FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:
First day of school for ALL 2nd through 12th grade students will be Tuesday, August 20, 2013.

First day of school for Kindergarten AND 1st grade students will be Monday, August 26, 2013. Teachers will set up individual meetings with students and their families prior to August 26th.

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Annual Board Meeting 5:00 p.m. in room C2 at VCS.

VCS Middle School Robotics camp will run July 29-August 2nd from 9:30 -3 p.m. at Vision Charter School located in the new cafeteria.*See below for information.

Meet the Teacher Night 6th -12th grade will be from 3:30-7 p.m. on Friday, August 16.

Meet the Teacher Night K-5th grade will be from 3:30-7 p.m. on Monday, August 19.

First day of school for ALL 2nd through 12th grade students will be Tuesday, August 20, 2013.

Robotics Camp is open to all VCS students going in to 5th -8th grade!

18 spots are still remaining for this year's robotics camp!  We are opening up to next year's 5th-8th graders, since this is such a wonderful opportunity. 

We are able to provide this camp through a program called Geospatial and Robotics Technologies for the 21st Century (GEAR-Tech-21) which aims to prepare youth for Twenty-first Century careers in Science, Engineering and Technology through GPS, GIS and robotics.  This year we will be adding Bluetooth to our exploration of LEGO robotics and Global Position Systems.

What:  A week-long camp full of food, fun, and hands-on technology exploration!

When:  July 29th through August 2nd from 9:30-3 p.m.

Where:  Our new school building cafeteria (19291 Ward Road Caldwell, Idaho 83605)

Who: VCS 2013-2014 5th-8th grade students

Cost : $50 a person

Lunch and snacks will be provided, as well as a T-shirt and an amazing experience!

To secure a spot, applicant's parents must return the $50 check made out to Vision Charter School along with a completed Camp Application which may be obtained at the office of VCS.  Students from this camp will be allowed to apply for limited positions on the 2013-2014 VCS Robotics Team! 

Please contact the school office at 455-9220 during their summer hours (9-3) for registration information.

Construction Update:

Things are moving quickly as we enter the home stretch to completion of the new secondary building! We eagerly are anticipating a certificate of occupancy on approximately July 19th barring no unforeseen issues.

The furniture is being delivered this week for the new school! The science lab tables have already been installed! Teacher desks, chairs, bookcases, filing cabinets, cafeteria tables, student tables and chairs, lab stools with backs, and library tables are all arriving this week and being installed!

The school parking lot is being paved, the soccer field and trees are being planted, and the flag is up!

The carpet is being laid in the technology lab and the library/commons room early this week. The chrome lockers are installed! The hallway and classroom floors have been polished and the paint is finished!

Details about the ribbon cutting ceremony will be delivered via facebook and the newsletter in the next few weeks. 

**All elementary students will get the privilege of eating lunch in the new cafeteria. 

NEW HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE COURSES:

Please contact the Guidance Counselor, Ms. Radmall, at candiceradmall@visioncsd.org if your 9-12th grade student is interested in taking any of the following dual credit courses. The only cost to the student is $65 a college credit. The courses are taught through advanced teleconferencing equipment which allows a group of VCS students to interact with the teacher in Twin Falls or at College of Southern Idaho in real time. HTML and Programming courses are capped at ten students. Sociology is capped at five students.

Course Name:  CISW 111 HTML

Originating Location: Twin Falls HS

Days: MTWTHF  Time: 8:55 AM MST  - 9:45 AM MST 

Term: Fall

High School Credits: 1

College Credits: 3

Course Description: Students will learn the foundational syntax, knowledge and application of the XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript languages through hands-on/application activities. Students will be writing code from scratch as they construct and publish a variety of applied projects, culminating in a comprehensive, independent final website.

Additional Information: Dual Credit offered through CSI.

Course Name: CISW 125 Programming Fundamentals

Originating Location: Twin Falls HS

Days: MTWTHF Time: 1:30 PM MST - 2:20 PM MST Term: Fall

High School Credits: 1

College Credits: 3

 Provides the beginning programmer with a solid foundation in programming using visualization and application. Designed for beginners with little or no previous programming experience, this course emphasizes solid programming principles and teaches a current language in the process. By putting standard concepts, like input, output, selection, and repetition, at the fore front instead of focusing solely on a specific language, students will gain knowledge and insight that is easily transferable to other languages.

Additional Information:  Dual Credit offered through CSI

Course Name: SOCY 101 Introduction to Sociology

Originating Location: CSI

Days: T/TH Time: 10:00 AM MST - 11:15 AM MST Term: Fall

High School Credits: 1

College Credits: 3

Course Description: Presents the basic concepts, principles and processes in sociology, along with an introduction to materials relating to culture, social interaction institutions and social change.

Additional Information: Dual Credit offered through CSI

Communications 101 is an online course offered through College of Western Idaho. Students are eligible to sign up for this course at $65 a credit for three college credits and one High School credit. Students are encouraged to take this course during second period A days if their schedule allows. This course is a requirement for the Liberal Arts Associate of Arts program at CWI. Contact Ms. Radmall at candiceradmall@visioncsd.orgnif you are interested. Registration and money is due by August 23rd to be eligible for this course. 

Partners with A Vision:

Thank you to all who have given Cash Donations to the new Vision Charter School Reader Board:

PFA

Anonymous Donors

ERSTAD Architects

CM Company  

Washington Trust

Thank you to Aaron LaBarbera with Freelance Print Solutions- The one-stop shop for all your printing and promotional needs. Contact Aaron Labarbera at 208-440-2162 or www.freelanceprintsolutions.com!

Barbara Ball, Program Coordinator, provides State Licensed in-home supported living help for developmentally delayed persons. THE RES/HAB PROVIDER AGENCY 3705 S. Montana Ave. Caldwell, Id  83605. Cell phone 230-3722 Office: 455-8887

Thank you to Robert J. Ball, Vice President of Sales & Operations for THE BREATHING MOBILE WASHER a Patented Manufacturer & Distributer. Office: 208-455-01772 Cell: 520-709-7986 3705 S. Montana Caldwell, ID 83605 Breathingwasher@qwestoffice.net.

Thank you to Barbara Ball! Grandmaatamazon.com complete On-line shopping at Amazon

Barbara Ball 208-454-3468, 208-230-3722, Thank you for your support.   Facebook/Twitter friends.

Gazette Article by Mrs. Lair:

Vision Charter School ended the 2012-2013 school year abuzz with new experiences and exciting prospects for years to come. As the school year came to a close, thoughts were directed both at the unprecedented events of this year as well as what the future holds for staff, students, and parents.

Most notable in the conclusion of the school year was Vision Charter School's first annual commencement ceremony honoring 32 graduating Seniors.  In her ceremony welcome address, Administrator Wendy OldenKamp had students rise as Mrs. OldenKamp stated the year they joined Vision Charter School. Many students stood as part of the founding year at Vision and each successive year showed new faces joining the class, including their final, senior year. The 2013 graduating class amassed $206,963 in scholarships and plan to attend a variety of schools, including CWI, Boise State, and Idaho State, to name a few. These students also boast a combined 393 college credits from NNU, CWI, and Stony Brook University in New York. These young men and women are set for a path of success. Ms. Radmall, Vision's guidance counselor, quoted Dr. Seuss when she addressed the students by saying "Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to good places! You're off and away!" These students are, indeed, off to good places.

The graduating senior class leaves behind a legacy of setting the bar for classes to come. The students at Vision Charter School are up to this challenge. Students entering 7-12 grades in the 2013-2014 school year will work toward exceeding these expectations in a new building. Phase I of Vision Charter School's two-phase building project will be completed this month. Staff will begin moving into their new classrooms the last week of July. The building offers a technology lab; library; multipurpose room functioning as a gym, cafeteria and auditorium; science lab; art room; and large classrooms. Concurrent credit course offerings for the upcoming school year are expanding as well. In addition to Vision staff teaching concurrent credit courses, Vision's partnership with IEN allows students to take additional concurrent credit course offerings including Sociology, HTML, and Introduction to Programming. Another addition to the course handbook is a required College Prep course designed to prepare students for college and career readiness and maximize their SAT scores. This course will also be offered for concurrent credit.

The elementary staff is just as anxious for the building to be completed. Many of the elementary teachers are transitioning to new spaces as well. There are a number of new faces in the elementary as Vision Charter School completed their plan for a doubled elementary school, each grade level having two classes. The upcoming school year offers much excitement at this level as well. Mrs. Wafwa was able to secure a grant to create a 1:1 computer to student ratio at the 6th grade level. This grant will help to enrich the math program for 6th grade. Mrs. Castor, Vision's 5th grade teacher and technology instructor for 3-5th grades, was awarded a CenturyLink grant in the amount of $5,000. She has purchased 13 mini iPads, 7 tripods, and 70 lbs of clay to work on stop-motion animation with her technology groups. This will be added to her already rich technology curriculum that includes an introduction to programming through the online software, Scratch.

As the school year is fast approaching, please visit visioncharter.net to look at supply lists.