NETWORKings

Antioch Charter Academy

Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 25, Issue 29, April 19, 2021

 

Welcome back from break! We hope everyone had a much needed break and they are ready to take on the remainder of the school year. I am personally very excited to end the school year with all of the students on campus. It has been so wonderful to hear student’s voices filling the school the last few weeks.

 

This last trimester Primary, and the other levels, will be working on their Young Authors stories. Each year this is something I look forward to. Seeing the students’ stories written, illustrated and bound into a book gives them such a sense of pride and accomplishment. Not to mention most of the stories are seriously adorable.

 

Keep an eye out in the newsletter for information on each level’s young authors night- as this year will look different than it has in years past.

 

Rebecca Zaccardi

Primary Teacher

 

GENERAL NOTES

 

Middle School News (Community Challenge Groups): Thank you for all your support for our Middle School Cause groups. Here is a snapshot of what the groups were able to accomplish this year!

 

  • Hello ACA Families! Thank you so much for your support this year. Our cause group Adopt a Family was successful this year because of your support…we couldn’t have done it without you. Here is some of the things we did this year:

  • Gave several Christmas presents to those in need through Shelter’s Inc

  • Held two donation drives, 

  • Did a PSA for our elementary class

  • Raised over $200 for Shelters inc through our Valentine candy grams. 

  • Pollution Solution 2020-2021 Overview – we have been busy!!!

  • Started monthly social distance clean ups at Contra Loma Regional Park

  • Created Christmas Gift Wrap Recycling & Christmas Tree PSA videos to share with other classes

  • Initiated first candy fundraiser on campus on supply pick-up days and made $200+

  • Made a slide presentation to “Teach Young Kids” and presented to classes 

          pollution solution google slides! 

  • Actually liked working together lol 

  • Started a Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser to raise money. Through the fundraiser we gained $328!!!

  • Created an outreach letter to present to local businesses for donations 

  • Spent 140 volunteer hours including 64 after school hours

  • The city of Antioch made a post about our group about our recent trash pick-up day!

  • Our next event will be this Wednesday, April 21st. We have decided to team up with the Volunteer Club to try to make a big earth day pick up! With the success of all our past clean ups we wanted to do a big trash pick up at Contra Loma reservoir. We will meet up at Worth Shaw Community park from 1-3:00. Come out and join us! 

 

  • Our Group: C.A.R.E.S. has been really busy this year!!  Here are some of the things we accomplished: 

  • CommunityPresentation video that was given to elementary students

  • Drive for various items

  • Twitter Account made to share facts about homelessness in California

  • Easter Candy Grams

  • Participation: about 8 1/2 hours

  • Money raised: about $80

 

Volunteer Club: Hello ACA Families! The Middle School Volunteer Club will be holding a drive for the Humane Society and we need your help! The Humane Society is dedicated to saving, protecting, caring, and advocating for animals. However, they need help from us to donate specific items to help their work. If you are interested in helping a good cause, the items they’re looking for will be at the end. Unless you are donating through Amazon, you can drop off your donations to ACA I from May 3rd-May 7th. We sincerely appreciate your amazing support!

 

  • Towels

  • Clean/Unopened pet items

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Dishwashing Liquid

  • Blankets (flannel or fleece)

  • Flat sheets (not fitted)

  • Pet beds (NEW ONLY)

  • Dog/Cat toys (NEW ONLY)

 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/295LW9JZGNX5R/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex?pldnSite=1

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/FKQHWF2YUGDQ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex?pldnSite=1

 

Thank you!

 

2020-21 Yearbook: Hello ACA Families,

The yearbook staff is having a Chipotle fundraiser April 21st from 5-9pm at the Chipotle on Lone Tree(5401 Lone Tree Way Ste 100, Brentwood) All proceeds made will go into buying yearbooks for the 8th grade students. Any support is greatly appreciated. If you go to the Chipotle either show them the flyer (attached below) or say that you are with ACA, if not the money won’t go to ACA.

Any support is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

And remember…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@antiochcharteracademy.org so that the yearbook staff can use them! Thank You!

 

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!

The Book Fair is Coming!

April 23 – May 6

The fair will be online only again this year. Use the link below to shop starting April 23.

Thanks for supporting our school and promoting a love of reading in our students.

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/antiochcharteracad

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.  Check with the calendar below to find out the next meeting.

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

 

School Campus Open: The campus is open Monday through Fridays (except holidays) from 8-12pm. Call the office, or check with your student’s classroom if arrangements need to be made to come after open hours.

 

Drop Off & Pick Up Reminder: When dropping off AND picking up your student, please remain in your vehicle.  Thank you in advance!!

 

Covid Corner: On Campus Learning and Distance Learning are taking place!! All parents and guardians are encouraged to read the various Safety Plans and Policies that are currently available on https://antiochcharteracademy.org/policies/

If your student is learning On Campus, please abide by these current guidelines:

  • If your student is experiencing fever, coughing, diarrhea, or other possible Covid symptoms, please keep them home (see attached doc for checklist).

  • If your student is exposed to Covid, please keep the student home until the 10 day quarantine period ends (7 days with negative Covid test). Students should do Distance Learning during their quarantine period.

  • If your student travels outside of the country, please keep your student home until the 10 day quarantine period ends (7 days with negative Covid test).  Students should do Distance Learning during their quarantine period. To find out the current recommendations for travel go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html

  • Students, Staff and Parents must wear a mask while on campus, and abide by the current recommendation of keeping 3-6’ apart from each other.

 

Grab & Go Meals: 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.net/nutrition-services for the list of sites and menus.

 

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! Check the calendar for the next school meeting.

 

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.

 

Need Assistance – it is OK to ask!

  • Antioch Charter Academy: call the school office (925-755-7311) if you need help finding school supplies, figuring out how to get school lunches, and/or need to talk with someone regarding any struggles your student(s) may be facing.

  • 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 (call 211): https://cccc.myresourcedirectory.com/

 

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 (please choose text so you can get instant messages) & 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.

 

Calendar

  • April 21           Yearbook Elective Chipotle Fundraiser (see above for details)

  • April 26-May 6      Book Fair (online)

  • April 28           Young Author’s Night (check with your child’s classroom for how they will be      celebrating this annual event)

  • April 30          Minimum Day – school day ends at 12pm

  • May 6             Family Network Zoom Meeting at 3:30

  • May 13           Charter Council Zoom Meeting @ 4pm

  • May 28         Minimum Day – school day ends at 12pm

  • May 31          No School – Memorial Day

  • June 8            8th Grade Graduation

  • June 9            Last day of school – minimum day

2021-2022 School Calendar ACA / ACA II

Aug 18 First Day of School

Sep 6 Labor Day

Oct 4 – 8 October Break

Oct 11 Staff Day – no school for students

Nov 11 Veteran’s Day Observed

Nov 22-26 Thanksgiving Break

Dec 23-Jan 7 Winter Break

Jan 17 Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Feb 21 – 25 President’s Day & February Break

Feb 28 Staff Day – no school for students

Apr 18 – 22 Spring Break

May 30 Memorial Day

June 10 Last Day of School

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

School Phone – 925-755-7311School 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.

 

Antioch Charter Academy is Fully Accredited for Grades K-8 by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges