Friday, September 19th is "Talk Like a Pirate Day"! 

This day is celebrated the world over by pirate enthusiasts who dress and talk like a pirate all day long.  Many organizations also use this day as a fundraiser for child cancer organizations.  At VCS we will also celebrate this day in that students can wear pirate costumes which are school appropriate and meet modesty guidelines (no face coverings, although eye patches may be worn on the forehead, no weapons etc.)  Students will still donate a dollar for anything other than uniforms and the funds raised will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Boise.

OPEN HOUSE!

Friday, September 26th from 3:30-6 p.m. is OPEN HOUSE! Come learn more about ways to help your children be successful in a college prep environment.

All teachers will offer twenty five minute sessions with a five minute passing period. K-6th grade will be offering the Open House Sessions in their classrooms.

Session times include: 3:30-3:55, 4:00-4:25, 4:30-4:55, 5:00-5:25, 5:30-6.

Secondary sessions will be during the same times; however, with different topics in different rooms. Parents may attend the sessions they are interested in learning more about.

Mr. Leavell and Mrs. Mitchell will present "Using Edmodo as a parent resource"- Room 111

Mr. Boothby and Mrs. Collins will be presenting, "Everything you need to know to help your Middle School student be successful!" -Room 112

Mr. George and Mr. McDougall will be present "Raising Responsible Secondary Students" - Room 108

Mrs. DeLaPena and Mrs. Vance will be in the tech lab presenting "How to help your child prepare for the SAT"

Mrs. Lair and Mr. Scheffler will present about the Washington DC educational trip for secondary students coming Spring Break of 2016. This trip will include opportunities for High School credit (s). -Room 107

Mrs. Dowski will be presenting in the library about Advanced Opportunities including the 8 in 6 and Early Completer programs which help access money to offset the cost of college credits during high school.

Mr. Berg will be available in the gym to discuss PE, Health, or College Prep PE/Health

Mrs. OldenKamp will be speaking to parents of Title 1 students from 6:00-6:30 in the library. All Title 1 parents are invited to attend.

**6th Grade will be doing sessions for the 6th grade parents until 5:30 and then the last session will be available for high school parents/students only.

**Mrs. Ellis will be on the stage from 3:30-3:55 for hs students and parents. She will then be in G1 for the rest of the open house. 

**Mr. Ellis will be on the stage from 4:45-6:00.

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT!

Friday, September 26th is FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT from 6-9:30 p.m. on the Vision Charter School Field. Our Featured movie is Mr. Peabody and Sherman rated PG. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets, load up the kids, and meet us on the Vision Charter School lawn for an evening of entertainment under the stars! Concessions and Live Music will start at 6:00 p.m. at the Snack Shack by the field. Prices include the Potato Bar for $3, Hot Dog $2, Soda .50, Popcorn .25, and Candy .25-$1.  The Meal Deal includes a Hot Dog, Chips, and a Soda for $3. This is all brought to you by the PFA! (Parent Faculty Association)

We will be featuring a live band, Last King Outlaw, from 6-7:15 out on the field. Fourth grade teachers will also be selling glow sticks and face painting. This is a great night to come hang out with other Vision Charter School families and make some new friends.

(If it is too cold, we will move the event into the gym. Watch our facebook for updates.) 

October School -Wide Book:
Vision Charter School will read the book Alice in Wonderland in the month of October.  We will celebrate this book by dressing up like characters from the book on October 31st. Students may use temporary hair die or face make-up as part of their costumes, however, no real or look alike weapons are allowed. (Modesty rules still apply.) Class parties will be based on celebrating the book.  

VCS Golf Extravaganza!

We would like to give our students an opportunity to experience and learn about a wonderful lifetime sport! Twice this year, we will host a golf experience at Ridgecrest Golf Club in Nampa. The first event will be Friday, October 3 from 8 to noon. Students may select from the following options:

1.       Novice: 45 minutes with a volunteer "pro" to help you learn the basics and be able to head out on the links and enjoy the game; 5 holes.

2.       Intermediate: 20 minutes with a volunteer "pro" to tune your skills or work on a specific area of concern (need help putting? Chipping?); 5-9 holes depending on ability.

3.       Advanced: Bucket of balls for the driving range; 9 holes.

All packages are only $10! Everyone will receive a bucket of balls to either take to the driving range or use in their session with a "pro." Clubs will also be available for rent, free of charge. Look for Mrs. Lair when you arrive.

Parents: We would love to have volunteers that enjoy/know the game of golf come help act as our "pros" for the day. Additionally, we want to collect enough sets of clubs to be able to "rent" them to the students for the day free of charge ("junior" size clubs are especially needed- for the novice and intermediate students we really just need a putter and a 5 or 7 iron). Mrs. Lair will ensure safe return to their owners at the end of the event. If you would like to volunteer or loan a set of clubs please contact Mrs. Lair at 455-9220 or erinlair@visioncsd.org.

Families: This event is open to all! If you want to come out as a family and play together, feel free to do so! The cost per adult is $14 for 9 holes; $4 for a bucket of balls. The "pros" will be open to a lesson with the VCS adults as well, on a "student comes first" basis.

Thursday, October 2nd, 2014

4 p.m. until closing

Come Join us for our third annual School Fun Night at the Farmstead! Wind your way through an A-MAIZE-ING corn maze, show off your incredible jumping skills on the giant Jumping Pillow, tap in to your inner cowboy/girl on the awesome Cow Train Ride, enjoy a relaxing hayride, explore the corn box, go down the slides, get stuck in the spider web and MORE!! The Farmstead is located at the corner of I-84 and Eagle Road, so it's just a quick drive from anywhere in the valley! The Farmstead is offering a special discount for all students, their families and friends of just $5.25 or $4.25 if you're wearing school spirit wear! Admission is regularly $8.25.  For every admission they will donate $1.00 to our school.  Just tell them you're with Vision Charter School!

SPECIAL KISS THE PIG CONTEST!!

In addition to all the fun activities that are provided, there will be a contest between Mrs. OldenKamp and Mrs. Lair to have a close encounter with a pig!! From now until the 1st of October, there will be special "Kiss the Pig" jars in classrooms.  So, bring in all your loose change and vote for who you want to see smooching the swine! The lucky administrator who brings in the most change will be the big winner!  Kissing will commence at 6:30pm! Come support our school and have a great time with family and friends at the Farmstead!

SKATE NIGHT is Monday, September 15th from 6PM - 8PM at the Nampa Roller Drome. Cost is $5 if you have your own skates, or $7 to rent skates. This is a very FUN fundraiser for Vision. Friends, neighbors, and family are all welcome. Tell them you are with Vision!

We will be having Skate Night the third Monday of every month this year!! 

CRAFT BAZAAR:

Do you make jewelry, knitted goods, handmade toys, baked goods, or have another neat craft you'd like to sell?  
We'd love to have you as a vendor at our Robotics Craft Bazaar on November 22nd!  Please see our team website www.ftcteam2997.org for details and registration!  Booths starting at $15!

Scholarships, College, Guidance Counselor Support:

Please frequently check Mrs. Dowski's blog for scholarship updates and college deadlines. Click on Counselor and then go to the "Vision Charter Counselor Blog". You can also just go directly to http://www.visioncharter.net/counselor.

To be eligible to apply to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program you must:

• Graduate from a US high school in spring 2015
• Intend to enroll full time in an accredited four-year college beginning in fall 2015
• Earn a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above
• Receive standardized test scores in the top 15%: SAT combined critical reading and math score of 1200 or above or ACT composite score of 26 or above
• Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. However, we anticipate that a majority of scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive a Pell grant.

DATES TO KNOW: 

Monday, September 15: 6-8 p.m. at Nampa Roller Drome.

Thursday, September 18: PICTURE DAY (Dress up allowed, no jeans)

Monday, September 22: After school Assoc. of Arts application assistance 3:15-4:15 p.m. in the library

Friday, September 26: K-12th gr. Open House 3:30-6 p.m./Family Movie Night 6-9:30 p.m.

Thursday October 2nd: Farmstead Corn Maze and Pumpkin Festival 4 p.m. until closing

Friday, October 3: NO SCHOOL/ Teacher Inservice

Friday, October 3: Golf Extravaganza at Ridgecrest from 8 to noon

Friday, October 10: MS & HS Evening Socials

Friday, October 10: Associate of Art Degree Application due

October 13-17: FALL BREAK NO SCHOOL

October 24/25: HS drama performs "Our Town" 7 p.m. Tickets $5/ $10 per family

October 28: K/1 fall program 7:00 p.m. on the VCS stage.

October 29: End of First Quarter, PSAT for all Sophomores

October 29: College Fair in Boise for all Juniors

October 30: MS/HS musical groups perform fall concert on stage

October 31: Whole school celebration of the book, "Alice in Wonderland"

November 10-14: College Application Week

November 14: NO SCHOOL/Parent Teacher conferences 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

November 15: Fall High School Musical

November 22: Craft Bazaar in the gym

November 24-28: NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Break

December 16: All elementary Christmas Performance at Jewett Auditorium 7 p.m.

December 18: All secondary Christmas Performance on the VCS stage at 7 p.m.

December 22-January 2: Christmas Break

January 16 End of 2nd quarter/Semester

January 19: No School MLK Jr. Day/ Teacher Inservice

February 6/7th: MS Drama Presentation TBD

February 13: PT Conferences 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

February 16: NO School - President's Day

February 26: MS Pops concert 7 p.m. on the VCS stage

March 5: 2nd/3rd program 7 p.m. on the stage

March 13/14: HS spring play TBD

April 7: HS Festival Concert 7 p.m. on the VCS stage

April 24-25: HS spring musical

April 30: MS Festival concert 7 p.m. on the VCS stage

May 12: HS Pops concert and music awards  7 p.m. on the VCS stage

May 14: Elementary Science night/ math carnival/Book Fair/PFA Auction

May 18: RAD 7 p.m. on the VCS Stage

May 19: 6th grade spring concert and awards at 7 p.m. on the VCS stage.

May 23: Graduation practice at 10 a.m. and the ceremony will start at 7 p.m. in the Nampa Civic Center auditorium.

Idaho's high school juniors can now apply to take part in Idaho's Science and Aerospace Scholars Program. To apply, visit www.sde.idaho.gov/site/science/ISAS and download the application and instructions.  Find out more about the program at http://aerospacescholars.org/.