The Agora Pulse

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! The first day of school is Monday, August 28, 2023. We hope this message finds you in great anticipation of the school year. Agora is bustling with excitement and enthusiasm as we prepare for a year of academic excellence, personal growth, and memorable experiences for our students and families. Here's to a fantastic school year ahead!

We are so excited to welcome you to the 2023/2024 school year at Agora Cyber Charter School! It is our sincere hope that you'll feel you belong here as you continue to grow and achieve. We'll be trying some new strategies and looking for some feedback from you along the way. To learn more about it, click HERE.

Agora's all school newsletter, The Agora Pulse, will serve as a valuable communication tool to keep you up-to-date with important announcements, upcoming events, student achievements, and information on what's happening at Agora. In each issue, you'll get a glimpse of what is happening at Agora and in your student's grade band. We believe that strong communication between the school and our families is essential for creating a thriving learning community, and this newsletter is designed to enhance that connection. Look for The Agora Pulse monthly throughout the school year.

Open the links below to read messages from Agora Principals, find out details about the start of the school year, review important dates for each grade band, and read what to expect on the first day of school for both new and returning students.

Agora's school calendar is a vital organizational tool that outlines the academic year's schedule, including important dates, holidays, breaks, and events. Be sure to download a copy to assist you with planning for your student. Below are upcoming important dates.

• August 28: First Day of School | Orientation for all Students
• September 1-4: Labor Day Weekend, School/Office Closed
• September 11: Board Meeting @ 4:00 PM, Board Docs
• September 13: (AM) Half Day for Students | (PM) Asynch for students | Staff In-Service
• September 25: Yom Kippur, School/Office Closed

To download a copy, click HERE.

The New Student Orientation and Back to School Programs are designed to introduce incoming new students and returning students to Agora's online school. The primary goal of the programs is to facilitate a smooth transition in helping students to adjust to the online model, understand academic expectations, and become familiar with Agora's resources and services.

For orientation and back to school session information for the start of school, click HERE.

Celebrate the beginning of another school year by joining us at a Back To School Agora Day Out (ADO) Event! Theses events will be take place on Wednesday, September 27th. These in-person and virtual ADO events are designed to help school families learn more about Agora, as well as provide families with an opportunity to meet school staff and connect with other Agora school families. Mark your calendar and check your email for more details and information for times and locations!

Help Your Child Succeed in School

• School success goes hand in hand with good attendance.

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
• Missing 10% (or about 18 days per year) can make it harder to learn to read.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
• Being late to required sessions may lead to poor attendance.
• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

WHAT YOU CAN DO…

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Be sure your child logs on and attends required sessions every school day.
• Make sure your child is up to date with immunizations.
• Don’t let your child miss required sessions unless he/she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to miss class.
• If your child seems anxious about school, talk to family coaches, teachers, school counselors or other parents for advice on how to make him/her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Develop back-up plans for logging into school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor or a friend to connect to the internet.
• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

This year, Sapphire Community Portal replaces the Tyler SIS which has been discontinued. Information regarding how to set up your Sapphire account will be emailed directly to Learning Coaches. Once your account has been approved, you will have access to the same functionality as you did with Tyler in the past. This includes viewing grades and submitting attendance forms. A brief overview of Sapphire can be viewed by clicking HERE.

ClassLink will still continue to offer a convenient single sign-on service for Learning Coaches and students. Due to a change in the program though, student sign in will be slightly different this year. Information regarding this procedure, along with login credentials, will be emailed to the student and Learning Coach.

We are excited to announce that we are expanding our usage of the school-to-home communication tool called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Agora. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information
• Share pictures and files
• See calendar items
• and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

Parents—Getting Started Video

All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text.

Download our FREE ParentSquare app for iOS or Android. This is the easiest way to receive all Posts, Events, Sign Up Requests, Photos and Files. Users can enable app notifications when a message is posted.

iOS App - iOS App Store

Android App - Google Play Store

The Student Handbook is designed to be your go-to guide for understanding Agora's values, policies, and resources. Whether you're a new family eager to familiarize yourself with Agora or a returning family looking for a refresher, the handbook will serve as a valuable resource throughout the school year. When you have reviewed the student handbook login to your Sapphire account and complete the Student Handbook sign-off form.

Download the PDF below to reference during the school year.

Agora is searching for a new mascot and we need your help! We are looking for something (anything!) that represents our school's Mission, Vision, and Core Values which can be found HERE.

Is it an animal, an object, a concept, or something else?

Students will get a survey to submit their ideas the first week of school during Orientation. Families will also receive an email by the end of the first week with a link to submit your ideas. The top ideas from across the school will then enter a final selection process where the entire school community will decide.

• Agora’s Virtual Bookfair is September 1st -15th! FALL into reading with some new books while supporting literacy for Agora students.
• Agora’s mobile library is on the go again this year! Reach out to your family coach for more details on where and when you can borrow books.

College and career events are designed to give students the opportunity to explore career opportunities, meet prospective employers, and practice their professional skills. Agora can assist with career exploration, post-secondary options, and college planning. To view events happening across the state, view or download the PDF below. If any questions, contact Kristin Thatcher, College and Career Readiness Coordinator, at kthatcher@agora.org.

Like anything new, students might be feeling lots of different emotions as they start the new school year. Click HERE to read this month's Mental Health Newsletter which contains tips to help make the first day or week a little easier. Also, be sure to visit Agora's Virtual Calming Room for anxiety reduction and relaxation techniques to manage emotions during stressful times.

Please complete your Family Income Form for the 2023-2024 school year. Check your email for the subject line - "Please DocuSign: Agora Family Income Form" from familyincome@agora.org.

Directions are below on how to complete the form. If there is more than one Legal Guardian on the account, it may have gone to another email. We need the DocuSign version of the form completed. If you completed a form prior to July 1, 2022, you will need to complete another form for this school year. If you have recently completed your form, please disregard this message.

If you have any questions, you can email familyincome@agora.org

Agora's Information Technology Help Desk
Agora's Information (IT) Department provides technology support for our school families who need assistance with ClassLink, Sapphire Portal, Microsoft, or Student Assistive Technology. You can talk to an Agora IT team member by calling (844) 507-8233 or by emailing support@agora.org Monday through Friday starting from 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM EST.

Stride's Customer Care and Technical Support
Stride has a dedicated IT Support Desk available for families who are having problems with student equipment, the online school, or Newrow Class Connect. You can reach the Stride Customer Care and Technical Support team by calling (855) 412-3712 during the hours of operation.

• Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 11:59 PM EST
• Saturday - Sunday 12 Noon - 8:00 PM EST

For more information regarding Stride's customer support for our Agora families, visit the Agora Support Center by clicking HERE.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the Agora Board of Trustees monthly meetings will take place at 4:00 PM. Meetings will continue to be held virtually. Access and agenda links will be distributed to the school community prior to each of the meeting dates. Click HERE to view agendas and minutes.

Join us in the summer of 2024 on our amazing educational travel programs. An informational meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 29th at Noon. The link to join the meeting will be listed in your student's Class Connect schedule in the online school. The meeting will be recorded if you are unable to attend. For trip details and/or to enroll at any time, click the links below.