Entries by Justina Janas

Lights, Camera, Action! Check Out Our New Commercials

/in
Student learning from home to escape the drama of traditional high school.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Check Out Our New Commercials

We are always looking for ways to share our flexible, at-home learning options with students and families in Northern California. So we made some fun (and informative) commercials about our school to help spread the word! 

We focused on the top three reasons many of our high school students enroll with us:

  1. Flexibility – choose your schedule or work a part-time job.
  2. Learn from the safety of home – escape the drama of traditional high school!
  3. Enrichment activities – use your free time and budget to learn something new.

Watch the commercials below and see how students, Sam and Monica, personalize their learning.

Thinking of someone that may be interested in Visions In Education? Share the videos with them so they can learn more about online high school and get enrolled!

Superintendent Olmos Interviewed on CA Charter Schools Association Podcast

/in

Superintendent Olmos Interviewed
on CA Charter Schools Association Podcast

The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) interviewed Visions’ Superintendent Steve Olmos for their My View From Here podcast segment. Dr. Olmos had the chance to explain the importance of flexible learning options and how schools need to adapt to meet the needs of their students.

Over the past few years, Visions has made a variety of changes, all with students in mind. We’ve increased our social and emotional supports, refined our programs to better support student outcomes, improved our technology, and more.

Listen to the podcast here to hear more from Superintendent Olmos.

Dr. Olmos also serves on the State Board of Education Advisory Commission on Charter Schools to help ensure that all California charters are accountable and focused on student achievement.

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week!

/in
Visions recognizes teacher appreciation week

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week!

May 8th-12th is National Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to recognize our educators and thank them for all of their hard work. The impact of a good teacher can make all the difference in the world, potentially altering the course of someone’s life for the better.

At Visions, our students aren’t shy about how much they appreciate their teachers; when we asked our student body to explain what made their teacher awesome, they answered in droves! Over two hundred and forty students, parents, and families shouted out their favorite teacher.

On behalf of everyone at Visions In Education, thank you to our wonderful educators for all that you do to make our students’ lives better!

May 7th-13th is National Charter Schools Week!

/in
May 7-13 is National Charter Schools Week banner with apple and Visions star logo

May 7th-13th is National Charter Schools Week!

This week is National Charter Schools Week! A time to recognize the value of school options and equitable education that meets the needs of individual students. Visions In Education is proud to be a free public charter school that offers students a unique learning model. We prepare students for life after TK-12 education.

Charter schools like Visions have provided safe learning options for students who do not thrive in traditional schools. During the pandemic, our unique learning model allowed us to meet the needs of students remotely with little loss of learning. We were even able to grow, being honored with a Pivotal Practice Award from the California Department of Education for our excellent Technology Services team.

We are proud to be a public charter school that meets our students’ educational needs while also providing a rich variety of educational enrichment opportunities and events. As we continue to refine our processes and improve the way we serve our students, we are also taking steps to advocate for free public charter school options. As we’ve previously shared, Visions leadership is meeting with Sacramento lawmakers and their staff to tell our story and advocate for equitable funding for all public schools in California.

We are grateful to be a school chosen by its students. Thank you to our staff, families, and student body that have been part of our success as an independent charter school.

Join the Celebration!

    • Thank a Teacher: National Charter Schools Week coincides with Teacher Appreciation Week and the National Alliance of Charter Schools is inviting all students to thank their teachers for all the hard work they do making charter schools shine. Shout out your favorite teacher using #thankateacher, #charterschoolsweek, and #VisionsProud.
    • Share Your Story! Start a conversation with your friends and family about the reality of being a charter school student.
    • Share on Social Media: Use one of these graphics (link since removed) to let the world know you are a proud member of a free public charter school.

Home School Family Spotlight: Building a Foundation for Lifelong Learning

/in
Smiling parent educator and her home school student read a book

Home School Family Spotlight: Building a Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Home school offers families the opportunity to tailor their student’s education to their interests and personality. The Napala family came to Visions this year to personalize their son Malakai’s (Kai) kindergarten education and to have the flexibility to focus on their family business.

“We love having the ability to cater to Kai’s specific learning style and emphasize our family’s values at the same time. Visions made it so simple for us as first time homeschoolers with the curriculum partners, support from teachers, and by providing funds,” said mom and parent educator, Keila.

Personalized and Organized 

Kai’s favorite subject is science and the family uses nature walks and journaling to track what they find in the wild. They also visit the library multiple times a week to work through their endless reading list. Keila keeps the family organized and on task by tracking their daily activities on her phone and on the family wall calendar. 

“Each day I write on our whiteboard what we have scheduled that day and any to-do’s we need to check off so we can stay on track.”

Teacher Supported

Kai and Keila also have a great relationship with their credentialed teacher, Dominique Asuncion, to support their journey. As a first-time home school family this partnership is incredibly helpful and Kai loves to spend his teacher meetings catching up with Ms. Dominique

“Ms. Dominique is our favorite! She’s so encouraging and shares her knowledge as a former classroom kindergarten teacher with me,” said Keila. “We’re in constant communication whether it’s through text or email.”

Enrichment Opportunities

Another benefit they love is the access to enrichment vendors. These are organizations, non-profits and companies families can engage to fill needs in their children’s education and are paid for with their yearly budget provided by Visions. Keila is especially happy to partner with the Vacaville Kumon. They visit this location twice a week as Kai has developed strong relationships with their supportive staff. 

“Mr. Chen is the director there and is personally invested in each student. He excitedly gives me progress updates on Kai each time we get to talk,” said Keila. “Kai has built strong bonds with the assistants he works with there and I think it’s important for him to have other mentors outside of home. He is advancing in both reading and math, and I know a great deal of it is because of the skills they’ve taught him at Kumon.”

Learning and Family

Homeschooling has allowed Keila to spend quality time with her son and help him learn the way that suits him best. By instilling this passion for education at a young age the Napala family is building the foundation for lifelong learning. 

“I have found that the best way to teach is by letting the student discover the answers on their own. I simply help guide him to the answers of his own questions, sometimes by referring him to a book or video, sometimes by asking him a follow-up question to get his wheels turning. It’s much more exciting when he discovers it himself versus being told.”

We love seeing our home school families thrive and we look forward to following Kai’s progress.

To learn more about the Napala family and their homeschool journey, follow their Instagram @napalaohana.






Visions Office & STS Closed 2/13 & 2/20

/in

Visions In Education’s main offices & Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed on February 13th & 20th in honor of Lincoln’s Day (2/13) and Presidents’ Day (2/20). Our offices will be closed all day and will resume services on February 14th & 21st at our usual hours. February 13th is observed as Lincoln’s Birthday, a […]

Thinking About Homeschooling?

/in
Homeschooling mom working with daughter on schoolwork at home

Thinking About Home School?

Knowing What it Means is a Good Place to Start

The phrase “home school” means lots of different things to different people. Basically home school is when the child learns from the safety of home. Not in the traditional brick-and-mortar school setting. Caregivers that home school have more responsibility and freedom over what and how a child learns. Moving beyond that basic understanding, however, is critical for caregivers who are seriously considering home school as an option.

YOU Are The Primary Educator

The first – and probably the most important – thing to understand is that all true home school options require the caregiver to be primarily responsible for a child’s education. Everything a traditional classroom teacher does (selecting curriculum, teaching, grading, etc.) is the responsibility of the caregiver. Of course, a caregiver may choose to engage tutors, private instructors, join homeschool collectives or “pods” to help inspire ideas or share the workload. However, the responsibility for ensuring the child is learning is on the caregiver.

Since education is a requirement in all 50 states, one must inform the state if they are educating a child at home. You can home school in California two different ways. One way is for the caregiver to fill out paperwork declaring that their home school is a private school. Caregivers choosing this model have the maximum amount of freedom in deciding what and how their child learns. Their responsibilities also include covering the entire cost of the education, certifying attendance, meeting academic requirements and preparing acceptable transcripts. Some private schools also offer to support homeschooled students and if a caregiver is willing to pay tuition, this is another option to explore.

Homeschooling With A Public Charter School

California also supports homeschooled students through the public school system. Visions In Education is one of the leading providers of free support for caregivers who choose to home school. Like the private system, caregivers who choose this option are still primarily responsible for educating their children, however there are some valuable benefits and a few limitations.

Starting with the benefits, a TK-8th grade Visions student in the home school program is provided up to $2,800 a year to pay for the educational costs associated with learning at home. This budget covers books, materials, software, extracurricular classes, laptops and more. Caregivers also have a credentialed teacher as an important resource to help with curriculum selection and monitoring the child’s progress. While caregivers are still responsible for grading students’ assignments, Visions tracks and accurately reports those grades to colleges and universities.

Is Visions Right For You?

There are some limitations if you home school through a public school, including a charter school like Visions. According to the California Constitution public funds can’t be used for religious curriculum. So if that is a priority, the public option may not be the best choice for you. As a public school, Visions is also accountable for the academic progress of its students – even those in home school. Our students must follow the same state testing requirements as traditional schools. It’s incredibly important to Visions that all students are prepared to progress through their academic journey and beyond.

If you are interested in homeschooling your child at Visions, please visit our TK-8 Grade Home School Program page for more information.

At Home High School Options

If taking on the responsibility of teaching a child is more than a caregiver is ready for but still wants or needs an option outside of the traditional school setting, Visions also has Independent Study and University Prep high school programs available.

Closed Monday, 1/16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

/in

Monday, January 16 is a federal holiday to honor the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and our offices, including Student Technology Services, will be closed. The holiday on Monday allows us to observe the efforts of Dr. King who worked tirelessly to bring equality to our nation. Visions’ services will be closed all […]

Winter Break 12/26-1/6: Office & STS Closed

/in

Winter Break is December 26 – January 6. No classes will be held and our main office/Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed. Some Enrollment and STS staff will be monitoring messages and emails during the break but responses may be delayed. Classes will resume and offices will open again on January 9th. On behalf […]