NETWORKings
Antioch Charter Academy
Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 24, Issue 22, February 24, 2020
Let’s Empower Parents and Families to Find the Right Fit!
The Truth…
Let’s empower parents to choose which educational setting is best for their child. Let’s equip every child to succeed! We all know that ALL children have learning differences and genius strengths. So, let’s provide them and their parents with schools that meet their needs and allows them to reach their full potential.
Some people would have you believe otherwise, but the truth is Charter schools, Magnet schools, home schools and private schools have never taken a child from a district school. The truth is: parents take their children to these alternative schools. They drive them over, they walk them over, they bus them over …and let me tell you some have to be pretty desperate to find the right fit to go looking.
District students who have found their perfect educational fit should celebrate. Here at ACA we celebrate school choice! Every parent and family should be empowered to find the right educational fit, whether that is in their neighborhood district school or another alternative school of choice. Whether that be a Montessori school (ACA), a bilingual school or a learning academy.
The Antioch Charter Academy has been a choice for parents for over 20 years. We offer parents a public, tuition-free alternative to educating their children. At ACA, we do not compromise when we are given the important task of teaching other people’s children. It is an honor we take seriously. The truth… empowered parents have the best chance to affect real change to student achievement and student fulfillment. ACA appreciates and honors our empowered parents. Thank you for choosing Antioch’s first Montessori, learner-centered charter school!
Hello ACA families!
Hopefully the break has left us all recharged and ready to tackle the rest of the school year! One of the things Intermediate students are starting is their last Multiple Intelligence Research Project of the year. This trimester’s project is the highly coveted Free Choice project where students are able to learn about any topic that interests them. We will, of course, give them guidance to help narrow down their topic, but this is a great opportunity to choose something unique and become an expert.
For example, February 24th is National Tortilla Chip Day! If I did a project on the history of tortilla chips I could:
*do research and write a series of magazine articles that told the origins and reviewed different recipes (word performance).
*I could calculate a restaurant’s cost factors when making tortilla chips by interviewing people and thinking about supply, demand, and waste (number performance),
*I could draw a diagram of a tortilla press and explain how it works or create a logo for my own brand of tortilla chips (picture performance).
*I could use the crunching sound that tortilla chips make as my percussion and write a song talking about the facts I learned (music performance).
*I could categorize all of the different brands of tortilla chips in a chart and then do a taste testing survey to see which chips the students prefer (nature performance). *Last, I could take a tour of a restaurant or factory and take a class to learn the best way to make my own tortilla chips…and then eat them 🙂 (body performance).
These projects are an awesome way for students to demonstrate their curiosity about the world and we love to see what they have learned!
—Mrs. Hummel
Intermediate Class
GENERAL NOTES
Help Needed!!! We would like to invite everyone from our ACA community to join us on Saturday, February 29th from 9:00am to noon. During that time, you can volunteer some time to help prep our garden, clean up around campus, and inside the classroom. Any amount of time that you can join us would be helpful and a great opportunity to put in volunteer hours. This is a great way to model to your children the concept of “giving back”.
Spring is arriving and the Antioch Charter Academy Gardening Elective will soon be planting for summer. We will be planting seeds in our greenhouse so that we can transfer them to garden beds in April. The only problem is that we need to create a space to plant. We figured this would be a great opportunity for ACA to have a Spring Campus Beautification Day with a focus on the garden.
Please contact the office if you are interested. Snacks and drinks will be provided to all participants.
Thank you for your help!! Mr. Stahler and the ACA Garden Elective
2020-21 Lottery: The ACA lottery for the upcoming 2020-21 school year, will be held on March 3, 2020. If you have a student, or know of a student who would like to attend next year, an application must be filled out and put into the lottery process.
No student is automatically accepted into the school because he or she has a sibling already attending ACA. All incoming students, including TK & Kindergarten, must submit an application by March 2nd, to be included in the school’s lottery. Applications can be filled out online at https://antiochcharteracademy.org/applications/ or a papercopy can be picked up in the office.
CAASPP TESTING DAYS: Below is the list of testing days for each level. PLEASE do not schedule appointments/vacations during your child’s testing days.
Testing will usually take place in the mornings: M, T, TH, & F. Thank you
Elementary (3rd grade only): ELA CAT (5/4 -5/5), Math CAT (5/7- 5/8), Math PT (5/11-5/12), ELA PT (5/14-5/15)
Intermediate (4-6th): SCIENCE (4/2-4/3), ELA PT (4/23-4/24), ELA CAT (4/30-5/1), Math CAT (5/18-5/19), Math PT (5/21-5/22)
Middle (7-8th): SCIENCE (4/21), ELA PT (4/27-4/28), ELA CAT (5/11 -5/15), Math CAT (5/11-5/15), Math PT (5/21-5/22)
Yearbook: The yearbook needs your help! We need pictures from the field trips, spirit days and school events so we are able to create a yearbook that is full of amazing school memories! If you have any pictures of students from school functions please send them to acaimemories@gmail.com so that the yearbook staff can use them! Thank You! ACA Yearbook Staff
Charter Council: the Charter Council is our governing board. The board meets on a monthly basis – usually the first Thursday of the month @ 4PM. Please check the calendar for the next meeting date/time, or call the office at 925-755-7311 to confirm. These meetings are open to the public – all are welcomed!
REMINDERS
Arrival Time & Dismissal Time: Gates open and supervision begins at 8am, the first bell rings at 8:10am, and class begins at 8:15am. It is important to make sure your student arrives on time for class. Please help us out by dropping your student off no earlier than 8am and exiting the carpool line by 8:15am. School ends at 3pm on M, T, Th, & F, and 2pm on W for 1st-8th grade. Minimum days end at 12pm. Please be punctual in picking up your student(s).
Absences and Tardies: If your student will be absent, or tardy, please call the office at 925-755-7311, or email you student’s classroom, before 8:30am. If you do not notify the school, the absence will go on your student’s permanent attendance record as unexcused.
CARPOOL and CROSSWALK Procedures: Please use the crosswalk if you are walking in or out of the school. You can also walk up the hill by the park and exit through the park. Please do not walk through the carpool lane. The carpool lane is for cars only. Please help teach your students safe procedures when walking in and out of school.
Want an easier school-parent-teacher communication?
Make it happen with Classtag!
Simple communication that just works…for everyone.
- Get Started Free!
- One Simple Source of Info
- Choose your method of delivery (email and/or text) & your choice of language (over 70 to choose from!)
- Secure site!
Keep on top of key dates and deadlines, find messages like minimum day pick-ups, receive updates on whole school & classroom events, and much more!
If you have not already signed up, please contact your student’s classroom to get your student’s individual sign-up code!
Have multiple students…then get a code for each one.
FAMILY NETWORK (FN) NEWS & INFORMATION
The ACA Family Network is made up of ACA adults who volunteer for fundraisers and social events for the enrichment of our children. The money we raise goes back to our school for study trips, family activities, assemblies, and classroom supplies. If you have a child/grandchild/niece/nephew/etc. at ACA, then come join us & help make a difference!
Family Network Events:
Popcorn Fridays: On Fridays, after school, the FN will sell popcorn & candy for $1. All profits go back to the school! If you would like to help, please email ACAFamilyNetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org
Keep Track of Your Volunteer Hours: Each ACA family is asked to volunteer 40 hours per year. Our Family Network Parent Volunteer Coordinator has already set up accounts for each family.
All you need to do is go to https://www.trackitforward.com and sign in using the email address you gave the school. Your temporary password is Aca01. After logging in, please change your password to a permanent one of your choosing. If you can’t find an account created for you, you can contact the Family Network with questions at ACAFamilyNetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org
Family Network Meetings are the first Thursday of each month. Meetings are held in Room 4 at 3pm on the ACA campus. The board welcomes and encourages all ACA families to attend the meetings. The meetings are not just for board members, but for all ACA family members.
FREE child care can be provided by Middle School students, but parents must RSVP to the meeting in advance. If you plan on coming to the meeting, email the Family Network Board at acafamilynetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org, and let them know you will need the Free Child Care services during the meeting.
Easy Ways to Earn Money for ACA!!
* AmazonSmiles: Shop at Amazon? Shop at Amazon’s fundraising site, smile.amazon.com and they will donate back to ACA. We are registered as The Learner Centered School, Inc.
* Box Tops for Education: Clip out those Box Tops for Education boxes found on General Mills, Hanes, Betty Crocker, Gold Medal, Ziploc, Progresso, Old El Paso, Kleenex, Fiber One, Hefty, etc. and drop off them in the collection box in the school office. You can also register at boxtopsforeducation.com and have more opportunities to raise funds. We are listed as The Learner Centered School, Inc.
* Good Search: Forget Google and Bing, use goodsearch.com for your web searches and they will donate a penny per search to ACA. They can add up! We are listed as Antioch Charter Academy. While there you can also sign up for GoodShop and GoodDining and others!
* Shoparoo…Upload this free app to your smartphone. Then take photos of your receipts from stores, restaurants, etc. and they will donate back to ACA. We are listed as Antioch Charter Academy. Info at shoparoo.com
*Escrip: Register your Safeway card with The Learner Centered School, Inc. Safeway cards need to be reregistered each year.
*Annual Give: This is a great opportunity to make a donation to our school, knowing that your money will go directly to benefit our students. Annual give donations are accepted any time throughout the school year, and they are tax deductible. Contact the office, or email the Family Network to find out more information. This year you can make your donation through check, cash or Pay Pall: https://PayPal.me/ACAFamilyNetwork
EASY Fundraising Opportunity – Benefit App https://www.benefit-mobile.com/
● Download the app
● Link a checking account or credit card to this secure site
● Purchase digital gift cards and use on the spot! Lots of options including Walmart & Target (go to the website to see all the options)!
● The business will then donate a percentage of your purchase to our school!
- Feb 28 MS EE at Big Break – Group C
- March 3 ACA Lottery for 2020-21 School Year (Deadline to submit application is March 2)
- March 5 Intermediate Study Trip – Lawrence Hall of Science
- March 5 Family Network Meeting (all welcome) – 3pm
- March 5 Charter Council (all welcome) – 4pm
- March 6 End of 2nd Trimester
- March 6 MS EE at Big Break – Group A
- March 9 Beginning of 3rd Trimester
- March 9-13 Minimum Days – dismissal time at 12pm
- March 16-18 MS Internships – off campus
- March 20 MS EE at Big Break – Group C
- March 25 FN Walk-a-thon
- April 2 Family Network Meeting (all welcome) – 3pm
- April 2 Charter Council (all welcome) – 4pm
- April 6-13 Spring Break & Easter Monday – no school
- April 14 Minimum Day – dismissal time at 12pm
CONTACT INFORMATION
School Phone – 925-755-7311
School Address – 3325 Hacienda Way, Antioch 94509
School Website – www.AntiochCharterAcademy.org
ACA Office – ACAOffice@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Family Network – ACAFamilyNetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Elementary – ACAElementary@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Intermediate – ACAIntermediate@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Primary – ACAPrimary@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Middle School – ACAMiddleSchool@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA I & II Special Education – SPED@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Newsletter – ACANewsletter@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Memories – ACAMemories@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Hot Lunch Program – ACALunchProgram@antiochcharteracademy.org
Twitter & Instagram Accounts – #AntiochCharter; @AntiochCharter
Parent Network Board & Contact Info
Co-Chairs: Lydia Moon and Kelly MacCallister
Secretary: Brooke Farrington
Treasurer: Beth Rottier
School Volunteer Coordinator: Salena Killion
Social Chair: Janika Barnes
Fundraising Chair: open
If you’re interested in an open position please email ACAFamilyNetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org
We need help to make this year amazing for OUR KIDS, the school families, teachers and staff
Members at Large: Everyone!
Private Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/acafamilynetwork/
Email: ACAFamilyNetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org
VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS
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
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.