Vivian Banks Charter School
Eagle's Nest News - 9.8.23
Principal's Message
Dear VBCS Families,
On Sept. 29 we will be celebrating California Native American Day on campus. We will be hosting a Lunch on the Lawn for our families, Student Native American Art will be on display, and we will be hosting local Bird Singers and Native dancers on campus to perform for students. We are looking forward to this fun filled day of celebration. Please plan on joining us on campus! K-2 @ 11:40, 3-5 @ 12:10.
Students of the Week
The following students were recognized at Friday Flag Raising as our Students of the Week. They were selected by their classroom teachers for demonstrating outstanding effort and citizenship for the week. Keep up the great work Eagles!
Eagle Ticket Winners
Every Monday morning we draw an Eagle Ticket winner from each classroom. Students earn Eagle Tickets by demonstrating appropriate behaviors on campus by being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible. Students who are selected are recognized on our office Eagle Board. Congratulations to our Eagle Feather winners!
Teaching and Learning
I-Ready Diagnostic
Students are currently preparing to begin their fall i-Ready Diagnostic. Grade 1-5 students are participating in this formative assessment where they are measured in Reading and Math. The i-Ready diagnostic provides an adaptive test environment. This allows the assessment to more accurately and more efficiently pinpoint student’s needs as compared to traditional fixed-form tests. We are eagerly anticipating the results of this assessment. This detailed data is crucial in helping teachers develop and apply an instructional program that meets every student’s individual needs.
Skill of the Week - Accepting No For an Answer
There are two reasons why "accepting no" can be a difficult skill for students to learn. First of all, a student is often asking for something that they genuinely want so there can be disappointment, frustration, and even anger if the request is denied. Second, this skill involves a "final" answer and many young children have learned that if they argue, whine, pout, or complain loud/long enough, a "no" can become a "yes". As a result, some students use inappropriate behavior until they get the answer they want, and that reinforces the use of the poor behavior. Therefore, it is important to teach and practice the skill of "accepting no" and to reinforce them whenever they use the skill correctly. This week VBCS teachers will be teaching strategies for accepting "no".
Culture and Community
ELAC Meeting
What: English Language Advisory Committee
Where: Vivian Banks Charter School
When: September 15th, 2023
Time: 8:45am
ELOP - Afterschool Enrichment
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) is an afterschool and intersession enrichment program for TK-6th grade students. The purpose of Vivian Bank’s Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) is to provide all VBCS’s students access to 9 hours of instructional and enrichment programming per day for 180 days of school, as well as 30 days of intersession or summer programming.
The Expanded Learning Program will focus on developing the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs and interests of pupils through hands-on, engaging learning experiences. If you are interested in participating please see Nancy in the school office. There is no cost to participate in ELOP.
2023-2024 ELO-P Program Hours
Regular School Program - August 16, 2024 – June 7, 2024 – Dismissal- 6:00pm
Intersession Days – November 1, January 2-5, January 8, February 19-23, March 25-29- 8:00am – 5:00pm
Summer Program - June 10, 2024 – June 28, 2024 - 8:00am – 5:00pm
Bonsall Farm Field Trips
This program has been made to provide hands-on experiences in agriculture for all elementary school students in the Bonsall Unified School District. Our farm is located on the Bonsall Elementary School field next to the district office. All elementary classes were given three dates in the school year to be able to attend the school farm. Lessons and activities that are presented on the farm will be based on California Science Standards. Each farm experience will be a unique opportunity for students to engage with plants, gardening, food, nutrition, and the outdoors. The farm space is essentially an extension of the classroom, and we hope to bring students fun, and engaging lessons that keeps students interested and happy!
Transportation: Vivian Banks Charter School students will be transported to and from the
Farm location by bus. All farm dates and times are worked in and around all recess and lunch breaks.
Permission Slips: Permission slips for each student are essential and required for students to
attend the farm.
The students first visit will include a safety lesson, where staff will go over rules, tool safety, and expectations. Following that portion, kids will take a tour of the farm. Students will then go on a scavenger hunt where they will be broken into two groups to complete. Concluding the scavenger hunt, students will plant a succulent to take home with them.
BUSD Community Liaison Newsletter
Health and Saftey
BUSD Firearms Safety Memorandum 2023-2024
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform and to remind parents and legal guardians of all students in the Bonsall Unified School District of their responsibilities for keeping firearms out of the hands of children as required by California law. There have been many news reports of children bringing firearms to school. In many instances, the child obtained the firearm(s) from his or her home. These incidents can be easily prevented by storing firearms in a safe and secure manner, including keeping them locked up when not in use and storing them separately from ammunition.
To help everyone understand their legal responsibilities, this memorandum spells out California law regarding the storage of firearms. Please take some time to review this memorandum and evaluate your own personal practices to assure that you and your family are in compliance with California law.
With very limited exceptions, California makes a person criminally liable for keeping any firearm, loaded or unloaded, within any premises that are under their custody and control where that person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the child’s parent or legal guardian, and the child obtains access to the firearm and thereby (1) causes death or injury to the child or any other person; (2) carries the firearm off the premises or to a public place, including to any preschool or school grades kindergarten through twelfth grade, or to any school-sponsored event, activity, or performance; or (3) unlawfully brandishes the firearm to others.
Note: The criminal penalty may be significantly greater if someone dies or suffers great bodily injury as a result of the child gaining access to the firearm.
With very limited exceptions, California also makes it a crime for a person to negligently store or leave any firearm, loaded or unloaded, on their premises in a location where the person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to it without the permission of the child’s parent or legal guardian, unless reasonable action is taken to secure the firearm against access by the child, even where a minor never actually accesses the firearm.
In addition to potential fines and terms of imprisonment, as of January 1, 2020, a gun owner found criminally liable under these California laws faces prohibitions from possessing, controlling, owning, receiving, or purchasing a firearm for 10 years.
Finally, a parent or guardian may also be civilly liable for damages resulting from the discharge of a firearm by that person’s child or ward.
Note: Your county or city may have additional restrictions regarding the safe storage of firearms.
Thank you for helping to keep our children and schools safe. Remember that the easiest and safest way to comply with the law is to keep firearms in a locked container or secured with a locking device that renders the firearm inoperable.
Bullying Prevention
We work hard to prevent bullying at our school but we also want our students to be prepared and know what to do if bullying occurs. At our school we teach Stop, Walk, and Talk, a strategy where students learn how to handle bullying behaviors.
STOP: First, students are taught and role play how to appropriately and assertively request another person to stop bothersome or hurtful behavior.
WALK: If this does not work, we train on how students can remove themselves from the situation.
TALK: If this does not work, the last step is to talk to an adult. We take this very seriously and want all of our children to feel listened to and safe at school.
The curriculum can be found at www.pbis.org. Parents can help by reinforcing Stop, Walk, and Talk by discussing the strategy and practicing it at home as well as listening to your child's concerns about possibly bullying behaviors and sharing your concerns with your child's teachers.
Upcoming Events
September 12 - 4th Grade Field Trip Bonsall Farm
September 13 - Picture Make up Day
September 19 - 3rd Grade Field Trip Bonsall Farm
September 20 - BUSD Board Meeting
September 28 - 1/2 Grade Field Trip Bonsall Farm
September 29 - Native American Day, Lunch on the Lawn
Vivian Banks Charter School
Email: eric.kosch@bonsallusd.com
Website: https://vb.bonsallusd.com/
Location: 11800 Pala Mission Road, Pala, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 742-3300