reader.
• significant need for editing.
The writing demonstrates little control of
standard writing conventions. Frequent,
significant errors impede readability. The
writing is characterized by
• little control over basic conventions.
• many end-of-sentence punctuation
errors; internal punctuation contains
frequent errors.
• spelling errors that frequently distract
the reader; misspelling of common words
often occurs.
• paragraphs that often run together or
begin in ineffective places.
• capitalization that is inconsistent or
often incorrect.
• errors in grammar and usage that
interfere with readability and meaning.
• substantial need for editing.
Numerous errors in usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation
repeatedly distract the reader and
make the text difficult to read. In fact,
the severity and frequency of errors
are so overwhelming that the reader
finds it difficult to focus on the
message and must reread for meaning.
The writing is characterized by
• very limited skill in using
conventions.
• basic punctuation (including end-ofsentence punctuation) that tends to be
omitted, haphazard, or incorrect.
• frequent spelling errors that
significantly impair readability.
• paragraph breaks that may be highly
irregular or so frequent (every
sentence) that they bear no relation to
the organization of the text.
• capitalization that appears to be
random.
• a need for extensive editing.
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GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC (CONTINUED)
IDEAS and CONTENT
6
5
4
The writing is exceptionally clear, focused and
interesting. It holds the reader’s attention
throughout. Main ideas stand out and are developed
by strong support and rich details suitable to
audience and purpose. The writing is characterized
by
• clarity, focus, and control.
• main idea(s) that stand out.
• supporting, relevant, carefully selected details;
when appropriate, use of resources provides strong,
accurate, credible support
• a thorough, balanced, in-depth explanation/
exploration of the topic; the writing makes
connections and shares insights.
• content and selected details that are well suited to
audience and purpose.
The writing is clear, focused
and interesting. It holds the
reader’s attention. Main ideas
stand out and are developed
by supporting details suitable
to audience and purpose. The
writing is characterized by
• clarity, focus, and control.
• main idea(s) that stand out.
• supporting, relevant,
carefully selected details;
when appropriate, use of
resources provides strong,
accurate, credible support.
• a thorough, balanced
explanation/exploration of the
topic; the writing makes
connections and shares
insights.
• content and selected details
that are well-suited to
audience and purpose.
The writing is clear and focused.
The reader can easily understand
the main ideas. Support is
present, although it may be
limited or rather general. The
writing is characterized by
• an easily identifiable purpose.
• clear main idea(s)
• supporting details that are
relevant, but may be overly
general or limited in places;
when appropriate, resources are
used to provide accurate support.
• a topic that is
explored/explained, although
developmental details may
occasionally be out of balance
with the main idea(s); some
connections and insights may be
present.
• content and selected details that
are relevant, but perhaps not
consistently well chosen for
audience and purpose.
3
2
1
The reader can understand the main ideas, although
they may be overly broad or simplistic, and the
results may not be effective. Supporting detail is
often limited, insubstantial, overly general, or
occasionally slightly off-topic. The writing is
characterized by
• an easily identifiable purpose and main idea(s).
• predictable or overly-obvious main ideas or plot;
conclusions or main points seem to echo
observations heard elsewhere.
• support that is attempted; but developmental details
that are often limited in scope, uneven, somewhat
off-topic, predictable, or overly general.
• details that may not be well-grounded in credible
resources; they may be based on clichés, stereotypes
or questionable sources of information.
• difficulties when moving from general
observations to specifics.
Main ideas and purpose are
somewhat unclear or
development is attempted but
minimal. The writing is
characterized by
• a purpose and main idea(s)
that may require extensive
inferences by the reader.
• minimal development;
insufficient details.
• irrelevant details that clutter
the text.
• extensive repetition of detail.
The writing lacks a central idea
or purpose. The writing is
characterized by
• ideas that are extremely limited
or simply unclear.
• attempts at development that
are minimal or non-existent; the
paper is too short to demonstrate
the development of an idea.
©
Oregon Department of Education. All rights reserved.
62
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC (CONTINUED)
ORGANIZATION
6
5
4
The organization enhances the
central idea(s) and its development.
The order and structure are
compelling and move the reader
through the text easily. The writing
is characterized by
• effective, perhaps creative,
sequencing; the organizational
structure fits the topic, and the
writing is easy to follow.
• a strong, inviting beginning that
draws the reader in and a strong
satisfying sense of resolution or
closure.
• smooth, effective transitions
among all elements (sentences,
paragraphs, and ideas).
• details that fit where placed.
The organization enhances the central idea(s)
and its development. The order and structure
are strong and move the reader through the
text. The writing is characterized by.
• effective sequencing; the organizational
structure fits the topic, and the writing is easy
to follow.
• an inviting beginning that draws the reader
in and a satisfying sense of resolution or
closure.
• smooth, effective transitions among all
elements (sentences, paragraphs, and ideas).
• details that fit where placed.
Organization is clear and
coherent. Order and structure are
present, but may seem formulaic.
The writing is characterized by
• clear sequencing.
• an organization that may be
predictable.
• a recognizable, developed
beginning that may not be
particularly inviting; a developed
conclusion that may lack subtlety.
• a body that is easy to follow
with details that fit where placed.
• transitions that may be stilted or
formulaic.
• organization which helps the
reader, despite some weaknesses.
3
2
1
An attempt has been made to
organize the writing; however, the
overall structure is inconsistent or
skeletal. The writing is characterized
by
• attempts at sequencing, but the
order or the relationship among
ideas may occasionally be unclear.
• a beginning and an ending which,
although present, are either
undeveloped or too obvious (e.g.
“My topic is..”, “These are all the
reasons that…”)
• transitions that sometimes work.
The same few transitional devices
(e.g., coordinating conjunctions,
numbering, etc.) may be overused.
• a structure that is skeletal or too
rigid.
• placement of details that may not
always be effective.
• organization which lapses in some
places, but helps the reader in
others.
The writing lacks a clear organizational
structure. An occasional organizational device
is discernible; however, the writing is either
difficult to follow and the reader has to reread
substantial portions, or the piece is simply too
short to demonstrate organizational skills. The
writing is characterized by
• some attempts at sequencing, but the order
or the relationship among ideas is frequently
unclear.
• a missing or extremely undeveloped
beginning, body, and/or ending.
• a lack of transitions, or when present,
ineffective or overused.
• a lack of an effective organizational
structure.
• details that seem to be randomly placed,
leaving the reader frequently confused.
The writing lacks coherence;
organization seems haphazard and
disjointed. Even after rereading,
the reader remains confused. The
writing is characterized by
• a lack of effective sequencing.
• a failure to provide an
identifiable beginning, body
and/or ending.
• a lack of transitions.
• pacing that is consistently
awkward; the reader feels either
mired down in trivia or rushed
along too rapidly.
• a lack of organization which
ultimately obscures or distorts the
main point.
©
Oregon Department of Education. All rights reserved.
63
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC (CONTINUED)
SENTENCE FLUENCY
6
5
4
The writing has an effective flow and
rhythm. Sentences show a high degree of
craftsmanship, with consistently strong
and varied structure that makes
expressive oral reading easy and
enjoyable. The writing is characterized
by
• a natural, fluent sound; it glides along
with one sentence flowing effortlessly
into the next.
• extensive variation in sentence
structure, length, and beginnings that add
interest to the text.
• sentence structure that enhances
meaning by drawing attention to key
ideas or reinforcing relationships among
ideas.
• varied sentence patterns that create an
effective combination of power and
grace.
• strong control over sentence structure;
fragments, if used at all, work well.
• stylistic control; dialogue, if used,
sounds natural.
The writing has an easy flow and
rhythm. Sentences are carefully
crafted, with strong and varied
structure that makes expressive oral
reading easy and enjoyable. The
writing is characterized by
• a natural, fluent sound; it glides
along with one sentence flowing
into the next.
• variation in sentence structure,
length, and beginnings that add
interest to the text.
• sentence structure that enhances
meaning.
• control over sentence structure;
fragments, if used at all, work well.
• stylistic control; dialogue, if used
sounds natural.
The writing flows; however,
connections between phrases or
sentences may be less than fluid.
Sentence patterns are somewhat
varied, contributing to ease in oral
reading. The writing is characterized
by
• a natural sound; the reader can
move easily through the piece,
although it may lack a certain
rhythm and grace.
• some repeated patterns of sentence
structure, length, and beginnings that
may detract somewhat from overall
impact.
• strong control over simple sentence
structures, but variable control over
more complex sentences; fragments,
if present, are usually effective.
• occasional lapses in stylistic
control; dialogue, if used, sounds
natural for the most part, but may at
times sound stilted or unnatural.
3
2
1
The writing tends to be mechanical rather
than fluid. Occasional awkward
constructions may force the reader to
slow down or reread. The writing is
characterized by
• some passages that invite fluid oral
reading; however, others do not.
• some variety in sentences structure,
length, and beginnings, although the
writer falls into repetitive sentence
patterns.
• good control over simple sentence
structures, but little control over more
complex sentences; fragments, if present,
may not be effective.
• sentences which, although functional,
lack energy.
• lapses in stylistic control; dialogue, if
used, may sound stilted or unnatural.
The writing tends to be either
choppy or rambling. Awkward
constructions often force the reader
to slow down or reread. The writing
is characterized by
• significant portions of the text that
are difficult to follow or read aloud.
• sentence patterns that are
monotonous (e.g., subject-verb or
subject-verb-object).
• a significant number of awkward,
choppy, or rambling constructions.
The writing is difficult to follow or
to read aloud. Sentences tend to be
incomplete, rambling, or very
awkward. The writing is
characterized by
• text that does not invite—and may
not even permit—smooth oral
reading.
• confusing word order that is often
jarring and irregular.
• sentence structure that frequently
obscures meaning.
• sentences that are disjointed,
confusing, or rambling.
©
Oregon Department of Education. All rights reserved.
64
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC (CONTINUED)
VOICE
6
5
4
The writer has chosen a voice appropriate for
the topic, purpose and audience. The writer
seems deeply committed to the topic, and there
is an exceptional sense of “writing to be read.”
The writing is expressive, engaging, or sincere.
The writing is characterized by
• an effective level of closeness to or distance
from the audience (e.g., a narrative should have
a strong personal voice, while an expository
piece may require extensive use of outside
resources and a more academic voice;
nevertheless, both should be engaging, lively,
or interesting. Technical writing may require
greater distance.).
• an exceptionally strong sense of audience; the
writer seems to be aware of the reader and of
how to communicate the message most
effectively. The reader may discern the writer
behind the words and feel a sense of interaction.
• a sense that the topic has come to life; when
appropriate, the writing may show originality,
liveliness, honesty, conviction, excitement,
humor, or suspense.
The writer has chosen a voice appropriate for
the topic, purpose, and audience. The writer
seems committed to the topic, and there is a
sense of “writing to be read.” The writing is
expressive, engaging or sincere. The writing is
characterized by
• an appropriate level of closeness to or
distance from the audience (e.g., a narrative
should have a strong personal voice while an
expository piece may require extensive use of
outside resources and a more academic voice;
nevertheless, both should be engaging, lively
or interesting. Technical writing may require
greater distance.).
• a strong sense of audience; the writer seems
to be aware of the reader and of how to
communicate the message most effectively.
The reader may discern the writer behind the
words and feel a sense of interaction.
• a sense that the topic has come to life; when
appropriate, the writing may show originality,
liveliness, honesty, conviction, excitement,
humor, or suspense.
A voice is present. The writer
demonstrates commitment to the
topic, and there may be a sense of
“writing to be read.” In places, the
writing is expressive, engaging, or
sincere. The writing is
characterized by
• a questionable or inconsistent
level of closeness to or distance
from the audience.
• a sense of audience; the writer
seems to be aware of the reader but
has not consistently employed an
appropriate voice. The reader may
glimpse the writer behind the words
and feel a sense of interaction in
places.
• liveliness, sincerity, or humor
when appropriate; however, at
times the writing may be either
inappropriately casual or personal,
or inappropriately formal and stiff.
3
2
1
The writer’s commitment to the topic seems
inconsistent. A sense of the writer may emerge
at times; however, the voice is either
inappropriately personal or inappropriately
impersonal. The writing is characterized by
• a limited sense of audience; the writer’s
awareness of the reader is unclear.
• an occasional sense of the writer behind the
words; however, the voice may shift or
disappear a line or two later and the writing
become somewhat mechanical.
• a limited ability to shift to a more objective
voice when necessary.
The writing provides little sense of
involvement or commitment. There is no
evidence that the writer has chosen a suitable
voice. The writing is characterized by
• little engagement of the writer; the writing
tends to be largely flat, lifeless, stiff, or
mechanical.
• a voice that is likely to be overly informal
and personal.
• a lack of audience awareness; there is little
sense of “writing to be read.”
• little or no hint of the writer behind the
words. There is rarely a sense of interaction
between reader and writer.
The writing seems to lack a sense
of involvement or commitment.
The writing is characterized by
• no engagement of the writer; the
writing is flat and lifeless.
• a lack of audience awareness;
there is no sense of “writing to be
read.”
• no hint of the writer behind the
words. There is no sense of
interaction between writer and
reader; the writing does not involve
or engage the reader.
©
Oregon Department of Education. All rights reserved.
65
GRADES 3-8 WRITING RUBRIC (CONTINUED)
WORD CHOICE
6
5
4
Words convey the intended message in an
exceptionally interesting, precise, and
natural way appropriate to audience and
purpose. The writer employs a rich, broad
range of words, which have been
carefully chosen and thoughtfully placed
for impact. The writing is characterized
by
• accurate, strong, specific words;
powerful words energize the writing.
• fresh, original expression; slang, if used,
seems purposeful and is effective.
• vocabulary that is striking and varied,
but that is natural and not overdone.
• ordinary words used in an unusual way.
• words that evoke strong images;
figurative language may be used.
Words convey the intended message in
an interesting, precise, and natural way
appropriate to audience and purpose.
The writer employs a broad range of
words which have been carefully
chosen and thoughtfully placed for
impact. The writing is characterized by
• accurate, specific words; word
choices energize the writing.
• fresh, vivid expression; slang, if used,
seems purposeful and is effective.
• vocabulary that may be striking and
varied, but that is natural and not
overdone.
• ordinary words used in an unusual
way.
• words that evoke clear images;
figurative language may be used.
Words effectively convey the
intended message. The writer
employs a variety of words that are
functional and appropriate to audience
and purpose. The writing is
characterized by
• words that work but do not
particularly energize the writing.
• expression that is functional;
however, slang, if used, does not
seem purposeful and is not
particularly effective.
• attempts at colorful language that
may occasionally seem overdone.
• occasional overuse of technical
language or jargon.
• rare experiments with language;
however, the writing may have some
fine moments and generally avoids
clichés.
3
2
1
Language is quite ordinary, lacking
interest, precision and variety, or may be
inappropriate to audience and purpose in
places. The writer does not employ a
variety of words, producing a sort of
“generic” paper filled with familiar words
and phrases. The writing is characterized
by
• words that work, but that rarely capture
the reader’s interest.
• expression that seems mundane and
general; slang, if used, does not seem
purposeful and is not effective.
• attempts at colorful language that seem
overdone or forced.
• words that are accurate for the most
part, although misused words may
occasionally appear, technical language or
jargon may be overused or
inappropriately used.
• reliance on clichés and overused
expressions.
Language is monotonous and/or
misused, detracting from the meaning
and impact. The writing is
characterized by
• words that are colorless, flat or
imprecise.
• monotonous repetition or
overwhelming reliance on worn
expressions that repeatedly distract
from the message.
• images that are fuzzy or absent
altogether.
The writing shows an extremely
limited vocabulary or is so filled with
misuses of words that the meaning is
obscured. Only the most general kind
of message is communicated because
of vague or imprecise language. The
writing is characterized by
• general, vague words that fail to
communicate.
• an extremely limited range of words.
• words that simply do not fit the text;
they seem imprecise, inadequate, or
just plain wrong.
©
Oregon Department of Education. All rights reserved.
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66
STUDENT GOALS THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLANS
In order to better satisfy each student‘s individual learning needs, AZVA teachers collaborate with
parents and students to establish individual student curriculum goals. These goals are designed to both
clarify and guide the student‘s learning experience while motivating the student and increasing the
likelihood of high academic achievement. Progress goals will be based on a student‘s enrollment date,
and these goals will be written to ensure a student meets or exceeds standards.
Teachers, students, and learning coaches may modify these goals as the school year progresses.
Dedicated AZVA teachers work closely with students and learning coaches to formulate realistic
expectations as well as provide feedback toward the goals set forth in the plans during scheduled
parent/teacher conferences. Adequate progress toward individual student goals will be factored into
eligibility for elementary and middle school honor roll.
Students may have additional goals written into their Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs)
based on the teacher‘s discretion. Such goals may include attendance, testing, participation in
Study Island, participation/attendance at test preparatory sessions, participation/attendance at
tutoring sessions, etc.
Fourth Grade:
Approximately 60 lessons that are a combination of K12 Science 4 lessons and AZVA Supplemental
Lessons
August
School Start
Date
September 15th
Start Date
3 Science
Lessons per
week
October 15th
Start Date
3 Science Lessons
per week
4 Science
Lessons per
week
November 15th
Start Date
4 Science Lessons
per week
December 15th and
beyond
Start Date
Consult with your
assigned teacher for
an individual pacing
plan
Eighth Grade:
The Grade 8 Science Alignment Sequence and supplemental lessons are comprised of approximately
55 lessons.
The table below is designed to help students and learning coaches understand how many lessons per
week from the Science Alignment Sequence must be completed in order for the students to be more
prepared in April for the science portion of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards.
August
School Start
Date
3 Science
Lessons per
week
September 15th
Start Date
3 Science
Lessons per
week
October 15th
Start Date
4 Science
Lessons per
week
November 15th
Start Date
4 Science
Lessons per
week
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67
December 15th and beyond
Start Date
Consult with your assigned
teacher for an individual
pacing plan
PROGRESS REPORT GUIDELINES
Progressing in a course is different from promoting from a course; final course promotions and marks
are determined by the teacher. Work samples must be turned in and Scantron tests must be
completed in order to receive a Meets or Exceeds mark. Current guidelines will be available by the first
day of the 2010/2011 school year.
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68
Academic Support
69
WEEKLY ONLINE ELLUMINATE CURRICULUM SPECIALIST SESSIONS-TEACHER LED
All Sessions Start in September
AZVA highly-qualified teachers teach live class sessions throughout the school year. Sessions include
State Testing Intervention (STI) lessons in math and reading, as well as writing sessions. The
2010/2011 schedule will be updated at a later date.
When logging into Elluminate, students need to use their first name, last initial, teacher name (James LWest or James Li.-West for James Lincoln with teacher Jeannie West)
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70
ELLUMINATE TIPS AND TRICKS
Setting up Your Computer for Elluminate
In order to log into an Elluminate classroom, you need to download the free Elluminate software. It can
take up to 30 minutes so be sure to complete the downloading before the scheduled tutorial. Go to the
following link: http://www.elluminate.com/jwsdetect/demos_events/jwsdetect.html
Download the necessary software to run this program at least 30 minutes before trying to participate in
one of the sessions. Please note that if you are on dial up, Elluminate is not going to work
properly. This can be done any time prior to the meeting. When logging onto Elluminate© please use
only your first initial and last name.
After you have successfully installed the software onto your computer, you may want to watch a brief
new user orientation. To see this demo click on this link https://www.elluminate.com/support/ and
choose ―Online Orientation‖ and/or ―Recorded Introduction‖ in the new users‘ section.
Problems With Wireless Connection and Elluminate
When using Elluminate and you continue to lose connections, you should attempt the following
suggested fixes (attempt them in this order):
1) Be sure you are not too far from your router
2) Be sure there is no problem with your Internet. Check another computer to see if the Internet is
still active.
3) While in Elluminate, go to TOOLS>PREFERENCES>then choose the lowest connection speed
(ie. 28.8). If this works, you can continue to raise the speed until you begin to get kicked off
again.
4) Close all applications that are not being used during Elluminate. Outlook continues to check for
email and uses bandwidth. The fewer applications you have open, the better the program
works.
5) Empty your Java cache. This will also help with most Elluminate problems such as the
microphone or whiteboard not working properly.
6) Delete old versions and updates to Java and get the new version. Go to START>CONTROL
PANEL>ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS>then delete all Java applications and updates. They can
be identified by the little coffee cup. Then go to www.java.com and get the latest version.
7) Hard wire your computer to the Internet. This allows for much more information to be sent to
your computer and keeps the signal strength constant. When hardwired to the Internet, you
should disable your wireless card.
It is important to note that when using a wireless connection, your signal and bandwidth will fluctuate,
even though your wireless connection may say ―excellent‖. When a wireless connection says excellent
it is ONLY notifying you of the connection to the Wireless Access point (router: i.e. Linksys, Netgear,
etc). You can have an excellent connection to your router and still NO Internet connection. This does
not constitute a wireless issue.
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Clearing the Java Cache
Clearing the JAVA cache should help clear up many problems that occur in Elluminate, such as Audio
problems (choppy audio, echo) and components not fully installed.
Click on the Start menu and select Control Panel (Settings -> Control Panel)
71
Open ―Java‖
Click the ―Settings‖ button.
72
Click the ―Delete Files‖ Button.
This will open a ―Delete Temporary Files‖ dialog box. Select ―OK‖ for deleting ―Applications and
Applets‖ and ―Trace and Log Files.‖
Close the Java Control Panel
73
AZVA WRITING PROGRAM
The AZVA writing program is comprehensive, using the writing process to teach students a step by step
method to writing. Elluminate classes for grades K-8 are taught weekly, and they cover the K12
curriculum, the Six Traits, as well as interactive writing activities. Students are able to participate in a
classroom setting with other students and learn a variety of writing topics. This year we will have a
class especially for peer editing. Attending writing classes will not only help your student get through
the writing curriculum, but it will help him/her understand the components of writing in a fun, interactive
format. The writing specialist also emails weekly writing newsletters with fun and practical tips and
tricks for learning coaches and students.
2010-2011 Writing Class Schedule
The writing class schedule for the following school year will be announced at a later time.
Discovering the 6 Traits
1. What are the 6 traits and why do we need to use them?
By learning these one at a time, students learn the skills needed to write effectively. The state
of Arizona also uses these traits to assess our students in writing on the AIMS test each
Spring. The 6 traits are: Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Voice, Sentence Fluency, and
Conventions.
The writing process is basically 5 stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. By
using the six traits with the writing process, students learn how to practice in all these stages. Ideas,
organization, voice, word choice and fluency are all
part of the revision process and conventions is the editing phase. It is very important that these traits
be incorporated into the writing program.
What are some characteristics of each trait?
Ideas
o Clear message
o Focused topic
o Specific details
Organization
o Lead: grab attention
o Transitions: logical and linking
o Conclusion: tie it together
Voice
o Enthusiasm
o Involvement
o Feelings
Word Choice
o Words as pictures
o Precise nouns
o Lively verbs
Sentence Fluency
o Flow and Rhythm
o Different sentence beginnings
o Different sentence lengths
74
Conventions
o Edit for CAPS ( capitalization, agreement and usage, punctuation, spelling)
o Check the presentation
Back to Contents
GRADES K-2 WRITING RUBRIC
IDEAS AND CONTENT
The writer‘s ideas are clear, and details are
used to support ideas.
Experienced
Ideas are extremely clear
Very strong details
Writing is focused
Topic is well understood
Capable
Writing makes a point
Ideas are clear
Many details are present
Topic is understood
Emerging
Main idea is evident
Few details are present
Writer needs more understanding of
topic
Writer uses some recognizable words
Experimenting
Scribbling and/or pictures are used
Letters are written randomly
Text is not easily understood
VOICE
The writer uses the correct voice for the piece
that is written. Writing is easy to read.
Experienced
Writer‘s purpose is clear
Emotion is present
Message is delivered effectively
Easy to follow sequencing
Capable
Writing is individual and expressive
Care of topic is evident
Writing has a sense of audience
Purpose of writing is evident
Emerging
A little bit of the writer‘s voice is evident
Purpose of writing is not clear
Illustration is used to express ideas
Audience is not considered
Experimenting
No audience present
Lack of details in picture
Writer does not communicate with reader
ORGANIZATION
Writing is planned from beginning to end.
Experienced
 The beginning, middle, and end are
well organized
 Writing is easy to follow
 Transitions are used to connect main
ideas
Capable
 Some transitions are used to connect
ideas
 Good beginning. Ending is attempted.
 Writing is in a logical order
WORD CHOICE
Writer uses words that are clear and interesting.
Experienced
 Clear and interesting words are used
 The right words are used in the right places
 Descriptive words are not often repeated
 Uses some metaphors and similes
Capable
 Some repetition of descriptive words
 Words are chosen carefully and specifically
 Words are used to create images
75
Emerging
 A beginning is present, but very little
middle and ending
 Writer uses short sentences
 Reader can follow most of what is written
Experimenting
 Ideas are present but not organized
 Scribbles, shapes, and pictures
 Attempt at placement of letters is evident
Emerging
 General, not specific words
 Words are sometimes repeated
 Uses phonetic letter strings
 Limited amount of text
Experimenting
 Most words are repeated
 Very simple language is used

Words are copied from surrounding literature
SENTENCE FLUENCY
CONVENTIONS
Sentences fit well together and make sense.
Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are
used correctly.
Experienced
o Writer uses a variety of strong
sentences
o Reader can easily read sentences
aloud
o Writing flows
o Good control over standard grammar
Capable
o Writing flows
o Simple and compound sentences are
present
o Sentences have a variety of beginnings
Emerging
o Sentences are easy to understand, but
do not flow
o Simple sentences are used
o Reader may need some text interpreted
o Many sentences begin the same
Experimenting
o Words or letters may stand alone
o Reader needs the text interpreted
o Strings of letters instead of words
Experienced
o Writer uses correct spelling
o Writer uses correct beginning capitalization
o Writer uses correct ending punctuation
Capable
o Most spelling, capitalization and
punctuation is correct
o Paragraphs are used to show new ideas
o Writer uses spaces between words
Emerging
o Spelling needs to be checked
o Some mistakes make reading difficult
o Lack of paragraphs to separate ideas
o Uses mixed lowercase and capital letters
o Can write own name
Experimenting
o Only pictures are used
o Writing and drawing is done in scribbles
o Cannot write name conventionally
*Writing rubrics have been taken or adapted from those used by the Arizona Department of Education. They are used with permission of the
Oregon Department of Education, Salem, Oregon 97310.
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76
Student Honor Roll
& NJHS
77
ELEMENTARY HONOR ROLL (K-5)
The Elementary Honor Roll is a great tool to recognize students for their hard work, as well as incentive
to continue working diligently. Please share the following information with your student. Honor roll
status will be determined at the end of each semester and students will receive recognition after honor
roll eligibility is determined.
**Please note that music and world languages are optional courses, and progress in these courses will
not be used in calculating honor roll.
Requirements for making the Elementary Honor Roll:
A grade of ―E‖ given for each subject (except Music/World Language).
All required work samples must be submitted to the assigned teacher by the due date.
Attendance requirements are met and logged daily (exceptions must be approved by teacher in
advance).
Student must participate in phone conferences when asked to do so.
Student must meet or exceed all student goals
Rewards for Honor Roll:
AZVA Bumper Sticker
Certificate of Achievement
Name listed in the Weekly Updates
MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL (6-8)
Middle School Rubric
The AZVA Middle School Rubric is a tool that is monitored by teachers to track continuous student
success within the program. Through a series of goals, ranging from work samples to outing
attendance, students are given the opportunity to earn acknowledgement for their school
achievements.
AZVA staff believes that providing a well-rounded education involves various principles ranging from
social outings, high quality work samples, testing, lesson assessments, submitting samples and
paperwork promptly, and continuous conference call participation. The following rubric allows teachers
to assess student success in the areas discussed and identify students for exemplary achievement
within AZVA.
Achievement levels range from Unsatisfactory to Exemplary/Honors standing in which students are
eligible to apply to National Junior Honor Society. **Please note that music and world languages are
optional courses and the progress in these courses will not be used in calculating honor roll.
78
National Junior Honor Society Membership (Grades 6-8)
Membership in the National Junior Honor Society is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a
middle school student. AZVA is the first virtual school in the nation to have an NJHS chapter of its own.
The NJHS has worked hard to bring the accomplishments of outstanding students to the attention of
parents, teachers, peers, and the community. Chapters in more than 5,000 middle level schools across
the nation strive to give practical meaning to the Society‘s goals of scholarship, leadership, service,
citizenship, and character. These five ideals are considered as the basis for student selection. No
student is inducted solely on high academic standards. The National Junior Honor Society strives to
recognize various attributes of a successful student: one who excels in all these areas:
The standards used for student selection are:
Scholarship—AZVA rubric score or 32 or higher out of a possible 36 points
Leadership, Service, Citizenship, and Character—as noted by teacher observations
Having attended AZVA for at least one semester
Responsibilities of Membership
Membership is more than an honor. It requires a responsibility and an obligation to demonstrate those
outstanding qualities that resulted in selection for membership. In order to ensure that our chapter of
the National Junior Honor Society is effective and meaningful, each member will have the opportunity to
participate in the goals and objectives of our chapter, such as participating in chapter meetings and
planning and participation of NJHS projects. Specifically, all members will be encouraged to:
Participate in a fall food drive and a spring book drive as our school community service projects
for each semester.
Participate in monthly meetings with NJHS members and teachers, some on the phone and
some in person, in order to facilitate ways to make our school better and to help other students
by mentoring and getting them connected.
Attend semester outings for NJHS students to get acquainted with others in their area.
In order to stay in good standing with our NJHS Chapter, each member will be required to do the follow
during the semester:
Complete 6 hours of community service/month on his/her own, keep track of his/her hours, have
an adult sign a tracking sheet and submit the form to his/her assigned NJHS teacher
Keep the progress in the Online School consistently above expectation
Maintain required attendance hours
Rewards of Membership
Membership in the National Junior Honor Society is a great honor for a middle school student. Each
member is eligible to participate in an induction ceremony and will receive a certificate as well as a
membership card.
Participation in meetings and in the planning of various activities enables middle school students to
practice leadership skills that are very important for them in their high school years where they will be
eligible for various scholarships.
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79
MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL AND NJHS RUBRIC
Student Goals Scoring Rubric
Student Name:
Grade Level:
Semester:
Student goals are determined in conjunction with parent, student and teacher.
Task:
Student Goals
6 - Above Expectation
3 - At Expectation
0 - Below Expectation
Achieves all of the student
goals.
Achieves 80% of the
student goals.
Achieves
Achieves 79%
50% or
or less
less of
of
the the
student
goals.
student
goals.
80
Conference Call Scoring Rubric
Student Name:
Grade Level:
Semester:
The conference calls are based on whether or not the parent and middle school student attends the scheduled calls as well as the
quality of conversation.
Task:
Conference Calls:
9 - Above Expectation
6 - At Expectation
Attends the scheduled
conf. calls with teacher.
Initiates quality
conversation. Also
responds to and initiates email conversation.
Attends the scheduled
conf. calls with their
teacher. Engages in a
quality conversation.
Responds to teacher emails.
3 - Below Expectation
0 - Absent
Attends less than half of
Does not attend any of the
the scheduled conf. calls
scheduled conference calls
with teacher. Selectively
with teacher. Does not
responds to teacher erespond to teacher e-mails.
mails
Attendance Scoring Rubric
Student Name:
Grade Level:
Semester:
Attendance score is based on OLS attendance hours logged by the end of each semester
compared to what is required for the student's grade level.
Task:
Attendance:
6 - Above Expectation
3 - At Expectation
0 - Below Expectation
attendance hours logged
on the OLS are over
the required
attendance hours for the
semester
attendance hours logged
on the OLS are exactly
the required
attendance hours for the
semester
attendance hours logged
on the OLS are
less than the required
attendance hours for the
semester
Middle School Honor Roll and NJHS Scoring Rubric
Student Name:
Grade Level:
Semester:
Progress Score:
Work Sample Score:
Student Goals Score:
Conference Call Score:
Attendance Score:
Total:
____________________ ______
_________________________________________________________________
A score of 32-36 constitutes a student who has achieved the NJHS Standing.
A score of 28-31 constitutes a student who has achieved Honor Roll Standing
81
NJHS VOLUNTEER WORK TRACKING SHEET
Month: ___________________
Student Name: _______________________
Assigned AZVA Teacher‘s Name: _____________________________
Project Name
Amount
of time
Adult Signature
Student Signature
Please fax to the Phoenix office each month or attach in an email to [email protected].
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82
The Learning Coach:
Programs, Tips & Tricks
83
SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT TRAININGS
The special education department will be offering trainings on a variety of topics each month to
all parents. Please join us in the online Resource Room during the open times to review the
training, and have your questions answered by a special education teacher.
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K-8 MONDAY ASSEMBLIES
Please join AZVA administration and staff for informative Monday Assemblies. These assemblies will
include school information and student recognition. More information will be available at the beginning of
the school year.
84
AZVA PARENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Parent certification is classified by three levels: Basic, Advanced, and Honors. When a parent completes
any of these levels, he/she will receive a certificate, recognition at the school assembly as well as a
listing of his/her name in the Weekly Updates. In order for a parent to qualify for AZVA Parent
Certification Level, he/she needs to complete the following each school year:
BASIC: (minimum time for completion—1 month)
Acquire and connect Internet service promptly (within a week of contact with teacher)
Update Antivirus software
Perform Windows Update
Know how to clear the cache
Check e-mail daily for at least one month
Actively participate with teacher to establish student goals
Attend two parent trainings that are offered via Elluminate
Attend all scheduled conference calls on the phone or in Elluminate
In OLS:
Log attendance daily for one month
Complete OLS online tutorial located in the HELP section
Establish a daily plan and mark vacation days
Visit ―Lesson Lists‖ in addition to ―Plan‖ and mark lessons complete
Know how to print lessons and screens
ADVANCED: (minimum time for completion—1 semester)
Accomplish all of the above for one semester, plus
Attend local Parent Orientation or Parent Orientation by phone
Research the Internet to find supplemental activities for students
Submit work samples each month by due date
Read all OLS ―Course Introductions‖ for student‘s subjects
Read ―Kids rules for Online Safety‖ at http://www.safekids.com/kidsrules.htm with student(s) and
―Parents‘ Guide to Keeping Children Safe Online‖ at
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm and apply safety rules
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HONORS: (minimum time for completion – 1 semester )
Achieve all of the above, plus:
Assist an AZVA teacher in a school-sponsored outing
Host a student interest group get-together
Attend two or more parent training sessions, chats, or conference calls
Pair with another parent in some way for support (buddy system, mentoring, etc)
Share information about AZVA with at least two friends
Ensure that the student has satisfied yearly attendance hours and
progress
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MOTIVATING STUDENTS
Many students begin the school year excited about their new classes. However, at some point students
may procrastinate, dawdle, and do everything possible to avoid completing their assignments. Many
students (and parents) experience difficulty becoming and remaining motivated. This is common and to
be expected. While the learning coach is going through several changes of his/her own, it is easy to
forget the student is going through adjustments and may not be the ―picture perfect‖ student that
sometimes the parent/learning coach expects. It is OK! Allow the student some growing room and
adjustment time as well, and realize the first two months are usually the hardest. Most students really
enjoy the new learning environment once the adjustments are made. Remember, there is no perfect way
to do the AZVA program. How students and learning coaches make it work is as varied as the families
enrolled. Feel free to be flexible within the program and make it work for your student. Below, learning
coaches can find suggestions, incentives, and online resources for maintaining enthusiasm and
excitement about learning.
Do:
Be consistent.
o Stick to a schedule.
o Attend monthly outings.
o Send in required monthly work samples.
Involve your student in creating and completing a daily schedule.
o Discuss courses and create a plan to work toward goals set for the year.
o Discuss accomplishments each day.
o Plan time for play every day.
Create an inviting work environment.
o Provide a space for your student to work.
o Keep a space for ongoing projects.
o Eliminate distractions.
o Keep materials where they are easily accessible.
Focus on the positive.
o Become your student‘s learning partner.
o Offer incentives for your student to complete his/her work.
o Enjoy a fun, free-time activity once a goal is achieved.
Don’t:
o
o
Compare your student to other students.
Blame your child if schooling does not run smoothly. Step back, take a break, and evaluate
what is working.
o Leave school up to your student alone; he/she needs your help!
Incentives: Incentives allow students to control whether or not they earn rewards. Once incentives are
earned, they are not to be taken away. Below are some examples of incentives. Learning coaches can
be creative and determine what works for their families.
o
o
Buy a set amount of game tokens. Designate a cup or bowl for earning game tokens. Tell your
student that every assignment he/she completes without complaining earns him/her 1-2 tokens
(or whatever amount you decide). Indicate on a calendar the day that your student may use the
earned tokens.
Prepare a ―treasure chest‖ and stock it with various little treasures that your student has helped
you select. Students can place stickers for completed lessons on small incentive charts that can
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o
o
be purchased at a local teacher supply store. Once the chart is full, learning coaches may
encourage their students to select a prize in the treasure chest.
When schooling multiple children, a ―happy bean jar‖ may work wonders. Obtain a glass jar and
a bag of beans. When students work together cooperatively, place a bean in the jar. Once the
bean jar is full, reward students with an item or activity of their choice.
Create a chart that lists activities that a student can complete to earn tickets. For instance,
getting himself/herself up and ready for school = 2 tickets, or completing an extra assignment = 5
tickets, etc. Students can redeem tickets for time on the computer, craft time, video game time,
TV time, etc. Students can even redeem tickets for a bigger ―ticket‖ item such as lunch or dinner
out or even an overnight trip (especially motivating for the older students).
Along with the do-and-don‘t checklist and the aforementioned incentives, learning coaches may find
information about motivating students with most search engines on the Internet. Some well-established
philosophies and strategies to motivate students are listed below:
o
o
o
Logical and Natural Consequences: Dinkmeyer and McKay
PAT-―Preferred Activity Time:‖ Fred Jones, author of Positive Classroom Behavior
Discipline with Love and Logic: Foster Cline and Jim Fay
o Choice Theory and Control Theory: William Glasser
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LEARNING COACH TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SCHEDULING AND
MANAGING IT ALL
Some of the most valuable tips and tricks are provided by experienced AZVA families. A good way to
get in touch with these families is through the Family Directory or school outings. Always feel free to ask
your teachers for advice and tips to teach the K12 curriculum.
Starting School:
Start slowly, do what you can, and remember that getting in the ―groove‖ of things takes a little
time.
Maintain open contact with teachers and make schooling your priority.
Persevere as a family. Do not allow yourself or your family to become overwhelmed. Work
cooperatively and patiently to troubleshoot challenges (i.e., computer or software problems,
lifestyle change, etc.).
Understand that some families need up to a year to become completely comfortable with the new
school. The curriculum and instructional techniques become more familiar over time as exercises
are repeated.
Keep in mind that parents who have no schooling at home or homeschool experience may find
the task of schooling at home to be time consuming. Nevertheless, the reward of knowing that the
nature of AZVA‘s program leads to high-quality education far outweighs the challenges.
Thoroughly read the information sent to you by the school.
Organization:
When school materials arrive, open and inventory them right away. Allow your child(ren) to see
all of the exciting materials, but take into consideration whether or not the abundance of materials
will be overwhelming. If so, consider only introducing the student to the materials he/she needs
to begin initial lessons. The supplied materials are abundant and may give the student the
impression of impending piles of work. Reassure the student that he/she will work on only one
course and lesson at a time and the other coursework materials are for the rest of the year‘s
lessons.
Organize your workspace as early as possible. Keep simple hanging files for the student‘s
finished work organized by subject, and separate a hanging file for monthly work sample
submissions.
Establish a reward system based on daily attitude and activity. (Verbal praise is more effective
than a trip to the mall.)
Learn how to best set up your own schedule. Work with your teacher to come up with something
that works for you and your family.
Obtain a notebook and write down questions for discussion with the teacher. Leave space to
record responses.
Preparation:
Prepare all of the materials and print out the daily plan the night before.
For older students, create usernames and passwords for them to use within the OLS when they
are working on their own. You can do this by accessing the My Account area within the OLS.
Experiment with printing out the weekly/daily plan. Some students prefer to work through courses
in the order of their choice and feel good about themselves as they cross off the completed
coursework.
Plan ahead by preparing worksheets and documents for the student. Tear out and staple
workbook pages into small sections. Mark pages to read with sticky notes.
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Visit the Advance Preparation option in the OLS every day to optimize preparation and planning.
Science lessons often require some advance preparation.
Coaching:
Lesson chunking can reduce your transition time between subjects tremendously. Double up on
lessons such as science or history, and complete them every other week. Designate specific
days for science or art. Strive to complete an entire unit. This process can be fun and maintain
student attention, and it reduces preparation time.
Keep in mind that learning coaches may modify lessons. Students may jump to the lesson or unit
assessment if they already demonstrate mastery of the objectives.
Strive to begin school each day at a specified time. Allow yourself the luxury of sleeping in once
in a while.
Skip challenging material and complete it on a different day.
Stay on top of your schedule. Catching up can be challenging.
Post a motto up in the classroom area of your house. One parent suggested the following motto,
―Find a way to do it. There is not a reason why you cannot.‖
Please feel free to ask your teacher for assistance in modifying the curriculum to fit your
child’s needs or coaching techniques that may be helpful to you.
Lessons and Courses:
Understand the percentages of assignments that students need to complete so they may
complete their courses. Refer to Progress and Attendance Guidelines chart in the Student Goals
section of the POG for more details.
Keep in mind those students who start school mid-year must still reach mastery in their courses
to promote to the next course in the following school year.
Remember that optional lessons are not figured into the percentage of core lessons used to
calculate course promotion eligibility.
Understand the difference between viewing all lessons and core lessons on the progress screen.
Keep in mind that each student has a unique readiness level and cannot be compared to other
students. The K12 curriculum is rigorous.
Adjust the schedule set-up to ensure the student is on track to finish the course by the school end
date. This can be accessed through the ―Plan‖ tabs within the OLS.
Access Grolier’s Online Encyclopedia for extra information on any subject.
o Log into the Online School.
o Click on ―Help‖ in the top right hand corner.
o Scroll down to the bottom and click ―Grolier’s Encyclopedia‖ on the left side under
―Other Links‖.
o *If you have difficulty accessing Grolier‘s Encyclopedia, you may need to adjust your
computer‘s settings via the Content Advisor. For more information, see the section on the
Content Advisor in the technology section of the POG.
Ask your teacher about free access to UnitedStreaming videos online. There are videos from how
a mountain is formed to Algebra and everything in between.
General:
Attend an Elluminate training, conference call, or in-person parent training or chat session. They
are very informative.
Attend as many outings as possible. Meeting other families and students helps families create a
sense of community and belonging, and provides the opportunity to share experience.
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SCHEDULING
Now that you have made this decision to join AZVA, we need to look at how you can find more time in
your day, be more efficient, and be able to enjoy time together as a family. The first thing you need to do
is get control of your time! Start by making a master plan schedule of your entire week. Put things on
the list that occur every week and block out that time commitment. Put every waking hour on this master
plan. Here is one mom‘s schedule:
Time
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
6 am
Sleep
Sleep
Sleep
Sleep
Sleep
Sleep
Sleep
7 am
Family Time
Family Time
Family Time
8 am
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
9 am
School
School
Co-op
School
School
Breakfast
10 am
School
School
Co-op
School
School
School
11am
School
School
Co-op
School
School
12 pm
Lunch
Lunch
Co-op
Lunch
Lunch
1 pm
School
School
Co-op
School
School
2 pm
School
School
Co-op
School
School
Co-op
Kelsie Piano
3 pm
4 pm
Sleep
Family Time
Brunch
Lunch
Football
School
Football
Football
Scouts
5 pm
Dinner
Dinner
6 pm
Brownies
Football
7 pm
Family Time
Football
Dinner
TV
Dinner
Dinner
Football
Girls‘ Club
Football
TV
Dinner
Dinner
*Co-op is time spent doing shared-learning with another family.
This is going to help you identify where your time is spent, as well as determine those nasty ―time
drains.‖ Some examples of time drains are the TV, telephone, video games, appointments, and time
spent in the car traveling.
After you create a weekly schedule, break it down into a daily schedule. One suggestion is to set a timer
every fifteen minutes for a day or two. Simply jot down what you were doing when the alarm went off.
Within a couple of days, you will have a good idea of how time is spent throughout each day.
Use personal time management tools like calendars, schedules, to-do lists, family notebooks, and the
tools on the OLS (weekly lesson plan, advance preparation, etc).
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Here are a few things to consider when creating your schedule.
Take your child‘s biological learning time into consideration. If your child is not a morning person,
don‘t push it. Let him/her help create the schedule. He/she will be more willing to stick to it.
Time
Task
7:30
Breakfast
7:45
Clean Kitchen
8:00
Nathan Math
8:15
Jenna Math
8:30
Jenna Math
8:45
Check e-mail
9:00
Check e-mail
9:15
Nathan Science
9:30
Jenna Literature
9:45
Jenna Literature
10:00
Phone Calls
10:15
Phone Calls
10:30
Laundry
10:45
Nathan History
11:00
Jenna History
11:15
Laundry
11:30
Check e-mail
11:45
Nathan Language
Arts
Lunch
12:00
Save time by using block scheduling (or chunking) with
your secondary subjects. This will save time and may
also keep your child more involved in the subject. Instead
of doing History on M-W-F and Science on T-WTH, try this:
Monday- 3 History Lessons
Tuesday- 3 Science Lessons
Wednesday- 3 Art Lessons
Thursday- 2 Music Lessons
Tips for Managing Your Home
Have a list of 5, 10, and 15-minute tasks that your child
can do if you are not quite ready to move onto the next
lesson when he/she is! This way you won‘t lose him/her
to Legos in the bedroom!
Consolidate your movement. Try to run all of your
errands at the same time instead of leaving your home
multiple times each day. This will eliminate a huge time
drain!
Create a meal-of-the-day schedule. Make large meals
and freeze them for instant meals!
Delegate tasks. You don‘t have to do all of it by yourself!
Keep realistic expectations.
Create a ―mobile office‖ to take with you when you are on
the go. You can pay bills, make a grocery list, etc all
while waiting for Johnny to finish football practice!
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Virtual School Community:
Family Directory, Events,
Clubs, & Outings
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FAMILY DIRECTORY
The new parent directory is accessed through the bigthinK12. Parents are able to find other parents by
location of their homes and student grade levels. Parents may search by name and other information in a
parent profile. The new directory is automatically updated as a parent's status changes, such as moving
across town or changing an e-mail address. There is an online opt-in/out capability on the OLS so
parents can easily include or exclude themselves from the directory.
thebigthinK12
CODE OF CONDUCT & STANDARDS OF PARTICIPATION
Welcome to thebigthinK12, K12‘s online community. K12 is delighted to provide this collaboration and
social networking platform to encourage learning, sharing and support among K 12 students, parents,
teachers, school personnel and K12 staff. Only authorized users of K12 systems can access
thebigthinK12, so it‘s a good place to learn about and use the latest and greatest of Web 2.0. The
version you‘re accessing today is just the beginning. Check out our ―Behind The Scenes‖ blog to learn
about the new features and functions we‘ll be adding over time.
Now on to some business: while K12 provides the platform as a service, it is not responsible for the
content posted through use of the platform. Each individual user is responsible for the content she or he
posts. Content posted by K12 employees in no way reflects the views of K12 Inc. or its affiliates. In
launching this platform, K12 has commissioned an independent firm to monitor its use. We reserve the
right to delete any content that conflicts with our Standards of Participation (below) at any time without
notice or explanation.
thebigthinK12 is all about creative self-expression and spontaneous interaction—we want you to have a
blast! At the same time, users of the community are expected to conduct themselves in a mature and
respectful manner. Even with monitoring, we also ask that all users to be active participants in
maintaining the Standards of Participation as set forth below:
Back to Contents
thebigthinK12
STANDARDS OF PARTICIPATION
As we said above, each user of the community is solely responsible for the content posted through
his/her log-in credentials. Sharing your username and password with others is strictly prohibited, as is
logging in with someone else‘s username and password.
The following tones, language, materials and behaviors are strictly prohibited:
Posting personally identifiable information (whether directly or indirectly through a link to a
personal profile) such as phone number, IM, email address or street address in any format other
than a private message
Antagonism or prejudice of any kind with respect to race, religion, gender, intelligence, age,
orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status
Posting material including photographs and videos inappropriate for minors (anyone under the
age of 18)
Any criminal or other illegal activity including encouraging the unlawful use, possession,
manufacture or distribution of tobacco, drugs or alcohol
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Illegally posting, distributing, uploading or downloading copyrighted work (whether music,
video, words, images, drawings, pictures, software or otherwise), or providing any information to
circumvent copyright protection devices or software
sharing quiz, test, assessment, essay or term paper questions or answers or undertaking any
other action that would violate any code of conduct, expectations or rules of your school or
teachers regarding academic honesty or that would defeat the intent of any quiz, test,
assessment, essay, term paper or other academic assignment
Threats to anyone‘s physical or mental well-being
Threats to school or personal property
Stalking behaviors
Harassment of any kind
Explicit language or sexuality
Explicit or graphic violence
Spam or any other unauthorized/unsolicited or commercial promotion
Disruptions of the server or host software
Impersonations of others‘ identities, including employees/representatives of K12
Use of codes, software, or passwords that may grant unauthorized access to K 12 software or
third-party software of any kind
Soliciting passwords or personal identifying information from other users
Content that poses any type of threat to homeland security
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE STANDARDS MAY RESULT IN TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT
REMOVAL OF USER ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY, AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF K12 AND MAY
ALSO LEAD TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY YOUR SCHOOL OR EXPULSION.
If you feel any member of the community has violated the letter or the spirit of these standards, please
email [email protected].
For more details, please refer to the K12 Terms of Use. As our community grows, we eagerly look
forward to your valued contributions!
Student Internet Safety
• Do not reveal on the Internet personal information about yourself or other persons. For example, you
should not reveal your name, home address, telephone number, or display photographs of yourself or
others to persons outside of the ARIZONA VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
• Do not agree to meet in person anyone you have met only on the Internet and who is not affiliated with
the ARIZONA VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
Network Etiquette
As an ARIZONA VIRTUAL ACADEMY student, you are expected to follow the rules of network etiquette
or netiquette. The word "netiquette" refers to common-sense guidelines for conversing with others online.
Please abide by these standards:
• Avoid sarcasm, jargon, and slang. Swear words are unacceptable.
• Never use derogatory comments, including those regarding race, age, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, ability, political persuasion, body type, physical or mental health, or access issues. being
discussed, not on the individuals involved.
• Focus your responses on the questions or issues
• Be constructive with your criticism, not hurtful.
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• Review your messages before sending them. Remove easily misinterpreted language and proofread for
typos.
• Respect other people‘s privacy. Don't broadcast online discussions, and never reveal other people's
email addresses.
Getting Around thebigthinK12
Outings : the big thinK > thebigthinK @ AZVA > AZVA Parents > AZVA Parent-Led Activities and
Events
Boosters: the big thinK > thebigthinK @ AZVA > AZVA Parents > AZVA Parent Booster Club
Weekly updates: the big thinK > thebigthinK @ AZVA > thebigthink @ AZVA K8 > AZVA K8 Weekly
Updates
Clubs: the big thinK > thebigthinK @ AZVA > thebigthink @ AZVA K8 > AZVA K8 Clubs
K12 /AZVA YAHOO GROUPS
K12-AZVA Yahoo Group:
Are you looking for other families schooling with AZVA? Our parents have begun a separate Yahoo
board as a place to discuss, share tips, problems, ideas, fun stuff, or whatever pertains to their virtual
schooling experience. It's a great way to share information, frustrations and make friends with other
parents who are committed to giving their students the best education they can. Visit
www.yahoogroups.com/group/K12-AZVA for more information.
K12-AZVA-ALP Yahoo Group:
Do you have an ―advanced learner‖ in AZVA? The Advanced Learner Program (ALP) is offered by AZVA
to help provide additional opportunities for students who have high intellectual, academic or creative
thinking skills. To help families of ALP students connect, our parents have begun a separate Yahoo
board as a place to chat, share ideas, get questions answered, and talk about all the issues pertaining to
our unique schooling experience. Visit www.yahoogroups.com/group/K12-AZVA-ALP for more
information.
AZVA SPECIAL INTEREST STUDENT CLUBS
It is a goal of AZVA staff to foster community for our families through clubs. In an effort to help families
build more meaningful relationships with one another, AZVA offers in-person and online clubs based on
students‘ and families‘ interests. Possible clubs offered to K-8 students if 20 or more participants attend
are suggested (not limited to) below:
East Valley Lego
History club
Battle of the Books
Travel club
Outdoor club
Odyssey of the Mind, Yuma
Oceanography Club -5th grade only
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96
AZVA Club Information 2010-2011
*The club information is subject to change
AZVA Clubs
East Valley Lego
AZVA East Valley Lego/Robotic Club. We have several different groups within
our club. We have the FLL Robotics group for AZVA students from ages 9-14,
the regular Lego© group for all ages, and the Jr. FLL group for 6-9 year
olds. The Robotic team is designing, building and programming a Lego© robot
to solve tasks in the yearly challenge. There is a competition held in December
which we participate in. The Jr. FLL group works with the same theme as the
FLL group, but they learn about and build with gears to make machines. Both
groups prepare for a presentation as well. The regular Lego group gets
together to build with Legos. All groups gather together to have fun building
and socializing. The parents stay, have fun, and socialize as well.
Hosts
TBD
History club
Please join us as we take a walk through history. Students will actively learn
about historical events and people through Elluminate activities and outings.
TBD
Battle of the Books
America‘s Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading incentive program for
students in grades 3-12. The purpose is simply to encourage students to read
good books and have fun while competing with peers. Students participate by
reading from the book list provided for that year's America's Battle of the
Books. Students may count "books" they have read before. However, they
cannot count books that they have only seen on a video or a movie. They must
read the book. The school battles will be held usually in March or April.
Therefore, students will have plenty of time to read the books during the school
year. A typical "Battle" is a game, in which students' teams earn points by
answering questions about the books on the book list.
TBD
Travel club
Travel club ―travels‖ the globe to interesting and sometimes exotic locations.
Students enjoy discovering different cultures during the travel club meetings
that are held in Elluminate.
Travel Club Meetings to be announced at a later date.
TBD
Safford Outdoor club
The Safford Outdoor Club is a club geared toward encouraging students to get
out and socialize while participating in fun events. Our goal is to have students
join together in activities such as: Park days, bowling and trips to museums,
fire and/or police departments, Pizza Hut, Apple Annie‘s and other ideas for
activities students are interested in. Contact Lori Talavera to be included in
upcoming events and activities.
TBD
TBD
More information to come at a later date.
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Odyssey of the Mind, Yuma
Odyssey of the Mind is a competitive club that focuses on building creative
thinking and team work skills. Students that participate in this club must be
honor roll students and maintain that status throughout the year. The club
requires weekly meetings, homework, and heavy parental involvement.
Information regarding Odyssey of the Mind can be found at
www.odysseyofthemind.com. Currently, there are two spots open on a 7-11
grade team. Teams are formed based on interest and require seven members
near the same age group. Additional teams need to be formed by October.
TBD
PEN PALS K-12 grade
AZVA will be pairing up students from other virtual academies nationwide.
TBD
AZVA Parent Boosters
The AZVA Parent Boosters organization is a robust group of parents who are
committed to enhancing the school for the students. Their mission statement
reflects that commitment: To empower and encourage AZVA families to make
meaningful connections, participate in quality programs, and ensure that AZVA
students get all they can out of the virtual school experience. Go to thebigthinK
parent booster page to find what activities are on tap for a certain time
period. Please consider joining this group.
TBD
Middle School Social Hour
This online club is for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who would like to socialize with
their AZVA peers. Join in on the fun in Elluminate as students chat about their
favorite topics, play games, share about their AZVA experiences, and make
friends. This is a very safe and easy way to socialize.
TBD
Ski Club
Students and their chaperones are given a great deal at Sunrise Ski Park near
Greer, AZ. The exact dates are yet to be announced, but the club is usually
given 6-8 dates from January-March to ski and snowboard at a very low cost. If
you‘ve always wanted to learn how to ski or snowboard, here is your
chance! Look for an announcement in December for a club meeting in which
the dates will be given and general questions will be answered.
Great Auk and Living History Museum
Great Auk: This is a club open to 7th and 8th grade students. If you love trivia
and learning new things, this is the club for you. We will answer trivia
questions together. Topics included everything from dinosaurs to Star
Wars. In April, we will complete with students from all over the country in a
trivia competition.
Living History Museum:
As a group, we will choose a year and an area of the country around which you
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TBD
TBD
would like to center our studies. All members of the class, including you, will
learn as much as possible about that time and place in order to assume the
role of a real person. The research should include finding out about times
before and after the year you've chosen. It is important to learn where your
characters came from, where they were headed, where their relatives were. It
will also be important to know how events in other areas of the country and in
other countries affected your characters, even if the characters, as individuals,
were unaware of these events. However, the year and place will be the focal
point. You will then choose a character from that year and place and create a
presentation acting as your character. You will talk about what your life is like,
what the world is like. We will share all of these in an Elluminate room at a time
to be determined later. We will have monthly meeting to discuss the character
research process. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Kari Hurley via
Kmail.
Oceanography Club
This new and exciting club is open to all AZVA 5th graders! We will learn and
explore Earth‘s oceans. Is there a difference we can make to keep our Earth
clean and environmentally protected? Oceanography Club will meet once per
month in Elluminate for a club lesson. At the end of the year we are holding the
first AZVA Virtual Aquarium. In addition to lessons and activities, we have a trip
planned to California in April! Project Exploration, Inc. will take us on a twonight, three day exclusive coach bus tour, which will include many fun things including Sea World and boat cruise! The trip costs $450 per person. Each
student is required to have an adult chaperone. You are not required to go on
TBD
the trip to be part of the club. However, if you want to go on the trip, you must
participate in the Oceanography Club‘s Elluminate lessons. We also have
Elluminate meetings for parents about the trip and fundraising opportunities. If
you are interested in joining, and haven‘t already filled out the interest survey,
you can still sign up by filling out this form: Click here to fill out the form (More
information will be emailed to you after you complete the form.)
If you have any problems accessing the form using the link above, please send
an email to: [email protected]
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K-8 OUTINGS
K – 12th grade Students, Learning Coaches, their family and friends are all invited to get together often
to enjoy school sponsored outings. All participants under the age of 18 will need to be included on the
school liability release form. Specific dates and times will be posted on the onthebigthinK12.
Parents are also welcome to host or lead social and educational opportunities in their own
communities. Please work with your assigned teacher to calendar your event. Even something as
simple as meeting at the park can be a great way to support each other and make connections.
8th GRADE TRANSITION
In an effort to help our 8th graders with the transition into high school, the AZVA high school community
welcomes 8th graders to attend certain outings throughout the year to learn more about the high school
program. Please check thebigthinK12 for outings that 8th graders are invited to attend.
Back to Contents
LIABILITY RELEASE AGREEMENT
(Print Minor's Legal Name) __________________________ (Please indicate if there is more than one child
per family participating and if so provide their legal name(s)):
______________________, _____________________, ______________________,
_______________________
(collectively referred to as ―Minor‖) wishes to participate in ___________________________________ ―Activity‖
sponsored by K12 Arizona L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company and Portable Practical Educational
Preparations, Inc. an Arizona non-profit corporation, d/b/a PPEP and Affiliates (collectively "Sponsors").
The Sponsors and the undersigned parent or legal guardian of Minor agree that the Activity may pose risks,
including possible illness, injury, as well as similar and dissimilar risks (―Risks‖). The undersigned is fully aware of
the Risks and other hazards inherent in the Activity and is participating in the Activity voluntarily and assumes the
Risks and all other risks of loss, damage, or injury that may be sustained while participating in the activity.
K12 makes no representations or claims as to the condition or safety of the land, structures, transportation or
surroundings that may be involved in the Activity, whether or not owned, leased, operated or maintained by the
Sponsors. It is understood that the Sponsors do NOT provide any insurance coverage for the Minor's person or
property, and Minor's parent (s) or guardian (s) acknowledge that they are responsible for the Minor's safety and
the Minor's own health care needs, and for the protection of the Minor's property.
In exchange for allowing the Minor to participate in these Activities offered by the Sponsors, the Minor, by and
through the undersigned, the undersigned, and their respective heirs, personal representatives and estates
agree(s) to release from liability and hold harmless the Sponsors and any agent, officer or employee of the
Sponsors acting within the scope of their duties for any injury to the Minor's person or damage to the Minor's
property. I authorize the Sponsors to take any action, including seeking medical care, necessary in its judgment if
I am not present or reachable in the event of an emergency. The undersigned acknowledges that as a part of this
Release he or she shall be 100% liable to pay for all medical expenses resulting or to result from any injury
incurred during, or as a result of, participation in the Activity.
If any term of this agreement or the application to any person or circumstance shall, to any extent, be invalid or
unenforceable, the remainder shall not be affected thereby, and each and every remaining term of this agreement
shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law. In the event of any need to enforce this
agreement, the Sponsors shall be entitled to its attorney fees and costs. This agreement will be governed by
Arizona law.
I, the undersigned, state that I am the parent or legal guardian of the Minor. I have fully read and understand the
above terms and conditions and that they apply to said Minor and to myself, and that no oral representations,
statements or inducements apart from the foregoing written agreement have been made to the undersigned. This
document is binding on myself, the said Minor, and any person suing on behalf of said Minor.
DATE: ________________________
Minor‘s Address: _______________________
Address: _______________________________
_______________________________
(PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME)
_______________________________
(SIGNED)
101
12
K
PC Setup Guide
102
103
104
SETTING UP YOUR COMPUTER, KEYBOARD, AND MOUSE
This document serves as an overall guide to setting up your computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse;
connecting your modem to a phone line; connecting your speakers; connecting your printer to the
computer; configuring and logging in to Windows; and logging on and changing your password.
Important: Be sure to keep all of the boxes that your computer equipment arrived in. The computer
and accessories are the property of your K12 Virtual Academy and will need to be returned in the
original boxes.
Before you begin, you should consider the following:
Proximity of the computer system to electrical outlets: The computer system will require
several electrical outlets for the computer, printer, and monitor. If the location where you
plan to set up your computer is not near several outlets, we recommend that you use a
power strip (available at your local hardware store).
Proximity of the computer system to a telephone jack: Since you will be connecting to
the Internet using a telephone modem, make sure that the computer is close enough to
a wall telephone jack to reach with the supplied cable. If necessary, you can purchase a
longer telephone cable at your local hardware store.
Step 1: Setting Up Your Computer, Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse
Your boxes will contain your computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, a monitor stand and cable, two
speakers, speaker cables (unless your system has internal speakers), two power cords (one for the
monitor and one for the computer), and a telephone/modem cable.
Your computer cables and connector panel have
color-coded connectors; match the color of the
cable with the color of the connector.
Start by connecting the mouse cable
(green) with the green connector on the back of the
computer.
Connect the keyboard cable (purple)
with the purple connector on the back of the
computer.
Connect the monitor cable (blue)
with the blue connector on the back of the computer
and tighten the screws.
Connect the power cords to the
properly grounded electrical wall outlets or
preferably a power strip.
Step 2: Connecting a Phone Line to
the Computer’s Modem
To be able to access the Internet through a
modem, you need to connect the phone line jack to
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the computer‘s modem using the telephone cable that came with your computer. Make sure that you
connect the cable into the computer via the plug with the icon of a wall jack (not the icon of a phone)
next to it.
Most K12 computers have two jacks into which the phone cord can go. One is used to connect the
computer to your home‘s wall jack; the other can be used to connect a phone to the computer (so you
can make phone calls when the computer is not online). TIP: If the jack you‘ve plugged the phone
cord into doesn‘t work, try plugging it into the other jack.
If you have broadband Internet access (cable or DSL), then you need to plug the Ethernet cable into
the ethernet port on the back of the computer.
Step 3: Turning on the Power
Turn on the monitor first, and then turn on the computer. When the computer's power-on self-test is
finished, the manufacturer's logo window closes. Your computer contains preinstalled software, which
will complete its own installation program.
* Printer set-up will occur later.
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HOW TO LOG ON AND CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD
Getting Started
After you have set up your computer, push the power button to start the machine, if you have not
already done so. The computer will automatically set up some files. When the log-on screen appears,
the user name should appear as Parent. Just leave it that way. The initial password will be the word
password. Type password in the lower box, and then click OK.
If a box appears asking you to restart your computer, click No.
You may wish to establish your own password. Press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time.
Click Change Password. Enter the old password (password) in the top box. Type in a new password (at
least six characters), and then confirm the password by retyping it in the third box. Click OK. Click
Cancel on the next window. Be sure to write down your new password and put it somewhere safe in
case you forget it later.
The computer will continue to perform its start-up tasks. Some windows may open and close during the
process. A McAfee Virus scan image will appear and quickly disappear.
A bubble may pop up in the bottom right-hand corner titled ―Take a tour of Windows XP.‖ You may
close this window by clicking the ―X‖ in the top right corner, or click on the text if you would like to take
the tour.
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SOFTWARE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Welcome to K12 !
Before you get started on the lessons, you‘ll need to install some software on your computer.
Definitions
Click: Move the pointer to the appropriate location and ―left-click,‖ or press down the left mouse button,
once.
Double-click: Move the pointer to the appropriate location and click the left mouse button twice, in
rapid succession.
Right-click: Move the pointer to the appropriate location and ―right-click,‖ or press down the right
mouse button, once.
Desktop: Initial screen where you will find the K12 folder and other icons. You can reach the Desktop
by clicking the Show Desktop icon
at the bottom of the screen.
Installing Adobe Acrobat Reader
1. Double-click the K12 folder on your computer screen.
2. Double-click the AdbeRdr60_enu_full icon.
3. A new window will appear and a progress bar will begin running—it will let you know how
quickly you are installing the software. The installation will probably take a minute or two.
4. Several screens will flash up and go away. Eventually the computer will stop on an Adobe
Reader 6.0 window.
5. Click the Next button at the lower right in the next three windows.
6. On the fourth window, click Install. The progress bar will reappear. The installation will take only
a few minutes.
7. Finally, click Finish in the next window. The program will automatically close.
You have successfully installed Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Printer Set-up
Please refer to the user manual that is in the box with your printer OR on your computer in the K12
folder. To find the manual on your computer:
1. Double-click the K12 folder icon on your Desktop.
2. Double-click the folder named Printer Drivers and Manuals.
3. Find out what model of printer you have. You can find the name and number on the outside of
the printer.
4. Double-click the file for your Printer Manual.
5. Follow the directions in the manual to set up your printer.
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That‘s it! You have finished setting up your computer system. Click the Internet Explorer icon on the
Desktop and type www.K12.com in the address box to access the K12 Online School.
Have fun!
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108
A GUIDE TO COMMON COMPUTER TERMS
Bandwidth: The amount of information that can be carried in a given time period over a wired or
wireless communications link.
Boot up: To turn on the power to your computer so it can load its operating system. Also called ―start
up‖.
Broadband: A connection to the Internet that uses a wide range of frequencies to transmit
information. Broadband connections download more information and download it faster than
narrowband connections. Examples of broadband connections are Cable and DSL.
Cache: A place on your computer to temporarily store information.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): A technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and
small businesses using ordinary copper telephone lines.
Desktop: A computer display area that represents the kinds of objects one might find on a real
desktop: documents, writing tools, and project folders. This is the main screen shown after boot up.
Dial-up: A connection to the Internet using the telephone line and a modem.
Ethernet: A system that connects computers together in a network.
Firewall: A program which protects the resources of a private network from the users of other
networks by blocking common ports used by hackers.
Hardware: Computers, monitors, printers, and other physical devices.
Home page: The first page displayed after starting a Web browser.
Imaging (also called ghost imaging): The copying of the contents of a computer's hard disk into a
single compressed file (or set of files) so the contents of the hard disk can be copied to other
computers.
ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company that provides access to the World Wide Web.
Memory: The place where your computer stores data (and from where it retrieves data). RAM (rapidaccess memory) is the fastest type of memory. So-called ―secondary storage‖ memory devices are
slower, but data is not lost when the computer is powered down (as it is when stored in RAM).
Secondary storage includes hard drives, floppy drives and CD drives.
Operating system: The program that manages all the other programs for your computer.
Program: A specific set of ordered operations for a computer to perform (Microsoft Word, for
example). Also known as an ―application‖.
RAM (Random Access Memory): The place your computer temporarily stores data so it can be
reached quickly by the computer's processor.
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Reboot: To restart your computer.
Reload: To start a program over again because it has stopped working, or isn't working properly.
Server: The hardware and software that administer data for the computers of a network.
Software: Programs used to operate computers.
Taskbar: The part of the computer desktop that shows you which programs are running. It is
usually found along the bottom of the screen.
Web browser: The program that lets you see and use the World Wide Web. (Microsoft‘s Internet
Explorer and Netscape Navigator, for example.)
Web site: A connected set of Web pages.
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can K12 Customer Support help me solve a computer problem?
If you need help solving a computer problem, please call K12 Customer Support at 1- 866-512-2273. To
help us solve your problem as quickly as possible, please take these actions before you call:
Record the exact wording of any error messages that appeared on your computer.
Write down details of the problem, such as how often it happens and what you were doing
immediately before the problem occurred. Be prepared to describe the problem in detail. Your
description will help the Customer Support representative analyze the problem and suggest a
solution.
Place your phone near your computer so you can easily answer questions about your computer
system and the problem you are experiencing.
Be ready to help the Customer Support representative walk you through a resolution. He or she
may ask you to perform some tasks on the computer to get a better picture of what‘s happening.
If you‘ve already performed those steps, tell the Customer Support representative what
happened when you performed the steps. You may need to repeat them.
If you don't understand something, let the Customer Support representative know you don‘t
understand. Don't be afraid to ask questions!
How do I choose an Internet service provider (ISP)?
You will access the K12 Online School via the Internet, so you will need to choose an Internet service
provider (ISP). You may choose any ISP you want.
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110
Setting Up Your Account:
Once you have decided on an ISP, you will need to call the company to set up your service. Most
companies have a toll-free number and can help you set up your account over the phone.
E-mail: Whatever ISP you choose, be sure the service provides e-mail. Most ISPs provide e-mail and
will be happy to help you set up your account.
Reimbursement: Some of the K12 Partner Schools have set up an ISP fee reimbursement plan.
Please refer to the section on Internet Reimbursement in the Parent-Student Handbook portion of the
Parent Orientation Guide.
How do I change my password?
1. Log on to your computer.
2. Press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys on the keyboard at the same time and then release them.
3. Select ―Change Password‖ from the menu that appears on the screen.
4. Make sure the user name is correct.
5. Make sure the account in the second box is correct (whether it's a domain account or local computer
account).
6. Type your old (current) password in the third box.
7. Type your new password in the fourth box.
8. Type your new password again in the fifth box.
9. Click ―OK.‖
10. Click ―OK‖ to acknowledge the message that your password has been changed.
11. Press the Esc button, or click ―Cancel‖ to return to the Windows desktop.
How do I clear my cache?
The cache is the area where your computer stores Web addresses of sites that you have visited
recently. Your computer can retrieve an address much faster from the cache than it can from the
Internet. When many addresses are stored in the cache, however, your computer is much less efficient
than it is when the cache is empty.
We recommend that you clear your cache about every two weeks. Clearing the cache deletes
temporary files only. It will not affect any other files on your computer.
If your browser is Internet Explorer (IE):
1. Go to ―Tools‖ at the top of the IE screen and select ―Internet Options‖ from the pull-down menu.
2. In the Temporary Internet Files section, select ―Delete Files.‖
3. When a new window appears, check "Delete all offline content," and then click ―OK.‖
4. Click ―OK‖ again.
If your browser is Netscape:
1. Go to ―Edit‖ at the top of the Netscape screen and select ―Preferences‖ from the pull-down menu.
2. Click once on the plus sign next to the word "Advanced."
3. In the list that appears, click ―Cache.‖
4. For Netscape Version 7.1, click ―Clear Cache.‖ For Version 7.0 or lower, click ―Clear Memory
Cache,‖ and then click ―OK.‖ Click ―Clear Disk Cache,‖ and then click ―OK.‖
5. Verify that the "Every time" option is selected.
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6. Click ―OK‖ at the bottom of the window.
What should I do if my computer doesn’t respond when I type or move the mouse?
One or more applications may be conflicting with the program you are using. Follow these steps to
check for other applications that may be running in the background.
1. Press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys on the keyboard at the same time and then release them.
2. Select ―Task Manager‖ from the menu that appears on the screen.
3. Highlight any applications described as "Not Responding."
4. Click the End Task button in the bottom right corner of the window.
5. If another dialog box appears with the message "This program is not responding," click the End Task
button in the second box.
6. As a last resort, shut down and restart the computer.
I can't hear any sound or play music on my computer. What should I do?
1. Check your speakers. Are they on? Is the volume turned up?
2. Check the electrical connections. Are they securely connected to the speakers and the
computer?
3. Click the volume icon (the one that looks like a speaker) in the group of icons at the bottom of
your screen and make sure the volume button is up and the mute box is unchecked. Adjust the
volume as necessary, or uncheck the mute box. Then, double-click the volume icon and make
sure the rest of the volume controls are up and that the mute boxes are not checked.
4. If you still can‘t hear any sound or play music on your computer, check the multimedia settings:
a. Click ―Start‖ at the bottom left of your screen; select ―Settings‖; then click ―Control Panel.‖
b. Double-click ―Sounds and Multimedia‖ on the control panel.
c. On the Sounds tab, make sure the sound volume control is up and that there is no red line
through the speaker icon in the lower-right corner. If there is a red line, click the icon to
remove it.
d. Click the Audio tab. Look at the ―Preferred device‖ boxes in the Sound Playback, Sound
Recording, and MIDI Music Playback Synthesizer sections. The settings should match the
name of your computer's sound hardware.
e. If you made any changes, click ―Apply,‖ and then click ―OK.‖
5. If you still have no sound, call or e-mail your teacher in order to document the issue
and
arrange for further technical support.
What can I do if my mouse does not work properly?
If the pointer on the screen does not move smoothly when you move your mouse, the mouse may need
cleaning.
1. Shut down your computer.
2. Turn the mouse over and twist the retainer ring to the
unlocked position.
3. Turn the mouse over so that the retainer ring and ball fall out
into your hand.
4. Wash the ball in warm, soapy water and dry it with a clean
cloth. Blow carefully into the ball cage to dislodge dust and lint.
5. Look for a buildup of dirt on the rollers inside the ball cage.
This buildup usually appears as a stripe running across the
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middle of the roller. If the rollers are dirty, clean them by using a cotton swab dampened with isopropyl
(rubbing) alcohol. Turn the rollers with your finger and continue swabbing them until all the dirt is
removed.
6. Remove any fibers from the swab that remain on the rollers.
7. Replace the ball and the retainer ring.
8. Restart your computer.
Does my computer need any routine maintenance?
The following preventive maintenance information will help you keep your computer running smoothly.
You can also find tips in the user guide that came with your equipment.
Keep the computer on a sturdy, flat surface in a clean, dry environment.
Do not place items on top of the monitor, or cover any of the computer or monitor vents. The vents let
air flow over the equipment and keep it from overheating.
Keep food and drinks away from the computer. Spills and food particles can ruin the mouse,
keyboard, and other equipment. Moisture on the power switches or other controls may damage the
parts and create an electrical hazard.
Always disconnect power cords by grasping the plug, not the cord.
Periodic cleaning
It is a good practice to periodically clean the equipment to ensure trouble-free operation. Always turn off
your computer, monitor, and any electrical equipment connected to your computer before cleaning.
Computer and keyboard: Use only a mild cleaning solution and a slightly damp cloth.
Monitor screen: Do not use any abrasive cleansers on the monitor screen, as the surface is easily
scratched. Gently wipe the screen with a soft, dry cloth or blow on the screen to remove grit and loose
particles. Next, use a soft cloth moistened with a nonabrasive liquid glass cleaner. You can also use an
antistatic cleaner to slow the buildup of dust.
How do I keep my floppy drive running smoothly?
1. Use only high-quality diskettes, keep the computer in a clean environment, and keep all foreign
objects out of the floppy-disk drive.
2. Before you insert a diskette, check it for damage and make sure the diskette shutter (the metal tab
that covers the interior surface) moves freely.
3. Use the floppy drive on a regular basis. Frequent use will keep dust and dirt from accumulating on
the recording surfaces. If you have not used the drive for a long time, test the drive first with a diskette
that doesn't contain any important data.
4. If you insert a diskette and it does not work properly, try it in another computer. If the diskette works
properly in the other computer, you may need to clean the drive. (When using a cleaning kit made for a
floppy drive, follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. When using kits with isopropyl alcohol, use it
sparingly as excessive amounts may damage the drive.)
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What else do I need to do to keep my computer running smoothly?
You should run an antivirus scan at least once a month, using the included McAfee Total Protection for
Small Business software.
You should run a spyware scan at least twice a month, using one of the spyware-scanning programs
mentioned earlier.
You should defragment your hard drive at least once a month. To do so, perform the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Click the Start button, and select All Programs
Select Accessories
Select System Tools
Select Disk Defragmenter
Highlight your hard drive (C:) and click the Analyze button
If you get a message saying you do not need to defragment the hard drive, close the
application. If the message says to defragment the hard drive, click the Defragment button.
Note: Your computer will run very slowly during the defragmentation process. It‘s best to schedule a
time to defragment when you‘re not planning on using the computer. Do not turn off your computer or
let it go into Standby mode while the disk is defragmenting.
Where can I go to get more help?
K12 Customer Care is the first point of contact for parents and students who need computer help. Call
1-866-512-2273 to speak with K12 Technical Support.
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Technology Best Practices
& Self Help Guide
115
TECHNOLOGY PRACTICES & SELF-HELP GUIDE
Computers are very complex electronics comprised of hardware and software that interact to provide
the user with output. Output can be in many various forms including documents, spreadsheets, and
web pages. Due to the complexity of the interaction between hardware and software it is not
uncommon to occasionally experience technical issues.
This document is intended to be used as a best practice overview and a first step self help guide. By
following the best practices and steps outlined in this guide the user may be able to
 avoid technical issues caused by 3rd party programs and viruses
 resolve any technical issue he/she experiences on his/her own, or
 assist the technician to resolve the issue in a timelier manner.
Before performing any of the steps outlined in this document or installing any software on the
computer it is very important for the user to close any open programs, documents, or browser
windows that are open. Failure to ensure that all programs are closed during operating system
updates or software installation can result in corruption of Windows or a failed software
installation.
If the following steps fail to solve the problem, please call your child’s teacher or K12 Customer
Care at 1-866-512-2273.
WINDOWS UPDATES
Users must maintain the Windows operating system up to date with the latest patches provided by
Microsoft. Windows updates are designed to patch possible vulnerabilities that can be exploited by
computer hackers and viruses. In addition to added security, Windows Updates can also provide
enhanced features and functionality for end-users.
To set Automatic Updates in Windows XP:
1) Click Start, right click My Computer, click Properties
2) Click the Automatic Updates tab located at the top of the window
3) Click to chose ―Automatic (Recommended)‖, then Every Day, and schedule the update at a
time when the computer is on, but not being used intensively.
4) Click Apply, then click Ok
Choosing this option for Automatic Updates will download available updates and notify the user to
install them by showing an Update Message Balloon in the System Tray (lower right hand corner of the
desktop). Most Windows Updates require the computer to be rebooted after installation. Allowing the
updates to download and install automatically may force a reboot at an inconvenient time.
The user can also perform Windows Updates manually.
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To perform Windows Updates manually:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Connect to the Internet as you normally do
Open Internet Explorer
Browse to update.microsoft.com
Click the Express button.
Click Install Updates
Follow the onscreen instructions listed for downloading and installing updates
Note that the ―Microsoft Genuine Advantage Tool‖ may need to be installed before any updates can be
downloaded and installed. This requires and ActiveX component, which must be allowed to run. A
gold-colored bar may appear towards the top of Internet Explorer. If so, click on it and allow the
ActiveX
content
to
run.
For
more
information,
see
the
following
website:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=905474
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
K12 provided school computers are shipped with McAfee Managed VirusScan installed. The McAfee
installation, when used properly, guards the system from viruses in the wild. In order for the anti-virus
software to be effective it must be updated with the latest virus definitions on a regular basis.
To update the McAfee installation:
1. Right click the McAfee Shield (icon is red shield with white M on front) located in the system tray
2. Click Update Now
An Updating Agent window will appear and automatically download any new virus definitions that are
available. After the download is complete the window will close automatically.
After any available virus definitions have been downloaded, a full system scan should be run to ensure
that there are no active viruses on the computer.
To scan the system for viruses:
1. Right click the McAfee Shield icon located in the system tray
2. Click Scan Tasks
3. Click Scan My Computer
This process enables the user to scan the contents of the hard drive for all known viruses and generate
an alert if any viruses are found.
If you have trouble configuring McAfee, or need to install McAfee on your computer, call K 12 Customer
Care at (866) 626-6413.
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SPYWARE/ADWARE REMOVAL TOOLS
Spyware
Spyware is any technology that aides in gathering information about a person or organization without
their knowledge. On the Internet, spyware is a program secretly installed on someone‘s computer to
gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can
get in a computer as a software virus or as the result of installing a new program or visiting websites
with the spyware installer embedded within.
Data collecting programs that are installed with the user‘s knowledge are not, properly speaking,
spyware, if the user fully understands what data is being collected and with whom it is being shared.
However, spyware is often installed without the user‘s consent, as a drive-by download, or as a result of
clicking some option in a deceptive pop-up window. Adware, software designed to serve advertising,
can usually be thought of as spyware as well because it almost invariably includes components for
tracking and reporting user information. In fact, some programs claiming to be spyware-removing
software are often spyware installers themselves.
Spyware is part of an overall public concern about privacy on the Internet. In addition to public concern,
spyware can interfere with the computer‘s ability to connect to the Internet.
The easiest way to ensure that the system does not become ―infected‖ with spyware/adware type
components is to not browse questionable web sites nor download anything. As this is sometimes not
avoidable, there are a several shareware programs that can be downloaded and run to check the
system for these types of components.
Spyware Removal
For further information regarding spyware/adware removal tools please visit the following websites:
Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
Microsoft Windows Defender Tool
http://www.microsoft.com (search for ―defender‖ using the search engine in the upper right corner of the
webpage)
In order to download one of these freeware programs, the user should follow the instructions for
download and installation provided on the web site.
Use of these removal tools does not guarantee that the system is free from unwanted spyware/adware
components but will aid in removing known components. These programs require regular updates, just
as antivirus programs do.
In order to download one of these freeware programs, the user should follow the instructions for
download and installation provided on the web site.
Once the spyware-detecting software is installed and updated, the user must run the software on a
weekly basis to check the system for spyware. Updates need to be downloaded and installed before
every spywarescan.
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If the default web browser‘s homepage has been changed inexplicably, numerous pop-up ads become
more frequent while online, browsing the Internet becomes increasingly slow or problematic, or the
system is unable to connect to the Internet, a scan of the system should be run immediately to remove
any spyware components that may have been installed.
CONTENT ADVISOR
Without some form of content filtering, students have unlimited and unregulated access to all the
content on the Internet, including pornographic material and other undesirable subject matter.
To counter this problem, K12-supplied computers come pre-configured with Microsoft‘s Content Advisor
which is built into the Internet Explorer browser. By default, Content Advisor is configured to block all
websites which are not school-related. The parent must further configure the Content Advisor to allow
access to other websites.
Instructions for configuring Content Advisor can be found at the following URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/security/contentadv/config.mspx
TROUBLESHOOTING INTERNET BROWSING ISSUES
A common technical issue experienced by families is the inability to browse the Internet. When the
computer is connected to the Internet and a web browser is opened, there are several actions that take
place in the background that are invisible to the user.
First, any 3rd party browser enhancements or spyware/adware installed on the system are loaded into
the Windows operating system. Secondly, the browser checks the Temporary Internet Files (cache) for
a cached version of the browser‘s homepage. If a cached version of the homepage is found this is
loaded into the browser window. If a cached version of the homepage is not found, the browser will
request the page from the web server where it resides, pull the page into the cache, and display it on
the monitor.
At this point in the browsing process, the error message ―The page cannot be displayed. The page
you are looking for is currently unavailable. The web site may be experiencing technical
difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings‖ may be displayed. There are several
possible reasons for this error, including:








An older or different version of the web page has been stored in the browser cache
Corrupted Temporary Internet Files located in cache
Too many Temporary Internet Files stored on the hard drive
Corrupted cookies
Damaged or improperly installed Downloaded Program Files (objects)
3rd party browser enhancements loading in the background
Spyware/adware or viruses loading in the background
Incorrect system date or time (especially when trying to browse a secure website such as
the K12™ Online School)
 Corrupted Internet Explorer or Windows operating system files.
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The following instructions are recommended as a self-help troubleshooting procedure. If the system
experiences difficulties browsing the Internet, follow these troubleshooting steps before calling
K12 Customer Care for technical support. K12 Customer Care requires these steps to have been
followed before troubleshooting a connectivity or web-browsing problem.
Ensure that the computer is properly connected to the Internet. In the system tray located in the lower
right hand corner of the screen there should be an icon that resembles two computers together, one
behind the other. Right click this connection icon and click Status. A new window will appear on the
desktop. The upper portion of the window is titled Connection. In this portion, ensure that Status is
Connected. In the bottom portion of the window titled Activity ensure that the packets sent and
received are counting up. If the computer is not currently connected to the Internet, connect it in the
manner that it normally connects with. If there are any error messages while trying to connect, or the
computer is unable to connect, contact the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to troubleshoot the
connection issue.
Once the computer is successfully connected to the Internet, use the following steps to troubleshoot the
Internet browsing issue.
To clear cache, cookies, history and damaged objects:
1) Open Internet Explorer
2) In the menu located at the top of the window, click Tools, Internet Options
3) Under the Temporary Internet Files section of the window (middle box), click Delete Cookies, a
small Delete Cookies window will appear, click Ok
4) Click Delete Files, a small Delete Files window will appear, click to select Delete all offline
content, click Ok
5) Click Settings, under Check for newer versions of stored pages ensure that Automatically
is selected
6) Under Temporary Internet Files Folder, set the Amount of disk space to use to 80mb (This
is the optimal size for your Temporary Internet Files folder as recommended by Microsoft)
7) Click View Objects, this will open a Downloaded Program Files window
8) Delete all objects in the list (select all objects by pressing Ctrl+A, then press the Delete key),
click the X in the upper right hand corner to close this window
9) Click Ok to close the Settings window
10) On the Internet Options window under History, click Clear History, click Ok to close the
window
11) Close Internet Explorer and reopen it
At this point, if the problem persists, or the error message ―Your current session has timed out due
to inactivity. Please login again.‖ appears, check the system date and time to ensure that they are
correct.
To check/reset the system clock:
1) Double click on the Time display in the system tray located in the lower right hand corner of the
screen
2) Click the Time Zone tab, select (GMT -7:00) Arizona in the drop down box
3) Click the Date & Time tab, under Date select the current Month and Year in the drop down
boxes, click on the current Day to select
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4) Under Time set the clock to the current time by highlighting the time and typing the correct time
or by using the up/down arrows located to the right of the field
5) Click Apply, click Ok
6) Open Internet Explorer and try to browse again
If, after performing these steps, the connectivity issue remains, open the Spyware Removal software
which was installed on the computer. Check for updates and run the tool to ensure that the computer
does not currently have any spyware/adware components on the system that may be interfering with its
ability to browse. If the tool finds spyware or adware installed on the system, remove them and reboot.
Attempt to connect to the Internet again.
Most, but not all, browsing issues will be solved with the troubleshooting steps that have been outlined
above. If the computer still cannot access the Internet after performing these steps open the McAfee
Total Protection for Small Business antivirus program by right-clicking the shield icon in the system tray.
Scan for any available updates and run a full system scan for known viruses. Regardless of what the
virus scan finds, if the computer is still unable to access the Internet, call K12 Customer Care.
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TROUBLESHOOTING ELLUMINATE ISSUES
Setting up Your Computer for Elluminate
In order to log into an Elluminate classroom, you need to download the free Elluminate software. It can
take up to 30 minutes so be sure to complete the downloading before the scheduled tutorial. Go to the
following link: http://www.elluminate.com/jwsdetect/demos_events/jwsdetect.html
Download the necessary software to run this program at least 30 minutes before trying to participate in
one of the sessions. Please note that if you are on dial up, Elluminate is not going to work
properly. This can be done any time prior to the meeting. When logging onto Elluminate© please use
only your first initial and last name.
After you have successfully installed the software onto your computer, you may want to watch a brief
new user orientation. To see this demo click on this link https://www.elluminate.com/support/ and
choose ―Online Orientation‖ and/or ―Recorded Introduction‖ in the new users‘ section.
Problems With Wireless Connection and Elluminate
When using Elluminate and you continue to lose connections, you should attempt the following
suggested fixes (attempt them in this order):
8) Be sure you are not too far from your router
9) Be sure there is no problem with your Internet. Check another computer to see if the Internet is
still active.
10) While in Elluminate, go to TOOLS>PREFERENCES>then choose the lowest connection speed
(ie. 28.8). If this works, you can continue to raise the speed until you begin to get kicked off
again.
11) Close all applications that are not being used during Elluminate. Outlook continues to check for
email and uses bandwidth. The fewer applications you have open, the better the program
works.
12) Empty your Java cache. This will also help with most Elluminate problems such as the
microphone or whiteboard not working properly.
13) Delete old versions and updates to Java and get the new version. Go to START>CONTROL
PANEL>ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS>then delete all Java applications and updates. They can
be identified by the little coffee cup. Then go to www.java.com and get the latest version.
14) Hard wire your computer to the Internet. This allows for much more information to be sent to
your computer and keeps the signal strength constant. When hardwired to the Internet, you
should disable your wireless card.
It is important to note that when using a wireless connection, your signal and bandwidth will fluctuate,
even though your wireless connection may say ―excellent‖. When a wireless connection says excellent
it is ONLY notifying you of the connection to the Wireless Access point (router: i.e. Linksys, Netgear,
etc). You can have an excellent connection to your router and still NO Internet connection. This does
not constitute a wireless issue.
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Clearing the Java Cache
Clearing the JAVA cache should help clear up many problems that occur in Elluminate, such as Audio
problems (choppy audio, echo) and components not fully installed.
Click on the Start menu and select Control Panel (Settings -> Control Panel)
Open ―Java‖
Click the ―Settings‖ button.
123
Click the ―Delete Files‖ Button.
This will open a ―Delete Temporary Files‖ dialog box. Select ―OK‖ for deleting ―Applications and
Applets‖ and ―Trace and Log Files.‖
Close the Java Control Panel
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124
CYBER BULLYING
What is cyber bullying?
Cyber bullying is sending any type of threatening or hateful message to someone over the Internet or a
cell phone. Many people believe that they can get away with this type of behavior. They mistakenly
think they can hide their identity and won‘t have to take responsibility for their actions.
How can cyber bullying be prevented?
Talk about it before it ever happens. Many young people are not aware that saying hurtful things about
another person, calling him/her names in an email, or telling lies about someone, even as a joke, is a
form of cyber bullying.
What do you do if you are a victim of cyber bullying?
1. Ignore the person and the comments. Most bullies want the attention they gain and will give up if
they are ignored. If you respond to their messages, they will know that you are affected, which will
encourage them to continue.
2. Leave the site or get off the Internet immediately. Most email services and instant message sites also
allow you to block access to another person.
3. Change your screen name or email address. Be sure to only give the new one to your friends.
4. Tell your parents.
5. Make a copy of any threatening or outrageous email messages in case you need proof later.
7. Report the bullying behavior to the proper authorities – the site moderator, the school, or even
the police.
INTERNET SAFETY TIPS
1. Keep your computer in an open room with the front of the monitor visible. That way, you can easily
see what sites your children are viewing.
2. Establish rules for going online, including what time of day, the amount of time, and what sites they
can access.
3. Bookmark child friendly sites for your student to visit.
4. Teach your students never to open email or attachments from anyone they don‘t know.
5. Remind students that people they meet online may not be who they say they are.
125
6. Never allow your student to meet face to face with another person they meet online unless they have
your permission and you accompany them to the meeting.
7. Teach your student to immediately turn off the computer and tell you if they have any experience that
makes them feel uncomfortable.
8. Remind your children not to share any personal information, including passwords, on the Internet.
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INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES
The following websites may prove helpful when computer questions or technical difficulties arise.
http://www.google.com – Widely used search engine
http://www.whatis.com – provides definitions of most technical terms, concepts and ideas
http://www.howstuffworks.com – provides information on how computer hardware and software work in
addition to about everything else one could ever want information about
http://housecall.antivirus.com – free online virus scanner that can be used as a ―second opinion‖ to the
installed antivirus software
http://www.homenethelp.com – provides information for setting up and troubleshooting a home network
environment
http://www.computerhope.com – free computer help for everyone. Drivers, questions & answers, and
forums.
http://support.microsoft.com – Microsoft‘s self-help support web site including data base of common
issues and resolutions
http://www.webopedia.com – online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet terms
http://www.modemhelp.net – more advanced site that provides information on error messages and
screenshots for troubleshooting technical issues
http://www.dslreports.com – information on DSL, Cable, and other high speed Internet connections
http://help.k12.com – K12™ website that provides troubleshooting information for common issues
experienced by families and download points for technical tools
OPENING E-MAIL ATTACHMENTS
No matter which program is used to check e-mail, or who is providing the e-mail account, the user
should be familiar with the provider and process used. Throughout the year, AZVA teachers distribute
e-mails with documents or other files attached that need to be read, saved, and/or printed out. These
instructions address opening attachments in the most common e-mail situations.
Users must not download attachments or other files from an unknown or mistrusted source. They
should also take precaution to ensure that the McAfee antivirus program runs at all times. Following
these suggestions should reduce the likelihood of contracting a computer virus.
127
TO OPEN ATTACHMENTS IN MICROSOFT OUTLOOK AND OUTLOOK EXPRESS:
Open a file attachment from within an e-mail
1) Open the e-mail that contains the file attachment, and double-click the icon for the attachment.
An Opening Mail Attachment window will appear, giving the user the option of Opening or
Saving the attachment.
Notes
An attachment in a message that uses HTML or plain text as the message format appears in a
line below the Subject line, whereas an attachment in a Rich Text message or in other types of
items is included in the body of the item.
By default, Microsoft Outlook blocks attachment files (such as .bat, .exe, .vbs, and .js) that can
contain viruses. In this case, the attachment itself cannot be seen by the user. The Inbox will
display the paperclip icon in the Attachment column to let the user know that the message has
an attachment, and a list of the blocked attachment files in the InfoBar at the top of the
message will appear. 1
Open a file attachment without opening the e-mail
1) Right-click the item that contains the attachment
2) On the shortcut menu, point to View Attachments, then click the name of the attachment Note
If the attachment in the message is one of the types of files which Outlook blocks (see above),
View Attachments will not appear on the shortcut menu. 2
OPENING ATTACHMENTS IN OTHER E-MAIL PROGRAMS
See the documentation or ―Help‖ pages for the program being used to check e-mail.
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1
2
Source: Microsoft Outlook Help
Source: Microsoft Outlook Help
128
School Supply List
129
Dear Parents,
Dear
Parents,
You‘ve
seen the signs and advertisements…it‘s officially back-to-school season! No
doubt you‘re starting to think about what you‘ll need to get your teaching area ready and
You‘ve
seen
thechild(ren)
signs and
officially
back-to-school
organized.
Your
willadvertisements…it‘s
soon be receiving their
K12 course
materials. season! No doubt you‘re
starting
to think
about
needsupplies
to get your
learning
area
readyavailable
and organized.
Your child(ren)
Additionally,
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are what
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Additionally,
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some
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supplies that
home.
you‘ll want to have available at home.
We have organized this list to help you know what household supplies you‘ll want to
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to help
know what list,
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want to keep handy.
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handy.
Please realize
is notyou
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Please
realize
this
is
not
an
all-inclusive
list,
nor
is
it
a
required
shopping
list—rather,
list—rather, it‘s a collection of the most commonly used items that may be needed to it‘s a collection of
the
most commonly
that
may be Note
needed
complete
or enhance
child‘s lessons. Note
complete
or enhanceused
youritems
child‘s
lessons.
thattowhen
you have
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that
when
you
have
specific
questions
about
what
materials
are
needed
for
each
course
and unit, you‘ll
about what materials are needed for each course and unit, you‘ll be able to find that
be
able
to
find
that
information
in
the
Online
School.
Be
sure
to
check
in
the
―Advanced
Preparation‖
information in the online school. And as always, you can talk to your teacher.
section regularly in the OLS for each class. As always, you can talk to your teacher.
General Supplies:
#2 pencils
ballpoint pens
crayons (16 or more)
colored pencils (16 or more)
markers: colored (8 or more)
marker: black permanent, nontoxic
highlighter
scissors: round-end safety
scissors: adult
glue: children‘s white, non-toxic
glue stick
masking tape
clear tape
staples
stapler
eraser
paper clips
rubber bands
ruler (both metric and standard)
yardstick
index cards (4x6)
index card box
envelopes
manila folders
three ring binder
calendar
Types of Paper to Have Available:
lined notebook paper (looseleaf)
computer printer paper (8.5 x 11)
colored construction paper
drawing paper (12x18, 9x12)
heavy paper
newsprint paper (8x11 or larger)
poster board (18x24 or larger)
Art and Craft Supplies that may be
used across subject areas:
chalk: white and colored
colored clay
craft sticks
fabric scraps
string
yarn
ribbon
glitter
pipe cleaners
paints: finger
paints: water color (8 or more)
paintbrushes
tissue paper
plaster of paris
white, self-hardening clay
glue gun
gluesticks for glue gun
130
Specific Subject areas: If you have a
child enrolled in the following courses,
you may want to have the following
materials available:
Household items that may be called
for, good to keep around:
Aluminum foil
Sandwich bags
Paper plates
Toothpicks
Drinking straws
Measuring cups and spoons
Baby food jars
Oatmeal containers
Juice cartons
Milk jugs
Egg cartons
Shoeboxes
Film canister
Brown paper lunch bags
Brown paper grocery bags
Balloons
Cardboard boxes
Paper towels
Paper towel tubes
Toilet paper tubes
Margarine tubs
sponge
Cotton balls
Flashlight
Magazines
Newspapers
Checkers
Blocks
Play-doh
Marbles
Dice
Phonics K-1
dry erase marker
wipe cloth
LA Gr 2-8
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Math Gr 3-5
Calculator (optional)
Clock: analog and digital
Money kit
Pre-Algebra and Algebra
Graph paper
Drawing compass
Protractor
Straight edge
Scientific calculator (optional—
an online version will be
available)
Art: all grades
#2b pencil (soft art)
sketchpad
brayer
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131