Dear Families,

The Val Verde Academy Team is very excited to support your child(ren)’s learning for this coming 2018-2019 school year with a continued focus on college and career readiness and ownership of learning!  We have made some amazing strides in just one year.  At the High School level, we have been able to continue offering AP courses, National Honor Society, and accelerated learning paths as well as credit recovery courses for students in need.  We obtained both our elementary and secondary AVID certifications and now offer AVID schoolwide!   What is AVID?  AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.  AVID Elementary and AVID Secondary is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all classrooms across entire grade levels to maintain school wide structures. AVID takes a systemic approach through the use of WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, reading) and an explicit focus on high expectations, rigor, and developing a college readiness culture.  AVID teaches organizational skills, communication skills, collaborative tutorials, note-taking and note-making and close reading strategies.  The Val Verde Unified School District has implemented AVID at all elementary schools!  

It is the expectation that parents will communicate with us via our AVID agenda daily by signing off on completion of students’ assignments.  Also, teachers will provide weekly feedback and parents will respond to teachers’ comments weekly.

 

In addition, we will be growing our college bound focus by implementing the following:

• All VVA Elementary grades attending school from 8:30-2:30 p.m.
• AVID Collaborative Tutorials with UCR tutors for all 3^rd-12^th grade AVID students
• Extended Learning Opportunities every Friday for all students from 1:00-2:30 p.m.
• Senior Support for College Planning Fall and Spring every Friday, 5 credit course
• iReady Math Intervention 3^rd-11^th on Wednesdays, 5 credit course
• AVID field trips for the year--Fall and Spring
• High School classroom visits to Moreno Valley College in order to support students with potential concurrent enrollment in their Senior year
• Completion of CCGI (College Career Guidance Initiative) Activities during College Kick Off Week 10/3-10/12
• Completion of FAFSA for all Seniors (VVUSD requirement for graduation)

 

Parents, please plan on purchasing the following school supplies for next year for all 3rd-8th grade students and HS AVID students:

 

• 3 inch binders
• 5 color tab dividers
• Supply pouch to insert into binder
• Colored highlighters: at least 4 different colors
• 2 packs of wide ruled looseleaf paper
• 1 pack of colored pencils (preferably 24 count)
• 2 packs of pencils (minimum 20)
• 4 whiteboard markers (1 pack, preferably 4 color pack with black, red, blue and green)

 

As we are an AVID school of choice, today you and your student must complete one of the following:  

• New Students:  An AVID application for all 3rd-8th graders, any returning VVA entering 7^th grader and any HS student who wants to join AVID
• An AVID program statement of intent for all Middle School (7^th and 8^th graders) and any returning High School AVID students.

 

Thank you for choosing Val Verde Academy, a Virtual School integrating AVID at all grade levels 3rd-12th.

 

Thanks,

Dr. Karwan

 

 

Vanessa Karwan, Ed.D.

Val Verde Academy, Principal

951-443-2450 X45109

#VVAscholarscollegebound