eCampus Academy Update

As we embrace the fresh start that the New Year brings, it's an opportune moment to pause, reflect, and recalibrate our educational journey with a renewed focus. The start of a new year serves as more than just a change in the calendar; it's a chance for us to reassess our goals, refocus our efforts, and work together to ensure our children's continued growth and achievement.

Reflecting on the past year allows us to appreciate the progress made, acknowledge milestones achieved, and identify areas where growth and improvement are still possible. It's a time to celebrate the victories, both big and small, that our children have experienced in their academic and personal development.

However, this reflection isn't just about looking back; it's also about looking forward. Setting goals for the year ahead is pivotal in steering our children toward success. Encouraging them to establish realistic yet challenging objectives fosters a sense of direction and purpose. It's a chance to ignite their passion for learning, instilling a mindset that embraces challenges and thrives on continuous improvement.

This recalibration of goals requires focus—focus on the work, the effort, and the dedication needed to achieve these aspirations. As parents and educators, our collective support plays a crucial role in guiding our children through this journey. By fostering an environment that values diligence, resilience, and a growth mindset, we equip our children with the tools they need to thrive.

Let's use this time to inspire our children to set their sights high, to dream big, and to understand that success is a culmination of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

As we embark on this new chapter together, let's remain committed to working hand in hand, supporting our children every step of the way. Here's to a year of growth, achievement, and unwavering focus on our children's educational endeavors.

In Community -

Jason R. Bull

January 1st - No School - Holiday Break

January 2nd - No School - Holiday Break

January 9th - WHS Freshman Preview Night (current 8th graders)

January 15th - No School - Teacher Work Day

January 19th - End of Semester 1

On December 7th elementary students from eCampus gathered for the Gingerbread Man storytelling, robot coding, and cookie decorating activity. Students listened to the Gingerbread man story and then coded Ozobots to travel past all the characters in the story. Once the robot finished the journey, students decorated cookies to celebrate.

eCampus students worked through the Snow Globe Family text and were able to design their very own Snow Globe Family Ornament. Drawings were submitted and the students creations were brought to life via the Glowforge by Mrs. Hail. Each student was able to keep this forever memory as an ornament.

A reminder if your student may be interested in the Innovation Challenge, the registration deadline is 11:59 PM (ET) on January 16, 2024. Do you have a creative way to help protect our environment? Maybe you came up with an invention that helped clean our oceans/waterways or help endangered species. If so, feel free to take a peek at this wonderful opportunity.

Open to students in grades K-12. Students can work as a team or individually to win various prizes.

Register for K12's new game development competition. Students have the opportunity to show off their creativity and win big prizes. Students will be split into divisions based on their grade level (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12 grade) and judged against students in the same division. The deadline to register for round 1 is January 31, 2024.

Prizes that can be won:

• Sony PlayStation®5

• Microsoft Xbox Series X

• Nintendo Switch™

• Valve Steam Deck™

Additionally, one People’s Choice winner from each grade band will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

This month's staff question relates to the New Year.

We asked our staff,

"What is something you’re looking forward to in the new year?"

Jason Bull - The New Year provides an excellent opportunity to reflect and identify my one word that will set the stage for my year long goal.

Alexis Hail - A fresh start!

Erin DeBoth - I'm looking forward to the days getting longer again!

Mary Barr - Days getting longer!!

Lexie Ofe - Learning how to quilt.

Bob Logan - I'm looking forward to having a healthy foot so I can chase Mrs. Logan through the trails of Wisconsin's many State Parks.

Angel Vander Steeg - Traveling and learning about different cultures abroad.

At this time, students should be applying to the college(s) of their choice. Pay special attention to any due dates and required documents specific to the process.

If you are seeking assistance with any question in regards to the application process, please contact the eCampus office.

Specifically if you need help with the University of Wisconsin System, please use this site as a resource: https://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/

Are you looking to tour a campus? See: https://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/find-your-uws/campus-tours/ Book a virtual, in-person, or find more information on self-guided tours on each campus site. See their events calendar for more details.

Want to see an application demo or UW Journey demo, check out the calendar of events: https://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/resources/calendar-of-events/11/2023/

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is the form that is used to initiate the financial aid process regardless of where you plan to pursue a postsecondary education. The student and family information included on the FAFSA will be sent to colleges/universities you have identified on the form in order for a financial aid package to be prepared for you.

Completing the FAFSA is the first and most important step in qualifying for aid to help pay for college. Several events will be held virtually as well as in-person if you are seeking assistance with completing this form.

https://collegegoalwi.org/

You can request a transcript through Parchment: Click Here for Parchment

If you are seeking an unofficial copy, please contact the eCampus Academy Registrar at vandersteega@watertown.k12.wi.us

Attention high school-aged eCampus students and families! Did you know that eCampus Academy offers a Career and Accelerated Degree Pathways Program? Students in Grades 10-12 can pursue a Technical Diploma or Associate Degree while enrolled in high school in one of 10 high-demand career areas. These online courses, in cooperation with Wisconsin technical colleges, will also count as high school credit in eCampus. Students in Grades 9-12 who plan to attend a four-year institution may complete up to 30 transferable college credits, putting them on a path to potentially graduate with a Bachelor's degree in three years from a University of Wisconsin System School.

The eCampus Academy Pathways Program saves students time and money while accessing high quality, future-ready learning experiences and professional programs. We're really excited about this opportunity for students.

Since we continue to have new families each month, we'll continue to share videos and information that might be useful at anytime throughout the year. Returning students are familiar with the SchoolsPLP learning platform, but we encourage everyone to watch these short videos created by our own lead teacher, Tracy Poches, as a refresher. Who knows, you might learn something new.

Welcome to eCampus

Logging in to SchoolsPLP

Understanding SchoolsPLP Overview

Navigating an online course in SchoolsPLP

Parents are able to login to SchoolsPLP to check grades and see if their student is on pace. The short video below will show you how to do this. You will need your student's ID and school password to login. If you need login information, please call or email Keisha Logan.

Parent Log-in

In our ongoing effort to assess our efforts as a school, we're offering our families an opportunity to share their feedback so that we may reflect on what's working and on those areas where we can grow and learn in eCampus. If you would, please take a moment to complete the brief feedback questionnaire that's linked below. We definitely value your input as partners in the teaching and learning of our eCampus students! Thank you!

eCampus Academy - Feedback Questionnaire