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Acts of Kindness Challenge

We challenged our scholars to record Acts of Kindness over 15 school days and to record them on a paper ring. Teachers counted up the acts of kindness for their class and we celebrated each class' total during our assembly. After adding class totals, EPIC had a grand total of 3,747 documented acts of kindness. Ms. Azevedo’s 5th grade class had the most recorded acts of kindness for the entire school…761! (The picture to the right is with Ms. Azevedo’s 5th grade class and Principal Marston.) Mrs. Belloso’s 5th grade class had the second largest with 723 recorded acts of kindness.

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Our EPIC scholars are amazing at being kind!

Science Fair

Mrs. Stolesen assigned science projects that were displayed in the science fair at Futures High School. Students made beautiful posters with project experiments written out step by step. This gave students an out of class learning experience and an opportunity to show others how fun science really is.

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Futures and COA Middle College and Career Fair

We do everything we can to help our students achieve success in education and live out their dreams. There are many careers and colleges that help with getting students where they want to be in life. Our College and Career Fair did just that. Students had an opportunity to talk to representatives and ask important questions that will help them make better choices for the future.

 

Experiential Field Trips

We believe that education goes beyond the classroom. That’s why we make opportunities for students to go to various educational field trips. Students recently visited Stanford University, The Crocker Art Museum, and the McClellan Aerospace Museum.

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January 17, 2016

4:45 pm

GCC Board Meeting @GCC

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January 20, 2016

12:00 pm

CCCS Mid Year Graduation @Sim Center

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January 20, 2016

3:00 pm

SAVA Mid Year Graduation @Sim Center

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Upcoming Events

ENGAGE

As I reflect on 2016, I am overwhelmed with gratitude by the love and support that the GCC has provided to our students, staff, and greater school community. 

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This year we have continued to create amazing, innovative and high quality educational programs for our students because of the relentless dedication and positive energy of our staff and educators - thank you!

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Please enjoy this November/December issue of our Good Things Newsletter showcasing just some of the amazing things happening around the GCC!

 

May your holidays be filled with love and laughter.

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Looking forward to continued progress and shared successes in 2017,

 

~ Dr. Cindy Petersen, Superintendent/CEO

EXPLORE

COMMUNICATE

EMPOWER

LAUNCH

Good Things Newsletter

Business Services Update

The Business Department has created an web based electronic forms process for Request for Direct Pay and Purchase Requisitions and has been testing the forms and revising the written procedures. The new electronic forms and links to procedures have been released on our website for immediate use. We have outside consultants developing the web form and process for the Travel Conference Forms, and hope to have that released by winter break. These processes will make it easier to submit requests and shorten the time for processing these requests and save on staff time tracking and moving the forms through the approval process. We are also wrapping up with the auditor the final audit report for the 2015-16 fiscal year.

 

After meeting with principals, our Budget Coordinator, Jeff Clanton is working hard to revise all of the schools budgets in advance of the December 15 deadline. Brooke Porteous, Accounting Coordinator, Bertha Fernandez, Payroll Specialist and Natalya Dovbush, Business Technician are working hard to implement the changes to employee payroll from the recent benefits open enrollment period.

 

The purchasing department continues to work with the County Office to revise and enhance the Purchase Order Change Order document in our financial system.

 

Aaron Thornsberry, CBO, worked with TRUSD staff to purchase and install lunch service through the National School Lunch Program with vending machines at the SAVA sites. These vending machines allow students to set up online accounts to purchase meals or receive free meals if they qualify.

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Office of Community Engagement and Development

In the month of November, our team focused on charter renewal petitions for five of our schools.  Both Director Jason Sample and Assistant Director Sergey Terebkov worked on preparation for public hearings.  In the process, they met with several schools and elected and community leaders to gather support for successful charter renewals.  We are so proud to congratulate Community Outreach Academy, Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy, Community Collaborative Charter School, Futures High School and Higher Learning Academy with successful renewals! 

 

While working closely with GCC Foundation members and GCC volunteers, the Office of Community Engagement and Development successfully coordinated the “Wine, Cheese and Chocolate” fundraiser for the Foundation on November 3rd.  In addition to raising resources, many business and community members learned about our unique schools. 

 

As part of Gateway Community Charters’ efforts to promote bilingual education in the region, Office of Community Engagement and Development coordinated a visit with a group of European Union Leaders in Bilingual Education, to discuss common practices and strategies to serve the needs of English Language Learners.

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Events included:

• Meeting with elected state officials

• Meet and Greet with local educational leaders and school visits

• COA Elementary School hosted a Community Roundtable on Russian- English Bilingual Education on Friday, November 11 2016. 

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As a result of the visit, Gateway Community Charters joined Via Light Association (Association of Bilingual Educators) and developed a “sister school” relationship with schools in Europe.

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Delegation members were from the following countries: Germany, Latvia, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.

 “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~ Melody Beattie

November/December 2016

Good Things Are HappeninG

All Across the GCC!

EXPLORE

Fifth Grade State Projects

Our 5th grade students worked really hard to create and present wonderful state projects - great job!

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Staff vs. Student Kickball Game

On November 3rd, we had a fun and exciting staff vs. student kickball game. We have decided to have a monthly staff vs. student game of some sort to encourage fun competition and team building!

 

Parent/Student Lunch Success

On November 9th we had another successful parent/student lunch. Parents came and brought in lunch for their children and spent time on campus.

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Collaborative Campus Beautification

On November 10th, students from Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy came out to give us our planter boxes and we had students help plant flowers in front of the school.  Thank you SAVA!

Gateway Community Foundation

The Gateway Community Foundation hosted its Second Annual Wine Cheese and Chocolate event in November to sweet success.  It was an important evening that brought awareness to Gateway Community Charters, its' schools, and its' amazing programs to the local community.  Special thanks to Kim Woods for securing an amazing array of in-kind donations and event co-coordination.  And many, many thanks to all our volunteers who helped to create such a wonderful event!

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Futures High School

Higher Learning Academy

Empowering Possibilities International Charter

 

CCCS North Sac Student Exhibitions

Congratulations to our North Sacramento students on their successful student exhibitions!  Student exhibitions are part of the Big Picture learning model that CCCS has begun to implement at its North Sacramento campus and the results have been tremendous!

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McClellan Campus

Our elementary students have been enjoying their new library space and special guest readers!

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Mayor Steinberg visits La Familia!

Sacramento's new Mayor Darrell Steinberg held a community lunch recently and CCCS La Familia students had the opportunity to ask questions.

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CCCS Senior Victor Contreras asked Mayor Steinberg about homelessness in the area.

 

We are proud that our students are willing to be part of the solutions to the needs of their community!

Community Collaborative Charter School

SAVA Elk Grove

In November, SAVA EG received a school lunch program vending machine that offers healthy food options for our students. We are so thankful to be able to provide lunch on campus in order to better serve our students.

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In December, some of our students visited HLA to help teach students the art of journaling.

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SAVA Sim Service Learning Project

On November 10, SAVA Sim Seniors traveled to HLA to deliver six planter boxes they made as part of their Service Learning Project.

 

The seniors also brought soil and flowers, and worked with HLA middle school students to plant and beautify their campus.

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SAVA Power Inn

SAVA PI students collaborated with CCCS McClellan students as part of the Community Impact Academy's "Right to Run" event on December 10th.  

 

We are so proud of our students who planned the entire event, raised awareness about area poverty and homelessness and even raised over $600 for the Mustard Seed School!

Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy

Europe Delegation

COA was honored to host the Delegation of Russian Language Education from Germany, Latvia, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. They toured our campus, visited classrooms and interacted with staff and were very complimentary regarding our facilities, teachers, support staff, and students.

 

After School Talent Show

We were able to host a After School Talent Show in the new theater building.  Our students were able to showcase their exceptional talents and feature the variety of creative clubs that our wonderful After School Program offers.  We had participants from our Band, Drums, Dance, Piano, Violin, French, Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Sign Language, Puppet Show and Choir.

 

Parent Appreciation Breakfast

This month we held our first Parent Appreciation Breakfast.  We invited all our parents for Coffee and doughnuts and hosted them at the Pavilion and Skvarla site.  We had a great turn out and all our parents were really appreciated and honored that we gave them this kind of attention. The COA Admin Team was able to connect with a lot of the parents who are not regular visitors to our sites.

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Parent Teacher Conferences and Award Assemblies

This month concluded our first trimester and we are really proud of all our hardworking students. This trimester we had 197 Honor Roll Students and 83 students who made the Principal’s List.  Great job teachers and congratulations to our hardworking students! 

Community Outreach Academy

GIS Experiential Learning

GIS students participate in real life experiences that enhance their learning. Recently, the 6th grade students went on a field trip to Black Chasm Mines and the 4th grade students had a visit from Effie Yeaw Nature Center.

 

These activities create engaging and memorable learning experiences for our students.

Gateway International School

GCC Athletics Update

This year's GCC soccer league ended recently and left all of our schools anxiously awaiting next year's soccer season. The elementary students proved to be incredibly competitive as COA and GIS battled for the championship. Congratulations to both COA ES and to GIS MS for coming out on top in this year's soccer league and to all teams and coaches for a great season. The GCC Athletics Department began their basketball league in early December at Hardwood Palace in Rocklin.

Futures High School Athletics Update

The winter sports seasons are in full swing now and both the girls and boys soccer and basketball teams have started their seasons with a bang. The basketball teams had a huge night recently as they hosted the visiting Saints from Cristo Rey in the first home games of the season. The Lady Knights started the evening with a dominating victory and the boys followed suit with a near perfect first half and a super spirited finish.  Boys soccer traveled and competed in their very first soccer tournament in the Pitman High School College Soccer Showcase. The boys played a total of four games in two days and had an opportunity to play in front of collegiate soccer scouts that were at the tournament. The boys looked good and showed well and were invited back to participate in next year's showcase. The Knights continue to impress opposing schools with their tenacity and fight at each and every game; but more importantly, they have impressed others with their respectful behavior to their teammates as well as their opponents on the basketball courts and the soccer fields.

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And finally, at a recent CIF North Section League Realignment Meeting, it was revealed that Futures High School has tentatively been placed in a league!!! This is a HUGE step for the development of our program and we look forward to additional details in the future.

Data and Compliance Update

Anna Serin followed up on staff requests and coordinated a second Aeries training this year held at COA Middle School. The training focused on advanced queries and transcripts.  The people who attended the training were very positive with the information and will be putting it into practice on a daily basis. Anna has also worked on data for charter renewals, CBEDS reports for all GCC schools, and is working on graduation rate calculation and coding issues for GCC high schools.

 

Health Support Services

The Health Support Services team has been coordinating two training dates for medication administration at the school sites. This training was held to standardize the training across GCC school sites and to ensure all state laws and regulations are being properly followed to address student safety.  As a response to school site requests, we are also working to coordinate the vision and hearing screenings that will take place earlier this year.  All of the school sites should be informed of the dates and can direct any questions about the screenings to Thomas or Lynne.

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