In this issue:
MS POPS Concert
16-17 Calendar
Volleyball
Progress Reports
From the Counselor
Community Service Project
VCS Robotics Inspires
VCS Lottery
Incoming Kinder
Dates to Know
School Closures and Snow Days
About VCS
MIDDLE SCHOOL POPS CONCERT:
Middle school Pops concert will be this Tuesday, February 23,  at 7 o'clock in the Vision Charter School gym. Kids need to be at the school by 6:45 p.m. to get warmed up and/or tuned.

NEW 2016-2017 CALENDAR:
Check out the website at visioncharter.net under "calendar".

VOLLEYBALL STAFF VERSUS STUDENTS:
Come watch the students versus staff Volleyball game Monday, February 22nd at 3:30 p.m. in the gym.

Progress reports are now available on the portal. 
Email Mrs. Boothby at shereeboothby@visioncharter.net with questions regarding your parent login.



FROM THE COUNSELOR:
Tuesday, February 23, during period 4B, Juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to meet with individual Idaho college representatives in VCS's gymnasium as "Higher Ed" Days are coming to Vision. Scholarships? Financial Aid? Majors? Best fit for me? All kinds of questions can be asked Tuesday!
 
CWI Spring registration forms were due to VCS by Friday, 2/19/16. IF you missed this deadline, you can bring them in on MONDAY, 2/22. After Monday, forms will need to be taken to CWI by families by 2/26/16

COMMUNITY SERIVCE PROJECT:
High School Student Government will be hosting a hygiene drive February 22nd-March 4th. We will be collecting hygiene items for The Days for Girls who will donate to homeless shelters in the area. Items we are hoping to collect include; Ziplock bags, trash bags, toilet paper, diapers, deodorant, shampoo/conditioners, printer paper, batteries, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, toothpaste, toothbrushes, thread, towels/washcloths etc. Donation boxes have been placed in each 7th-12th grade advisory class.


VISION CHARTER ROBOTICS TEAM INSPIRES!
Vision Charter High School Robotics Team # 2997 Beauty Bot and The Beasts won the Inspire Award at the Idaho FTC Championship. Congrats Owen Newton, Paul Riebe, Hannah Samuelson, Jacob Snow, Patrick Millar, Stephen Schofield, Makenna Doramus, and Ty Collins. They are the first Idaho team to win the INSPIRE award in Idaho --other Idaho teams have won this award in other states, but not here at home. We are honored to be the first to do it, and determined to set the stage for many Idaho teams to follow. We will proudly be representing Idaho in Oakland, California in March at the Super West Regional. Please read more about this award below: 
This judged award is given to the Team that truly embodied the 'challenge' of the FTC program. The Team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FTC Team. This Team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other Teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism both on and off the Playing Field. This Team is able to communicate their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge to other Teams, sponsors, their community, and the Judges. Working as a unit, this Team will have demonstrated success in accomplishing the task of designing and building a Robot. The winner of the Inspire Award at each tournament level has received an automatic invitation to the next tournament level. 
 
A huge thank you to their dedicated coaches Sammy Samuelson, Jeff Olson, and Michael Samuelson. To follow the Beauty Bot and the Beasts and see pictures of their team throughout the season go to  https://www.facebook.com/BeautyBot2997  or  http://www.ftcteam2997.org/

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 celebrará su lotería para la matrícula para el año escolar 2016-2017 comienzo a las 9:00 de la mañana del Viernes, 8 de abril 2016 en la sala de tecnología de secundaria .Las solicitudes se pueden encontrar en visioncharter.net  la inscripción / lotería. 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 después del 01 de abril a las 4:00 pm será colocado en la piscina para el año siguiente y al la parte inferior de la lista de espera para cada nivel de grado. Todos los futuros estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de inscribirse en la escuela pública gratuita, sin importar la raza, color, origen nacional o étnico , religión , sexo , condición social o económica , 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 atwendyoldenkamp@visioncsd.org for additional information.
 
Send Applications to:
Vision Charter School
19291 Ward Road
Caldwell, Idaho 83605

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




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.
DATES TO KNOW:
February 22: Staff versus students Volleyball game starts at 3:30 in the Vision Charter gym.
February 23: Middle School Pops Concert starting at 7:00 p.m. in the gym.
February 26: NO SCHOOL - Inservice
March 1: First Lego League Robotics Planning Meeting from 3:30-5 in the gym.
March 3: Music Ensemble Dinner Performance
March 5: Mr. Leavell's guitar class will be performing starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Birdstop in Caldwell!
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 15: Lottery Informational Session for interested families 6-7 p.m. in the gym.
March 17: 2nd and 3rd grade music concert at 7 p.m. in the gym
March 21-25 NO SCHOOL- Spring Break
March 29: Lottery Informational session for interested families 6-7 p.m. in the gym.
April 1: 7th-9th  Dodge Ball Social from 5-7 p.m. & 9th - 12th grade will be from 7:30-9:30 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 11: VCS skate night at Rolerdrome from 6-8 p.m. $5 entrance fee/ $2 for rentals.
April 12: SAT School Day Administration for Juniors
April 13: Idaho Shakespeare Festival's "Shakespearience" will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the gym for all 7-12thgrade students.
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 17: 6th grade Spring Concert 7-8 p.m. at the VCS gym.
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.
May 24: RAD starts at 7 p.m.
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...
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.