Congratulations 2025 “Why I Love Visions” Reel Video Contest Winners
We are excited to announce the winners of our “Why I Love Visions” reel video contest! We had a lot of great entries and we’d like to celebrate all of our students’ great work. Thank you to everyone that submitted entries and supported our talented finalists. View all of our student submissions below!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to shine a light on the importance of mental well-being for everyone. Just like we care for our physical health, it’s just as important to care for our thoughts, emotions, and feelings, too!
Mental health matters at every age, and by learning together, we create a more supportive, compassionate school community. Whether it’s practicing mindfulness, talking about emotions, or simply making space for kindness, every small step counts.
Let’s take this opportunity to check in with ourselves and each other — and remember, it’s okay to ask for help. 💚
Resources
A helpful resource for students is the Wellness Together Mind Out Loud Student Event happening on May 20, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. For more information and to register, click here.
Another helpful resource for students and families providing evidence-based, expert-led training on emotional support and attachment styles can be found HERE.
Additional Resources Available to Students and Families:
This Mental Health Month, let’s not just talk about mental health – let’s take action!
Whether it’s a small step for yourself or a giant leap for your community, every action counts. Together, we can turn awareness into action and create lasting change for mental health in America.
Take care of yourself and others—mental health matters!
Honoring Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is observed each May. This month honors the history, culture, and influence of Asian America, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian individuals and groups.
AAPI is celebrated in many ways for many things, and here at Visions, we invite you to find ways to honor and celebrate these diverse cultures.
Information & Resources
For more information about AAPI Heritage Month, see the below resources:
Parents and teachers, check out this reading list to help your students continue expanding their knowledge on Asian American history, culture, and stories.
Visions Students Recognized At State Seal Of Biliteracy Ceremony
On April 28th, eight students gathered at Cordova High School in Rancho to be recognized for earning the California State Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal demonstrates student proficiency in one or more non-English languages, and represents not only years of hard work, but students’ dedication to multilinguistic and multicultural learning.
“[Earning the Seal] means a lot to me,” said 12th-grade Home School Academy student Evangelina Garcia, who earned her Seal in Spanish. “It feels like a stepping stone to possibly being able to live in a Latin country, because that’s my end goal. I’m proud of this achievement.”
1% Better
Over the past three years, our State Seal of Biliteracy recipient numbers have increased, with our totals landing at 63 students who earned their Seals and seven students who earned a Seal in two or more languages for school year 2024-25. This is a testament not only to our students’ efforts, but to Visions’ 1% better mindset and cross-departmental commitment to student success.
“It was an honor to be part of this ceremony and watch our students be recognized for this achievement as they walked across the stage, shook the hands of the program’s dignitaries, Silvia Covarrubias who coordinated the assessment effort, and Dr. Olmos who champions our students’ success,” said David Villegas, Visions’ Assessment and Evaluation Manager. “We are excited to implement improvement efforts designed to increase awareness of this program and its benefits and improve how we assess students next year, with the goal of awarding the Seal to even more students.”
Congratulations to all State Seal of Biliteracy recipients – your hard work is inspiring, and we are honored to recognize this important academic achievement.
Seal Recipients
Spanish: Melany A., Jazmin B.F., Jonathan R., Valeria Cardenas B., Nadaul C., Justin C., Sadie G., Evangelina G., Melissa G.A., Rayonna G., Jasmine G.S., Josiah H., Carlos H., Naomi I., Isabella L., Omar L., Celia M., Paola M., Keely M., Cristobal M., Obed M., Christopher O., Naomi M., Alexa O., Aliannah R., Dylan L., Ohani R., Priscila R., Jeremiah S., Valeria S., Malia T.
Russian: Elsie A, Maria D., Svetlana E., Ilia F., Aveline G., Milla G., Emily I., Katrien K., Maggie M., Timothy M., Edward P., David S. Agnessa S., Vallery T.
Ukrainian: Nataliya G., Anton M., Timothy M., Elona M., Sophia M., Tymur V., Andriy Y.
Russian/Ukrainian: Vanessa A., Alina C., Antony G., Myroslav S., Nazar S., Oleksii T.
Other: Arfa K. (Urdu), Sameera R. (Arabic/Urdu), Elysabeth P. (ASL), Malalay W. (Dari), Reann D. (Tagalog)
Leading Our Littlest Learners: A Spotlight On Kristyn Migliori
Kristyn Migliori is many things – a former homeschool mom, an avid reader, a lover of lazy mornings, and a huge advocate of family time. Her journey with Visions goes back nearly thirteen years, fresh off a multiple subjects teaching credential and an AMS credential in Montessori early childhood education, homeschooling her three children in Visions’ Home School Academy. Fast forward, Kristyn is about to complete her 5th year working at Visions, and although educating homeschool students looks a little different now, Kristyn’s mission remains the same.
“Looking at each student individually and designing their educational journey around their strengths and needs of support is a luxury we have at Visions,” she shares. “We have a lot of students who think outside the box, learn in a different way, and may have needs that have not been met in a traditional school.”
As an “out-of-the-box” learner herself, Kristyn understands the importance of an education tailored to each student’s unique learning style. Education is not one-size-fits-all, and as a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), Kristyn taps into her own innate ways of learning – questioning the status quo (something for which she credits her grandparents), exploring open-ended questions, and kinesthetic learning – to support Visions’ youngest scholars.
“Student success is at the heart of everything we do. Serving 265 TK students and their families and over 100 teachers at Visions, I offer staff and family partner presentations around the new TK learning foundations and child development, and have specifically created TK-only events and field trips,” Kristyn shares. “Our staff and TK families work together with creativity and passion, making them some of the most inspiring advocates in education. I maintain an open-door policy and enjoy hearing from all stakeholders with support they need, advocating and collaborating with them. We are constantly growing as a community!”
With an emphasis on play, movement, hands-on activities, and social-emotional learning, Kristyn guides our TK students through the very beginning stages of their educational journeys, nurturing both learning and life skills.
“Early education is a time of rapid growth, not only in academics but also in social-emotional development,” Kristyn shares. “They are developing skills that will support their success in school and beyond.”
A Student Herself
Although she’s settled as a credentialed teacher here at Visions, Kristyn hasn’t lost her own love of learning, recently completing her Master’s in Education Leadership and School Development while concurrently earning her Preliminary Administrative Credential.
For her admin credential, Kristyn developed a Community of Practice (COP) educational focus on phonics. Over an eight week period, she worked with students and families to implement phonics practice, analyzing the challenges, successes, and strategies to support our students.
For her master’s work, Kristyn designed an action research project titled “The Effects of Mentoring Supports for Transitional Kindergarten Teacher Candidates in a School-Based Compliance Program”, working with eight teachers over seven weeks to study the types and effects of mentoring. She also completed a synthesized literature review titled “Designing a Mentoring Program for Educators New to Transitional Kindergarten in Nonclassroom-based Schools” that supports her work here at Visions.
“This 18-month journey has definitely been challenging,” Kristyn admits. “I have gained enormous respect for those in administration. Listening to colleagues in various roles of leadership has opened my eyes to the importance of relationship building and supporting those you serve. It isn’t an easy job and great care and consideration needs to be taken with every decision. My goal is to put the student first with each decision or recommendation I express.”
Although the journey didn’t come without hardships, Kristyn sees how all of her hard work will ultimately benefit our communities and continue Visions’ mission of serving students.
“My family has endured not having my attention during nights and weekends in order to allow me to chase my dreams in leadership and school development. Without their love, understanding, and towing my line when I had pressing academic matters, I would not be where I am right now,” says Kristyn. “Visions has also been exceptionally supportive of my professional endeavors. Teachers in my community have joined me for a COP on phonics. School leadership and development interview questions with Senior Director of Instruction Jennifer Morrison, Chief Operations Officer Tom Tafoya, and Chief Academic Officer Micah Studer were not only accepted, but thoughtfully attended. Weekly meetings with my immediate administrative team, Principal Heidi Perry and Vice Principal Hallie Ochoa, have given us the opportunity to learn and grow to create a stronger program for our youngest learners.”
Kristyn’s Favorite Memory: My first year working here, I had a first grader who struggled with blending his letters and sounds together. We designed 1:1 weekly tutoring sessions for the family. One day he showed up on Zoom in a dress shirt and bow tie. He was able to read short passages and was so proud of himself. It was so beautiful for him to express gratitude and the skills he had learned!
Graduate Spotlight: Connecting Cultures at Visions
Andriy Y. has always been interested in the intersection of history, culture, and music. Growing up in a family of professional musicians, ethnomusicology caught his eye early on. As such, he started learning how folklore and oral tradition shape cultures. He became especially interested in the bandura, a Ukrainian folk instrument, and its significant role in Ukrainian culture. An innate scholar and devoted learner, Andriy began to dive deeper into the plucked-string instrument and its cultural influences, eventually initiating a cultural preservation project of a Ukrainian diaspora periodical called the Bandura Magazine, which was published in New York from 1981 to 2002.
“Believing that this magazine was unjustly forgotten, I started digitizing its 78 issues and created a Facebook group to make them publicly accessible,” explains Andriy. “I began by writing some papers on different topics related to the magazine’s impact on the development of the Ukrainian diaspora worldwide. I was delighted that the global Ukrainian and bandurist community enthusiastically responded to my project.”
Andriy’s project was met with more than enthusiasm – it even caught the attention of the head of the Journalism Department at Lviv Polytechnic National University in Lviv, Ukraine.
“Prof. Haladzhun asked me to do a collaborative project to emphasize the magazine’s role in the diaspora press. So, I created a 93-page catalog, describing all 78 issues of the magazine and listing their typological features. Additionally, in collaboration with the Sacramento Academy of Music Arts and Lviv Polytechnic National University, I wrote a research paper, which was published in the Lviv Polytechnic National University journal.”
*Zoryana Haladzhun of Lviv Polytechnic National University and Alina Ilchuk of Sacramento Academy of Musical Arts were co-authors of the research paper.
Future-Focused
Andriy’s academic appetite has only grown since enrolling in the University Prep Early College program at Visions, a decision he made two years ago based on a desire to find an accredited distance learning option and a school that would allow him to get ahead in his education. Andriy now has a 4.39 GPA, has completed 46 units through concurrent enrollment at Santa Monica College, and is well on his way to his college education and future career path.
“I want to give Visions, and particularly Mrs. Wetzel and Mrs. Winalski, a huge thank you. Throughout my high school experience, they have truly been blessings, and I could always contact them for support,” Andriy shares. “Consulting Mrs. Winalski, in particular, was always a fantastic experience. She would give me the time I needed, regardless of whether our planned time was up, and guided me throughout the past two years. I simply would not have been where I am now without these educators’ support. They have made my past two years as productive as possible and have been the best guides I could have ever asked for.”
Andriy is proud to say that he’s headed to Los Angeles in the fall to study political science at the University of Southern California. Before setting off from home, Andriy will be enjoying his hobbies of photography (specifically aviation photography), biking, taekwondo, and reading, and of course setting his sights on his next major milestone – graduation.
“Visions allowed me to explore my interests by giving me a flexible schedule,” says Andriy. “At a traditional high school, I was doing the same amount of work, yet I had nearly no time for my personal interests. If you want to use your time usefully during high school, switch to Visions!”
This April, we officially launched our new and improved school website! Complete with a new look and optimized functionality, viedu.org helps families get connected to the information they need to make informed decisions about their child’s education. In addition, it’s a great place to tell stories, highlight our students, and share all the amazing things we’re doing in our communities!
To commemorate this 8-month long initiative, we figured we’d share a few iterations of our old website. Head back to the early-mid 2000s and take a peek!
Time for a Scavenger Hunt!
To really get a feel for how things used to be, we identified some artifacts that we want YOU to find! Take a look at each website iteration and find the below items:
Charting a New Path: A Spotlight on the Online Middle School Department
Online Middle School is Visions’ newest program that serves 7th and 8th grade students. What began as an identified need for families has evolved into a dedicated program for our middle schoolers, blending aspects of our other three academies to better target the needs of these families.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer a program that provides an alternative choice for our 7th and 8th grade students,” exclaims Brian Albright, Principal. “We saw a need to offer a different program to meet the unique needs of our middle school students. We sought to create a ‘hybrid’ program that continued to offer the flexibility of learning from home in a safe environment and provide some needed additional instructional support.”
Online Middle School is a bridge between our Home School Academy and high school academies, providing direct instruction and structured support to our middle school students. Credentialed teachers work one-on-one with students and their families to deliver instruction, complete assignments, monitor academic progress, and foster an engaging and supportive learning environment.
“Online Middle School teachers are passionate about creating a learning experience beyond just lessons. We understand that independent online learning can be challenging, so we bring depth and meaning to our students’ curriculum through our live classes in a way that makes learning come alive,” explains Credentialed Teacher April Ashton.
“Our primary focus has been to adapt our program to meet the needs of our students, ensuring they remain our top priority,” adds Chelsea Little, Credentialed Teacher. “In Online Middle School, we have a unique opportunity to foster a truly iterative environment. Our Online Middle School team continually builds on successes and addresses challenges through ongoing iterations that reflect our commitment to being student-centered.”
Just like Visions, our Online Middle School program is unique in its structure, supports, and services to students. Like our other academies, OMS students work from the comfort and safety of home, however unlike Home School, where the parent is the primary educator, or our high school academies, where learning is more self-paced, OMS students receive daily live instruction from a credentialed teacher in all core subjects.
“This program is unique in that students work from home but are supported daily with online instruction and support from credentialed teachers. The program offers flexibility while still providing enough support for students who need more teacher interaction,” says Credentialed Teacher Brian Hoffman.
“From the beginning, the Online Middle School team has placed a strong emphasis on collaboration and student needs,” adds Credentialed Teacher Rita Wingfield. “By prioritizing these aspects, we have been able to create a program that is adaptive, flexible, and upholds a high standard of student success.”
In addition to teacher support, Online Middle School students have a dedicated counselor, Connie Mandujano, who ensures they are not only supported academically, but mentally and socially-emotionally as well.
“As a counselor, it has been incredibly rewarding to directly connect with students, enabling more personalized support,” says Connie Madjunao, Counselor. “Our OMS students benefit from dedicated homeroom sessions that provide valuable opportunities for college and career exploration, as well as social-emotional learning, further enhancing their overall development.”
It’s Good to be Visions
We are coming up on the end of our 25th anniversary year, where we have reflected on everything from growing enrollment to enhanced social opportunities. As we continue on this journey to expanding our services to students, we are reminded of the path we continue to lay for charter success, and how good it is to be Visions.
“I began at Visions when we were one academy. Visions then added additional high school offerings to better meet the needs of students,” says Christine Garrard, Credentialed Teacher and 23-year Visionary. “As part of our Online Middle School academy this year, it is exciting to see Visions expand again as a way to provide an additional option for families. It’s a special honor to be a part of an organization that continues to refine its focus and find new ways of uniquely serving the diverse needs of our student population.”
Sometimes, the breadth of our work here at Visions can get lost in our day-to-day service to students, but Credentialed Teachers Alexis Preston and Emily Haley are able to provide perspective through two unique lenses.
“As a [former] TOSA, I developed resources to support teachers, families, and the organization, focusing on creating effective learning experiences for both educators and students,” explains Alexis. “I am actively using the curriculum I reviewed to create engaging learning opportunities for synchronous instruction, providing deeper support for students.”
“During my first few weeks here, I was pleasantly surprised by how intentional the teachers, support staff, and administrators are at fostering personalized connections with students despite it being an online program,” says Emily, who began at Visions in January. “My new colleagues are highly skilled and truly passionate about serving students’ individualized needs and work together to make sure students are successful and meet their full potential.”
“Every day in OMS, we collaborate to enhance our delivery of instruction, build and strengthen relationships with students and families, and ultimately drive student success. But, our impact goes beyond academics,” says Credentialed Teacher Lesley Storz. “The Visions programs designed to engage students, including clubs, sports, tutoring, and counseling, as well as dedicated support from our social workers, are cultivating a vibrant school community in OMS that is second to none. By encouraging student involvement in our extracurricular programs, we’re not just building a strong community of learners – we’re preparing them to succeed in our rapidly changing world. It’s good to be Visions!”
Graduating Seniors Are Invited To Share #VisionsCommits Posts
Are you a graduating senior? Have you decided what you will be pursuing after graduation? Share it with your Visions community by using the hashtag #VisionsCommits on Facebook and Instagram!
Share what you plan on doing after graduation in a photo on social media using the hashtag #VisionsCommits by May 15! All school appropriate posts will be collected and shared via social media,The Wire and viedu.org to celebrate our graduating class!
Seniors can share their commitments to college/university, an armed force branch, trade school, and/or jobs. Students can also share any goals they plan to accomplish post-grad (a project, a journey, an adventure, or an internship). Students are encouraged to create a design (Canva is a great free tool) or share a photo with a caption explaining their plans.
*Photos must be posted on your personal Facebook or Instagram account using the hashtag #VisionsCommits. Participants must be enrolled at Visions and have a public Facebook and/or Instagram account so we can see the submissions (if your account is private we’re unable to see your posts). By using the hashtag (#VisionsCommits) you grant Visions permission to use and repost your photos on our websites, social media accounts and for any other Visions marketing purposes. If you have any questions, please email marketing@viedu.org.
Visions would like to thank Malia T., Visions Senior, for coming up with this idea to build community with fellow Visionaries.
Malia will be attending California State University, Long Beach where she will study Cellular & Molecular Biology and is on track to have her AA by next year. See an example of Malia’s post (pictured above) for inspiration!
Ink & Inspiration: How Visions Students Became Published Authors
The Visions In Education writing community came together on April 10 to celebrate the Find Your Voice Book Release featuring published works from students in this year’s Find Your Voice writing class offered in partnership with 916 Ink. The event showcased three collections of student writing: Mark Our Words, The Power of Ink, and Rhythms of Rain.
By fostering both technical skills and creative freedom, the program helps to empower students by transforming their thoughts and experiences into powerful written works. Students in both our high school and middle school classes worked with instructors to refine the pieces that they wanted to publish in the anthology.
The course creates a nurturing yet dynamic environment where students can discover and expand their writing potential. Students met weekly to hone their writing voices in a supportive atmosphere, engaging in creative exercises and receiving positive constructive feedback. This judgment-free space encourages young writers to take risks, share their perspectives, and develop confidence in their artistic expression.
“Everyone is a writer when given a safe environment to express themselves,” says Crystal Linnet, Middle School Find Your Voice Coordinator and Visions teacher.
From Written Word to Spoken Word
The authors were provided with copies of their books and shared their work with the crowd of families and staff who have been eagerly waiting to hear what they have been working on over the course of the semester. As the young authors shared their stories; parents, guardians, friends, and staff listened intently, laughing at punchlines, and cheering for each student who shared.
Students who were not prepared to speak in front of the crowd had the opportunity to have their work shared by one of their peers or teachers, ensuring that everyone had an opportunity to have their voices heard. After the event concluded, 916 Ink held a signing session where students were able to sign and leave notes behind sharing their experience with the program. Congratulations to our published authors!
Check out the video below to learn more about the program from past participants!
Interested in writing?916 Ink will hold Creative Writing Camps this summer at the 916 Ink Imaginarium located in South Sacramento for Grades 3-8.
Note: these events are hosted by 916 Ink, not Visions In Education. We are sharing this opportunity as a courtesy to our families.
What Makes Online Middle School Unique?
It’s Good to be Visions
