Messages from Our Staff

Ms. Rosiey:

Hello, Families and Learners!

March begins this week! The spring semester is full of fun events and deadlines. It can go by really quickly, so let’s enjoy it! Here are some updates for this week:

• March 13, 2023, is a Learner Free Day.
• The Intent to Return forms are coming out soon! These help us know who is returning next school year so we can plan accordingly. We are able to hold your spot for next school year upon receiving your completed form.
• Save the date of March 30, 2023, for our new campus grand opening!
• Learner-Led Conferences will be held on March 17, 23, and 24.
• School IDs are mandatory. Please bring your ID every day.
• Off-Site Agreements are still available. The agreements need to be signed and turned in if you wish to go off site during studio hours. This is for the safety of all. No agreement means you cannot go off site for lunch.

Mr. Moody:

We can’t have American History without Black History. What do you know about Black history heroes, such as Claudette Colvin, Alice Coachman, or Shirley Chisholm? If their names don’t immediately ring a bell, you’re not alone. Educators, activists, and historians have long been attempting to shine a light and pinpoint why so much African American history is missing from our nation’s curriculum. As February slowly comes to an end, it is important for me to share again and to pay tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in America. Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. Black History Month is so important because it’s an opportunity to spotlight and celebrate the achievements of African Americans despite this country’s history of racism and oppression.

Mr. Twigg:

This marks the first official week of our Ambassador program! Remember that we hold public meetings (for everyone!) on Thursdays during Flipped Time with Mr. Twigg. At these meetings, the Student Body and their Ambassadors and Coordinators will plan exciting events for our learners. The first one will be Spirit Week!

Ms. Kim: Guide:

Happy Monday, learners and families! During my service learning class, learners have been exploring why volunteering and community service are important to their overall educational experience. By volunteering, learners can get real hands-on experience that will teach them so much about the world that a book cannot. Are you trying to find more ways to get involved and give back to your community? If so, read the article here to explore the different ways you can get involved with your community!

Ms. Marian: Guide:

Welcome to another Marvelous Monday! This past week in advisory we looked at the adversity that students and families of color had to experience just to be allowed to attend school and learn. There were many laws and lack of representation that made it difficult for people of color to get an education. Many people take the opportunity to learn for granted. Please spend some time thinking about and talking about how important an education is for your family. What is the expectation of achievement for your learner? How is school different now in 2023 compared to the years when your parents and grandparents were in school? Families, your learners are interested to hear about your school years. Caregivers are our first educators!
I am working with many learners who either learn from home full-time or are learning from home some days. Please pop in to see me in Flipped Time. I’m on Zoom! Meeting ID: 882 9053 3901 and Pass code: MsTC. Get help, and get work submitted with me. There’s no need to be lost or confused. I am here every day to work with you. Remember that school work equals attendance. Just being there does not equal attendance. Showing up equals understanding and knowledge.

Ms. Tanya: Guide:

Hello, learners and families!

Friday, March 3, is our last make-up MAP testing day for winter 2023! Learners at Empower Generations complete the MAP test three times per year. We use the data collected in the MAP testing results to drive our curriculum, provide additional support, and focus on academic growth in reading, math, and language usage. Our learners MAP tested the first week of school after Winter Break. Many of our learners needed the opportunity to complete their MAP testing requirements, so we are happy to provide a make-up MAP testing opportunity. This week, we will send emails to families and learners who still need to complete their winter MAP testing.
Make-up MAP testing will be available both virtually and on campus. Learners may either log in to Ms. Marian’s Zoom and test from home or come to campus to test in person.

Testing will begin at 9 AM and end at noon. We encourage all of our families to check their emails for more information!

Ms. Jeanette: Guide:

Happy Monday and congratulations to our Plant the Moon Representative Teams! The following four teams will be representing our school in the national competition to grow crops in moon soil!

• Hank Hill’s Lawn (Marshal, JT, Allen, and Esmeralda)
• Autobots (Salma, Luciano, and Jose)
• JANN (Jennifer Rose, Ana, Nancy, and Nico)
• Operation Online (Damian, Ashly, Valerie, and Three)

We are so proud of all our teams in the competition, in the classroom, and online! By now all teams should have completed their research log and experimental design process. We have begun the set up and planting process and will continue it this week! Make sure your group is prepared to document the process on our classroom Flip!

Check out each other’s work on the Flip board as well as in the photos below! You can see your classmates learning how to use a triple beam balance, a digital scale, and gardening techniques to get their projects underway!

Mr. Troy: Care Team:

I’m writing this before the weekend, so I don’t know how crazy this storm will be. I hope that on Monday, we’ll look back and the time will have been full of snow and everyone will have had a nice, safe, wintery weekend.