We are now in week 3 here at North Point School at Home. The school halls are so quiet (Mr. Jackson is getting so much more work done) but we know that learning is still resourcefully happening in your own halls at home.
TOWNHALL – April 28
All Students must join the Google TownHall Classroom – this is an all school Classroom which will contain the link to future TownHalls. Instructions are posted here.
CHECKPOINTS – May 21
Checkpoint Meetings originally scheduled on May 7th will now take place on May 21st. Because a key focus area for checkpoint meetings is to discuss academic performance, we wanted to allow some more time for the completion of work to be submitted for assessment. We have revised the schedule so that meetings will run 8:00-4:30 and they will be 20 minutes long. They system will be open to book meetings on May 7th at 6:00AM.
FAIR CANCELLED
Unfortunately, due to COVID 19 physical distancing and the safety of our participants, the Boys In Business Fair scheduled for June has been cancelled. We will be monitoring conditions for a possible re-scheduling in the Fall.
The “Boys In Business” online business plan is still a required exercise and should be submitted online by June 1. To access the online business plan from home, student’s will need their North Point email and password. For more information contact Bruce Groberman, Director of Financial Education.
PASSION PROJECTS
Instructions on how your son can share his Passion Project will be coming at Friday’s Action Friday Classroom and Tuesday’s TownHall Zoom.
PARENT SURVEY
Please take the time to submit your feedback via this survey regarding your experiences within the online programming we are providing, including feedback on course structure, content, and teacher. We encourage all parents and students to participate. If you have more than one son at North Point please submit a form for each of them.
Survey: North Point COVID-19 Response – Online Program Survey –https://forms.gle/9CsNrZ7S9wmyA4rR8
Teacher’s have provided a link to the student version of the survey directly to the boys in their classes which was reviewed in their homeroom class on Wednesday.
NEW CONTEST
The Financial Academy continues to focus on entrepreneurship with new lessons on e-commerce. We are also introducing our first virtual Student Entrepreneur Pitch Competition where students present their business case in a succinct and compelling way and have their ideas evaluated by guest judges. The top submissions from each grade will win a $10 Amazon Gift card. Full details will be coming in the next Financial Academy class.
Video: Action Friday https://youtu.be/cqtNV9DHlHk
MONDAY PARENT MEETINGS
Grade 4-9 parents are encouraged to make one-on-one appointments with individual teachers on Mondays via our Conference Manager.
Video: How to Join Zoom Parent Meetings with your Child’s Teacher https://youtu.be/bcQdALHI28U
PARENT RESOURCES
Login to the USER LOGIN section found on the top right corner of the website. Once in, the Learning At Home link is on the top of the navigation on the left side.
WHAT ARE THE BOYS UP TO?
We’ve received some great pictures of what some of the boys have been up to. It seems some of the parents are adding new classes like Home Ec. and Cosmetology to the schedule! Keep them coming. You can send pictures to Mrs. Reimer.
FAQs
Are Action Fridays mandatory?
Participation in Action Friday’s online is encouraged so the boys can interact and explore new things as a school (almost everyone attended last week!). However, since it is Action Friday, then, of course, we promote being outside and active during this time. Send us pictures or post them on Social Media with the hashtag #ActionFriday so we can share what you’re up to!
We feel our student lacks the social interaction that used to occur during breaks and class at North Point. Is there anything North Point can do?
Our teachers understand that school is more than the course materials and play is very important, especially during this time of social isolation. Many of our students play games online outside of school, but in some cases, this can be exclusive and tough for those not involved. Teachers will implement social time so that the boys can play in some of the zoom sessions. Your personal contact information is confidential, so talk to your students mentor teacher about sharing your emails so parents and kids can connect outside of class times.
What can we do if our son is behind, confused, or overwhelmed in his learning?
Within our classes, teachers are making a point to check-in with students frequently as we would in a regular class setting to offer feedback in their learning. Beyond that, parents and students can book one on one meeting with teachers on Monday’s for additional support, or Friday’s for our open teacher sessions. Progress and feedback can always be checked instantly on your students google classroom or reviewed weekly in the parent emails from google classroom.
We are very mindful of the diverse experiences within our families’ homes concerning the degree of support, parents working, access to technology, and the stresses of these tough times. With that in mind, we are encouraging teachers to vary the workload with bonus assignments and ensuring that foundational skills and knowledge can be completed within school hours.
We are unclear about the expectations for P.E. — Do we participate every day?
Students are expected to complete 5 sessions of physical activity a week, which can be completed through Zoom or independently. Mr. Qureshi has open workouts every morning for any students in Grades 4 to 9 to join at 8:45 am. These are optional if the student is completing their own physical activity outside, keeping in line with the expectations and guidelines provided (Available on Google Classroom). Students are required to check-in once a week, regardless of their own independent activity and fitness activities, which is listed on their schedule under “Check-In” (please see your child’s schedule for that information). All students are required to complete a Physical Education tracking sheet that will need to be submitted at the end of each month, these are available on Google Classroom, under “Classwork” with further instructions, guidelines and a rubric. For any other questions contact Mr. Qureshi at iqureshi@northpoint.school.
What are the expectations during the time in the school day that is between classes?
Above all, the boys need body breaks and time away from their screens within these blocks of time. Once those needs are met, this is an excellent time for the boys to complete assignments that need more time or work on ongoing projects in classes. If they do not have any tasks, then there are always enrichment activities in our blended learning programs IXL, NEWSELA, DUOLINGO, STUDY LADDER, AND NOREDINK.
TIPS FROM OUR TEACHERS
to get the most out of boys learning
“When motivation is low, remind them of their strengths in learning ( ex. great word, nice thought, good spelling) and don’t be afraid to make deals using incentives like free time, or snacks for completing learning tasks.”
“It’s okay for them to move around for a minute and come back to their work after. I’d way rather have them leave for a minute and come back ready to learn than have them occupied with wanting to move the whole time”
“If they’re struggling to get help from you, then let then them help you first— get them to show you how to do something they already know ( ex. computer tips — Wow! How did you do that? ). This trade-off strategy often helps with struggling learners.”
“Make sure rewards are orientated as rewards and not punishments. Saying ‘When you do this, you’ll get gaming time’ is far more effective than saying, “if you don’t do this, you’ll lose your gaming time.” Also, using a “when” statement is more motivational than in “if” statement. “When” statements presuppose success while “if” statements leave a possibility of failure.
“When using a laptop, if one space isn’t working, try another room in your house. Sometimes a change of environment sparks improved learning.”
NOTABLE NAVIGATORS
Notable Navigator Mr. Fagan has been focused on culture as we all meet the challenges of this struggle with ongoing isolation. Mr. Fagan took the lead in creating the North Point FAQ and Teacher Tips section of this newsletter and assisted in the creation of the Parent/Student survey. Mr. Fagan has been working to assist Mr. Q on technology troubleshooting since the beginning of this journey and has been an invaluable resource for the rest of the staff. Hat’s off to Mr. Fagan for stepping up as a true team leader!
Navigators Squads
Standings to date:
Mountaineers: 1143
Aviators: 1475
Mariners: 1850
Astronauts: 2111
