PinnaclePost The
May 2011
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 3, Issue 3
In this Issue:
The Importance of ATTENDANCE!
Mesa Campus Reveals New Mascot
Express Yourself:
Jump Start at Casa Grande Campus
Read about how your attendance affects your performance at school. pg. 3 Tempe East Offers On-Site Creative Writing Club. pg. 3
Mesa Campus Students Show Off Their Panther Pride. pg. 5
A new program helping all incoming freshmen in the our community. pg. 6
How I Learned Spanish Computers Aren’t A great poem by one of our students. pg. 3 Cheap Organizations that help you find a A Tempe West computer that fits your budget. pg. 7 Experience Did You Know? Read about the experience of a student at our Tempe West campus. pg. 4
Important Pinnacle Info. pg. 4
Graduation Season is Upon Us! Stay up-to-date on all the news and info about Pinnacle’s graduation ceremony. pg. 2
PinnaclePost Contents
May 2011 - Volume 3, Issue 3
Graduation Season is Upon Us! Pinnacle Education’s May ‘11 Graduation Ceremonies for Site and Virtual Students
Event Details:
Graduation Checklist for 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. Pinnacle Education will provide supplies to help you prepare for graduation such as: Hair pins, needle and thread, hairspray, etc. 5. Map of the Mesa Convention Center. 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, 2011 Graduates along with Pinnacle staff, family and friends What: Graduation Ceremony Where: Mesa Convention Center, 201 N Center Street, Mesa AZ (Building C) When: Wednesday, May 25th, 2011. Site students ceremony at 6pm. Virtual students ceremony at 8pm. Pinnacle would like to congratulate all of our May, 2011 Graduates! Earning your high school diploma is a huge accomplishment, and we are honored to have been a part of your journey! We will see you on May 25th for the ceremony! If you have any questions, please contact your Virtual Guidance Counselor (full-time online students) or your Lab Manager (site students).
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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The Importance of ATTENDANCE! By: Matthew Blair, Virtual Guidance Counselor
Greetings Pinnacle students!!! The following information explains in detail Pinnacle Education’s Attendance Policy. You may always contact your Virtual Guidance Counselor, Concurrent Instructor, or Lab Manager for more information regarding attendance. • Why do I have to enter minutes daily? • Why does my Guidance Counselor/Instructor call me when I don’t log attendance time, but I am submitting work and logging into my courses? • What happens if I don’t enter time every day? • Will I still earn credit if I don’t enter my attendance? • What do I need to do to me sure I am meeting all of my attendance requirements? 1. Students enrolled with Pinnacle are assessed on Time (attendance), Pace, and Grade. Time refers to the amount of time you are logging everyday your course(s). Pace refers to how you are progressing through your courses. Grade refers to the quality of work you are completing. 2. The State of Arizona bases your attendance strictly off of the attendance time you are logging daily. If you are not entering minutes/hours, essentially the State views you as absent. There is a possibility you will not earn credits if you are not entering time. FYI: Student’s will be contacted by Pinnacle if they are logging into their courses and not submitting attendance time. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! The staff here at Pinnacle thanks you very much for taking the time to log minutes daily. If we can be of any assistance, feel free to contact us.
Express Yourself: Tempe East Offers On-Site Creative Writing Club By: Melanie McCuin, Instructional Aide
Since the 2010 spring semester, Pinnacle Charter High School (Tempe East) has offered its students the opportunity to participate in a Creative Writing Club (CWC). It began as a response to students’ requests for an on-site creative outlet and has since grown to include students from all three sessions (AM, PM, and PM2). Students attend weekly meetings on a voluntary basis and participate in free writes and other writing exercises. Many of these students have had their completed poems featured in Pinnacle’s literary journal, The Pinnacle Periodical (now entitled The 10th Muse). On this page, you will find a sample poem, which appeared in the 2010 Winter Issue of The Pinnacle Periodical. 3
How I Learned Spanish
By: Bethany Mattera, Tempe East Student
I learned the moon’s name from the last tile of the lotería board. I was five still short, with a broken leg. I picked a picture, a bright, luminous circle, from a pile of banjos, watermelon, and men. I compared images to words. The stars, las estrellas. The sky, el cielo. I held this night time sun in my hand and whispered la luna, la luna, la luna until it was imprinted on my tongue.
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A Tempe West Experience Read about the experience of astudent at our Tempe West campus.
Did You Know? By: Malaija Martin
M
y experience at Tempe West has been pleasant from the moment I walked in. To be welcomed with open arms is the best feeling anyone could get. Being at this school has taught me a lot about who I am and what I want to do with my life. It wasn’t just about getting your classes done so you could graduate; they wanted to know what your next step was after high school and what they could do to help you reach that goal. At all of my other high schools, you didn’t have someone who would call to tell you that you should be in school or have meetings with you just to see how you’re doing, whether it was with your schooling or just life itself. I have gone through a lot in my life,
but all of that is behind me because I know that my future is brighter. I always knew that I was going somewhere in life, but at times when you don’t have the right motivation and the support of others, you get side tracked. At Pinnacle they stay on you because they know that you can make it; they stay on you because they care, and that makes a person want to continue to press forward and do the right thing. This was my second family; we laughed, we joked, but at the end of the day we still knew what had to be done. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to be surrounded by such positive and caring people.
Did you know that Pinnacle tracks your Time (online and offline time spent), Pace and Grade (TPG) in each of your courses? We consider a student fully engaged when they are on track in each category of Time, Pace and Grade. This way, we can identify students who are engaged, or who are struggling and reach out to them and offer them individualized support. The TPG system helps us to help you!
ACT Question of the day: http://www.actstudent.org/qotd/
SAT Question of the day: http://sat.collegeboard.com/ practice/sat-question-of-the-day
Important Dates April-May: Early Summer School
June: Summer Session 1
May 25: Pinnacle Graduation Ceremony
June 24: AIMS Math, Science & Stanford 10 results mailed home
May 30: Memorial Day 4
March 2: AIMS Reading
July: Summer Session 2
July 4: Holiday
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Mesa Campus Students Show Off Their Panther Pride By: Bryant Murphy, Principal
P
innacle’s Mesa site has adopted a mascot to promote school pride and ownership. Students were surveyed and came up with the name Pinnacle Panthers. Mesa Campus Principal, Bryant Murphy, commissioned the services of a local artist who painted a Panther mural on the wall of the Mesa site’s reception area. Students have taken notice of the full length, larger than life Panther adorning the wall of the hallway leading into the classes. When student Andrea Guerra was asked by her teacher what she thought about the school mascot, Guerra said
she likes the idea of a panther mascot. “I think it [the panther] is cool. And, it will make us stand out as a school!” The school has plans to print T-shirts so the students can show their Pinnacle pride throughout the community. Students in the PM2 session (evenings) especially like the Panther mascot. Much like the Panther who hunts at night, they also attack at night, though knowledge is their only prey.
GO PANTHERS!
Jump Start Your High School Experience with Pinnacle! Attention Class of 2015!
Program Highlights
Summer Sessions Begin May 31!
Call Today to Register! 520-423-2380 409 W. McMurray Blvd. Casa Grande, AZ 85222
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Jump Start at Pinnacle’s Casa Grande Campus
s p i T
By: Star Robinson, Principal
ont m e of th
Jump Start is special program designed to help all incoming freshmen in the Casa Grande community.
O
ne of the programs that Pinnacle’s Casa Grande Site will be offering during summer school is Jump Start. Jump Start is specifically for all incoming freshmen in our community.
credit requirements for high school completion, while learning how to handle/deal with peer pressure and bullying, the importance of positive relationships, as well as weekly on field trips.
The focus of the program is to allow incoming freshmen to get a head start on their high school credits by earning .5 credits during the June summer school session, as well as learning what they can expect in high school through the High School 101 portion of the program.
To help establish and advertise the program and our school, Nick Conrad, our Student Council President and some of the other Student Council Representatives will be visiting various eigth grade classes in the Casa Grande area.
In High School 101, they will earn
h
Parents: With the launch of our new eLS, it is a great opportunity for you to learn along with your student. Ask them to show you their new homepage, what their courses look like, and how they contact their instructor. Check out how easy it is to see what is due, current grades, and much more! Some students have already switched to the new system; others are still finishing courses in the old system. But, before long, your student will be enjoying this new system, and we want YOU to check it out too! Students: The start of a new year can be a fresh start for YOU. We are here to support you through your courses and walk along side you as you achieve your academic goals. From Virtual Guidance Counselors, Site Instructors, Online Instructors and more, we want to help you succeed! Make academic success your New Year’s resolution, and let us help you get there.
Check Out Our Student Support Website! innovatedstudentsupport.wordpress.com Number: 1.888.567.1844 or 480.755.8222 x1720 Email: supportdesk@pin-ed.com Live Chat Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2009200&password=M.318F 046E129C0FFF0FB0069491A067 Hours: 8am-8pm (Mon-Fri) Why we are here: Here you can find useful tips, tricks, and tutorials that will help students successfully navigate and complete their online course. Student’s and parent’s can contact us via email, live chat, phone, or by checking out the website to get all of their technical and support questions answered! We are here for you, so let us know how we can help. 6
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Computers Aren’t Cheap E x t r e m e
Makeover: Literary Magazine Edition
By: Leo Munoz, Orientation Counselor
F
amilies today have found it challenging to care for their basic needs due to the frail economy. We have all felt the pain at the pump and the soaring prices of pretty much everything. Students in low income families have found it especially difficult to obtain certain school related items. In order to be successful, a student needs a good, reliable computer. Computers are not cheap, and the price tag should be the last thing a student needs to worry about. There are many nonprofit organizations out there that understand this and have made it possible for a needy student to get that much-needed computer. Here are two of the most well known organizations that may help. www.freecycle.org This is a network of people that donate computers and everything else for low income or needy
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students. When you go to the website use the “Browse Groups” link located on the top of the first page. This will show you the group that is located near you. Just follow the instructions in order to request a computer. www.computerswithcauses.org This is another organization that has an Arizona location where they give computers and laptops to needy students. These are only two of many organizations out there that want to help. These organizations can be located by doing simple research. Always beware of scams, if they are asking for money up front this is usually a red flag. If you need further assistance and advice, please contact your guidance counselor.
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: x2965
The Pinnacle Periodical is officially undergoing a makeover, and will now be called The 10th Muse Online Literary Magazine. The name was chosen in honor of the nine muses: Greek goddesses who offered inspiration in the arts and sciences. We now have three successful issues under our belt, so hopefully a new name won’t change that success! Our winter issue was great, and we hope to receive even more submissions this time around. Thank you in advance making this issue a success! To look at the last issue, feel free to visit our previous issues on our blog: pinnaclepov.wordpress.com.
Follow Us!
Electives: x2745
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The Importance of a High School Diploma Article taken from Math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org. A high school diploma can be the gateway to postsecondary education, better employment and a successful college career. Read on to learn more about how earning a High School Diploma can help shap your future.
R
oughly 60% of jobs require some type of training or education beyond high school and most institutions of higher education want applicants to be high school graduates. According to the Education Commission of the States, high school graduates earn higher salaries, so are less likely to depend on public assistance, to have
health problems, or to engage in criminal activity. A higher level of education typically means better employment prospects and increased personal satisfaction. A high school diploma can be a ticket to moving into higher education. Colleges and universities require students to have a diploma in order to enroll. Some also accept applicants who have a GED, but all accept the traditional diploma. Today, college may be more important than ever before. Not only is it beneficial for students who want successful careers later in life, but
it also provides an experience that students will remember forever. Successful high school academic careers require students to push themselves. Particularly during senior year, it is important for students to take advance courses and begin considering what colleges may fit them best. Expectations for high school students are slowly increasing, and students should make it a goal to excel during high school. A high school diploma serves as a gateway to post-secondary education, better employment and a successful college experience.
Cornell Note Taking System Become an expert at Note Taking! Note Taking Success from Mr. Shaw, Concurrent Social Studies and Electives Instructor.
W
hen asked how he helps to support his students, Mr. Shaw directed us the following helpful information. Check it out, it could help YOU! Do you feel like we keep telling you to take notes but we never tell you how to do it? Here is a simple guide that will help you learn good note taking. STEP ONE: Prepare your note paper You can use the note sheet (Cornell Notes page) that is provided and simply print it out or take your notes online and save them to your computer. If you prefer the pen and paper approach simply use any lined paper and draw a vertical line 2 ½ inches from the left side of your paper leaving 8
a bottom section undivided to use for your summary. STEP TWO: Take notes while you read. Record notes in paragraph form in the large notes space. Capture general ideas, important dates, and unknown vocabulary. STEP THREE: Fill in key words After you read. Read through your notes and use the “key words” column to enter in words that sum up what you wrote. This column is there to help you find the information you need quickly. So, if you took notes on a story this is where you would enter the title, the theme of the story and maybe the lesson it went with. Remember this section is simply a directory to the information in the right column.
yourself. 1. Prepare a new notes page. 2. Open your lessons and begin reading. 3. Enter notes as you read and remember if you are typing it on your computer to save as you go. 4. Use your notes to help you do the worksheets, quizzes and tests! If you would like some help taking notes you can email a sample of your notes to your instructor and he/she can then give you advice on how to make your notes better. This information was taken from Virginia Tech For more information on Cornell Note Taking Please visit the University at http://www.ucc. vt.edu/stdysk/cornell.html
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Inspirational Quote: “Success or failure is caused more by mental attitude than by mental capacity.� - Walter Scott
www.pinnacleeducation.com 3225 S. Hardy, Tempe, AZ 85282 Tel: 480.755.8222
Fax: 480.755.8111