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.

Getting the Most from Your Online Education

As we begin the second half of our 2013-2014 academic year, it’s important to remember why we are here in the first place: to learn.  How do you get the most out of your learning experience at Metro East Web Academy?  Here are a couple tips for you to consider to help finish out the year strong.

1. Visit our “Tips for Successful Online Learning” Web Page.  This page has a number of different tips on how to be successful as an online student.  Read them and see if there is anything you need to add to your approach as we begin the next term. 
2.  Meet with your teachers at least once per week.  Your teachers are here to help you succeed and they want to see you grow.  Make sure to talk with them if you are stuck on an assignment or lesson.  Often two heads are better than one and conversing with a teacher will help both of you understand each other better in the future.
3. Keep notebooks, or computer folders, with notes for each class.  Taking notes is always a good idea and keeping these notes organized will save you time when studying for a test.  You can also use these notebooks for writing questions and answers as you go through your lessons.  Some classes require the use of a spiral notebook, but they are a handy tool for any class.
4. Turn in your homework assignments on time.  The sooner you can get an assignment turned in, the quicker you can get feedback from the teacher on your work.  Doing the assignments early will also allow you more time to ask questions for clarification, if needed.
5. Stop in the Drop-In Labs each week.  Coming in to the drop-in labs regularly will help organize your day, give you time to talk with teachers and counselors, and allow you to socialize with fellow classmates.  Collaboration produces some of the best creative results on projects and stopping by the drop-in labs will help feed your creative process.
6. Visit our online social communities to connect & engage with other students & your teachers.  Our online social sites not only provide students and teachers with helpful tips and inspirations, but they are places for parents to collaborate as well.  We want to keep our MEWA community strong, both in and outside of, the school.  We hope all our students, teachers, and parents will contribute to our Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest pages regularly to engage in meaningful conversations and stay up to date on what’s happening at MEWA.

    How do you get the most out of your MEWA education?

Tips for Future Success

Succeeding academically can be challenging at times and breeze at others.  Studying, attending class regularly, and completing assignments on-time are all important in academic success and gaining the most from your education.  We wanted to give you some tips that may help as our students develop their study habits into skills that will help them as they pursue their life goals.

1. Focus. This is a hard skill for many individuals, but the ability to focus on one task at a time and see it through to completion is a great skill to have.  One way to develop this is to make sure your workspace is free from distractions.  Set mini goals to complete assignments more effectively.  For example, when writing a paper, tell yourself you will write at least one full page before taking a snack break or checking Facebook.
2. Note Taking. Making sure to take good notes and use them is important.  Practice writing only the important information by taking notes during your favorite TV show, or movie.  Find a way of organizing your notes that works best for you.  For instance, some use bullet points, while others draw boxes on the page.  Review your notes before and after a test to validate your responses. Don’t simply memorize your notes, but find ways to actively engage with them.  This way, you are more likely to remember the concepts in the future, rather than only specific details.
3. Clarification. If you are confused on a concept being learned, be sure to ask questions.  Your teachers are there to help you develop and understand the material being learned.  The only silly question is the one that never gets asked.
4. Organization.  Make sure your workspace stays organized so you always have the materials you need at your fingertips.  This will help you accomplish assignments faster and will eliminate wasting time digging through a pile to look for “that one paper” with important notes.
5. Time Management.  Invest in a day planner and write down all important assignment due dates, school holidays, and activities.  Use the planner to schedule your day from class, to homework, to social time so that you never miss or forget anything important.  It’s important to balance work and social in your life, so make sure you have time for both!
6. Collaboration.  Sometimes all you need for motivation is someone to bounce ideas off of, get feedback from, and talk problems through.  Whether you collaborate with a fellow classmate, teacher, parent, or counselor, working with someone else can be very beneficial in helping you to better understand a concept. 

Which of these skills do you feel you need to improve?  Have you mastered any?  Just remember, each skill you develop while in school, will help you become more successful in your future education, career, and life in general.  Wherever you are a heading, take what you learn in school with you. 

Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East, it’s all about you.

Getting to Where You Want to Be

“Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.” - Henry David Thoreau

We just completed mid-term evaluations/progress reports and are looking ahead to finishing the term & the year of 2013. Some students are happy with their evaluations, while others may be less than satisfied.  The key point to remember here is not to be discouraged.  Often, throughout life, we will reach a point that is not where we want to be.  It’s important at these points not to grow discouraged, but rather reevaluate what goals we have, and how reaching those goals will put us closer on the path of getting where we want to be.  This is why we set goals: to provide a strategy with which a course will be set for success and achievement.  A goal essentially points one in the right direction and moves that individual closer to the life they want to live.  Think about your own life.  What are your goals, both short and long term?  What do you aspire to in the future?  How is what you are doing now helping or hurting your journey to these aspirations?  Don’t become disheartened if you were less than satisfied with your mid-term evaluation.  This evaluation merely allows you to pause, take a deep breath, and realign your academic goals to achieve the evaluation you deserve at the end of the term.  Write down your goals somewhere they will be seen each day to help you stay on track and committed to achieving them.  Make sure they fit the S.M.A.R.T. criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.  Last, but not least, talk to your academic counselor about your goals, vision, and future aspirations.  Talking about your goals makes them real, writing them down allows you to better achieve them.

For more information on goals and goal writing, visit the following website: http://www.the101dreams.com/resources/the-life-you-are-dreaming-of/.

Important Announcements…

Donate canned food for Snowcap! Our school and the Service Learning and Volunteer Club has partnered with Snow Cap Community Charities to sponsor a food drive through November 22nd. All donations and can be brought to the school. For every can you donate you’ll get a ticket for a chance to win a $10 iTunes gift card. The more you donate, the higher chance of winning the iTunes gift card! Contact Ms. Hathaway with any questions. 

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. 

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.

No School 11/27 - 11/29

MEWA Parent Booster/Advocacy Group. The next meeting is November 20th at 6:00 PM at MEWA. Snacks and refreshments are provided.

MEWA Gold Card Drop-in Lab Incentive Program:

Our Gold Card Incentive Program for the drop-in laboratory is underway. 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.

Upcoming Field Trips:

Our school is scheduling a field trip for November 26th to the Portland Art Museum to see the Samurai exhibit. We plan to take the kids there via MAX. Please contact Mr. Kennedy or Ms. Powell if you have an interest or questions.

Portland-Milwaukie Streetcar Project Tour! December 4^th—This is an incredible opportunity to tour a phenomenal engineering feat right here in our city! Students MUST submit their RSVP  the Field Trip by November 22 (email Mr. Kitchens).

Choosing the Higher Path & Brief MEWA Announcements

In high school, students are faced with a number of choices, decisions and challenges as they shape their future.  One of these decisions is that of higher, or continuing, education.  Why should I go to college?  How am I going to pay for continued education?  Is this something I really want to do?  Each of these questions can only be answered by the individual student, as higher education is a personal choice.  An article from CollegeView.com offers some great insight into beginning to answer these questions and choosing the right path for you, the student.  One of the biggest reasons to attend an institution of higher learning, according to the article, is opportunity.  This opportunity comes in many forms and is based on the goals and vision a student has for their future.  For some, the opportunity to receive a college degree is a desire to continue learning, growing, and asking questions.  Others find opportunity in the financial benefit of earning a higher income with a college degree.  Still other students will find the opportunity is in being the first member of their family to earn a college level degree.  Opportunity.  As a student, each one of you has the opportunity to create and achieve your goals. “Attending college provides students with the knowledge and experience they are unable to receive from a secondary education, and finding a way to fund a higher education now can pay off in a huge way in the years to come.”

(Source: http://www.collegeview.com/articles/article/importance-of-college-education)

At MEWA, we encourage students to consider the opportunity of a higher education.  Our counselors are available to assist students in determining what their future goals are and how to best work to achieve them.  We invite each of our students to think and plan ahead so they can be ready for life after high school.  Our education process is designed to prepare students for the more independent college or employment setting.  We hope each of our students will take advantage of talking with our academic counselors about what their opportunity looks like.  Choosing the right path for the future is important and at MEWA we want all our students to strive for a successful future.

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!

Holiday: Monday, November 11 is Veteran’s Day & Metro East will be closed.  Enjoy the day off!

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.

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 we have two weekly prizes for students: a $10 Starbucks gift card or a free lunch from Big Town Hero. 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.

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.

Involving Everyone & Important Announcements

©iStockphoto.com

Enrolling your student in an online education is an important step toward ensuring their continued growth and learning.  The online student is one who works well independently; however, family involvement in the education of a student is crucial to their success.  Having the support of an adult can positively influence the academic growth of a student.  A study from the US Department of Education shows that parents and family members who take the time to be involved in a student’s education increases that student’s ability to get better grades and test scores, graduate from high school, continue on to a higher education, be better behaved and have a more positive attitude (USDE).  What does family involvement look like?  It can be a variety of activities that both the family and the student benefit from.  Activities such as: reading together, checking homework, getting involved with the school, talking with teachers regularly, or simply asking, “How was school today?” every day, all show the student how important their education is to the family.

(Source: http://www.wate.com/story/371979/family-involvement-is-important)

At MEWA, our culture of learning and personalized education is the first step in supporting our students.  We encourage all family members to be involved in their student’s education and are always available to talk about different ways this can be done.  One of the exciting new ways to be directly involved in your student’s academic life is by attending our Parent Booster Group meetings.  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.  Contact the school for more information on meeting times and topics of discussion.  As always, we welcome feedback from family members!

Important Announcements…

MEWA is starting a student leadership club.  This club will be open to all students!  The focus of the club will be to build leadership skills for those who join.  Ms. Norrander will be the staff sponsor with Mr. May-Varas and Dr. Gray assisting.

Fiddler on the Roof field trip on October 30^th:  The play starts at 12:00 PM.  We will leave school around 10:30, board the Max, and head downtown.  The cost of the play is $15.00.  Permissions forms must be turned in by Friday, October 25^th.

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!

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

The Harris Bell History & Important Announcements

 

“The Harris Bell is just that: a bell. It resides just outside the MEWA Principal’s office and is there for the occasions when students achieve success and earn the right to "Ring the Bell."  This honor is relative to a student accomplishing something significant, which could be completing their last class to earn their diploma; earning their GED; or for some of our students, simply passing all their classes for the first term ever. It is our hope that to "Ring the Bell" will become a fun and thoughtful reward in celebration of students who are getting on track or performing great feats.  We also look forward to the potential community building that may result when students in the building hear the bell and come calling to see who is celebrating a recent achievement.” –John Kitchens

While the Harris Bell celebrates the success of our students, it is important to look at what success is.  What is your success?  Do you ever reach a point of maximum success, or do you take the time to celebrate life’s little achievements?  Think back to when you were younger.  Success was often found in something small, such as crossing the street for the first time without holding the hand of a parent.  Perhaps success was riding a bike down the driveway without training wheels.  These achievements may seem small in hindsight, but at the time, they were huge moments of pride.  Now think about what success means to you now, and where that success will lead in the future.  Prepare for your success by writing goals, benchmarks for a greater achievement.  Talk with your counselor about how to reach these goals.  The most important thing is to hold yourself accountable; don’t let others tell you what your success should be and find the will within yourself to make a dream a reality.  Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East you come first.

Important Announcements…

MEWA is starting a student leadership club.  This club will be open to all students!  The focus of the club will be to build leadership skills for those who join.  Our first meeting is Thursday, October 17 at 1:30 PM at MEWA.  Ms. Norrander will be the staff sponsor with Mr. May-Varas and Dr. Gray assisting. 

MEWA is starting a parent booster group.  Our first meeting will be held Wednesday October 16 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 will be to organize and support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth opportunities for students and staff.