REACH Classes

What is REACH?
REACH stands for Recreation, Enrichment, and Academic Classes for Homeschooling. It is a program for homeschoolers produced by Amador County Recreation Agency. REACH is a Visions Vendor and classes are $15 each

Spring Semester Classes (Register by Jan. 5th):
Art (2nd - 12th grades)
American Sign Language (7th - 12th grades)
Amador and California History (4th - 8th grades)
Spanish (1st - 12th grades)
Robotics with Legos (4th - 8th grades)

Click here for the REACH program flyer.

2018 Ski Days

From the WIRE...

Visions-Sponsored Home School 2018 Ski Days Announced!

Love to ski or snowboard? Interested in learning how?

Visions Home School students and their immediate family members will have the exciting opportunity to ski or snowboard at our annual Ski Day events!

We are partnering with Sierra-at-Tahoe to sponsor multiple Ski Days this winter. Home school students can use student funds for ski/snowboard lessons, and family members/more experienced students can enjoy winter fun at discounted school group-rates.

2018 Ski Days Dates:

• Friday, February 9
• 
Friday, February 23
• 
Friday, March 9
• Make-Up Date: Friday, March 16*

To participate, families need to fill out a Ski Days Order Form (one form for every family member) on the Visions-Sponsored Ski Days event page.

*We will have one make-up date, which will happen ONLY if a regular date is canceled due to weather. Please remember that we can’t control the weather and we will do our best to work through its unpredictability!

Payment & Cancellation Policy Highlights (more details on event page linked above)

• Only enrolled students taking a lesson can use student funds. Parents and/or non-enrolled family members will need to pay out of pocket prior to the event date.
• To avoid cancellation of your order and in order to allow Sierra-at-Tahoe sufficient time to hire instructors, payment is due no later than the close of business on the Monday before the ski day date. For example, payment for the February 9th Ski Day is due on Monday, February 5th. Orders are also non-refundable after that time.
• For ski days canceled due to weather/safety concerns, student accounts will NOT be charged and all non-student payments will be transferred to another ski date of your choice. If this happens, please fill out the ski form and in the comments notate that you are transferring your payment from a previous cancellation.

If you have any questions, please contact the Home School office at 916-971-5518. We hope you’ll join us for some cool winter fun with your family and friends!

Enjoy Winter Break!

I know it is a little premature, but this is the last blog post before the holidays.

Have a wonderful, fun, and safe winter break everyone! 

(Monday 1/25 - Friday 1/5)

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 12/18
Ms. Bryon at Professional Development in Carmichael

Tuesday
Virtual
Joseph & Alex - 11:00
Tiffany, Madison & Logan - 1:00

Wednesday
Virtual
Jaxon - 12
Charlotte - 1:30

Khloe & Sadie - 2:35

Thursday
Virtual
Wyatt - 11:00
Jasmine & Roxy - 2:00

Friday
Office Day

Upcoming & Notable

The Nutcracker Ballet (San Francisco) - Friday, December 15
End of LP4 - Attendance Due - Friday, December 15
LP5 Begins - Monday, December 18
Winter Break - Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5
**Semester 1 report cards and grades to be collected during LP5 meeting**

Martin Luther King Day (No School) - Monday, January 15

End of LP5 - Attendance Due & Spring Semester Plans Due - Wednesday, January 24
LP6 Begins - Monday, January 29
Mondavi Center - Circa's Carnival of Animals - Monday, January 29

**Semester 2 official work samples to be collected during LP6 meeting**

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 12/11
Virtual
Enos - 9:00
Somerset

Akira - 12:00
Yarrow & Alder - 1:30

Tuesday
Pollock Pines
Alex M. - 11:00
Somerset
Maya - 12:30

Wednesday
Ione
Justin - 10:30
Jackson Library
Hunter - 12:15

Lilly - 1:20
Jezreel - 2:45

Thursday
Jackson Library
Emily - 10:30
Emma - 11:30
Connor- 12:30
Wyatt - 2:00

Friday

Virtual
Leila - 10:00 - Meeting Link

Isabeau & McKenna - 11:00 - Meeting Link

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 12/4
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Wesley - 10:30
Austin - 12:15
Grace & Faith - 1:30

Wednesday
At Gingerbread House Event
Billy - 11:00
Jackson Library
Isabeau & McKenna - 12:05

Emily - 2:30

Thursday
Jackson Library
Lucas - 12:05
Charles & Ella - 1:30
David - 3:30 ?

Friday

Office Day

Testing Update

I was provided this info from our testing coordinator, right before Thanksgiving Break. This change really only affects 11th graders as they will now also be taking the California Science Test CAST.

"I also wanted to announce to all a few spring testing details. First, the SBAC will run the same as it has in past years with grades 3-8 and grade 11 being tested. For the California Science Test (CAST) grades 5 and 8 will be tested as well as grades 11 and 12 at the high school level. This year is still a CAST pilot year, so no scores will be provided, but we are required to test all of our 12th graders. We plan on testing all of our 11th graders as well because they will already be at testing sites and if we test them this year then they do not have to test next year as 12th graders. All 12th graders will be scheduled to test on the last day at each test site (typically Friday)."

____________________________________________

*CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (Language Arts and Math)
*CAST - California Science Test (Field Test = no scores provided)
*PFT - Physical Fitness Test

Which Grades Take Which Tests?
PFT - Grades 5, 7 and 9
CAASPP - Grades 3 - 8 and 11
CAST (field test) - Grades 5, 8, 11 and 12

Let me know if you have questions. I will keep you updated as I get new information.

Report Cards

Yes! We have new report cards (again) this year!
Here is the timeline:

• At our LP4 meeting, I'll go over the sample report card with you.
• At our LP5 meeting, I'll collect completed report cards/grades.

Please print a sample for your student and have it ready for our LP4 meeting. If you have trouble downloading or printing, let me know and I can bring a hard copy for you.

You can download samples here:

TK/K Sample Report Card
1st Grade Sample Report Card
2nd Grade Sample Report Card
3rd Grade Sample Report Card
4th Grade Sample Report Card
5th Grade Sample Report Card
6th - 8th Grade Sample Report Card
9th - 12th Grade Sample Report Card

Upcoming & Notable

Scholastic Book Fair - Week of December 4 - 8
Gingerbread House Event - Wednesday, December 6
LifeTouch Picture Day - Thursday, December 7
Final Spelling Bee - Friday, December 8
The Nutcracker Ballet (San Francisco) - Friday, December 15
End of LP4 - Attendance Due- Friday, December 15
LP5 Begins - Monday, December 18
Winter Break - Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5

Martin Luther King Day (No School) - Monday, January 15

End of LP5 - Attendance Due & Spring Semester Plans Due- Wednesday, January 24
LP6 Begins - Monday, January 29
Mondavi Center - Circa's Carnival of Animals - Monday, January 29

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 11/27
Office Day

Tuesday
Ione
Joseph & Alex - 11:00
Tiffany, Madison & Logan - 1:00 (12:30?)

Wednesday
Ione
Jaxon - 12
Charlotte - 1:15

Khloe & Sadie - 2:35

Thursday
Ione
Jasmine & Roxy - 2:00

Friday
Office Day

Wishing you lots to be thankful for...

Monday 11/20 - Friday 11/24

Gingerbread House Event

Coming Soon!

Gingerbread House Decorating and Talent Show

December 6

9:30 - 12:30

Grace Church in Jackson

Enroll in Launchpad using event #24713

***Sign up on or before November 17***

Upcoming & Notable

Parent Meet-Up - Galt - Tuesday, November 14
End of LP3 - Attendance Due- Friday, November 17
LP4 Begins - Monday, November 27
Thanksgiving Break - Monday, November 20 - Friday November 24

Scholastic Book Fair - Week of December 4 - 8
Gingerbread House Event - Wednesday, December 6
LifeTouch Picture Day - Thursday, December 7
Final Spelling Bee - Friday, December 8
End of LP4 - Attendance Due- Friday, December 15
LP5 Begins - Monday, December 18
Winter Break - Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 11/13
Ms. Bryon at Professional Development in Carmichael

Tuesday
Ione - Clark's Corner
Khloe & Sadie - 1:30
Leila - 3:00

Wednesday
Virtual
Wyatt - 11:00

Thursday
Office Day

Friday

Office Day

Student IDs

Now that the school year is starting to settle down, I've had a few families ask about getting IDs. Here is the info...

Getting a Visions student ID is easy! All you have to do is take a picture that follows these guidelines, and text, or email it to me. I will take care of the rest. IDs will come in the mail to the address you have on file.

Currently, there is no deadline on ordering a student ID.

Upcoming & Notable

Mondavi MOMIX - Wednesday, November 8
Veterans Day - No School - Friday, November 10
Parent Meet-Up - Galt - Tuesday, November 14
End of LP3 - Attendance Due- Friday, November 17
LP4 Begins - Monday, November 27
Thanksgiving Break - Monday, November 20 - Friday November 24

Scholastic Book Fair - Week of December 4 - 8
Gingerbread House Event - Wednesday, December 6
LifeTouch Picture Day - Thursday, December 7
Final Spelling Bee - Friday, December 8
End of LP4 - Attendance Due- Friday, December 15
LP5 Begins - Monday, December 18
Winter Break - Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 10/06
Office Day
Virtual
Yarrow & Alder - 3:30

Tuesday
Virtual
Maya - 10:00
Alex M. - 11:00
Somerset
Akira - 1:00

Wednesday
Virtual
Justin - 11:00
Hunter - 12:15

Lilly - 1:20
Jezreel - 3:00

Thursday
Virtual
Connor- 11:30
Wyatt - 2:00
Emma - 3:00

Friday

Veteran's Day - No School

Testing Info

Many families have been asking me for information about testing so that they can plan and practice.

Here is what I have. Please keep in mind that things might change:

*CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (Language Arts and Math)
*CAST - California Science Test
*PFT - Physical Fitness Test

Which Grades Take Which Tests?
PFT - Grades 5, 7 and 9
CAASPP - Grades 3 - 8 and 11
CAST (field test) - Grades 5, 8, 11 and 12

CAASPP Interim Test Prep - NEW THIS YEAR!
Jackson - Grace Church - March 14
Rescue - Foothills Methodist Church - March 7

CAASPP/CAST* Testing
Jackson - Grace Church - April 10 - 13
Rescue - Foothills Methodist Church - April 17 - 20
Make-ups (Carmichael, Concord, Fair Oaks, Lodi, Rescue) - May 8 - 10

PFT*
Tentative Dates and Times
El Dorado Hills - Promontory Comm Park - 3/13 @ 9:00 am
Lodi - Katzakian Park - 3/22 @ 9:00 am
Elk Grove - Derr-Okamoto - 3/22 @ 1:00 pm
Sacramento - Howe Park - 3/21 @ 9:00 am
Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks Park - 3/7 @ 1:00 pm

CAASPP Practice and Training Tests
CAST Info
PFT Info

Virtual Meetings - Repost

Using Zoom has worked pretty well so far! I really enjoyed last week's virtual meetings. I'm just reposting this info for those who have meetings this week.

Zoom has some resources on it's website. One of the best is 53 second video on Joining a Meeting. I highly suggest that you watch this one as it walks you through what will happen when you click on the invitation I'll be sending via email. There are also videos on how to configure your audio, use the meeting controls, and share your screen.

How to prepare for our virtual meetings for parents/guardians:

• Expect some difficulties. The first meeting (or two) may need some trouble shooting. The more we expect this possibility, the less frustrating it will be.
• Gather questions and concerns you might have.
• If possible, fill out your PE log and Progress/Grade tab and log attendance before the meeting. If that is not possible, please have your activities and grades ready so we can input them together. Also, have your Launchpad parent account sign in info on hand so I can walk you though logging attendance if you don't get the chance to do it prior to the meeting.
• Have your phone on hand. The worst that could happen is that we have a phone meeting and I help you log onto Zoom at our next face to face.

How to prepare for our virtual meetings for students:

Have your work ready to share. You can do this a number of ways:

• You can hold work, projects or pictures up to the computer to show me
• You can share your screen if you have work or pictures on your computer
• You can play and instrument, sing a song, or show me a dance or PE move
• You can read a book
• You can demonstrate your math skills (Zoom has a whiteboard that you can write on!)
• You can take over the controls and show me a website that you have been using
• You can even ask for help with any of your school work!

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. I'm here to help.