Dear Valley View Families,
Valley View Charter Prep’s focus on personalized education naturally leads to a more collaborative approach between our parents and staff. In fact, one of our schools’ greatest strengths is parent engagement. Unlike the traditional model of education of thirty students in a classroom with one teacher, VVCP partners with parents to support student needs and strengths through a differentiated, one-to-one independent study model. So, when Valley View is asked to demonstrate parent engagement as a publicly funded school, it is at once natural and a little counterintuitive.
Such is the case with our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). You may recall that California uses the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF.) The LCFF requires school districts to involve parents in planning and decision-making as well as in developing Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs).
The LCAP is required to address several things:
- Requires school districts to focus on the eight key areas that help all students succeed
- Provides extra funding for students with greater challenges
- Gives flexibility in utilizing school resources to support community-building.
As you would expect, Valley View’s LCAP highlights parent engagement and community-building. As a result, we have increased our efforts to provide opportunities for stakeholder engagement. This includes a return to in-person field trips. Valley View has a history of providing such school-sponsored activities. However, the pandemic curtailed these over the past year. Examples of this can be seen in past field trips to places like Rosie the Riveter, Presidio Archeological Dig, Mission San Francisco Solano, Lindsay Wildlife Experience, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Blackhawk Museum, Exploratorium, and Asian Art Museum, to name a few!
We are excited to announce our first in-person field trip in over a year to Hidden Villa Farm in Los Altos on March 24. This field trip will give VVCP families the opportunity to trek through the wilderness and interact with farm animals! This farm and wilderness exploration field trip invites students to discover the unique characteristics and roles of plants and animals on the trail and farm. Students will build confidence and develop new insights as they inspect an animal track on the trail, meet a banana slug along the creek, examine critters in the compost pile, or pet a farm animal.
We hope to see you on March 24 or at one of our future field trips!
Happy Learning,
John Mittan, Director
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High School News
Let’s Connect!
Weekly advising appointments are available online in 20-minute increments. Parents, students, and teachers are encouraged to schedule time to discuss individualized programs and planning or just check in if you need some support!
In-Person Office Hours are also available!
Please visit: https://tinyurl.com/valleyviewcounseling
Middle and High School Orientation
Our high school orientation on Tuesday, Feb 1 was a great success. If you missed it, please reach out to me for the recording link.
UP NEXT: Middle School Orientation- March1st @ 3:30. Come and learn about our virtual programs and VOLTS class offerings for the 22//23 school year. The meeting link will be sent directly to middle school students. The meeting will be recorded if you are unable to attend.
College Applications/FAFSA
Many out-of-state and private colleges are still accepting applications for Fall ’22. If you are interested in attending a four-year college, please reach out. It isn’t too late! Power Hour will be hosting another workshop on February 10th!!
Headed to Community College?
You still need to apply NOW as a matriculated (graduated) student, even if you have already attended in high school. Check the admissions link at your favorite college.
FAFSA- Free Application for Student Aid If you want to take advantage of community college free tuition programs, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA. Power Hour held several meetings in the fall and help is still available, if you need it. The deadline is March 2nd. All seniors are encouraged to complete the FAFSA even if they are unsure of their college plans OR think they won’t qualify for funding.
Graduation- Save the Date- May 25th. Our committee is in the process of planning the spring graduation ceremony! Stay tuned for information about PCI and VVCP scholarship opportunities.
Student Wellness Team
We realize the last couple of years has presented challenges for our community. School counselors are available to receive confidential discussions regarding your child and can elevate to our school psychologists as needed. The PCI Wellness Team is made up of psychologists, our school nurse, and school counselors. The PCI Wellness Referral Link is confidential, anonymous, and can be left by anyone in the PCI family with the ability to attach images and screenshots as needed.
Please remember if you have a mental or medical emergency you should contact 911 immediately. Any referrals that are completed over the weekend or after school hours will be addressed as soon as possible on the next school day.
Virtual College Fairs & Tours:
While college fairs are still online, many colleges have returned to in-person visits. Check any of the 13 bay area colleges/universities to schedule a tour and see what options are available close to home.
For Virtual Fairs: http://www.collegefairsonline.com – registration required
For a full range of additional College Fairs see:
https://www.nacacfairs.org/attend/attend-virtual-college-fairs/students/
VVCP College Tours:
We are hoping to resume organized tours in the spring. Stay tuned for details!
Thinking about testing? SAT and ACT dates are available!
Currently, UC and CSU are not using standardized tests for admission evaluations. Many other colleges have moved to a test-optional method. Please check directly with your intended programs for specifics about testing.
Students looking to schedule SAT or ACT testing can register directly through the sites.
Concurrent College Enrollment:
If you are taking community college coursework, please forward confirmation of enrollment. Reimbursements cannot be processed until the courses are marked as “In Progress”.
Counselor Power Hour: Thursdays @ 2pm
Our PCI counseling team continues to host Power Hour on Thursdays for our high school community! Every week we present a wide range of topics from college planning to specific career sectors. Emails and links have been sent directly to students and are readily accessible through student email accounts. If you need additional help logging in, please let us know. Recordings are available on request. Students who attend 3 live sessions will earn a gift to some of their favorite places. These sessions are a great way to explore programs and career options!
February Topics Include:
2/3- Reps from Sac City College
2/10-FAFSA Workshops
2/17- University of Nevada Reno
*As always when working with students, flexibility is essential. Workshops may be adjusted or rescheduled as appropriate to meet the needs of the community.
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VIRTUAL CLASSES, TECHNOLOGY and BOOKS
Pacific Charter Institute offers virtual opportunities for our students through two programs:
• V.O.L.T.s (Virtual Opportunities to Learn Together) geared toward our elementary homeschooling families.
• The Virtual Advantage classes for middle school and high school students.
In both programs, our credentialed teachers interact with students and families in real-time through secure online environments. A complete listing of class offerings can be found in the PCI Virtual Class Catalog. Contact your teacher for sign-up procedures.
The Virtual Advantage
Flexibility – attend live classes online from any location.
Support – Taught by highly-qualified credentialed teacher AND free in-person tutoring available in multiple locations
Collaboration – students have the opportunity to work together and to get to know their peers
Current and accredited – activities and problems meet current standards and pacing to ensure that students are adequately prepared for future courses and for standardized tests.
Transparent – Parents are included in all student communications and in some courses, given the opportunity to evaluate student daily work while weening students off dependence on parent instruction. Classes are recorded so that students and parents may refer to any lesson on their own time. Timelines, assignments, and worksheets are given in advance so that families can plan their homework schedules.
Need Math Help?
Math support is not just for those in virtual classes. Students requiring intervention are invited to sign up for FREE math tutoring. Bring whatever math you are working on and come play math with us!
For the fastest results, send your questions in an email!
Cheryl Gomes , Math Teacher and Intervention Specialist
Email: cheryl.gomes@pacificcharters.org
OR in-person
Open to ALL VVCP students (not just those taking virtual classes) ~ this time is open to intervention & parent support of concepts
OR live online with a teacher! Virtual Office Hours T/Th at 4pm at:
| Gomes’ Office You have been invited to join Gomes’ Office using BigBlueButton. To join, click the link above and enter your name. pacificcharters.gl.rna1.blindsidenetworks.com |
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NEW MATH CURRICULUM IS COMING
PCI is looking at a Math curriculum for adoption for the 2022-2023 school year. If interested, we will be piloting the “Reveal” curriculum by McGraw-Hill. Please let me know if you would like to see any of these texts. I have Integrated 2 and 1st-grade texts with me this week. I also have access to 3rd, 5th, & 7th grade and high school Integrated 1 if you would like to come out to Monday Library days to look at them. Contact me if you want me to bring one for you to see.
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Science Corner
Dear Scientists,
VOLTS classes are underway. You should be seeing some projects shortly. Ruby would like fall kits returned. At present we will be having an in-person staff meeting on February 14th. Please return your inventoried kits to your teacher as soon as possible.
Shortly the spring biology kits will be coming. There will be live animals or plants in certain grade kits. It will be important to pick up kits as soon as possible.
Please watch for more information to come.
Until next month, enjoy exploring the world around you!
Laurie Bradshaw
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For more information on Valley View and our sister schools, go to the PCI website.
Valley View Charter Prep 