Testing News

A few parents have asked questions about upcoming state testing in the spring. Here is the information I have so far. Remember that it is still early days in the planning and dates may change. I do not have testing times yet. I will continue to update you as information is shared with me.

Who is taking tests and what tests will they be taking?
Smarter Balanced Tests:
• English language arts/literacy and mathematics in grades 3–8 and grade 11
Paper-pencil tests:
• California Standards Tests (CSTs) for Science—grades 5, 8, and 10

Where can we start practicing for these tests?

CAASP Practice Tests

http://www.caaspp.org/practice-and-training/

CST Practice Tests
Grade 5 Science
Grade 8 Science
Grade 10 Science

Other ways to get your child ready include:

• Typing practice 
• Computer navigation practice
• Reading long stories and other text on a computer or tablet screen

Where and when will my student test?

Jackson - Grace Church

May 3 - 6 (CST and 11th grade SBAC Tuesday, SBAC all grades Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday if needed)

Rescue - Foothills United Methodist Church

April 26 - 29 (CST and 11th grade SBAC Tuesday, SBAC all grades Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday if needed)

Visions is required by the state to have over 95% of its students test, falling under that number endangers the Charter and puts Visions at risk for state compliance monitoring.

Upcoming

• LP 5 Ends: Friday, January 15
• Martin Luther King Day (No school): Monday, January 18
• Teacher Work Days (No School): Tuesday and Wednesday, January 19 and 20
• LP 6 Begins: Thursday, January 21

• Lincoln's Birthday (No school): Monday, February 8
• LP 6 Ends: Friday, February 12

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 1/11
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Gage - 11:00
Haley, Riley, Madeline, & Paige- 12:30
Zora - 3:00 (Clark's Corner)

Wednesday
Jackson
Khloe & Sadie - 11:00
Jackson - Grace Church
Ana & Baruch - 12:30
Emily - 2:30
Tristan - 3:30

Thursday
Pine Grove
Emma N. - 11:00
William - 12:15
Joy & Tobias- 1:30

Friday
Jackson - Starbucks
Xannett - 11:00
Wyatt - 12:00
Jaye - 1:00
Lilly - 2:00

LP5 & LP6 - Friendly Reminder

LP5 ends on Friday, January 15.

LP6 Begins on Thursday, January 21.

During our LP5 meeting we will generate semester grades (6-12), and create the digital copy of official report cards (K-5). K-5 - Please have your draft report cards ready for our LP5 meeting.

During our LP6 meeting I will be collecting official work samples for Visions. All Grades - Please have your LP6 semester plan complete for our LP5 meeting (so we can cement what topics you will cover for official work samples), and the remainder of your semester plan complete for our LP6 meeting.

Thank you!

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 1/4
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Khloe & Sadie - 11:00
Tyler & Lexi - 1:00

Wednesday
Ione
Leila - 11:00
Zora - 12:30
Lillian - 1:35
Clark's Corner
Jaye - 3:00 (12:05?)

Thursday
Pioneer Library
Xanett - 12:00
Wyatt - 2:20
Emma E.- 3:30 - (1:10?)

Friday
Office Day

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 12/14
Professional Development in Carmichael

Tuesday
Plymouth
Jezreel - 10:00
Somerset
Yarrow ~ 11:20
Plymouth
David - 3:30

Wednesday
Ione
Grace - 11:00
Luke & Alex - 12:30
Jasmine & Roxy - 2:30

Thursday
Camino
Alex M. - 11:00
Grizzly Flat
Teran ~ 12:30

Friday
Office Day

Spelling Bee

Visions invites 1st to 8th grade students to participate in the school-wide Visions Spelling Bee this Friday 12/11 from 9 to 1. More information on the Spelling Bee event page.

Scholastic Book Fair

Join us at our annual Scholastic Book Fair, December 7th – 11th, for a fun opportunity to purchase books and other educational items. Families have two options to make purchases (on site or through Launchpad) and each enrolled student is allotted up to $50 from school funds for the book fair. To learn more visit our Book Fair event page.

Picture Day

Visions will host a Picture Day at the main office during the week of the book fair (Thurs, Dec. 10).  For more information, visit our Picture Day event page.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 12/7
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Gage - 11:00
Haley, Riley, Madeline, & Paige- 12:30

Wednesday
Jackson - Grace Church
Wyatt - 11:30
Ana & Baruch - 12:30
Emily - 2:30
Tristan - 3:30

Thursday
Pine Grove
Emma N. - 11:00
William - 12:15
Joy & Tobias- 1:30

Friday
Hold for Carmichael IEP meeting

Upcoming

• Scholastic Book Fair: Monday, December 7 - Friday, December 11
• LP 4 Ends: Friday, December 11
• Optional School Pictures: Thursday, December 10
• Spelling Bee: Friday, December 11, 9-1 p.m.
• Christ Community Church, Manzanita Avenue, Carmichael. Grades 1-8 will do a grade level preliminary spelling bee. The top three winners of grades 3-8 will progress to a final round. The winner of the final round is eligible to participate in the Central Valley Spelling Bee.
• Winter Break: Monday December 21 - Friday, January 1

• New Year's Day: Friday, January 1
• School Resumes: Monday, January 4
• LP 5 Ends: Friday, January 15
• Martin Luther King Day (No school): Monday, January 18
• Teacher Work Days (No School): Tuesday and Wednesday, January 19 and 20
• LP 6 Begins: Thursday, January 21

Report Cards

First semester report cards for K-5, and grades for 6-12, will be due at our LP5 meeting.

K-5
I will bring a paper (draft) copy of the report card to our LP4 meeting. (For parents to fill out and have ready for our LP5 meeting.) I will create the final copy, submit one to Visions and one to you.

6th through 12th grade:

Parents will provide LP5 grades at our LP5 meeting. I will calculate the cumulative grades from LP1-LP5 and enter them in to Launchpad. Visions will create and send the report card to you.


For additional information on Grades and Report Cards, or to download copies of K-5 report cards, see the Grades and Report Cards Overview page on the Wire.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 11/30
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Khloe & Sadie - 11:00
Tyler & Lexi - 1:00

Wednesday
Grace Church in Jackson
Leila - 11:00
Zora - 12:30
Clark's Corner in Ione
Lillian - 2:00
Jaye - 3:00

Thursday
Pioneer Library
Xanett - 12:00
Joey - 1:10
Wyatt - 2:20
Emma E.- 3:30

Friday
Office Day
Somerset
Yarrow - 10:00

First Day of LP4

Today is the first day of LP4.

Please check that your semester plans are up to date through the end of the semester (through LP5). Thank you! Let me know if you have questions or need any help.

Spring semester plans will be due for our LP5 meeting. (At the very least, I'll need your LP6 plans that will correspond with the official 2nd semester work samples.)

I will be collecting second semester "official" work samples during our LP6 meeting (or LP7 meeting if we meet the first week of the LP).

Any questions?  :)

Thanksgiving Break

Next week is Thanksgiving Week.

I will be working on Monday and Tuesday so feel free to contact me if you need anything. I will be unavailable Wednesday - Sunday. School resumes Monday, 11/30.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 11/16
Office Day

Tuesday
Plymouth
David - 8:30
Jezreel - 10:00
David - 3:30

Wednesday
Ione
Grace - 11:00
Jasmine & Roxy - 12:30

Thursday
Camino
Alex M. - 11:00
Placerville Library
Yarrow - 2:10
Teran - 3:20

Friday
CT - Small Group Meeting

Upcoming

• Daylight saving time ends: Sunday, November 1
• Sly Park Science Camp: Monday, November 2 - Friday, November 16
• Overnight science camp for 5th & 6th graders only. Student enrollment by contacting Nancy Peterson at napeterson@viedu.org.
• Veteran's Day (Holiday): Wednesday, November 11
• LP3 Ends: Friday, November 13
• Thanksgiving Week Break: Monday, November 23 - Friday, November 27

• Scholastic Book Fair: Monday, December 7 - Friday, December 11
• LP 4 Ends: Friday, December 11
• Optional School Pictures: Thursday, December 10
• Spelling Bee: Friday, December 11, 9-1 p.m.
• Christ Community Church, Manzanita Avenue, Carmichael. Grades 1-8 will do a grade level preliminary spelling bee. The top three winners of grades 3-8 will progress to a final round. The winner of the final round is eligible to participate in the Central Valley Spelling Bee.
• Winter Break: Monday December 21 - Friday, January 1

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 11/2
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Gage - 11:00
Haley, Riley, Madeline, & Paige- 12:30

Wednesday
Jackson - Grace Church
Jaye - 11:30
Ana & Baruch - 12:30
Emily - 2:30
Tristan - 3:30

Thursday
Pine Grove
Emma N. - 11:00
William - 12:15
Joy & Tobias- 1:30
Pioneer Library
Wyatt - 3:30

Friday
Office Day

Student Budget Transfer Season

Copied from The Wire...

We want to let Home School Academy families know that budget transfers will be accepted during the month of November (either by email, fax or mail) and they will be processed by early December, so that families may have funds in place for Spring semester ordering. Please email the Budget Transfer Form to rc@viedu.org, or fax them to 916-971-5379 or mail them to the attention of the Resource Center at our main offices at 5030 El Camino Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608.

The purpose of budget transfers is to allow families to have the ability to move budget dollars between student(s) accounts within the same family, should a certain student have a need for a greater amount of educational resources or services. Transaction ranges are limited to:

• Individual student account deduction, limited to $100-$250 (no more than $250 from a single student).
• Individual student account increase, capped at $500 (no more that $500 can be added to a single student).

If you have any questions on any of these items please submit them through our Help Form.

Thank you,

The Resource Center team

Sacramento Children's Museum Homeschool Days

Did you know about this? I didn't, but I know a family who went recently and LOVED it!

It is worth checking out :) And the museum is a Visions vendor so you can get a voucher for the cost of admission!

From their website:

DETAILS  During Homeschool Days, students will have exclusive access to all of the Museum's hands-on exhibits, and two different classes per age group will be offered. Classes are appropriate for Grades Preschool-6 and may include science, art, music, cultural, and/or literacy classes.

DATES/TIMES  The program will be offered the second Monday of each month from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. On-site registration and check-in begins at 12:30 p.m. Upcoming 2015 Homeschool Days are Nov. 9 and Dec. 14.

COST  Admission is $5 per person, which includes all classes and Museum play. Members and children under 1 are free. The Museum is a vendor with Horizons Charter Schools, Visions in Education, South Sutter Charter School, and Pacific Charter Institute and its entities.

CLASSES  Registration is required to take classes. To register, click HERE to sign up online, e-mail sherry@sackids.org, or call 916-638-7225 ext. 104. Classes are split by age group. However, if you would like your child to attend a class time outside of their age group or would like all of your children to attend the same class, you are more than welcome to sign them up for your preferred class time. Each class will be tailored to meet the needs of that age group. Please note: Registration is NOT required if you are coming for Museum play only.