Entries by Ben Drahmann

California State Assembly Awards Visions with Recognition

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Visions Staff honored by California State Assembly

California State Assembly Awards Visions with Recognition

Last month, Visions In Education and our Executive Director, Jody Graf, were honored with the Educational Leadership Recognition at the Russian-Speaking Community Partners Capitol Reception.

This reception is organized by the Russian American Media and the Council for Cross Cultural Affairs and it is held to strengthen the relationship between the Slavic community and local government. Visions was one of ten community partners honored at the reception for our work with Russian-speaking students and families.

Jody was presented a Special Recognition Certificate issued by the California State Assembly. Some of our English Learner (EL) staff attended the reception to celebrate this accomplishment including 9-12 Academy Administrator Saideh Malekafzali and teachers Sandra Fleischmann, Joanna Lasalle, Aleksey Sharipov and Gregg Moses.

“I would like to celebrate our teachers and the great work they do to support all of our students,” said Saideh. “It was wonderful to be one of the recipients of the award from the Russian American community. It showed that the good work of our teachers and our organization was shining enough to be chosen among many schools who also serve this population and the community.”

We’re proud to work with the Russian-speaking community to provide access to personalized education opportunities. View photos from the event on our Facebook and on the Russian American Media’s Facebook page.

Visions Partners with Police to Combat Bullying

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Group photo of Visions students, teachers, and local police officers

Visions Partners with Police to Combat Bullying

Our Independent Study and Home School Academies recently teamed up to host two bullying awareness events in Lodi and Sacramento. The mission of these events was to equip our students with constructive ways to deal with bullies and to make sure they don’t participate in this negative behavior themselves.

Each event was hosted by police officers who gave advice for dealing with bullying and cyberbullying. Here’s their top tips for avoiding bullies.

How to Spot a Bully
Bullies tend to exhibit the following behaviors:

  • Teasing
  • Threatening
  • Spreading rumors
  • Fighting

Typically bullies are lashing out because they can’t deal with their emotions or life circumstances. They may also participate in these behaviors to fit in with their friends and to feel powerful.

How to STOP a Bully
If you or a friend is being bullied, be courageous. Verbally stand up for yourself but avoid physical contact. Don’t feel powerless; everyone has value and a purpose in life. If you can’t deal with the situation yourself, get to a safe space and find an adult or person of authority to explain the situation to.

If the bullying persists no matter how you deal with it, contact your local police department. Call them using their non-emergency number or file a report online. This way the abuse is tracked. If the department is able, they may send an officer to speak with the bully.

Watch Out for Cyberbullying
Bullying can happen anywhere and anytime. To avoid cyberbullying, don’t share your passwords with other people and be cautious about what you post online. Sharing photos and personal information on social media like Instagram and Snapchat could be used against you.

Think Before You Act
Always think before you act. If you feel that you may have bullied someone in the past, apologize. Everyone involved will feel better after the situation has been resolved.