The Family Journal
The Weekly Newsletter of IACS-HS

Academic News

Assessments: Semester One Assessments were mailed out today.   These grades reflect each student’s performance over the course of the first semester.  Congratulations to those students who received the distinction of high honors and honors on Semester One assessments.  Given the Academic Rigor at IACS, this is a significant achievement!

High Honors:  The student listed below received the equivalent of all A’s during Semester One.
Belanger, Jessica 2012
Cottle, Jeremy 2013
Espares, Jenzel-Kenneth 2012
Iovanna, Andrew 2011
Kaffine, Christopher 2013
Kiessling, Melissa 2011
Morquette, Alexandra 2012
Somers, Chantelle 2011
Tagliavento, Thomas 2011

Honors:  The students listed below received the equivalent of  all A’s and B’s during Semester One.
Ahouse, Kalista 2013            
Beauchamp, Emma 2011
Boutin, Kandace 2011
Bush, Bailey 2012
Chadbourne, John 2013
Clifford, Erin 2011
Comer, Nicole 2012
Comer, Shannon 2012
Cottle, Jordan 2011
Figueroa, Maria 2013
Fisher, Matthew 2011
Gauthier, Samantha 2013
Gaynor Schneider, Rose 2011
Gierke, Michaela 2011
Gossement, Naomi 2011
Harrington, Sophie 2013
Linskey, Charles 2013
Maeder, Elaini 2012
Mallu, Nitheesh 2013
McDonald, Kaylie 2013
McNulty, Samantha 2013
McTiernan, Tracy 2013
Miller, Richele 2012
Montgomery, Jon 2013
Nagle, Carrie 2012
Naka, Eugenia 2011
Novack, Heidi 2011
Ouano, Edward 2013
Printz, Emily 2012
Reilly, Adam 2011
Saint Jean, Madeleine 2013
Sweetnam, Niamh 2012
Tagliavento, Nichole 2012
Taylor, Erika 2012
Whiman, Matthew 2011
Wight, Frederick 2012
Willis, Donald 2011
Young, Noelle 2012

College Counseling: We had a strong turn out at this past Tuesday’s Junior College Night.  If you were unable to make it, please email Jenny Warren (jwarren@innovationcharter.org) to arrange an alternate meeting.  The College Counseling newsletter is attached.

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.

Our school library is looking to grow!  We would like to enhance its middle school collection with the addition of some high-quality magazine subscriptions. Magazines are a great way 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

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.

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: ____________________

drama
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.