In this issue:

Character Counts

Master of the Month

Skate Night

Yearbooks

Driver's Ed

Looking for a school with Vision?

School Closures and Snow Days

About VCS

SEVEN STUDENTS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, RECEIVE ASSOCIATES DEGREES WHEN GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL

(BOISE) - This spring, six seniors and one junior at Vision Charter School in Caldwell will receive nine associates' degrees from the College of Western Idaho, about three weeks before the 37 seniors and two juniors at the school in Caldwell graduate from high school.

Those students, like others around the state, are able to earn both high school diplomas and college diplomas at the same time due to their participation in the state's Advanced Opportunities programs, administered by the State Department of Education.

Advanced Opportunities involves four distinct but related programs where the state reimburses all or part of the costs to help students graduate early or with significant college credits already in hand by the time they leave high school. The 8-in-6 Program allows students in grades 7-12 to take summer and overload courses. Fast Forward is available to high school juniors and seniors to help them pay for dual credit courses-classes that count both for graduation and as college credit.

As part of the Early Completers Program, students who have completed state graduation requirements (except for senior-only courses) can use state aid to pay for dual credit courses. Students who wind up graduating from high school at least one year early are eligible for a scholarship of roughly $1,400 to an Idaho post-secondary institution of their choice under the Mastery Advancement Program. The state spent $3.5 million on subsidies and support for those programs last year, but only 29 percent of the eligible students took advantage of them.

For the eight students at Vision Charter School, all of whom have used one or more of the Advanced Opportunities programs, the state has already saved them and their parents thousands of dollars in college credit costs.

One of those eight students is Samantha Snow, who will be 17 when she graduates with two associates degrees from the College of Western Idaho this spring.

Her older sister, Keely, who helped pave the way for high schools students earning college degrees at Vision Charter, is believed to have been the youngest graduate at the time from CWI when she graduated two years ago after just barely turning 17. Today, she is a chemical engineering major at the University of Idaho and she credits the associates degree she earned through the Advanced Opportunities Program at CWI while in high school as helping her reach graduation a year early in what is normally a five-year program. It not only helped clear away many of the "survey" courses students seeking a bachelor's degree must take, but, she said, it helped expose her early to the rigors of college classes, from the extra homework and the need for self-motivation, to effectively planning for classes to meet graduation requirements so as not to waste time or money.

The parents of those two girls estimate that the savings due to those opportunities saved them an average of about $7,500 over the years that were needed for each girl to earn their associates degrees. According to officials at the State Department of Education, the state spent $15,746 dollars at Vision Charter School just last year for 8-in-6 and Fast Forward programs alone.

Stephen Crumrine, director of dual credit programs for CWI, estimates that of the 20,000-22,000 credits that will be earned by CWI students for the spring semester, approximately 4,000 of those credits will be earned by high school students using Advanced Opportunities, "and I imagine you're looking at similar ratios with the other two-year colleges in the state," he noted, all of which have embraced offering dual credit programs, along with the state's universities. "We know that students (in high school) who earn college credits have a much higher 'Go On' rate," he added. The state has set a goal of having 60 percent of its high school graduates go on to achieve post-secondary degrees or technical certifications.

At Vision Charter School, utilizing the Advanced Opportunities programs is a major point of emphasis for their secondary students, according to Principal Wendy Oldenkamp. In fact, all of her high school's teachers are qualified to offer dual credit classes, so while some of the Advanced Opportunities students spend part of their school day to attend classes on the CWI campus, others can earn college credit at the charter school itself, as well as taking on-line courses from approved colleges and universities.

That emphasis began even before the state launched its Advanced Opportunities programs, according to David Snow, one of the trustees at the school, which promotes itself as being a college prep school. "We felt if students had an opportunity to go to college in high school, they had a better chance of earning a college degree." So, utilizing community resources and fundraisers, they raised money to try to offset some of the costs of those college credits. Even when the state came along with the Advanced Opportunities programs, they continued those fundraising efforts, helping students pay for college costs ranging from books to college application fees. "We wanted to leave as few barriers as possible for students to overcome" in their efforts to earn a college degree, he said.

Each of the students at Vision who will earn associates degrees this year agreed that parental support played a key role in getting them involved, and then following through, with the Advanced Opportunities programs they used. They all agreed it took dedication to complete the programs. "You have to be a motivated student," said Samantha Snow, but at the same time, she added, "it's an incredible experience. You shouldn't pass it up. There's no reason not to get your associates degree." Or in her case, two of them, one in Liberal Arts and one in History.

Mitchell Dial, who will graduate in January, only a few months ahead of his brother, Jackson, who is 15 months younger than he is, said it was their mother who "saw the potential and opportunity in the program and got my brother and I started on it. We owe it all to her."

He had to give up summer basketball and a few other things he enjoyed to get all the work done, but he said it was worth it. He got a chance for internships with the Caldwell Public Works Department and with a local architectural firm, and that helped him decide whether he wanted to go into civil engineering or architecture. In addition, "I want to go on a mission for my church," he said, "and by getting my first two years of college done now" with his CWI associates degree, "I won't fall behind" with his peers in graduating from college.

"I'm not going to lie," Alex Kearsley said. "This program is incredibly hard. But the hardest part for me was balancing college and high school and still getting my work done for both." She still found time, however, to hold leadership positions in both her school and her church, to be a volunteer at Zoo Boise, take part in the school's drama programs and be a housekeeper for her grandmother.

In fact, the resumes of all of the Advanced Opportunities students from Vision who will be graduating from CWI this spring show students who are often involved in school extra-curricular activities and their community, despite the extra work the college classes require. For example, Owen Newton is the secretary for National Honor Society, does tech work for the drama productions and helps coach the elementary robotics team. Cassandra Cuttlers also is a member of National Honor Society. Maddie Nelson is a former student government president and serves on the Middleton Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee. Darbi Tackett, who will be 17 when she graduates with honors from Vision Charter, will also earn two degrees this spring - in Liberal Arts and in Political Science - from CWI.

All of the students at Vision noted that there were significant differences between high school and college. In high school, teachers, principals and counselors monitor student progress and push them to complete their work, they said. In college, it's up to the students to motivate themselves and provide the self-discipline necessary to complete their coursework.

And those first few classes on a college campus can be unnerving. Jackson Dial, who will graduate this spring from both Vision and CWI shortly after, turning 17, said that when he first started taking dual credit classes on the CWI campus, "everybody was so much older than I was. I was surrounded by adults -- and that was a little intimidating. Another class I had, I wound up sitting next to the 'mom' group," a reflection of the fact that junior colleges often serve a wide age range of students. Still, he said with a quick grin, "I have a mom, so I could relate a little."

Hannah Martinez Samuelson, who began with the 8-in-6 program, probably could have graduated with honors early, but chose to stay for her senior year to "enjoy the experience," she said. She participates in the school's robotics programs, its poetry group, its musical theater and drama programs, student government, National Honor Society, the swim team, intramural volleyball and is a math tutor, among other activities. Meanwhile, she's getting her associates degree, which she said "has allowed my family to save a great deal of money, has shaved about a semester off my intended Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, and has made it more feasible to seek minors, like mechatronics, and also to study abroad, all of which are goals.

"This opportunity offers a head start on your goals," she said. "I feel more prepared heading into college.... I would hope that every college-bound high schooler in Idaho would take advantage of this program."

For more information about the state's Advanced Opportunities programs, contact your local school's guidance counselor or go to the State Department of Education website at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/sectr/adv-opp for more information.

Photo Note: Students at Vision Charter School who will earn their associates degrees from the College of Western Idaho at the same time they will graduate from high school either this January or this spring, are, from left: front row, Samantha Snow, Alex Kearsley, Cassandra Cuttlers and Darbi Tackett; back row, Owen Newton, Hannah Martinez Samuelson, Mitchell Dial, Jackson Dial and Madalyn Leavitt.

SECONDARY COURSE CHANGE REQUESTS DUE TO THE COUNSELOR JANUARY 20, 2016 BY 3:00 PM
Second semester class change request forms will be accepted electronically during the holiday break (please see website for form)(Electronically submitted forms will be submitted to teachers for signatures after receipt of form). Please remember that not all requests are granted and that in most cases YEAR LONG classes are not classes students can drop at semester. Forms will be available to students in the library upon our return to school on January 4, 2016. Students will be responsible for teacher signatures BEFORE submitting to the counselor unless submitting electronically.

** VCS is in need of lunch TAs during periods 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B

** VCS is in need of elementary TAs during periods 1A, 1B, 2A, 3A, 3B, 4B

ALL REQUEST FORMS ARE DUE TO THE COUNSELOR, WEDNESDAY 1/20/2016 BY 3:00PM. The Add/Drop form and copies of class schedules can be found on Ms. Dowski's web site: http://visioncsdcounselor.weebly.com/academic-forms.html Questions? Please email Ms. Dowski at marydowski@visioncsd.org

CHARACTER COUNTS! JANUARY CHARACTER TRAIT IS TRUSTWORTHINESS

Be honest * Don't deceive, cheat, or steal * Be reliable - do what you say you'll do * Have the courage to do the right thing * Build a good reputation * Be loyal - stand by your family, friends, and country

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved." George MacDonald

"If you fear that people will know it, don't do it." - Chinese proverb

"Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect." -Marcus Aurelius

JANUARY MASTER OF THE MONTH IS DIEGO RIVERA. THE FEATURED ART ELEMENT IS TEXTURE.

Vision Charter School students will be studying the use of texture in the art work of Diego Rivera. Rivera is well known for using his art to celebrate the Mexican Culture, History, and People.

VCS SKATE NIGHTS!

Mark your calendars for the following dates for Vision Charter School's Skate Nights at the Nampa Rollerdrome:

Monday, February 8

Monday, April 11

Bring the whole family for a night of fun from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.

$5 entrance fee //$2 rental

ORDER MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS NOW

2015-16 VCS Middle School and High School Yearbook ordering is now open. Beginning this year, we are shifting to completely online ordering. Students can choose to customize their yearbook with additional autograph pages or even get their name on the cover, in a foil imprint. Middle school students can even upgrade their books to a hard cover. The high school yearbook is a 48-page book with a student-designed, custom hard cover with a basic price of $34.00. That is a bigger book for the same price as last year! The middle school yearbook is a 40-page, soft cover book with a basic price of $20.00.

To order, you can go to: ybpay.lifetouch.com

The VCS HIGH SCHOOL Yearbook ID Code is: 11547716

The VCS MIDDLE SCHOOL Yearbook ID Code is: 11145616

Placing your order immediately reserves your student's copy of the 2015-16 book and takes care of your payment. You will receive an order confirmation email after submitting your order. If you have a question about ordering, please email Mr. Boothby at markboothby@visioncsd.org.

DRIVER'S ED:

Driver's Education: We are in partnership with the Caldwell School District to provide a superb opportunity for Driver Education. Registration for the winter course will be held in the Caldwell High School Library on Tuesday, January 12th starting at 6:00pm. The first day of classroom instruction will start Tuesday, January 19th. Class times will be from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Students will receive 30 hours of classroom instruction. In addition, each student will be contacted by a driving instructor to schedule driving instruction. The final class will be held Tuesday, March 1st. The cost for this course is $200.00, with a minimum deposit of $100.00 due at the time of registration. For more information please see Ms. Brockert, or at 455-9220 ext. 2. Students must be 14 � prior to the registration date.

LOOKING FOR A SCHOOL WITH VISION? Let us help you bring your child's future into FOCUS!

We're a FREE K-12 COLLEGE PREP SCIENCE & ART SCHOOL where high school students can earn college credits through CWI, NNU, BSU, etc. without ever leaving our campus.

Thanks to our accelerated curriculum, eligible students can graduate from high school with a two year Associate of Arts degree from College of Western Idaho.

Don't wait to become part of this life changing school! We begin accelerating our students in our FREE full day kindergarten program. Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration start in the primary school setting and extend throughout high school!

We also emphasize music, character and leadership education, safe & small school culture, and study in a second language.

Students at Vision Charter School may qualify for high school credits while in middle school. Students who complete all state graduation requirements prior to the start of their senior year and stay enrolled at VCS will qualify for 36 concurrent college credits to be paid for by the SDE.

Get a head-start on tomorrow by learning more today! Download an application at VisionCharter.net.

Come meet the staff at our INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS from 6-7 p.m. in the VCS Gym on Tuesday, March 15th and March 29th.

VISION CHARTER SCHOOL IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR!

Vision Charter School will hold its lottery for enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016 in the secondary technology room.

Applications may be found at visioncharter.net under enrollment/lottery. Completed applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2016 and if hand delivered, no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016. Applications received after April 1st at 4:00 p.m. will be placed into the pool for the following year and at the bottom of the wait list for each grade level.

All prospective students will be given the opportunity to enroll in the FREE public charter school, regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, social or economic status, or special needs.

Vision Charter School celebrar� su loter�a para la matr�cula para el a�o escolar 2016-2017 comienzo a las 9:00 de la ma�ana del Viernes, 8 de abril 2016 en la sala de tecnolog�a de secundaria .Las solicitudes se pueden encontrar en visioncharter.net la inscripci�n / loter�a. Las solicitudes completas deben enviarse por correo el 31 de marzo de 2016 y si la mano entregado, antes del 4 pm el viernes , 1 de abril de 2016. Las solicitudes recibidas despu�s del 01 de abril a las 4:00 pm ser� colocado en la piscina para el a�o siguiente y al la parte inferior de la lista de espera para cada nivel de grado. Todos los futuros estudiantes tendr�n la oportunidad de inscribirse en la escuela p�blica gratuita, sin importar la raza, color, origen nacional o �tnico , religi�n , sexo , condici�n social o econ�mica , o necesidades especiales.

Parents will be notified in writing within seven business days of the lottery if their child receives a spot at Vision Charter for the 2016-2017 school year or where their child is located on the wait list.

Check out our website at visioncharter.net, call 455-9220, or e-mail the Administrator at wendyoldenkamp@visioncsd.orgfor additional information.

Send Applications to:

Vision Charter School

19291 Ward Road

Caldwell, Idaho 83605

INCOMING KINDERGARTEN SIBLINGS OF CURRENTLY ENROLLED VISION CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS need to have an application in the lottery to be considered for the 2016-2017 school year. We do not accept applications for kindergarten students until January 1st of the year they will be entering kindergarten. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1st of 2016 to be considered for the lottery for the 2016-2017 school year.

VISION CHARTER SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

Vision Charter School is proud to sponsor an intramural volleyball program this year. The emphasis of this program, through skill development and teamwork, is to provide an introduction to the game of volleyball.

The program will begin Wednesday, January 20, 2016 and continue through February 25, 2016.�

Practice time 3:15pm-4:30pm. �

STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE GYM PRIOR TO THIS TIME.

Tentative practice schedule will be as follows:

January 20, 21, 22

* January 25, 27, 28

February 1, 2, 3, 4

* February 8, 9, 10, 11

* February 15, 16, 17, 18

* February 22, 23, 24, 25

Bring your $15 fee (this fee includes a t-shirt) and signed registration form to the secondary office by 3:30pm, January 12th.

*** Parents, please retain this sheet as a copy of the practice schedule.

***ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP ON TIME AT 4:30 p.m.

Please make checks payable to Cindy Moretti.

Any questions, please contact Cindy at cindymoretti@visioncsd.org. **Forms available from Mrs. Brockert in the secondary building.

DATES TO KNOW:

January 14: End of Quarter 2/ Semester 1

January 15: NO SCHOOL- Inservice

January 18: NO SCHOOL- Human Rights Day

January 20: Secondary course change requests due to the counselor by 3:00 p.m.
January 29: NO SCHOOL- Inservice

February 5: HS Semi-Formal Social

February 11: St. Government Spirit Day theme tbd

February 12: NO SCHOOL

February 15: NO SCHOOL- President's Day

February 26: NO SCHOOL - Inservice

March 1: 2nd and 3rd grade music concert

March 3: Music Ensemble Dinner Performance

March 10: St. Government Spirit Day

March 11: NO SCHOOL - Inservice

March 12th: "The Taming of the Shrew" Performances at 2:00 and 7:00

March 21-25 NO SCHOOL- Spring Break

April 1: 7th-9th grade Dodge Ball Social from 7-9 p.m. in the VCS gym

April 5: HS Symphony and Honors Choir Performance

April 8: NO SCHOOL - 2016-2017 Lottery Drawing 9 a.m.

April 12: SAT School Day Administration for Juniors

April 22: NO SCHOOL- Inservice

May 5: K-12th Science Expo 3:30-7 p.m.

May 6: NO SCHOOL- Inservice

May 6: Musical Theater "Fiddler on the Roof" starting at 7 p.m.

May 12: Advanced Symphony/ Honors Choir Concert starting at 7 p.m.

May 13: Monster Rad Rally

May 17: RAD starts at 7 p.m.

May 19: CARNIVAL and AUCTION from 3:30-7 p.m. at VCS!

May 19: Last day for seniors

May 20: NO SCHOOL

May 20: 6th grade Lock In starts at 6 p.m. and goes to 7 a.m. Saturday, May 21.

Date tbd: 6th grade Spring Concert

May 27: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL EARLY RELEASE 1:40

May 27: Graduation practice 3:00 p.m./ Graduation 7:00 p.m. at Nampa Civic Center

** SCHOOL CLOSURES/ SNOW DAYS:

IN THE EVENT OF SCHOOL CLOSURE OR EMERGENCY CLOSURE: The most accurate updated information can be found on our Facebook page and our website at visioncharterschool.net. We will also send out updates via this newsletter. If you would like to receive our newsletters, you may sign up on our website. You may also check updates on KTVB channel 7 and KBOI channel 2.

We will send school closure information through our automated emergency contact program. You sign up for how you want to be contacted in an emergency through the parent portal. If you have not yet set this up, please contact Mrs. Bowers at amybowers@visioncsd.org for directions on setting up your parent portal account.

ABOUT VCS...

VISION CHARTER is a FIVE STAR school who has received the HONORS ranking from the Public Charter Commission.

School Mission: To create well educated, respectful citizen leaders in a K-12th grade College Prep Science and Art School.

Grades Served: The School serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Vision/Design Elements: Vision Charter School shall implement and maintain the following essential design elements of its educational program:

Arts and Sciences - Language arts, fine arts, and science will be emphasized at all grade levels. Students will acquire and apply knowledge.

Character and Leadership Development - Character development is considered a fundamental purpose of education and will be fostered through a child-centered educational model built on high behavioral and academic expectations. The comprehensive character education plan will tap into each child's innate need to know boundaries while protecting his/her dignity.

Small School Environment - The school will provide a small, safe educational setting in which students and faculty know each other personally.

Music Training - Elementary students will be taught basic keyboarding through general music courses. A music curriculum for older students will focus on the development of fundamental musician skills, while also exposing students to local musical heritage and culture.

Second Language - Students in all grades will be exposed to a second language, with a primary emphasis on Spanish.

An Enriched Curriculum For All Students - An enriched, gifted and talented curriculum will be offered for all students. At the high school level, advanced or college credit level courses will be available for all core subjects.