Dear Vintage Community, please join us at California Pizza Kitchen located at 9301 Tampa Avenue in Northridge on Oct. 15.  CPK will donate 20% of your bill (dine in, take out, catering, and all beverages) to our school.  This is a great way to help Vintage Magnet raise funds and to enjoy a meal out with family and friends!  Your participation in our restaurant nights is appreciated and the funds help to make Vintage a better place to be for our students.

Click here for flyer.  Bring your flyer with you.

September 21 to October 21, 2014 please visit Menchie's Frozen Yogurt at 17840 Chatsworth Street, in Granada Hills and mention Vintage and 15% of your sale will be donated to help support Vintage Magnet's 5th Grade Class of 2015 year end culmination activities.  Click here for a flyer with a 20% off coupon that you can download.

Thank you Vintage Community for your support!

The Renaissance Place Accelerated Reader program has started.  Below are frequently asked questions about the program.

Q:  What is Accelerated Reader (AR)?
A:  AR is an online progress monitoring subscription software which offers reading practice. Renaissance Learning's Accelerated Reader offers tools to motivate or accelerate student reading skills. Students read a book, take an AR Quiz, and get immediate feedback. Kids get excited and motivated when they see their progress. Parents and teachers can easily monitor and manage students' independent reading practice.  Please note that AR is not a part of our regular curriculum.  Learn more about the product at http://www.renaissance.com/products/accelerated-reader.


Q:  Who can participate?
A:  Students in grades 1st through 5th who completed the form sent home and returned the form by the deadline of September 5th have been enrolled in the program.  Enrollment is now closed. 

Q: How do I know my child was enrolled?
A:  A HomeConnect letter was sent home to parents confirming the child's enrollment.

Q:  What is HomeConnect?
A:  It is a way for parents to see how their child is doing.  Parents can even submit their email so that they are emailed the results when their child completes a quiz.   A letter with the child's AR log in name and password was in the HomeConnect letter sent to parents. All enrolled students should have received this letter.  Please check their backpack. Please help your child memorize that log in and password.


Q:  I can't access HomeConnect.  Why?
A:  Make sure you type https (not http) and don't add any spaces to the address.  To log in your will need your child's AR log in and password.

https://hosted316.renlearn.com/266164/HomeConnect/

Q:  What books do they read?
A:  Most of the books found in the school's library, the public library, or at book fairs can be read for AR.  Students may choose what they want to read.  They are not assigned books that must be read for AR. They do not log into AR to read books.

Q:  Is there a way to check if there is a quiz for a particular book?
A:  Yes, go to http://www.arbookfind.com.   This site will tell you if there is a quiz available as well as how many points the book is worth.  You can also search for ideas for books to read at this site.

Q:  Is there an app for finding books?
A:  A parent recommended an app for Android which lets you scan the ISBN code of any book and if it is AR book, it shows its Quiz no and its AR level. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ar.bookfinder&hl=en

Q:  Can my child take the quiz at home?
A:  No.  Quizzes are taken only at school.  They can take the AR book quiz in their classroom, before school from 7:45 to 8:10 am in the Computer Lab, during the 10:15am recess in the library Monday through Friday (and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday in the Computer Lab) and Techie Tuesday 1:38 to 2:38 in the Computer Lab.  Quizzes may also be taken in the classroom on class computers or iPad.

Q:  Want percentage do they need to get correct and can they retake quizzes?
A:  To pass, they must get 60% correct.  No, they can't retake failed quizzes.
  
Q:  What are the points for?
A:  Depending on the difficulty of the book and how they do on the quiz, students will receive points.  Vintage is experimenting with different incentives to reward students based on the number of points earned.  We will inform the students as the program proceeds.   

Q:  What can parents do to help with AR?
A:  Encourage your child to read.  Check on HomeConnect to see how the quizzes are going.  If you volunteer in the classroom, ask the teacher if you can help students with taking AR quizzes - especially helpful in the lower grades.

Contact Mrs. Stone in the Computer Lab (or email her at dstone02@lausd.net) or see Mrs. Forbes in the Library if you have any more questions.

A monthly newsletter for parents of gifted / talented students can be downloaded.  We will add these monthly newsletters to our DOWNLOADABLE DOCUEMENT under Current School Year Documents.  For the September 2014 issue you may also click below:

English version
Spanish version

Due to the budget crisis and to avoid running too many fundraisers, we from the Vintage PTA have decided to do a Direct Donation Campaign.  100% of the proceeds go directly to the Vintage PTA.  We are asking for $125.00 per student and families with multiple children will receive a discount.  We have a downloadable pledge sheet for your convenience.  Please be sure to include your child’s information so they can get credit to receive the below rewards.  We encourage parents to secure pledges from family, friends, businesses or matching donations from companies.  Please make all checks out to: Vintage Magnet PTA

The money will pay for the following:  Programs & Support

• YMCA Psychomotor Program
  
• Computer Lab Instructor – All Year
• Classroom Technology
• Library Support
• Earth Quake, Emergency & Safety Supplies
• General Support for Vintage

Requested donation listing multiple children discount and optional installment plans:

       Family of:                                                           Installment Plan:

• $125.00 – for 1 child                                       4 payments of $ 31.25 each
• $200.00 – for 2 children                                  4 payments of $ 50.00 each
• $270.00 – for 3 children                                  4 payments of $ 67.50 each
• $320.00 – for 4 or more children                    4 payments of $ 80.00 each

In return we have come up with rewards for your child.   If your child brings in:

$50.00 by Jan 30th                            They will be able to attend a lunch Dance Party with DJ and Ice Cream Party in the Spring

$125.00 or more by Sept 26th           Enjoy a Limo Ride to Chuck E Cheese’s in October with all of the above prizes                          . 

You should also know that PTA plans to run a Charleston Wrap/Kitchen catalog sale and a World’s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser during the school year. There will also be several community fundraising events including our annual Vintage auction.  The PTA Parent Liaison committee also runs monthly supply drives.  If you choose to participate in the Direct Donation Campaign, please feel free to opt out of the other PTA fundraising activities on campus at your discretion.

Also, there may be some fundraising activities by classrooms and grade levels for specific projects or events run through Student Body during the year.  We hope you will support these efforts.

Sincerely, Jeannie Doidge, Direct Donation Chairman and Vintage PTA

Give the cook the night off and come out and support Vintage PTA's fundraiser.  Bring the family, invite relatives and neighbors to join you.  On Wednesday, September 17th, from 5PM to closing, just present this flyer (see below) to your server and Islands Restaurant in Porter Ranch will donate 20% of your food and beverage purchases back to our school.

Islands is located conveniently north of the 118 Freeway, on Porter Ranch Drive, off of Rinaldi.

See you there... and thanks for your support!

DOWNLOADABLE FLYER

On most Banked Tuesdays, from 1:38 to 2:38 PM, the Computer Lab is open to students in grades 2 - 5 who stay after on the playground.  Computers are limited, so it is a first come basis.  Students may do research and homework, practice keyboarding, or enjoy the many educational links we have for them.