HEARTS and SOAR - SESSION 2

GREAT NEWS! Victoria has been funded for the After School HEARTS Program. HEARTS stands for Helping Elementary Achievers Reach the Stars. Its mission is provide a safe and positive learning environment for students after regular school hours. The program consists of daily educational, recreational and enrichment components. HEARTS runs Monday-Friday from the end of the school day until 6:00 p.m. starting on Monday, November 1, 2010 through the end of the school year. Students participating in HEARTS must attend daily. Bright pink applications were sent home last week. Additional applications are available in the office.

We are gearing up to begin our second session of SOAR (Structured Opportunities in Academics and Recreation). SOAR gives students the flexibility of attending selected classes verses attending HEARTS daily. Please note: students participating in HEARTS may also sign up of a SOAR class. They will be released to go to HEARTS at 4:00 p.m. following their SOAR class/club. Session 2 of SOAR will run November 1 - December 15 from 2:15-4:00 p.m.. The following classes/clubs will be offered this session:

• After School Intervention (continued from session 1): Mondays & Wednesdays (grades 2-6)
• Study Skills: Wednesdays (grades 4-6)
• Science Club: Mondays (grades 3-5)
• Glee Club: Tuesdays (grade 2-6)
• 6th Grade Math Tutoring: Monday & Wednesdays (grade 6)
• Victoria Road Runners: Tuesdays (grades 2-6)
• Drama Club: Mondays & Wednesdays (grades 2-6)
• Victoria Green Team: Tuesdays (grades 3-6)
• Cub Scouts: Mondays (boys in grades 1-5)

Again, students who attend HEARTS may also sign up for SOAR.

If you have any questions, send me an email at lanelson@rusd.k12.ca.us or call the office at 951-788-7441.

Victoria Students Dare to S.O.A.R.

The Victoria Staff knows that it is important for students to participate in structured activities outside of the regular school day. Therefore, this year we have created our own after school program for our students, titled “S.O.A.R.” (Structured Opportunities for Academics and Recreation)

Not only does our SOAR Program provide structured activities, but it also helps to foster a stronger connection between students and the school. SOAR is currently offered 3 days a week (Monday – Wednesday) until 4:00 pm. Busing is available to students who qualify. Students apply for or are invited to attend any or all days.

Mondays and Wednesdays are devoted to “Academics”. Tuesdays are the “Recreation” days. With enough student interest and volunteers to help us, we would like to extend our program to 4 days a week (adding Fridays).

We’ve divided the school year into five 6-week sessions. Session 1 began on September 20^th and end on October 27^th. Victoria staff and community volunteers have joined together to offer the following opportunities during this session: English Language Arts Intervention, Math Intervention, Science Club, Creative Writing – Poetry, Book Club (reading Eragon by Christopher Paolini), Cub Scouts, Kids’ Quilting Club (will make quilts and donate them to local hospitals), Green Team (gardening and recycling), Eagles’ Glee Club (choir), and Victoria Road Runners (physical exercise/conditioning for the upcoming Mission Inn 5K). We have almost 150 students participating in one or more activity!

Our next SOAR session will begin November 1 and will go for another 6 weeks, ending on December 16^th.

We are looking for enthusiastic people to contribute to our SOAR Program. Do you have an interest or hobby that you’d like to share with Victoria’s students? Do you know of any parents, friends, family, or community members that would be interested in helping us (time, talent, or materials)?

If you said yes to any of the above questions, please contact me via email lanelson@rusd.k12.ca.us or by phone 951-788-7441.

(Please note: All volunteers must get TB and fingerprint clearance.)