Mrs. Armistead's Blog

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You can reach Mrs. Armistead at lisa.armistead@cobbk12.org

NovaNET: Week 3!

TUESDAY, Jan. 24 is the tenth day of the semester.  This is the last day, re: County policy stated and available for review in your agenda, to remove an Incomplete from Fall Semester 2011.  After Tuesday, any incomplete that was not satisfied with the teacher and a pink sheet turned in by that teacher to put a passing grade on the transcript will turn into an F.

THURSDAY, Jan. 26 is Open House.  I will not be at Open House on Thursday night, but I will have copies of the syllabus and contract on the table in my room with a sign in sheet for parents who visit.  I'll be happy to contact each visitor individually on Friday to establish contact and answer any questions you may have.

TEXTBOOKS for English classes- and others as needed for reinforcement of curriculum- may be checked out from Mrs. Kreis.  She is most often in PPO and will secure the books you need.  If you have books still from last semester NovaNET courses that you don't need, please return them to her.  Let's take care of that kind of housekeeping business as soon as possible.

THE LAB opens at 7:45 a.m. daily, and students are encouraged to come in early for 30 minutes of extra time daily. 

ASE started last week.  Any NovaNET student enrolled to recover credit for science or math should sign up for the ASE for that course in order to have a dedicated time and place to ask questions of a teacher who teaches the course for which you are attempting to recover credit.  See Mrs. Armistead with questions.

NovaNET: Week 2

INCOMPLETES FROM FALL SEMESTER MUST BE CLEARED IMMEDIATELY.  The administration has asked us to facilitate this process and input numerical grades by the end of the school day Friday, Jan. 20.  County policy gives a student 10 days, so work completed by that time will be counted toward the final semester average. 

THE LAB CONTINUES TO BE OPEN FROM 7:45 a.m. until 8:15 for 30 extra minutes of computer time a day.

ASE begins this week.  See Mrs. Armistead if you think you need to be in NovaNET ASE.  Space is very limited at this point.

English courses:  Any student enrolled in NovaNET to recover credit for an English class is required and reminded to check out the appropriate book for the course from Mrs. Kreis.  She is available in PPO most of the day.  Go by and see her, tell her what you need, and she is most efficient in getting materials to you.  If you had a book for an English class last semester and you do not need it this semester, please remember to turn it in!

 

NovaNET 2nd semester: Week 1

Happy New Year!

If you failed a course Fall semester and would like the opportunity to make up the credit and graduate on time with your class, see your counselor to sign you up for NovaNET.  All core classes are offered, and you are eligible to make up any class you have previously failed. 

Paperwork required:

1. Counselor checklist
2. Transcript showing the course for which you wish to recover credit
3. Parent signature on class syllabus
4. Parent signature/contact information on NovaNET contract

Student requirements:

1. Good attendance
2. Good attitude
3. Good note-taking skills
4. Sense of urgency to get the job done

NovaNET IS:

1. A great opportunity to make up two classes, if desired, during one course period
2. Free
3. One period during the school day
4. Self-paced, individualized program for each course and student
5. A way to make up English credit with time outside of class devoted to offline reading and writing assignments.  You are REQUIRED to check out the book you need to complete the course

NovaNET is NOT:

1. a study hall to make up work for other classes
2. a free time to play games on the computer
3. time to eat or catch up on sleep
4. a free ride to credit recovery

CLASSES FILL QUICKLY SPRING SEMESTER DUE TO SENIORS WHO FAILED FALL CLASSES AND WANT TO GRADUATE ON TIME.  SENIORS HAVE PRIORITY WITH UNDERCLASSMEN FILLING IN SPOTS NOT TAKEN BY SENIORS.

 

 

 

 

Week 17: EOCT and the last week of regular classes

ALL NOVANET EOCTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED DURING THE REGULAR CLASS PERIOD ON WED AND THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK!  As the testing window closes Friday, it is imperative you be in class both days to take the test.  if a testing day is missed, an Incomplete will be recorded for the class.  The make-up window for Fall EOCT testing is Feb. 6-10.  Mrs. Campbell would have to schedule those make-ups with students individually.

Students are encouraged to study for EOCTs using one of the tools on the original EOCT reminder/study sheet given out weeks ago.  USATestPrep and the Department of Education are both excellent options.  To access the Dept. of Education website, go to www.doe.k12.ga.us and scroll down to the search box in the center of the page.  Scroll down to End of Course tests.  Click on that, and when you get to the EOCT page, scroll down and look on the right for released tests.  Take the test, grade it by the key (or bring me your test and I'll print the key or grade it for you.  Then you can go back to the released test to see the items you missed, see the correct answer, and know what you need to study.

Extra time:  The lab continues to open each morning at 7:45 a.m. for 30 extra minutes of NovaNET online time daily. 

Schedule for Week:

      ASE ended Monday;  advisement schedule for Tuesday and Friday, EOCT schedule on Wednesday and Thursday. 

EOCT Administration:  EOCTs will be administered during the regularly scheduled NovaNET class in rm. 414 during 1,2,3,6,and 7th periods. 

 

 

Week 16: It's almost over!

EOCTs will be administered next Wed., Dec. 14 and Thurs., Dec. 15 for Ninth Lit, American Lit, Biology, and Math II.  The test will be administered during the regular class periods 1,2,3,6, and 7 for Mrs. Armistead's classes.  Students have been given a list of website and suggestions for study.  The test will count 15% of the final grade.

Lab is open from 7:45 a.m. until 8:15 daily for 30 extra minutes a day.  Exceptions this week:  Tuesday and Wednesday for pre-arranged meetings and appointments.

All offline English assigments should have been completed at this time.

Feel free to contact me about student progress.

While there is no final exam for NovaNET classes, students are expected to be in class until the end of the exam period.  The exam period is the last time students will have to work on course work for this  semester.  Any work not completed will be assigned a zero.

Do not lose the investment of time and effort you've made this semester!  Courses will not roll over to next semester;  you will have to start over with your credit recovery if you do not complete your work this semester.

 

Week 15: The End is Near!

All offline English assignments are due no later than Dec. 9.  Any assignments completed after that time will carry a late penalty.

Prepare for your EOCT.  Each student in an EOCT course has been given a list of websites and strategies to use for studying for the EOCT. 

EXTRA TIME is available each morning from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 for 30 extra minutes.  Lunchtime may be available if the lab is open and a seat is available.  Check with your teacher ahead of time for a pass.

Week 13: Getting Ready for Semester End

With only a few weeks left in the semester, students have much to do to complete credit recovery.

• English students must complete all offline assignments.
• EOCT Courses will test in December.  Reminder letters go out to students today with resources and suggestions for best preparing for the test which will count 15% of the final average.
• Lab opens daily at 7:45 a.m. until 8:15 for 30 additional minutes of NovaNET a day.  Rare exceptions for conferences and called meetings are notes as soon as dates are available.
• Progress reports went out on Friday, Nov. 5.  Pinnacle shows both completion average and module average for each course.  Again, the module average only includes work a student has completed;  the completion average indicated that percentage of the course student has completed.  To be considered on track to recover credit the student must be 2/3 or 66% of the way finished with each course.
• Parents are encouraged to contact Mrs. Armistead at any time to confirm student progress.

Week 12: Progress Reports Friday in Advisement!

Progress Reports:  Progress report grades will be based on performance through Friday, Oct. 28, the grade cut-off for this twelve week progress report grade. 

Lab Refresh:  Last Tuesday afternoon our computer processors, keyboards, and mice were replaced, and our old equipment was surplused.  While plans had been in place from the summer about this refresh of equipment and the plans for the NovaNET software to be installed Tuesday night were made and confirmed in advance, the push of the NovaNET software did not work.  Consequently, students were offline sporadically Wed. through Fri.  We gave students options- in writing- for gainful ways to use their NovaNET time, and we asked students to document their activities.  Any parent who wishes to know how their student used their time is welcome to send an inquiry, and the teacher will respond.

Make-up Time:  The lab opens at 7:45 a.m. and is available until 8:15 a.m. each morning.  Students who avail themselves of this time can actually work 2 1/2 extra hours a week.  If afterschool time is available, notice will be given.  The only morning the lab is not available this week is Friday, due to a scheduled student/parent/teacher conference.

Offline English Assignments:  The first Benchmark for offline assignments was Oct. 21.  Any student who did not complete the posted assignments by that time is behind schedule.

Benchmark 2 Assignments:

• 9th Lit A:  Read and take tests over "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Most Dangerous Game"
• 9th Lit B:  Read and test over "The Gift of the Magi" and "Single Room, Earth View"
• 10th Lit A:  Read and test over "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Bridegroom"
• 10th Lit B:  Literary Analysis paper- minimum of 5 paragraphs, MLA format, use rubric
• American Lit A:  Critical Essay paper- minimum of 5 paragraphs, MLA format, use rubric
• American Lit B:  After reading "The Bidwell Ghost", write an original ghost story.  Again, 5 paragraphs minimum following standard story format:  exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denoument/resolution.
• Brit Lit A:  Persuasive essay paper- minimum of 5 paragraphs, MLA format, use rubric
• Brit Lit B:  Narrative writing assignment- minimum 5 paragraphs, MLA format, use rubric
• Multi-Cultural Lit A:  second set of assigned readings with completed paragraphs;  use rubric
• Multi-Cultural Lit B:  second set of assigned readings with completed paragraphs;  use rubricAs

As always, parents are invited to contact teacher for updated progress on offline and online assignments.

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Week 11: Progress reports coming up!

The end of the twelve-week grading period is Thursday, Nov. 3.  At that point, students will be expected to be at 66% completion on their modules for each class to be considered on track to recover credit.

Important reminders:

• Any English student who has not checked out a book to take home for offline assignments is way behind. 
• The first benchmark for offline assignments was Friday, Oct. 21.
• The second benchmark for offline assignments is Wed., Nov. 2.  A new list will be posted on the board today.
• All offline assignments are expected to be completed by the third benchmark:  Nov. 17.
• Meeting these deadlines ensures the student will give the teacher time to grade compostitions and tests and ensures the student will have adequate time to prepare for EOCTs starting the second week in December.  English EOCTs, for example, are Dec. 12 and 13.
• Extra time is still available every morning from 7:45 a.m. until 8:15 with rare exceptions for morning conferences.  I try to let students know ahead of time when the lab will not be available in the morning.  Unfortunately, very few students take advantage of this extra time opportunity;  many more are behind in lessons and could benefit from this time.
• Parents, please let Mrs. Armistead know if your student is coming in for extra time.  I'll be happy to confirm with a printout of any extra time they work online.  I've asked them to document in their planners any extra time they spend with a subject area teacher so we also have a record of that as it is not recorded online.

Week 10: Progress Conference Week and first Benchmark Deadline for Offline English Assignments!

Progress conferences will be held this week with any student who is not on track to recover credit in NovaNET.  Conferences give teacher and student an opportunity to have a one-on-one consultation about progress 'bumps and humps' and what can be done to correct and improve the situation.

Benchmark Deadline for Offline English Assignments:  Due Friday, Oct. 21.

9th A:  Autobiographical narrative:  instructions pgs. 94-99 in text. 

9th Lit B:  Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey: Parts I and II

10th Lit A:  Julius Caesar, "The Orphan Boy and the Elk Dog"

10th Lit B:  Persuasive essay, Read "Don Quixote" "Arthur" and "Sundiata"

American Lit A:  "Song of Myself" and write your own

American Lit B:  Read and take notes over each act of The Crucible.

Multicultural Literature B:  Complete first 4 reading and writing assignments.

• Rubrics are available for writing assignments.  Must be types, MLA format.
• Tests are to be taken in class over reading assignments.  Any handwritten notes taken while reading may be used on tests.

Extra help is available in each subject area from subject area teachers.  Students can seek this extra help before or after school, during lunch, or during ASE.  The point is to get help;  not to expect something to improve by continuing to do- or not do- the same thing.

Evidence of conferences will be mailed home so parents have the opportunity to view the discussion points.  As always, feel free to email Mrs. Armistead for an update on grades at any time.  Remember, NovaNET and Pinnacle do not communicate, so only 6, 12, and 18 week grades are manually put into the system.  I'm trying this semester something new...to put completion grades and module averages in Pinnacle with the override grade from the 6 week progress report.  We'll see how it goes, but if it works, it would give the parents and students an opportunity to keep a closer eye on progress through Pinnacle.