Entries by Ellie Fazzi

Visions Sponsors the Improve Your Tomorrow Sneaker Ball

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Visions logo and Improve Your Tomorrow's logo on a yellow background with "Proudly Sponsoring" in blue text next to a photo of two Visions staff members

Visions Sponsors the Improve Your Tomorrow Sneaker Ball

On November 4th, Visions staff turned out to the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, wearing formal attire and sneakers in honor of Improve Your Tomorrow’s (IYT’s) Sneaker Ball. Community and business leaders from the Sacramento region gathered to support an organization that offers valuable mentorship and collegiate opportunities to young men of color (YMOC) throughout the state of California.

Visions was proud to sponsor this event alongside organizations like UC Davis, Los Rios Community College District, SMUD and more.

Hear from the Attendees!

“It was great to be with our Visions team in support of an excellent non-profit partner in IYT that truly seeks to elevate and support our young people [and] provide the resources and support to remove barriers for students of color to be the best that they can be,” says Director of Student Services Matthew Patterson. “Visions is a leader in our region to support [these] partners as well as do this great work in our system.”

“I think it was a great event showcasing the great work IYT is doing to provide support to young men of color,” says Visions’ Chief Operations Officer Tom Tafoya. “It was especially impactful to hear about the positive outcomes from the young men who have been part of this program since high school. Looking forward to seeing how we can partner with them in the future.”

“I am extremely proud to work with an organization that values diversity!” says Director of Technology Uriel Gonzalez. “We are actively investing in our future by partnering with community leaders in order to meet the demands of our diverse student population. I want to thank Tom for the invitation and look forward to the next opportunity!”

“It was such a great opportunity to hear how IYT is making positive strides in improving educational opportunities for young men of color through mentorship and advocacy while acknowledging the systemic barriers that our youth face and the call for action to improve their tomorrow,” says Counseling Program Manager Mariah Ernst-Collins.

“An extremely powerful and inspiring evening hearing the stories of young men of color finding love, support and guidance through IYT and its amazing mentors that guide and support these young men in accessing, attending and graduating from college,” says Special Education Manager Kim Patalingjug. “Through leadership development, peer mentorship, college access and advising as well as career preparation, these young men are not only finding success in the program, but also continu[ing] to support IYT by becoming mentors themselves.”

About Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT)

Improve Your Tomorrow is an organization that envisions “a nation in which young men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and are leaders in their communities.” Based in Sacramento, IYT has partnerships with organizations across the state providing a variety of opportunities to help young men of color achieve their potential.

Leading with Strengths: A Conversation with Youth Development Network

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Superintendent Olmos on the left side of the screen with a teal background on the right that includes the Visions In Education logo and the Youth Development Network logo

Leading with Strengths: A Conversation with Youth Development Network



Listen To The Podcast Here!

Few people know what their strengths really are, and even fewer get the opportunity to use them in their daily work. Bringing personal strengths into school or the office can lead to greater engagement, satisfaction and quality of work. For the past year, Visions staff has been attending trainings led by Youth Development Network (YDN) to help identify and lead with their strengths. This is the first step in a process we hope to bring to our students as Visions becomes a school based on strengths.

Superintendent Dr. Steve Olmos sat down on the YDN In Our Tribe Podcast last week to discuss how focusing on strengths has paid dividends for our staff and how we hope to put our students in touch with their personal strengths as well.

“I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while,” said Adrian Ruiz, YDN Executive Director. “I’ve been really following the Visions story closely and I just want to let you know that you have some amazing people that work for you.” 

“We started on the strengths-based road pretty quickly when I got here,” said Superintendent Olmos when asked how Visions is leading with strengths. “By the end of this year, all of our staff will be trained in their strengths. What we’re looking at for next year is to get it down to our students.”

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Dr. Olmos also reflected on his thirty years in public education and on a few things he was grateful for.

“First and foremost, my family,” Dr. Olmos said. “[I] wouldn’t be where I am without my family and their support. And it might sound cliche, but I’m really grateful for being here at Visions…We have an incredible staff and this is just an incredible place to be.”

Student Spotlight: A Chess Star in the Making

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Teenage girl with a side ponytail wearing blue reflective sunglasses and a purse diagonally across her body looks down at a pamphlet in her hands.

Student Spotlight: A Chess Star in the Making

Home School Academy student Julie V. has been at Visions for 12 years. A high achieving student and talented chess player, Julie has found a balance between her academic pursuits and pursuit of her passions, made possible by Visions’ unique learning structure. 

“Visions has always allowed me to create my own schedule and make time for pursuing any additional studies,” explains Julie. “I am able to make sufficient time for chess practice and tournaments, alongside all of my other various classes.”

Alec Spencer, founder of Visions vendor Alec’s Chess Club, has worked directly with Julie for three years and has been instrumental in helping her perfect her chess game. An exceptional player, a hard worker and a compassionate student, Julie is in the running to win Alec’s Student of the Year Contest for the third year in a row.

“Every year I have a Student of the Year Contest. The more a student plays chess, studies chess online, attends chess tournaments, reads chess books [and] basically anytime they do anything that has to do with chess, they earn points. Whoever accumulates the most points by the end of the year is crowned Student of the Year. They get a personalized trophy, and their name is engraved on a plaque that I keep here at the club with each year’s winner,” explains Alec. “My club has just over 80 students in it, and many badly want this prize, so it is no easy competition to win. Julie has won the competition in 2021, 2022 and she already has so many points this year that it is virtually impossible that anyone will catch her before the end of 2023 as well. She will be the first person to win this contest three years running!”

Julie is able to participate in all the activities that earn points, and that consistently win her the Student of the Year award (pictured right!), thanks to the freedom that she has at Visions. With this flexibility, Julie is able to dedicate her time to becoming a better chess player, and a three-peat winner.

“Visions provides its students with the resources and opportunities needed to find and explore our passions,” Julie shares. “It is wonderful to have achieved the Student of the Year! It is extremely motivating to know that all of my chess practice has not only improved my skills, but has also granted me many opportunities in the club.”

Makin’ Moves

Aside from chess, Julie enjoys swimming, crochet, crafting and reading. A senior here at Visions, she is planning on heading off to college after she graduates.

“I have always strived to do my best and reach the highest level of anything that I attempt,” Julie shares. “Through homeschooling with Visions, I have undoubtedly received the greatest education possible.”

Check out more vendors like Alec’s Chess Club here!

Visions’ Main Office Closed November 22nd-24th for Thanksgiving

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Painted orange and red pumpkin behind yellow script that reads "Thanksgiving"

Visions’ Main Office Closed November 22nd-24th for Thanksgiving

Visions’ main office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed Wednesday, November 22nd-Friday, November 24th, 2023 in observance of Thanksgiving. Students will be off Monday, November 20th-Friday, November 24th for Thanksgiving recess. We will resume operations during regular business hours on Monday, November 27th.

On behalf of everyone at Visions In Education, we hope you and your family have a safe, restful and happy Thanksgiving!

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

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Arch with snowflakes and lights over the entrance to a community center room with a winter wonderland sign on it.

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

Last Friday was our Winter Wonderland dance, and our students had an absolute blast! Complete with balloons, snowflakes and lights, our high schoolers got to come enjoy a night of winter wonderment with their friends.

“Our Winter Wonderland dance was FIRE and prom will be too!” exclaims Independent Study teacher Brad Orender (pictured front row in the seventh photo). “Sign up solo, as a couple or in a group and come enjoy the atmosphere.”









Our amazing Events Team and other Visions staff helped make this night possible, working for months to plan the perfect night for our high school students. Seeing their vision come together and witnessing how much fun the students had made all of their work well worth it.

“When I was walking out to my car, I saw a mom and a student in the parking lot. Mom was helping the student put his tie on, and he had a massive smile on his face,” shares Angelica Gallardo, Administrative Assistant to the Director of Student Services. “At that point, all the time and effort put into the planning all melt away and are replaced by the students’ smiles.”

Thank you to all the amazing staff that had a hand in making the dance happen. We appreciate all of your hard work in service to our students!

Check out the rest of the pictures on Facebook!

Instruction Gets to Work at PLC Institute

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Over 250 Visions staff sits around multiple tables in a big community center room and smiles for a group photo.

Instruction Gets to Work at PLC Institute

Over 250 Visionaries gathered at the Citrus Heights Community Center to participate in the PLC at Work Institute hosted by Visions In Education. At this two day event, teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers and other instructional staff learned new strategies for delivering quality education to our students by working collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

The PLC Institute featured three outstanding speakers (pictured right) from Solution Tree who provided hands-on sessions tailored to meet the needs of our school. These speakers included Dr. Regina Stephens Owens (center), Taylor Barton (right) and Jayne Holck (left).

Over the past two years, almost every Visions teacher, counselor, and instructional Administrator has attended a PLC event as an opportunity to continue to unify Visions’ instructional processes and goals.

“This was my third time attending PLC training with Visions,” says Danielle Giese, Case Manager in the Special Education Department. “It was exciting to finally start digging in and doing the foundational work. Becoming a PLC will take some creativity and innovation in our unique setting, but it will have profound and lasting effects on our learning and teaching, and ultimately in the lives of our students.”

The PLC model will continue to be applied to Visions’ instructional systems moving forward, benefitting students and families by bettering systems of support, transforming school culture and sustaining school improvement. Visions looks forward to continuing this work with Solution Tree throughout the 2023-24 school year to ensure all staff are trained on the strategies that Visionaries will be using to become a PLC.

Click below to check out some photos of Visions staff hard at work!

Solution Tree is an organization dedicated to transforming education through empowering educational leaders. You can read more about Solution Tree’s mission and initiatives here.






Visions Kicks Off Its Club Soccer Season 1-0!

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Visions students and soccer club members in blue jerseys gather in front of the soccer net on the turf for a group photo.

Visions Kicks Off Its Club Soccer Season 1-0!

Last Friday, Visions had its first club soccer game against Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy, kicking off the official beginning of the season. Led by Independent Study teacher Kyle Novak, the team played its way to an 11-7 victory and clinched its first win of the regular season!

“In the three years I’ve been at Visions, something that consistently comes up with students is ‘How do I play sports while being a Visions student?’ It is so great to be able to let students know that now they can compete with Visions in an indoor soccer league against other charter schools,” Kyle shares. “We have fourteen athletes on our team who practice 1-2 times each week and play games on Fridays. I have been so impressed with our students for coming to practice ready to push each other to get better. It was also a treat to win our first game 11-7 with four different players getting on the scoreboard. The atmosphere at Le Five is fun and competitive, and I’m very grateful to be a part of it.”

Over the next few weeks, Visions will play a handful of other local charter schools, competing in five more matches before moving on to the playoffs. We encourage friends, family and Visions staff to come out to the games and cheer our team on! Check out the schedule here!

Click through the photos below to check out some shots from the game! All photos are on our Facebook page.








Student Spotlight: Grabbing Life by the Horns

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Teenage boy in a white helmet rides a black bull in a rodeo stadium.

Student Spotlight: Grabbing Life by the Horns

16 year old Justin M. says rodeo is in his blood. From an early age, he felt the thrill of being a cowboy – riding bulls, ranching and cattle herding. Now an 11th grader, Justin is part of Visions’ Independent Study Academy and hopes to one day make “cowboy” more than just a name.

“Bull riding is a sport and way of life like no other,” explains Justin. “I work hard to be the best and hopefully make it my official career at 18 when I can join the PBR and PRCA.”

Between his cowboy lifestyle, Justin prioritizes his education, not only completing his regular high school assignments, but also taking extra classes and planning to do early college. With the help of his credentialed teacher, Stephanie Kyles, Justin will be graduating early, and is already thinking about what he’d like to do in the future.

“I’d like to keep the ranching and the cowboy life and pursue bulling even more when I’m able to travel the states from rodeo to rodeo,” says Justin.

Also a small business owner and construction foreman, Justin knows that the flexibility of Visions is truly what has allowed him to succeed. With the ability to set his own schedule, complete his assignments on his own time and make space for work, Justin has been able to keep up with the things that matter most to him.

“I ride and work,” explains Justin. “When I’m not doing that, I do assignments ahead of time so I don’t fall behind.”

Click through the photos below to see Justin in action!






Inside the Chute

“There is no way to describe the feeling of getting on a 2,400 pound bull and riding him for eight seconds.”

That’s the best way that Justin can detail what the experience of bull riding is like. As someone who has had his fair share of eight second journeys, he has seen the ups and downs of the sport.

“There’s a lot of good from it, such as the little kids wanting your help behind the chutes as they get on their calves and steers,” he explains. “[But] there’s been hurt as well. Since March of 2023, I’ve been in the ER about 10-15 times.”

For Justin, the thrill of the ride outweighs the danger, and as with so many other things in his life, he will surely continue to take his future head on.

Visions’ Main Office Closed November 10th for Veterans Day

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Visions’ Main Office Closed November 10th for Veterans Day

Visions’ main office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed on Friday, November 10th, 2023 in observance of Veterans Day. We will resume operations during regular business hours on Monday, November 13th.

Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11th and honors all who have served in the United States military. We commemorate and remember the brave citizens who have fought for our country and freedom. For more information about Veterans Day, visit the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Visions Honored by the APLUS+ Network Conference for our 25th Anniversary

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Two Visions staff members hold the APLUS+ award with "25 years" and the Visions logo in text next to their photo

Visions Honored by the APLUS+ Network Conference for our 25th Anniversary

Visions’ 25th Anniversary officially kicks off next July, but the celebration is already getting started! At the 20th APLUS+ Network Conference hosted in Sacramento, Visions In Education was honored with a 25th Anniversary Award!

Visions, which was founded in July of 1999, is charter school #248 in the State of California (for reference, there are currently 1,336 charter schools serving more than 600,000 students). This award recognizes Visions’ longevity and place in the history of the charter movement in California.

Visions staff (Alyssa Lambert and Carl Sorenson) were on hand at the event to graciously accept the award (Left) at the APLUS+ Network Conference ceremony honoring charters that have been active for more than twenty years. Visions is proud to accept this award and proud of our 25 year history of serving students.