NETWORKings
Antioch Charter Academy
Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 25, Issue 17, January 4, 2021
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.
Welcome to 2021! I know we are all hoping 2021is better than 2020! Since distance learning is still our reality I want to take a moment to give you a few tips that can help your students.
1) Help your student establish a routine and stick to it.
Even though school is an online learning format, treat school days just like you would if your child was attending school as usual. Have him/her get up at the same time everyday, get properly dressed, and eat a healthy breakfast.
2) Check in with your student each day and find out how his/her day went, ask to see their work and discuss any questions he/she might have. It is also very important to check in with your student’s teacher if you have any questions.
3) Encourage physical activity
Your child is spending a lot of time sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time. Encourage them to use the breaks in the day to move; stretch, walk the dog, or run! Anything helps!
Mrs. Arnst
Intermediate Teacher
GENERAL NOTES
Need Assistance? The following organizations are available to help!
Shelter Inc. COVID 19 and Eviction Prevention Hotlines: COVID 19 hotline for those affected by the COVID-19 virus: rental assistance, payment of utility bills, funds for food or necessities; Eviction Prevention – due to crisis. Call 211 or go to https://shelterinc.org/
programs/covid-19-hotline.html Contra Costa County Office of Education (Supplies available upon request for students in unstable housing):Headphones for distance learning, Hygiene kits, School supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, construction paper, pencils, lined paper), Reusable cloth mask (plain white, or Crayola colors for elementary)
Wednesday Enrichment Program Update: Hey families! The Enrichment Instructors will be trying something new starting this week to help break up the on-camera time for Zoom Enrichment weeks. Art and Music rotations will be reducing their required Zoom time to 30 minutes, giving students the rest of their rotation’s time to work independently off-camera if they wish. For those students who would like the on-camera support, the instructors will have their Zoom’s open for drop-ins during their groups rotation. (Including those not on Zoom that week.) PE and Personal Safety will continue to be full 55 minute rotations. So for example, the schedule will look like this:
A1/A2 (ACA)
8:00 – 8:30 – Art
9:00 – 9:55 – PE
10:00 – 10:30 – Music
11:00 – 11:55 – Personal Safety
Same start times for every rotation, just less required camera time for some classes. Your group’s modified rotation schedule will be posted on Google Classroom the night before Enrichment as usual. We hope this helps keep the energy up and let everyone make the most of their enrichment time! Alpha will be on Zoom this week!
Finished clay projects can be dropped off to the multi-use room, during Office Hours. Mrs. Taylor (art teacher), will fire the projects for the students. Please place your labeled student’s project, in the designated boxes for their group, in the multi-use room.
2020-21 Yearbook: The Yearbook Elective needs your help! We need pictures of your students doing Distance Learning so we will be able to create a yearbook that is full of amazing school memories! If you have any pictures of students participating in school related activities please send them to ACAMemories@
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:
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. The next meeting is this Thursday, December 7 at 3:30pm
Annual Give: Thank you to everyone that has donated! Let’s keep it up! donate here via PayPal → paypal.me/ACAfamilynetwork
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 2020-21 school year. 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 – Daily Attendance is expected: 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.
Updates on Distance Learning and Reopening: Distance Learning for most levels will continue until the February break. This means the majority of students will be distance learning through the mid February. We continue to evaluate the situation and are working to prepare the site and staff for in person learning, with the introduction of phased in student cohorts in a safe manner.
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Calendar
January 4 Welcome Back
January 7 FN Zoom Meeting (everyone welcome) – 3:30pm
January 14 Charter Council Zoom Meeting (all welcome) – 4:30pm
January 18 No School – MLK Day
January 25-29 School Choice Celebration Week
Jan 31-Feb 2 WASC Progress Report (Virtual Visit)
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