BVVA Update: December 8, 2020


December 8, 2020



Good Afternoon BVVA Families,


We are very excited to announce that our own Mrs. Kim Voge has received the Orange County Computer Using Educators (OCCUE)’s  Educator of the year award!  This award recognizes an educator who has made a noteworthy contribution to learning in an online or blended setting. Supporting and engaging all students is the key element of this award. The OCCUE is an affiliate of CUE, an educational non-profit based in California. Mrs. Voge was nominated by her peers in the field of online and blended learning. Her notable contributions include: providing training for peers and colleagues, implementing innovative strategies with K-12 students, her role in building Buena Vista Virtual Academy, and teaching an online college course for teachers using technology.  Mrs. Voge's application will be sent on to the statewide CUE organization awards to be announced in March 2021.


I also wanted to take a moment to address some questions we have received recently regarding student attendance.  As many of you know, BVVA runs under what the state calls “Independent Study” regulations. These regulations state that attendance for each student is based on the work that the student completes.  We believe attendance at class Zooms is important in order for students to experience daily direct instruction and interaction with their peers. We believe this so strongly that we record all of our full class zooms, allowing students to re-watch or access them later when needed.  On the other hand, under the Independent Study regulations, we measure actual attendance through work completion. Ensuring students complete their assigned work is also important because teachers use it to check for student understanding and mastery of the grade-level standards. I hope this helps to clarify attendance at BVVA.  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, your student’s teacher, or our office staff.


Best Regards,

Carrie Bisgard

Director, BVVA

Upcoming Events and Reminders

Event

Date

Description

Follow Us!

Ongoing

Follow us on our brand new Instagram account!  We are @buenavistavirtualacademy 

PTSA

December 1-18

BVVA Parents, Teachers, and Students are invited to join the new BVVA PTSA.  Dues are $10 per member and can be submitted in cash or a check written to the 4th District PTA. The grade with the highest memberships will win a special surprise!


More information is available HERE.

Optional Cogat Testing

3rd and 4th Grades

4th Grade:

January 7th and 8th


3rd Grade:

December 8 and 11th

The Cogat test is used by the PYLUSD to assist in the identification of students eligible for GATE programs. The test is given to third and fourth-grade students throughout PYLUSD. Unlike most of what we do at BVVA, this test must be given in person. Families will have the option to test here at BVVA on December 8th/11th and January 7th/8th or at our PYLUSD District Board Room on select Saturdays. Families may also opt their students out of the Cogat test. Just a reminder, if your student is not comfortable taking the test in person at this time, additional opportunities to test will be offered in the late summer/fall of 2021. More information is available HERE.

Winter-Fest 

December 18

9:00am-2:00pm

BVVA Staff, Room Moms, and PTA parents are working on a drive-up celebration for students on December 18. More details to follow! More information will be posted HERE as it becomes available.

Holocaust Contest

7th-12th Grades


Entries Due January 22, 2021

Students in Grades 7-12 are invited to participate in Chapman University’s Art and Writing Holocaust Contest. This year’s theme is “Sharing Strength, Sustaining Humanity”.  For more information contact your teacher, and click HERE

Returning High School Novels

On-Going

Many of our 9-12 grade students have completed their first-semester language arts classes. Any novels that belong to the school can be returned to the BVVA office during regular business hours.


Reminder: Elementary Pick up Days (Grades K-6)

Self-serve pick up for the following grade levels will be on these dates. We will put the items out for curbside pick up. Items are available for pick up outside from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. If you cannot make this time, the materials will be available just inside the main entrance to the building marked Professional Development Academy

Date

Grade Levels

December 16

K-1

December 18

2-6