April 7, 2020
ACADEMY COMMUNITY UPDATE!
Academy Community,

Join us Thursday, April 9 from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. for a Community Connection Meeting . Every member of our community is invited to join and to ask your questions. (See image below for details.)

If you have not heard already, Intellectual Virtues Academy will be extending our school campus closure through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. We have made this decision in close consultation with our partnering agencies, including health departments, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

We are continuing to redesign thinking and learning given our new circumstances, and are committed to providing your child with a high quality education that will prepare them for college, career, and life.

Although our school campus is closed, we have not missed a day of instruction by providing our Distance/Virtual Learning Program. It is extremely important that students log into their Google Classroom accounts daily. Students are still being held accountable for assignments and assignments continue to be graded.

We have been individually contacting ALL of our families to insure everyone has the means to access their assignments (See Technology below for more information). Please let us know if your child is having any difficulties.

Thank you for your patience in this process. Please encourage your child to reach out to their teachers and other students through the office hour times, table talk groups, counseling, and community meeting forums. We want to provide ways for students to move their positive relationships into this digital realm while maintaining creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Graduation
We are extremely saddened to report that due to this extended closure, unfortunately our graduation ceremony will not be able to go forward as planned. This does not mean it is cancelled, it will be conducted in a virtual format on June 13th, and we are exploring options for a reception once we can convene. We will keep you posted for changes to our graduation plans and we promise to find creative ways to celebrate our seniors. Click here for SENIOR LETTER .

Our Increased Support
All of our directors, teachers, counselors, and staff are working remotely to help students keep up with our high quality learning and student support. Our special education team has also been reaching out to students to provide direct support services. Each of our teachers have scheduled   OFFICE HOURS (see attachment). Students have the opportunity to sign in to receive small group support.

We have adjusted our grading policy and late work deadlines as well, to provide more flexibility during this time. If your child is struggling to meet classroom expectations, please contact us for support. 

T echnology
Parents and guardians who still need to borrow a Chromebook or charger for their child can make an appointment with their school to arrange for a pickup by calling  562.283.4456 , or emailing [email protected] . T he Academy is also providing families information on accessing low-cost or free Internet at home, and/or hard-copy lesson packets for students who need them.

Counseling 
This change of events can be a tough adjustment for students. Students are isolated from their friends and community. and may be grieving the loss of traditional high school events. If your child needs tele-heath counseling support, please reach out to Mrs. Makenna Briceno,  [email protected] . Counseling sessions have continued for students who have traditionally received support. 

Support for college and career education is also available. Please reach out to Mrs. Makenna Briceno,  [email protected]  for assistance or to request an appointment. 

Special Education
Our special education team has been reaching out to students to provide direct support services. Our team is also offering office hours on Mondays and Thursdays at noon. If you have questions, please reach out to Dr. Julie Lee at  [email protected] .  

Free Meals
During the school closures, LBUSD’s free meal service will continue for children ages 1 to 18 at these locations: Addams, Avalon, Birney, Bixby, Burbank, Chavez, Dooley, Emerson, Gant, Garfield, Gompers, Grant, Harte, Henry, Herrera, King, Lafayette, Lincoln, Lindbergh, Longfellow, MacArthur, Marshall, McKinley, Muir, Riley, Rogers, Roosevelt, Signal Hill, Smith, Stevenson, Twain, Washington, Whittier and Willard.  View a map of LBUSD school locations here  or view the locations on the LBSUD website. 
 
We are here for you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. 
 
Mrs. Sanders
Follow us on Instagram: @academyLBHS
Stay Connected
JOIN US THURSDAY!
Counseling Updates
Now featuring Counseling Corner ! All students now have access to Mrs. Makenna’s Counseling Corner - a google classroom providing resources for mental health, college and career counseling, and academic support.

Students are able to request a meeting with Mrs. Makenna with the provided google form. Click the image to fill it out!

Social distancing doesn’t mean we still can't be social! Join Mrs. Makenna and a guest on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1p.m..- 2 p.m. to catch up on whatever is on your mind; what’s new on Netflix, fun hobbies to do around the house, or questions about life and learning.

Request a zoom link from Mrs. Makenna or head on over to his instagram @mrsmakennabriceno to find the link in her bio. 
VIRTUAL LEARNING FAQ's
We are now on week 4 of our online learning platform through Google Classrooms! Students will be expected to check into each Google Classroom daily. In order for each of you to be successful, you will need to set aside time each day to engage in thinking and learning. Please click the photos to learn more!
VIRTUAL LEARNING HIGHLIGHTS
This week, Mr. Schmidt's philosophy students were challenged to create a model, animation, or play that captured Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" using their own creative vision & interpretation! Here a few examples of the amazing visible thinking that took place!
March 16-June 13
Campus Closed
Virtual Learning continues

April 9
Virtual Community Meeting

April 9-19 Spring Break

June 13
Virtual Graduation
APPLICATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN FOR 2020-2021!

Help spread the word about the Academy this admission season!

T he Academy is now accepting lottery applications for students going into 9th through 12th grade for next year. If you are a current Academy family, this is a  great time to  submit an application  for a sibling  going into high school next year.

Most people hear about the Academy through word-of-mouth. To help continue our growth, this is a great time to encourage  friends, neighbors, and family members  to submit an application. In addition to the organic conversations you have with family and friends, would you be willing to do some intentional marketing for our school? This might include:

  • keeping materials with you to pass out to family, friends, middle school acquaintances (materials are available by request)
  • introduce Mrs. Laura to possible community partners or family members!
  • inviting friends to join you on a school tour (click here for dates)
  • posting our events on your social media pages (AcademyLBHS)
  • hosting an in-home "What's the Academy?" event (your friends, Academy staff presents; Spanish translation included!)

Your support would not only be helpful for families searching for a good fit for high school, but it also helps us to increase the Academy's exposure throughout Long Beach and surrounding communities.

Thank you so much for considering! If interested, please email  Laura Cipperly  to let us know you're willing to help!
MASTER VIRTUES

CREATIVE VIRTUES
Curiosity
Ask questions!
Open-mindedness
Think outside the box! 
Intellectual Courage
Take risks! 

CRITICAL THINKING VIRTUES
Intellectual 
Attentiveness
Look and listen!
Intellectual Carefulness
Avoid errors!
Intellectual Thoroughness
Go deep! 

VIRTUES OF SELF-GROWTH
Intellectual Autonomy
Think for yourself!
Intellectual Humility
Admit what you don't
know! 
Intellectual Tenacity
Embrace struggle!
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER!
Intellectual Virtues Academy, A Long Beach Public High School
1637 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, California 90813
562.283.4456 | www.academylongbeach.org
The Intellectual Virtues Academy is a public Long Beach high school, open to all students, authorized by Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE).