NETWORKings
Antioch Charter Academy
Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Families and Staff Volume 27, Issue 16, December 12, 2022
Dear ACA Families,
The holidays are a time for family and cheer, but making sure the house is clean, the food is ready, and the presents are wrapped and ready to be opened can be overwhelming. These factors can bring unwanted stress and depression in a time meant for happiness.
Some important, practical tips can help minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. These tips may even help you enjoy the holidays more than expected.
Through the endless parties, cooking, shopping and cleaning, try taking one of 9 steps to ensure you have a stress-free holiday:
1. Plan ahead.
Between co-workers, friends and family, it’s inevitable that some commitments will end up on the same day. Make sure to plan on what you can attend in person or virtually. If you’re hosting the holidays, create a menu to help you stay organized and make grocery shopping easier.
2. Say no.
With holiday commitments, it is OK to say no to a few or all of them. It also will help relieve some stress. Try sharing your to-do list with other family members.
3. Plan spending.
The holidays mean spending money. Make a budget and stick to it. Spending money on your loved ones is important, but it’s also important to pay your energy bill. Don’t buy gifts that you’ll be paying off for the rest of the year.
4. Create relaxing surroundings.
Turn on some music, light some candles or open the windows on a sunny day. Research has found that listening to music and the scent of citrus can boost feelings of well-being, and vitamin D is always a happiness booster.
5. Maintain healthy habits.
The holidays are notorious for ruining healthy habits. A short workout each morning will help your decision-making throughout the day. Encourage your family to try snow shoeing or sledding to get in extra exercise. Eat healthy snacks like fresh fruit or vegetables throughout the season and to fill up before a dinner party or celebration with tempting, but unhealthy, foods.
6. Share feelings.
Spending a holiday after a loss in the family can be difficult. Accept your feelings and open up about them to others. It may make you feel better to share. Try to switch up old traditions to ease the loss.
7. Respect differences.
Family members will have different viewpoints than your own. Try your best to forgive and forget this holiday season. Focus on your similarities, and replace tension with something productive.
8. Be realistic.
You are only one person, and you can only do so much. Be realistic with how much you can handle this season. Forget about perfection, and relax and enjoy the company surrounding you.
9. Take a break.
Don’t forget about your own needs. Take a nap, go for a short walk, read a book or watch a funny movie. Laughing relaxes the whole body, and can relieve physical tension and stress.
Holidays are meant to be a fun, enjoyable time with friends and family. These tips can help ensure you truly enjoy your holidays when stress starts to set in.
Mr. Fuller
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Flurry of FUN Family Night! This annual event is this Thursday in our multi-use room from 6-7:30. Come enjoy S’mores, Hot beverages, Popcorn Bar, Photo booth, Ice Fishing, Bobsled races, Cookies & more! See flyer for details!
Antioch Charter Academy’s 1st Bobsled Derby! All families are welcomed to bring their bobsled and participate on December 15th 2023 at the Flurry of Fun Family Night! Bobsleds can be entered to win one of the following categories:
Fastest Racer, Most Accurate Looking Racer, and Most Creative Looking Racer
Please keep these parameters in mind when creating your bobsled:
· Your bobsled should resemble a bobsled or winter sporting vehicle
· The overall length of the bobsled shall not exceed 7 inches.
· The overall width of the bobsled shall not exceed 3 inches.
· The maximum height of the bobsled cannot exceed 5 inches (Adjust this limit so that the bobsleds will pass under your finish gate).
· The bobsled must be freewheeling, with no starting devices. Bobsleds must be powered by gravity only!
· If a bobsled leaves the track during a race, the race shall be rerun.
· Details such as the driver and decorations are permissible as long as these details are school appropriate.
· If a bobsled suffers a mechanical problem and a repair can be accomplished within 5 minutes, the heat will be run again. If not, the bobsled will automatically lose the heat.
· Bobsled materials can be gathered from anywhere. Please email the office if you would like to request materials.
· Remember: The Bobsled Derby is a friendly competition with an emphasis on fun and good sportsmanship!
Please RSVP to ACAoffice@
First Fridays: First Fridays take place every 1st Friday of the month during the school year, at Skipolini’s in Antioch at 4pm. Come join and have dinner with your family while making new friends from our ACA community! Let us know if there is another restaurant you would like to try out for these meetups!
FAMILY NETWORK (FN) HAPPENINGS 
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 second Tuesday of each month. The board welcomes and encourages all ACA families to attend the meetings. Check with the calendar below to find out the next meeting.
Pasta Fundraiser: Order Fun Pasta all year long and ACA will get 35-40% of the proceeds! Order online and make sure to select Antioch Charter Academy I as who you are supporting! https://funpastafundraising.
Annual Give: Would you like to support whole school activities, all the classrooms, and have less fundraisers??!!! Then make a tax deductible donation…donate here via PayPal → https://www.paypal.com/us/
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.
Family Network Volunteer Opportunities
Popcorn Fridays Volunteers Needed 
We need volunteers to help out with popcorn sales each Friday 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Help set up, make popcorn, sell candy/popcorn and clean-up
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Dec 13 Family Network Meeting (all welcome) – 3pm
Dec 15 Flurry of Fun from 6~7:30
Dec 15 MS to Farm (EE) – group A
Dec 16 MS Trip – Ice Skating
Dec 20 Prim/Elem Play Performances
Dec 20 & 21 Minimum Days – dismissal at 12pm
Dec 20 MS Diversity Potluck Celebration
Dec 20 Intermediate Study Trip – Ice Skating
Dec 22-Jan 6 Winter Break – no school
Jan 9 Welcome back to school!
Jan 16 No School – MLK Day
Jan 19 Family Network Meeting (all welcome) – 3pm
Jan 19 Charter Council Meeting (all welcome) – 4pm
Jan 31 MS Study Trip – San Jose Tech Museum
REMINDERS & FYIs 
Parking Lot Safety – Let’s Keep ALL Our Students, Staff & Families SAFE!
SLOW DOWN
Everyone needs to use crosswalks!
Listen to the staff’s instructions – they are trying to keep everyone safe, and to keep drop off/pick up running smoothly.
Do not tell your students to cut through the parking lot to reach you – cars that are backing up may not see your student. Students should be picked up using the carpool lane, or using the crosswalk, they can walk to their cars which are parked on the street/in front of the park.
When it is your turn to enter the carpool lane, pull all the way forward, so up to 6 vehicles can load/unload their charges at a time.
Do not move forward in the carpool lane until all children have entered/exited their vehicles in front of you – a fender bender could severely injure a child who is partially in a vehicle.
When leaving the parking lot, please drive the speed limit so our students walking to school are safe.
Thank you for keeping everyone safe – remember picking up/dropping off is only a few minutes out of your day, but an injury could last a lifetime!!
Yearbook Fundraiser
: Every Wednesday morning the yearbook staff will be selling donuts in front of the gate from 7:50-8:10. We are doing this to fundraise to purchase yearbooks for the 8th graders, the school and the yearbook staff. Extra money will go to lowering the price of the yearbook for everyone! Donuts are priced from $1-3.
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 open to the public – all are welcomed!
School Lunch Order Form – https://forms.gle/
You MUST order meals in advance in order to receive them or else we may not have a meal available for your student. Breakfast and Supper will be the same for all students, while lunch has a menu that you can choose one entree from.
Absences, Tardies, Leaving Early – 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. Please make sure to check into the office if your student arrives late. If your student needs to depart early, the person picking up the child must call the office at (925) 755-7311 so the office can retrieve the student prior to walking into the office to sign out their student.
Remind: This is another way for the school to quickly inform you on what is happening on campus. Never miss another minimum day schedule, or a whole school event. You can receive messages through email or through texting – you decide! If you have not signed up yet, please contact your student’s classroom for the code – each grouping has their own code!
CONTACT INFORMATION
School Phone – 925-755-7311
School Address – 3325 Hacienda Way, Antioch 94509
School Website – www.AntiochCharterAcademy.org
School Lunch Order Form – https://forms.gle/
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@
Twitter & Instagram Accounts – #AntiochCharter; @AntiochCharter
Parent Network Board & Contact Info
Co-Chairs: Corey Cruz
Secretary: Brooke Farrington
Treasurer: Sarah Glenn
School Volunteer Coordinator: Salena Killion
Social Chair: Yessika Berrios
Fundraising Chair: open…can you help???
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@
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.
Contra Costa Crisis Center (call 211): https://cccc.
Contra Costa Health Services: Mental Health Wellness & Education on how to address “Disappointment,” reduce “Stress” and maintain a “Positive Attitude”
Mental Health Wellness & Education :: Behavioral Health
888-678-7277 [available 24/7]
Contra Costa Crisis Center: Services and Resources for Teens
Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – What You Should Know
Services and Resources for Teens :: Behavioral Health
800-833-2900 (24/7)
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network:
Fact Sheet on COVID-19 along with Age Appropriate Coping Strategies
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019
Parent Anonymous:
Statewide Online Tutoring Program: Students in California, with or without a library card, will be able to access HelpNow through links on their local library’s website or through the State Library’s. Go to Digital Resources | Contra Costa County Library (ccclib.org) Click “Brainfuse HelpNow”.
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
Academia autónoma de Antioquía
Boletín para las familias y el personal de Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Volumen 27, número 16, 12 de diciembre de 2022
Estimadas familias de ACA,
Los días festivos son un momento para la familia y la alegría, pero asegurarse de que la casa esté limpia, la comida esté lista y los regalos estén envueltos y listos para abrir puede ser abrumador. Estos factores pueden generar estrés y depresión no deseados en un momento destinado a la felicidad.
Algunos consejos importantes y prácticos pueden ayudar a minimizar el estrés que acompaña a las fiestas. Estos consejos pueden incluso ayudarlo a disfrutar las vacaciones más de lo esperado.
A través de interminables fiestas, cocina, compras y limpieza, intente seguir uno de los 9 pasos para asegurarse de tener unas vacaciones sin estrés:
1. Planifique con anticipación.
Entre compañeros de trabajo, amigos y familiares, es inevitable que algunos compromisos terminen el mismo día. Asegúrese de planificar a qué puede asistir en persona o virtualmente. Si está organizando las fiestas, cree un menú que lo ayude a mantenerse organizado y hacer que las compras de comestibles sean más fáciles.
2. Di no.
Con los compromisos de vacaciones, está bien decir que no a algunos o a todos. También ayudará a aliviar un poco el estrés. Intente compartir su lista de tareas pendientes con otros miembros de la familia.
3. Planee el gasto.
Las vacaciones significan gastar dinero. Haz un presupuesto y apégate a él. Es importante gastar dinero en sus seres queridos, pero también lo es pagar su factura de energía. No compre regalos que pagará durante el resto del año.
4. Crea un entorno relajante.
Ponga música, encienda algunas velas o abra las ventanas en un día soleado. La investigación ha encontrado que escuchar música y el aroma de los cítricos puede aumentar la sensación de bienestar, y la vitamina D siempre aumenta la felicidad.
5. Mantén hábitos saludables.
Las vacaciones son conocidas por arruinar hábitos saludables. Un breve entrenamiento cada mañana le ayudará a tomar decisiones a lo largo del día. Anime a su familia a probar con raquetas de nieve o trineos para hacer más ejercicio. Coma refrigerios saludables como frutas o verduras frescas durante toda la temporada y llene antes de una cena o celebración con alimentos tentadores, pero poco saludables.
6. Comparte sentimientos.
Pasar unas vacaciones después de una pérdida en la familia puede ser difícil. Acepte sus sentimientos y ábralos a los demás. Compartir puede hacerte sentir mejor. Trate de cambiar las viejas tradiciones para aliviar la pérdida.
7. Respeta las diferencias.
Los miembros de la familia tendrán puntos de vista diferentes a los suyos. Haz tu mejor esfuerzo para perdonar y olvidar esta temporada de vacaciones. Concéntrese en sus similitudes y reemplace la tensión con algo productivo.
8. Sea realista.
Eres solo una persona, y solo puedes hacer mucho. Sea realista con cuánto puede manejar esta temporada. Olvídate de la perfección y relájate y disfruta de la compañía que te rodea.
9. Tómese un descanso.
No se olvide de sus propias necesidades. Tome una siesta, salga a caminar, lea un libro o vea una película divertida. Reír relaja todo el cuerpo y puede aliviar la tensión física y el estrés.
Las vacaciones están destinadas a ser un momento divertido y agradable con amigos y familiares. Estos consejos pueden ayudarlo a asegurarse de que realmente disfrute de sus vacaciones cuando comience a sentirse estresado.
Sr. Fuller
ANUNCIOS GENERALES
¡Ráfaga de DIVERTIDA Noche Familiar! Este evento anual es este jueves en nuestro salón de usos múltiples de 6 a 7:30. ¡Ven a disfrutar S’mores, bebidas calientes, barra de palomitas de maíz, fotomatón, galletas y más! ¡Vea el volante para más detalles!
¡El primer derby de trineo de Antioch Charter Academy! ¡Todas las familias son bienvenidas a traer su trineo y participar el 15 de diciembre de 2023 en la noche familiar Flurry of Fun! Los trineos se pueden inscribir para ganar una de las siguientes categorías:
El corredor más rápido, el corredor de aspecto más preciso y el corredor de aspecto más creativo
Tenga en cuenta estos parámetros al crear su trineo:
· Su trineo debe parecerse a un trineo o un vehículo deportivo de invierno
· La longitud total del trineo no debe exceder las 7 pulgadas.
· El ancho total del trineo no debe exceder las 3 pulgadas.
· La altura máxima del trineo no puede exceder las 5 pulgadas (Ajuste este límite para que los trineos pasen por debajo de la puerta de meta).
· El trineo debe ser de rueda libre, sin dispositivos de arranque. ¡Los trineos deben ser accionados únicamente por gravedad!
· Si un trineo se sale de la pista durante una carrera, la carrera se volverá a correr.
· Los detalles como el conductor y las decoraciones están permitidos siempre y cuando estos detalles sean apropiados para la escuela.
· Si un trineo sufre un problema mecánico y se puede reparar en 5 minutos, la calefacción volverá a funcionar. De lo contrario, el trineo perderá automáticamente el calor.
· Los materiales de trineo se pueden recoger de cualquier lugar. Envíe un correo electrónico a la oficina si desea solicitar materiales.
· Recuerde: ¡El Bobsled Derby es una competencia amistosa con énfasis en la diversión y el buen espíritu deportivo!
Confirme su asistencia a ACAoffice@