Spring break for students and teachers is March 25th-29th. We hope you all have a warm and restful week off!
Our main office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed Friday, March 29th. We will resume services during regular business hours on Monday, April 1st.
March 31st is designated as César Chávez Day of Service. Chávez was born on March 31st, 1927 in Arizona and became a prominent Latino civil rights leader and labor movement activist. As a farmer, Chávez advocated for more rights, fair treatment and better wages for farmers and laborers in the United States.
In 2008, former President Barack Obama endorsed César Chávez Day of Service as a commemorative holiday to honor Chávez’s “legacy as an educator, environmentalist, and a civil rights leader.” Chávez’s legacy lives on through the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union (formerly known as the National Farm Workers Association), which he co-founded with Dolores Huerta in 1962. To learn more about Chávez, visit History.com.
When Reagan P. came to Visions in 9th grade, she failed most of her first semester classes. Coming from a brick and mortar environment where she was easily distracted, she had a difficult time transitioning into our Independent Study program. Reagan was determined to stick with it however, knowing that Visions would provide her a “better opportunity” to achieve academic success.
“A difference I noticed between my old school and Visions is that Visions was way more supportive and had way more resources to make sure you were successful,” says Reagan.
With resources such as tutoring, counseling and one-on-one support from a credentialed teacher, Reagan was able to pass all of her classes in the second semester. Her teacher, Patricia Jackson, helped guide Reagan through her academics, and was proud to have been with her on the journey from failure to success.
“My motivation to turn my grades around and pass the second semester was that I knew I wanted to graduate and graduate on time,” explains Reagan. “Also, my motivation was setting an example for all my younger family members.”
“It’s just so inspiring,” says Ms. Jackson. “[It’s] a great turnaround story and can be used to show anything is possible.”
After passing 9th grade, Reagan continued on to 10th grade at Visions. Passing all of her sophomore year classes, Reagan even went back and retook all of the classes she had failed during her freshman year.
“What made me want to go back and retake the classes that I failed was I wanted to take accountability and show that I take ownership in a mistake I made,” says Reagan.
Reagan’s actions not only show perseverance, but accountability as well, and, as Ms. Jackson says, “It shows how you may fail, but you can use your failure to make a big difference.”
“My relationship with Ms. Jackson is so great,” says Reagan. “She is very supportive and she helped me…become academically successful because she believed in me and she would help me when I had questions.”
Now, Reagan is in 11th grade and continues to excel in her classes. After high school, she wants to go to cosmetology school, and then eventually go to college to become a psychologist.
“My words of wisdom for students who may be struggling with the same thing I did would be to never look at failure and give up. Turn your failures into success,” shares Reagan. “No matter how bad you think the failure may be, you can always turn it around. Put your mind to it and remember what you want in the end. Also, always remember that in life, you will fail at many things, but those failures will build you into your success. You just have to want it and give it your all.”
Please share why you volunteer on the Board at Visions In Education.
I am inspired by Visions In Education’s Vision, Mission, and Values! Children are our future! I volunteer my time, unique talents, backgrounds, and experiences to advocate for them as a meaningful way to contribute to education, bring about a positive, long-lasting impact, and make a difference in the lives of students and families within the community.
What is it about Visions that made you want to be part of our school community?
I met Visions In Education Superintendent Steve Olmos at the San Juan Education Foundation Gala. I learned that Visions is a free, non-classroom-based public charter school that serves over 7,200 TK-12 students in 9 counties. It offers students flexible and personalized service through their Independent Study, University Prep, and Home School programs. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more.
Over the next week, I researched and learned about Visions’ leadership team, teachers, and staff, the innovative use of technology and educational approaches, and the flexibility of education options beyond traditional public schools. Visions is legit with a long, solid track record.
What drew me in was how well Visions served its diverse and inclusive student demographics, including many special needs kids with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). I can fully relate because my son had an IEP throughout his high school years. I am grateful that he is successful because of the partnership and support we received.
How might you describe the difference that our teachers and staff are making by meeting the individual and unique needs of each student?
Each student is unique. Visions teachers and staff understand this and work together to address the social-emotional and academic needs of each student. They employ the appropriate tools, resources, and techniques, including Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), synchronous instruction, educator cohorts, grade banding, and service-based solutions.
What is one way that Visions is making a difference in our community from your perspective?
Communication is key to connecting with our community, and Visions does this brilliantly through The Wire. It is the central newsletter and one-stop shop for our community to stay informed on important announcements, events, stories, news, resources, helpful links, and connections to social media.
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 Visions Board member, I have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest and benefit of our stakeholders, holding Visions accountable to meet our goals and to achieve the mission. I would hold Visions to facilitate clear and transparent communications, collect/analyze/report on relevant school performance data, implement stakeholder feedback channels, establish performance targets and accountability measures with a focus on the goals, conduct regular evaluations and performance reviews against the goals, ensuring financial transparency and stewardship with public funds, and foster engagement and collaboration amongst stakeholders.
What are you most passionate about? How are you able to pursue that passion by serving on our Board?
I am passionate about technology and data and how they play a critical role to inform and help drive Visions’ goals and policies. Visions’ LPAD Student Support System is the clever technology that provides a secure single point of entry for students, parents, teachers, and administrators [and] that integrates and streamlines programs and platforms. Visions’ use of Data-Driven Instruction encapsulates a robust set of ongoing practices that focuses on assessing student learning, analyzing assessment data, and adjusting instruction in response to the assessment data in intentional cycles. These capabilities make a geek like me happy, and I will continue to support them as a Board member.
Please share a bit about your background, family, and what you like to do in your spare time.
My family immigrated to America from Taiwan when I was six years old. I spoke only Mandarin when I started first grade and was immersed in an English-only classroom. I struggled at first, but the more I practiced speaking English, the quicker I learned. In high school, I became interested in technology and enrolled in the Electronics Academy program. I graduated college with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and [have] worked in the High-Tech industry for the past 30 years.
My wife is a 3rd-grade public school teacher, and my son is studying Computer Science in college. My passion for STEM has had a generational influence.
In my spare time, I volunteer with the Folsom Lake Symphony, Bayside Church Folsom, City of Folsom Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Intel Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), lead an Intel PC Pals team, and lead a music jam band. My hobbies include computers, coding, gaming, STEM, music, painting, photography, culinary arts, HAM radio, medical skills, motorcycling, mountain biking, SUP [stand-up paddle boarding], snowboarding, backpacking, various individual and team sports, reading, writing, finance, and gardening.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Prioritizing your education and developing a growth mindset are the keys that open many great opportunities. Don’t let your circumstances or history determine your destiny. Take ownership of your future, and go do something wonderful!
On February 29th, Visions In Education’s Superintendent, Dr. Steve Olmos, joined Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil and charter school leaders from across the state to present to legislative representatives in Sacramento. Organized by The Association of Personalized Learning Schools and Services (APLUS+) in partnership with KP Public Affairs, this event was part of Visions’ ongoing efforts to educate state leaders about what public charter schools are and how they serve their students.
“I’ve been in education for more than twenty years, but this is my third year as a charter school leader,” Dr. Olmos said, commenting on the unique perspective he has as a veteran of established schools.
Dr. Olmos presented a picture of Visions’ student body and some of the learning gains we have made over the past several years to show the positive impact public charter schools have on the students we serve. A brief Q&A session followed, with Dr. Olmos fielding questions alongside his panel mates on funding determinations, teacher credentials, and recent charter school news.
This panel comes on the heels of a year’s worth of Visions’ legislative outreach efforts and successful meetings with the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), California Department of Education (CDE), and the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT). As the legislative session gets underway, Visions plans to continue to seek opportunities to educate and partner with other charter schools and state leaders.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to share Visions’ story with state lawmakers and their staff,” says Dr. Steve Olmos. “I hope to have more opportunities to do so in the future.”
Thank you to APLUS+ and Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for hosting this event and inviting Visions to share a little about our nearly twenty-five years of success! For more information, please see this event recap below.
In the summer of 2022, on a stage all the way in Pennsylvania, senior Luke L. stepped out into the spotlight for his last Headliners Nationals performance. In a pink button-up shirt, dark jeans, and bright teal, green and yellow tap shoes, Luke performed his solo “Drive,” earning him second place in the competition and the title of “Mr. Headliners 2022.”
This was Luke’s favorite performance. His mom, Christie, was in the audience, watching her son take “everything he knew and everything he learned” and leave it all out on the stage. Performing is the best part about dancing for Luke, and that day, he got to show the audience his best one yet.
“I was the only person west of the Mississippi there [at Headliners], so that instantly set me apart and gave me a unique edge that no one else had,” says Luke. “I got to perform my favorite genre for people who also loved dancing, with a special twist to it they hadn’t seen before (West Coast style dancing), to a song I loved and choreography I loved more. It was just a perfect storm.”
“He couldn’t have danced any better,” Christie adds. “It was such a proud parent moment indeed. Especially when we traveled home via airplane. His trophy wouldn’t fit in the suitcase, so we carried that thing through the airports and garnered so much attention!”
That moment on the stage at nationals was a culmination of thirteen years of dance lessons, practices, performances, competitions, and more. Although he didn’t initially like dance when he began as a five year old, Luke learned to love the art form, and for mom, it was a way for Luke, who struggles with ADHD, to work through some of his energy.
“I put Luke into tap dance at first because he was always moving, and I thought tap was a good way to channel his energy. He loved tap from the start, if memory serves me well. The other genres came in time!” says Christie.
Luke is now proficient in tap, ballet, hip hop, jazz, contemporary and musical theater, and dances at Northern California Dance Conservatory. Tap is his favorite, as it’s “the most connected with music over any other genre,” and the chance to perform is what keeps Luke moving.
“Performing [is] why we spend hours every single day training. Performing is like telling the world that I’ve spent all this time on this art form because I love it. It tells the audience, ‘Here, I love this thing so much that I break my body to do it well, here’s why you should love it too.’”
Click through the photos to see Luke in action!
Taking into consideration Luke’s learning style and commitment to dance, Christie enrolled him in Visions’ University Prep Academy. Having seen success with her daughter, Luke’s older sister Charlotte, and needing a better option during COVID, Christie felt strongly that University Prep would be the best choice for her son’s education and future.
“I initially found Visions for my older daughter, who graduated Class of 2021. She had special needs and a mental health diagnosis that made traditional school a bad choice for her,” shares Christie. “We started Visions when she was in 6th grade (Luke was in 3rd then). I fell in love with the University Prep program, which became where I wanted my other kids for high school as well.”
For the last four years, Luke has been excelling in University Prep, getting good grades, building a strong relationship with his credentialed teacher, Jesse Dunn, and most importantly, maintaining the freedom and flexibility to continue dancing at an elite level.
“Visions beautifully let me pursue dancing AND education. The independent study [model] lets me learn material at my own pace, and not the class average pace,” says Luke. “Having a personalized speed…helped me fly through assignments and learn way better.”
Luke is set to graduate this June and will be heading to The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts in Connecticut. There, he will spend two years specializing in musical theater dance with the hopes of turning his passion into a career.
“The goal at NoCo is not to have their students graduate, but rather to get them successful work in the industry as fast as possible. As a result of this philosophy, they only accept 16 people per track who they know already have what it takes to succeed,” Luke explains.
With support from his mom, teacher, and dance mentors, Luke is pursuing a life centered around something he loves. Visions’ unique structure and the chance for Luke to receive a self-paced, rigorous education has set him up to follow all of his dance dreams. Like “Drive” says – “Do what makes you feel alive.”
“The Visions program offers a quality education at the student’s pace, which allows for more time for extracurriculars like dance, in Luke’s case,” shares Christie. “Visions has been a godsend to all three of my kids.”
Check out Luke’s performance at Headliners here! Want to see more? Visit the Lowe family’s YouTube channel!
Walking by the Ordering Services area, you’ll notice red and pink hearts stuck to the plastic dividers for Valentine’s Day, felt leaves draped around their desks in the fall, and a tree standing tall in the corner at Christmas time. For the Superbowl, they’ll rep their teams. On Halloween, they’ll all be in costume.
Spirits stay high on the Ordering Services team, a reminder that despite the immense amount of work the department is responsible for, there is joy to be had in showing up at Visions, working hard for our staff, and serving our families.
“Ordering Services is a department that is unique to Visions and I love the challenges and opportunities that come with that,” explains Melissa Pytlak, Ordering Services Manager. “Ordering Services reviews and processes orders for curriculum, textbooks, [and] supplies, as well as eVouchers and enrichment reimbursements. We ensure that essential items students need are delivered directly to every Visions student. With over 7,000 students in a nine county area, this is a big challenge!”
But the team is dedicated to facing that challenge every day. Despite some hurdles, Ordering Services has continually met their goals and demonstrated unwavering service to our families, and this commitment can be seen in the department’s impressive numbers and the way that they’ve worked together to find success through those challenges.
“We [have] successfully processed 62,000+ orders since the start of the 2023-24 school year,” says Lora Bachinsky, Student Services Representative I. “Our team has shown incredible resilience, navigating through three leadership transitions and integrating a completely new team while training new members.”
Veronica Kane, Student Services Representative II, adds, “The current OS manager and team members are the best I have ever worked with, not only due to their willingness to work together as a team and have each other’s backs, but also by everyone consistently doing their part to ensure we have…strong team cohesion and a positive attitude while we work together to achieve our department and organization goals.”
Senior Director of Operations Michael Brubaker, who oversees the Ordering Services Department, echoes the team’s sentiments of cohesion, strength and resilience. As their director, he has seen firsthand the impact that the team has had on the organization.
“This past year, the OS team (led by Melissa Pytlak) was able to process the highest number of orders that Visions has ever received. Even during the peak ordering season, with thousands of orders in their queue, the members of the team maintained a positive and friendly attitude, while providing excellent service to families, students and teachers. I appreciate each team member’s willingness to complete whatever tasks are needed, often having to switch from one task to another. This team is a vital part of Visions In Education and without them, we could not accomplish our mission to ‘Prepare each student to succeed in a rapidly changing world’. I would like to thank them for their service to our school and the students that we serve.”
Although their overall initiatives are the same, each Student Services Representative has specific responsibilities. Lora, May Guida, and Maleesha Grimes work on the Non-Express side, reviewing and processing orders from our curriculum vendors. Randee Ramirez and Katrina Slofkosky work on the Express side, managing orders from Amazon, Staples, and Rainbow Resource and processing eVouchers and enrichment reimbursements. Julie Yoder, better known as the “OS Ninja”, assists both the Express and Non-Express side. Each SSR is also cross-trained, ensuring that the team can effectively divide up their work and provide the highest level of service to our students and families.
“We are here to support our families and staff in any way we can. Our team is fantastic at making sure students are supplied with the tools and resources students need to help further their education,” says Katrina.
Aside from their larger bodies of work, the team also helps families with book returns, answers parent questions, assists our curriculum vendors, and collaborates with other departments to ensure student needs are met. This includes working with leadership from Instruction and Business Services, and even borrowing staff from other departments during their busy season in the summer.
“The flow of orders is very seasonal, with August and September being our busiest months of the year. During peak season, we essentially double the team size by borrowing four to six additional staff from other departments,” explains Melissa. “This requires planning, training, practice sessions, great written documentation, and good reporting. It also means fostering an environment where questions are welcome and team members help each other.”
The Ordering Services team has had to withstand numerous changes within their department over the past year-and-a-half, including transitions in management, changes in curriculum partners, updates to ordering processes and more. With sound leadership, a commitment to serving our families, and a dedication to becoming 1% better every day, the team has only become stronger.
“I love that we are all willing to go the [extra] mile to provide service that helps us be 1% better with every effort,” says Maleesha.
“The Ordering Services team has really embraced the 1% better every day motto and each team member demonstrates a growth mindset on a regular basis,” adds Melissa. “Even with the day-to-day operations running smoothly there are still plenty of refinements that can be made. Successful process improvement starts with listening carefully and asking the right questions.”
As alluded to, change begins at the top, and the team credits Melissa for not only creating a space where everyone feels free to grow and succeed, but for leading them to success during times that were busy, uncertain, in flux and everything in between.
“With a great manager, a great team follows. Ours has achieved so much in such a short time because each member embodies the cohesive culture we strive for,” shares Lora. “We support each other wholeheartedly, demonstrating loyalty to both our team and manager.”
As Randee says, “it’s all good vibes” in the Ordering Services Department, and from day one, the team truly has maintained a special bond.
“I enjoy coming to work and spending time with my team. They are my second family!” says Julie.
“From my first day on this team, I have felt very supported because of the kind and helpful people I work with,” May adds. “Each team member values the work they do serving families and is always eager to learn and improve.”
“One of the things I noticed on my very first day was that everyone is happy! Like, genuinely happy working here. In my past workplaces this wasn’t always the case,” says Randee. “It’s a breath of fresh air to be here. I’m happy to be a part of the Visions family.”
About the Team, From the Team!
“The Ordering Services Department has wonderful, caring individuals who are great at their jobs and also know how to keep things fun!” – Julie Y.
“The OS team is such a fun place to be! We keep morale high with baked goods, decking our department out for the holidays, and fun themed dress-up days that really help boost everyone’s spirits.” – May G.
“Our team is so amazing and supportive. It is fantastic navigating through issues that I cannot solve on my own because I know I have a team who’s got my back and helps guide me to where I need to go.” – Katrina S.
“My favorite part of working in OS is working with the ladies in the department. We all bring something unique and are super supportive of each other’s growth. We have a lot of fun collaborating and solving OS matters.” – Maleesha G.
Visions In Education secures Patent and Registration for the LPAD Student Support System logo. Approved by the United States Patent & Trademark Office, Visions is excited to announce the registration of their logo.
“We’re thrilled to have our new logo officially recognized and protected by the USPTO,” said Chief Operating Officer Tom Tafoya, “This logo represents our school’s dedication to providing a high-quality education for students and serving as a positive force in our community.”
Visions prides itself on offering a unique and engaging learning environment. Focusing on personalized learning, fostering strong parent involvement, and providing a well-rounded education that prepares students for success in college and beyond.
Developed and refined for over a decade, LPAD (formally “Launchpad”) seamlessly integrates all technologies into one easy-to-use platform. Visions decided to make the name change in order to successfully trademark and protect our system.
“We believe that our logo captures the essence of our school’s mission and values,” said Tafoya, “It is a symbol of dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and families, and we are excited to see it represent our school in the community.”
Thanks to Tom Tafoya, Uriel Gonzalez, Michael Miller, and Mike Brubaker (pictured above) for their support and guidance throughout the trademark approval process. Their dedication has been invaluable to our charter school, and we are grateful for their continued commitment to our success.
For more information about Visions In Education, programs offered, and student success stories please visit our news section.
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the experiences of people living with developmental disabilities. This year’s DDAM theme is “A World of Opportunities” and celebrates the inclusion of all people and the chance for everyone to thrive.
Hear from Visions’ Special Education Community
This year for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we partnered with Visions’ Champions Club and SPED Art & Social Club to learn more about what the Special Education community and Visions mean to our special needs students and their families.
“It’s the chance to socialize with other kids in the group that have our disabilities,” says Champions Club member Anastacia. For club member Nazha, it’s the chance to see other students in-person, like during their club field trips to the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity and In-N-Out Burger.
“It [the Champions Club] gives us an opportunity to have our students participate in something,” says Adam Grounds, Champions Club Advisor and SPED Case Manager. “This club is open to everybody, and it allows us to have something a little structured for our students.”
Whether it’s painting, talking, or just being in the company of other students, both the Champions Club and the Art & Social Club give students a safe space to come together to learn and play. For the families of these students, they are especially appreciative of “an environment that is accepting and safe” and “the opportunity…to be able to engage in social experiences.”
“Having a safe and fun environment for students with disabilities means creating a space where they feel physically and emotionally secure while also having opportunities for enjoyable and meaningful experiences. It involves ensuring accessibility, both in terms of physical accommodations and support for diverse learning needs,” explains Jenn Apgar, Art & Social Club Advisor and Lead SPED Case Manager. “Ultimately, a safe and fun environment for students with disabilities promotes their well-being, empowerment, and sense of belonging within the educational community. I am honored to be able to be a partner in the process.”
“This is why I teach SPED – to be an advocate and a voice for the students who can’t speak for themselves,” says Ken Mewborn, Champions Club Advisor and SPED Case Manager. “I love it. I love the families. It’s service to me.”
Click through the photos below to check out some art work made by our SPED students!
The Champions Club provides students with an opportunity to engage in activities and discussions designed to help foster awareness of the experiences and issues that impact Students with Special Needs. The SPED Art & Social Club is an opportunity for all students to come together to meet new friends, socialize, try new art mediums, and embrace the freedom of creativity. Students of all abilities are encouraged to join both clubs.
For more information or to join either of these clubs, please visit the Student Clubs Page.
Women’s History Month began in 1987 and is a celebration of the contributions of women to society. Throughout the month of March, we honor the many ways that women have shaped our world historically, culturally and beyond.
Did you know that Women’s History Month originated in California? Check out some resources below to find more information about the origins of Women’s History Month and why we celebrate today.
Women’s History Month 2024 – History.com
Women’s History Month – National Women’s History Museum
Women’s History Month – National Geographic Kids
Women’s History Month coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8th. This day is celebrated around the globe and calls attention to the many achievements of women – past, present and future. Join us this month as we continue to honor and recognize the impact that women have had on our world today.
