Sierra Soarings

We’re thrilled to kick off this school year with such an incredible start at our Adventure Days! Our first stop will be at Adventure Days and Hangouts will be in Bakersfield on October 4th. If you can’t make it to Bakersfield, don’t worry! We’ll be visiting a different location each month, so there will be plenty of chances to connect.

Stay tuned for days and times for:

• November: Visalia
• December: Clovis
• February: NW Fresno
• March: Merced
• May: Monterey

Our Adventure Days across the counties saw record-breaking attendance this month, and it was heartwarming to witness students forming new friendships, parents connecting, and everyone enjoying themselves to the fullest. We’re looking forward to seeing you all soon!

We will also be hosting a few lunches at the office in Fresno (Parents only). Dates and times for this will be shared in the Weekly Buzz.

Stay tuned for digital opportunities to connect with us!

As we move into the fall season, we want to take a moment to recognize the hard work and dedication of all our students, including those who are too young to participate in state testing. Success and growth are not measured by one test alone—our teachers know their students well and use a variety of metrics to assess and support each child's progress. Whether it's through academic milestones, social-emotional development, or creative achievements, we are proud of the growth we see across all grade levels.

We realize that an assessment is only one snapshot on one day of how our students are growing, but the state assessment in the spring is the measure of success we are held most accountable to by our state and authorizing district. For our students in grades three and up, we are incredibly proud of their participation in state testing (CAASP). Over 96% of our students completed both English Language Arts (ELA) and math assessments, exceeding the state’s 95% requirement.

Below you can see some bar graph growth data. We are proud to see the orange/yellow bars go up this year in level 3 and 4, and go down in levels 2 and 1 in most areas, though math continues to be a growth area. Generally, a greater percentage of our students are meeting and exceeding expectations than last year showing that there is a place in education for our school model. It works for kids! Participation in these tests is not only crucial for understanding our students’ academic needs but also helps the broader community see the value of our schools. Public success in state testing strengthens our reputation and helps to ensure that schools like ours continue to thrive politically, giving us the ability to serve students for many years to come.

Despite our successes, we are continually striving to improve, especially in writing and math. Many of our students struggled with the Writing Extended Response (WER) portion of the tests, with 27-29% receiving a zero score due to insufficient responses. This year, we are focusing heavily on writing, as we believe strong writing skills are essential for students across all subjects. Writing helps students organize and conceptualize information, improving their understanding in everything from ELA to science and social studies.

To address this, our teachers are carefully selecting appropriate writing curricula for each student and will be conducting writing mini-lessons with Primary students throughout the year. The Virtual Academies have added journalism and creative writing courses as electives to spark a passion for writing in our students. We are also excited to offer new writing courses through Accelerated Launchpad, utilizing the highly regarded IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) curriculum, which will provide students with the tools they need to improve their writing skills. Targeted academic support for secondary students is available through our Academic Lab to all students, who may join at any time.

In math, while we’ve seen improvement at Yosemite Valley Charter with a 5.3% increase from last year, math remains a challenge for many students. Our goal is to help students not just memorize facts or follow algorithms but to truly understand mathematical concepts. This conceptual understanding will set them up for long-term success in their academic careers and beyond. Our teachers are carefully selecting appropriate math curricula for each student to ensure best fit, learning style, and rigor. Students who need targeted support have various options that can be added in as well.

Whether your child is just starting their educational journey or preparing for state assessments, we are committed to their growth and success. The value of schools like ours goes beyond any single test, and the accomplishments we see every day reflect the dedication of both our students and our teachers. By continuing to work together, we can ensure that our schools remain strong and able to serve your family and our community for many years to come. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.

We are excited to continue partnering with you on this educational journey, and we want to keep you informed about 2 recent legal updates that impacted our school over the summer.

1. SB 153, a newly updated law, focuses on documenting student schedules and instructional time. While SB 153 introduces new guidelines, it’s also an opportunity to further support your child’s success. Our teachers are here to collaborate with you in creating a flexible schedule that fits your family’s needs, ensuring that your child’s education is both structured and adaptable

2. Federal District Court Judge John A. Mendez has ruled that two California charter schools, Visions in Education and Blue Ridge Charter School, as public institutions, are not required to provide religious instructional materials. The lawsuit, which also involved a sponsoring district and State Superintendent Thurmond as defendants, challenged these nonclassroom-based charter schools. As a public charter school, we must adhere to state laws, which prohibit the use of school funds for purchasing religious materials. This ruling affirms that our school complies with regulations concerning religious materials. Nonetheless, we deeply value the diverse ways in which our families choose to guide their children’s learning at home. We recognize and fully support the incorporation of personal beliefs into your daily educational routines as a vital part of your child’s life.
   

We are committed to navigating any legal updates with you, providing ongoing support and flexibility as we work together to create a meaningful and enriching learning experience.

As we kick off the new school year, we are thrilled to share some of the exciting opportunities awaiting your students and families at our independent study charter schools! This year is all about deepening connections, both academically and within our community, and we have some fantastic new programs to look forward to.

For the first time ever, we’re launching intramural sports! These new sports programs will allow students to engage in friendly competition, build teamwork skills, and stay active, all while having a great time. From soccer to basketball, we have a range of sports that will be fun for students of all ages.

We’re also introducing a community focus to our field trips this year. While we highly encourage our students to be very busy exploring educational opportunities on their own self-led field trips (museums, shows, etc), our school-sponsored Academic Adventure trips have been reworked to incorporate experiences a family would not be able to do on their own and make them extra special community-building opportunities. Our desire is to create space for every student to join us on one of our community field trips. These experiences at local businesses, cultural landmarks, and service opportunities help them connect what they’re learning to the world around them in the spirit of learning together. We hope our students will see the impact they can have on their community while learning about careers, history, and civic engagement.

Be sure to stay up to date with all the fun and enriching activities by checking out The Weekly Buzz, which is sent out every Monday. In it, you’ll find details on upcoming events, activities, clubs, and opportunities that you won’t want to miss! Previous Weekly Buzzes can be found on the school website under “About” (MRA, YVC).

We can’t wait to share this adventure-filled year with you and your family. There’s so much in store for everyone!

*For more information about sports, clubs, field trips, etc., please feel free to reach out to community@centralvcs.org.

Your teacher is usually the best person to contact with day-to-day questions and issues that pop up. However, you are always welcome to reach out to other department contacts. Here are some points of contact that you may find useful:

• Student Support, studentsupport@centralvcs.org

• Technology, help@centralvcs.org

• Curriculum, curriculum@centralvcs.org

• Field Trips/Sports/Community Building, community@centralvcs.org

• Records, Records@theaxiagroup.com

We are committed to engaging with families beyond the digital realm. You can find the three of us at various community events throughout the year, ready to listen to your feedback, answer your questions, and share our vision for the future.

We are eagerly looking forward to sharing more editions of Sierra Soarings with you in the future. Together, let's boldly go where no newsletter has gone before and watch our students reach for the stars.