Thursday, April 15, 2020
Zoomanecdotes--even with social distancing, love is still in the air!

• WCA preschool wedding announcement: This week Miss Sid was swept off her feet with a “down-on-one-knee-hand-extended” marriage proposal! WCA preschool remains open for essential childcare. Seeing happy, playful children is a wonderful reminder of all that is good and right with the world!
  
• WCA class Zoom-bombed! Ms. Spillane’s 5th grade class was interrupted when Dylan Sheehan zoom-boomed the session to let his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Strickler, know how much he loves and misses her.
  

Awards and Honor Roll

• Primary Awards’ Assembly
  

This year each teacher of grades K-6 will schedule separate Awards Zoom Casts. Families will be invited to participate as teachers encourage and honor their students with meaningful character awards and words of blessing. Primary grades will not be awarding Honor Roll for the second semester.

• Secondary Honor Roll

Teachers of secondary students grades 7-12 will continue to collaboratively evaluate students for Honor Roll.  We believe students are still able to successfully GRASP our expected student outcomes.  Honor Roll will be determined based upon the established criteria, with a few modifications as follows:
Gratitude: The student will demonstrate love and appreciation for God, His Word, and His creation, evidenced by an attitude of gratitude and dependence on God in all circumstances, including the opportunity to learn in any mode and platform.
Respect: The student will honor and support teachers and cooperate with and be thoughtful of other students, evidenced by being polite, courteous, and having a teachable spirit during virtual (Zoom) sessions.
Academics: The student will exhibit consistent, timely evidence of his/her ability to achieve scholastic goals and develop intellectually and personally, evidenced by his/her eagerness, interest, curiosity, and engagement during virtual (Zoom) sessions.
Servanthood: The student will demonstrate helpfulness, kindness, and encouragement to others without expectation of reward or recognition, evidenced by a spirit of humility and helpfulness to classmates before, during, and after virtual (Zoom) sessions.
Personal Responsibility: The student will demonstrate dependability, preparedness, and integrity in his/her performance of tasks and relationships, evidenced by tracking assignments for classes, being prepared and on-time to virtual (Zoom) sessions, turning in legible work in a timely manner, and being willing to ask for assistance when needed.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have questions, concerns, praises, and/or just need a listening ear. 
Barb Willis

Thursday, April 9, 2020
Zoomanecdotes from teachers and students:

• Through 1-on-1 Zoom time with Mrs. Lincoln, each 3rd grade student was asked to read aloud a short section of a familiar book. Rather than the expected 3-4 minutes, the students read entire chapters!
  
• Mr. D’s 4th graders are studying human body systems, and it just so happened that this week was about the immune system. Turning this crisis into a teaching opportunity, the 4th grade students have been assigned a project to watch a how-to video, then make their own face masks and share during their group Zoom meeting next week.
  
• A 5th grade student shared with Ms. Spillane during a 1-on-1 Zoom meeting that she had baby chicks in her room. When asked if they were pets, the student replied, “Well, that depends. If they lay lots of eggs, they’ll be pets. If not, they’ll be Sunday dinner!”
  

Speaking of chicks, eggs, and Sunday dinner...Happy Easter!
Update and Need to Know:

• Please help us look beyond the crisis, toward an exciting new school year beginning in August by re-enrolling now. Super easy to do! Just update your information in Renweb.
  
• Our first rate teachers want you to know that you are first rate parents and students. We have been impressed with the level of support and effort you are putting into the partnership. Together, we are a first rate school!
  

Death could not hold Him! Be sure to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Barb Willis

Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Zoomanecdotes from parents:

• “Our biggest challenge is also our greatest joy. We have been together with no breaks!”
  
• “The greatest challenge is providing “socializing” opportunities for my very social children...Greatest joy has been stripping down life to the bare bones--family and faith.”
  
• “Greatest joy? I haven’t forgot 6th grade math! Whew!”
  

Update and Need to Know:

• Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. Your feedback is extremely valuable in helping us partner with you. Responses have been shared with teachers and adjustments are underway where necessary. Please continue to let us know how it’s going and how we can improve.
  
• Test...this is a test…  While we are not doing standardized achievement tests this week, doing school still feels like a test!  Since ACSI is not requiring schools complete standardized tests this year, WCA will not conduct standardized testing for the 2019-2020 school year. 
  
• Remember to post and share your “Virtual Spirit Week” pix.
  

Encouraging Quote for Today: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” --Arthur Ashe
Blessed by you,
Barb Willis

Thursday, April 2, 2020
Zoom-anecdotes from teachers:

• A second grade student was very concerned about the plants dying in the recently planted garden on campus. Mrs. Wright assured the student that “The Garden Gal” (Miss Leigh) is taking very good care of the plants in their absence.
  
• A few first grade students were concerned about the “matchbox” cars they left on the playground before spring break. “Mrs. Darby’s Auto Salvage Yard” successfully retrieved all of them!
  
• Virtual Breakfast?! Mrs. Demeter’s junior high students want to have breakfast together. 
  
  
  

We love our WCA family. You are truly a treasure and blessing to us. Here are today’s need to know items:

• Parent Survey coming your way Friday (tomorrow). We need to hear from all of you in order to make the best decisions/adjustments going forward. Deadline to reply is Sunday, April 4, at 5:00 PM.
  
• Schoolwork Exchange - A few families were unable to pick up today.  The WCA office is open tomorrow (Friday) morning 8-10 a.m. 
  
• Spirit Week for Primary Students - Next week primary students can participate in “Virtual Spirit Week.”  Thanks to Tara and Xander Hintz for this great idea!
  

Wednesday, April 1, 2020
No foolin’ here; just keepin’ you in the (re)mix:

• Zoom schedule changes.  Please check the online resources by clicking on the “Important Message” pop-up box on our website home page to find the most recent changes.
  
• Drop off/pick up materials. Thursday mornings from 7:30-9:30 at the front gate on Yavapai St (pick-up gate) you may drop off and pick up student materials.
  

Technology quip for the day: “One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men.  No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man,”  Elbert Hubbard (Author)
Be extraordinary!
Barb Willis
Acting Head of School

WCA Remix Day 2:  Blips, Glips, and Quips

Monday, March 30, we launched WCA Remix--a new way of learning. As with most new things we are experiencing technology blips, glips and quips, like this one from inventor Thomas Edison, “Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.” 
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WCA staff is working very hard and adjusting day-by-day and moment-by-moment to bring you the very best education possible. For today, here’s what you need to know:

• Please complete the survey coming your way on Friday, April 3. This will be a great way to give us constructive feedback so that we can continue to find a good balance and mix.
• For school work that can be returned to teachers electronically, it’s helpful to download the Genius Scan app on your electronic device. Scan and send via email. It’s free and sends a much more legible image than when taking a picture.
• Thursday mornings from 7:30-9:30, school work can be dropped off and/or picked up at the front gate on Yavapai Street (pick-up gate).

Grace and peace,
Barb Willis
Acting Head of School