Monday, October 24, 2016

Voucher Ordering Reminders

From the Wire...

In order to get your voucher orders processed as quickly as possible, please remember the following:

  • Enter your voucher order into Launchpad at least 5 business days prior to the start of the services. This will allow sufficient time for your CT to review and approve them, as well as give the Resource Center staff time to process the vouchers prior to the start of services. No services that are being paid with Visions funds can be provided prior to the voucher being in the vendor’s hands.
  • Vouchers submitted less than 5 business days prior to the start of services may not be able to be processed in time and therefore charges for services will have to be paid for by parents out of their own pocket, rather than utilizing your student’s Visions funds.
  • Budget transfers are a great way to move funds between sibling accounts, so that you can have additional funds for vouchers. Families can start submitting budget transfers now to make funds available. Budget transfers will be processed in the month of November.
Also, remember that you may use 50% of your funds (after ordering your curriculum) for vouchers this semester. You will need to save 50% of your funds for next semester.

Book Fair and Picture Day

From the Wire...

Bookaneer Book Fair: Where Books are the Treasures
Ahoy mateys! We invite you to join us at our nautical book fair at our Carmichael Resource Center (5030 El Camino Ave). The fair is open to ALL Visions students.

December 5-9

Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Student Fund Purchases
Purchases may be made with available Visions student funds up to $50.00, including tax, at the Bookaneer Book Fair.

Student Picture Day
Lifetouch Photography will be available for student pictures on December 8. Photo hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 4 p.m.

To pay with a credit card please purchase picture packages online and bring a printed receipt to picture day. Visit www.mylifetouch.com for more info. Photo packages may also be purchased the day of the photo shoot by cash or check. More information will be available as the date gets closer.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 10/24
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Joseph - 11:00
Tiffany & Madison - 12:10

Wednesday
Ione
Grace - 11:00
Bonnie - 12:10
Charlotte - 1:30
Khloe & Sadie - 2:35

Thursday
Ione
Justin - 10:30
Leila - 12:10
Jasmine & Roxie - 1:30

Friday
Somerset
Yarrow - 10:00

Monday, October 17, 2016

Harvest Festival - This Friday!

Friday, October 21, 2016 - 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
First Baptist Church - Fair Oaks, 4401 San Juan Ave.; Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Bring the family and enjoy Visions annual Home School Harvest Festival. 
Enjoy games, win prizes and participate in fun activities including Scavenger Hunt, Fishing Booth, Face Painting, Cake Walk, Crafts and more.  This is a no fee event.                          

Food and snacks will be provided.

(Turkey and vegetarian hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cotton candy and water.)

Register through the flyer.
Print your Field Trip Permission Form here.

Washington DC Trip


From the Wire...

Visions is excited to offer 8th-9th grade Home School students a unique opportunity to experience our nation’s Capital in October 2017.

This cross-country field trip to Washington DC will be chaperoned by Visions CTs. Leaving Northern California by plane, the group will spend five days and four nights touring sites such as:

  • The National Air and Space Museum
  • The Lincoln Memorial
  • The Vietnam War Memorial
  • Ford’s Theater (Site of President Lincoln’s Assassination)
  • Mt. Vernon (Home of George and Martha Washington)
  • The National Museum of American History
  • The US Capitol Building
  • The National Museum of Natural History
  • Arlington National Cemetery
  • The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
  • The Library of Congress

At this time, we are only accepting Home School students who will be in 8th or 9th grade in the Fall of 2017.

We have chosen a fall itinerary to minimize costs and crowds.

Students who are interested should sign up ASAP on the interest list (linked in the flyer below). By signing up, you are not obligated to participate, but this will give us a clearer idea of numbers and help to solidify costs. Commitments will be made when contracts (made directly with Adventures America) are signed and first payments are made. Students will be sleeping 4 to a room, grouped by gender, and will have a packed schedule. Parents are not able to attend as the program is only open to students and Visions CT chaperones.

Although we cannot utilize student funds for this trip, there is a payment plan that will be outlined at an informational meeting to be held at the Visions office on Nov. 7. For more, please read the Visions In Education Washington DC Trip flyer.

Questions? Contact CT Steve Huck at shuck@viedu.org.

Sutter's Fort Environmental Living Program


Copied from the Wire...

Give your student an overnight experience they won’t forget as they spend 24 hours portraying characters of 1840s California and partaking in various trade activities and entertainment. Taking place at Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento on February 23-24, the event is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself and your student(s) in the era that defines California history.

Sutter’s Fort is open to K-8 students, who, to fully capture the Gold Rush experience, will come dressed in their own period clothing. One parent per family is required to attend with the student and to work a station assigned by the group coordinator.

The cost to participate is $140, payable with student funds. There is also an opportunity for 9-12th grade Home School students to attend as an apprentice who works at a station. The cost to apprentice is $80, also payable with student funds.

Registration is now open! To sign up and learn more, visit the Sutter Fort program event page on the Wire.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

This is one of those LPs with four school weeks, so there are no "regular" scheduled meetings. I will be working on everyone's work samples this week, but am available for help, or extra meetings, if needed.

Monday 10/17
Office Day

Tuesday
Office Day

Wednesday
Ione - Clark's Corner
Jaye - 11:00
Wyatt - 12:00
Emily - 1:00
Lucas - 2:00

Thursday
Office Day

Friday

Monday, October 10, 2016

Upcoming & Notable

Add/Drop Deadline (High School)
Friday, October 21st.

Harvest Festival (New Location!)
Friday, October 21st. More info here.

Spelling Bee 
Open for enrollment. More info here.

Semester 1 Official Work Samples - Reminder
I will be collecting official semester 1 work samples at our LP2 meeting. These work samples can be from anytime during LP1 or LP2. Please be sure to provide:
  • one sample for each assigned subject
  • samples that match the assignments, lessons, unit numbers and/or learning units on your semester plan for either LP1 or LP2
  • samples on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, free of staples and rough edges (Imagine that Visions has to file 5,000 of these work sample packets! The tidier I can compile them, the better.)
  • samples that are graded and/or commented on by parent
  • samples that reflect student work (multiple choice assignments and tests are not accepted by the school)
Student Budget Transfers
Budget transfers will be accepted during the month of November (either by email, fax or mail) and they will be processed as they are received. All transfers will be completed by early December so that families may have funds in place for Spring Semester ordering. More info and forms here.

Every Kid in a Park Program

From the Wire...

Hey 4th graders! This one’s for you (and your family).

In an initiative to protect our nation’s unique landscapes and to ensure that every American has the opportunity to enjoy them, the US Government is once again enacting the Every Kid in a Park Program in which 4th grade students and their families are granted free admission to National Parks and other federal lands and waters through August 2017.

In its second year, Every Kid in a Park is an easy-to-sign-up program that issues a printable pass to 4th grade students, good for all kids in the group under the age of 16 and three adults (up to the capacity of a passenger car).

The pass gives families access to literally hundreds of parks throughout the nation. The program even offers some handy planning tools to make the most of your trips (or for alternate travel ideas, check out the National Park Foundation’s downloadable guides.)

Some of California’s own parks include Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Redwood National Park, Muir Woods, Joshua Tree, Channel Islands, and so many more.

4th graders were selected due to their growing curiosity about the world and lasting impact of making America’s varied, stunning, and vast outdoor spaces a student’s living classroom. The program was also started due to the recognition that more than 80 percent of American families live in urban areas and, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, American youth spend an average of 7+ hours per day on electronics.

With outdoor access easier than ever, it’s time get outside and experience the awe of our unique lands and national monuments!

Please note that a printed pass is required for entry (no electronic copies) and that, since some parks are privately owned, it is recommended to call individual parks prior to visiting.

For more information, visit everykidinapark.gov.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 10/10
Office Day

Tuesday
Somerset
Yarrow - 1:00
Pollock Pines
Alex - 2:30

Wednesday
Ione
Grace B. - 11:00
Lilly - 12:05
Hunter - 1:30
Charles - 2:35

Thursday
Jackson Library
Zora - 10:30
Billy - 11:30
Emma - 12:30
Connnor - 1:30

Friday
Office Day

Monday, October 3, 2016

Teaching Resources


Our coach shared these great teaching resources at our Group CT meeting today:

Better Lesson 
http://betterlesson.com/common_core

3 Acts Lessons
https://gfletchy.com/3-act-lessons/

3 Act Math
http://wmh3acts.weebly.com/3-act-math.html

Robert Kaplinsky
http://robertkaplinsky.com/lessons/

Teaching Channel Videos
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?default=1

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 10/3
CT Small Group Meeting

Tuesday
Ione
Joshua - 11:00
Alexis & Tyler - 12:05
Gage - 2:30

Wednesday
Jackson
Isabeau & McKenna - 11:00
Wyatt - 1:30
Emily - 2:30

Thursday
Somerset
Jezreel - 11:00
Ione
Jasmine & Roxie - 1:00
Plymouth
David - 3:30

Friday
Office Day

Monday, September 26, 2016

Mystery Science

Homeschooling tip from Heather...

Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.


Are you looking for engaging, hands-on, low prep, standards aligned science lessons for grades K-5?

Check out Mystery Science.

"Free memberships are available to new teachers at schools that have not tried Mystery Science and new homeschool parents. Those who already received a free membership are not eligible."

Thanks Heather! 

Do you have something to share with other home schooling parents? Great curriculum, a super resource, a wonderful vendor? Send me an email and I'll share it on the Blog.

Supplemental Student Home Survey - Repost

This summer, Visions mailed out a letter and a Supplemental Student Home Survey.

If you have mailed it back already, thank you! However, many of you have not had the chance yet. If you haven't, please mail it in as soon as possible (or I'd be happy to pick them up at our next meeting).

I understand that they can seem invasive, but Visions relies on these surveys to help provide funding for some of the services we provide. 

"We need to collect all forms by no later than October 10th so that we can record them and submit our numbers to the state in time." - Visions Admin Team

Here is a copy of the letter Visions sent out.
Here is a copy of the Survey.

Thank you for your help!

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 9/26
Office Day
Available for questions and support

Tuesday
Ione
Joseph - 11:00
Jaye - 12:05
Tiffany & Madison - 1:30

Wednesday
Ione
Grace - 11:00
Bonnie - 12:05
Charlotte - 1:30
Khloe & Sadie - 2:30

Thursday
Ione
Justin - 11:00
Leila - 12:05
Jasmine & Roxie - 1:30

Friday
Office Day

Monday, September 19, 2016

Upcoming and Notable...

Credit Returns Deadline
September 23 is the deadline to return items for credit.  Only items ordered from MBS Direct (all items) and TextbookX (only supported curriculum, excluding warehouse and marketplace purchases) are eligible.  Items must be returned to the Carmichael Resource Center by 4:30 p.m.

Spelling Bee
Enrollment is now open for the Visions school-wide Spelling Bee! More information on the Spelling Bee event page.

End of LP1
Friday 9/23.

Semester Plans
Please try to get your semester plans completed by Friday.* If you can't finish the whole semester, please at least fill out LP2 so I can put your assignments into Launchpad. Thank you!
*If you are still awaiting curriculum, I understand that this will be a serious challenge! Just do what you can and fill in as your curriculum arrives. 

Semester 1 Official Work Samples
I will be collecting official semester 1 work samples at our LP2 meeting. These work samples can be from anytime during LP1 or LP2. Please be sure to provide:
  • one sample for each assigned subject
  • samples that match the assignments, lessons, unit numbers and/or learning units on your semester plan for either LP1 or LP2
  • samples on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, free of staples and rough edges (Imagine that Visions has to file 5,000 of these work sample packets! The tidier I can compile them, the better.)
  • samples that are graded and/or commented on by parent
  • samples that reflect student work (multiple choice assignments and tests are not accepted by the school)

Thank you, and let me know if have any questions or need any help.

Tutoring in Jackson!


Finally, it looks like Visions will be offering drop in tutoring in Jackson! I know the school tried to implement this last year and struggled to find a qualified tutor. I just heard that one will be starting on Wednesday.

Grace Fellowship
8040 CA-49, Jackson, CA
Weds: 9:00-3:00

Here is the link to Visions' Tutoring Flyer.
Here is the link to Visions' Tutoring Centers Rules and Policies.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 9/19
Office Day

Tuesday
Pollock Pines
Alex - 11:00
Somerset
Yarrow - 1:00

Wednesday
Office Day

Thursday
Office Day

Friday
Office Day

Monday, September 12, 2016

Visions in Education Writing Program*

 *For Middle & High School Students only at this time, with the exception of the Walk For Literacy field trip that is open to all ages.

The Visions In Education Writing Program is growing! In addition to its popular Find Your Voice writing classes, Visions also offers Writing Based Field Trips as well as introductory One Day Workshops to expose students to the writing methods of our classes.

Whether taking a semester-long class, a one day workshop, or attending a field trip, each experience is designed to enrich our students’ education
by offering writing instruction in an environment in which students are safe to explore. Students will discover their own unique and powerful voice and learn that writing can be fun and enjoyable.

There are no out-of-pocket expenses for participating in any of the Visions Writing Program experiences. Students will be charged from their student accounts.

The Find Your Voice Writing Class is done in partnership with 916 Ink. Each class culminates in the publication of a book of students’ work. Students participating in the classes will receive two copies of the book and a t-shirt.

View the flyer with class locations and schedules here.


This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 9/12
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Joshua - 11:00
Alexis & Tyler - 12:05
Gage - 2:30

Wednesday
Ione
Zora - 11:00
Lilly - 12:05
Hunter - 1:30
Charles - 2:35

Thursday
Jackson
Billy - 11:30
Emma - 12:30
Connor - 1:30

Friday
Office Day