Blog Week 11/8

 

THRIVE Director Notes

Posts on this Blog will be directed to help families see what is going on in our THRIVE Program.  Items discussed on the Blog have already occurred.  To keep updated on what’s coming up please refer to the THRIVE activity calendar or UCM activity calendar.

Cold and Flu Season Is Just Around the corner…

We talked to the students last week about the colds and flu season.  We discussed hand-washing and the use of hand sanitizer to help keep healthy.  We will also be discussing the cleanliness of the dorm rooms and keeping their areas clean.  Last year we seemed to have a healthier bunch of students, which I believe is from us continually keeping our offices sanitized and the students doing a good job of keeping their areas clean, also.  The teachers discussed what it looks like to self-quarantine and what it means.  It doesn’t mean that the student has COVID.  We typically will ask students that are feeling sick or have a cough to stay in their dorm room.  They are still responsible for attending class but virtually through Google Meet.  This has helped keep our students from getting sick.  Then we also talk to their roommate and suitemates about cleaning rooms and not using their roommate or suitemates items.  If a student is sick, the dining halls have an online system for them to use to get their meals brought to them.  We also have and will continue to talk to students that aren’t dressing for the weather… 

Possible Roommate Changes: This Will happen the week after Thanksgiving break, for those wanting to change roommates.

Hello Families, This past week staff looked at the students' requests for changes.  Some students didn’t want to change, and this is ok.  At the end of the semester, all students on campus have the ability to change roommates.  So we have done the same for the last few years.  If students don’t want to change they don’t have to, they’ll tell us in this form.  If they do, we ask that they let us know their top 5 choices of roommates, then who they don’t want to roommate with.  Then the staff works hard to make all students happy, unfortunately, sometimes this doesn’t work out but we do our best.  We do tell them that many times it’s not the best decision to room with your best friend.  We’ve had students, over the years, try this and end up not being the best of friends.  We encourage you to discuss this.  We will let students know the week prior to Thanksgiving Break who they are rooming with if there is a change.  Then the week they get back from break THRIVE staff and other students will help make the moves so everyone is moved before they leave for Winter Break.

Thanksgiving Break (November 20- 28).  

Students will need to be out of the dorms by 6 pm on Friday the 19th.  Please make sure you have made arrangements for this to happen.  Students will receive a check-off sheet the week prior that they will typically have to leave taped to the door.  Here is a listing of things from previous years.  

• Close and Lock Window

• Remove all trash & recyclables to the appropriate place        

• Turn off lights

• Turn off alarms

• Close and lock bathroom door and room door 

I’d also suggest that students look at items that they won’t need over the Winter break and start to take some things home.  We will have a Room check the weekend prior to help ensure the rooms were clean the weekend before they leave, we will also remind the students that they need to leave their room very clean and organized when they leave.  We encourage families to make sure and look to see what they could take home on Thanksgiving break to help with this.

First-Year Students:

FIrst-Year Students Finals Week is November 29-3rd, the first-year students leave a week early during this first semester.  They will need to be out of the dorms by 6 pm on Friday the 3rd of December.  During this week the first-year students will have their finals for this semester and they will be able to leave after their last final.  There will also be a check-off sheet that the students will need to make sure of and do before they leave for Winter Break.  

University Foundations: Debra Southard  

Students have had several writing assignments this week. One of the assignments was to write about three characteristics they have they are proud of. Also, all first-year students were to make an appointment over in the writing center and get extra help on an assignment. Friday we made a list on the board of the assignments that needed to be completed by next Tuesday. Students were encouraged to work on assignments this weekend. We also discussed getting their rooms cleaned up preparing for Thanksgiving break. 

Individual & Family Health and Relationships:  Debra Southard & Lisa Garnier 

On Monday we had a tropical fruit tasting as part of our healthy eating segment. Students tried guava, pomegranate, dragon fruit, kiwi, fresh pineapple, and gala apple. They also sampled three flavors of Kombucha (a non-alcoholic, fermented drink that is good for healthy digestion and gut biome). Everyone enjoyed it and discovered some new fruits they can include in their diets. Wednesday we became disease detectives and are working on The Case of the Poisoned Potluck to discover what food at the gathering caused the attendees to become sick.

Technology Literacy:  Lisa Garnier

Continued working on iMovies and finalizing storyboards and filming. The iMovies will be presented after Thanksgiving break as the final project for the technology literacy class.

Students studying and getting ready for their video assignments.

Career Exploration: Michael Brunkhorst

This week the students will be finishing up their resumes by adding their education and activities to their resume.  Then over Thanksgiving break, they will have a hard copy that they will bring home to see if there's anything they need to add.  They will write down what they need to add and then will have the week following to finish it up and turn it in as part of their final.  In addition, Friday we discussed their final paper.  They will have a final paper to write about their assessments and conversations about their career interests and backup plans for after THRIVE.  This will be shared with them on their Google Drive so that they can work on it over Thanksgiving break.  Then the week after Thanksgiving they can have it checked by the Learning Commons, a place on campus where all students can bring their work to get checked.  Then on Friday, after Thanksgiving, they will get a chance to finish it up and then turn it in as the last part of their final.

A few pictures from our students in PE last week…

Second-Year Students:

2nd-Year Students Finals Week:

Transition Planning I: Gary Manning

The students had $200 to use for a week on needs/wants.  The student had to pick out needs and wants.  The students could also choose to save $50 for the week.  Most students did not choose this option.  However, a lot of students did choose to spend their money on needs.  For example: paying their cell phone bill, fixing their broken computer, purchasing hygiene products.  Some of the wants that the students purchased were going to Chipotle’s, going to Starbucks, buying a new hoodie.  In class, we will continue to do activities like this.  

Internship I: Gary Manning

We are in the process of getting ready for our mock interviews.  We have been discussing professional dress, handshake, not having your cell phone out, being prepared for questions, and trying not to be nervous during the interview.  The students' mock interview will be during finals week. 

THRIVE Activities:

Mentor Activities: This last Saturday at 11 students prepared Beef Enchiladas and Rice.  It looks like our students are enjoying learning more about cooking.

Great Job Everyone!!  For more pictures please join our THRIVE Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Important upcoming dates: 

Next Mentor Activity:  

We won’t have any more mentor activities this semester. 

Thanksgiving Break (November 20- 28).  

Students will need to be out of the dorms by 6 pm on Friday the 19th.  Please make sure you have made arrangements for this to happen.  Students will receive a check-off sheet the week prior that they will typically have to leave taped to the door.  Here is a listing of things from previous years.  

• Close and Lock Window

• Remove all trash & recyclables to the appropriate place        

• Turn off lights

• Turn off alarms

• Close and lock bathroom door and room door 

I’d also suggest that students look at items that they won’t need over the Winter break and start to take some things home.  We will have a Room check the weekend prior to help ensure the rooms were clean the weekend before they leave, we will also remind the students that they need to leave their room very clean and organized when they leave.  We encourage families to make sure and look to see what they could take home on Thanksgiving break to help with this.

Winter Break: 

First-Year students-Leave Friday, December 3rd by 6 pm.

Second-Year students-Leave Friday, December 10th by 6 pm.

The views and ideas expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.  This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.  We are simply telling you what we plan to do in our program and using the blog to help spread what we are doing on a weekly basis."