We are well into Quarter 1! Great job to everyone who has been working hard in classes. Your teachers are glad and excited to see such great progress!
In an effort to help you keep on track, we wanted to share some great tips. What is time management all about? How can you get on the right track and organize your day in the best possible way? Read below to learn more about time management.
1.) Discover Your Schedule.
What do you do everyday? How is your schedule currently arranged? The first step to designing a time management plan that will work for you is to recognize and then analyze what you are currently doing. Then, you can start to break down how you work. You can ask yourself questions such as these:
– Do you spend several hours each day working at all once?
– Do you need to take frequent breaks?
– What are the biggest distractions for you?
2.) Build Blocks of Time
Are there certain things that you would like to do in specific chunks of time? Perhaps you love art and would like to spend at least two hours each day working on that. Perhaps you struggle with science and need to dedicate a lot of time to that. Whatever you need to schedule in order to complete your work should live on a schedule, broken into feasible chunks of time. Perhaps 2 hours of science or math will not work for you. That’s ok! Maybe 15 minute chunks will work better. Trial and error will help you decide. Piece together something that you can feasibly see yourself completing, and take it from there.
3.) Create Breaks!
It is unrealistic to work all day every day. You need to make sure to include appropriate break times. That means just the right amount of them, and breaks that last for the right amount of time. Maybe taking a two-hour break will become too distracting, making it harder to get back to work. Figure out what is feasible for your learning style and stick to it!
4.) Study Space
Be sure that the area in which you are working is appropriate for your work. Your study and work space should be quiet, comfortable, temperature appropriate, and productive. Setting up shop in your living room with the television on may not help! Sitting in a space that is too cold or too hot can even become distracting! Ask your parents/guardians for help. Make your study space someplace you’d like to be each day.
5.) Make Time for Review
Your attempt at time management may not be successful the first time around. That is OK! This means that you may need to map out a new plan or a new schedule. Talk with your learning coach, teachers, and parents/guardians for assistance. Trying a new schedule, blocks of time, break routine, or study space is completely acceptable! Evaluating your needs on a regular basis is important. Be sure to openly communicate your learning needs so that you can become successful!
If you’re reading this blog today, you’ve probably had a fantastic summer, chock full of great memories and things to fantasize about. Summer offers so many wonderful opportunities to explore new things, catch up on needed R&R, spend time with friends, or travel. Coming back to school after such a whirlwind is not easy for anyone. It has been said that adjusting yourself to a new habit can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks. So, that means adjusting back to your school-working self is going to take time.
Here are a few helpful hints that may ease the transition! If you have some suggestions of your own, don’t hesitate to contact us at kely@21cccs.org.
1.) Create a schedule. Making your game plan is a great way to consider what you want to accomplish and how to accomplish it. Your learning coach is especially good at this and can help you to construct something to get you off on the right foot. Consider what worked for you last year. Repeat what worked and consider changes that can help you to get ahead. Maybe you’ve learned that you need more time for math homework than you do for social studies. Maybe you need to write more than one draft of your English assignments. Whatever the case, create a schedule for yourself that reflects your own strengths and weaknesses so that you can achieve what you want to this year!
2.) Contact your teachers! Your teachers and learning coaches want to know you! Something as simple as a telephone call, a chat through the VO, or an email will help you get to know your instructors. They want to know not just how they can help you instructionally, but what your dreams and aspirations are as well!
3.) Make a list! Lots of times when we begin a new school year, the workload looks unbearable! The best thing to do is create a list for yourself and start at the top. When you check things off, you will feel accomplished and proud to know you’re getting things done. Starting small will pay off in the long run. You can do anything you put your mind to.
4.) Don’t get down on yourself! Remember that everyday is an opportunity to do great things. Think of every morning as a new beginning. You have the power to learn, question, explore, and grow. School can be overwhelming, especially when you can see an entire quarter’s worth of work staring at you on a computer screen. (Oh, Moodle! You crazy cat!) Remember, you are not the first student, and you will not be the last, to complete what is there for you. Take one day at a time and treat everyday like a fresh start. You can do this!
5.) Make an effort to get to know your classmates. Each member of this school feels pretty darn lucky. We have some incredible students! Get to know your classmates in the VOs. Join us for field trips and community outreach events. You never know how special your classmates are until you take the time to get to know them!
Have a great school year everyone! Ahh, to be young again! We are excited for you!
This year for the first time, consideration of the Keystone Exams and its results were added to our school’s discussion of standardized tests. When we received test scores for the testing completed throughout April and May, a lot of information was revealed about student performance.
This year, teachers were given time during the week of professional development, scheduled the week before the start of school, to really consider what they can do to help improve test scores. Teachers were broken into groups by grade level and tasked with identifying patterns or reasons for the test results. Then, they systematically thought about the things that can be done to help make a difference in student learning. Areas in which students performed the worst, along with areas in which students scored proficient and above proficient were analyzed. It is very easy for teachers to concentrate efforts more so on areas of weakness. But, students also need continued efforts on areas of strength, so they do not lose those skills over time.
Here are some of the key factors teachers noted that can improve this year’s learning objectives:
1.) Pay more attention to vocabulary! The Keystone Exam incorporated a lot of vocabulary. Teachers hope to spend more time focused on building stronger vocabulary with students across a variety of content areas this year.
2.) More face time with students! Our time together may be virtual, but many teachers feel confident that the more time they have to work with students, the better they are able to grasp concepts. Our Live Class schedule has been enhanced with more direct instruction, work sessions, and test prep sessions. Building attendance for these sessions will continue to assist students. So, in talking with your children, encourage them to pop into our sessions when they can!
3.) Get more writing practice! Teachers have recognized that because our current Classroom Diagnostic Tool does not offer open response practice for students, they need to incorporate more open-response practice into lessons throughout the school year. Teachers are excited to bring new sorts of assignments into their classes that meet the needs of students.
Good luck on your studies this year! You’re all off to a great start!
It’s back to school time! One of the most critical things you can do to help get back in the saddle is reboot your mind and body! Here are some quick and helpful hints from our fabulous physical education teacher, Ms. Kennelly.
1.) 30 Minutes a Day!
It is recommended that you have some type of physical activity that lasts for up to 30 minutes, for at least 5 out of the 7 days in each week. Your physical activity does not have to last for 30 minutes straight. You can break it up here and there throughout the day if you need to. Some great ways to incorporate a little movement into your day can be as simple as walking around mealtimes. Go for a walk for 10 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon before or after dinner. You’ll be surprised by how much extra energy you can gain from a quick walk!
2.) Recognize and Deal with Stress!
Returning to school can be stressful for most people. It is important to recognize signs of stress in your life and develop coping skills to work through it. A good start to coping is learning to manage your time. You can easily develop a plan to distribute your workload evenly and avoid feeling overwhelmed. See your learning coach for help!
3.) Avoid Bad Snacks and Other Eats!
Try to stay away from heavily caffeinated drinks (coffee) and energy drinks. These things will not help you, but may lead to a crash later on. If you’ve got a case of the munchies, try something natural like bananas and Peanut butter! It’s a great way to combine potassium and protein in a healthy way!
Today in the state of Pennsylvania there are 16 active cyber charter schools offering tuition free, public education for children who reside within the commonwealth. This means that shopping cyber schools with and for children is a much more common endeavor.
Asking questions and inquiring about the best things cyber charter schools can provide is important because for the first time, there are choices. Having choices means having options. What is perhaps more important than having those options is what a person decides to do with those options. It is the opinion of 21CCCS that making a well-informed decision is not easy, but IMPORTANT!
We like to help make things easier for our families! Based on our own conversations and experiences, here are the top five questions you might want to consider asking as you contact cyber schools and communicate with their enrollment team members:
1.) What type of curriculum does your school use?
a- Who writes your curriculum?
b- Who teaches your curriculum?
c- To what standards is your curriculum aligned?
2.) Does the school offer an on-ground component?
a- Who teaches at those sites?
b- Are all teachers highly qualified and/or certified?
3.) What is course scheduling like?
4.) How often are your teachers available?
a- Will I have a direct line to my teachers?
b- How do I contact my teachers?
5.) What happens if my child has a problem with classes or technology?
a- Whom can we call?
b- What supports are available?
Happy hunting! Please let us know how we can further assist you with this process!
What makes our students successful? This is a question we are asked time and time again because it has been noted that cyber school may not be the best educational option for everyone. Well, who is it a great option for? What makes cyber school difficult? What makes it a winning educational option?
Like so many other things in life, there is no simple answer to this question. Students come to our school for a variety of reasons, with a variety of ability levels, learning needs, and study skills. We are all different and we wouldn’t want to be the same. But, this means that a school must adapt so that it can provide a variety of learning models for each of its students.
One thing you’ll hear from various staff and faculty members here at 21CCCS is that a successful student is a self-advocate. This means he or she wants to learn and wants to actively participate in his or her education. How can that occur? A student can actively reach out to teachers when help is required with a given lesson or assignment. A student can communicate regularly with learning coaches and teachers, to ensure understanding and appropriate pacing of coursework. A student can also request changes when an assignment is not quite resonating. Sometimes a lesson simply does not make sense. A self-advocating student will likely take note of that and ask for help.
We’re also a great option for students in need of specific scheduling. For example, some students are athletes, dancers, gymnasts. These activities can often occur during a traditional school day. The struggle of traveling back and forth between school, practice, and other responsibilities can create a stressor in a family. For students with these kinds of demands, cyber school can be a perfect fit!
There are plenty of students for whom we are an ideal learning option. The best way for us to successfully determine this is to give us a call! We want to get to know you and your student. We are happy to answer questions, get to know you, and help you to make the best decision possible for your family. Call us today!
Yesterday marked the last day of school for our teachers. If you were in the building with us today, you would hear teachers whirling through the office, finishing their tasks for the end of the year. They have worked with their students to get them through the end of the year. They have entered final grades, mailed out report cards, and attended the end of the year party and graduation ceremony. So, what’s next?
805 Springdale Drive has been busy with the sounds of shuffling, taping, box moving, and cleaning! Our teachers have spent the last two days organizing their desks, clearing out closets and supplies, and checking off checklists to be sure that everything will be ready for next year!
But our school will not close entirely! Several staff members (including our Enrollment Team!) will be available to answer questions for next year, enroll new students, and to help those enrolled in summer school courses! We are just a phone call or email away! Our office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Thursday of each week! Your teachers will miss you, and a few of us will be here, thinking of you!
So, where will your teachers be this summer? Here are a few things that will keep them busy:
I’ll be Teaching at Bryn Mawr’s Summer Institute for the Gifted. I’ll also be working on our new house in Ardmore.
I will attend carnivals and fairs with my family. I love to fish at Blue Marsh Lake. I’ll take my kids there!
I will catch up on my sleep and work on community theatre shows in my area!
I’ll get to the beach in Ocean City, MD. I can’t wait!
We are planning to camp on Assateague Island and spend a week in Ocean City, Maryland! Personally, I’ll be spending lots of time as a chauffeur for my daughters–taking them to camps, swim meets, and to visit friends!
We are going to see the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, and a few cities in California. We will be gone for two weeks straight.
I am traveling to Spain to explore the country and practice Spanish!!!
We have a family vacation to the Delmarva Peninsula planned. I will also be teaching social studies for summer school.
My kids and I will be spending 2 weeks in Maine, going to the beach, eating lobster, and having a blast!
We are headed to New England. We stay in a lovely little house on the beach in Plum Island. We will be spending July 4th in Boston. After that, it’s just horse shows and flies!
I’m teaching an ESY program for high school students with disabilities. It’s like school and summer camp all wrapped in one!
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @21CyberSchool to keep up with your teachers and friends! We’ll see you next year!
It’s that time of year again! School’s out and many students will have plenty of time on their hands to READ! There is great material to consider out there. Whether your interests lie in fantasy, sci-fi, non-fiction, or romance, the selections are varied. Check out your local library or bookstore soon. Ask your teachers, librarians, or booksellers for reading suggestions, OR check out this list of suggestions below.
(Please note these suggestions are not reflective of the 21CCCS curriculum committee. These are merely for readers interested in finding new and interesting literature to help them think critically and explore through the reading process. Please be proactive, and consider learning more about these texts to note what content may be included before encouraging your child to read.)
Great Summer Reads for Middle School Students:
1.) Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. After the death of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle’s dangerous line of work. *series*
2.) Belle Prater’s Boyby Ruth White. When Woodrow’s mother suddenly disappears, he moves to his grandparents’ home in a small Virginia town where he befriends his cousin. Together, they find the strength to face the terrible losses and fears in their lives.
3.) Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan. When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battle school, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. *series*
4.) Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged. However, Melody refuses to be defined by Cerebral Palsy, and she’s determined to let everyone know it.
5.) The Girl Who Invented Romance by Caroline B. Cooney. While waiting for her first big romance and observing the sometimes rocky love affairs of her parents and brother, sixteen-year-old Kelly develops a board game called Romance.
6.) If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, who is black and whose parents are separated, and Ellie, who is white and whose mother has twice abandoned her, fall in love and then try to cope with peoples’ reactions.
7.) The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. When she is cast out of Wonderland by her evil aunt Redd, young Alyss Heart finds herself living in Victorian Oxford as Alice Liddell and struggles to keep memories of her kingdom intact until she can return and claim her rightful throne. *series* The current sequel is Seeing Redd.
8.) Heat by Mike Lupica. Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof. Mrs. Ball says this is the best baseball book she’s read in a long time.
9.) Throwing Like a Girl by Weezie Kerr Mackie. After moving from Chicago to Dallas in the spring of her sophomore year, fifteen-year-old Ella finds that joining the softball team at her private school not only helps her make friends, it also provides unexpected opportunities to learn and grow.
10.) The Million Dollar Putt by Dan Gutman. Assisted by his neighbor, Birdie, blind thirteen-year-old Ed “Bogie” Bogard will win one million dollars if he can sink a ten-foot putt in Hawaii’s fifth annual Angus Killick Memorial Tournament.
Great Reads for High School Students:
1.) Twistedby Laurie Halse Anderson. Tyler Miller, a high school senior, tries to clean up his reputation, succeed in school, and deal with his demanding, explosive father and his alcoholic, distant mother. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler’s emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation.
2.) The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hoganby John Coyne. It’s 1946, and Jack Handley is a 14-year-old caddy at a posh country club near Chicago. Add in Jack’s entanglement in Matt’s secret romance with the daughter of the club’s rich and powerful president, and anecdotes of other legendary players (like Jimmy Demaret, Gene Sarazen and Lefty Stackhouse), and the results rank with James Dodson’s nonfiction, and John Corrigan’s PGA golf mysteries.
3.) Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. Cold Mountain begins with the protagonist, a Confederate soldier named Inman, injured in battle during the Civil War. During his recovery in the hospital, he realizes that once he is well enough, he will be sent back to the front lines, a realization that causes him to make the arduous journey home to Cold Mountain.
4.) Catch 22by Joseph Heller. Published in 1962, this grim satire attacks the foolishness and senselessness of war. Even though the subject matter is intensely serious, the story, mainly due to the Yossarian’s brutal realism and caustic sarcasm, is often humorous with the intent of illuminating the horror and absurdity of the situation in which he is mired.
5.) The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston.Kingston’s poignant memoir tells the story of a Chinese American growing up in Stockton, California. As she grows up, Kingston begins to create her own stories to fill in the gaps between her mother’s world and the reality in which she lives.
6.) Pigs in Heavenby Barbara Kingsolver. When a Cherokee tribal lawyer informs Taylor that she must relinquish her illegally adopted daughter, Taylor refuses to give up her daughter, and a life of flight and uncertainty ensues.
7.) Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie and Ina Rilke. The main characters, Luo and the narrator, are two male teenagers who are sent to a remote village in China to be re-educated under Mao’s regime.
8.) Invisible Manby Ralph Ellison. A classic since its publication in 1952, Invisible Man recounts the story of a young, nameless, black man as he experiences the insidiousness of American intolerance, prejudice, and cultural blindness.
9.) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.Jane is orphaned at a young age and subjected to the cruelty of her new guardian, Aunt Reed. When Jane attends Lowood charity school, her situation does not improve. Readers admire Jane because in spite of her seemingly miserable lot, she transcends misery and betrayal to find love, happiness, and acceptance.
10.) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. A poor farmer, Ethan finds himself stuck in a miserable marriage to Zeenie, a sickly, tyrannical woman, until he falls in love with her visiting cousin, the vivacious Mattie Silver. A powerful tale of passion and loss—and the wretched consequences thereof—Ethan Frome is one of American literature’s great tragic love stories.
When students are ready to graduate from 21CCCS, they are required to return their laptops and other borrowed equipment to our school. This process can feel cumbersome and long-winded! So, we thought we’d let you know what to expect in advance. Don’t let the process bog you down! Just follow these steps:
When students arrive at Rustin High School, they should go to table #1 to pickup “Equipment Return Papers.”
Students will proceed to the table for equipment and completed “Equipment Return Papers.”
A staff/faculty member will run through checklist to confirm receipt of each item: textbooks, computers, printers, and/or calculators
Student will receive a copy of the completed checklist. If an item is missing, notes will be taken to address such.
Students will sign “Equipment Return Paper” at the bottom and date.
Students receive a ticket to proceed through other graduation procedure only if all equipment is returned.
Please feel free to let us know if you have questions or need assistance with anything! We are happy to help!
Are you looking for great things to do this summer without breaking the bank? Here are some great ideas that can keep your wallet full and your smiles wide!
Go ahead! Let yourself get lost in the library!
1.) Spend an Afternoon at Your Local Library! They have air conditioning, Free WiFi, and cozy chairs to help you snuggle up with your favorite books! Ok, it’s not the community pool, but libraries can be fun! And you should probably build a super-awesome reading list so you’re ready to go when it’s time for back-to-school days!
2.) Throw a BYOF BBQ! Invite friends and family out to enjoy the heat! There’s nothing better than celebrating the summertime with the people you care about! Offer to buy the hotdogs and hamburgers, and assign other foods to your friends! Everyone can share in the fun, and you’ll be glad you all got together.
3.) Check out the Philly Fun Guide by clicking here. They provide a list of FREE events in the area from Arts and Heritage Festivals to Library Fairs and Flea Markets! There’s fun for all ages and the best part is, it’s all free!
4.) Investigate Your State Parks! Pennsylvania is know for its historic battlefields and incredible wildlife, preserved in our parks. You can use this site: PADCNR to locate the parks nearest to you! Pack a picnic, grab your hiking boots, and take a camera. We’d love to see the incredible things you find in your very own backyard! Post your pics to our social media throughout the summer!
There’s more where that came from!
5.) Consider Taking a Course or Workshop! Check out this great site to learn about course offerings held over the summer. There are lots of things you can learn with the time allotted over the summer. You might surprise yourself! Remember, you may qualify for aid to pursue any of these options! Call PAFA to learn more.
Have a happy and healthy summer! And remember to send us shout-outs! We want to know what you’re up to!
