PinnaclePost The
February 2011
Volume 3, Issue 2
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
In this Issue:
AIMS and Stanford 10 Testing Dates Learn more about when you need to be ready for the exams. pg. 2
Important Dates
Mark your calendars with these important Pinnacle events. pg. 3
College Exam Info for Students
Special Testing Edition
Find out what you need to know to take the exams. pg. 6
Important Spring Graduation Info
What you need to do before the Graduation ceremony in May. pg. 7
Spring Scholarships
Students must apply before 4/29. pg. 7
The Top 10 SAT and ACT Test-Taking Tips
Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association. pg. 5
PinnaclePost Contents
February 2011 - Volume 3, Issue 2
Enter the ASPIRE Photo Contest Submit a photo for your chance to win an iPod Shuffle!
All Pinnacle Education students are encouraged to participate in our first student photo contest. If you’re an aspiring photographer or just enjoy taking pictures in your spare time, this contest is for you. We are looking for photos taken by Pinnacle students that best exemplify the core values of Pinnacle Education: Accountability, Service, Innovation, Respect, & Excellence. What does “Respect” look like to you? Can you capture a picture of “Excellence”? It doesn’t matter what the photo depicts, the photographer just has to be able to tell us why it represents the value which they chose. Interested students must take their photos and post them to the wall of Pinnacle’s Facebook page. Students may submit more than one (1) entry. How to Submit Your Photo: Interested students should take their photos and post them to the wall of Pinnacle’s Facebook page. Please note, that you must “like” the Pinnacle FB
page before you can post any content to or write on the wall. For instructions on how to post photos to the wall, click here. Students may submit more than one photo for the contest. The photograph must be the original work created/photographed by the student submitting the entry. Photographs must be in digital format. Only online entries will be eligible. No print or film submissions will be accepted for entry into this contest. The photograph need not be taken with a digital camera; scans of negatives, transparencies, or photographic prints are acceptable. All digital files must be 10 megabytes or smaller and must be in JPEG, JPG, or GIF format. Each photo posted must include the following in the description: 1. The phrase, “ASPIRE photo contest” 2. The core value which is being depicted/shown in the photograph
Visit the Counselor’s Corner Website!
3. One or two sentences explaining why your photograph illustrates the chosen core value The ASPIRE Photo Contest starts on February 11, 2011, and will officially end on March 31, 2011, at 12:00pm MST. Winners will be notified by April 4, 2011. To read the official contest rules and submit your entry visit our official Facebook page at: www.facebook. com/PinnacleOnline or download the official contest guidelines at our blog pinnaclepov.wordpress.com.
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.
Pinnacle Education- www.pinnacleeducation.com
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Spring AIMS and Stanford 10 Testing Make sure you remember these important dates.
All the testing information you need.
Did You Know? 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 February 21: President’s Day
April 5: AIMS Math
March 1: AIMS Writing
April 6: AIMS Science (10th graders) and Stanford 10 (9th graders)
March 2: AIMS Reading March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
May 25: Pinnacle Spring Graduation Ceremony
March 31: Photo Contest ends Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com
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More Resources to Prepare for the AIMS Tests: Math High School sample test and Think Throughs: PDF Writing High School sample test and Think Throughs: PDF HS Reading Sample Test: PDF HS Science StudyGuide: PDF Practice AIMS Tests: Website Did you know‌that Pinnacle offers elective credit courses for AIMS Preparation? We have three .5 credit courses to help you prepare and become proficient for the tests that are required for graduation. Check it out and talk to your Virtual Guidance Counselor if you are interested in taking one of these classes! AIMS Reading (.5 credits) or AIMS Writing (.5 credits) or AIMS Math (.5 credits) These AIMS Preparation and Arizona Standards Mastery Program are specially designed to help students master the content specified in the Arizona Content Standards. These courses focus on the Arizona Content Standards
which enable students to improve their performance in all skill areas (Reading, Writing & Math) tested on the AIMS in high school. A passing score is required in all three skill areas: AIMS Reading, AIMS Writing & AIMS Math, in order for any Arizona student to graduate from high school. REMINDER: Any 10th grade student (cohort 2013) that does not participate in all required tests will be withdrawn from Pinnacle.
PARENTS: Please let us know if you have any questions about the information in this bulletin, or that you have received in regards to testing. We need your support and help to encourage and transport your student to and from testing. State testing is a graduation requirement and a student testing at each opportunity it very important. Thanks for your partnership with us in this academic venture!
Check Out The Pinnacle P.O.V. Stay up-to-date with the current news and events of Pinnacle Education by reading our blog, The Pinnacle POV! You can find everything you need to know about our online high school and distance learning.
http://pinnaclepov.wordpress.com 4
Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com
The Top 10 SAT and ACT Test-Taking Tips
Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association.
1. Be Equipped : On the night before the test you should gather everything you’ll need: the admission ticket, a valid form of photo identification, several #2 pencils, a calculator with fresh batteries (for the SAT only), a watch, and a high-energy snack. 2. Don’t Cram: You’ve worked hard. The best thing to do the evening before the test is to get a good night’s sleep. You’ve covered the content and you’ve perfected the skills. Now it’s time to get in test mode -- calm, rested, confident, and ready. 3. Dress in Layers: The climate in test centers can vary from sauna-like to frigid. Be prepared for both extremes and everything in-between. You need to be comfortable to do your best. 4. Arrive Early: You may want to scope out your test location before test day to ensure that you know where you’re going. Getting to the test should be the least of your concerns. 5
5. Don’t Spend too Much Time on One Question: Each question is worth the same number of points. If a question is confusing or too timeconsuming, don’t lose your cool. Instead, move on to greener pastures. You can come back to hard questions if you have time at the end of a section. 6. Don’t Look for Unscored Questions/Sections: The experimental section on the SAT is wellcamouflaged. Sometimes the ACT contains experimental questions that are scattered throughout the sections. Do your best on every question--that way, you’re covered. 7. Keep Track of Where You Are in a Section: On the SAT, obvious answer choices early in a set may be correct. Obvious choices near the end of a set are often booby traps.
Eliminate the choices you know are wrong, then make an educated guess from the remaining options. Remember, if you can eliminate even one answer choice then it pays to guess on the SAT. On the ACT, students aren’t penalized for guessing. Only the correct answers count toward their score, so it is better to guess than leave a blank. 9. Be Careful Filling in the Answer Grid: Make sure you’re filling in answers next to the right numbers. 10. Relax: Your attitude and outlook are crucial to your test-day performance. Be confident.
8. Guess Aggressively: If you don’t know an answer, don’t leave the question blank or guess randomly. Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com
College Exam Information
PSAT: www.collegeboard.org High School Code: #030666 The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It’s a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools. The PSAT measures: Critical reading skills, Math problem-solving skills, Writing skills SAT: www.collegeboard.org High School Code #030666
Nearly every college in America accepts the SAT or SAT Subject Tests as a part of its admissions process. That’s why more than two million students take the SAT every year.
We are in our second month of Pinnacle Virtual High School Students using our new e-learning system. Students are enjoying the convenient “Due Soon” feature, as well as the ease of navigation through courses.
High School
As expected, there are some frequently asked questions or common issues we are experiencing.
The ACT® test assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay.
For those questions, remember we have a Student Support Desk for your convenience. E-mail, call, or come into the virtual office hours. We are here to help you remove any barriers that are preventing you from being successful in your courses.
ACT: www.act.org Code #030666
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. Pinnacle Education - www.pinnacleeducation.com
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Be Sure to Apply for Our 2011 Important Spring Pinnacle Scholarships! Spring 2011
Graduation Information
Student Speakers Needed: If you are going to participate in the spring graduation ceremony, and would like to be one of our student speakers, please contact your Virtual Guidance Counselor at 480755-8222 x2965. We would love to hear from you!
Spring 2011 Pinnacle Scholarship applications are also now available! Get detailed information from your Virtual Guidance Counselor, or by visiting: http://pinnaclecounselorscorner. squarespace.com/scholarshipinformation/
Important Test Dates: • SAT Tests: March 12 (Late Register by Feb 25) Or May 7 (Register by April 8) • ACT Tests: April 9 (Register by March 4) Or June 11 (Register by May 6)
Pinnacle’s Spring Virtual High School Graduation ceremony is on Wednesday, May 25 at 8pm. All students who plan to graduate in May need to have all course work completed, as well as the Graduation Application submitted (as well as applicable fees) by Friday, April 29th. Graduation Packets are being mailed out soon, but all the paperwork you need can be found at: http://pinnaclecounselorscorner. squarespace.com/information/
Our Winter 2010 Graduates
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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
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Electives: x2745
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Inspirational Quote: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.� - Winston Churchill
www.pinnacleeducation.com 3225 S. Hardy, Tempe, AZ 85282 Tel: 480.755.8222
Fax: 480.755.8111