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Student Spotlight: A Space For Every Learner

April 30, 2024/in Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: A Space For Every Learner

Ten-year-old Dominic D. loves showing off his baseball swing, his bowling form and his dance moves. In the car on the way to his speech therapy appointments, he listens to Meghan Trainor. If he’s not doing his schoolwork, he’s performing in The Nutcracker, throwing the first pitch at the Sacramento River Cats game, or flying airplanes. In Dominic’s world, there truly are no limits.

As a child with Down syndrome, Dominic has always had a unique learning experience. He began in public school as a kindergartener, where he was learning alongside general ed students. Despite having access to special education services, Dominic lacked the opportunity to learn about topics that interested him, and it was made clear by the school that there was no room for differentiated learning.

“Dominic has always been such a smart and curious person. He just loves to learn!” says Dominic’s mom, Keiri. “Although he had access to special ed services, he did not have access to the topics he enjoyed learning. We were told he was ‘behind’ on his sight words, but he wasn’t recognized for his knowledge of our founding fathers. He didn’t identify letter sounds appropriately 100% of the times that he was assessed, but he could correctly identify the politicians trying to run for president in 2020. There was a very clear message sent to us that watching the news and learning American history as a kindergartener was not going to prepare Dominic for 1st grade.”

Of course, in the back of Keiri’s mind were thoughts like: “Why couldn’t he learn his sight words WHILE he’s learning about the history of our country? Why couldn’t he practice letter sounds WHILE he was repeating what he saw on the news?” Keiri knew that there was a middle ground between getting a high-quality education and exploring Dominic’s gifts and interests, and that’s what brought them to Visions.

A New Way to Educate

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Keiri got to experience a taste of homeschooling. Dominic’s school had shut down, and while the districts were trying to figure out how to make distance learning successful, Keiri was already practicing educating Dominic in their home.

“We read books, created arts and crafts, watched science and history videos, used workbooks, and he and I retained a lot of information. No two days looked the same, and we were accomplishing so much more than he was accomplishing in a classroom and with distance learning,” says Keiri.

By the time they were accepted into the Home School Academy at Visions in 2020, Keiri and Dominic were used to the experience of educating and learning at home. Now four years later, they are continuing to explore all the ways that the flexibility and personalization of homeschooling can significantly shape a child’s learning experience.

“The ultimate goal for me was to make sure Dominic has access to every single thing he wants to learn,” says Keiri. “Dominic would not be where he is now if he wasn’t homeschooled with Visions. We have the freedom to deep dive into specific topics, to switch gears, to take breaks, to not take breaks, to change our minds and go to a museum instead of completing a lesson at home. Visions helps me by bridging any gaps before I even see them.”

Academically, Socially, and Emotionally Supported

Dominic and Keiri have many support systems here at Visions, including Dominc’s credentialed teacher, Ferrin Cowan, his Special Education teacher, Lexi Fahr, and his Occupational Therapist, Kelly Martinez. Meetings with Ferrin are spent swapping stories and hearing about all of Dominic’s adventures, and more often than not, they run a little longer than scheduled.

“I absolutely cannot live without our CT, Ferrin Cowan! She meets us where we are, supports us, encourages us, and literally shows up for us. One of Dominic’s dreams was to dance in The Nutcracker, and he danced in The Nutcracker in December. Ferrin attended that performance, and so did Lexi, as well as Kelly.”

“I loved being able to see Dominic on stage performing in The Nutcracker. He is always smiling and is always happy to perform his new skills!” shares Ferrin. “His family is dedicated and passionate about learning, which shines through in Dominic. I look forward to seeing him achieve his dreams!”

“Homeschooling is liberating.”

With the freedom and flexibility of Visions’ Home School Academy, Dominic is now able to take drum and keyboard lessons with Visions vendor School of Rock, attend dance classes, and even meet with local politicians. In March, Dominic and his family were invited to the State Capitol for the proclamation of Down Syndrome Day in California. There, he was presented with a Certificate of Recognition from Assemblyman Joe Patterson and got to connect with other local kids and families. This is one of the many reasons Keiri loves homeschooling at Visions – seeing her son change lives everywhere he goes.

“In September 2022, the author, actor, activist, motivational speaker and my friend, Tyler Merritt, created a video featuring him and Dominic, which garnered a lot of attention on social media,” Keiri shares. “Tyler had just written a children’s book called A Door Made for Me based on his own experience with racism and discrimination when he was a child. Dominic cracked that book open, read it out loud cover to cover, and I sent the video of Dominic reading the book to Tyler. Within a few hours, Tyler created a video with excerpts of Dominic reading his book and Tyler’s own revelation that his story, his message, was reaching so many more children than he had imagined.”

After four years of experiencing the benefits of Visions, Keiri is grateful that she made the switch for Dominic when she did. Instead of focusing on all of the things Dominic can’t do, Visions nurtures and expands all of the things he can do, and is redefining what education can look like outside of a traditional classroom setting.

“Homeschooling with Visions is liberating, eye opening, and it opens up opportunities I never knew existed. Once you start homeschooling, you’ll see how much can be accomplished in a few hours; there’s time to learn more, play more, do more, explore more,” says Keiri. “Visions provides access to the resources every student needs to succeed and to excel. To anyone who has a child with special needs, a disability, a learning difference, Visions In Education will make your jaw drop and you’ll think, ‘Wait…my kid has choices? IEP meetings are easy, supportive, and are all about making sure your kids are getting what they need in order to grow, learn, thrive, and succeed?’ To anyone who has a kid who is overwhelmed by the brick and mortar school environment, homeschooling with Visions is the place where they will learn and succeed.”

All About Dominic

What’s your favorite subject? Studies Weekly is my favorite! And math…and science…and history…and California history.

What’s your favorite part about being homeschooled? Learn what I want.

What do you like to do outside of school? Go to museums and stadiums, play sports, School of Rock, and dance classes.

Student Spotlight: Finding Light in the Dark

April 22, 2024/in Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Finding Light in the Dark

When Emily B. was in third grade, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and ulcerative colitis. Over the next five years, Emily and her mom, Heidi, would be in and out of hospitals trying to find the right doctors, medications, and support for Emily’s conditions.

As she navigated her health issues, Emily missed school on and off, and her grades began to decline to the point where she was failing most of her classes. Despite her situation, Emily’s school at the time was unwilling to make accommodations or provide the family with additional support. As Emily got older, Heidi knew that the best thing for her daughter was to find a school that would allow them to prioritize Emily’s health while also providing a high-quality education.

At first, Heidi struggled to find the right alternative to Emily’s traditional public school. Eventually, she met a woman who told her that she was working as a nurse and had gone through Visions to get her education. As a mother who had spent the past five years in hospitals, Heidi said, “You rely on good nurses.” This was the moment she knew Visions was the right school for them.

A Perfect Match

Heidi finally enrolled Emily in our Home School Academy when she was in eighth grade. Although Emily continued to struggle in the beginning, with support from her credentialed teacher and resources like a free Chromebook, a budget for learning materials, and access to tutoring services, she was able to turn her grades around and continue to find success in our 9-12 Independent Study program.

“Eighth grade was tough. Going from failing to passing in six weeks was a miracle,” says Heidi. “This year she is a freshman and thriving. Her illness is in remission and she is able to focus on school finally.”

Although she made significant strides with her grades, Emily still needed additional help in subjects like science, math, and language arts. After talking to Emily’s credentialed teacher about her academic struggles, Heidi was referred to A+ Tutoring, one of the 600+ Enrichment Vendors that Visions partners with to provide services to our students. A+ Tutoring was able to connect Emily with Brooke Fallas, one of their tutors, and assist Emily on her path to success.

“With Visions, they have so many tools to make your child succeed,” says Heidi. “I read a lot of great reviews and decided to give A+ a shot. I’m so glad we did.”

A+ Tutoring makes it a priority to understand each student’s unique learning style. Their tutors teach in a way that students understand, meeting them where they are and finding points of connection to facilitate effective instruction. In Brooke and Emily’s case, that connection was evident from their very first meeting.

“Brooke and I hit it off, she was so understanding and kind and also patient. I told her about the anime I watch and the video games I play. We had a great conversation. She is a great tutor,” Emily shares.

“When we first started, she [Emily] was a little apprehensive and had some really negative feelings about her schoolwork — just super overwhelmed and had a ton on her plate,” says Brooke. “I think when she noticed that we, as a team, were there to support her no matter what was going on was when she really got invested in herself. It’s awesome to see her show up for herself and overcome the barriers she had!”

Brooke has had such a profound impact on Emily that when she was told that Brooke would be going on vacation for a few weeks and that A+ would provide her with a different tutor, Emily declined.

“My daughter and her tutor have such a connection. They understand each other and click. I’m so thankful that we found A+ Tutoring,” says Heidi.

Bright Futures

Through her time at Visions and with A+ Tutoring, Emily has become more confident in herself and her abilities, and has overcome her health battles and educational setbacks. As Brooke says, “It really feels like she’s taken the power back in her own hands and is ready to face whatever is thrown at her.”

“Thank you so much to our Visions team and to our A+ team for helping our daughter succeed in life,” says Heidi. “There truly is light at the end of a dark tunnel.”

Enrichment Vendors

Visions is proud to partner with hundreds of Enrichment Vendors that help students, like Emily, supplement their education, expand their learning, and nourish their growth. Check out all of our vendors here!

About A+ Tutoring

A+ Tutoring prioritizes understanding each student’s unique learning style and needs. Through comprehensive assessments, they determine whether students respond best to visual, auditory, or kinesthetic methods. Their tutors then customize their teaching approach, integrating relevant materials and interactive exercises tailored to enhance comprehension and engagement. Continuous monitoring of progress allows them to fine-tune their strategies, ensuring optimal learning outcomes for every student.

A+ Tutoring also caters to the specific needs of charter school and homeschool families by providing tailored support. They align their tutoring with the curriculum and collaborate with educators to offer flexible, personalized instruction that complements their curriculum and learning goals. Their goal is to empower all students with the support they need to succeed academically.

Board of Directors Spotlight: Meet Mark Holman

April 16, 2024/in News

Board of Directors Spotlight: Meet Mark Holman

Please share why you volunteer on the Board at Visions In Education.

As a successful local CEO who values education and family, volunteering on the Board at Visions In Education allows me to give back to my community while advancing my personal and professional priorities for community development. I’m passionate about ensuring all students have access to high-quality education and personalized learning experiences, and I’m committed to contributing my skills and experiences to support Visions In Education’s mission. Serving on the Board is a fulfilling way for me to combine my dedication to education, family, and public service.

What is it about Visions that made you want to be part of our school community?

I was drawn to Visions In Education both because of its commitment to personalized learning and flexibility in education and the potential to impact public education more broadly. I believe every student deserves the opportunity to learn in a way that best suits their needs and goals, and Visions embodies that philosophy. Being part of the Visions school community allows me to contribute to shaping the future of education and making a positive impact on students’ lives.

How might you describe the difference that our teachers and staff are making by meeting the individual and unique needs of each student?

The impact of Visions’ teachers and staff in meeting the individual and unique needs of each student is profound. By personalizing education plans and providing one-on-one support, they create a learning environment where every student can thrive. This tailored approach not only drives academic success but also fosters confidence, motivation, and a sense of belonging in each student. By recognizing and accommodating diverse learning styles, interests, and challenges, our teachers and staff empower students to reach their full potential and achieve their goals. Their dedication to meeting students where they are and helping them succeed sets a foundation for lifelong learning and success beyond the classroom. Ultimately, our teachers help students shape their futures and equip them with the skills and confidence to navigate the world with purpose and resilience.

What is one way that Visions is making a difference in our community from your perspective?

By offering personalized learning experiences, flexible schedules, and comprehensive support services, Visions ensures that every student has the chance to succeed academically and personally. This commitment to inclusivity and excellence both empowers individual students and also contributes to the overall strength and vitality of our communities. Visions fosters a culture of lifelong learning and empowerment, preparing students to become engaged citizens, future leaders, and positive contributors to our society. Another way Visions contributes is to lead among the broader charter school community. Given our location near the Capitol and our high-quality management, educational, and governance practices, we are able to help the State of California learn new ways to improve public education statewide. Being an incubator of public school innovation was the original intent of the California Charter Schools Act.

As a member of the Board, you have an important policy and oversight role to ensure the school is achieving its mission. How would you describe your role in holding Visions accountable for meeting our goals to a variety of stakeholders, including families, staff, and taxpayers?

As a member of the Board, my role in holding Visions accountable for meeting our goals involves several key responsibilities. First and foremost, I work alongside fellow Board members to establish clear policies and objectives aligned with the school’s mission. This includes regularly reviewing and evaluating the school’s performance metrics and progress towards achieving our goals.

To ensure accountability to stakeholders such as families, staff, and taxpayers, I actively engage in oversight activities, such as monitoring financial stewardship, compliance with regulations, and the effectiveness of educational programs. I participate in regular Board meetings where we discuss strategic initiatives, review data and progress, and address any concerns raised by stakeholders.

Transparency is paramount in accountability, so I advocate for open communication channels between the Board, administration, staff, families, and the community. This includes providing opportunities for stakeholders to give feedback, ask questions, and voice concerns regarding the school’s operations and performance. Listening is critical.

Additionally, I believe in fostering a culture of continuous improvement, where we regularly assess our practices and policies to identify areas for enhancement and ensure alignment with our mission and values. By actively fulfilling my oversight role and promoting accountability measures, I strive to uphold the trust and confidence of all stakeholders in Visions In Education as we work together to fulfill our shared educational goals.

One of the most important jobs I have as Chair is to work with our Superintendent to create a sustainable culture of good governance.

What are you most passionate about? How are you able to pursue that passion by serving on our Board?

I’m passionate about many things, including liberty and innovation. Serving on the Board at Visions In Education allows me to advocate for policies and initiatives that prioritize family involvement in education. By promoting innovation in a well-managed public school environment where teachers and families and other caregivers are valued partners in students’ learning journeys, I can help the State of California create a more enriching and effective educational experience for all students.

Please share a bit about your background, family, and what you like to do in your spare time.

Outside of my professional endeavors, my family is my greatest joy and priority. I’m married to my wonderful wife, Jennifer, and we have a 10-year-old son who keeps us both grounded and inspired. Spending quality time with my family, whether it’s exploring historical sites, cooking together, spending time in the wilderness, playing games, or simply sharing stories around the dinner table, are among the activities I cherish most in life.

In my spare time, I’m deeply interested in history, which ties into my involvement as a former Chairman of the Board of the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation. Learning about and gaining insight from the past is both a passion and a source of inspiration for me. Additionally, I’m deeply involved in community service and my church, as giving back to others is a core value that drives me in both my personal and professional life.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Visionaries—both past and present—for the great honor of serving this innovative and transformative organization.

Visions Basketball Club Completes First Season

April 11, 2024/in News

Visions Basketball Club Completes First Season

This year, Visions In Education kicked off sports clubs for the first time in our school’s history. Alongside our soccer club, Visions fielded a basketball club for friendly, intermural competition with other schools.

“On February 7, 2024, twenty-seven strangers entered the Visions In Education Boardroom for our first club meeting,” said Coach Ron Thomas. “I couldn’t tell them how many games we would win by the end of the season, but I could tell them that we would become a family, and that is exactly what happened.”

Coaches Ron Thomas (Associate Director of Equity and Student Engagement) and Independent Study Vice Principal David Doyle built a 10-week training schedule that started with practices and basic basketball drills to get students ready for competition.

“I thought there would have been more girls [signing up] but it was still a fun experience and I grew closer to my basketball community,” said Liana M., a player on the Basketball Club.

Due to a large number of participants, Visions was able to construct two separate groups to compete and play. Both groups stepped up to represent Visions in the playoffs this year. For the first time, Visions will have six players competing in this year’s All-Star Game.

“We ended the season with twenty-five players that became a cohesive club,” said Thomas. “They knew that they were a part of history being the first Visions In Education basketball club; they represented the school well and built the foundation for a program that will be even better in the years to come.”

Congratulations to Visions” basketball club for their first successful season! Win or lose, we are all #VisionsProud of you.

From Academics to Authorship: A Spotlight on Mitch Weathers

April 9, 2024/in News

From Academics to Authorship: A Spotlight on Mitch Weathers

From the moment Mitch Weathers stepped into the classroom 22 years ago, he has been fascinated by this one question: What has the greatest impact on student success? Armed with an undergraduate degree in Geology, a masters in Cross-Cultural Pedagogy, and a love for working with adolescents, Mitch set out to find the foundation for lifelong learning and the key to student success.

Beginning as the Executive Director of a non-profit that served “at-risk” middle and high school youth, Mitch realized that he had a passion for helping kids, but wanted to do so in a different way. Following that desire, he entered the classroom, and after 18 years in a traditional learning environment, he came to Visions and began teaching in the University Prep Academy. After only a short time, Mitch began to see the unique way that Visions and the University Prep program serves our students.

“I love being a member of the UP team! It is the most creative, student-centered, switched-on group of educators I have had the privilege of working with,” says Mitch. “What is most engaging, and simultaneously challenging, is our pursuit to personalize each student’s education within our self-paced, independent study context, while not necessarily ‘teaching’ every student each day.”

Answering the Question

After all these years of teaching, and in between gardening, ultramarathoning, and spending time with his wife, Amber, and two daughters, Vivienne and Olive (see pictures below!), Mitch was finally able to answer the question that has persisted for over twenty years – the greatest impact on student success is executive functioning skills.

“It has become overwhelmingly clear that unless we first lay the foundation for learning, a teacher’s efforts are in vain,” explains Mitch. “Executive functioning skills lay that foundation and instill a sense of agency in learners.”

Mitch’s passion for this discovery has manifested into his first ever book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, Grades 3-12: Creating Safe and Predictable Learning Environments. Written in his home office over the course of two years, Executive Functions for Every Classroom explores the ideas of executive functions such as memory, self-regulation, and goal setting, and how they ultimately help pave the way for success inside and outside the classroom.

“I wrote this book to share with my fellow teaching colleagues how one can ‘teach’ these skills in conjunction with the content or curriculum of their grade level or subject matter,” explains Mitch. “I believe that educators are searching for the answers to help address fallout from the pandemic. Executive functions are what they are looking for, but historically they have been left up to chance. Educators want to know how to equip their students with executive functions, and that is what this book teaches them.”

Although it was one of his “toughest professional challenges” yet, writing this book was a goal that Mitch had wanted to accomplish for many years. Fighting self-judgment and imposter syndrome throughout his writing journey, Mitch was humbled to see that after the book’s release, it quickly became a #1 bestseller on Amazon.

“It felt great, of course, but also humbling. There is a vulnerability to putting your book out into the world for everyone to read, and judge, potentially,” shares Mitch. “Knowing that my work resonates with so many means the world to me.”

Now a published author, Mitch is continuing to teach his Life Science classes and work with his UP students and families. With a great team around him and a 1% better mentality, Mitch is determined to “focus on students as individuals” and utilize what he’s learned about executive functions to allow every student to thrive.

“What I love most is the focus on each and every student as unique learners. Because we are not necessarily ‘teaching’ content in the same way a teacher might in a brick and mortar setting, the focus must be on supporting students in a way that sets them up for success,” says Mitch. “As Jon Eckert says, ‘We don’t serve all students, we serve each student’.”

Want to learn more? Grab a copy of Mitch’s book here!

Visions Visited By Professor From Japan

April 8, 2024/in News

Visions Visited By Professor From Japan

On March 12, Visions was honored with a visit from Professor Dr. Tsukasa Sasaki of Yamaguchi University in Japan. Dr. Sasaki visits schools around the world to learn about their personalized methods to serve today’s diverse student needs.

Superintendent Olmos and the Instructional and Business Services Leadership teams hosted his visit. During his four-hour visit, the professor received presentations on our school and had the opportunity to virtually attend various student classes and events.

Via Zoom Dr. Sasaki got to meet our students and teachers. He observed English, Math, Health, Daily Live and even a Kimochi Social Emotional Learning class organized by our Social Workers!

Remote Yet Connected

“This was not the first time that the professor visited us—he visited us in 2004 and 2010! He consistently praised that while we are individualized, we are not isolated. While we are remote, we are still close and connected,” said Chief Academic Officer Micah Studer.

Dr. Sasaki saw how we’ve adapted and improved our teaching methods and systems over the years to best serve our students and families.

Thank you, Dr. Sasaki, for traveling to visit with us and other schools. We hope to host you again in the future!

Special thanks to the following staff members who hosted Dr. Sasaki: Sofia P., Alyssa L., Krista M., Hilary S., Nancy O., Nicole S., Melissa M., Dina Z., Diana W., and Victoria S.

April is National Volunteer Month

April 8, 2024/in News

April is National Volunteer Month

National Volunteer Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the world’s volunteers. All across the globe, volunteers show how collective effort can create positive change, and National Volunteer Month is a chance to say thank you for inspiring change and making a difference.

For more information about National Volunteer Month, see here.

About Visions’ Community Service Club

At Visions, we host a Community Service Club in the Contra Costa area. Twice a month, the club gathers to volunteer at the Contra Costa Food Bank and give back to their community.

Home School Academy teacher Karen Moe founded the Community Service Club after being inspired by a former student who used to volunteer with his mom. Now serving as the club advisor, Karen works with another Home School teacher, Tami Muniz, to organize and oversee the club’s visits to the food bank.

“We have eight students, two parents, one grandparent and two CTs [in the club],” says Karen. “It has been wonderful to get to know new students from other regions. Each time, the students learn a little more and are given a little more responsibility, learning valuable leadership and interpersonal skills.”

Karen and the club members continue to learn about the food bank’s mission and the people they serve, and while they’re sorting through produce, sharing their favorite recipes, and telling funny family stories, they have the chance to connect over their shared passion and purpose of giving back.

“It is a chance for all of us to reflect upon our purpose and ways we can help others. I feel like our students have increased empathy for others’ needs, tolerance for people in all types of situations, and awareness of food waste. I hope our Community Service Club continues to grow,” Karen shares.

For the students in the club, giving back is an important part of their every day lives. In serving the members of their community, they’ve come to recognize the value of generosity, selflessness, and helping those in need. Thank you Karen, Tami and our students for your work out in our communities!

Visions Students Become Published Authors

April 4, 2024/in News

Visions Students Become Published Authors

On March 22nd, 2024, friends, family and Visions staff gathered at 916 Ink’s Imaginarium in South Sacramento to celebrate the release of this year’s Find Your Voice student anthologies. This year’s books, Banana Bread: How to Read Between the Slices and The Library of Secrets, are a collection of poetry and prose written by our middle school and high school Find Your Voice classes. Students in both classes worked all semester with our Find Your Voice instructors to write, edit, and refine the pieces that they wanted to publish in the anthology.

“It was so powerful to watch as students really grew as a community and embraced the process of finding their voice!” says Find Your Voice and Home School teacher Brittney Pratt.

In honor of the official publication of their books, students got to come collect their copies and read their writing in front of peers and families. Their work ranged from poetry about their dog to stories of love, nostalgia, and growing up, and listening to our students share their writing was the best way to commemorate their hard work.

“I am eternally grateful that since 2011, our leadership team at Visions has been committed to providing our students the opportunity to write in a community and discover the power of their voices,” says Find Your Voice founder and Independent Study teacher Hilary Brugger. “Seeing our students read their newly published pieces in front of family, friends, alumni, and our school staff reminded me how powerful these classes are; not only do they create confidence and provide a creative outlet, but they also foster lifelong friendships.”

Congratulations to this year’s Find Your Voice students, who now officially have their name in print! Thank you families, friends, and Visions staff (plus a Visions alum!) for joining us to celebrate our writers, and we look forward to seeing more of their work in the future!

Want to hear some student readings? Stay tuned for a video coming soon!

Creativity on Display: Students Showcase Their Talents!

April 4, 2024/in News

Creativity on Display: Students Showcase Their Talents at Project and Performance Fairs!

The Project and Performance Fairs were a resounding success once again, showcasing the incredible talent, creativity, and passion of the Visions community. Our four fairs, held throughout our service area, were a reminder of the importance of nurturing and supporting the next generation of artists, athletes, scientists, and performers.

As students represented their projects, they explained their inspiration for projects such as handcrafted clay art, knitted apparel, and other works of art. Students shared how their projects worked with one another and focused on building social skills while retaining the information on projects they had worked on.

Performers: Stage Left

Talented students displayed their skills and creativity for all in their performances. From gymnastics to singing to playing the piano, these students showcased their abilities to shine in front of an audience. One of the highlights of the Brentwood fair was a joint performance by two homeschool sisters, Zaylani and Nylah, who performed Grammy-winning songs “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston.

“It was a great experience. Everything from the venue, [the] friendly and accommodating staff, and the overall organization made the entire experience very eventful, fun, and memorable for my children as well as me and my family.” said the mother of Zaylani and Nylah, Nina T., “I look forward to attending more events in the future.”

“For this learning period, we combined our regional events with project and performance opportunities so we had the pleasure of seeing projects and two sessions of live performances by our very own students,” said Christina Jonssson, Charter School Secretary for the Home School Academy and a member of our Events team.

Thank you to nearly 400 community members for their support in preparing and organizing these educational performance fairs! With support from our enrichment vendors, social workers, counselors, and organizational teams such as EASE, TOSA, and STEAM club. These events create a strong learning environment in a fun and interactive way.

Student Spotlight: Taking Personalized Learning To A New Level

April 3, 2024/in Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Taking Personalized Learning to a New Level

For University Prep student Bassam I., technology is at the forefront of his learning. Since elementary school, he’s loved computers, playing around with Scratch and Google Slides at nine years old. At twelve, he started programming with Java, eventually learning different programming languages like Javascript, HTML, CSS, Lua, C#, C++ and Python. By sixteen, he wanted to learn electronic design.

“I love electronics. I sometimes will just take something apart to figure out how it works,” says Bassam. “We live in an age where anyone can get information, any time, anywhere. I am grateful I live in a time where I can learn pretty much anything.”

From deconstructing Chromebooks, calculators, pedometers and power strips to building prototypes of USB hubs and touch screen phones, Bassam has explored the ins and outs of a variety of tech items. Despite his innate skills with technology however, learning these things didn’t happen overnight for Bassam.

“I built a prototype for a USB hub you could connect to via Bluetooth. It took several months of looking through documentation and learning about things like impedance, RF design, micro-soldering and more,” Bassam explains. “I still have a lot to learn.”

Customizing His Experience

Bassam’s interest in technology has continued to be explored here at Visions through things such as his Directed Project, where Bassam was able to focus on subjects that he was passionate about, and the Game Design CTE Pathway. This passion has even taken root in his everyday experience with instruction through SchoolsPLP, which is the learning management system that students like Bassam use to access courses, assignments, grades and more.

Using SchoolsPLP every day made Bassam familiar with the program’s basic functions, so when they made an update at the beginning of the school year, he noticed that the change added an extra button to click in order to access his student portal. To mitigate this, Bassam began creating PLPMod (pictured below), which is a Google Chrome extension that can be used to personalize a student’s SchoolsPLP profile both aesthetically and functionally.

“To develop for PLPMod, it starts with something to change,” explains Bassam. “Let’s say people want to change the background. First, I add a setting into the menu. Next, I use the inspect window. I find the HTML element I want to change inside of this inspector, then I figure out how my program will find the same element. Then I code PLPMod to find this element and modify it or add things there. Just like that we have added a new feature!”

Bassam has added numerous features to PLPMod, including the ability to: create a custom profile picture, create a custom background for the home screen, toggle the GO button for classes, click a “What-If” calculator button that shows what students’ grades will be if they get a specific score on an assignment (according to Bassam, “This was arguably one of the most popular features.”), show grade letters as numbers and vice-versa, show assignments in list form when entering a class rather than going to the latest assignment, click on submitted links to view teacher feedback instead of having to copy and paste the link into the search bar, pin Discussion Instructions, update Logs to keep users updated of new features, and customize the settings menu.

“I have learned quite a lot,” says Bassam. “This was my first ever chrome extension. I learned how to create a manifest (a document describing the extension), how to publish an extension, how to save data in an extension, how to get some feedback and how to fix some bugs.”

Bassam’s amazing work has impressed not only his fellow students, but his teacher, Toby Spencer, and even SchoolsPLP themselves. SchoolsPLP summarized Bassam’s skills with their program in an article of their own, writing:

“In an interview with SchoolsPLP, Bassam discussed how he enhanced the user experience of the student dashboard by developing a Chrome extension mod for SchoolsPLP! The mod allows students to customize their profile pictures and backgrounds, as well as allowing the user to remove the GO button and change the grades from letter grades to number grades, [which] improves both the functionality and aesthetics. Bassam’s innovative approach to the student user interface showcases his talent for UX [user experience] and endeavors in the programming field.”

Mr. Spencer praises Bassam’s “creativity, ingenuity and computing prowess,” and Bassam credits Mr. Spencer and his CTE teacher, Kim Grant, for supporting and encouraging his passion for technology.

“I’ve never met a single teacher that wouldn’t help me learn the material,” says Bassam. “I’ve also had some really good teachers like Miss Grant! Her class is very flexible, and she likes our creativity on assignments and our own personal projects we share in her Video Game Design class.”

In the future, Bassam wants to go into a career centered around programming or computers. He thanks his family, friends, and teachers for making him the person that he is, and he thanks Visions for giving him the resources and opportunities to explore what he loves.

“[Visions] offers much more than any other high school. The schedule is very flexible and not as rigid as other schools. They also provide you money for school-related activities,” says Bassam. “I like [my] Directed Project and working on my own passion projects for school credit.”

From computers to coding to SchoolsPLP, Bassam has found the program for success, and we look forward to seeing all that he’ll accomplish in the future.