| Sage Oak Virtual Academy Update: February 2, 2026 |
| Hello Virtual Learning Academy! We are looking forward to another great week as the second semester is in full swing! Please note the important information below, and do not hesitate to email virtualacademy@sageoak.education with any questions. We are here for you!  Monday, February 2nd – Thursday, February 5th: AI Listening Tour Monday, February 2nd – Monday, March 23rd: Cultivate & Create Contest Thursday, February 5th: Coffee with the Counselors @ 9am, Parent Webinar @ 12pm Friday, February 6th: Sage Stage @ 9am and Student Webinar @ 12pm Monday, February 9th: 100th Day of School! Sunday, February 8th: Sage Store Ordering Deadline Thursday, February 12th: Open Enrollment Begins! Friday, February 13th and Monday, February 16th: No School – President’s Day Holidays Friday, February 20th: End of Learning Period 6 and Fullerton Middle School Hangout Monday, February 23rd: Jump Start to High School Webinar Tuesday, February 24th @ 1pm: TK-5th Grade Assembly [Theme: Kindness & Pajama Day] Wednesday, February 25th @ 1pm: 6-8th Grade Assembly [Theme: Kindness & Pajama Day] 2025-2026 School Calendar VLA Year-at-a-Glance: Some of these dates/events are subject to change  Your Voice, Our Future: Join Sage Oak’s AI Listening Tour Sage Oak Charter School invites middle and high school students and parents to participate in a Listening Tour on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. These small-group sessions are designed to hear your hopes, concerns, and ideas about AI in a welcoming, judgment-free environment. Feedback gathered will help inform the school’s AI strategic analysis, values alignment, and future policies and practices. Sessions are scheduled for middle and high school STUDENTS: Monday, February 2 at 2:00 PM (Zoom Link) Tuesday, February 3 at 4:00 PM (Zoom Link) For middle and high school PARENTS: Wednesday, February 4 at 10:00 AM (Zoom Link) Thursday, February 5 at 6:00 PM (Zoom Link) Your voice matters! Join the conversation and help shape the future of learning.  Cultivate & Create: Get ready to Imagine, Create, and Shine! 🌟 Sage Oak’s annual Cultivate & Create Art Contest begins TODAY, and all students are invited to be part of it! This is your chance to show off your creativity and talents in dance, film, music, photography, or visual arts. Whether you love to move, make music, capture moments, or create with your hands, there’s a place for your art here. This year’s theme is Beyond Your Imagination—a journey into endless possibilities. What lies beyond what you already know? What might exist in a world you’ve never seen? What amazing change could happen in you or around you if you let your imagination lead the way? Dream big, think boldly, and create something that feels impossible… until you imagine it. Artworks will be judged based on how creatively you interpret the theme, your originality, and your artistic skills. Most importantly, this is your opportunity to explore, express yourself, and have fun creating. đź“ťCheck out the Cultivate & Create informational document for contest details. đź”—Use the survey link to submit your entry. đź’ˇSign up HERE for the Art Mentoring and Q&A zoom for students on Friday, February 27th from 12-1pm. All entries are due by Monday, March 23rd.  The 100th Day of School is Almost Here! Next Monday, February 9th, we’re celebrating 100 days of learning, growing, and hard work! Show off your excitement by dressing up as if you’re 100 years old and help us mark this fun milestone. Be sure to upload your photos using the link below—we’d love to feature your creative looks on our social media as we celebrate all that you’ve accomplished in the past 100 days! Submit your photos here!  Counseling Corner We are excited to share the February edition of the VLA TK–8 Counseling Connection Newsletter.This month’s newsletter includes information on various counseling supports and resources, such as: Our character focus on kindness The new AVID class for students in grades 3–8 starting soon: AVID Interest Form The “Donut Stress the Test” class in March to help students prepare for the CAASPP Our Quarter 3 parent and student webinars on Executive Functioning skills and our “Coffee with the Counselor” drop-in meeting, all happening this week. Please refer to the newsletter for full details on these exciting topics. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your VLA School Counselor, Ms. Allie, at awhalen@sageoak.education.  Sage Stage Launching a Career in Space Technology with Paolo Focardi Join us for another Sage Stage on Friday, February 6th from 9:00-9:45 AM via this Zoom Link as we tune in to a career at NASA with scientist Paolo Focardi, exploring how a love of science can grow into working on real space missions. Sign Up Today! *Students who enroll will be entered into a raffle for a prize! Students must register by February 5th at 8:00 AM to be eligible for the raffle and must be present to win. Signing up is not required to attend the Sage Stage session. Questions? Please reach out to oakschool@sageoak.education  Open Enrollment Open enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year will open at 9:00 AM on Thursday, February 12 for new applicants. *Students who are currently enrolled with Sage Oak Charter Schools do not need to reapply. Please feel free to share this information with friends and family who may be interested in enrolling with Sage Oak!  Middle School Hangout Opportunity- Fullerton Join us for a fun afternoon for a hike at the Fullerton Loop followed by a sweet treat at Acai Republic on Friday, February 20th from 12-3PM. Please see the flyer for details. Students must fill out a permission slip and RSVP form to attend.  Jumpstart to High School Webinars – SAVE THE DATE Save the date(s) for our upcoming Jumpstart to High School Webinars, taking place on the following dates: Monday, February 23, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM Friday, March 27, 2026 | 9:00–10:00 AM Friday, May 1, 2026 | 11:00 AM–12:00 PM These webinars will cover what to expect as 8th-grade students transition from middle school to high school. Attendance is highly recommended for both 8th-grade students and their parents/guardians, and families may choose the date that works best for them.  Math in Action. Put Your Skills to the Test! We recently shared grade-level Performance Task samples for English Language Arts to support at-home practice, and now it’s time for math! The purpose of math performance tasks is to measure how well students can apply mathematical knowledge and skills in meaningful, real-world or complex situations, not just recall facts or follow a memorized procedure. 3rd-8th grade teachers will review this information and practice in class, but click here to begin practicing and access scoring guides for each grade level on your own as well!  Planning an International Trip? Notify Your Teacher Today To protect student privacy and school data, our security systems automatically lock school accounts when they are accessed from outside the United States. This can prevent your student from logging in to their device or school tools during your trip or even after you return home. How you can help: If you plan to travel internationally during upcoming breaks (like Spring Break), please notify your child’s teacher in advance. When we know your travel plans ahead of time, we can: Prevent Account Lockouts: Take proactive steps to ensure your student’s account remains active while abroad. Avoid Disruptions: Ensure your student has seamless access to their learning tools and assignments. Save Time: Eliminate the need for last-minute technical troubleshooting during your trip or upon your return. If your plans change or an unexpected trip arises, please reach out to your teacher as soon as possible so we can support your student’s transition smoothly.  Field Trip Tickets Still Available There is still room for you to join us for a night at the theater! Claim your tickets today! Friday, May 8, 2026 – Pantages Theater: The Sound of Music  Career Exploration Made Easy with Pathful All Sage Oak students have access to Pathful directly through their Clever dashboard – a powerful career exploration tool designed to help students start thinking about their future. With Pathful, students can explore detailed career profiles, compare career options side by side, and complete engaging career lessons at their own pace. Pathful also offers grade-level career videos, tools to build a resume and cover letter, and opportunities to join live, pre-scheduled work-based learning sessions led by professionals. Whether students are just beginning to explore interests or want hands-on insight into real careers, Pathful is a great place to start. Our teachers are guiding students through Pathful, and we encourage our students to check out Pathful on their Clever dashboard on their own as well. It’s an easy, low-pressure way to explore possibilities and build real-world readiness.  Sage Studio Podcast –  “A VLA Parent’s Perspective: Dr. Emile Koenig on Sage Oak Education” In this episode of the Sage Studio Podcast, host Tiffiny Webster chats with Dr. Emile Koenig, a VLA parent, about her journey to discovering and choosing Sage Oak for her children’s education. Dr. Koenig, an English professor, shares her rigorous approach in selecting the right program for her children, the benefits of Sage Oak’s Virtual Learning Academy, and her experiences with the PAGE program. Watch the new episode here! Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week!  Sincerely, Mrs. Lana Beshara Virtual Learning Academy Princip |
