NETWORKings

Antioch Charter Academy

Feb 6-7 Minimum Days – dismiss at 12pm

Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy/TLCS Stakeholders

 Volume 29, Issue 21, February 3, 2025

Hello!

Last week’s Great Kindness Challenge had me searching the internet for ideas on fostering kindness in the classroom.  A lot of what I read validated what’s already happening on campus!  Here are a few ideas I wanted to share.

One of the most important ways to teach kindness is to model kindness.  When we show respect and compassion, children naturally pick-up on it.

Another idea is to teach perspective taking.  Encouraging children to consider “how would I feel if that happened to me?” and making the connection that others might be experiencing that very same feeling.

Also, helping children identify and practice kind habits fosters a kindness oriented approach.  This can look like small acts of kindness throughout the day.  We can help our children brainstorm ideas and validate when we see it in action.

In addition, checking-in with our children about how they feel after a kind act helps build connections and reinforces positive behavior.

Just a few things to consider for extending Kindness Week throughout the year.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Julie Nakayama (Primary Teacher)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FN Taco Night is on Tuesday, February 11th!  This will be a great night filled with delicious food, Karaoke, and special performances by a number of our ACA music groups! We’ve added lots of donation & volunteer signups to TrackItForward.com. I have also included a screenshot of the available opportunities below.

We will need a few parents to help run the following:

• Beverage & Spiritwear Table

• Raffle Table

• Entry Ticket Table

We also need donations of all kinds for the event. All items needed are listed on TrackItForward.com and some can also be found on the ACA Amazon Wishlist.

All donations and volunteer time goes towards your families 40 hours for the year!

Please let me know if you have any questions or need help accessing TrackItForward.   See the attached flyer for details.

Middle School Impact Teams (students chose a community need, researched it, and are looking for ways to “Impact”, or help!

Team A – Mental Health Hospitals

Dear ACA parents,

We, the students of ACA are reaching out to ask for your support in our fundraiser for Mental Health Hospitals! We plan to spread out donation boxes around the campus. To make donating easy, we will have donation boxes available at the following locations:

• The front gate

• The candy stands on Friday

• The office

Besides money, we are also collecting items that could significantly benefit the patients. Some items that would greatly benefit these patients are body wash, face wash, toothpaste, shampoo, toothbrushes, and board games (just no sharp or tiny pieces, please). We’re excited to be raising money to purchase items for the Mental Health Hospitals. Every dollar counts, and your contribution will impact our ability to give back to our community. We truly appreciate your support and look forward to making a positive impact together!

Thank you very much

Sincerely, The ACA Impact Team

Team B – John Muir Health Center for Youth

We are the ACA Impact team. We are a group of Middle Schoolers who strive to give back to our community. Our current goal is to help the John Muir Health Center for youth. We are holding a Chick-fil-a fundraiser in hopes to gain money to donate to our cause. Please help by purchasing as much food as you possibly can, thank you. Sincerely, the ACA Impact team.

Team C – Senior Citizens

Our group of middle school students are planning on holding a workshop to assist senior citizens with their technology needs.  We will be working with the organization, Meals on Wheels, to organize this event!

See’s Candy Yum-RaisingOnline Orders: Our virtual candy store is officially OPEN! Order online now through April 4th! All orders will be shipped directly to the purchaser! Please click the link below, you will be able to share with family and friends. It makes a wonderful gift for the spring season for anyone local or in other cities or states. https://www.yumraising.com/secure/antiochca_aca_spring_23/YesBer3685/

MARK YOUR CALENDAR – Lots Happening!!! 

Feb 6-7 Minimum Days – dismiss at 12pm

Feb 7    Family Network Meeting (all welcome) at 3pm

Feb 11  FN Taco Night Family Event

Feb 12  Eco Hero Assembly (morning)

Feb 13  Charter Council Meeting (all welcome) at 4pm

Feb 14  MS to Farm (⅓ class)

Feb 14  Prim/Elem Trip to Dublin Ice Skating

Feb 17-21  February Break – no school

Feb 24  School resumes

Feb 28  MS to Farm (⅓ class)

March 3  FN Coin Wars Begins

March 4  ACA Lottery for 2025-26 potential students (must submit application online)

March 5  Shakespeare on Tour (on campus experience)

March 7  AUSD 8th Grade Boys in Action Event (Dallas Middle School)

March 10-14  Minimum Days – dismiss at 12pm

March 17-19  MS Internships

UPCOMING & ONGOING SCHOOL EVENTS

ACA Lottery 2025-26: Lottery for ACA I will be conducted Tuesday March 4th, 2025. All new students, including siblings of current students, must complete an application for the lottery if they are interested in enrolling in the 2025-26 school year. Students turning 5 years old by September 1, 2025 are eligible for Kindergarten. Students turning 4 years old by September 1, 2025 are eligible for TK.  Applications for both campuses are on our website: Applications | Antioch Charter Academies

Need Your Input: At Antioch Charter Academy, communication is strong in many areas, but we see room to grow in academic communication. We believe that keeping parents and guardians informed about classroom learning and progress is essential for student success. Students can achieve even more when teachers and families work together and share important academic updates.

Please help us improve by completing a short survey Communication Feedback Survey. Your feedback will help us create better communication practices to support our students’ academic growth. Thank you for partnering with us!

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!

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/foster child, etc. at ACA, then come join us & help make a difference!

Family Network Meetings are the second Friday of each month at 3pm. The board welcomes and encourages all ACA families to attend the meetings.  Check with the calendar. below to find out the next meeting.

Do You Wonder: Do you ever wonder where the money goes when you donate, or participate in FUNdraisers for the Family Network (FN)?  Well one of the events the FN pays for is our campus’ annual assembly, Shakespeare On Tour!  Each year the students get to attend, and sometimes participate in, a Shakespearean play put on by a troupe from SF in our own multi-purpose room! This year’s performance is Romeo & Juliet.  The assembly will take place on March 5th in the morning. To find out more about this event go to https://sfshakes.org/performance/tour/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-1

Family Network Wish List: We have created a Family Network wish list on Amazon. If you’d like to donate any of these “Wish List” items we would greatly appreciate it. These items are needed throughout the school year. Pick the items and pay for them and Amazon will ship directly to the school.

*ALL DONATIONS COUNT TOWARD YOUR FAMILY SERVICE HOURS AS WELL!

*ANY DONATION YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE IS FULLY TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

ACA I Family Network – Amazon Gift List – Amazon Gift List

Thank you for your support!

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/fundraiser/charity/2235031 or give cash/check to the school office!

Spiritwear: Antioch Charter spirit wear! With hundreds of designs waiting for you, shop now and get your order in just 10-12 business days! Shop at https://1stplace.sale/14399

Family Network Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers Needed

Want to help, but not sure where to start???  Sign up on TrackItForward to find out how you can help!!!  https://www.trackitforward.com/user

Contact the ACA Family Network if you have any questions!

Acafamilynetwork@antiochcharteracademy.org

  Popcorn Fridays Volunteers Always 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. Sign up on https://www.trackitforward.com/user

REMINDERS 

School Lunch Order Form – https://forms.gle/H6SmPkjfZzNscVaeA

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. Reminder – no outside food delivery services are allowed on campus.

Absences, Tardies, Leaving Early: 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. Please remember to request an “Independent Study” or “IS” every time you email/call to report an absence.  This helps the school, which helps your student!

REMIND: This APP 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 (example from last year: a power outage that required early dismissal!).  You can receive messages through email or through texting (recommended) – you decide!  Ask your student’s teacher for their classcode!

Clothes Donation Bin: is a great way to have our unclaimed lost and found items find a new home, and it is actually a form of fund raising for the school. When people donate clothes, the owners of the bin, Tree Machine, will give money to the school. The bin is for clothes only.  Please make sure to bag the clothes before you put them in the bin.  Thank You.

Parking Lot/Carpool