ACA Family Networkings 1-23-12

ACA
01/25/2012

NETWORKings

Antioch Charter Academy

Newsletter for Antioch Charter Academy, TLCS Families and Staff Volume 16, Issue 18, January 23, 2012

Dear ACA Families,

The middle schoolers have been studying the Lifelong Guidelines, one of the learning philosophies of ACA. The Lifelong Guidelines are the universal values of character for a citizen in a democratic society – heady stuff for emerging teenagers! Mrs. Heller, Mrs. Wunderly, and I are very proud of the way they are working to apply these skills to their lives in school and out. So far, we have discussed trustworthiness, truthfulness, and active listening. Their conversations have been peppered with phrases such as, “Trustworthiness makes me feel successful and takes weight off my shoulders,” “Friends expect the truth,” and “Active listening is work; you have to listen with the intent to understand the speaker.” Please encourage them, and your other children, at every opportunity to use these Lifelong Guidelines. Use the terms in your own conversations. The book Tools for Citizenship & Life by Sue Pearson is a great resource for teaching these skills.

Monday and Tuesday are minimum days (dismissal at 12:00). The afternoons have been set aside for parent-teacher conferences. If you have a conference scheduled, please view it as an opportunity to learn about your child’s progress and learning. Ongoing positive communication and healthy relationships between students, families, and teachers is vital to your child’s success in school.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Shauna Cramer, Middle School

Getting to Know ACA

At ACA, our goal is to help children build character traits that will serve them throughout life. We use the Highly Effective Teaching (formerly Integrated Thematic Instruction) model to help us meet that goal. The HET model has two main goals:

§ To create participating citizens, willing and able to engage in our democratic processes to improve life now and for future generations

§ To help educators translate current brain research into practical strategies for the classroom and school population.

The Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS are taught and practiced by all members of the ACA community. The Lifelong Guidelines consist of Trustworthiness, Truthfulness, Active Listening, No Put Downs, and Personal Best. The Lifelong Guideline of Personal Best consists of all of the LIFESKILLS (i.e. cooperation, courage, initiative, perseverance, creativity, resourcefulness, caring, etc.).

Our aim is to grow “bigger thinkers” through curriculum and instruction techniques once reserved for the gifted and talented programs. The HET Model is based on brain research and has five main principles.

1. Intelligence is a function of experience.

2. Learning is an inseparable partnership between the brain and the body.

3. There are multiple ways of solving problems/producing product. (Multiple Intelligences)

4. Learning occurs when one makes meaning through pattern-seeking and develops a mental program to use what is understood and hard-wired for long-term memory.

5. Personality/Temperament impact learning and performance.

ACA staff members receive resources and training on the Highly Effective Teaching model and some staff members have attended weeklong summer trainings. We are currently looking into bringing a HET consultant to our site and our sister site (ACA II), in the future.

Box Tops for Education

Don’t forget to turn in your General Mills Box Tops for Education. There is a can provided in the office and every box top is worth cash for our school. Before you throw away any packaging, be sure to cut out the box top first. They can be found on food products (General Mills, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, etc), storage bags (Ziploc), paper products (Kleenex, Scott) and so many more!

Calendar

January 23 –24 Minimum Days – 12 noon

February 3 Minimum Day – 12 noon

February 7 Vision exams (K, 2, 5, & 7^th)

February 14 Hearing exams (K, 2, 5, & 7^th)

February 20 –24 February Break

March 8 & 9 Minimum Days – 12 noon

March 16 No School – Montessori Conference

April 6 Minimum Day

April 9 – 13 Spring Break

April 25 Young Authors – 6:30pm Primary/7:00pm Intermediate & MS

School Website