Week of January 31

Hi Everyone!

The theme of this week is "business as usual" for all groups elementary, middle and high.

The students will be expected to keep up with their work including their project based assignments. The PBL blog will be updated to reflect their daily work agendas for Monday, Wednesday and Friday work.

Students are expected to be available via skype and cell phone on all days. Facilitators will be on skype and have cell phones ready to receive texts and calls all week.

The nice thing about about technology is that it allows us to stay connected. The nice thing about OH is that a week like this is exactly what our students and facilitators are prepared for. We will continue to learn and communicate even when we are not together face to face. I am looking forward to it.


Welcome to OH:

• Welcome Nicole our new 11th grade student. She started OH officially on Friday!
  

Things to ask your student about:

• High School and Middle School: Have you sent your project to an expert? What are your next steps?

• Elementary: What are you planning to include in your recycling plan? How is your book group with the school in Milwaukee going?
  

Reminder:

• We will be doing our five week check ins with families in the next three weeks. Please look for an email from me with a date and time for your check in.
  

PBL update:

• We are completing the OHpedia portion of HS and MS projects and moving on to the lesson module portion.
  

• Elementary is developing their recycling plans this week to present to classmates next week.

Costa Rica Update:

• Final payment for the trip is due March 1st. Kelley will be contacting you directly to let you know the amount and how to make payments.

Announcements:

• Amy Corchis has shared news of a family in Niceville that need help. They have a 14 mo old daughter and both parents have been recently diagnosed with cancer. There is a yard sale to benefit the family on 2/5 and if you would like to donate anything please call 532-9287
  

• If you have a craft and want to sell it at South Walton Montessori Academy's annual yard sale on March 5th they are renting tables to vendors for $30. Please contact Beth Brock: bethbrock@mac.com if you want more information.
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

Thank you to all of our students for working hard this past week!!

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells."
Dr. Suess

Have a great week!

Amy

Week of January 24th

Davis testing out a sextant (a navigational device used by ships prior to technology) that he made as part of his PBL

Hi Everyone,

This week we start our second semester of the Rock and Roll academy. It is going to be great!

Things to ask your student about:

• Inquiry Group (Elementary): How did you use the math concepts of area and perimeter this week?
  

• MS/HS: Are you on track to complete your FLVS coursework by May 27? HS how are you doing with your first draft of your literary analysis?
  

PBL update:

• Mysterious Package Inquiry Group (elementary): This week we are learning about how to transcribe and organize all the data about recycling that we gathered in the field last week.
  

• MS/HS: OHpedia work continues with most students hoping to be ready to send the OHpedia portion of their project to experts by the end of the week.
  

Coming Soon/Announcements:

• Thursday: We have a songwriter, Carmel Mikol, coming to visit from 2:30-3:30pm
  

• Friday: We will have the REP come in the afternoons on Friday from now on to not interrupt our FLVS days.
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

• Thank you Ruder Family for all the fabulous snacks and supplies!
  

"You see things and you say,"why?" But I dream things that never were and I say, "why not?"
George Bernard Shaw

It is going to be an amazing week!
Amy

Week of January 17th

Congratulations to Elizabeth O' Brien and Cindi Zele winners of the "Chance to Win" drawing!
Elizabeth won the Rosemary Beach Getaway and Cindi won the Bahamas getaway.

Hi Everyone,

What a great rockin' weekend we had! Between the amazing Rock and Roll Academy show and the chance to win drawing OH Institute was in full swing this weekend.

Please help spread the word that we are having an OH Open House for anyone potentially interested in attending OH Institute next year. It is this Tuesday night at 5:30pm at OH.

Things to ask your student about:

• Inquiry Group (Elementary): What is "Inquiry math?"
  

• MS/HS: How is your second semester FLVS coursework going?
  

PBL update:

• Inquiry Group (elementary): This group continues to work hard on their recycling project. They amaze us daily with all of the information that they are uncovering about the positive impact recycling has the potential to carry out for the environment. Ask your child about their experience "out in the field" talking to local restaurants.
  

• MS/HS: Both of these groups are in full swing working on their OHpedia projects and planning online lessons using their sunshine state standards. Ask your student to explain to you what information they are gathering this week for their OHpedia entry.
  

College Night 1/19:

• All HS students and families please plan to attend our college planning night this Wednesday at 6:00pm.

Coming Soon/Announcements:

• Tuesday: We start our theatre class with the Seaside Rep at 2:00pm!

• Marianna Caverns trip-postponed due to cold weather rolling through this Saturday
  

Happy Birthday to Davis and Mitchell 1/20!!!!!

Attitudes of gratitude:

• Thank you Denise for the guitar picks! Thank you Lettye and Allen for providing an amazing venue for our concert!!Thank you students for providing us with some rockin' music Saturday-you are the best!
  

"Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."
Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a super week!
Amy

Week of January 10

Hi Everyone!

It was a great week getting back in to the swing of things.

Here is some information on this week as well as new things coming our way:

Welcome New Students:

• Welcome Chase and welcome Taylor! They are are officially joining us at OH this week. That takes us up to 5 new students this semester-yay for OH!
  

Things to ask your student about:

• MS and HS:did you get your first semester FLVS coursework done? Why or why not?
  

• MS and HS: What is OHpedia? Ask this after Monday.
  

• Elem: tell me more about recycling.
  

PBL update:

• This week we start two PBL related things:

1. We are starting a PBL called OHpedia with MS and HS. Elementary will continue their recycling PBL.
2. We are starting a new schedule for PBL. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays will be devoted to PBL work-no FLVS allowed. Tuesday and Thursday will be FLVS days wit all blocks devoted to FLVS coursework.
   

Rock and Roll Academy Update:

• Our concert is scheduled for this Saturday 1/15.
  

• Mr. Mark will be visiting from the Rock and Roll Academy to continue his guidance and support in the process of Rock and Roll Academy Rosemary Beach

Fundraising Update:

• Please continue to sell raffle tickets. We are asking for each family to sell as many as they can by the 16th.
  

• The drawing will be held on Sunday 1/16.
  

Coming Soon/Announcements:

• College night all high school families need to mark your calendars for Wednesday 1/19.
  

• Marianna Caverns trip-whole school Saturday 1/22 families and siblings are encouraged to attend.
  

• Seaside REP will start Tuesday 1/18 at 2:00pm.
  

• Please see the side bar of the blog for our January Calendar.
  

Things we need:

• Nothing right now!
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

• Thank you seniors for getting a shopping list and buying groceries for us! Thank you Weldon family for the snacks!!
  

" A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader. a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves."
-Author Unknown

Have a super week!
Amy

Week of January 3, 2011!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR OH Families!!!!

I am so excited to be coming back to OH this week. I have had many great meetings these past two weeks filled with planning an amazing second semester for our students.

Here is some information on this week as well as new things coming our way:

Welcome New Students:

• Wow! Word is out that OH is a great pace to be and we are happy to be welcoming Cale to the OH family this week. He is going to be a wonderful addition to our secondary group both academically and musically.

• William and Anastasia officially start this week. The elementary crew is looking forward to having a two new faces to collaborate with.
  

Things to ask your student about:

• HS: tell me about when you will be done with your FLVS coursework.
  

• MS: tell me about your project work and when your FLVS coursework will be done.

• Elem: tell me about recycling.
  

PBL presentations this week/update:

• Middle School will be presenting their group project on explosions this Friday at 8:35am. To get a sneak peek at one of the exciting explosion videos please visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCookieCake2?feature=mhum
  

• HS will have their final group presentation on the Civil War this Friday morning as well.
  

This week's focus:

• MS/HS students will have an FLVS focus week which means that their entire work blocks will be devoted to finishing their FLVS first semester coursework. They will not be doing any PBL work this week.
  

• Elementary will be starting a group project on recycling in Florida.
  

• New secondary students will be working on learning the PBL process while completing a project with the facilitators.
  

Fundraising Update:

• Please continue to sell raffle tickets. We are asking for each family to sell as many as they can by the 16th.
  

• The next parent meeting is set for this Friday at Amavida right after the PBL presentations.
  

Coming Soon/Announcements:

• College night all high school families need to mark your calendars for Wednesday 1/19. We have a new member of the team Kelley working with us to help keep the HS students on the right track in their college preparation. She will be sharing a timeline of things to do to prepare for college each year. Included on the timeline are things like: creating a resume for college admission, becoming familiar with the college admissions process, when to take tests, and much more. She has recently been through this with two of her own children and is going to be a GREAT resource for our community!
  

• Marianna Caverns trip-whole school. Due to our January schedule rather than take a school day we have decided to change the trip to Saturday 1/22. We would still like as many students as are available to come with their families. More information coming soon!

• Seaside REP has included us on two exciting opportunities this spring. The first is that we will be having Brooks come and work with our students to create their own production. This experience will start Tuesday 1/18 at 2:00pm. The second is they have let us know about an internship experience for students 14 and older. If you are interested in knowing more about the internship please contact me.

• Please see the side bar of the blog for our January Calendar.
  

Things we need:

• Snacks- the healthier the better!
  

Attitudes of gratitude:

• Thank you Santa for a wonderful holiday party with lunch at Applebees followed up by fun for all at Wunderworks! Thank you to the Smartt family for the Chex Mix!!Thank you to the Ruder family for the goody boxes for all of the students!!Thank you to the Corchis family for the yummy cupcakes!!!
  

"Cheers to a new year, another chance for us to get it right."
Oprah Winfrey

I cannot wait to see everyone this week!
Amy