Entries by Ronaldo Gomez

See The Winning Student Spirit Wear Designs!

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See The Winning Student Spirit Wear Designs!

Thank you to all of the seniors who submitted a spirit wear design! It was great to see so many creative submissions for this year’s Spirit Store swag.

Congratulations to Kennedy R. and Edward P., whose designs were selected to be featured in the Spirit Store! Check them out below!

Kennedy R.

Edward P.

The winning students will be contacted by email to receive their gift cards. Congratulations! We hope everyone has a great rest of the year, and thanks again for sharing your artistic skills!

Across The Visionsverse: Visions In Education Alumni Newsletter

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Across The Visionsverse:
Visions In Education Alumni Newsletter

Superintendent Updates

Friends and Alumni of Visions In Education,

My name is Dr. Steve Olmos, and I am the Superintendent/Executive Director of Visions In Education (Visions). Visions is in our 25th year of service, a significant milestone achieved by few other charter schools in the state. In the spirit of reflection, I want to take a moment to recognize all who have made this milestone possible. Without our many staff, families, and students like you over the years, we would not have this story to tell. I sincerely thank each and every one of you for being part of our lifelong community.

We have had a busy start to the 2024-25 school year, including celebrating our 25th anniversary, recording our highest number of students in our history (7,500+), and submitting our charter petition for renewal. Behind the scenes, we are continuing to position ourselves as a positive voice in the charter school community, including sharing our story in Newsweek, presenting at the Amazon Business Reshape and Studer Education conferences, and potentially sponsoring more legislation in the upcoming year. As always, we are putting students at the center of all that we do, laying the foundation for another 25 years of success. I look forward to walking this path with the next generation of learners.

With gratitude,

Dr. Steve Olmos
Visions In Education
Superintendent/Executive Director

Alumni Hall of Fame

Thousands of students have been part of our school community over the past 25 years, and we know so many have gone on to accomplish amazing things in their personal and professional lives. To recognize our distinguished alumni, we launched the Alumni Hall of Fame this year. This program is dedicated to honoring and sharing the stories of alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities and beyond since their time at Visions.

Alumni are encouraged to fill out the form below for a chance to be recognized in the Hall of Fame! Parents/guardians of Visions alumni are also welcome to submit the form here.

Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary

This June was the official mark of our 25th year as a school. To celebrate, we’ve been busy sharing our story and highlighting pieces of Visions’ history, and plan to continue commemorating this milestone with both current and former Visionaries. We are proud to have served our community for over 25 years, and hope you’ll celebrate this achievement with us.

Moving On Up

Our construction teams have been busy preparing our new headquarters in Gold River! We’ve ripped up carpet, torn down walls, and are beginning to structure our new offices and training rooms. We hope to officially make our move in the spring of 2025, and look forward to having a more modern and spacious office for our staff and families.
Check out the building!

Renewing Our Charter

Last month, we submitted our charter petition to our authorizer, San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD), for renewal for a July 1st, 2025 – June 30th, 2030 term. This nearly 1,000 page document details our rules and regulations regarding school operations, fiscal management, student outcomes, and more, and is anticipated to be approved in December 2024. We are grateful to our educational partners at SJUSD and for the opportunity to continue serving our students.

Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed November 26th-29th for Thanksgiving

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Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed November 26th-29th for Thanksgiving

Visions’ main office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed Tuesday, November 26th-Friday, November 29th, 2024 in observance of Thanksgiving. Students are off Monday, November 25th-Friday, November 29th, 2024 for Thanksgiving recess. We will resume operations during regular business hours on Monday, December 2nd.

On behalf of everyone at Visions In Education, we hope you and your family have a safe, restful and happy Thanksgiving!

Making Success Achievable: A Spotlight On The Independent Study Academy

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Making Success Achievable: A Spotlight on the Independent Study Academy

At Visions, our mission is to prepare each student to succeed in a rapidly changing world. For many of our 9th-12th grade students, our Independent Study Academy is the key to fulfilling that mission, offering an engaging and personalized program for those students who need an alternative path to earning their diploma. Serving our largest population of students, Independent Study goes beyond academic success to focus on students’ personal and post-high school lives.

“We serve a diverse range of students, including those balancing part-time jobs, attending community college, or managing family responsibilities. Our program offers the great instruction and resources students need to succeed academically, develop essential life skills, and prepare for college or their future careers,” says Sarah McFarland, Director of Instruction for Independent Study & University Prep. “My ultimate goal is to provide every IS student with the support and tools needed to thrive both academically and personally.”

As a Director, Sarah’s role is to oversee the strategic direction of the Independent Study Academy, supporting Principals, Vice Principals, and teachers in driving student achievement. This includes focusing on the integration of technology, the use of data to guide continuous improvement, and ensuring curriculum meets state standards.

To support this work, the Independent Study Academy has four Principals and five Vice Principals, as well as two Charter School Secretaries and an Administrative Assistant. Together, this group provides everything from direct instruction to curriculum design to student interventions.

“Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is everything that we all do to support students. This includes basics like providing access to technology, having a plan for graduation, and facilitating student access to our online curriculum,” explains Cristina Buss, Vice Principal.

In addition, a large facet of the Independent Study team’s work is expanding academic opportunities and refining current practices to better serve our students. This year for example, the department implemented a more flexible and individualized approach to math with regard to curriculum and synchronous instruction that is better meeting the needs of our students.

“Independent study programs typically allow students to work at their own pace, which helps in personalizing content based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses. This allows teachers to adapt the learning to focus on areas where students need the most support, which is crucial in a subject like math, where skills build progressively,” explains Jasmin Patel, Principal.

For 2024-25, the new Lincoln Learning curriculum has been developed as well, combining engaging digital content with enhanced tools for both students and teachers. With a focus on essential standards, students are receiving access to high-quality resources, more dynamic learning tools, and targeted support.

“This approach helps students achieve success in essential math skills [and] ensures that both students and teachers have the tools needed to create a rich, effective learning environment that prepares students for future academic and career success,” says Sarah.

Embodying PLCs

For the past three years, Visions’ Instructional teams have been engaging in PLC work. The PLC (Professional Learning Communities) model teaches instructional teams how to unify processes and goals in an effort to deliver quality instruction to students. With an emphasis on collaboration and continuous improvement, working in PLCs ensures our ability to better serve our students.

“The PLC collaborative work is some of the most impactful work we can do for our students,” explains Todd Lewis, Principal. “Rather than focus on assignment completion, we can guarantee students understand the essentials of each course.”

“When we talk about a visions of Professional Learning Communities at work, it really sounds out in content and grade level teams. These areas are where teachers are able to find the space to identify problems, collaborate with colleagues, and develop solutions that best meet the needs of students,” adds Gregg Moses, Principal. “The ability for teachers to effectively make tactical decisions for our students shows an overall core value of supporting our students where they are.”

1% Better

Along with PLCs, the Independent Study Academy has implemented multiple other programs to benefit students. These programs, which include Credit Recovery, Summer School, Financial Literacy, and more, bring an added layer of support that not only helps students academically, but shows them that they’re capable of accomplishing their goals.

“The Credit Recovery Program exemplifies the ‘1% better’ approach by focusing on meeting each student’s unique needs to support incremental improvements in the educational outcomes of each learner,” says JoEllen Graulty, Vice Principal.

Summer School is another program that meets students where they are academically, guiding them to graduation and setting them up for post-high school success.

“Summer School provides an opportunity for those who need additional time/classes to meet their graduation goals,” says Josh Imler, Vice Principal and director of last summer’s program. ” Many of our incoming  IS students are credit deficient, so having an impactful summer school program can make all the difference in supporting students in achieving a diploma.”

In addition to the programs that support students’ graduation goals, the Financial Literacy course provides our high school students with skills they can utilize in everyday life and into their adulthood.

“Financial Literacy was developed for students to learn mathematical concepts that they will use in their daily lives,” explains Shannon Alward, Principal and 22-year Visions employee. “Students explore the ways in which real-life activities such as traveling and purchasing a new car or house relates to mathematics.”

Andrea Leuschen, Vice Principal, sums up our 1% better efforts, saying, “I believe that Visions is a place where there is a dedication to always look to improve and include everyone in the process. I love the fact that I get to lead a club and partner with the community to build future…leaders.”

Staff Support = Student Success

The work that our Independent Study teachers and administrators do would not be possible without the support from Charter School Secretaries Lindsey Nance and Mariana Rivera and Administrative Assistant Nancy Legalsi. Although they all have different bodies of work, each is essential to the success of the department and our students.

“As a Charter School Secretary, I’m all about making life easier for both students and administrators,” explains Lindsey. “I help with login issues, schedule interpreters, and support the curriculum department, Principals and VPs. My main goal is to be available to everybody to answer questions or help out any way I can!”

Mariana’s day-to-day involves a mix of planning, coordinating, and connecting with students, staff, and vendors to plan and execute high school events.

“These events are crucial for students as they provide a space for social interaction and personal growth outside the classroom,” says Mariana. “I’ve seen students become more engaged and confident through participation in these activities. It’s rewarding to watch them connect with peers, try new things, and create lasting memories.”

A Message from Administrative Assistant and 25-Year Visionary Nancy Legalsi

“Over the past 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing life’s journey in countless forms. I’ve seen new teachers begin their careers, wished other well on their retirements, watched families grow, and sadly, had to say goodbye to some. I’ve also watched students’ lives transform, coming to us lacking motivation and hope, and our teachers have stepped up and met the challenge, lending students hope and motivation until they found their own. I know firsthand how a high school diploma can change a student’s future – I’m proud to be the parent of two Visions graduates! At Visions, we are as unique as our students; we don’t fit into a box. We’re fluid, adaptable, and embrace what I like to call ‘plot twists’. Change is a constant and essential for success. Every employee, past and present, has contributed to our school’s achievements. Visions has a knack for selecting such great people to work here.”

Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed November 11th For Veterans Day

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Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed November 11th for Veterans Day

Visions’ main office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed on Monday, November 11th, 2024 in observance of Veterans Day. We will resume operations during regular business hours on Tuesday, November 12th.

Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11th and honors all who have served in the United States military. We commemorate and remember the brave citizens, both living and deceased, who have fought for our country and freedom.

Resources

For more information about Veterans Day, see below:

November Is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

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November Is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

This month, we honor the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous peoples, including Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other affiliated island communities. By getting curious about their cultures, listening to their stories, and uplifting their voices, we pay homage to those whose histories and traditions came long before us.

See all the ways that you can get involved in the celebration!

Resources

For more information and ways to bring voice to these groups, please these resources:

Student Spotlight: Pursuing Academics, Athletics, And The Arts

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Student Spotlight: Pursuing Academics, Athletics, And The Arts

Article updated with a correction on 11/1/24

The Nelsons know how to make the most out of being a Visions family. The oldest Siobhan graduated in 2023 and is currently continuing her education at UCLA, 14 year old Maeve is the University Prep Academy’s sole representative on this year’s Advisory Board, fourth grader Peitiula is thriving in the Home School Academy, and their brother Desmond is composing songs for musicals and founding new clubs.

As the second oldest, Desmond has been a student at Visions for over twelve years. When Siobhan initially asked their mom to switch from traditional public school to homeschool, Desmond followed suit, finding that the resources and opportunities at Visions were much more aligned to his passions.

“I have been fortunate to have the freedom to use charter funds to pursue interests like piano and fencing lessons, which I could not have done in a standard public school,” says Desmond.

A prolific piano player, Desmond has been able to spend time honing a craft that he’s been interested in since he was six years old. Mostly self-taught on a used piano that his grandma bought for their homeschool classroom, Desmond has learned to read and write music, taking on the initiative of composing and performing live the soundtrack, including sound effects, for our Drama Club’s 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse musical last year (pictured left).

“I love playing music, and also enjoy composing my own songs. I thought it [composing] would be an excellent creative opportunity, where I would have a lot of freedom to follow my creative drive,” says Desmond. “It was such an incredible experience to be able to get a sense of what working behind the scenes on a big show is really like. I got to work with our incredible director Ms. Simpson to make this show the best it could be through sound effects and music.”

Start Spreading The News

Desmond is also currently pursuing another creative avenue – writing. This year, Desmond’s sister Maeve (pictured center in the right photo) and fellow student Valerie Gorman co-founded Visions first student run Newspaper Club. Desmond is the Vice-President and has been an active participant since the club began. Planning to cover sports and the club spotlight section, Desmond is looking forward to publishing their first issue and in turn, bringing our student body closer together.

“[Desmond] was a key member of our original team and contributed to our mock issue as a writer. His work in both the mock issue and our first official issue has been instrumental in creating a great publication, so he is definitely an integral member of the newspaper,” said Maeve.
This section of the article has been corrected to clarify the background on the founders of the Newspaper Club.

“It is an exciting opportunity to connect with other students and share information which may help other students,” says Desmond. “I hope to help spread the word about…field trips and events students can attend. These events can help bring us all together, and create a common experience in addition to providing opportunities for learning and fun!” says Desmond.

Enriching His Education

Along with music and writing, Desmond loves to fence, using his budget to take lessons with Visions Vendor Premier Fencing Academy. He’s also interested in STEM, working with one of our Social Workers to expand the program at Visions.

“I participated in Visions’ STEM club last year and was awarded their scholarship, which I applied towards the tuition of UC Santa Cruz’s high school program. Last summer I took ‘Intro to Music Theory’ online, and it was a fantastic experience,” says Desmond. “This year I am working closely with Mr. Fuentes to expand the STEM mentoring program through UC Davis. I met him at the Visions Club Rush, and began working together to elevate the STEM program, expand it to more students, and create a student-led leadership team to help advise on the program.”

Desmond has also found support in his credentialed teacher, Judy Flora, who has been an instrumental guide in his high school and post-high school careers.

“Ms. Flora has been a great support, and allows me the freedom to pursue my interest and passions while helping ensure my education meets standards,” says Desmond.

Through our dual enrollment program, Desmond has been taking classes at both Woodland Community College and Columbia Community College since the summer before his freshman year, in addition to his honors classes. He plans on applying to several University of California schools, majoring in Cognitive Science and becoming a software engineer, while keeping up his fencing and continuing to make music.

“I am playing piano at an upcoming charity event, Carmichael Inner Wheel, and will always play piano for fun,” says Desmond. “I also recently produced a compilation of my music which is unpublished but burned onto a CD I have given to friends and family.”

For now, Desmond is continuing to enjoy his high school experience. He looks forward to continuing to work with his teachers and peers and connect them to all the opportunities at Visions.

“It is great to connect with other students and hear their perspectives, and I am looking forward to more in person events and activities.”

Keep an eye on The Wire for our very first issues of The Visions Quarterly coming next month!

Visions In Education Leaders To Present At Charter School Development Center Conference

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Visions In Education Leaders To Present At Charter Schools Development Center Conference

Visions In Education is proud to attend and present at this year’s Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC) Conference. CSDC is an educational nonprofit that has supported California charter schools for over 30 years. 

Each year, the CSDC supports charter schools and their leaders serving California’s charter schools and charter management organizations. Attendees will leave with critical updates, exclusive insights, and the opportunity to network with other leaders in the charter space. This year’s conference will be held in Sacramento. 

Hosting the CSDC conference in Sacramento allows the opportunity to send more representation on behalf of Visions. Last year, Sarah McFarland, Director of Instruction and Mattew Patterson, Director of Student Services, presented, “Reimagining Professional Learning in an Independent Study Model”. This year, Visions will be represented by five presenters.

CSDC 2024 Speakers

  • Matt Patterson, Director of Student Services 
  • Sarah McFarland, Director of Instruction, Independent Study and University Prep
  • Jessica Lauder, Director of Special Education 
  • Ron Thomas, Associate Director of Equity & Student Engagement
  • Jamee Block, Associate Director, State and Federal Programs

Their session on November 18th, “Empowering Student Success: Comprehensive Support Systems in Action at Visions In Education,” will cover supporting over 7,500 students through a comprehensive student support system. Our presenters will delve deeper into various programs and strategies implemented at Visions including counseling, social work services, summer school initiatives, and credit recovery programs. 

Attendees will receive key takeaways from the presentation including, changing adult mindsets, school climate and student connectedness, and student mental health needs, including crisis supports.

Director McFarland will also be hosting a session on November 18th titled, “AI Revolution: Transforming Charter School Leadership and Learning”, where charter school educators will learn how to integrate AI tools and technology to enhance their leadership skills and operational effectiveness. 

We thank our presenters who we know will make us #VisionsProud at this year’s CSDC conference.

Throwback Thursday – Student Success Stories Over the Years

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Throwback Thursday – Student Success Stories Over the Years

Visions In Education has been telling student stories for nearly 25 years. From articles in Visions View newspapers to spotlights on Olympic Gold medalists, we’ve been busy capturing students’ lives, talents, and achievements to share with our communities and beyond. Check out the photos below to see some of our very first stories!






Leaving Our Mark

Soon the stories of our TKers to our twelfth graders will be more pieces of Visions’ history. To this day, we are proud to serve a diverse student body that wants to make an impact in the world, whether through a career in medicine, as a mental health advocate, or as a member of our armed forces. Thank you, Visionaries, for letting us tell your stories for the past 25 years.

Want to read more student spotlights? Take a look at some of the stories we’ve told over the years below!

Visions Alumni & Prodigy Featured On “Child Genius” Show

Grad Spotlight: Former Teen Parent Excels Despite Challenges

Visions Student Writer Interviewed On Good Day Sacramento — hear from Shani in this video!

Kicking Goals For A Cause: Visions Makes Finals In Street Soccer USA Cup!

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Kicking Goals For A Cause: Visions Makes Finals In Street Soccer USA Cup!

Visions In Education continues its advocacy in its communities as students and staff participated in Street Soccer USA’s 4th Anniversary Cup in Sacramento at Union Pacific Park, an event Visions helped sponsor this year.

Street Soccer USA provides an alternative to the “pay-to-play” model of youth soccer while funds raised at each event support Street Soccer USA’s social mission of fighting poverty and strengthening communities using soccer in the city in which the event takes place.

Street Soccer USA has been recognized for its humanitarian efforts by organizations such as ESPN for their partnership with UNIQLO and they host the annual Homeless World Cup. This organization has chapters in many cities, and Lisa Wrightsman leads the charge in Sacramento. Lisa and Superintendent Olmos met while participating in the American Leadership Forum and realized Visions and her chapter had similar goals: supporting young people.

Visions Futbolistas

When Visions announced the chance for student teams to participate, 16 students, some from our Soccer Club, answered the call to form two teams (U-13 and U-16) who were excited to showcase their soccer skills. The U-13 Co-Ed team included: Zach Z., Nahum P., Damir K., James E., Priscella C., Alexia M., Emalee H., and Noris E. The U-16 Co-Ed team included: Nahum P., Madi F., Sam K., Harmony W., Marcos G., Jesiah J., Tatyana B., Eloise V., and Musaddiqah I. Our students did an amazing job in their respective divisions and Visions’ U-13 Team won their tournament! 

Visions also fielded a co-ed staff team led by Soccer Club Coach Kyle Novak to compete against teams from other local businesses. Our school’s staff team made an appearance in the finals and took second place! Congratulations to our soccer stars: Cristina Buss, Spencer Summerhays, Alexander Butterfield, Axel Funes, Gabriella Slaughter, Chad Smith, Manuel Garcia, Uriel Gonzalez and Valerie Washburn!

Spencer Summerhays, Business Analyst and player, spoke about his experience participating, “The Co-Ed Corporate Cup with Street Soccer USA was an amazing experience to be a part of. It was a high-octane tournament, full of great competition against other local companies like SMUD.”

“Visions has a lot of talented soccer players among our staff,” said Spencer. “We all left grateful to be exposed to the Sacramento street soccer scene and itching to play together again.” 

Thank you to our student and staff teams for representing Visions on the pitch for a great cause! Special thanks to Coach Kyle Novak for guiding both our staff and student teams and for helping organize this awesome day.

Read here about how Kyle is connecting with students through school and sports!

Events like these are great for fostering team bonding and collaboration between staff and students. Superintendent Steve Olmos, Senior Director of Instruction Jennifer Morrison, Director of Student Services Matthew Patterson and Associate Director of Equity and Student Engagement Ron Thomas were cheering for our teams in the crowd along with friends and family. This event provided the opportunity to showcase how our Visionaries collaborate effectively to achieve their (soccer) goals!

See more photos in our photo gallery below! For the full gallery visit our Facebook page.