This Week's ONLINE Meetings

Remember, meetings this week and next are online. Make sure you have followed the instructions on how to prepare, then just click on the "My Elluminate Room" link on the left at your meeting time.

Monday
Christy - 1:30

Wednesday
Anthony - 11 am
Andrea - 12 noon
Angie - 3:00 pm

Thursday

Belinda - 12 noon
Sara - 1:30 pm


Friday
Alissia - 12 noon

Alex - 1:30 pm
Margaret - 3:30

Upcoming Online Meetings - This Week and Next!

 

How to prepare:

Meeting online is easier than it looks. There are a few things to do to make sure your computer is ready though. These things take about 15 minutes, but it is important to do them way in advance of our meeting time so you have plenty of time to troubleshoot if you need to.

• Go to: http://support.blackboardcollaborate.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8336&task=knowledge&questionID=1279  
• Step One: Check system requirements. The page will do this automatically and give you recommendations or let you know you are ready. 
• Step Two: Configuring Your System. Visit the configuration room to see what our classroom will look like and set up your audio. 
• Step Three: Training and Resources. Click on the link that says “Recorded Introduction”. Your computer may ask you if you want to accept the files. Make sure to say yes. 

Other things to keep in mind when we have online meetings:

• Make sure you are organized and ready to go when the meeting starts. Have all of your work available, and make sure your folder is easily accessible for your assignment sheet and any logs you need.
• You may need to print new assignment sheets, logs or other paperwork, make sure you have a printer available if possible. 
• Use Google Docs for journals, essays, and as much other written work as possible. This way we can both view it during the meeting.
• Do as much of your work as possible on launchpad. This way I can have it graded and ready for questions during the meeting.
• Scan photos, pictures of projects, paperwork, etc. We can share files and images in the classroom.
• You can also share links with me and we can look at things together. For example, if you have created a Prezi, a Glogster, a timetoast, or any other web based project, have the link ready for out meeting so we can look at it together.

GoAnimate!

GoAnimate4Schools.com: English Project by Tamsen Bryon

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate4Schools. It's free and fun!

Holiday Card Contest

Check out the prizes:

• First prize - 9-12: $500
• Second prize - 9-12: $350
• Third prize - 9-12: $150

Download the Flyer

Celebration for Student Success

Visions students who scored proficient or advanced on either the ELA or Math section of last year's CST have been invited to a celebration of their success. This year there were over 900 Visions students receiving this honor. Visions is holding one celebration in Sacramento this evening and the other, for those of us who live in the Bay Area, in Concord on Thursday.


Join me in congratulating the students from our class that have been invited:

Alissia

Ana

Jalila

Margaret 

Sara

I hope to see you there!

Google Docs (repeat post from last week!)

Are you using Google Docs yet? If not, try it out. We will be sharing work using Google Docs more and more as the year progresses.

You need a Google account. If you don't have one, please get one before our next meeting.

Go to:
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=49008
To get an overview of Google Docs.

And go to:
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=47597
To learn how to set up an account.

Make sure you have an account set up by our next meeting so I can show you how to create a document, presentation, or spreadsheet and share it with me!

Worth Watching

"The death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has renewed interest in the commencement address he gave at Stanford University in 2005, which drew considerable attention for its content and because Jobs so rarely spoke in public about himself." ~ NPR

I found it very inspiring :)

SAT/PSAT

What is the SAT?

The SAT is an important step in applying for college and making your college dreams a reality. It is the most widely used college admission test.

When is the Best Time to Take the SAT and Subject Tests?

The SAT and SAT Subject Tests are offered several times a year. Most students take the SAT for the first time during the spring of their junior year and a second time during the fall of their senior year.

Where do you Take the Test?

You register through the college board website and choose a location near you when you register. 

How do you Register?

Go to http://sat.collegeboard.com/home for information about registering, test schedules and more.


PSAT
If you are interested in the PSAT click here: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

Comment Test

I just want to see if you can comment on a post. I might use that ability this year. See if you can comment on this post for me please?

If you could add a course to Visions curriculum, what would it be?

GoAnimate! for English 3 Projects

Are you in English 3 and considering using GoAnimate for your project?

It is super fun!
Check it out:
http://goanimate4schools.com/school/visions

Your user name is your first initial and last name.
Your password is your launchpad user name.
Make sure to bookmark the site and write your user name and password down!

Once you get in, click on the button that says "Create an Animation" and it will show you a tutorial on how to use the program.

If you have any questions, drop me an email :)

Internet Explorer and Launchpad

It has come to my attention that Internet Explorer is not compatible with Launchpad.

Some of the issues students have encountered with Internet Explorer are:

* student answers that contain raw html code.

* missing functions in the students' text editor toolbar.
* disappearing student answers when the worksheet is submitted.
* start and end times indicated in the Quiz/Test Overview but no blue dot or student answers to indicate completed work.

Please use the most updated version of either Firefox or Chrome instead. Thanks!

Tdap

Have you sent Visions proof of your Whooping Cough immunization?

If so THANK YOU!!

If not, please do it soon. The school's deadline is October 5th and we need everyone's paperwork in by then.

Here is how:
    •    Get immunized
    •    Get proof of immunization from your doctor
    •    Get it to Visions

By Fax: 916.971.5578
By Email: Sue Dominguez at sdominguez@viedu.org
By mail:
Visions In Education Charter School

c/o Sue Dominguez

4800 Manzanita Avenue
Carmichael, CA 95608 

If you have any further questions, please contact Sue at 916.971.5525 or toll free at 1.877.971.7037.

Workbooks Are In!

Many of you will be happy to know that the back-ordered workbooks have come in!

If you have been waiting on an English 3, Psychology, or Earth Science workbook, I will bring it to our next meeting.

Getting Warmed Up

Sometimes it is hard to get back in the habit of proofing your work, answering in complete sentences, and reading the examples and instructions in the books and online.

If you have been earning less points than you would like on your assignments, now is the time to figure out why and fix it! Creating good habits now will make the year a smooth and successful one.


Here is how:

• Look over the assignment(s) that you aren't happy with.
• Reread the instructions and examples.
• Redo the assignment, being careful to follow the instructions carefully and proofread your work.
• Email me your corrections. Be careful to include the subject, the assignment #, the section title, and the problem #.

If you don't know why you received a grade lower than you expected, email me and we can discuss it!

Curriculum Corrections

Have you found an error in the curriculum? If so, help me to fix it and earn extra credit points.

If you suspect an error or typo in the curriculum materials on Launchpad or in your workbooks, email me about it. If you are correct, you will earn one extra credit point the subject the error was found in.

If you catch errors in my communications, (emails, blog posts, etc.) you can earn one extra credit point in English for your proofreading and follow up skills!

This will continue all year, so stay sharp and earn extra credit by helping Visions be more accurate :)

Welcome Back Everyone!

Ahh, the first day of school :)
Welcome back returning students and welcome to our new students! I am looking forward to a great year.

Ok, so what should you do today? Everyone should have gotten an email yesterday reminding them of our meeting date and outlining exactly what needs to be done before then. If you didn't get one or have any questions about it, please contact me asap. I will be working at home most of Tuesday so I am available to help.

Just take it slow, there are routines to establish, skills to remember, and a summer's worth of habits to undo. Take some time today to think ahead, plan your schedule, and organize your space so you can start strong.

This Week's Meetings

Wednesday - Antioch Public Library
Anthony - 11 am
Brandon and Haven - 12 noon
Christy - 1 pm
Tyler - 3 pm

Thursday - Benicia Public Library
Justine - 10 am
Ana - 11 am
Belinda - 12 noon
Sara - 3 pm
(Optional book pick up for Jalila and Michelle)

Friday - Concord (Starbucks 1170 Concord Ave.)
Alissia - 12 noon
Alex - 1:30 pm
Margaret - 3 pm

2011-2012 School Calendar

Here is a link to this year's calendar.

2011-2012 School Calendar

Pesky Passwords

Are you having trouble remembering all of your passwords? Here is a quick tip to ensure that your passwords are secure, different for each account you have, and easy to remember!

Things to remember about passwords:

• Many passwords require at least 8 characters. 
• Passwords often require a mix of letters and numbers. Sometimes they allow characters like $%^, sometimes they don't, and sometimes they require them.
• Using the same password for many accounts is easy to remember, but it is not very secure

Try to create passwords that are unique to you and unique to the site you are accessing but that are similar enough so you can remember them.

Here is one idea:
Susan Gordon creates her passwords the same way every time. She uses her initials, the first two letters of the site she is logging into and the year she will graduate. If she needs a special character, she uses the same one every time (!) If she is at a site like Launchpad that requires that you change your password every couple of months, she just changes the special character and uses the same two passwords back and forth.

So for launchpad her passwords look like this:
sgla2014! (and sgla2014@)

For Facebook:
sgfa2014

For GMail:
sggm2014

Susan also uses the same user name every time. She uses sgordon515 as often as possible. (Susan was born on May 15.)

Do you have another idea about how to create passwords that are secure and easy to remember? Go ahead and add your comments to this post :)

Have a Great Summer

 See you in September :)