The Family Journal
The Weekly Newsletter of IACS-HS

Academic News
Re-enrollment Forms: Re-enrollment forms for the upcoming school year have been mailed home. This application needs to be filled out for all current students that plan to return to IACS next year. Current students are automatically guaranteed a spot for the following year but you MUST fill out the form to retain your child's slot.
Please be sure to complete and return the enclosed form by February 5th.
All slots not retained will be made available to new students for our lottery on March 10th. Please contact Kathleen Feeney at 978-649-0432 x2229 if you have any questions .
Forms are also available on our website under the admissions tab.

Science Professionals Wanted!
This semester, the green futures class will be focusing on helping students make connections between coursework and careers in science. We are inviting guests to our classrooms to discuss their careers. We are also looking for local field trip opportunities. Please contact Kellie Burtch if you are willing to share your experiences with our students! Email: kburtch@innovationcharter.org or 978.649.0432 ext 3154

College Counseling:
Tuesday, January 26th  Junior College Night is a mandatory event for all juniors and parents.  Students will receive crucial information about the college planning process at this event.  The College counseling newsletter is attached.

Writing the Self website
Last semester, a group of 11th grade students too the English elective course, "Writing the Self." Over the semester, students wrote 20+ page memoirs. To celebrate their work and share it with the world, they have created a website. For more information on the course, and to read excerpts from their memoirs, please visit: www.innovationcharter.org/writingtheself

Creative Non-Fiction class is looking for senior citizens to share their stories
Do you have an older family member or friend who would be willing to come to IACS for one hour each week (or possibly every other week) for a few months, to share their stories with a student?

We are looking to have approximately 15 students each pair up with a senior citizen who they will get to know over the course of the semester through a weekly meeting. The ultimate goal is for students to write down the seniors’ stories/experiences. This might take the form of a collection of short stories, or it might be 20-25 pages about just one event/story. Students will also be completing research that they will integrate into their story. (For example, if someone is reflecting on hearing the news that JFK was assassinated, students will research the events that took place).

If you know someone who would be interested in helping us with this project, or have any questions, please contact Emily Richardson at erichardson@innovationcharter.org.

Endersession will be here in June and we need your help!
Parents and family members, there is ample opportunity for you to join many of our diverse Endersession courses. Your support and time is necessary to make all of our courses a success! Volunteer descriptions are available through the Volunteer Opportunities page under the Endersession Course Page found at the High School Academics website. Please contact the teacher who is running the course to sign up to chaperone!

High School Service Culture Committee:
We are reaching out to our community of parents for an upcoming Service Day on February 25, 2010. We would love all suggestions and/or support to help us make this day a success.
What we need:
•    A keynote speaker –someone who is involved in non-profit, service based work.
•    At least 6-10 places where groups of our high school students can volunteer and therefore also establish long-term relationships for further service opportunities in the Greater Lowell area.
•    Parent chaperones
•    A panel of people who have done long-term service projects. Ideally, we would love the panel to be a combination of teaching staff and parents.
If you are interested in helping us make this day a success, please contact Ryan Ferdinand (rferdinand@innovationcharter.org), Oliver Renau (orenau@innovationcharter.org) or Emily Porter (eporter@innovationcharter.org). Thank you!



Extracurricular News

BASIC RIGHTS In Special Education WORKSHOP
The Basic Rights workshop provides families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities under:
•    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
•    Massachusetts Special Education Law and
•    No Child Left Behind (NCLB). 
This workshop is designed to help parents learn to be effective partners with their child’s school to decide their child’s eligibility for special education, and to plan, make decisions and monitor their child’s progress in school.

Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Location:  Innovation Academy Charter School
Second Floor Conference Room
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Contact: Aimee Voleti 978-649-0432 x2222

A presenter from the Federation for Children with Special Needs will conduct this workshop.  Federation workshops are free to parents and open to the public.  You are welcome to attend any workshop in or outside of your immediate community.   Please register in advance through your local contact person or phone the Federation’s receptionist at 617-236-7210 or 800-331-0688 ext. 0 or go online at http://fcsn.org/pti/workshops/home.php

Come join us! (see attached flyer)

The Federation for Children with Special Needs, supported in part by grant #H328M040001 from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs and the Massachusetts Department of Education.


High School Play:  "The Princess Bride"
We NEED adult volunteers to make this production run smoothly!  Right now, our greatest need is for an adult who can take charge of costumes.  This volunteer does not need to be someone who can sew, just someone who can give some time to ordering, organizing, labeling and preparing costumes, with the help of other volunteers.  If you think you might be able to lend a hand in any area, please email rhawthorne@innovationcharter.org. 

Family News
Board Meeting is Feb 8th: The next Board Meeting will be at IACS on Monday, February 8th at 6:30pm

WANTED: TAX PREPARER:
 The IACA (school community association) is looking for a professional tax preparer to work with them on tax issues. This does not require attendance at monthly meetings--just an occasional consultation and an annual tax preparation. This year's taxes have already been prepared so the first preparation would be next year. The fiscal year runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. This is a great opportunity for a parent or other community member to fill their yearly volunteer hours. Contact Gwen Sandilands at gsandilands@comcast.net if you are interested.

IACA is a non-profit organization that exists to support the Innovation Academy Charter School:
The Community Association consists of all IACS students, their parents/guardians, and school staff and administration.  No matter how much time or what skills you have, your support is needed to help make IACS a better place for all.  Please take some time to look over the volunteer opportunities that are available by visiting the IACA Volunteer tab under the About Us section at: www.innovationcharter.org.  Don't see something that fits your schedule or skills but you have another idea of how you can help?  Contact Sheila Hingorani at michael2sheila@hotmail.com and let her know your idea or stop by our next IACA meeting on Tuesday, February 9th at 7 pm at the school.  Thank you for your support.  We look forward to seeing you!

Recycle for $$ for IACS!
3 ways to recycle…Ink/Toner Cartridges, Cell Phones/Laptops and Paper:
Dear IACS Parents & Students:
Recycle Ink & Toner Cartridges
The IACS Green Team has teamed with Cartridge World, Bedford, MA to turn your recycled ink and toner cartridges into cash for our school! There will be Cartridge World recycle bins at the Middle School and High School entrances. Please place your ink/toner cartridges (any size) in these bins.

Does your workplace have a recycling program?? If not, ask them to donate their used ink/toner cartridges to the program….we would love to get local businesses involved!

Recycle Cell Phones & Laptops
You can also recycle used cell phones and laptops. You can put your used cell phones in the green recycle bin in the Middle School and High School entrances.

If you have a laptop you would like to recycle, you can drop it off with Tina at the middle school front office.
Recycling Paper
Send in your used newspapers & used paper (no cardboard or phonebooks please) and place them in the huge yellow and green Abitibi Paper Recycling Dumpster located in the back corner of the High School parking lot.
Remember, everything you recycle….cartridges, cell phones, lap-tops or paper, means dollars for our school!  For more information or if you need assistance in getting your recycling to the school, email Annie Accettullo, candystp@yahoo.com or Kellie Burtch, kburtch@innovationcharter.org

IACS Gear!!
Show you are a part of our IACS community by dressing in our cozy new IACS gear!
Now available:

•    Royal blue hooded sweatshirts. They have a large, beautifully done red and silver embroidered IACS Innovation Academy Charter School logo on the front. Available for only $35.00!
                                          
•    Cozy, warm and matching sweatpants (also with the IACS Innovation Academy Charter School logo on the front). Available for just $25.00.

•    Long sleeve red shirt with matching IACS logo on the front. Available for just $20.00

•    Hats -$12.00

Sweatshirts:                    Sweatpants:

____ XS Child         ____ XS Adult        ____ XS Child     ____ XS Adult   
____ S Child    ____ S Adult            ____ S Child         ____ S Adult
____ M Child    ____ M Adult            ____ M Child       ____ M Adult
____ L Child    ____ L Adult            ____ L Child        ____ L Adult
____ XL Child    ____ XL Adult        ____ XL Child     ____ XL Adult

Long Sleeve Shirt:
____ XS Child     ____ XS Adult   
____ S Child        ____ S Adult
____ M Child       ____ M Adult
____ L Child        ____ L Adult            Hats: $12.00
____ XL Child     ____ XL Adult


Special Sizes may also be available.  Note desired size here: ____________________

Please indicate how many of each you would like on the appropriate line above.

I have attached a check for the total amount of my order which is: $_________

Child’s name:___________________________Homebase/Advisory:___________________
Please contact Sara Ogden at 978-649-0432 x 2230 or sogden@innovationcharter.org for expected delivery date.