| Sage Oak Virtual Academy Update: September 2, 2025 |
Hello Virtual Learning Academy!What a great first week! We loved seeing such a strong start, and hope you had a great Labor Day weekend. We’ll continue short days this week as students wrap up beginning-of-year assessments. Thank you for your patience as rosters may adjust in mid-September while we finalize education plans. Field trip sign-ups close today, so grab your spots using the information below, and you won’t want to miss our Back-to-School Social at the beach on Friday, September 26th! Come hang out with our teachers and VLA families! Please note the important information below, and do not hesitate to email virtualacademy@sageoak.education with any questions. We are here for you! Tuesday, September 2nd: field trip sign-ups window ends Wednesday, September 10th: Early class dismissal at 11:55am Friday, September 19th: end of Learning Period 1 – please sign learning logs Wednesday, September 24th: afternoon assembly focused on our theme of service / superhero dress-up day Friday, September 26th: beach service trip and beginning-of-the-year social in Huntington Beach September 29th-October 17th: Parent Conferences 2025-2026 School CalendarVLA Year-at-a-Glance: some of these dates/events are subject to change  Field Trip Release #1 – Closes tonight! Last chance to claim your field trip tickets for first semester! Release #1 closes tonight, Tuesday, September 2nd at 11:59 pm. See our 2025-26 VLA Field Trip Planning Document with direct website links to all 1st release VLA field trips. In the spirit of our theme for this month of service, we hope many of you can join us for our school-wide community service project – the Huntington Beach Clean Up on Friday, September 26th at 10am! Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity for our whole school to come together and serve our community. Our Back to School Social will follow at 12pm!  Student Learner Outcome Theme: SERVICE Once a month we have a student assembly with a dress up day, student highlights, and a raffle. Our theme for this month is service. Service is one of our Student Learner Outcomes (SLOs). We want our students to contribute positively to their communities, show kindness and compassion, and demonstrate a willingness to support others as they grow. This month, we will be highlighting one specific student in each class for their commitment to service and will also be raffling In-N-Out excellence awards for students nominated for their service mindsets.  Welcome to the TK-8 VLA Counseling Connection Newsletter! This monthly resource, shared on the first Monday of each month, provides valuable content on academic, career, and social-emotional support from your counselor, Ms. Allie. Look inside for upcoming webinar dates and a special invitation to this Thursday’s “Coffee with the Counselors” event at 9:00 am. I hope to see you there!  Tutor.com Resources Available Don’t forget that all Sage Oak 4th–12th-grade students have access to Tutor.com via their Clever dashboard at no cost to IFs. This powerful resource offers on-demand tutoring in a wide range of subjects, helping students get support exactly when they need it. Check out this Parent FAQ guide to help you get started. If you have any questions about how to make the most of Tutor.com, please reach out to your Sage Oak teacher.  Last call to get involved in ELAC or STAC! Sage Oak’s Advisory Committees strive to shape and improve various aspects of Sage Oak’s operations, policies, and programs. We meet virtually four times during the school year. English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) – This committee’s responsibility is to advise the leadership team in the development of our English Learner program. This collaboration may involve discussing teaching strategies, identifying areas of concern, and brainstorming solutions to improve language acquisition and academic success of our EL students.Student Advisory Committee (STAC) – Calling all 6th – 12th grade students! The STAC plays a crucial role in representing the student body and ensuring that student voices are heard in the decision-making processes of the school. Watch this video to hear inspiring testimonials from others who have joined these committees! Ready to join? Sign up here – Recruitment closes on Friday, September 5th.  Enroll In Oakschool Classes Today! Unlock your student’s potential with dynamic classes taught by passionate college interns, designed just for middle school students! Enjoy personalized mentorship that fuels growth and curiosity every step of the way. Plus, cap off the semester with an exciting in-person or virtual college tour to explore your future possibilities firsthand! Check out these courses below that still have openings for Quarter 1: The Code Crusades: Advanced – perfect for students who took the beginners course last year! Myth Makers: Craft Your Own Legendary Stories! – brand new class with the first session this Friday! Combine your love of writing and art to create your own mythological tales! Let’s Get Moving Kinesiology Explorers – unravel the mysteries of exercise science and explore the ways our bodies move! And don’t miss out on the first session of The Breakfast Club this Friday, featuring a professional speaking about their career in the Engineering or Architecture field! Pssst! We are still accepting applications for Sage Oak Newscasters: The Acorn for both this semester and next semester! This class also includes top-of-the-line film production equipment provided to each member of the team!  Future Ambassador/ASB: We are excited to announce that our second year of our Future Ambassador program is up and running. Are you a born leader interested in a leadership role? Do you want to get more involved with Sage Oak and your community? Our Future Ambassador program may be a good fit for you! Please fill out the application and enroll in our ASB Oakschool class to qualify for this role. Please note our new day and time of our ASB Oakschool class! If you have additional questions about this, please reach out to Lauren Holman at LHolman@sageoak.educationBack to School Beach Hangout: Please join us for our Back to School Beach Hangout this Friday, September 5th! This hangout is specifically for middle school students. We will be joining the high school but will have our own area to socialize, enjoy the beach, and bonfire. Please fill out both the permission click and the permission slip to attend.  California Charter School Association (CCSA) Survey Before September 30th, please consider completing this 5-10 minute survey from the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), the membership and advocacy organization that supports California charter public schools across the state, including Sage Oak. Your voices and perspectives are incredibly important, not only for our own charter school, but to ensure great charter schools exist across the state for all students and families. CCSA is considering designing meaningful supports for parents/ guardians that will help broaden advocacy efforts and hopes to learn what services and offerings you might find valuable. Survey participants who complete the survey will automatically be entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. Click HereThanks in advance for sharing your perspective!Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!  Sincerely, Mrs. Lana Beshara Virtual Learning Academy Principal |
