Welcome to the 2018-2019 School Year at UCA!

I am so excited to be your 2nd or 3rd teacher this year! My role as a teacher in an online setting is a little different
than what you may be used to, I am more like a coach, facilitator, guide and partner. My goal is to help your
student achieve their highest potential during this school year. I will be responsible to help develop and
supervise a personalized learning plan with Learning Coaches for the student, grade student’s work and provide
feedback, teach Live Lessons to supplement and enhance current curriculum, give resources for students to
prepare for success with state testing, and be available to answer questions for the student and learning coach.
During our Welcome Call I will go over teacher, student and learning coach roles and
expectations for the school year. Please read through this letter entirely before school begins.
Many of your questions will be answered here. If you have more questions please ask me
during our Welcome Call. I look forward to talking with you soon!

About Me
This is my 5th year teaching at Utah Connections Academy. I have 4 children, and 8
grandchildren! I lived in California for 24 years, both in Southern and Northern. I have lived near the beach, on an
almond ranch, and have had horses and pot belly pigs for pets! I love to read, and learn new ways of
understanding the world around us. I love teaching at UCA, as the relationship built between students, teachers
and Learning Coaches is so beneficial for student success, and I enjoy getting to know each of you during the
school year.

How to get Help

There is always help available! I encourage printing this letter, and hanging in your Student’s learning area at
home for reference. This letter will also be posted on your Student’s Homeroom Message Board.

● Help button: under the more dropdown at the top of Connexus will guide you to answering all the
questions you may have.
● Student Support Line: 800-382-6010 –The quickest way to get help
● Virtual Library: Located in the more dropdown at the top of Connexus
● Learning Coach Central: Excellent resource to understand roles, expectations, and answer questions
● Webmail: Webmail me or the student support desk for any help you may need
● Message Board: Please check this for additional information each week and for field trips updates
● Ms. Norton’s Office Hours: 9am-3pm at 801-449-0508 (you can text me as a well). If I’m in a meeting, or
Live Lesson, I will return the call as soon as possible.

Getting Started
● Complete Student and Learning Coach Orientations: (Located on homepage under To Do List)
● Learning Coach Central: Go here to get answers to questions, stay connected with other families, amazing
resources for helping your student succeed!
● Complete Math and Reading LEAP assessments ASAP so I can determine student accommodations, and
know what level your student is at this point.
● Begin lessons immediately, even if you do not have your books or computer!
● Set up a Learning Environment-Use family plan to set up a daily routine.

596 West 750 South, Suite 110, Woods Cross, UT 84010 • 801-298-6660 phone • 801-298-6670 f ax
www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/UCA
Learning Coach Role
There needs to be a learning coach at home with the student daily. If this is not possible then this might not be the
right environment for the student. A learning coach’s role is to guide your student’s learning experience, assisting
with lesson work, checking for comprehension, and encouraging your student to socialize through field trips and
LiveLesson attendance. The Learning Coach provides structure for the student by:
● Ensuring that the student stays on schedule (All lessons completed on time, no overdue lessons)
● Monitoring attendance (Log attendance every day-6 hours a day 5 days a week)
● Communicating with teachers (through webmail, monthly phone calls, phone calls for questions)
● Assisting and supporting students with lesson work (reviewing lesson objectives and expectations,
making sure all parts of assessments turned in, help keep student on task)
● Minimizing distractions (learning station just for school, established routine, quiet, organized station)
● Monitoring student progress and comprehension (check daily understanding of lessons, if you are unable
to help your student with a concept or needs additional help, then reach out to your teacher for
additional help)

Ms. Norton’s LiveLesson

LiveLesson Sessions Schedule
LiveLessons are extremely important to participate in to: keep students
Monday 10:30 am – Morning
connected to the teacher and other students, enhance and supplement
Meeting, 2nd and 3rd Grades. Come to
current curriculum, get additional support, answer questions and to have
socialize, learn, and start your day in
fun! Students that regularly attend Live Lessons progress more
a positive way!
successfully through their courses! I highly encourage regular
Tuesday 10:30 am – 2nd Grade
attendance, and promise to make Live Lessons engaging, and beneficial
Targeted Live Lesson
for your student.
Wednesday 10:30 am – 3rd Grade
Targeted Live Lesson
We will have Targeted Live Lessons (see schedule) for 2nd and 3rd grades
Thursday 10:30 am – Morning
that will teach standards that students are struggling with. 2nd grade will
Meeting, 2nd and 3rd Grades
always meet in my Live Lesson room. 3rd grade will be meeting in my Live
Lesson room the 1st and 3rd weeks of the month, and in Ms. Cattelain’s
room the 2nd and 4th weeks of the month. Live Lessons will be placed in
your Student’s Calendar, along with the link to Ms. Cattelain’s room.

Learning Coach/Student Monthly Phone Call/Meeting

● I will speak with the Learning Coach and Student every Month during our Personalized Learning Plan
conferences over the phone about student progress, individualized learning plans, address academic
concerns, assess learning and celebrate student success. If necessary, we can plan more meetings during
the month, depending on your student’s needs.
● Plan for approximately 15 minutes for the meeting
● Staying in contact with the teacher 2 times per month is required to attend UCA. Another contact would
be Live Lesson attendance.

596 West 750 South, Suite 110, Woods Cross, UT 84010 • 801-298-6660 phone • 801-298-6670 f ax
www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/UCA
Escalation-Alarm/Approaching Alarm
When you login, you will see either a green smiley face, yellow face or a red sad face. This is a quick way to show if
your student is either on task or something needs attention, such as attendance logged, lessons completed or
portfolios turned in. If a student goes into alarm (red face), then he/she may be turned over to administration for
further review and may be withdrawn from UCA if those requirements are not addressed.

Secrets of Success
● Daily Attendance—Learning Coaches need to record
attendance EVERY day and mark lessons complete.
Students will go into Alarm if attendance isn’t recorded
regularly. Please be diligent in this task.
● Establish a routine and quiet learning environment
● Begin the first day of school or the day you have
access to lessons—if you have enrolled later—Begin
even if you do not have all of the books and materials!
You have copies of the books online through the links in
your lessons. If you get behind, it is hard to catch up.
● Do all your assignments in order. Complete Portfolios
before going on to the next Unit. You can scan Portfolios and use the “Dropbox” in the lesson. Submitting
assignments electronically allows for quicker feedback. If you need to mail in a portfolio please send me a
webmail to let me know.
● Decide how you are going to use your Student Planner. Your Learning Coach can enter family
outings and appointments and any other events that will affect student’s schooling. I will update your
planner with LiveLessons, one on one LiveLesson meetings, field trips, reminders and more. Events on
your planner show up on your to do list on the Homepage as a reminder.
● Be available for required scheduled monthly phone calls. If you need to reschedule, please send
me a Webmail message, so a more appropriate time can be arranged.
● Attend scheduled LiveLessons
● Mark the STATE TESTING Dates on your Family Calendar when made available (3rd grade only).
● ASK QUESTIONS! If you are new to UCA—it takes a few weeks to get adjusted to this new way of
learning. If you are a returning family, it will take some time to adjust to the new curriculum and get back
into your school routine. If you have questions—ask. If I don’t know the answer, I will find out who does.
● School Support/Tech Support—800-382-6010. You can always call School Support with questions—
especially if they are computer or equipment related.

596 West 750 South, Suite 110, Woods Cross, UT 84010 • 801-298-6660 phone • 801-298-6670 f ax
www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/UCA
I hope most of your questions have been answered, but if not, be sure to ask when I call within the next
week to welcome your family to UCA! It’s going to be a great year, and I appreciate the chance to work
with you to help your student achieve their highest potential.

Sincerely,

Ms. Norton

596 West 750 South, Suite 110, Woods Cross, UT 84010 • 801-298-6660 phone • 801-298-6670 f ax
www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/UCA