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What's Happening at SVA?
Oct. 19 - Nov. 2 -- Party Train Fundraiser
Oct. 27 -- Picture Day Grades K-6
Oct. 28 -- Picture Day Grades 7-8
Oct. 28 -- Fall Festival
Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day *NO SCHOOL*
Nov. 17-18 -- Conferences *NO SCHOOL*
Nov. 21-25 -- Fall Break *NO SCHOOL*
Dec. 10 -- SVA Musical *Save the Date*
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The SVA and BOA teams are preparing to appeal the VUSD Board's decisions on the SVA and BOA charters to the Tulare County Office of Education. We hope for an impartial and fair application of the law to our petitions, and continue to feel confident our documents exceed the legal requirements for their approval. We will keep our community posted as we move through this process, but would like to share with you that at this time, we are tentatively planning on our Public Hearing to occur before the TCOE Board at their November 9 meeting, and a decision from this Board at their December 7 meeting. More detail on these meetings will come in future News & Notes updates.
While our situation represents a detour from the ideal process, we also want our community to know that we submitted our documents to VUSD on a timeline that allowed for County appeal (should we need it), so this extra step in our process is not expected to impact us negatively-- neither SVA's ability to continue to operate without interruption, nor BOA's ability to open next fall.
It is clear our relationship with Visalia Unified is changing as they will no longer be SVA's authorizer once the current charter term expires (June 30, 2016). Despite that significant change, we continue to desire authentic partnership with VUSD for several services, most notably our facility, and we know that our ability to work together in a fair and professional manner directly affects students' lives. We believe there are future opportunities for partnership in which Visalia Unified can demonstrate its support for our programs, even if the events of recent weeks have revealed challenges in their authorization process.
For example, we have the following contracts with VUSD that are not dependent on their authorization of our charters, and we are eager to sort out which of these can remain in place in the future, and for which of these (if any) we may need to find a new service provider.
- Nutritional Services (school lunches and after school program snacks)
- Transportation (busing from our 6 locations within Visalia)
- Assessment Department support (Language Assessment for English Learners, data management support for student achievement data)
- Health Aide/nurse
- BTSA (new teacher mentoring/credentialing support)
- Powerschool (Student Information System)
- CALPADS/CBEDS reporting
- SVA facility (accessed through Prop 39 request)
- BOA facility (not already in place- seeking space, to be accessed through Prop 39 request)
We plan to keep our community updated via News & Notes regarding
our process for County Office appeal and
how the facilities discussions unfold in the coming weeks. Please continue to read our updates and ask staff if you have any questions! Thank you again for watching this story and supporting us as we move forward!
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Stay Connected
If you haven't yet liked us on Facebook, now is a great time. You can view the videos of the VUSD Board Meetings and stay up to date on the latest developments. Click the button!
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Check those backpacks, order forms will be sent home with your child today.
Click here for answers to many of your questions about picture day. Download the order form
here.
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Attention Bus Riders!
If you would like to be receive Remind text message alerts when busses are running late, please text @cvang to 81010 or get the Remind app for your smart phone.
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How can we teach others about different places in the world?...ask a first or second grader at SVA!
The 1st & 2nd grade fall project
"Around the World" was launched with a captivating classroom visit from anthropology professor, Dr. Marla Prochnow. She challenged the students to become cultural anthropologists. Her amazing artifacts and information were inspiring!
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Dr. Prochnow shares an artifact
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Students then spent two weeks learning how to infer from artifacts and about
cultural universals
or things that are common to ALL people and cultures. To explore this idea further, SVA friends and families who are from other countries or who have lived abroad were invited to share artifacts and field student questions.
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Ms. George shares the culture of Barbados
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The students were thrilled to visit with presenters from 20 countries at the first ever World Culture Share Fair. The event was a chance for students to learn from experts about different cultures as well as touch incredible, authentic artifacts! In the coming weeks first and second graders will research and create their own "suitcase" of artifacts from the country of their choice.
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Students enjoyed learning about Japanese culture with
Pete & Kaye van Gilluwe
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Mr. Kaviani engaged students with Iranian artifacts
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Mr. Corbett shared the culture of Sierra Leone
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A huge thank you goes out to all of the volunteers who came out to share their cultures with our students.
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When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Sycamore Valley Academy.
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Hop on the Party Train and support your school! From stargazing with Mr. Phillips to a bluegrass fest with the Johnsons, there's a party for everyone of every age and interest. Spread the word, and invite your friends and family to join the fun!
View all of the parties and
p
urchase tickets to the parties of your liking by
clicking here
.
Sycamore Valley Academy families and staff have donated their homes, time, and money in order to offer these wonderful opportunities.
All proceeds from ticket sales go toward supporting academic and enrichment activities and to create meaningful, nurturing opportunities for all.
This year the SVA PTO budgeted thousands of dollars for computers, field trips, school supplies, electives, sports, and other activities.
Thank you for your continued support!
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Skip the Lines
You can skip the rush for tickets and get straight to the fun on Friday night.
PTO will be pre-selling ticket bundles and Quesadilla Gorilla certificates on the blacktop everyday after school next week, October 24-28. They will accept cash or credit/debit cards. Treat tickets and certificates like cash.
Please sign up to help make the Fall Fest a success.
Here's a link to sign up to help in the Fall Festival such as cupcake & cake donations for the cake walk, flats of water and cans of caffeine free sodas donations, bounce house monitor volunteering, and drink sales table volunteering. Otherwise, contact your child's room parent and ask about volunteering a 1/2 hour to their class booth.
http://signup.com/go/4hSvzc
Other events for the evening include:
- Haunted House
- Costume Parade and Contest
- Carnival Booths
- Pumpkin Bowling
- Silly String War Zone
- SVA Belongs to Me tile painting in the cafeteria with Ms. deLemos ($10, cash only)
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Quesadilla Gorilla is Coming to Fall Festival!
PLEASE pre-order your quesadillas through the PTO by clicking
here.
We are so excited to have this fabulous foodie favorite serving up their hearty homemade fare at this year's PTO Fall Festival!
This popular downtown restaurant occupies the space under the stairs of the Fox Theater. For more than two years now, Quesadilla Gorilla has been wowing its customers with its gourmet quesadillas. If you haven't tried it yet, you are in for a treat!
We need to guarantee sales of a minimum of 100 'dillas, so please pre-order today. Contact Melodi Flynn for more info.
Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/living/
Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/living/foo
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SVA Hoodies & Tees On Sale at Fall Festival
If you did not place an advance order for your SVA sweatshirt, you're in luck! We still have stock in most sizes and will be selling them at the Fall Festival.
**Due to space constraints in the office, we won't be selling shirts through the front desk until construction of our new building has been completed. Thank you for your understanding.**
If you placed an order for backordered items, they will be sent home the week of October 24-28.
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Lost and Found
Please be sure to check the rack for your child's belongings. We will be donating all items remaining after the Fall Festival to the Visalia Rescue Mission.
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Grease is the Word!
We have confirmed with the
Rotary Theater
our official show date: December 10
!
The theater class will perform two shows:
one matinee
and
one evening
show. More details will be provided as the date
approaches
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Ms. Chan will be holding a "poodle skirt" making workshop within the next few weeks. If you have any extra felt lying around, please send it in. Or, if you would like to donate felt and/ or help with the workshop, please email
echan@sycamorevalleyacademy.org for more details. Thank you to those who have been sending in felt, leather jackets, jeans, scarves, etc. We already have quite the costume inventory!
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Monday, 10/24 - Pepperoni Pizza
Tuesday, 10/25 - Spaghetti w/meat sauce
Wednesday, 10/26 - Hamburger
Thursday, 10/27 - Chicken Taquitos
Friday, 10/28 - Grilled Cheese Sandwich
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Substitute Teachers Needed
Sycamore Valley Academy has a experienced and dedicated teaching staff, but we are always looking to expand our sub list.
If you or someone you know has the desire to be a substitute teacher at our amazing school, has a bachelor's degree, has passed the CBEST, and is willing to get a substitute credential and fingerprint clearance we would love to grow our team.
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Next PTO Meeting
Monday, November 14
6:00PM
Round Table Pizza
4035 S. Mooney Blvd.
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Family Services is Hiring!
If you or someone you know is looking for employment, check out the offerings currently available from Family Services of Tulare County.
View all job postings here.
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AAUW Book Sale
The American Association of University Women's book sale is happening at the Sequoia Mall now through October 17.
All proceeds go toward local scholarships and educational programs. Books in all genres are $2-$3.
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In honor of YOLA's 10th anniversary, 80 of the program's most advanced students, will tour as an orchestra for the first time. They will kick off the tour in Los Angeles and then travel across California, visiting Visalia and Fresno, culminating in the historic Paramount Theatre in Oakland.
The 45-minute educational concert will feature works by Beethoven, Brahms and Dvorak and involve a narrative and video component that will illuminate the transformative power of music and community - and pay homage to YOLA's rich ten year history.
The Visalia performance will take place at the LJ Williams Theater on October 27, 7-8PM.
Admission is $20 for adults, $5 for high school students, children 13 and under are admitted free.
Buy your tickets here.
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Sycamore Valley Academy | 559.622.3236 | office@sycamorevalleyacademy.org
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STAY CONNECTED:
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