Pinnacle Post - February '12 Issue by Pinnacle Online High School

PinnaclePost The

February 2012

P i n n a c l e E d u c a t i o n ’s M a g a z i n e f o r S t u d e n t s a n d P a r e n t s

Volume 4, Issue 1

In this Issue:

Time to Start Thinking About Your Future!

The Pros and Cons of Online High School

Testing Reminder

Pinnacle Campus Support Groups

Read about how to plan the next steps to reach the career of your dreams. pg. 3 Important testing dates you need to know. pg. 4

Important Dates

Don’t forget to add these to your schedule. pg. 4

The Importance of Punctuation

Read why it’s important to remember the rules of punctuation. pg. 7

Read one student’s view about his experience with online education. pg. 5

Our sites provide support for students in need. pg. 6

Winter Action Plans

What you should be doing this semester to prepare for college. pg. 9

Did You Know?

Important Pinnacle info. pg. 4

Graduation Season is Upon Us! Stay up-to-date on all the news and info about Pinnacle’s May graduation ceremony. pg. 2

PinnaclePost Contents

February 2012 - Volume 4, Issue 1

Graduation Season is Upon Us! Pinnacle Education’s May ‘12 Graduation Ceremonies for Site and Virtual Students Event Details:

A Checklist for Our May Graduates 1. Arrive on time & be prepared to stay throughout the practice & ceremony. 2. Wear appropriate attire. 3. Please do not bring any valuable items to the Convention Center. Pinnacle Education will not be liable for any lost, damaged or stolen property. 4. Map of the Mesa Convention Center. 5. Pinnacle Education will provide supplies to help you prepare for graduation such as: Hair pins, needle and thread, hairspray, etc. 6. Guests of the graduates are expected to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. 7. If you would like information about surrounding eateries please go to: http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/near-76854305-United_ States_Arizona_Mesa_Mesa_Phoenix_East_Hotel_and_Convention_ Center_restaurants.html 8. For lodging information in the Mesa area please visit: http://hotel-guides.us/arizona/mesa-convention-center-az-hotels.html

Visit the Counselor’s Corner Website!

Who: May, 2012 Graduates along with Pinnacle staff, family and friends What: Graduation Ceremony Where: Mesa Convention Center, 263 N Center Street, Mesa AZ (Building C) When: Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012.

Virtual students ceremony at 6pm. Site students ceremony at 8pm.

Important Dates for May ‘12 Grads Graduation application/fee deadline: Monday, April 23 Graduates complete coursework: Friday, May 4

Make sure you check out Pinnacle Online High School Counselor’s Corner website at www.pinnacleeducation.com! Parents and students can find resources and a variety of relevant information on Counselor’s Corner. Visit the site today! Check back often for updates.

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Time to Start Thinking About Your Future! By: Greg Bell, and Zach Henningson, Instructors

ome students like History or English, while others prefer Username: virtualhs Science or Math, but if you like a class that is all about Password: 4azcis02 you, then you should check out ECAP (Educational and Step 3: Click on Create “My Education Career Action Plan” Career Action Plan). on the top right column, where you will see Pinnacle Virtual High School. ECAP is a new requirement for all Arizona students scheduled Step 4: Click on Create “My Education Career Action Plan” to graduate in 2013 or after. The majority of the work again underneath the New Users section. performed in this course comes directly from the Arizona Step 5: Fill out the form with your personal information and Department of Education’s Arizona Career Information then click the grey Submit button at the bottom of the page. System (AZCIS) website (www.azcis.intocareers.org). The following AZCIS direct links provide information on Students are exposed to an assortment of activities that focus colleges, financial aid, scholarships, and careers. on learning more about who they are as people, as well as their future career goals and aspirations. Students develop Just type in the links and add the User Name and Password a better understanding of how they learn, set personal and shown above. academic goals, plan high school classes, participate in selfreflection analyses, and begin to assemble artifacts for a ‘U.S. Colleges and Universities’ personal portfolio. h t t p : / / w w w. a z c i s . i n t o c a r e e r s . o rg / i n d e x _ c l u s t e r. aspx?FileID=NSch (lists of schools by state) Do you have questions about college, how to pay for school and what scholarships are out there for you? The AZCIS ‘How to Pay for School’ website can help. http://www.azcis.intocareers.org/ViewHtmlWithNav. You can take a look at the AZCIS website right now by aspx?File=Aid/AIDFAQ100.htm following the directions listed below. ‘Scholarships and financial aid that fits your educational plan, abilities and background’ Your AZCIS Account In order to create your own username and password for the http://www.azcis.intocareers.org/aidsort/aidsort_intro.aspx AZCIS Website, please follow the directions below: ‘Selecting a Career Pathway’ Step 1: Go to the AZCIS website: www.azcis.intocareers.org h t t p : / / w w w. a z c i s . i n t o c a r e e r s . o rg / i n d e x _ c l u s t e r. Step 2: Use our school login to enter the website. The login aspx?FileID=CPW information is: 3

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Testing Reminder! Contact your Virtual Guidance Counselor or Lab Manager for more details

Important Dates

February 20: President’s Day

Spring 2012 AIMS and Stanford 10 testing is scheduled as follows: Writing: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - All 10th graders must attend. 11th and 12th graders who have not yet passed or wish to improve their previous score. Reading: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - All 10th graders must attend. 11th and 12th graders who have not yet passed or wish to improve their previous score. Math: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - All 10th graders must attend. 11th and 12th graders who have not yet passed or wish to improve their previous score. Science: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - All 10th graders must attend.

February 28: AIMS Writing Test February 29: AIMS Reading Test March 10: SAT Test (registration deadline February 22) April 10: AIMS Math Test April 11: AIMS Science (10th grade only) and Stanford 10 (9th grade only)

Stanford 10: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - All 9th graders must attend.

April 14: ACT Test (registration deadline March 9)

NOTE: Arizona Department of Education requires students to pass the Reading, Writing & Math AIMS tests in order to graduate from high school.

April 23: Graduation application and fees due

May 4: Graduates complete all coursework

Did You K n o w ?

Did you know that you are taking Pinnacle courses alongside students who live out of the United States? Yep! The fully accredited Pinnacle International High School offers students who live outside of Arizona, or even outside of the country, to indulge in the same courses you do! Pretty cool that you have classmates who live in Sweden…or Australia….or Hong Kong….!!

May 13: Mother’s Day May 23: Graduation ceremony (VHS at 6pm, Sites at 8pm) May 28: Memorial Day June 2: SAT Test (registration deadline May 16)

ACT Question of the day: http://www.actstudent.org/qotd/

June 9: ACT Test (registration deadline May 4)

SAT Question of the day: http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/

June 17: Father’s Day

sat-question-of-the-day 4

May 5: SAT Test (registration deadline April 18)

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The Pros and Cons of Online High School By: Justin Montanez, Student

n the past, there was only one way to get a high school education. It involved going to a school and sitting in a classroom for most of the day. The lunches were bad and sometimes so were the teachers. Kids were more concerned about what they were wearing and how their hair looked than what grades they got. It could be difficult to concentrate on what was being discussed in the classroom because someone else might want your attention. However, if you are considering online school as an alternative you need to weigh the pros, the cons, and make up your own mind about what is best for you. There are many pros to taking classes online. The main ones are that you can work whenever you want and at your own pace. If you are working, you can do your school assignments around your work schedule. You don’t have to get up early and sit in a class when you are half asleep. It also doesn’t matter what you are wearing. You can even do the work in your pajamas if you want to! You can also do work anywhere as long as you have a laptop. You are not confined to a certain room or even a 5

certain building. Online classes can be less intimidating than a classroom. There are no distractions and there are more options for student-teacher communication. Lastly, you don’t have to spend money on gas to get to school. However, there are also cons to attending online school. If you don’t already have a computer and internet service, these things can cost quite a bit of money. Also, computer malfunctions or internet connection failures can prevent you from completing your work. Online school can be difficult because it requires a student to have quite a bit of discipline. You have no realworld interaction with teachers and you don’t always get immediate feedback on work that is turned in. You also don’t have the opportunity to develop friendships with other classmates. If you are considering taking online classes, you need to weigh these pros and cons before deciding whether or not to attend regular school or online school. It would be a good idea to

determine what style of learning is best for you based on past experiences. If you are someone like me who is easily distracted and finds it difficult to concentrate in a school setting, then online classes could definitely be a good option. If you have a tendency to procrastinate and are not a self starter, then a regular classroom setting might be better for you. After weighing the pros and cons, it is important to decide based on what is best for you. Don’t let someone else make the decision for you because they might not be a good judge of which environment would allow you to be more successful. Only you can decide what is best for you. Getting a good education is an important part of anyone’s life. No matter what a person decides to do for a career, a good education is almost always a requirement. A Note from Pinnacle: One of our five Pinnacle sites may be a great alternative for students who need a little extra structure in an online environment.

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Pinnacle Charter High School Sites Offer Student Support Groups By: Vince Mosca, Principal

Student support groups are facilitated by our Personal and Career Explorations instructors, and often with our district’s life coach. These instructors have attended the Student Assistance Training International (SATI) support group facilitation training. The three-day intensive workshop teaches attendees how to implement student support groups on their campuses. Students are invited to the support groups, which meet during their instructional block. Participation in the support groups is voluntary and the student may opt out at any time. An example of how each group is opened is as follows: Review Purpose and Guidelines of Group 1. To provide a safe place to share your feelings, thoughts, and concerns. 2. To learn how to identify and express your feelings appropriately. 3. To learn healthy communication skills. 4. To learn how to treat ourselves and others with respect. 5. To learn we are responsible for our own lives and based on our choices, have the power to change. The facilitator will share a challenging life situation. They will then ask the

group if anyone would like to share a challenging life situation. There is a warm up activity where participants go around the circle and share. At the end, the group concludes with a closure activity that consists of an affirmation and a modified serenity poem that the group recites. Guidelines 1. Confidentiality-what is said in group, stays in group. **Exceptions- child abuse, harm to self, and harm to others. 2. No put-downs, everyone is treated with respect. 3. Everyone has the right to pass and share at their own comfort level. 4. Everyone has the right to be heard. 5. Be on time. 6. Come to group free of mindaltering chemicals. 7. Everyone speaks for him/her self. Our support groups are a great place to share, grow, and hear from other students that may be going through similar difficulties. For any questions regarding support groups, please contact your school’s Personal and Career Explorations instructor for more information.

February is Black History Month By: Wendy McFarland, Instructor

n 1915, Harvard-trained historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson developed the idea of creating a week where all Americans could study and reflect upon the contributions and achievements made by AfricanAmericans throughout our nation’s history. It wasn’t until 1926 when his idea came to fruition. Choosing the second week of February, as it happened to correspond with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, “Negro History Week” grew into what is now officially recognized as Black History Month. This commemoration was expanded nationwide by President Gerald R. Ford. Since 1976, every president that followed has designated February as Black History Month. To learn more information about Black History Month visit: www.africanamericanhistorymonth. gov/ www.history.com/topics/black-historymonth

Don’t Forget to Check Out Our Pinnacle P.O.V. Blog! Stay up-to-date with all the current news and events regarding our online and site programs! On our blog you can find: • Student Profiles

• Staff Profiles

• Educational Videos

• Student Works

• Student Tips and Tricks

• Program Highlights

• Important Reminders

• And Much More!

Visit the blog today at http://pinnaclepov.wordpress.com! 6

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The Importance of Punctuation Submit work for By: Melissa Mike, Instructor the Spring 2012 Issue of The 10th Muse Today!

unctuation: the little dashes, dots, and curved markings that your teachers insist you use on every assignment, worksheet, and discussion you complete. These tiny markings demand your attention in summaries and graphic organizers; they haunt your essays. No sentence is safe from punctuation’s authority. One important and common piece of punctuation is the comma. It may seem insignificant, but do not be fooled; it has the power to alter the simplest of statements. Case in point: “Let’s eat Grandpa!” “Let’s eat, Grandpa!” Telling your Grandpa that it is time to eat is wonderful; suggesting that you should eat him is not.

“Let’s talk turkey.” “Let’s talk, turkey.” “Let’s talk turkey” is a common idiom used when a person would like to discuss a topic frankly with another individual. However, if a comma is added after the word “talk”, this suggests that you are starting a conversation with a turkey. This simple error takes away from the seriousness that was intended with the original statement. Punctuation is an important element of the written language. It is not something to ignore because its presence is recognized even when it is not there. Pay attention to your punctuation, and whatever you do, please don’t eat your Grandpa!

Here is another example:

Pinnacle Phone Contacts

Departments

Office: 480.755.8222

English: x2734 Social Studies: x2720

Long Distance: 1.888.567.1844

Math: x2748

email: pinnacle@pin-ed.com

Science: x2729 Student Services: x4034

We are now accepting submissions for our next issue! Everyone is encouraged to submit work. Please submit any artwork, poetry, or short stories to mmike@pin-ed.com or mmccuin@pin-ed.com. This work can come from class work or outside of the curriculum, but must be school appropriate. Students and staff are welcome to submit as many pieces as they would like, along with a signed media release form, before March 29th. If work is chosen for The 10th Muse, students will be informed via email before April 5th. We hope to coordinate the issue’s publication with spring graduation! To look at the last issue, feel free to visit our previous issues on our school blog at: pinnaclepov.wordpress.com

Electives: x2745

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The 100th Anniversary of the Titanic Sinking By: Katherine Manna, Instructor

pril 15, 2012 will mark the centennial (100 year) anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. For decades, the only connection we had to this great tragedy were stories from survivors and rescuers about their ordeal. It wasn’t until September 1985 that the shipwreck was finally found near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, its resting place under 12,000 feet of water. Since the discovery of the wreckage by a US-French joint operation, there had been debate on the effects of visits to the site and removal of artifacts from the vessel. The controversy stems mostly from two opposing ideas; that the site is of scientific significance, and the other idea that it should be left alone, completely undisturbed, as a memorial to the nearly 1500 dead. In fact, the original team that found the wreckage took pictures to document the find, and then placed a commemorative plaque requesting the site be undisturbed for this very reason. Relics that have been retrieved from the site using underwater video cameras and submersibles with robotic arms include china, jewelry, actual parts of the ship (bells and whistles), letters, and other personal effects. These have all been placed in an exhibit that 8

currently tours around the world, displaying the artifacts for people to see. Many say that displaying these personal items is a violation to their memory and to the way they died, that it’s similar to vandalizing a cemetery. One of the researchers who found the wreckage said, “Can you imagine them doing this kind of thing on the U.S.S. Arizona in Pearl Harbor?” Others disagree, saying that the exhibit is a way to educate the public about the event and to make it more real to the general public. They claim the artifacts are painstakingly restored using a mirage of chemicals to clean them (which may also damage them in the long term). The main company doing the recovery says that its mission is to recover as many artifacts as possible because the ship itself is rapidly deteriorating on the bottom of the ocean floor, and they want to preserve as much of it as they can before it disappears. It is not clear, however, how long it will take before the shipwreck is completely gone. Several scientists have estimated that the Titanic will still be around for several hundred years.

prices to travel down to see the ship at the ocean bottom. Another part to this controversy is the fact that having people travel down to the bottom of the ocean and disturbing the shipwreck, removing objects may actually hasten the deterioration process that naturally occurs at a slower rate, at the ocean bottom. Like all scientific endeavors, we must ask ourselves and decide not only “can we do it?” but also, “should we do it?” What’s your opinion? Should we continue to retrieve artifacts from the wreckage so that everyone can participate in learning about it? Or should we leave it alone as a final resting place for those unfortunate souls who died in the tragedy? Here are some other websites to find more information on the disaster and various salvage projects, as well as the litigation on the controversy.

Titanic Links www.davidconcannon.com/publications/ titaniclegalbattles.html news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/2002/04/0408_020412_titanic.html www.ecophotoexplorers.com/ecotitanic. asp

Adventure tourism has also entered the picture, with people paying high Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com

Winter College-Bound Action Plans for Students What you need to do for the upcoming semester. For those of you looking to continue your education at a college or university, you need to make sure that you are prepared and do your research. Here are some tasks to help you prepare for college during the upcoming semester.

Freshman:

Sophomores:

Learn about Colleges • Learn about college costs and how financial aid works. • Use the College Savings Calculator to see how much money you’ll need for college, whether you’re on track to save enough, and what you need to do to reach your goal. Talk to your family about college financing. • Visit colleges while they’re in session. • Find out about college firsthand from friends who are home for the holidays.

Prepare for Tests • Talk to your counselor and teachers about taking SAT Subject Tests™ in your strong subjects this spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.

Prepare for Tests • Use the access code on your PSAT/NMSQT score report to sign in to My College QuickStart™. With this personalized planning kit, you can prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors, and careers. • Talk to your counselor and teachers about taking SAT Subject Tests™ in your strong subjects this spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.

Juniors:

Seniors:

Get Ready for the SAT

Review Application Details

• Use the access code on your PSAT/NMSQT score report to sign in to My College QuickStart™. With this personalized planning kit, you can prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors, and careers. • Prepare for the SAT by taking a free full-length official practice test. Then get a score and skills report. Learn which skills you need to improve. Be sure to sign up for The Official SAT Question of the Day™ for daily practice.

Schedule Your Spring Testing • You can take either the SAT® or up to three SAT Subject Tests™ on one test day. Plan your testing schedule carefully if you want to take both, and register for two separate test dates. See the SAT schedule of test dates and register online for the SAT.

• Most regular applications are due between January 1 and February 15. Keep copies of everything you send to colleges. • Have your high school send your transcript to colleges. • Contact colleges to make sure they’ve received all application materials.

Apply for Financial Aid • You and your family should save this year’s pay stubs to estimate income on aid forms that you’ll file early next year. • Submit your FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible. Men who are 18 years of age or older must register with Selective Service to receive federal financial aid. • Many priority financial aid deadlines fall in February. To get the most attractive award package, apply by the priority date. Keep copies of everything you send.

*Action Plans from: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/starting-points/index.html Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com

Inspirational Quote: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.â&#x20AC;? - Mahatma Gandhi

www.pinnacleeducation.com 3225 S. Hardy, Tempe, AZ 85282 Tel: 480.755.8222

Fax: 480.755.8111