Celebrating One Year

As you may or may not have heard, we are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the Metro East Web Academy on April 16^th, at 6:00pm.  The celebration will be held on the MEWA campus and all teachers, staff, parents, guardians, family members, and students are invited to attend.  Now, in order to alleviate any confusion, it’s important to clarify one thing: the Gresham-Barlow Web Academy was founded in 2009; however, GBWA changed its name to Metro East Web Academy last year when the curriculum and program was updated.  Therefore, while the Web Academy is five years old, MEWA is turning one.

We are celebrating the event with refreshments, food, and good company.  Our teachers will be present to answer questions about our program as well as converse with our current students and their families.  MEWA is excited to show our current, potential, and future students everything our web-based education has to offer.  For parents interested in learning about the benefits of an online education for their children, our Open House is a good time to ask questions and the information needed to make that decision.

Now a little bit about MEWA:

“The Metro East Web Academy is an online, public charter school approved by the Oregon Department of Education.  The school’s web-based curriculum does meet Oregon State Standards and our instructors are all highly qualified teachers.

Each academy student receives a personalized education program designed to meet their unique needs.  This allows students to login anytime, anywhere and online learning is supported in a variety of ways, including:

•  Daily E-mail communication with teachers
•  Face to face check-in sessions with instructors
• Field trips and community service projects with other academy students

Students enrolled in the Metro East Web Academy will get the best of both worlds—an online learning program designed just for them, and the benefits of being part of a learning community with opportunities to interact with teachers, students, and the world around them!” (mewebacademy.com)

MEWA is extremely proud to be able to offer a beneficial academic program to help the students in our community succeed.  Our school has continued to grow in the past year, and we look forward to continuing this trend in the coming year.  Thank you to all our MEWA families and students for the support of our school and your student’s education.  Above all, thank you for choosing MEWA.

Principal's Message

A Message from the Principal/CEO:

Sarah Cummins - Winner of the MEWA Digital Domination Scavenger Hunt !

Sarah with Mr. May-Varas

Congratulations Sarah Cummins! 

You received the highest score in the MEWA Digital Domination Scavenger Hunt and are our winner! Your prize is a $50 gift certificate to the Family Fun Center in Wilsonville. We hope you have fun and thank you very much for participating! Congratulations again.

Food Drive: MEWA is sponsoring our Spring Food Drive to benefit Snow Cap Community Charities.  Each of our three advisory teams (Team Awesome, Klickitat, and No Name) and the office staff are competing for a pizza party for the winning team.  All of our students and staff belong to one of these teams. The team that brings in the most food items will win a pizza party paid for by MEWA!  Food items may include, can and dry goods and other non-perishable commercially produced food as well as diapers and other items that may benefit a young family.  The deadline is April 11th.  Help support your team!!

Open House:  MEWA is hosting our one-year anniversary open house on April 16th at 6:00 PM.  We will have giveaways and other prizes as well as hotdogs and refreshments for all those in attendance.  Our staff will have stations set up for you to receive more information concerning our programs and courses as well as provide you with an opportunity to meet and speak with our teachers.

 Please note that our Spring Break begins on March 24th.  In the Brain Honey student assignment calendar, there are assignments due during this week.  Please note that we cannot change this as explained below regarding our dynamic scheduling system.  So, our suggestion is that some of the assignments be completed prior to the break and some can be completed after the break to stay on pace.  Of course a student may choose to work during this period, but know that staff will be unavailable.  We have corrected the system relative to assignments showing due dates on weekends.  We are working with Brain Honey to resolve this issue for next school year.

Emily working in Marine Biology!

Ms. Riehl and students in our open lab!

Ms. Gebhart and Cassandra working on a science experiment!

Seniors: Now's the time to turn in your Senior pictures for the yearbook. Photos should be a head shot or upper body. Grab a friend to take your picture and have some fun. If sending from a smart phone, use the medium size (121kb) Send pictures to Kari Clayton at clayton2@mewebacademy.org

Please note that it is time for students to begin their state testing (OAKS) and show up for scheduled tests and time!  Attending and taking the test is required and very important as the school is evaluated on student results and attendance in the state report card.  Being present for the test is included in the contract that many parents and students signed during your welcome meeting.

HAVEN'T PASSED THE OAKS YET? Well, this one's for you. The math department is offering Work Samples (and Local Performance Based Assessments) every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a Senior (or Junior) and have struggled to pass the OAKS test, you will want to make one of these sessions. Passing the math OAKS OR two math Work Samples is one requirement for graduation. Seniors should especially heed this advice as they prepare for graduation. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information, or click on "Work Sample Sign UP" below to go to the RSVP (sign up) form and sign up for a date: 

Work Sample SIGN UP

Stay connected through Facebook and Twitter.  We share informative and valuable messages daily.

https://www.facebook.com/metroeastwebacademy

https://twitter.com/MEWebAcademy

Students of the Month for March:
Gabriel Detles
Sarah Cummins

Most Improved Students for March:
Markquise Lucas
Jeremy Mitchell

Announcements:

MEECA Information Session April 9 at 5:30 pm. We will be having some current MEECA students answer questions and talk about their experience with MEECA.

Help the volunteer club get the community garden started for the year! We will be working toward moving fill dirt and the raised bed to our new, bigger plot. The weather should be nice, so come out and help us beautify our new space. We will meet at the school at 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 19.  Contact Ms Hathaway with any questions. 

Diversity Career and Job Fair: Mount Hood Community College is hosting the largest job fair in East County!  Tuesday, April 1st from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the MHCC gymnasium.  Learn more at mhcc.edu/jobfair

We now have a new and growing FAQ Page for MEWA students and parents. Here you will see questions, answers, and how-to videos related to a variety of common issues. From our home page, www.mewebacademy.org, find the Student/Parent FAQ on the center button bar.

Local Performance Based Assessments (formerly Work Samples) are offered every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a senior without a math class in need of passing the Essential Skill in Math in order to graduate then you will want to plan on attending one of these. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information.

More Math Lab Hours!  Ms. Norrander will be hosting math labs on Thursdays from 10:00 - 12:00 in the math room.  Bring your math questions and we'll find a solution! 

Have you tried yoga before? Do you want to improve your strength, flexibility and balance? Then join Ms. Norrander on Thursday's from 12:15 - 1:00 for Yoga Time in classroom 2. This is a fun, non-competitive activity for all members of MEWA. Bring a yoga mat or a beach towel. Contact Ms. Norrander if you have any questions, norrander@mewebacademy.org.

MEWA has formed a parent booster/advocacy group.  Participation in this group is open to all MEWA parents, grandparents, guardians, and staff members.  The focus of this group will be to organize and support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth opportunities for students and staff.  The next meeting is May 21st at 5:00 PM at MEWA.  Snacks and refreshments are provided.  The agenda this month will focus on a discussion concerning our upcoming Open House and what do we desire the parent group to become.  We will have a drawing to give away a $25 Fred Mayer Gift Card to one lucky attendee.

Seniors!! 

Now is the time to get your cap and gown ordered for graduation. Pick up your packet in the office or order directly through Josten's at (503) 255-7120.

Mr. Ellsberg has created a youtube channel for his weekly Techtown video cast.  You can follow him every Tuesday here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8Gtv4Bpr9SjA33hMRkD5Q

Box Tops for the Box Tops for Education program:

Box Tops for Education® is one of the nation’s largest school fundraising loyalty programs and has been helping schools succeed since 1996. With over 250 participating products, it’s an easy way for schools to earn cash for the things they need.

• Over 90,000 K-8 schools participate nationwide
• Each Box Tops coupon is worth 10¢ and they add up fast!
• Schools can use their Box Tops cash to buy whatever they need most, from books to field trips to playgrounds.
• So far, America’s schools have earned over $525 million from Box Tops…and counting.*

Please bring in your box tops.  More information is available at http://www.boxtops4education.com/all-about-boxtops

Sincerely,

David L. Gray, Ph.D.

Principal/CEO

Metro East Web Academy

503-258-4790

A True Meaning of Happiness

Photo via http://24hoursofhappiness.com

“Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.” Wikipedia

Happy International Day of Happiness!  Yes, this day is celebrated on March 20 to basically help make the world a “happier” place.  Do we need such a day, or is there a way to celebrate happiness all year round?  Of course, asking this question raises questions like: “Do we need St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate being Irish?” or, “Why do we only give presents at Christmas?”  What it comes down to is really our awareness of what qualifies as happiness in our lives.  The key of celebrating a day of happiness is to develop your understanding of what makes you truly happy.

Did you know that Denmark ranks #1 as the happiest country in the world, while the United States is #17?  Why is this?  Americans spend an exorbitant amount of money on anti-depressant drugs, self-help books, and inspirational speaking conventions.  Yet we are always in search of the “perfect” happiness.  An article from Forbes tells us that happiness is a choice, rather than something that is merely attained; in other words, one has to consciously make the decision to be happy.  The article goes on to give 5 “Ingredients of Happiness":

1. Positive Emotions – choose to look at things from a more positive perspective
2. Engagement – get involved/curious
3. Positive Relationships – surround yourself with people who energize you
4. Meaning – find something that speaks to your soul (give back)
5. Accomplishment

Have you ever considered that this recipe for happiness could actually equal our success?  Think about all those positive, optimistic, happy people you know…Studies show they could end up being more successful and fulfilled in their life than those of us who believe in the mantra that success equals happiness.  The reality is we have it backwards: happiness equals success!

So today, and every day, celebrate being happy and learn to live and love your life!  Try taking on one or all of the “Ingredients of Happiness” above and see if making the choice to be happy actually leads to your lifelong happiness.

If you need something to get you started, check out this link with music videos of the “Happy” dance from around the world, featuring Pharrell’s popular song.  http://24hoursofhappiness.com

Sarah Cummins - Winner of the MEWA Digital Domination Scavenger Hunt !

Congratulations Sarah Cummins! 

You received the highest score in the MEWA Digital Domination Scavenger Hunt and are our winner! Your prize is a $50 gift certificate to the Family Fun Center in Wilsonville. Please come see Principal Gray to claim the prize by Friday, March 21! Looks like now you will have something to plan over Spring Break! We hope you have fun and thank you very much for participating! Congratulations again.

Principal's Message

A Message from the Principal/CEO:

GET READY FOR MEWA DIGITAL DOMINATION! This game is a Scavenger Hunt to explore the online communities of MEWA. How do you play? Students— Click this link: Digital Domination to access the entry form.  Note: you will need to login with your MEWA username.  Fill in all of the blanks, questions, and responses by exploring our MEWA digital presence.  You will need to access our website (mewebacademy.org), our blog (gbwa-announcements.blogspot.com), our Facebook Page (facebook.com/MEWebAcademy), our Twitter profile (twitter.com/MEWebAcademy), and our Pinterest profile (pinterest.com/MEWebAcademy).  All responses must be received by 3/18 and will be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate for the Family Fun Center!  The winner will be announced on 3/19 and the prize must be claimed by 3/21. Have fun and thanks for playing our Digital Domination game!

Food Drive: MEWA is sponsoring our Spring Food Drive to benefit Snow Cap Community Charities.  Each of our three advisory teams (Team Awesome, Klickitat, and No Name) and the office staff are competing for a pizza party for the winning team.  All of our students and staff belong to one of these teams. The team that brings in the most food items will win a pizza party paid for by MEWA!  Food items may include, can and dry goods and other non-perishable commercially produced food as well as diapers and other items that may benefit a young family.  The deadline is April 11th.  Help support your team!!

Open House:  MEWA is hosting our one-year anniversary open house on April 16th at 6:00 PM.  We will have giveaways and other prizes as well as hotdogs and refreshments for all those in attendance.  Our staff will have stations set up for you to receive more information concerning our programs and courses as well as provide you with an opportunity to meet and speak with our teachers.

Staff Trivia Hint:  Letter Grades!!!

 Please note that our Spring Break begins on March 24th.  In the Brain Honey student assignment calendar, there are assignments due during this week.  Please note that we cannot change this as explained below regarding our dynamic scheduling system.  So, our suggestion is that some of the assignments be completed prior to the break and some can be completed after the break to stay on pace.  Of course a student may choose to work during this period, but know that staff will be unavailable.  We have corrected the system relative to assignments showing due dates on weekends.  We are working with Brain Honey to resolve this issue for next school year.

Friday morning open lab is popular!

These students love Friday lab!

Seniors: Now's the time to turn in your Senior pictures for the yearbook. Photos should be a head shot or upper body. Grab a friend to take your picture and have some fun. If sending from a smart phone, use the medium size (121kb) Send pictures to Kari Clayton at clayton2@mewebacademy.org

Please note that it is time for students to begin their state testing (OAKS) and show up for scheduled tests and time!  Attending and taking the test is required and very important as the school is evaluated on student results and attendance in the state report card.  Being present for the test is included in the contract that many parents and students signed during your welcome meeting.

HAVEN'T PASSED THE OAKS YET? Well, this one's for you. The math department is offering Work Samples (and Local Performance Based Assessments) every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a Senior (or Junior) and have struggled to pass the OAKS test, you will want to make one of these sessions. Passing the math OAKS OR two math Work Samples is one requirement for graduation. Seniors should especially heed this advice as they prepare for graduation. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information, or click on "Work Sample Sign UP" below to go to the RSVP (sign up) form and sign up for a date: 

Work Sample SIGN UP

Stay connected through Facebook and Twitter.  We share informative and valuable messages daily.

https://www.facebook.com/metroeastwebacademy

https://twitter.com/MEWebAcademy

Students of the Month for February:
Ryan Rangel
Davien Williams
Olena Kozhevnikova
Daniel Pinchuk

Most Improved Students for February:
Carl Behunin
Jessica Pitsul

Announcements:

MEECA Information Session April 9 at 5:30 pm. We will be having some current MEECA students answer questions and talk about their experience with MEECA.

Help the volunteer club get the community garden started for the year! We will be working toward moving fill dirt and the raised bed to our new, bigger plot. The weather should be nice, so come out and help us beautify our new space. We will meet at the school at 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 19.  Contact Ms Hathaway with any questions. 

Diversity Career and Job Fair: Mount Hood Community College is hosting the largest job fair in East County!  Tuesday, April 1st from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the MHCC gymnasium.  Learn more at mhcc.edu/jobfair

We now have a new and growing FAQ Page for MEWA students and parents. Here you will see questions, answers, and how-to videos related to a variety of common issues. From our home page, www.mewebacademy.org, find the Student/Parent FAQ on the center button bar.

Local Performance Based Assessments (formerly Work Samples) are offered every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a senior without a math class in need of passing the Essential Skill in Math in order to graduate then you will want to plan on attending one of these. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information.

Writing Work Sample opportunity for seniors on March 19th at 4:00 PM.

More Math Lab Hours!  Ms. Norrander will be hosting math labs on Thursdays from 10:00 - 12:00 in the math room.  Bring your math questions and we'll find a solution! 

Have you tried yoga before? Do you want to improve your strength, flexibility and balance? Then join Ms. Norrander on Thursday's from 12:15 - 1:00 for Yoga Time in classroom 2. This is a fun, non-competitive activity for all members of MEWA. Bring a yoga mat or a beach towel. Contact Ms. Norrander if you have any questions, norrander@mewebacademy.org.

MEWA has formed a parent booster/advocacy group.  Participation in this group is open to all MEWA parents, grandparents, guardians, and staff members.  The focus of this group will be to organize and support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth opportunities for students and staff.  The next meeting is March 19th at 5:00 PM at MEWA.  Snacks and refreshments are provided.  The agenda this month will focus on a discussion concerning our upcoming Open House and what do we desire the parent group to become.  We will have a drawing to give away a $25 Fred Mayer Gift Card to one lucky attendee.  Aletha Peyton won a $25 Safeway gift card at the February meeting.  Congratulations Aletha!

Seniors!! 

Now is the time to get your cap and gown ordered for graduation. Pick up your packet in the office or order directly through Josten's at (503) 255-7120.

Mr. Ellsberg has created a youtube channel for his weekly Techtown video cast.  You can follow him every Tuesday here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8Gtv4Bpr9SjA33hMRkD5Q

You may have noticed that you now have assignments due on weekends and school breaks. This is due to our dynamic scheduling system, which supports individual learning plans. Unfortunately, we cannot change these due dates to regular school dates on a grand scale. But remember that our due dates are guidelines, not necessarily strict requirements.  So, if you are completing assignments within a couple of days of these due dates, you are staying on track.  If you have assignments that are due on Saturday, aim to complete them on Friday. If you have assignments due on Sunday, plan to complete them on Monday.

One new feature of this dynamic scheduling is the ability to select your course end date. While you cannot choose to work later than the end of the school year (June 6th), if you are trying to complete the class early, this is a helpful tool. In your grade book (in your class), you'll see a calendar icon. If you click on it, you will be able to see the target end date that your teacher chose, and could opt to choose an earlier one for yourself.  (See the image below). 

Box Tops for the Box Tops for Education program:

Box Tops for Education® is one of the nation’s largest school fundraising loyalty programs and has been helping schools succeed since 1996. With over 250 participating products, it’s an easy way for schools to earn cash for the things they need.

• Over 90,000 K-8 schools participate nationwide
• Each Box Tops coupon is worth 10¢ and they add up fast!
• Schools can use their Box Tops cash to buy whatever they need most, from books to field trips to playgrounds.
• So far, America’s schools have earned over $525 million from Box Tops…and counting.*

Please bring in your box tops.  More information is available at http://www.boxtops4education.com/all-about-boxtops

Sincerely,

David L. Gray, Ph.D.

Principal/CEO

Metro East Web Academy

503-258-4790

Spring is in the Air

The weather seems to be taking a turn for the better (knock on wood) and Spring is certainly in the air.  It always seems that after the trauma of moving our clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time, we begin to experience the pleasant sights, smells, and sounds of Spring: birds chirping, sun shining, people running, and flowers blooming.  With the beginning of Spring, which is actually March 20^th, comes the rapidly approaching promise of Spring Break.  Now this is one holiday nearly every student looks forward to--why wouldn’t they?  We’re talking about an entire week out of the classroom, with no correspondence with teachers, and really no need to even logon to a computer (except we know everyone will).  For MEWA students, our system does indicate that assignments are still due during this break period; however, we recommend looking ahead and completing those assignments either this week, or early after the break is over to stay on task.  All of this is outlined in the Principal’s Message.

So what to do with an entire week off?  Are you going on a family vacation?  Travelling somewhere warm and sunny?  Or will you be sticking around town, meeting up with friends, and just relaxing?  Perhaps you will log a few more hours with your job?

For those students who don’t have “big” plans for the break, we have some ideas…

• Participate in an “Alternative Spring Break.” Volunteer at an organization during the week such as with Habitat for Humanity, Zenger Farms, SnowCap, or any other organization you are interested in.  Not only will you experience the value in helping others, but this is an activity that is perfect to discuss in a scholarship essay or application.
• Work on those scholarships!  Do some research and look for new scholarships that are available to you, especially within the community.  Work on some “generic” essay templates and revise your resume or activity chart so that your most current version is ready when the time comes.
•  Read a new book, for FUN.  Head down to the library and see if you can find a book or two to read for fun.  Excite your imagination and just relax; if the weather is nice, you can read outside!
• Pick up a new hobby.  Try something new this Spring Break.  Look up some new recipes, create a new work of art, take some creative photos, or sew yourself an outfit.  Maybe you are interested in scrapbooking, learning a new language, or playing a new instrument; the list goes on.  There are a number of things you can do!
• And of course, you can always work on some things for school; just to stay caught up. J

We hope all our students enjoy a fun-filled, relaxing, and safe Spring Break!  Remember, teachers will be unavailable during the week as well, so try and get any questions answered before this week is over.  Have fun!

What are your plans for Spring Break? If you could plan the perfect Spring Break, what would it include?

A New Age of Interaction

Photo via Social Media Examiner

It wasn’t always this way.  “Back in the day” you would be reading this in a magazine or newspaper, printed on paper, and delivered to your house every week or month.  The concept of a blog was reserved to a journalist, someone who attended school, received a degree in Creative Writing and/or Journalism, and set out to create a career based on writing.  Now, one can become a journalist with the click of a button and approximately $10 a year (to claim your blog site domain).  What changed?  People are more connected, yet strangely more disconnected.  We get our news from Facebook’s News Feed and Twitter’s 140 character tweets.  Now, by the time you turn on the 5 o’clock news, it’s already old news.  The way we interact as humans has become faster, more immediate, and incredibly responsive.  We can talk directly to a company about their products, deal with customer service situations on Twitter, and all of this while on the go through the phone in our hand.  It’s incredible really.

Even the concept of education has changed, as you well know.  Students are able to take their classrooms with them while they travel to compete as athletes.  Snow days are a thing of the past; as long as the Internet is still connected, it’s business as usual for our students.  Teachers are able to be more responsive and available to support their students on an individual level.  The evolution of interaction has certainly improved this aspect of our lives.

We are launching a scavenger hunt game of sorts for our MEWA students to help them gage how much they know about their school and on what platforms they are able to interact with the MEWA community.  This “Digital Domination” game takes place totally online across the website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and this very blog.  Even the entry form is available online and will be submitted that way.  We believe our students to be digital masters and hope this game encourages them to explore the digital space that MEWA exists in.  The game will launch on March 7^th and a winner will be selected on March 19.  The prize?  Increased knowledge of the MEWA digital community…as well as a $50 gift certificate to the Family Fun Center in Wilsonville. More information can be found here: http://gbwebacademy.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=310023.

The question remains whether or not this evolution of interaction is completely for the better.  We have even asked that ourselves, and designed our school around an education structure that continues to incorporate real-time, in-person learning and development at our brick and mortar location.  There is still a need for face-to-face human interaction, for we are by nature social creatures.  It’s important to remember to unplug and look at the world around us, use our senses to discover new things.  By balancing the technological evolution with our true human instincts, we will maintain balance in the new age of interaction.

Where do you interact with others the most online? What about offline?  Which do you prefer?

Principal's Message

A Message from the Principal/CEO:

GET READY FOR MEWA DIGITAL DOMINATION! This game is a Scavenger Hunt to explore the online communities of MEWA. How do you play? Students— Click this link: Digital Domination to access the entry form.  Note: you will need to login with your MEWA username.  Fill in all of the blanks, questions, and responses by exploring our MEWA digital presence.  You will need to access our website (mewebacademy.org), our blog (gbwa-announcements.blogspot.com), our Facebook Page (facebook.com/MEWebAcademy), our Twitter profile (twitter.com/MEWebAcademy), and our Pinterest profile (pinterest.com/MEWebAcademy).  All responses must be received by 3/18 and will be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate for the Family Fun Center!  The winner will be announced on 3/19 and the prize must be claimed by 3/21. Have fun and thanks for playing our Digital Domination game!

Daylight saving time 2014 will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, when most U.S. states will spring forward an hour. Time will fall back to standard time again on Sunday, November 2, when DST ends.

 Please note that our Spring Break begins on March 24th.  In the Brain Honey student assignment calendar, there are assignments due during this week.  Please note that we cannot change this as explained below regarding our dynamic scheduling system.  So, our suggestion is that some of the assignments be completed prior to the break and some can be completed after the break to stay on pace.  Of course a student may choose to work during this period, but know that staff will be unavailable.  We have corrected the system relative to assignments showing due dates on weekends.  We are working with Brain Honey to resolve this issue for next school year.

Students building pinhole cameras in Ms. Powell's class!

. . . and having a good time!

Seniors: Now's the time to turn in your Senior pictures for the yearbook. Photos should be a head shot or upper body. Grab a friend to take your picture and have some fun. If sending from a smart phone, use the medium size (121kb) Send pictures to Kari Clayton at clayton2@mewebacademy.org

Please note that it is time for students to begin their state testing (OAKS) and show up for scheduled tests and time!  Attending and taking the test is required and very important as the school is evaluated on student results and attendance in the state report card.  Being present for the test is included in the contract that many parents and students signed during your welcome meeting.

HAVEN'T PASSED THE OAKS YET? Well, this one's for you. The math department is offering Work Samples (and Local Performance Based Assessments) every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a Senior (or Junior) and have struggled to pass the OAKS test, you will want to make one of these sessions. Passing the math OAKS OR two math Work Samples is one requirement for graduation. Seniors should especially heed this advice as they prepare for graduation. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information, or click on "Work Sample Sign UP" below to go to the RSVP (sign up) form and sign up for a date: 

Work Sample SIGN UP

Stay connected through Facebook and Twitter.  We share informative and valuable messages daily.

https://www.facebook.com/metroeastwebacademy

https://twitter.com/MEWebAcademy

You may have noticed that you now have assignments due on weekends and school breaks. This is due to our dynamic scheduling system, which supports individual learning plans. Unfortunately, we cannot change these due dates to regular school dates on a grand scale. But remember that our due dates are guidelines, not necessarily strict requirements.  So, if you are completing assignments within a couple of days of these due dates, you are staying on track.  If you have assignments that are due on Saturday, aim to complete them on Friday. If you have assignments due on Sunday, plan to complete them on Monday.

One new feature of this dynamic scheduling is the ability to select your course end date. While you cannot choose to work later than the end of the school year (June 6th), if you are trying to complete the class early, this is a helpful tool. In your grade book (in your class), you'll see a calendar icon. If you click on it, you will be able to see the target end date that your teacher chose, and could opt to choose an earlier one for yourself.  (See the image below). 

Students of the Month for February:
Ryan Rangel
Davien Williams
Olena Kozhevnikova
Daniel Pinchuk

Ryan Rangel, February Student of the Month with Ms. Calhoun!

Most Improved Students for February:
Carl Behunin
Jessica Pitsul

Announcements:

Help the volunteer club get the community garden started for the year! We will be working toward moving fill dirt and the raised bed to our new, bigger plot. The weather should be nice, so come out and help us beautify our new space. We will meet at the school at 1:30 pm to 3 pm on Wednesday, March 12.  Contact Ms Hathaway with any questions. 

We now have a new and growing FAQ Page for MEWA students and parents. Here you will see questions, answers, and how-to videos related to a variety of common issues. From our home page, www.mewebacademy.org, find the Student/Parent FAQ on the center button bar.

Local Performance Based Assessments (formerly Work Samples) are offered every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. If you are a senior without a math class in need of passing the Essential Skill in Math in order to graduate then you will want to plan on attending one of these. Contact Mr. Kitchens or Mrs. Riehl for further information.

Writing Work Sample opportunity for seniors on March 19th at 4:00 PM.

More Math Lab Hours!  Ms. Norrander will be hosting math labs on Thursdays from 10:00 - 12:00 in the math room.  Bring your math questions and we'll find a solution! 

Have you tried yoga before? Do you want to improve your strength, flexibility and balance? Then join Ms. Norrander on Thursday's from 12:15 - 1:00 for Yoga Time in classroom 2. This is a fun, non-competitive activity for all members of MEWA. Bring a yoga mat or a beach towel. Contact Ms. Norrander if you have any questions, norrander@mewebacademy.org.

MEWA has formed a parent booster/advocacy group.  Participation in this group is open to all MEWA parents, grandparents, guardians, and staff members.  The focus of this group will be to organize and support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth opportunities for students and staff.  The next meeting is March 19th at 5:00 PM at MEWA.  Snacks and refreshments are provided.  The agenda this month will focus on a discussion concerning our upcoming Open House and what do we desire the parent group to become.  We will have a drawing to give away a $25 Fred Mayer Gift Card to one lucky attendee.  Aletha Peyton won a $25 Safeway gift card at the February meeting.  Congratulations Aletha!

Seniors!! 

Now is the time to get your cap and gown ordered for graduation. Pick up your packet in the office or order directly through Josten's at (503) 255-7120.

Mr. Ellsberg has created a youtube channel for his weekly Techtown video cast.  You can follow him every Tuesday here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8Gtv4Bpr9SjA33hMRkD5Q

Box Tops for the Box Tops for Education program:

Box Tops for Education® is one of the nation’s largest school fundraising loyalty programs and has been helping schools succeed since 1996. With over 250 participating products, it’s an easy way for schools to earn cash for the things they need.

• Over 90,000 K-8 schools participate nationwide
• Each Box Tops coupon is worth 10¢ and they add up fast!
• Schools can use their Box Tops cash to buy whatever they need most, from books to field trips to playgrounds.
• So far, America’s schools have earned over $525 million from Box Tops…and counting.*

Please bring in your box tops.  More information is available at http://www.boxtops4education.com/all-about-boxtops

Sincerely,

David L. Gray, Ph.D.

Principal/CEO

Metro East Web Academy

503-258-4790