Novato Unified School District VLA Middle School Newsletter - November 13, 2020

Press release from the Novato Unified School District:

November 13, 2020

En español

Hello VLA Middle School Families,

Friday, November 20th- VLA Middle School Staff Development – NO SCHOOL

On Friday, November 20th, middle school teachers will have their staff development day that has been moved from January per board approval. This means that students will not have synchronous or asynchronous work on this day.

VLA Conferences

In previous communication sent out in Superintendent Cosca’s Weekly Update, there was an error in the messaging around VLA conferences. VLA conferences pertain only to elementary students. In the event that you would like to discuss your child’s progress, please reach out to your child’s teacher to schedule a meeting.

Special Education Parent Night – November 19

WHEN

Thursday, November 19, 2020

6:00pm-7:00pm

WHERE

Join Zoom Meeting

https://nusd-org.zoom.us/j/85699070950?pwd=OXZYYnlCKzlKQmp3SzZIWDkrc2krUT09

Meeting ID: 856 9907 0950

TOPICS

Sensory Processing Presentation by NUSD Occupational Therapist Team

NUSD Special Education Q&A

SPED PARENT NIGHT RSVP

https://forms.gle/7rTiRZLFiVurTxEj8

Interpretation Available Upon Request via RSVP by 11/17/20

Please submit Q&A questions prior to 11/17/20 using this form

Museum of Ice Cream Sundae Optional Virtual Ice Cream Making Event for VLA Middle School

On Thursday, November 19th at 3:00pm via zoom (link coming soon) we will have some of the staff from the Museum of Ice Cream host a virtual ice cream sundae making session. If your child would like to attend and make the ice cream here are the tools and ingredients needed:

YOU’LL NEED THESE TOOLS

1 Gallon Resealable Bag

1 Sandwich Resealable Bag

1 Mug

1 Kitchen Towel

1 Bowl

1 Spoon

1 Set of measuring cups and spoons (if available)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of Real California Whole Milk

1/3 cup of salt

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 cups of ice

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR TOPPINGS

Chunks of fresh fruits

Strawberry syrup

Chocolate syrup

Nuts

Sprinkles

Cut up candy bars

Chocolate chips

Marshmallows

Crushed up cookies

Coconut flakes

Potato chips

Gummies

OPTIONAL FLAVORS: If you want to make a flavor other than vanilla we recommend using powdered mixes.

Chocolate milk powder

strawberry milk powder

Powdered lemonade

cinnamon

Powdered raspberries

Powdered pineapple mix

Pumpkin Spice Flavored powdered coffee creamer

Parent Education Series

Calling all VLA Families and students! NUSD has an active Tobacco Use Prevention and Education program (TUPE). NUSD staff and students work in collaboration to educate, prevent and stand up to the resurgence of the tobacco industry. Vaping is twice as addictive and accessible to our youth as cigarette smoking. We welcome parents and students to join our TUPE district coordinator Phoebe Smith for a Parent Education night on December 3, 6 – 7:30pm on zoom to learn more about vaping, tobacco and marijuana use among our youth.

Be Respectful. Be Safe. Be Kind. Join NUSD Restorative Practices Lead Specialist, Phoebe Smith in an Anti-bully Education information night January 7, 2021 at 6:00 – 7: 30pm on Zoom. In this session you will learn how to advocate for your child who may be the target of bullying. Learn to navigate the educational system to deal with bullying effectively. Learn more about our Anti-bully program for students that teaches them how to stand up to bullying.

NUSD Flexible in Person Moving to Hybrid, What Does this Mean for VLA?

Middle school teachers, administrators, families, and students met together over a couple of sessions to discuss various schedules for hybrid for the Flexible In-Person classes. The students’ VLA schedule will remain the same through December. Starting on January 4th , the NUSD VLA will follow the approved hybrid schedule as we have many teachers who are teaching both Flexible In-Person and VLA and we need our teachers available to teach their classes at the corresponding times. This is the link to the Hybrid schedule. The VLA team will be meeting to discuss how we will use this schedule to best support VLA students and will share with families how this schedule will translate over to VLA.

Spring 2021 Semester Placement Request for Virtual Learning Academy or Flexible In-Person Learning

NUSD families have the option of remaining in either Virtual Learning Academy or Flexible In-Person learning program or request a transfer for the spring semester that begins on January 4, 2021.

You do not need to complete the form if you intend to have your child remain in their respective program.

To inform us of your choice, you can click on the link here. Informing us of your choice by November 20, 2020, will give you priority for the requested change. Requested changes are not guaranteed. Forms received after November 20 will receive lower priority on a waitlist. We will honor the waitlist and make placements as best we can until January 15, 2021. For purposes of classroom continuity, placements will remain for the rest of the school year. Unique cases will be addressed as needed.

Aeries Parent Portal and Parent Google Classroom Updates

I encourage parents to regularly check their parent portal of Aeries for updates on students’ grades and missing assignments. If you don’t have access or remember how to log into the platform, please email help@nusd.org for support. I also recommend that parents be added to the Google Classrooms as parents/ guardians. If you are not currently connected to your child’s Google Classrooms, please connect with the teachers to add your email address for the daily or weekly updates. Teachers maintain Google Classroom and Aeries regularly which will indicate missing assignments and scores on assignments. Being linked to Aeries and Google Classroom will help you to engage in conversations with your child around their progress in each of their classes.

Amanda Davis and Elizabeth Olinyk

Co-Principals, Virtual Learning Academy

adavis@nusd.org

eolinyk@nusd.org

www.nusd.org/COVID

This press release was produced by the Novato Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.