Bulldog News

Hello Vista Academy Families,

We had a beautiful week back as we move into the last two months of the 24-25 school year.

The week eneded with many of our students performing at Vista Arts Under the Stars this past Thursday and Friday. The Steel Drums, Mariachi, The PACK, Spirit Squad, and Frozen, Jr. shared musical, singing and dancing talents to a crowd of thousands at the Moonlight. Huge shoutout to our talented students and dedicated specialists who worked tirelessly to prepare for this event. We are looking forward to the full musical of Frozen, Jr. this coming Friday and Saturday. See ticket information below.

CAASPP, our annual state testing for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, will begin with the practice test the week of April 28th and the actual Summative tests the weeks of May 5th through May 30th. We encourage our students to try their very best on these assessments. Check out the information and links below on how to help your child shine on the CAASPP.

Please check your child's backpack and ensure they are not bringing toys to school. We are seeing everything from Pokemon cards, bouncy balls, games, action figures, and many other items.

Have a great evening,

Apr 17: Open House, Foundation meeting @5:00

April 18 and 19: Frozen Jr.

April 21-25: Book Fair

April 25: Dia De Los Ninos 5:00-7:00pm

May 2: IB Exhibition

May 3: Garden Work Party

May 5: Staff Appreciation Week

May 16: Dancing Afuera

May 29: Reclassification Ceremony

May 30: Kindergarten Promotion

Jun 3: 5th Grade Promotion

Jun 4: Last Day of School, Minimum Day

Every Monday is a Minimum Day

School Year Calendar -- Calendario Escolar

Prepare to be enchanted as the Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Children’s Theater brings the magic of Disney's beloved tale to life with their production of Frozen, Jr. Join us for an unforgettable journey to the icy kingdom of Arendelle on April 18 and19 at the Vista Academy Performing Arts Center located at 600 N Santa Fe Ave, Vista, CA 92083. Performances will begin on Friday at 6:30 pm, then on Saturday at 1:30 PM and 6:30 PM.

Buy your tickets to see Frozen Jr!

How to Help your Student Shine on State Assessments

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is coming soon. This annual state assessment helps measure student learning and growth in key subjects. Starting in April and May, students in grades 3-8 and 11 will take assessments in English Language Arts and Math, and students in grades 5, 8 and grade 11 or 12 will also take a Science assessment. These computer-based tests help students prepare for the future by building skills like problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking. The tests also help teachers and schools understand how well students are learning, ensuring they get effective lessons and the right support.

Parents can help their students get ready to shine on the CAASPP assessments. Here are resources for parents and students that you can access at home:

Parent Information

• Parents Guide to Understanding CAASPP Assessment

• Starting Smarter – CAASPP

• Official CAASPP Website

Student Practice

• Starting Smarter – CAASPP - Go to the “Check out the test questions” section for practice problems and answer keys.

• CAASPP Practice & Training Tests - Help your student learn the test format, use helpful tools, and practice answering questions.

• Smarter Balanced – Sample Questions & Essays - See question types and view sample student essays with scoring explanations.

How Parents Can Help

• Encourage your students to keep a positive attitude, and always praise their effort and growth.

• Remind students that they are capable and prepared to show their learning.

• Encourage healthy habits: Get 8-10 hours of sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, get daily exercise, and arrive at school on time each day.

• Talk to your teachers about how to support learning at home.

We appreciate your support to help your students practice and build confidence so they are ready to shine on the CAASPP!

We have a big ask—an important parent webinar is coming up, and we’d love for all of our families to attend! In today’s digital world, helping kids navigate screen time, social media, and online safety is more important than ever. This session will offer valuable tips, tools, and strategies to support your family’s digital well-being. Don’t miss it—it’s a must-attend!

Date: 4/30/25

Time: 6:00pm

Webinar Link: https://vistausd.zoom.us/j/98120467709?pwd=8ZmjbFeLMbOh6AtjRy5FFrGZeRel34.1

Fostering Independence at Home

Helping children develop independence is key to their growth and confidence. In the IB PYP, self-management is one of the core approaches to learning, encouraging students to take responsibility for their actions, time, and tasks. At home, parents can support this by…

1. Give children age-appropriate responsibilities like completing chores at home.

1. Refer to the chart below for ideas.

2. Another great way to develop independence at home is to involve children in problem-solving. When they face a challenge—like forgetting something for school or feeling frustrated with a task—resist the urge to fix it right away. Instead, guide them to think through possible solutions. Ask questions like, “What could you do differently next time?” or “How can you solve this on your own?”

3. Allowing them to make simple choices, like selecting clothes or snacks.

These small steps empower children to build lifelong habits of independence and self-discipline.

Thank you to all the families and friends who helped support our Rock and Read-a-thon fundraiser. We raised $15,350 for our school! All of this money goes directly back to our school to help fund our art, spanish, drama, music, and dance conservatories, provide supplies for arts, field trips, school facilities upkeep and so much more.

We will be hosting our annual Dîa De Los Niños celebration on April 25, 2025 from 5-7 at VAPA. Come join our family-fun celebration, watch performances from our very own Spanish conservatory, play family games, and more! If you are interested in volunteering for this event or setting up a table (such as for your own family business or service), please be on the lookout for those details to come after spring break.

We have open positions on our foundation board for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year! Stay tuned for more information on how to become involved in PTO and where we could use your help to support our school.

Please contact Ms. Suzy if you are interested in classes for parents.

susanacruz@vistausd.org

It is HIGHLY recommended that you purchase Mobile Device Coverage Protection Plan. Every student has a device assigned to them and they are responsible for their devices all school year.

Renewal begins July 1st and ends June 30th each school year.

This Plan is $20 for two incidents and is available at the following link. https://vusd.myschoolcentral.com/

As an FYI: Cracked or damaged screen replacement per incident = $150

Chromebook total damage replacement per incident = $322

Power adapters are not included in the plan

Sign Up for Before and/or After School Childcare

If you need before and/or after school childcare at Vista Academy, you MUST fill out an application ASAP. All families needing childcare for 24/25. You will need your child's 9-digit student ID, which can be found in parent portal. Please note that this application does not guarantee admission. Please see full flyer for details. Some students may qualify for free care.

English/Spanish Flyer and Application Here

tinyurl.com/AM-PMprogram

All elementary schedules include Minimum Day Mondays.

The schedule will be reflected as follows:

Mondays 8:00AM -12:58PM

Tuesday-Friday: 8:00AM- 2:18PM

2024-2025 School Calendar linked HERE

*Gates open at 7:30 AM for breakfast. Students may not be dropped off before 7:30 AM for safety since we do not provide supervision before 7:30.

Breakfast will be available to students before school from 7:30-7:50 AM. Students are welcome to bring a snack to the tables during recess time, but they are encouraged to come to school early if they would like a free breakfast from the cafeteria.

Breakfast and lunch is free for all students at Vista Academy. You do not need to fill out an application.

Fruit and salad bar is also available. For more information please visit:

We love our volunteers and cannot wait to welcome you on campus!

In order for volunteers to help in classrooms or outdoor spaces, here are the requirements:

• Must complete the VUSD Volunteer Application
• Review the Code of Conduct (images below)
• Must complete a TB questionnaire. If you have not had a history of TB, then you do the lab test. Please email our school nurse, Brenda VanDerPol, with any questions at brendavanderpol@vistausd.org.

If you are interested in being an Essential Volunteer, please

1. Submit your paperwork to Ms. AnaKaren in the office.
   
2. Reach out to your teacher for volunteer opportunities OR any of our specialty teachers. Must pre-arrange to volunteer. Thank you!

We look forward to welcoming back all of our volunteers. Thank you for your cooperation!

Please bring your ID when coming into the office. An ID is needed to check students out and all visitors must scan their ID to enter school. Thank you for your help.

There are many ways to support our teachers and students and our Foundation has set up several options for you below.

As a Vista Academy family you are encouraged to register on the Vista Academy Foundation Website. You will have access to all the Foundation/PTO tookit. SIgn up HERE.

To get the most up to date information, ask questions, make comments, and share thoughts with other Vista Academy families, join our “Families of Vista Academy” Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/1692479804104789

• School Parent Compact

• Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Please contact the school at 760-941-0880 or complete form to resolve this absence. Report absence: https://forms.gle/xRmHaZHzSpVKtvNp6

Please email medical notes to sharonsantiago@vistausd.org and anakarengarcia@vistausd.org to excuse the absense.

The office will be open to assist families from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. We are here to help in any way we can.

Phone: 760-941-0880

Email:

General Information: anakarengarcia@vistausd.org

Registration/Health/Attendance Concerns:sharonsantiago@vistausd.org

Registration/General Information: rosysimmonds@vistausd.org

Parent Liaison: susanacruz@vistausd.org

Principal: benjiewalker@vistausd.org

Por teléfono celular haga clic en el círculo con la persona de manos extendidas.

Por computadora haga clic en "Translate Newsletter" en el cuadro negro en el lado derecho de la pantalla y luego seleccione su idioma.

Vista Academy's School Accountability Report Card is now available for review on our website (link at the bottom of the page). A hard copy will be made available upon request at our front office.

Vista Unified School District prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying in educational programs, activities, or employment, based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender-identity, or gender expression, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. VUSD requires that school personnel take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so when he or she witnesses an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying.

Email: vistaacademyes@vistausd.org
Website: vapa.vistausd.org
Location: 600 North Santa Fe Avenue, Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 760-941-0880
Twitter: @VistaAVPA