Dear Parents and Guardians,

​We are already looking at the middle of the 3rd Quarter of the year! Please check in with your student to see how they are progressing in their online courses. Definitely, login to PowerSchool, and see for yourself anytime, as well. If you don't have a login, contact your school secretary! They will have one for you. If you find that your student is struggling, please help them by checking to see if they have a schedule for getting the work done and if they have questions that need answering. Encourage them to communicate with me, so that there are no barriers to progress. If you have any concerns, please contact me! 

Parent conferences are coming up this week! The district-wide conferences are held on February 9th and 10th. I always encourage parents to meet with me to ask questions, see how their student is doing, and keep in touch with how their education is progressing. I also highly recommend that the student be present for the meeting, since at the high school level, they are ultimately responsible for their education. Please click the button below to sign up for a conference. If there is not a time that works for you on the list, please contact me directly to schedule an alternative time.

We're using SignUp.com to organize our upcoming conferences.

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1) Click the button at the bottom or this link to see your time options.
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

​Thanks so much - Amanda

It means that it is time to kick things into high gear for many students! Eligibility Check grades were posted this morning, so the students have 5 days to recover a passing grade in order to participate in extra-curricular activities for the remainder of the semester. Please check in on your students to make sure that they are progressing well. Check PowerSchool regularly, ask them how they are progressing, and what they have coming up. Many students still need assistance in balancing out their time to get everything done. 

These last weeks of a semester tend to be a source of stress for students, and along with the stress, can come procrastination. This is the time when students should be taking advantage of the long weekend to catch up on a few things (along with stuffing their bellies with delicious food). Managing stress is tough for adults, so for teens, it is particularly harsh. Let your teen know you are there to support, encourage, and push them. They will thank you for it!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

​We are already looking at the end of the first Quarter of the year! Please check in with your student to see how they are progressing in their online courses. Definitely, login to PowerSchool, and see for yourself anytime, as well. If you don't have a login, contact your school secretary! They will have one for you. If you find that your student is struggling, please help them by checking to see if they have a schedule for getting the work done and if they have questions that need answering. Encourage them to communicate with me, so that there are no barriers to progress. If you have any concerns, please contact me! 

Parent conferences are coming up next week! The district-wide conferences are held on the 27th and 28th. I always encourage parents to meet with me to ask questions, see how their student is doing, and keep in touch with how their education is progressing. I also highly recommend that the student be present for the meeting, since at the high school level, they are ultimately responsible for their education. Please click the button below to sign up for a conference. If there is not a time that works for you on the list, please contact me directly to schedule an alternative time.

​Thanks so much - Amanda

Hi there, Parents and Guardians!

We are moving right through this semester! We are 5 weeks in and the first Eligibility Check was this morning. Students, who are in extra-curricular activities, have 5 days to regain eligibility by bringing their grade up to passing. If they do not, they will remain ineligible for the remainder of the quarter. 

So, how can you help your student get back on track (or stay on track)? Below are some suggestions for you. Help them to...

• Make a plan to get their work done within the time limitations.
• Develop a pattern of lesson, work, review feedback, re-submit work.
• Commit to a regular time for their work in the class to occur.
• Check in on their progress regularly, consistently, and diligently. 

As always, keep in touch and contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely, Amanda 

Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we are moving into our third week of the Fall 2016 semester, there are a few key things to note:

• Canvas is the Learning Management System for courses - It is very user friendly!  You can access courses through the link buttons below. Just choose the course you need access to.

• Communication is Vital - I can not stress enough that students (or you!) need only to reach out if they need something or have a question. Please encourage them to no hesitate to reach out!

​

• PowerSchool is the Key - Your school secretary will have the information that you need to access your student's grades on PowerSchool. Checking regularly will let you know how your student is progressing in the course. 

Encouraging your student to participate actively and consistently will help them in immeasurable ways. Success in the course is a sure thing and the amount of learning is maximized that way. Let's get this semester started on a successful path, shall we? Looking forward to working together!
​
Sincerely, Ms. A

Dear Parents and Guardians,

​Just want to take a moment to check in! There are 3 weeks remaining in the Summer Term, and the students are moving into their final unit of study for the course. It is really important that the students are working diligently to make sure that they are caught up in the course or have a plan to do so. They also need to be aware that the deadline for the course is fast approaching, and there is no extending the deadline of August 10th. 

In order to support your students, here are some suggestions...

• Check in with them about how they are doing by sitting down and looking through their grades with them. Ask them where they are in the course and where they are supposed to be. 
• Help them make a plan to complete the course on time if they are struggling or behind. 
• Organize time and space for them to work if they need it, allowing them to limit the distractions and maximizing the work completed.

Let me know if you have any questions at all!
​Thanks, Amanda 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are enjoying this amazing Alaskan Summer! Wow! Just wanted to check in to let you know that we are halfway through the Summer Term now. This is the 6th of 12 weeks. It is a great time to check in with your student to see how they are progressing. There are 6 units of study, and we are wrapping up the 3rd and starting the 4th this week. I recommend having your student login to the course, and showing you where they are and how they are doing. In just a couple of minutes, you will have a clear picture of how they are doing. If your student is behind in the course, I recommend that you help them carve out some time in their schedules to get caught up. Sometimes, they need a little guidance to organize their efforts. (Don't we all! :) )

I am linking below both the course and the pacing guide showing what assignments are due when. As always, if you have any questions, please contact me!

Sincerely, Amanda 

Dear Parents & Guardians,
 
If you are receiving this, then you have a student who has opted to take the Summer Term Health course online. My name is Amanda Adams, and I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to you and open up communication. Summer term courses do not utilize PowerSchool, and currently, there is not a consistent way for parents to be added to Canvas (where we host our courses). This leaves parents with more limited observation of student progress than is typical. I am sorry about this, and am very hopeful that the district will fix this issue before next summer. In the meantime, you are welcome to contact me with any questions or concerns that you have about the course or your student’s progress in it.
 
There are 6 units of study: Mental & Emotional Health, Social & Consumer Health, Nutrition, Preventing Disease, Human Sexuality, and Drugs, Alcohol, & Tobacco. The expected amount of work for the course is about 9-10 hours per week. We are moving quickly, and this week students are completing the first unit of study, Mental & Emotional Health. Assignments are due on Friday nights at midnight.
 
Final grades will be reported at the end of the Summer Term to their school counselors for awarding of credit. Currently, the course requires all participants to complete the introduction in its entirety prior to beginning coursework, but once all students have completed the intro, I will open the course up for viewing. This will allow guests to go in an click around to see what is in the course. Here is the link. I hope to open the course by the middle of next week.
 
I encourage you to ask your student how they are doing in the course, maybe have them show you their scores and what they are working on. I will post updates for parents every couple of weeks or so to keep you up-to-date. I hope that you are having a wonderful summer! Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

​Sincerely, Amanda 

Hi Parents and Guardians,

We are continuing to jam on through the semester. In fact, it feels like it is flying by! Students are progressing well for the most part. The eligibility check has been done, and now students are  moving into the final extra-curricular activities of the school year. 

It is a great time to check PowerSchool, and check in with your student about how their classes are going for them. The final weeks of the year can be a very stressful time - lots to do, and so little time. Well, and desire is a factor too as the days are longer, lighter, and we all anticipate summer! 

If your student is struggling with the courses, assignments, or motivation, etc., please contact me so that we can work as a team for your student. It is important to me that students feel supported.

As always, contact me with any questions or concerns!
​Ms. A