NETWORKings
Antioch Charter Academy
Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 25, Issue 5, September 14, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are zooming along with our distance learning. Thank you to all the parents for the fantastic support we have gotten along the way! We do have a few students who seem to be having connectivity problems. Please do your best to have all unnecessary devices signed off of your wifi while your student is on zoom, more devices connected mean less broadband for each device.
I would also like to throw out a friendly reminder that when your student is on Zoom he/she is IN school. A learning environment should be free from unnecessary interruptions. If the interruption would not happen AT school, it should not happen while your student is on Zoom. Please do your best to keep distractions to a minimum: loud talking in the room where the student is learning, young siblings coming into your student’s work space, students being called to come to another place in the house, cleaning being done in and around the workspace of your student or brushing hair/eating breakfast etc. should be avoided.
We realize that having school at home is a new concept for everyone, please do your best to keep your student’s workspace a place that is free from distractions.
Thank you,
Shellie Arnst
Intermediate Teacher
GENERAL NOTES
Updates on Distance Learning and Reopening
ACA I and II will continue with fully Distance Learning until the November break. This means ALL students will be distance learning through November 20th.
We will continue to evaluate the situation and prepare the site and staff for in person learning. If we can bring students on campus (offer the AM/PM Hybrid model) after the November break, we will inform families about that plan on Nov. 9th.
Information on Reopening Guidelines:
The New Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has changed from the ‘Watchlist’ to a new ‘Tiers’ system. The tiers have four levels, Purple, Red, Orange, and Yellow. For ACA to reopen for in-person learning, Contra Costa County would need to be in the Red tier for two consecutive weeks.
Currently, Contra Costa County is in the Purple tier, so we are not able to offer in person learning for students.
School Reopening Waivers. The waivers are currently only available for schools/grades TK-6. ACA is a K-8 school, so if we were to apply for a waiver, the Middle School students would not be included. The staff has discussed the waiver option. We feel that we are a family and community, and would not want to open for in person learning and not be able to include our Middle School students. We also feel that families may also be put in a difficult situation if some of the children at home were to come to school while some would still have to stay at home.”
Volunteer Club: Some of our Middle School students have created a Volunteer Club. This group of students want to make a positive difference both locally and globally. Watch for information regarding opportunities to help make a difference!
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/
Family Network Events:
Dining for Dollars: 9/30/20 Save the Date! Raise money for our school by ordering from Panda Express on Auto Center Drive in Antioch on September 30th. More details and flyer (required) to follow!
2020 Walk-a-Thon: Get ready to exercise and show your school spirit! We’re going to hold a Distance Learning Walk-A-Thon September 28th – September 30th. Students can collect pledges using the 99 Pledges website. Family and friends can pledge per minute your student is active or pledge a flat donation amount. https://app.99pledges.com/
Any time from 8 am September 28th through 8 pm September 30th exercise for 30 minutes while social distancing. You can take a walk, dance, Zumba, do jumping jacks, burpees, martial arts, play on the trampoline, swim… whatever you would like to do to stay active for 30 minutes straight. Have fun! Be creative and show your school spirit while you exercise! You may even want to exercise with a friend by video chatting them via Zoom, Facetime, GoogleDuo, etc!
There will be an official Walk-a-Thon post on September 28th on the ACA Facebook page. Comment on that post with a picture or description of you exercising, or if you are unable to post to Facebook email the description and/or picture to ACAFamilyNetwork@
Family Network Meetings are the first Thursday of each month. Meetings will be held by Zoom until we can go back to 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. Check the calendar for the next meeting!
Annual Give: Annual Give: $165 donated to date! Use the attached form and information to make your donation and help us reach our goal of raising $12,000 this year. Donations can be submitted via PayPal to acafamilynetwork@gmail.com, venmo to @Beth-Rottier, or checks mailed to the school with the attached form. Remember, your donation is tax deductible and helps to fund many materials and programs offered at our school.
WASC
ACA is preparing for a mid-cycle WASC visit this school year (see attached document). Schools that receive six-year accreditation status (like ours) participate in a progress review half way through the six-year term.
The purpose of the visit is to reflect and celebrate growth towards our identified critical areas of need, and create a plan for areas that have not yet been addressed.
During this process, family and community involvement is encouraged. Please look forward to more communication and participation opportunities.
REMINDERS
Grab & Go Meals: Thanks to an extension of the Summer Feeding waiver from the USDA, all students from ACA I & II (and any siblings 18 and under) may pick up a bag containing FREE breakfast, lunch, supper and a snack M-F from any one of our 12 feeding sites. The waiver is good through the end of December. Please visit https://www.antiochschools.
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!
Absences and Tardies: If your student will be absent, or tardy, please call the office at 925-755-7311, or email your student’s classroom, before 8:00am. Even though we are currently doing Distance Learning, roll is still taken EVERY DAY.
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Calendar
September 28-30 FN Virtual Walk-A-Thon
September 30 FN Dining for Dollars – Panda Express in Antioch
October 1 FN Zoom Meeting (all welcome) – 3:30pm
October 5 – 9 October Break – no school
October 12 Teacher Collaboration Day – no school
October 13 Welcome back to school
October 15 Charter Council Zoom Meeting (all welcome) – 4pm
CONTACT INFORMATION
School Phone – 925-755-7311
School Address – 3325 Hacienda Way, Antioch 94509
School Website – www.AntiochCharterAcademy.org
ACA Office – ACAOffice@
ACA Family Network – ACAFamilyNetwork@
ACA Elementary – ACAElementary@
ACA Intermediate – ACAIntermediate@
ACA Primary – ACAPrimary@
ACA Middle School – ACAMiddleSchool@
ACA I & II Special Education – SPED@antiochcharteracademy.org
ACA Newsletter – ACANewsletter@
ACA Memories – ACAMemories@
ACA Hot Lunch Program – ACALunchProgram@
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@
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/
Email: ACAFamilyNetwork@
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.
Antioch Charter Academy is Fully Accredited for Grades K-8 by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges