ANTIOCH CHARTER ACADEMY II
NEWSLETTER
Our Mission
The mission of the Antioch Charter Academies is to facilitate academic and personal growth of TK‐8th grade students of all socio‐economic levels and ethnic backgrounds. ACA enables 21st century students to become literate, self‐motivated, innovative, lifelong learners, and compassionate, collaborative active citizens. We nurture and support a partnership of students, teachers, families and the community; embrace individual strengths; and build upon research informed educational best practices including Montessori, multiple intelligences, brain‐compatible teaching, and multi‐age groupings with small class sizes
Our Vision
To provide a learning environment where students of all socio‐economic levels and ethnic backgrounds embrace education, exhibit compassion, and accept personal responsibility
January 14, 2020
Graduate Goal #1
Did you know most employers highly value “soft skills” when hiring new employees? Soft skills are personality traits and behaviors. Unlike technical or “hard” skills, soft skills are not about the knowledge you possess but rather the behaviors you display in different situations. Soft skills are qualities that allow a person to be successful in whatever they choose to do. ACAII’s Graduate Goals, newly renamed the “Code of the CHEETAHS”, list the soft skills that we hope each of our graduates master by the time they leave our program. For the next 8 newsletters, we will look at each of the Graduate Goals and explain how that soft skill is practiced in each level of our school.
C ommunicate effectively with others orally and in writing.
Primary: In Primary we learn to use our words when we have a disagreement with others. We also have our first experience with public speaking when each Friday the students take turns standing up and sharing what their favorite activity of the day was. Each week students take home their completed classwork and return one piece along with a note they write or dictate explaining why they chose that piece as their favorite.
Elementary: The school discipline policy, Positive Discipline, teaches students to communicate effectively through conflict management tools. They are taught how to give a compliment, resolve conflicts and solve problems as a group. Class meetings are conducted every week where disputes are resolved and issues regarding classroom management are decided upon. The Montessori facet of our program enables students to collaborate and work in groups on projects or complicated Montessori “jobs”. In elementary, the goal is to make students more socially aware by participating in the school community. The students are taught to take care of the classroom materials and help other students. Throughout the school year students share their written stories aloud in front of the class to prepare them for Young Author’s.
Intermediate: Students work in collaborative groups for multiple subjects including math, language arts, science, social studies, and STEM. Students form committees to plan events and social political action projects. They give feedback on each other’s book talks, projects, and presentations. As groups, they brainstorm opinions and then discuss opposing point of view. They peer edit each other’s writing and give constructive feedback. They complete group projects throughout the year including a group research project, walk-through projects, and end of the year theme projects. They problem solve creative solutions in class meeting. They also work collaboratively with other students in school families.
Middle School: We do lots of small group work in the classroom.
Students are expected to be able to work with ANY classmate to complete assignments. We teach students how to respectfully disagree with each other. They practice writing essays, giving presentations, explaining their thinking in math, writing claim/evidence/reasoning statements in science, discussing controversial topics, and working together to solve problems. They work with partners on Social Political Action projects and lead their school families in monthly activities.
National School Choice Spirit Week!
To celebrate the choice families are able to make in where to have their children attend school, students may choose to dress up for Spirit Week January 27 to 31!
Monday, 1/27 is Pajama and stuffed animal day
Tuesday, 1/28 is Meme Day
Wednesday, 1/29 is Mix-Match Day
Thursday, 1/30 is Video Game Day
Friday 1/31 is Crazy Hair Day
Middle School Update
Hello parents and students of ACA II,
The Middle School 1st Trimester Environment SPA group has finally concluded their project and would like to sincerely thank all of the gracious parents and students alike that bought our t-shirts and metal straws. You all rock! Altogether, with everyone’s courteous donations, we were able to pull together a final profit of $120.00 to donate to the Nature Conservancy, a charitable environmental organization that has protected more than 119,000,000 acres of land and thousands of miles of rivers worldwide. You can learn more about their extreme noble cause over at https://www.nature.org/en-us/.
Energy Upgrade California and the Alliance to Save Energy
Our school has decided to participate in a free energy education program called emPowered Schools, provided by Energy Upgrade California and the Alliance to Save Energy. The aim of emPowered Schools is to educate students, their families, and their communities about what we can all do to help California meet it’s 100% renewable energy target. The program launched this spring in California and the response from students was fantastic.
- At home, use a phone, computer, or tablet and go to euc.empoweredschools.org/pledge.
- In the teacher’s name section use the grade chart to identify which teacher you will select. Elementary parents make sure to make your selection based on your child’s grade not which teacher’s group they are in.
- 8th: Hagan
- 7th: McCutcheon
- 6th: Albertoni
- 5th: Gonzales
- 4th: Dubitsky
- 3rd: Fank
- 2nd: Mariappan
- 1st: Berkich
- Primary: Peacock
- Complete questions about lighting, heating, air conditioning, and appliances.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, ask a parent or guardian.
- Gather all members of your family together to review and sign the pledge.
- Hit submit.
- If you have children in more than one grade level submit a separate pledge for each child, they can be the exact same answers.
The class with the most will win either a doughnut party or a pizza party. If you have any questions let me know!
VOLUNTEERING AT ACAII
Parent involvement is an integral part of the mission of ACA II. From the inception of our
school, parents at ACA II have given countless hours to ensure the continued success of our
program. ACA II relies on parent volunteers to assist in the development and ongoing success of our program. Families are encouraged to donate 40 hours of volunteer time per school year.
We are beginning to form teams to work on some of our biggest and best events. ACA II would love your help and there are even jobs that can be done from home! Consider joining one of these teams to get those volunteer hours in while helping put together memorable events for our school.
Walkathon- Generally takes place around the end of March. This is one of our schools biggest fundraisers which supports or General Fund.
Family Formal- April 3: This is our schools take on the traditional mother/son, father/daughter dance. This social event was a hit last year and we would love to continue the tradition.
Silent Auction- Typically takes place in the beginning of May. This is another big fundraiser for our schools General Fund.
*If you are interested in joining one or more of the teams please email acaiifnb@gmail.com
GENERAL SCHOOL FUND
These funds impact students directly through out the year. Everyone should/is encouraged to participate.
- General School Funds are used in ACAII yearly budget
- FNB Fundraising closes costs gaps for line items & ‘extras’ in our school budget
- GSF budget line items include
○ Classroom $ for each teacher and grade level
○ Capital Improvements
○ Enrichment Supplies
■ School garden and animal care
■ Project Lead the Way
■ Field Trips
■ Field Trip & College Scholarships
○ Elective Material Fees
○ Personal Safety & Physical Education
○ Art & Pottery
○ Music – School Orchestra
○ iLs – Integrated Listening Systems, Primary Classes and “Booster” Grade Levels
○ Community Outreach Events
■ 2nd Cup, Back 2 School Bash, Birthday Celebrations, Campus Clean up,
Graduation, Evening events such as PEP Meets and Meet and Greet.
TAKING STUDENTS OUT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
For your child’s safety, our policy requires that you call or send a note to school in advance if your child must leave school early. Children are not allowed to leave the classrooms early without clearance from the school office. Adults picking up children during the day must come to the office and sign the child out. Only adults that are listed on the emergency card may pick up children. Please keep these cards updated both in the office and with the teacher. No adult is to go directly to the classroom.
Students will not be allowed to leave the classroom until the adult signing them out is in the office.
These policies are in place to help us keep track of your children for their safety.
Absences & Tardies
It is extremely important that your student is in school every day, and arrives on time. If though your student is sick, or will arrive late because of an unexpected delay, please call the office, or email your student’s classroom and office by 8am. Students who arrive after 8:15am must be walked into the office by the driver, and signed in. All of these “rules” are in place to help keep your student safe! Contact information is below. Thank you!
2019/2020 Dates to Remember:
January 10 2nd Cup Coffee – Rm 6
January 14 FNB Meeting at 3:15 in room 5
January 17 Pizza Fundraiser
January 20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No School
January 30 Winter Instrumental Music Concert – 7pm John Muir School
January 30-31 Minimum Days – All students 8:15-12pm
February 7 Minimum Day – All students 8:15-12pm
February 10 No School – Teacher Work Day
February 17-21 February Break – No School
2019 / 2020 Faculty
Office- aca2office@antiochcharteracademy.org
Primary– aca2primary@antiochcharteracademy.org
Ms. Peacock- tpeacock@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. Hawley- lhawley@antiochcharteracademy.org
Elementary– aca2elementary@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. Fank- bfank@antiochcharteracademy.org
Miss Berkich- jberkich@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. Mariappan- jmariappan@antiochcharteracademy.org
Intermediate– aca2intermediate@antiochcharteracademy.org
Miss Dubitsky- mdubitsky@antiochcharteracademy.org
Miss Albertoni- malbertoni@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. Gonzalez- lgonzalez@antiochcharteracademy.org
Middle– aca2middle@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mr. Hagan- mhagan@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. McCutcheon- emccutcheon@antiochcharteracademy.org
Special Ed- SPED@antiochcharteracademy.org
Mrs. Willard- vwillard@antiochcharteracademy.org
Music–
Mrs. Vela- acaiivela@gmail.com
2019-2020 Family Network Board
Chairperson: Annu Fuentes acaiifnb@gmail.com
Co-Chairperson: Adriana Solorio acaiifnb@gmail.com
Secretary: Sharron Scott acaiifnb.secretary@gmail.com
Treasurer: Susan Cano acaiifnb.treasurer@gmail.com
Volunteer Coordinator: Brandi Lopez acaiifnb.volunteer@gmail.com
Fundraising Coordinator: Maria Strock acaiifnb.fundraising@gmail.com
Co-Fundraising Coordinator: Ashley Rice acaiifnb.fundraising@gmail.com
Social Coordinator: Sara Wall acaiifnb.social@gmail.com
Co-Social Coordinator: Jillian Broussard acaiifnb.social@gmail.com
Family Network Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/acaiifamilynews/?ref=bookmarks#
Memory Book–
Our Web Page–
SignUp Genius-
Track it Forward- https://www.trackitforward.com/site/antioch-charter-academy-ii
Google Calendar-https://calendar.google.com/calendar/b/1?cid=YWNhaWkub2ZmaWNlQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ