The MEWA Mission

In last week’s Principal Message, Dr. Gray mentioned some words from Principal, Hershel Olmstead that struck a few chords with the mission of the new Metro East Web Academy.  “What we need is a school where we are welcomed, and valued for who we are, where there are many talents that are recognized and praised.  We need a place where we are encouraged to try new things, take risks, and making mistakes is accepted as normal learning” (Principal, Hershel Olmstead).  How does this resonate with MEWA, our students, our teachers, our parents and guardians, our friends, and our community?  As we transition into our new location with a new name and updated learning software, MEWA upholds the tradition of providing exceptional online education.  Our curriculum is designed to be completed online, but our teachers and academic counselors are available on-site to assist students as needed.  This structure allows students to deepen their learning and development through face to face support from their teachers, without the distractions of the traditional classroom.

Both students at MEWA and the Gresham community benefit from the dynamic learning environment of our school.  Students are able to participate in field trips that allow them to interact, engage with, and better understand the community in which they live.  Additionally, MEWA seeks to reach out to local businesses as partners to share their experiences, resources, and ideas with our students.  The end goal is to encourage our students to develop academically and as active members of the communities in which they live.  We encourage our students to reach out and take on new challenges as a part of their overall learning and personal growth.  As an organization, we strive to embody what we hope for in each of our students. MEWA, above all, is a place for learning, for trying, for thinking, and for growing.

Important Announcements…

Science Test Prep Session: Wednesday, December 4th from 1-2pm.

Check out our web page! We now have a button in the top right corner labeled "How are we doing?" We care what about what our parents and students feel about our school. Please let us know your thoughts.

Box Tops for the Box Tops for Education program: Please bring in your box tops.  More information is available at http://www.boxtops4education.com/all-about-boxtops

Toy Drive! The CSU (Christian Student Union) club will be collecting toys for the KGW Great Toy Drive this year. Please drop off unwrapped toys and we will get them to KGW.

Immunizations!!! This clinic is available to provide the required immunizations for school attendance:

December 18, 2013, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Rosa Parks School 8960 N. Woolsey, Portland, OR 97203

MEWA has 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 December 11th at 5:30 PM at MEWA.  Snacks and refreshments are provided.

Upcoming Field Trips: Portland-Milwaukie Lite Rail Project site (December 4, 2013, 11 am - 3 pm)

Join us on a great opportunity to explore a current real-world, large project going on in Portland -- it's the Portland-Milwaukie Lite Rail Project Site -- West Segment. We'll bus from MEWA, departing at 11 am, returning at 3 pm.

Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East you come first.

Hands-On Learning & MEWA Announcements

Mr. Barrentine is teaching students about crustaceans.  There are many opportunities for hands on activities at MEWA.

Last week’s blog talked about the importance of involvement in the education process.  This week, we take this concept one step further and discuss the importance of actively participating in one’s learning, known as hands-on learning.  Studies have shown hands-on learning increases the level of engagement and understanding of the student and the benefits of this are immense.  An article by Everest describes these benefits from the perspective of a student’s future.  First of all, the student exhibits a greater retention of course material through active engagement with the concepts being taught.  Additionally, critical thinking skills are easily developed in a stimulated environment.  This is due to the increased attention given to “in-the-moment” learning.  Finally, the personalized guidance a student receives from the instructor during the hands-on-learning process is much greater than in a lecture or classroom setting.

(Source: http://news.everest.edu/post/2010/01/top-5-benefits-of-a-hands-on-learning-environment/#.UmqmKFwSAps)

For students at MEWA, hands-on learning is still a big part of their education as we offer the stimulated environment needed to apply, discuss, and discover the concepts explained in coursework.  Our teachers work on-site and are host to drop-in labs in which students can visit, ask questions, and progress through their assignments.  Drop-in labs are encouraged so that students receive the hands-on application they sometimes need to better understand what is being learned.  We also invite students to participate in field-trips and clubs to interact with each other, their teachers, and the school on a more social level.  At MEWA, we want to stimulate the student’s mind and help them to achieve all of their future goals.

Important Announcements…

Don’t Forget!  Our incentive program is in full swing.  We will have a drawing on November 22, 2013 for a giveaway of two iPod Touch 16GB players.  To enter, students must login every school day, work at least 1 hour on coursework while logged in each school day, and complete 5 assignments per week that are submitted for grading.  We hope all MEWA and GED students continue to participate!

Let Us Help… We will begin an Open Support Class that will meet each Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00, beginning next week to assist in clearing up any issues students & parents are having with the new Genius/Brain Honey learning management system.

The Student Leadership Club is open to all students!  The focus of the club is to build leadership skills for those who join.  Ms. Norrander will be the staff sponsor with Mr. May-Varas and Dr. Gray assisting. The next meeting will be Thursday, October 31 @ 1:30PM at MEWA.

Our Parent Booster Group will have the next meeting November 20^th at 6:00 PM at MEWA.  Participation in this group is open to all MEWA parents, grandparents, guardians, and staff members.  The focus of this group is to organize and support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth opportunities for students and staff.

MEWA Gold Card Program.  We have an exciting new incentive program for the drop-in laboratory. Each time you achieve your study goals that you've listed on a Gold Card, you'll be able to turn that card in for a weekly prize drawing. Currently, our weekly prize is a $10 Starbucks gift card. We look to add different prizes in the future. So, stay tuned, stay on task in the drop-in lab, and you too can win prizes.  If you'd like to know more about the details of how this program works, click on the following link: https://docs.google.com/a/gbwebacademy.org/presentation/d/1oeAGfNBaTgcmBAVkDjfmzjtg4qlgrvrrG51RZwSFmv8/edit?usp=sharing.

College Bound Students! Connect with your counselor to discuss the ACT, SAT, or the PSAT.  They have information and dates for registering for these tests.

Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East you come first.