Entries by Justina Janas

November Is Native American Heritage Month

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Native American Heritage Month in November. American Indian culture. Celebrate annual in United States. Tradition pattern. Poster, card, banner and background. Vector ornament, illustration

November Is Native American Heritage Month

Since 1994 every President has issued proclamations recognizing November as the time to celebrate the heritage and contributions of the first inhabitants of the United States. This celebration is also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

History

Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, was one of the first people to lead the charge to establish a holiday that celebrates the rich history of Native Americans. The Boy Scouts of America and some states began celebrating American Indian Day back in 1915. Eventually President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution to make this a monthly holiday.

Expand Your Knowledge

Take advantage of this month to learn more about Native American culture in California and beyond.

Community Resources

Sacramento Native American Health Center: health services.
American Indian Child Resource Center: youth programs and support.
CA Consortium for Urban Indian Health: mental health resources.

Charter Schools Development Center Recognizes Leadership at Visions

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Six charter school leaders present and accept CSDC Green Apple awards on Zoom

Charter Schools Development Center Recognizes Leadership at Visions

Visions is proud to be a member of the Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC). Last week they honored charter leaders, including our Superintendent Jody Graf, for their dedication to the charter movement.

CSDC Green Apple Awards are given to “recognize the contributions of charter leaders who recently retired or will soon be retiring, and to encourage those who follow in their footsteps to continue the tradition. This year’s winners have successfully served their schools for at least 15 years, including a decade of executive-level leadership, and have guided their schools’ teams soundly, increasing student achievement, ensuring sound financial management and operations, and successfully petitioning for charter renewal.” Leaders were presented their awards virtually on Facebook Live.

Watch the recording here!

Congratulations to Superintendent Graf and the other charter leader winners. Visions appreciates your stable leadership and dedication to students. #VisionsProud

Filipino American History Month Virtual Events

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Filipino American History Month. Happy holiday celebrate annual in October. Philippines and United States flag. Culture month. Patriotic design. Poster, card, banner, template. Vector illustration

Filipino American History Month Virtual Events

October is the month of celebrations, including Filipino American History Month!

Why Do We Celebrate in October?

On October 18, 1587, the first Filipinos arrived in California. The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) voted to celebrate their history beginning in October of 1993. Fast forward to 2009 when U.S. Congress officially recognized the celebration as a nationwide event.

Let’s Learn

According to the 2010 Census, California accounts for 43% of the Filipino American population in the country. Until the 1960’s, Stockton was home to the largest group of Filipinos outside of the Philippines. The city still remains a cultural hub and is home to the FANHS museum.

Review the resources below to learn more about Filipino American history:

Community Resources

Little Manila Rising – Stockton: After school programs, dance, health assistance and martial arts.

Filipino Americans of Northern California – Sacramento, East Bay & Beyond: Community resources, scholarships and workshops.

Philippine National Day Association – Sacramento: Youth leadership, scholarship opportunities and mentoring.

Asian Resources – Sacramento: Youth employment resources, support services and workshops.

Join Us In Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

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national hispanic heritage month with latin women and men cartoons design, culture and diversity theme Vector illustration (national hispanic heritage month with latin women and men cartoons design, culture and diversity theme Vector illustration, ASC

Join Us In Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

September 15 to October 18 is Hispanic Heritage Month, the perfect opportunity to celebrate and learn about this amazing culture. 

Did You Know?

There are approximately 54 million Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. Observation of Hispanic Heritage Week originally started in 1968 as a week-long celebration under President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988 President Ronald Reagan officially extended the celebrations to a full month. This 30-day period honors the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. To learn more about the culture and history check out these educational resources and activities:

Get Connected To The Community

Visions is proud to serve a diverse population throughout our nine-county service area. These local organizations provide programs, support services and more to the Hispanic community.

Visions Is Seeking Governing Board Member – 1 Position Available

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Become a board member text overlaid on desk with seven office chairs surrounding it

Visions Is Seeking Governing Board Member - 1 Position Available

Visions is an independent study charter school that serves Sacramento and its eight adjacent counties and is authorized by the San Juan Unified School District. Visions’ main offices are located at 5030 El Camino Avenue, Carmichael. We serve more than 7,000 TK-12 students and offer both home school and high school independent study programs. 

Visions’ charter has established that the school will have no less than five and no more than seven directors. We are seeking your help in recruiting a new community member to serve on our governing board for a three-year term, beginning in November 2020. 

There is one opening currently and we will continue accepting applications until this position is filled. Please forward or provide the attached information to any community member who may be interested in serving a three-year term. Please note, interested candidates need to review the board recruitment letter, become a board member flyer, and submit a completed board member interest form along with their resume no later than October 19, 2020, to: 

Betty Brady
Visionsboard@viedu.org 

Thank you for supporting our school.

Congratulations to the #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest Winners

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#VisionsFirstDay Back to School Photos & Winners News Post

Congratulations to the #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest Winners

Thank you to all of our students and families for sharing their virtual back to school photos! We know this year has been difficult but it was great to see so many happy faces ready to learn virtually.

See all 160 photos in the #VisionsFirstDay photo album on Facebook!

Creativity Winners

This year we have 16 winners, see their fun and inventive photos below. Congratulations!

Back to school photo contest students posing and smiling at the camera on the first day of school

Hannah / Ansh / Korneliia

Back to school photo contest students posing and smiling at the camera on the first day of school

Lear & Skye / Elizabeth / Dezi / Michael

Back to school photo contest students posing and smiling at the camera on the first day of school

Devanz & Shalom / Evelyn, Emma, Megan / Elizabeth / Kenneth

Back to school photo contest students posing and smiling at the camera on the first day of school

Chelsea & Tiana / Ibrahim / Joseph / Romeo / Brooke

Winning families will be contacted by email. We hope everyone has a great year and thanks again for sharing your memories!

Student Spotlight: Visions Student Stars In New Netflix Show

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Photo of Makenzie Lee-Foster, Visions student actress, starring in Netflix show Emily's Wonder Lab

Student Spotlight: Visions Student Stars In New Netflix Show

Makenzie Lee-Foster is a 4th grade Visions student with an amazing resume! At only nine years old she’s already become an accomplished actress and author. Visions flexible home school program lets her continue her education while going on auditions, filming and writing.

Rising Star

Her latest project, Emily’s Wonder Lab, is now on Netflix! Each educational episode features a different experiment led by scientist Emily Calandrelli. This show was one of Makenzie’s favorite jobs, as she got to be herself, meet new friends and get messy learning about science. She’s also starred in the popular TV show, This Is Us, and many other commercials, shows and movies.

As if being an actress at such a young age wasn’t impressive enough, she’s also a published author! Makenzie had been yearning to write a book for years and finally took the plunge. The book is called Kickin’ It With Kenzie – What’s Meant For Me Will Be. She chose to collaborate with Bryce Sweely, a 15 year old artist also pursuing her talents at a young age, on the illustrations. It tells the story of a young girl figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up and the challenges that come along with following your dreams.

Learning On The Go

Makenzie’s mom, Shakondi, chose Visions to accommodate their acting schedule and allow Makenzie to learn at her own pace. 

“I would say the thing that made the switch such an easy choice for me was the fact that I can teach my daughter myself,” said Shakondi. “I can use her cues when it comes to subjects or topics that she might be having an issue with and give her the one-on-one attention that I felt she needed.”

Makenzie plans to continue acting but she also aspires to go to MIT or another college to study science and engineering. She’s also interested in fashion design. Knowing how talented and determined she is we don’t doubt that she can do it all!

To see more of Makenzie’s work you can watch her demo reel here. She was also featured in the beginning of Nike’s Kobe Bryant tribute ad as the “dreamer”.

New COVID-19 Resources & Support

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Vector set of persons, avatars, people heads of different ethnicity and age in protective masks. Men and women in flat style following recommendations for the prevention of coronavirus. (Vector set of persons, avatars, people heads of different ethnic backgrounds)

New COVID-19 Resources & Support

We’ve created a new hub of COVID-19 Resources to provide our students, families and the community with helpful information to support you during the ongoing pandemic.

New: COVID-19 Resources Page

This page includes links to various resources offered throughout our nine-county service area, virtual learning supports, mental health services, meal assistance and more.

Click the links below to access resources based on your needs.

20/21 School Overview
Mental Health & Wellness
Meal, Childcare & Housing Assistance
Virtual Learning Resources
Special Education
Frequently Asked Questions
County & Community Resources
State & Federal Resources

Student Spotlight: Visions Helps Student Raise GPA and Stay Healthy

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Female online high school student posing by the river for student spotlight article

Student Spotlight: Visions Helps Student Raise GPA and Stay Healthy

Jessica Vargas found Visions In Education after her health issues made it difficult for her to attend traditional public school. In 9th grade, she decided to drop out due to a low GPA brought on by her diabetes and low attendance record. At the time she wasn’t sure where to turn but she knew she wanted to continue learning. After doing some research and not finding an online high school that was a good fit, she saw an ad for Visions and knew Independent Study was the exact program she was looking for.

“Without Visions I wouldn’t be learning and growing and taking care of my medical needs,” said Jessica. “I’ve become more social and confident all thanks to the people at Visions and what they do for their students. Best decision I’ve made in my life!”

Overcoming Obstacles

After enrolling in Visions her sophomore year, Jessica was able to raise her GPA and focus on her interpersonal skills. Her teacher, Amy Salvatori, is her biggest motivator. Her support has helped Jessica focus on her education, manage her diabetes, improve her mental health and increase her confidence.

“Amy is by far the best teacher I have had. From giving me a courage boost, to helping me with my goals, she does it all because she is passionate about her job and cares about her students,” said Jessica.

Moving Forward

Now that Jessica has gotten back on track she plans to take advantage of the enrichment services and free community college opportunities offered at Visions. In the future, she hopes to study to become a veterinarian and volunteer to help at-risk communities. We’re so proud of Jessica’s progress and look forward to seeing her succeed.

Share Your Virtual Back to School Photos for a Chance to Win a Gift Card

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Visions In Education Back to School Photo contest

Share Your Virtual Back to School Photos for a Chance to Win a Gift Card

The 2020/21 school year starts on Tuesday, August 25 and we want to see your back to school photos!

Say Cheese!

To participate you’ll need to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Show us what your first day of school looks like using the hashtag #VisionsFirstDay and be entered to win one of several $25 gift cards! Please make sure that you have a public account so we can see and share your photos. Submissions must be posted by September 6. See additional contest details below*.

Here’s some ideas to help you get inspired:

  • Snap a picture of your first virtual meeting with your teacher.
  • Take a selfie showing your back to school excitement.
  • Show off your “home classroom” or workspace.
  • Model your first day of school outfit.
  • Super organized? Post a picture of your planner or desk.
  • Create a poster to hold in your photo. Include grade, age, teacher and list of favorite things.

Take a look at last year’s photos on Facebook for even more inspiration.

*Photos must be posted on your personal Facebook or Instagram account using the hashtag #VisionsFirstDay. To be eligible for the contest participants must be enrolled at Visions and have a public Facebook and/or Instagram account so we can see the submissions. By using the hashtag (#VisionsFirstDay) you grant Visions permission to use and repost your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, the Wire and viedu.org. Winners will be chosen based on the creativity of their photo. Photos must be submitted by September 6 to be eligible.