Spring Semester Work Samples

Here are the optional work sample folders for the official work sample collection at our LP6 meeting. Remember, you do not have to use these. You can also use a combination of your own samples and the provided samples.

Don't worry about the standards matching on your semester plan. Things have been changing with how assignments are being logged with the Visions system (see next post), so we will check that together at our LP6 meeting.

TK/K Samples
1st Grade Samples
2nd Grade Samples
3rd Grade Samples
4th Grade Samples
5th Grade Samples
6th Grade Samples
7th Grade Samples
8th Grade Samples
9-12th Grade Samples

If you have any issues with them, or suggestions on better options, please let me know. I am open.

More Changes

Previously, I was required to create a semester plan with you AND then copy that information into Launchpad (now Pathways).

This year, Visions administration has decided to allow CTs to share (with their admin) and upload (to Pathways) the semester plans instead of duplicating that work.

What this means...
Starting LP6 (spring semester), your semester plan will be an "official" school document that is shared with your Visions administrator and logged on School Pathways.


How this changes things...(for most people, not much at all)

• Semester Plan titles will include "Semester Plan & AWR" (I added that already)
• Semester plans will need to be updated regularly, and at the end of each LP they should accurately reflect the work completed that LP (already being done :)
• Grades and progress will need to be updated each LP (already being done :)
• For those using religious texts and materials, we will no longer be able to use the titles of those materials on the semester plan. (Example:"Bob Jones English 4" becomes "English 4")
• Students working above or below grade level will need to have "grade level" standards on the semester plan. (I was putting the standard of the grade level students were working at, but now I won't be able to. I'll be changing this over the next few weeks.)

Please let me know if you have any questions about this change. Thanks!

And remember, you can always make a copy of your semester plan for your own use if you like.

Math Webinar

Hi Visions Families,
Would you like to add more depth and creativity to your student's daily math lessons?  If so, then please join us for Math Webinar #4 on January 29th@ 1:00.  Our Math Instructional Coach, Melissa Meyer, will be hosting this webinar which will look at multidimensional math and how using diamond paper can engage students in higher level math thinking and reasoning.

To Register Please Click Here
To see a schedule of future Math Webinars or watch a recorded Math Webinars, Click Here.



Our goal is first and foremost to make math fun and engaging so that your student is not stressed by math but rather enjoys it and can apply it to real world situations. Remember, “textbooks don’t teach, teachers teach!”

Cool Share

Another cool share from Shelly...

Get it here - 2017 Year in Review Coloring Page
Feel free to use this as a Language Arts or Visual Arts work sample!

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 1/16
MLK Day - No School

Tuesday
Virtual
Alex M. - 11:00
Akira - 1:30

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

Lilly - 1:20
Jezreel - 3:00

Thursday
Virtual
Emma - 12:00
Connor- 1:00
Wyatt - 2:00

Friday

Office Day

Mother Lode Guitar Lessons

Visions Vendor - Mother Lode Music

11310 Prospect Dr. Ste. 80

Jackson, CA. 95642

(209) 223-4323

Upcoming & Notable

**Semester 1 report cards and grades to be collected during LP5 meeting**
**Semester 2 official work samples to be collected during LP6 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

Ski Day - Friday, February 9

Lincoln's Birthday (No School) - Monday, February 12

President's Day (No School) - Monday, February 19

Sutter's Fort Environmental Living Program - Tuesday, February 20 & Wednesday, February 21

Ski Day - Friday, February 23

Crest Center - Pete the Cat - Thursday, February 22

End of LP6 - Friday, February 23

LP7 Begins - Monday, February 26

Mondavi Center – Cudamani: Gamelan and Dance of Bali - Monday, February 26
Mondavi Center – Words Take Wing - Tuesday, February 27
Alliance Redwoods Environmental Science Camp (5th & 6th Grades) - Monday, February 26 - Friday, March 2.

This Week's Meeting Schedule

Monday 1/8
Office Day

Tuesday
Virtual
Grace & Faith - 1:30

Wednesday
Virtual
Billy - 11:00

Emily - 2:30

Thursday
Virtual
Lucas - 12:05
Charles & Ella - 1:30
David - 3:30

Friday

Virtual
Austin - 11:00
Wesley - 12:00

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