BlueSky Online Parent Teacher Conferences
Fall 2017
Yeah!!
It's that time of year again!
Crunchy fall leaves...
Crisp autumn air....
Pumpkin Spice Everrrthing...
and I mean EVERYTHING!
And...it's time for PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES!!
WooHoo!!!
Conferences are held at the BlueSky Online School Office on Thursday, October 5th from 3-7PM.
You can win PRIZES for attending!
Oh...and meet your teachers, advisor, counselor, social worker, and administration :)
SEE YOU THERE!
YOU MADE IT!!!
Another school year is under your belt and now it's time to enjoy the summer break.
Enjoy an ice cream cone as your go for a stroll.
Cool off by running through the sprinklers.
Or...just stretch out and take a nap in the sun.
Whether you are spending the summer working hard, catching up in summer school, or just relaxing....make sure to enjoy the warm sun!
If you've been following the blog for the last few weeks, you'll know that this is the fifth installment in the [End of Semester Tips] series. The last tip is a simple yet important one:
Tip #5: FINISH STRONG
As we head in to the final hours of the semester, take a deep breath, buckle down, and FINISH STRONG.
We're all cheering you on!!!
What could this adorable sleeping kitten have to do with our Tip #4 installment of the [End of Semester Tips] series??
Tip #4: Guard your health
Often when we are faced with a deadline, the solution seems to be to stay up ALL NIGHT to work.
Research indicates that this is NOT the best plan!!!
Sleep (and getting enough of it) is crucial to physical health and to proper brain function. Check out the
National Sleep Foundation for more information about the importance of sleep.
When you settle in to study remember some important things:
*EAT and don't just eat anything. Eat good, nutritious food. Your body and your mind with thank you.
*DRINK plenty of water. Dehydration can seriously impact your ability to study.
*SLEEP when you are tired. And try to get at least 7-9 hours a night. You will be more productive if you have gotten enough sleep.
Now...let's check out some more adorable animals sleeping :)
Remember to Guard your health during this stressful time.
Tip #3 in our [End of Semester Tips} series....TRIAGE your courses!
What does Triage mean?
Triage: to assign degrees of urgency to
Every student has different goals, so the idea of "triaging" your courses may mean different things.
*Some students may be passing all of their classes, but are hoping to finish each and every assignment in a course.
*Some students may be on the edge of passing classes and need to decide which classes to focus on.
*Some students may be failing all of their classes and have decided it's time to focus on passing just one.
Whatever your situation may be, step back and assess where you stand. Then make an order of attack for the remaining days (and hours!) of the semester.
If you need help getting your triage in place, contact your Student Services Advisor and your individual class teachers for help!
For the second installment of our [End of the Semester Tip] series, a short but sweet tip!
Plan to do each assignment ONCE
What does that mean?
Take the time to LEARN the material, so you are completing an assignment with the intention of passing it.
Often when we rush through things, we end up having to redo them. And in the end that take more time.
So, take your time. LEARN. Plan on doing each assignment ONCE.
Eek! It's the end of the semester!
I will be posting a series of five [End of Semester Tips] to help you FINISH STRONG.
Tip #1: Set some GOALS
I chose the above image to help illustrate the important features of proper goal setting. It's one thing to say "I want to pass", it's quite another to set reasonable, attainable, and specific goals.
As you set out to wrap up your classes, use the "SMART" acronym to guide your goal setting.
S - Specific: Make a list of the specific classes you are planning to pass. Or, if you're already passing everything, make a specific list of which classes you want to revisit and maybe redo some work to increase your grade. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. If it is specific, then you can know when it has been achieved.
M - Measurable: Most of the end of semester goals will come with their own measure...your report card! But, if your goal isn't grade related, you may need to measure it in a different way. Some examples: "Complete all 5 discussions that I skipped throughout the semester" or "Redo my math assignment until I raise the score to 70% or higher". It's important that a goal has measurement so you know you have met it!
A - Attainable: Be careful to choose a goal that is realistic. Now is not the time to take a grade of 11% up to an A. Focus on the places where you can make a real change in the short amount of time we have left. So, make the goal specific, measurable, and possible to attain.
R - Relevant: Make sure that your goal is relevant to finishing the semester at school. Examples of relevant goals (that also meet the above criteria!): "Raise my Science grade from a 52% to a passing grade of 60% or higher by completing the remaining 7 assignments in the course." or "Redo the 'Required to Pass' assignment in History to achieve a passing score, so I can pass the course". These goals are relevant to the end of the semester. They are also specific and can be measured. And they are attainable! An example of a non-relevant goal? "Beating my sister at Trivia Crack" :)
T - Time Bound: Luckily this one is kind of taken care of for you...the end of the semester is our time limit. It is an important practice in goal setting to have a time limit set. We all know how procrastination works...so setting a time goal can help you achieve!
Check back over the next weeks for my series of [End of Semester Tips]! And as always, contact your BlueSky Student Services Advisor and your individual teachers for help!
Megan Hollenkamp
So excited to share Megan Hollenkamp with you today!
Megan is an ESSENTIAL part of the BlueSky family. She does all sorts of administrative work...but she also heads up the Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts, AND she organizes student activities throughout the school year (like PROM!).
But...this is really only a small portion of what Megan does to make BlueSky the amazing school that it is! She is the best!
Here is a little more about Megan....
What classes do you teach/what is your role at BlueSky?
Little bit of everything - administrative work, accounts payable, marketing, social media, attendance
What is your Education background?
History/Studio Art from Concordia, Moorhead; Education degree from University of Great Falls
What is your favorite food?
loooove sushi and like trying new/weird foods - oysters, frog legs, escargot...
Do you have any pets?
I have a dog, Doug, who looks like a fox
What do you do in your spare time?
reading, spending time with friends and family, traveling, I just started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters
What percentage of Americans have less than $400 in an emergency fund?
Answer: 47%
Almost half of Americans say they would have to borrow money or sell something to cover an emergency cost of $400 or more.
From the Wall Street Journal: “But for many Americans, household finances remain fragile: 47% said they wouldn’t be able to cover a $400 emergency expense or would have to borrow money or sell something, and 31% said they went without some form of medical care in the last year because they couldn’t afford it.”
Resources:
Wall Street Journal - Economics Blog “Household Finances - Fed Survey”
Wall Street Journal - Credit Card Issuers are Charging Higher
The Guardian - US Payday Loans Crisis
How do people decide what credit card to get?
Credit Card Selection Reasons by Income according to Credio
Answer: Benefits and Rewards wins at every income level with Low Interest Rates #2 and Build Credit #3.
Your income level may say something about why you applied for a specific credit card.
Data from Credio, an online credit card information website, show that Americans choose credit cards primarily because of the rewards they offer.
But when it comes to secondary reasons, Americans differ based on income level.
For example, those with higher incomes are more likely to select credit cards because of their benefits and rewards, whereas those with lower incomes are more likely to choose cards that will help build credit.
Meanwhile, middle-income earners are more likely to choose credit cards with low interest rates.
Two questions to consider:
Why do you think Benefits and Rewards are the main criteria people use when selecting a credit card?
As income level increases, fewer people select credit cards so that they can build credit. Why do you think that is?
Resources:
Credio
Discover: Credit Card Resources
Money Under 30
The month of April is recognized in the United States as Financial Literacy Month. On Mondays throughout April, we will highlight different financial literacy topics and share some tips with you!
How much more do college grads make than high school grads?
College graduates, on average, earn more money than people who do not go to college. But just exactly, how much more do college graduates earn 5 years after graduating?
Answer: $19,045.13 
Are you surprised? That means, over the course of working 40 years, someone with a high school diploma will make $1,116,600 while someone with a bachelor’s degree will make $2,048,204. That’s nearly a million dollars more!
The job market is only getting more competitive. People who don’t have a degree are going to find it increasingly harder to get a job. College presents you with challenges that you don’t find in high school, and gives you independence and opportunities that you wouldn’t get any other way.
Resources and Additional Articles of Interest:
Next week is....SPRING BREAK!!
Some might be enjoying a little traveling...or just binge watching your favorite shows on Netflix.
But for others, Spring Break is an excellent opportunity to get caught up or even AHEAD in your classes!
- Are you "Behind" pace in your classes?
- Does the number of assignments you need to complete each week keep getting higher?
- Are you worried that you aren't halfway through your courses and it's Midterm?
- Does your Academic Snapshot look like this?
Want to change that?
During Spring Break at BlueSky your classes will be OPEN and ready for you!
Some advantages of completing school work over the break:
- Every assignment you complete over Spring Break reduces the amount you are "Behind" in your classes.
- Each assignment will lower the amount of assignments you need to complete each week to stay on pace for the remainder of the school year.
- You will have a sense of PRIDE for accomplishing school work when it is not "required".
BlueSky Online Blog will be taking a week off for Spring Break, here are a few older posts that may inspire you while we're away!
![[MCA Testing]: Test Info!!!](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xqf0ZDmcwK0/VSbSHCwNfKI/AAAAAAAAAc4/DS7mOvkPHUY/s72-c/5843577306_1a98149efb_o.jpg)
![[End of Semester Tips]: Tip #1 - Set some GOALS](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4j4nPaZhJuA/VK1B-Tzfr5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/lIwBJAeUkvY/s72-c/8334714234_161961fd1a_o.png)
![[End of Semester Tips]: Tip #3 - Triage your Courses](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2893Ob-ioE/VK75YUzuNCI/AAAAAAAAAPI/1q37E_KiEAM/s72-c/5898801173_2ef228c7c2_o.jpg)
![[Teacher Tuesdays]: Leasa Kulm](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9gkb49EioY/VGZq8anFsZI/AAAAAAAAAGs/43yljb1fIR8GnelVLZgsUb_7jP39_Fz_w/s72-c/Teacher%2BTuesday.PNG)
![[Re-Post]: Students and STRESS: Tips on how to deal!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7pSF1FJCquBmJyjcNWkYa6VtrLi1uGM1DMxNHD8xmdagR7E06J_Od-KdYYpuxRyu3xD3U8EiCRoHE5EmixbFzuM3lTWTOskqKh6xCt7MiOwBqhCymSJaUrpqqLMSOo25oefk8warQzE/s72-c/broken_pencil.png)
![[End of Semester Tips]: Tip #2 - Plan to do each assignment ONCE](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LBXNv9qftXw/VK73RxnAfcI/AAAAAAAAAPA/6Dnu_EOIxMU/s72-c/296747958_8c15e91e3f_o.jpg)
![[End of Semester]: Tip #1 - Goal Setting!](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4j4nPaZhJuA/VK1B-Tzfr5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/lIwBJAeUkvY/s72-c/8334714234_161961fd1a_o.png)
![[Parent Orientation]: An Overview of BlueSky Online!](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mO3i9thSkfs/V-WOlGdRfVI/AAAAAAAAA1w/rGYYBz-ulvsS63WVo5hYp8rgImaagI6ygCLcB/s72-c/BlueSky%2Blogo%2B.jpg)