NETWORKings
Antioch Charter Academy
February 5 Minimum Day – school ends at 12pm
February 8 No School
Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 25, Issue 21, February 1, 2021
Hello,
As a teacher and parent, cultivating happiness has been on my mind lately. Last week’s Kindness Challenge helped illustrate for me the goodness that exists in the everyday and the connection between actions and emotions.
Last week, first grade started each day by identifying at least one kind act they had planned, writing it down, and sharing it with the class. How can anyone help but smile when you see plans like “making room in my fort for my mom, brushing my little brother’s hair, and snuggling with my puppy dog.” All of the first graders were able to express acts that involved thinking of others, even furry others! We followed this activity by checking in on our own feelings, which we recorded on our feelings graph. We have been doing a daily check-in by graphing our feelings over the past couple weeks. I found myself filling in ‘happy’ every day last week in response to all of the kindness plans.
Research shows that there is a connection between kindness and happiness. Kindness feels good. According to Psychology Today (researcher Barbara Fredrickson) compassion and kindness reduce stress, boost our immune systems, and help reduce negative emotions. At ACA we strive to promote kindness through modeling, opportunities for collaboration and sharing, positive discipline, and opportunities to think of and give to others.
It feels good to be part of such a kind school community!
Sincerely,
Julie Nakayama
GENERAL NOTES
February Update on Distance Learning and Reopening: Dear Families, last week the Stay At Home order was lifted in our state. Even though some businesses are allowed to reopen, Contra Costa County still remains in the Purple Tier. Currently, the recommendation for schools in Contra Costa County is to not reopen until the case rate in the county is below 25 per 100,000.
ACA Staff has decided to continue with Distance Learning, at least until after spring break in April. At the beginning of April the staff will re evaluate the possibility of reopening the campus to all students. Our reevaluation process will take into account: any new information from the state, the current color tier we are in, and updated information regarding vaccines for staff and/or students.
Classroom teachers will be contacting and surveying families again about the reopening process and finding out how families feel about their students possibly returning to campus in the coming months.
Currently the Primary students are continuing to come to campus for learning in small groups. We are still discussing as to how and when to possibly bring back 1st grade students. Mrs. Nakayama will be contacting the 1st grade parents directly with updates.
We thank all our families for their continued patience and flexibility and hope you are all staying safe and healthy.
The ACA Staff
WASC: Our school is currently participating in a two-day virtual visit from a WASC committee. The visit focuses on our continued school improvement, the progress made towards our Schoolwide Action Plans, and our goals for the next 3 years!
During our visit, committee members (2) will have an opportunity to join our online classes to observe our students engaged in learning, meet with small groups of students and parents, and meet with ACA staff. Thank you to the parents and students who volunteered to meet with the committee!
2020-21 Lottery: The ACA lottery for the upcoming 2021-22 school year, will be held on March 2, 2021. If you have a student, or know of a student who is interested in our school, an application must be filled out and put into the lottery process.
FYI: No student is automatically accepted into the school because he or she has a sibling already attending ACA. All new students, including TK & Kindergarten, must submit an application by March 1st, to be included in the school’s lottery. Applications for ACA & ACA II can be filled out online at https://antiochcharteracademy.
Middle School News (Community Challenge Groups & Volunteer Club Elective): Thank you for all your support for our Middle School Cause groups. Here are 2 activities that are currently being held:
F.A.M.: Last week to order & pay for a Candy Gram! You can pay for the candy gram with cash/check by dropping it off at the ACA school office, or mailing it to the office (must arrive by February 5th; make checks to ACA). Once you complete your order & pay by Feb. 5th, the recipient will be notified through email that they were sent a candy gram. They will be asked to pick their candy gram up from the school. Thank you for your support! All candy gram order forms & money need to be turned in by February 5th. Candy grams will be available to pick up from the 10th to the 12th in the multi-use room. https://docs.google.com/forms/
d/e/ 1FAIpQLSclscUQDuKxjiXnVUnYnaxP 5-N5Qltquq-ty34KQFrBZEVsiA/ viewform?usp=sf_link “Good morning/afternoon/evening! Our project group, The Pollution Solution, is having a chocolate fundraiser this week at school on pick up days, until Friday. There will be a box of treats with $1, $2, and $5 options for you to choose from in the cafeteria when you come pick up work, belt, and supplies. There will be a box for leaving donations and you can take the candy you pay for. Get yourself a sweet treat and support our donation to SavetheBay.org, an organization that helps keep our Bay Area clean! -Pollution Solution
2020-21 Yearbook: Thank you to everyone who has sent in pictures!!! The Yearbook Elective continues to need your help! We need pictures of your students doing school activities 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 Meetings are usually 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, February 4 at 3:30pm
Annual Give: Thank you to everyone that has donated! Let’s keep it up! donate here via PayPal → paypal.me/ACAfamilynetwork
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.
REMINDERS & ONGOING INFORMATION
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 usually on the second 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 currently on Zoom, and 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 further notice. 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.
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.
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)
Contra Costa Crisis Center (211): https://cccc.
myresourcedirectory.com/
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Calendar
Feb 1-Feb 2 WASC Progress Report (Virtual Visit)
February 4 FN Zoom Meeting @ 3:30pm
February 5 Minimum Day – school ends at 12pm
February 8 No School
February 11 Charter Council Zoom Meeting @ 4pm
February 15-19 No School – February break
March 2 ACA Lottery for 2021-22 School Year
March 12 2nd Trimester Ends
March 15 3rd Trimester Begins
March 15-19 Minimum Days – school ends at 12pm
CONTACT INFORMATION
School Phone – 925-755-7311School 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