Entries by jpmktg

Home School Program Voted Best In California By Russian-Speaking Community

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Photo of Visions Staff at the Russian Speaking Community Awards

Home School Program Voted Best In California By Russian-Speaking Community

For the past 15 years, the Russian American Media has hosted the BEST awards. Their focus is on sharing the best companies, schools and other resources with the Russian-speaking community at large.

This year, Visions In Education was voted the BEST Home School program in California!

Visions and other winners were honored at an award ceremony and gala on November 2. Some of our English Learner (EL) staff accepted the award, including 9-12 Academy Administrator Saideh Malekafzali, teachers Joanna Lasalle and Gregg Moses, and counselor Nina Handal.

Visions is honored to receive this distinction!

From the Russian American Media:

The BEST by Russian-Speaking Community VIP Award Ceremony is a highlight of the community’s business life. It features the most successful companies, community leaders, volunteers and artists. Every year more than 1 million Russian-speaking consumers in California vote for the best companies and individuals.

Top rated companies get awarded for their excellence and customer satisfaction. The competition is featured in the annual Russian Time Magazine, Russian Observer Newspaper, Russian Community Directory, online at www.RussianPerspective.com, and by other community media outlets.

High School Students Enjoy East Bay Sports Day

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Pic of Independent Study Students at Sports Day

High School Students Enjoy East Bay Sports Day

Sun. Laughter. Friends. Fun. Sports.

Picture this: Visions Bay Area high school students enjoying a sunny day at the park, playing sports and meeting new friends. This was the vibe at the East Bay sports day coordinated by teachers in Benicia.

Check out photos from the event HERE on Facebook!

A common misconception about independent study is that students don’t get opportunities to socialize and meet other students. The East Bay sports day was open to 9-12 students in all academies. It provided an awesome socialization and exercise opportunity to get Visions students together in their community. We’re proud of our teachers and administrators for organizing events that allow students to bond with each other and with their teachers and counselors.

Don’t miss out! The next sports day will be held in the spring! Special thanks to the East Bay teachers, administrators and counselors that organized this fun-filled day.

Visions Closed Due to Poor Air Quality

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Closed door sign flat icon with long shadow. Vector Illustration

Visions Closed Due to Poor Air Quality

Due to the poor air quality, Visions In Education will be closed Friday, November 16, 2018.

Our credentialed teachers and students are already scheduled to be off the following week for Thanksgiving Break. To take extra precautions, our main office will also be closed on Monday, November 19, and Tuesday, November 20.

All tutoring centers, enrichment activities, and all school sponsored activities are canceled. All student and/or special education appointments will be rescheduled after the Thanksgiving break.

Math Revolution Inspires Parents and Students

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Banner depicting the Visions In Education logo, Math Revolution Logo, and an image of parent testimony

Math Revolution Inspires Parents and Students

53.8% of surveyed home school parents are optimistic about teaching math thanks to Math Revolution!

Last year, Visions created the Math Revolution program to help home school parents and students embrace mathematical thinking. Math has always been a difficult subject for students and parent educators and we wanted to help our families easily access new math tools and strategies.

The survey results are in and our revolution is a success!

  • Parent training webinars: 50.9% of teachers reported a positive mindset shift
  • Instructional strategies for teachers: 62.3% of teachers reported a positive mindset shift
  • Math resources on the Wire/Hub: 45.6% of teachers reported a positive mindset shift
  • Makerspace hands-on activities: 43.9% of teachers reported a positive mindset shift

Join the Revolution

Math Revolution is adding even more learning resources including:

  • New math resources posted on the Wire/Home School Hub (our internal website for families and students).
  • More parent training webinars.
  • Additional teaching strategies, activities and classes.
  • Three new instructional videos for parents.
  • Interim assessment opportunities.
  • Makerspace hands-on activities at home school events.

Did You Know?

Math Revolution helped increase the school wide average of SBAC math by four points! #VisionsProud

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

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Fake Dictionary, Dictionary definition of the word Bullying.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, 1 out of every 5 students report being bullied.

At Visions we’re proud to offer programs that help students escape bullying in traditional public schools. But bullies can be found everywhere so it’s important for students and parents to know how to identify and deal with bullying. Here are some tips:

  • Speak to your children about bullying
  • Communicate daily – reassure your children that they can come to you with issues
  • Encourage your children to get involved in activities and hobbies to meet others with similar interests and to build confidence
  • Recognize the warning signs and help your child work through difficult situations

Visit StopBullying.gov and BecauseOfYou.org for more resources.

Graduate Spotlight: Visions Helps Student Prepare for a Bright Future

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Picture of Hailey Johnson, University Prep Academy, Class of 2014.

Graduate Spotlight: Visions Helps Student Prepare for a Bright Future

Hailey knew at a young age that she wanted to attend university after graduation. As she prepared to make the transition into high school she and her parents realized the traditional public school system didn’t offer the benefits they needed and they seemed disconnected from their students. Hailey was looking for a personalized education that would allow her to excel and work at a faster pace. While she was searching for an alternative she heard a radio ad for Visions.

When we came to Visions it was very apparent that the students came first and that I would be able to get personal schooling while moving just as fast, if not faster, than in [traditional] public school.

During her time at Visions, Hailey focused on her honors courses and learned the skills to self-teach and manage her time. The University Prep program gave her independence and taught her the responsibilities that she would need in college. She took advantage of the one-on-one relationship with her teacher and participated in various Visions activities, including the Find Your Voice writing class, that connected her with other students and helped her develop her leadership skills. While at Visions she also discovered her interest in neuroscience and prepared to apply to universities to study the science of the brain.

Where Is She Now?

Hailey just graduated in May 2018 from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a focus in Neuroscience. During her time at Roosevelt she participated in a community service program that helped serve the inner parts of Chicago. She also studied abroad in her junior year and visited the east coast of Australia.

She’s now considering her options. After focusing on her schooling for the past eight years she’s planning to either take a break for herself or continue her educational journey by pursuing her Master’s Degree. Her ultimate goal is to earn a Doctorate in Psychopathology.

Being in a school like Visions can push you to go off and have an incredible life. If you’re worried about not being able to grasp the information, it’s about finding out what you are capable of. I graduated high school on my own terms.

Who Won the #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest? Find Out Here!

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Banner announcing the Visions First Day Video Contest winners

Who Won the #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest? Find Out Here!

Congratulations to our #VisionsFirstDay photo contest winners! This year we had an astounding 276 entries!

We loved seeing all of our awesome students, families and teachers celebrating the first day of the new school year. Thank you to all that participated. Take a look at all of the submissions here on Facebook and take a peek at the winning photos below!

Without further ado, here are our gift card raffle winners:

Students posing for back to school photos

Students posing for back to school photos

Students posing for back to school photos

Students posing for back to school photos

Students posing for back to school photos

The #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest Is Back!

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Banner advertising the Back to School Photo Contest

The #VisionsFirstDay Photo Contest Is Back!

The 2018/19 school year starts on Tuesday, August 28th. To celebrate the new year we’re holding our back to school photo contest! We received so many great submissions last year – we can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

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 9. See additional raffle rules below*.

Here’s some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

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

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

*Photos must be posted on your personal Facebook or Instagram account using the hashtag #VisionsFirstDay. To be eligible for the raffle 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.

Three New Books Published by Visions Students!

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Image of three books published by Visions Students

Three New Books Published by Visions Students!

Students from our South Sacramento, Carmichael and Vallejo Find Your Voice classes are now published authors!

The Find Your Voice writing class is a partnership between Visions In Education and local nonprofit 916 Ink. This program is designed to foster a creative, but safe environment for teens to discover themselves as writers. Students have the opportunity to study and write fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction in the course. Each class culminates with the publication of a book in partnership with 916 Ink.

At the end of the year students and staff celebrate with a book reading and reception with teachers, friends and family.

2018 Book Releases

Lit(erature) – Vallejo high school class
Alphabet Soup – South Sacramento high school class
Anthem – Carmichael high school class

Photos & Videos

Check out our photo album of release party pictures on Facebook and click the links below to watch videos of our inspiring student authors reading their work!

These books will be available for purchase soon on 916 Ink’s website. Congratulations to all of our published student authors! #InkItUp #TaketheYes

Sign Up for Next Year’s Classes

Registration is still open for next year’s classes for middle and high school students. Sign up today before the classes fill up! Currently enrolled Visions students can sign up on the Wire.

Graduation 2018 Highlights – Photos, Videos and More!

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Banner featuring Class of 2018 Highlight Photos

Graduation 2018 Highlights – Photos, Videos and More!

Congratulations to the class of 2018! 569 of our students walked across the stage at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium on May 30 to accept their diplomas and celebrate their accomplishments.

Fun Fact

Although 569 students participated in the graduation ceremony, our total number of grads in the class of 2018 was 819!

Capture the Memories

  • Enjoy our Facebook album of over 300 photos from commencement
  • Watch videos of our student performers and the graduation slideshow on our YouTube channel
  • Check out photos from our students and families and share yours using our hashtags on Facebook and Instagram: #VisionsGrad, #VisionsGradCap, #VisionsSelfie and #LifeAfterVisions

Graduation Flair

Have you always wondered what all the cords and medals meant? Here’s what they mean at Visions!

  • Green cords represented students that participated in our Find Your Voice writing class offered in partnership with local nonprofit 916 Ink.
  • Our Success Through Education Mentoring (S.T.E.M.) students wore orange cords to symbolize their participation in our UC Davis mentoring program.
  • Yellow cords were worn by students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above and gold medals were also given to those with a GPA of 4.0 or higher.
  • Additional medals were given to students that had earned the Seal of Biliteracy for mastering more than one language.

Quotes from the Ceremony

“You create your narrative, only you get to tell your story. And I hope you do…because your story is inspiring. Many of you persevered through challenges that could have easily detoured you from today, but you didn’t give in and you didn’t give up and you made today happen,” said Visions In Education’s Executive Director, Jody Graf, at the ceremony. “Our teachers and counselors will say that it is YOU who inspires them. That there is scarcely anything more rewarding than seeing you achieve your goals. Because they know how hard you work, they see your promise and they know how strong and courageous you are.”

Thank you to the Board of Education, Visions office staff, teachers, advisory board, SJUSD administration, parents and students for making graduation day a fun and exciting celebration!