Dear Valley View Families,
I am sure that all of us strive to have an attitude of gratitude 365 days a year, but for as long as I can remember, November is dubbed the month for thankful and grateful reflections. As I focus on all that I am grateful for, I think of my children, parents, and extended family. I am also grateful for the opportunity to lead a school with outstanding teachers and support staff and that we are able to serve the amazing learning community at Valley View Charter Prep.
I am also grateful that our kiddos and families are back at Outdoor Education this year. Tomorrow morning, along with Ms. Caputi, Ms. Najjar, and our talented excursion coordinator, Ms. Greenhouse, I will be leaving for the Alliance Redwoods to join VVCP students and families as we explore nature, participate in team building and leadership activities, and surprise everyone around the evening campfire with all the ingredients you could need to make delicious s’more treats. If you were unable to attend Outdoor Education this year, please make sure you look for the opportunity to join us in 2023.
Valley View is piloting AB 130: a Direct Instruction Intervention Program for Tier III general education students struggling in mathematics, with over sixty students participating in kindergarten through grade twelve. Once the 2022- 2023 pilot concludes at the end of the year, we will continue to offer Tier III general education intervention in mathematics, adding an English language arts component for the 2023-2024 academic year and then writing for the 2024-2025 academic year. If your child was not recommended for Tier III general education mathematics intervention this year, and you feel strongly they should have been, please reach out to your homeroom teacher to discuss availability to join these classes. Please note that for this particular pilot, your child must meet Tier III eligibility.
In addition to the intervention program mentioned above, Mr. John Mittan and I will be hosting AB 130 Synchronous Academic meetings for kindergarten through grade twelve as an additional resource for students. I will be hosting check-in meetings for students in grades kindergarten through six, from 4:00 to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. To sign up for an appointment with me, please visit the following link: AB 130 Synchronous Academic Meetings Kindergarten through Grade Six. This is just one more opportunity for your child to ask questions and/or share concerns, ideas, or suggestions they may have as it relates to their education and how our school staff can best serve their individual needs. It is never too early for children to learn how to self-advocate for their needs and we want to support them in this journey. Please note that Mr. Mittan will be hosting grades seven through twelve. You can find his sign-up link in his email at john.mittan@pacificcharters.org, which will include days, times, and session availability.
As always, please let us know how we can continue to support you in your role as parent educator and your child in their role as learner. Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving in your home, or traveling to your loved ones, the VVCP staff wishes you a safe and memorable Thanksgiving celebration.
Warmly,
Catherine Ward-Mikes, M.Ed. Director, Valley View Charter Prep
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High School News
VVCP College Tours:
We are excited to announce a campus tour of Diablo Valley College on November 29 @ 10 AM! This is an excellent opportunity to learn about campus resources from a DVC outreach coordinator. Whether you are a high school student who has taken concurrent college classes online or you are potentially interested in taking a college class, this tour is for you!
PCI Wellness & Resource Fair:
Thursday, November 3rd at Rio Valley, Broadway (in the parking lot).
Location: 3301 Broadway, Sacramento
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Food and coffee will be served! (Free for students)
We will have the following vendors and resources available to our students and families:
- UCD RIVER Pediatric Clinic: will be offering mental health screeners, vision screeners, assisting families in finding a pediatrician, assisting with the medical application/ process, and will have a list of local Dr offices that accept medi- cal.
- La Familia Counseling Center: offering resources to the family programs, mental health resources, and other information.
- Sac County Dept of Health: will be offering FREE flu vaccines
- Sac City College & EOP Services: will be there to answer questions, provide resources, etc.
- Sacramento Regional Transit: will be there with maps, RYDE FREE RT stickers, and we will be printing student ID cards for anyone who needs one.
- UEI Trade School: Trade School that will showcase their majors and offerings
- Sacramento Justice Center: assisting families who are or who have dealt with abuse or domestic violence, offering free legal help, free therapy, and other resources for families
- Sutter Teen Program: case management and help for teen parents
- Sacramento Police Department will be providing outreach
- US Army
- WEAVE
- LGBTQ Center
- FREE blood pressure checks, vision and hearing screenings by our SMU Nursing students
- and many more! (Adding more each day!)
Concurrent College Enrollment:
If you are enrolled in a college course, please send confirmation of courses to John.Mittan@pacificcharters.org. Courses must be recorded on the transcripts as In Progress to receive credit and process reimbursements.
SPRING SEMESTER:
Individual Advising Sessions:
Thank you to all the families who have signed up for counseling sessions! I am enjoying meetings and getting to know you in a personalized setting. There are spots available for November and December advising sessions. Use the link below to sign up for an advising appointment:
HS student advising sign-up
Counselor Power Hour:
Check out our Power Hour every Thursday @ 2 pm. Each week, we have presenters from various career sectors and educational/training program representatives. Students can click on the Power Hour icon on their Clever Page. (Or just click this link: Power Hour Link)
- November 3: WELLNESS EVENT NO POWER HOUR
- November 10: Design & Digital Media
- November 17: Dual Enrollment: Transfer and Career
Parent Advisory Committee
Our next PAC Meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 8 @ 2:30 PM. Ask your teacher for the ZOOM link. Hope to see a great turnout!
Please contact me at john.mittan@pacificcharter.org if you are interested in participating.
Happy Learning,
John Mittan, HS Dean
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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 students’ 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.
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New Math Curriculum:
We are excited to report that we have adopted a new Math curriculum, “Reveal” by McGraw-Hill. This will be available for ALL levels K-12. K-8 has online interactive and video lessons with consumable workbooks that follow the lessons. Ask your teacher for more information.
Cheryl Gomes , Math Teacher and Intervention Specialist
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Science Corner
Dear Scientists,
Shortly, many classes will be taking their unit summary assessments. It is critical that students participate. These assessments give us data to keep offering these Carolina VOLT classes. In addition, new science kits should have been delivered. If not, check with your homeroom teacher.
When you are finished with your 1st kit, please inventory the materials. Each kit came with a content list. Please help Ruby and the crew by letting her what is being returned. These kits will need to be returned to your homeroom teacher before our in-person staff meeting on December 12, 2022.
Keep exploring the world around you!
Laurie Bradshaw “AKA” Mrs. B
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Valley View Charter Prep 