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.

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).

The Season of Giving With Metro East

It’s November.  The days are getting dark earlier, the storms have arrived, & Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away.  Celebrating the holidays marks the beginning of the "Season of Giving."  This year, Metro East is excited to partner together with SnowCap Community Charities, the Service Learning Club, and the Volunteer Club to sponsor a canned food drive!  Our drive will run through November 22^nd and we have a large collection barrel in our school lobby for donations.  Foods such as canned fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, dry pastas and grains, soups, stews and chili, canned meats, tuna fish, shelf stable milk, breakfast cereals, soups and sauces, baby food and formula are much needed in our community and are appreciated.  All non-perishable donations can be brought to the school.  For every item donated, students will receive 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.

About our partner, SnowCap Community Charities:

“SnowCap Community Charities is a philanthropic organization created to provide food, clothing, advocacy and other services to the poor.”  The organization began in 1967 when members of the East Multnomah County Community noticed many of the needs of the residents were not being met.  SnowCap (which stands for Suburban Neighborhoods Operation Witness Community Action Program) originally set-up three centers from which the community was served.  By the organization’s 40^th anniversary it had served over 1.4 million people, had a staff of 7 and a budget of $500,000.  With this, SnowCap was able to implement new programs including: English language instruction, community gardens, and home delivered food boxes for seniors.  For more information about SnowCap visit: http://www.snowcap.org/Home.aspx.  We at MEWA are proud to be partners of this organization and a member of the community at large.  Thank you for your generosity and participation in our canned food drive!

Important Announcements…

Tomorrow is a sequential calendar date!  “Each century contains twelve such sequential number calendar dates, the first being 01-02-03 and the last one, 12-13-14. So, December 13, 2014 will be the last such sequential calendar date in the 21st century” (Aziz S. Inan, Ph.D., Professor, Electrical Engineering, University of Portland, Portland, Oregon).

MEWA Student Leadership Club.  This club is open to all students with a focus on building leadership skills for those who join. If you are interested in joining, please attend the next meeting on Thursday, November 14, 1:30 PM at MEWA.  You do not have to be present to participate.  Contact Ms. Norrander for more information: Julie Norrander <norrander@mewebacademy.org>

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.  Snacks and refreshments are provided.

College Bound Students: Take a Free ACT/SAT Practice Test! Warm up for the test and find out how you would score.  Get realistic practice and try your hand at the types of questions you’ll face on the actual exam.  You’ll receive a personalized score report pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses.  Princeton Review Assessment:  1-888-578-8378 ext. 1030. The dates for the 4-hour test are 11/16 – 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM or 12/8 – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM.  They are located at 421 SW Hall St., Portland.  You can check them out at: PrincetonReview.com.  The test and results are free – this is a for-profit company and they will offer students the opportunity to take prep classes at a cost.

Field Trip Opportunities…Our school is scheduling a field trip for November 26^th 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.  Join us December 4 as we tour the new Portland-Milwaukie Lite Rail Project! Fill out the permission form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uMUH-gpVorp3hCGy4JUujeCNG2QwEYfNX_UxnOivjYU/viewform

Stay Active! We have many incentive programs right now including: a drawing for (2) 16GB iPod Touches, weekly drawings for Drop-In Lab goal achievements, & Student of the Month awards.

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

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.

Welcome Back, Fall!

Welcome back to Metro East, Cybersharks! We hope you are getting to know your teachers and are settled in to your classes. This year brings with it many exciting new changes at MEWA, the first of which, is the changing of our name from Gresham-Barlow Web Academy.  Additionally, we have a new principal/CEO: David Gray, who has worked in the education field for over 27 years and is passionate about education. Dr. Gray and his staff have implemented a new Student Information System (Genius), a new curriculum through Florida Virtual Schools, and a new Learning Management System (Brain Honey) for this academic year.

Some important facts about our school: MEWA is a non-profit corporation/public charter school governed by an independent appointed Board of Directors. The mission of MEWA is to provide a high quality online educational option for students. The school opened in 2009 with 70 students. Current enrollment is over 360 students. We offer students an opportunity to participate in an early college program (MEECA), online dual credit courses through Mt. Hood Community College, and we also offer a GED program. MEWA is fully accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (AdvancED) and  our students come to us from 22 different school districts.

To add to the excitement of starting the new academic year, we are launching a new incentive program to promote student engagement and attendance! We will have a drawing on November 22, 2013 for a give away of two iPod Touch 16GB players. In order to be entered into the drawing, students must login every school day beginning on October 14^th, and work at least 1 hour on coursework while logged in, and complete 5 assignments per week that are submitted for grading. This particular incentive will end November 18th in order for us to choose a winner by November 22nd. We hope all MEWA and GED students participate! MEECA students will be eligible for a different drawing at a later date. Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions, need support navigating the curriculum, or for any issues you may have. Connect with us online through Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

MEWA is an open campus. Students are free to come and go as they please. We require check in and out but do not hold students to attendance requirements on site. Responsibility for student monitoring belongs to the
parent/guardian. We will ensure that they are monitored once in the facility but they are free to depart as they choose. There is a two-hour time limit on campus and students are expected to work quietly in the computer labs so they do not distract from others’ learning.

Let’s have a great year Cybersharks!