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Entries by Ellie Fazzi

It’s Back to School for Staff Too!

August 31, 2023/in Events

It’s Back to School for Staff Too!

On August 18th, the entire Visions organization – classified staff, certificated staff and leadership – kicked off the 2023-24 school year by gathering to hear messages from Superintendent Olmos, words of wisdom from keynote speaker Rosanna Herber, staff celebrations from Donna Glenn and more! As they filled up on coffee and breakfast, they also had the chance to fill up on gratitude and excitement for another year ahead.

“The Back to School kick-off was an exciting event with everything we needed to know as a collective to start the year off right. I enjoyed hearing insights into our strengths and opportunities to improve as an organization,” shared Spencer Summerhays, Business Analyst for the Internal Data & Systems Services Department. “Burritos and coffee were great too!”

With over 50 new staff joining Visions for the new school year, what better way to come together than with important information about the organization, updates about the current charter world and most importantly, appreciation for one another.

“It was wonderful getting to see everyone in person after the summer break and getting to know all the new counselors we have joining our team this year. They are all so kind, approachable and knowledgeable!” shared Jen Nino, Counselor for the Independent Study Academy. “I’m looking forward to the 2023-24 school year with our awesome team and supporting all of our students!”

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s celebration. As all 450+ of us commit to becoming 1% better every day, we hope to carry our shared purpose and inspiration into another successful year at Visions!

Celebrating Our 2023 Summer Grads!

August 31, 2023/in Events

Celebrating Our 2023 Summer Grads!

On August 17th, friends, family and Visions staff had the privilege of graduating over 20 students as part of our 2023 Summer Graduation ceremony. The celebration was kicked off with a performance by one of our recent June graduates (check it out here!), and was marked by a very special Rose Ceremony, where our graduates had the opportunity to walk out into the crowd and present a rose to a teacher, friend or family member.

“One of the elements of Summer Graduation that makes it so special is that since it involves a smaller number of graduating seniors, we can personalize the ceremony,” shares Ron Thomas, Associate Director of Equity & Student Engagement. “The Rose Ceremony is a great example of that. The ceremony acknowledges that family and/or one’s support system is an essential part of a student’s ultimate goal of graduating from high school. Students have an opportunity during the ceremony to directly say thank you for their support. I saw many tears of joy and appreciation during this portion of the graduation ceremony.”

This day was especially meaningful for Independent Study teacher Erica Alexander, who got to watch her little brother, Ryan Richardson, graduate from high school. Not only did Erica get to be a part of her brother’s special day, she got to be on the stage when he received his diploma.

“I can’t thank Dr. Olmos and Sarah McFarland enough for inviting me on stage while my brother walked across it. Being on the stage as my brother graduated was a moment of immense pride and joy, a culmination of years of hard work that I had witnessed throughout his academic journey. Seeing him achieve this milestone is a memory I will never forget, and I am excited for the future he is about to embark upon.”

1% Better

This year’s ceremony was also memorable for University Prep teacher Andy Vanden Akker, who helped oversee the summer graduation program. Under the leadership of Vice Principal JoEllen Graulty, Andy got to see 42 of his 43 students graduate.

“All of the potential summer grads were placed on my caseload and it was my responsibility to motivate them to finish,” says Andy. “I called, text-messaged and emailed the potential grads and their parents/guardians repeatedly to try to get them over the finish line. It was great to see so many of them complete their classes and receive their high school diploma.”

Of course, big events like these tend to have some small hiccups. One graduate and her family were unfortunately in a car accident on the way to the ceremony. Colleen Darling, a teacher in the Independent Study Academy, was willing to jump in her car and go get them, but luckily, they made it to the ceremony, and the student got to walk the stage! Thank you to our staff who acted quickly and helped our graduate and her family enjoy her special night.

Summer Send-Off

“The graduation ceremony was an incredibly heartwarming experience,” shares JoEllen. “The Rose Ceremony where grads gave a rose to a guest that supported them in reaching their goal of graduation nearly brought me to tears. Hearing each grad’s bio as they walked the stage reminded all of us that each of our students is a person with hopes, dreams, and goals. I can’t wait to see what these Visions graduates accomplish next!”

Congratulations again to our 2023 Summer Graduates! We look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the future! See all photos from the big day on our Facebook page!

From Visions Parent to Visions Staff: A Spotlight on Office Staff Member Anita Bowers

August 24, 2023/in News

From Visions Parent to Visions Staff: A Spotlight on Office Staff Member Anita Bowers

In 1999, Anita Bowers enrolled her daughter Kathryn at Visions, its very first year as a school. A few months ago, Anita celebrated her grandson Noah, who received his high school diploma from Visions. In the 24 years in between, Anita took a job at Visions as a Business Analyst, seeing her work with the organization come full circle.

“My daughter did great in the Independent Study Academy and graduated in 2001,” shares Anita. “My grandson was struggling academically at his old school. His grades improved at Visions and he just graduated early at 17.”

As a mom and grandma of two Visions graduates, Anita has had the rare opportunity to see just how much her role at Visions impacts our families. A former Business Analyst for the Internal Data & Systems Services team, Anita assisted Counselors, Principals, Administrators and Directors with tracking student progress, testing and grades, and completed year-over-year analysis to show how Visions is growing and making progress as a school.

“I did reports each semester tracking assessment scores to report card grades so they [Principals and Directors] could see where there were disparities,” shares Anita. “I also did analysis for the LCAP and assisted with parent satisfaction surveys. It really made me appreciate what the school does for students and everything that goes into it to make it successful. I wish that all kids could have that experience.”

Now in her new role as a Business Analyst in the Fiscal Department, Anita is excited to be taking her next steps. Eventually wanting to step into a leadership role, she has been working on her own time to strengthen and expand her professional skill set.

“I’ve been taking classes and webinars over the past two years,” shares Anita. “I completed and received a School Risk Management Certificate and a Charter Business Official course with CSDC. I figured I’d prepare myself if a [leadership] position ever opens up.”

Anita’s daughter, Kathryn’s, graduation photo!

Anita’s grandson, Noah, who graduated from Visions this past spring!

The Ultimate Project Manager

A DIY-er and home improvement queen, Anita is always working on some sort of project. At home, she and Kathryn are tearing out windows, redoing floors and painting bedrooms. At work, she’s creating systems to enhance Visions’ efficacy.

“One of the first projects I did when I got to Visions was tracking Principal budgets,” explains Anita. “I built a workbook, extracted data out of QSS and made each Principal a tab in the workbook where they could track their spending and balance. Now it’s an automated system in LPAD!”

Anita’s success at Visions can be attributed not only to her self-starter attitude, but to the culture, the leadership and the opportunities at the organization.

“Everybody is respectful and kind,” says Anita. “My manager, Soren, has always been very supportive, and Visions has moved me to advance in my career. I look forward to being with Visions for as long as I can and continuing to grow and learn.”

The Three Gs

When she’s not at work, you can find Anita in her garden, on the golf course or watching the San Francisco Giants (or 49ers). She also has a motorcycle license, but no motorcycle – yet. Anita is now a Visions veteran, and after many years as both a parent and a professional, she has contributed to its success in more ways than one.

Fun Fact: Anita placed third in the state championship for the .22 smallbore rifle marksmanship competition in the California Cadet Corps in high school!

Same System, New Name: Introducing LPAD SSS

August 22, 2023/in News

Same System, New Name: Introducing LPAD SSS

Visions has officially renamed Launchpad! The same technology you know and love has a new and trademarked name: LPAD Student Support System (LPAD SSS).

You can now see this new logo when you log in to the system. But don’t worry, the URL is still launchpad.viedu.org and the rest of the interface looks and works the same.

Developed and refined for over a decade, our LPAD Student Support System seamlessly integrates all technologies into one easy-to-use platform. Visions decided to make the name change in order to successfully trademark and protect our system. If you have any questions about this change, please contact the IT Department at itsupport@viedu.org.

190+ Visionaries Attend PLC at Work Conference

August 21, 2023/in News

190+ Visionaries Attend PLC at Work Conference

This summer, over 190 Visionaries gathered at Safe Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento to participate in the PLC at Work conference hosted by Solution Tree. At this conference, teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers and other instructional staff learned new strategies for delivering quality education to our students by engaging in an ongoing process whereby all educators work collaboratively to ensure the educational success of all students.

“It was so energizing to be with nearly 200 staff at the PLC conference this past June. The dedication of our staff and the commitment to getting better for students makes me proud to be a Visionary!” says Matt Patterson, Director of Student Services.

In November of last year, all Instructional leadership, including Managers, Principals, Vice Principals and Directors, attended a PLC (Professional Learning Communities) conference in Long Beach. As these conferences continued, the chance to attend was then extended to teachers as an opportunity to continue to unify Visions’ instructional processes and goals.

“At this PLC conference, we walked away with a wealth of tools and knowledge for building a stronger community to support our students. It was great sharing ideas with so many of our colleagues that also attended,” shares Dr. Mike Granchukoff, teacher in the Independent Study Academy.

The PLC model will continue to be applied to Visions’ instructional systems moving forward, benefiting 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 in the fall, when we will host additional trainings to ensure all staff are trained on the strategies that Visionaries will be using to become a PLC.

Check out some photos of Visions staff at the conference below!

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.

Happy Belated Birthday STS!

August 16, 2023/in News

Happy Belated Birthday STS! A Spotlight on the Student Technology Services Department

Two years ago in July, our Student Technology Services Department was born! After many years of partnership with a company called SkyQ, who previously oversaw all student tech, Visions decided to create its own student technology team in an effort to provide better service to our students and families.

“We basically said ‘Let’s build our own department’,” says Director of Technology Uriel Gonzalez. “We hired part-time staff, improved our delivery times and, because we were in-house, were better able to serve our families.”

Now, STS has two full-time and nine part-time employees, all equipped to manage student technology in conjunction with the IT Department. Brandon Neal, who is now the Jr. Systems Administrator on the IT team, was one of STS’ earliest members, and was instrumental in establishing and running the department in its early days.

“It was cool to be able to design a department from scratch,” says Brandon. “We re-examined everything we knew about how student tech was handled in the past. We also learned a lot as we went. You don’t really know how some things are going to function until you’re actually doing the work, so we had to refine some of the new processes.”

Nick Veret, who has taken the reins from Brandon and now serves as the Student Technology Supervisor adds, “I am committed to upholding the torch that Brandon has lit since the establishment of STS in 2021. My goal is to foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging team members to share and contribute ideas in order to continue optimizing our processes and workflows of serving and supporting our students on their learning journey.”

From left to right: Brandon Fan, Nick Veret, Sean Proctor and Brandon Neal

Meet the Team

For those of you who don’t normally get a chance to make it over to STS, let’s make some introductions! Currently on the team is Nick Veret, James Umiker, Adrish Hussain, Sean Proctor, Paul Venson Cagaanan, Brandon Fan, Yad Sandhu, Connor Puckett, Daniel Vega, Blake Sims and Lenny Muse, a former Visions student (check out his story here). As a team, they’re responsible for everything from providing technical support for parents and students, to preparing and shipping technology, to updating systems and processes.

“STS serves as the front-line support for students and their families,” explains James. “Like SkyQ before us, STS manages the school loaner computers through refurbishing, repairing and getting them into the hands of students. One of the best perks to having this resource available is that a working computer can be in a student’s hands within 10 minutes of them realizing that they need one.”

Some members of the department are students themselves, studying things like drawing and Information Science and Data Analytics. For most, the STS Department is a great starting point for their career, a chance to bridge a passion with a profession or just a place for a fresh start.

“I’m a transplant from Atlanta,” shares Adrish. “I actually applied while I was in Georgia before I moved, as I was looking to start fresh and minty after my move to the West Coast.”

For others, Visions was a welcomed change from their previous roles. “I came to STS fresh off the heels of working at Walmart,” shares Blake. “I moved over for a multitude of reasons, but the biggest one was a desire to feel like I was positively impacting peoples’ lives. I feel that is something many people want to do, and an important part of a fulfilling job. Everyone wants to make an impact.”

Sean adds, “I came to Visions after deciding I wanted to pursue a different career path. My prior work history has been mostly in retail sales, but my passion has always been computers and technology.”

For Paul, a future storyboard artist, STS is an opportunity to explore his interests. “I have been interested in both art and tech, so landing the Student Technology position presented a great opportunity to dip my toes in tech and IT support.”

Five Star Service

Since its formation two years ago, STS has continued to prove especially valuable to Visions and our families. James, who recently stepped into his new role as Student Technology Support Specialist, is excited to see where the department will go and how he can help continue its success.

“We are always striving to improve our processes to make the student tech support experience as approachable, knowledgeable and efficient as possible,” says James. “Not everything we help with is related to the actual physical computers. Sometimes all that is needed is an explanation on how a website or program works, and we are able to use our extensive experience to help explain things in an easy and understandable way.”

Brandon Fan adds, “I feel like the STS team is relaxed and hard-working. Even when our tasks get hectic and pile up, we are able to stay calm and finish all of our work for the day.”

When asked to describe the team in one sentence, Lenny couldn’t choose between “The chances of a Chromebook being returned with Excalibur stuck in it are never zero. Legend tells of a chosen one who will find and use this holy, techy blade to smite all computer illness” and “The most entertaining, engaging and worthwhile tech-oriented position one might ever take part in.” If that doesn’t say it all, we don’t know what does.

Home School Family Spotlight: Artist, Activist & Entrepreneur Brings Life to Her Community

August 8, 2023/in Student Spotlight

Home School Family Spotlight: Artist, Activist & Entrepreneur Brings Life to Her Community

Taylerann G.’s art takes many forms. Sometimes, it’s drawing. Sometimes, it’s painting. Other times, it’s sculpting with clay, making her own dollhouses or sewing clothes for her Barbies. Every time, it’s where Taylerann truly shines.

Art began as a form of therapy for Taylerann, who has autism. Since she was two years old, Taylerannhas loved to scribble, finger paint and play with clay, all things that her aunt, Bernadette W., used to develop Taylerann’s fine motor skills. When it finally came time to put her into school, Bernadette enrolled Taylerann in our Home School Academy for the opportunity to receive a personalized education.

“We chose home schooling to be able to best support our childrens’ individual educational needs and to be able to learn as a family,” shares Bernadette, who has another student in the Home School Academy. “I was mostly excited for the opportunity to have more options to best support Taylerann’s specific educational needs and her love of art.”

With support from her credentialed teacher, Jennifer Buck, Taylerann has found incredible success in her school work and in her artwork.

“We have built an amazing rapport with Mrs. Buck,” says Bernadette. “She is a great support in advocating and encouraging Taylerann’s art exploration projects, helping us find places to attend art enrichment classes and finding amazing vendors here in Sacramento for Taylerann to use her stipends.”

Christmas in August

Taylerann often begins her day with activities that support and encourage her creativity, like making her art or listening to her favorite music, opera. Then, she completes her daily school work, and soon after, goes straight back to her art. This flexibility has encouraged her creative exploration and made school something manageable for Taylerann.

One of her favorite projects is using cardboard boxes to construct her own dollhouses, which she insists on building as opposed to asking her family to purchase.

“Taylerann often uses leftover boxes from what we as a proud home school family call a ‘Christmas in August’ due to the fact that all of our curriculum orders often come in, leaving us with many empty cardboard boxes!” says Bernadette. “Taylerann is in her element using these boxes to create dollhouses with fully detailed bathrooms, libraries, play rooms and kitchens! She insists on us saving our money, because she is an artist and can make her own!”

“Black Girl Magic”

Taylerann’s art often depicts what she likes to call “black girl magic,” things such as representations of black hairstyles and culture. Recently, Taylerann was depicted as Sojourner Truth in Children of the Village, a mural dedicated to the children of South Sacramento. Taylerann had previously won a Black Historical Figure costume contest, where she had dressed up as Truth, and her photo served as the inspiration for the mural artwork.

“We are a family who supports our children embracing their African ancestral and cultural roots,” says Bernadette. “Taylerann is supported and encouraged by our artist community members, and you will see that in the pictures that created the mural.”

Community-Centered

The Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum in Sacramento helps support Taylerann and her family, even setting up a Youth Entrepreneur Booth for Taylerann in their neighborhood. There, she is able to showcase her business, Tay Tay’s Treasures & Trinkets, and participate in Youth Entrepreneur Days.

Taylerann is passionate about her community, and when she’s not creating art, she’s trying to make the lives of those around her better. At the unveiling of the Children of the Village mural, you would have found her in the corner creating a Clean Water Advocacy Project drawing. She recycles, picks up litter in her neighborhood and discusses the concerns of pollution and keeping the Earth and oceans clean. She makes her Tay Tay’s Treasures & Trinkets products affordable to ensure her cousins and friends can purchase her creations, and she dreams of one day opening up an orphanage and pet rescue with her earnings.

The home school program at Visions allows Taylerann to explore and express herself, while also ensuring she stays on track with her education. With guidance from her teacher, family and community, Taylerann will undoubtedly continue to bring beauty into this world through her art and her heart.

Fun Fact: Some of Taylerann’s favorite Enrichment Vendors are Lotus & Ivy and EG Space 4 Art!

Welcoming New Staff at Visions’ Kick-Off Event!

August 8, 2023/in News

Welcoming New Staff at Visions’ Kick-Off Event!

On August 1st, over 50 new staff gathered at Milagro in Carmichael for a Welcome to Visions Kick-Off event! With guest speakers, gratitude exercises and group activities, it was a great opportunity for new staff and teachers to get to know the Visions organization and their fellow colleagues.

“The welcome event was a humbling experience. It was amazing to begin building new relationships by team building from the heart,” says Maleesha Grimes, one of the newest members of our Ordering Services team.

For many Visions veterans, this wasn’t their first welcome event, but each time they come together in that space is equally important and impactful.

“There is no better feeling than to welcome our new staff to Visions,” says Micah Studer, Chief Academic Officer. “This is especially true when they see the amazing support systems that our business and instructional teams put together to ensure that they can meet the needs of our students and their families.”

With the 2023-24 school year right around the corner, we’re excited to welcome all of the amazing new Visionaries who will come to make a difference in so many students’ lives. Thank you teachers, staff and Visions leadership for coming out and kicking the year off right!

See all photos on our Facebook page!

Grad Spotlight: From Foster Care to Future Attorney

August 2, 2023/in Student Spotlight

Grad Spotlight: From Foster Care to Future Attorney

At Visions, we empower our students to take ownership and responsibility for their present and future learning. Jalissa W., an early graduate of our Home School Academy and valedictory medal recipient, is someone who has embodied this mission throughout her life. From an early age, Jalissa was part of the foster care system, and after finding her way to Visions during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieved impressive academic and personal success.

“I chose Visions because of all the amazing opportunities I received,” says Jalissa. “You can do your school work on your own time and there are plenty of resources that you are able to take advantage of.”

Not only did Jalissa excel academically, graduating with a final GPA of 4.14 in the 11th grade, she was heavily involved in many of the extracurricular opportunities that Visions offers, such as clubs and regional events.

“I was able to attend the winter dance and prom with some friends that I made at Visions, and I was able to complete my driver’s education,” shares Jalissa. “I was also able to join Black Student Union and the California Scholarship Federation. I became the secretary of the first year of Black Student Union. I was happy to help Ms. Alexia Thomas and Ms. Dominique Asuncion start up the club with fellow elected officials.”

Jalissa’s stellar academic achievements and all of these extracurricular activities helped her get accepted into UC Davis, where she’ll start in 2024 after finishing her associate’s degree this fall.

Staff Supported

Jalissa was able to graduate early thanks to support from her teachers and counselors, as well as her participation in dual enrollment. Her plan is to become a family law attorney, which will let her focus on underrepresented children in the foster care system.

“I must give special thanks to all the teachers and my counselor, Ms. Deanna Stevenson, for helping me achieve my school goals,” shares Jalissa. “I am very thankful for my time at Visions. I do not think I would have accomplished as much as I have without it. Thank you to everyone at Visions that makes everything possible.”

Student Spotlight: Conquering the Rubik’s Cube

July 18, 2023/in Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Conquering the Rubik’s Cube

Tyler H. can solve a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube in 6.56 seconds. He has memorized over 100 algorithms and has even solved a 21×21 cube. A “cuber” since 2018, Tyler was inspired to get into cubing, or “speedcubing,” which is trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube as fast as possible, after watching another cuber break the 3×3 world record. His dad bought him his first Rubik’s Cube shortly after, and since then, Tyler has been practicing his skills, participating in cubing competitions and making videos for his YouTube channel. On top of all of this, he has been able to stay on track with his schooling thanks to Visions’ unique educational model and flexibility.

“I do school first, then do cubing and recording,” says Tyler. “I like the idea of a school that can be flexible, but still feel like school.”

Check out one of Tyler’s videos!

Competition Cubing

Apart from the difficulty of solving a Rubik’s Cube, there are intricacies to the sport that only cubers would know. High-end cubers can turn the cube at over ten turns per second, meaning they’re unable to use the old, clunky Rubik’s Cubes. Sometimes, they spend up to $80 on the newer cubes, but it’s worth it when it comes to competition time.

“A cubing competition is exactly as it sounds,” explains Tyler. “[It’s] a bunch of cubers doing the same thing as usual, except their times are officially recorded.”

As mentioned, Tyler has participated in a few of these competitions himself. His favorite thing to do is break his previous records, and his most proud is his 6.56 second 3×3 solve.

Speedschooling

Tyler’s credentialed teacher, Jennifer Russell, has been able to support his educational plans as he continues to pursue his cubing. This past school year as part of the University Prep program, Tyler participated in a high school co-op and took Spanish at a local community college, some of the options made available through Visions’ dual enrollment and enrichment opportunities.

“I love all the perks at Visions, such as a budget you can use for extracurricular activities,” says Tyler. “I plan to take a math course at community college next year and learn how to play the guitar.”

School, like speedcubing, can be challenging, but with a personalized schedule and individualized education, Tyler has found a way to solve both.