Vivian Banks Charter School
Eagle's Nest News: August 29, 2025
Our first complete week!
Hello Vivian Banks families! Your children have been amazing following the new school expectations in their classrooms and demonsrating the Circle of courage traits of belonging, independence, mastery and generosity.
As we shared, we are focusing on the Circle of Courage for behavioral expectations this school year. Our students are being encouraged to demonstrate belonging by being safe, demonstrate mastery by being responsible, demonstrate independence by being respectful, and demonstrate generosity by being helpful. Many of our students have been celebrated for demonstrating these traits.
Labor day is this coming Monday. There will be no school. Please enjoy this time with your families!
Please take a moment to read our September calendar for upcoming events. Our first big family event will be the Fall festival. We will have carnival style games with prizes. This event will be free for families on September 19th from 4:30-6:30. We will sell food/drink items for a low price. We are looking for volunteers. If you have a high school student who would like to earn community service hours, please have them reach out to Miss Nancy in the school office or use the sign up genius link located below.
We also need to borrow shade pop ups for this event( 9 of them). If you have a pop up shade we can borrow, please contact Miss Nancy in the office to let us know. Thank you! This should be a fun, family event filled with games, nachos and prizes!
Our running club is back in full force! Students are taking the opportunity to walk/run laps before school, during recess, lunch recess and even in ASES! We are taking care of our body when we run/walk laps! Next Friday, September 5th from 8:15-8:35, we will have our first student recognition assembly in the cafeteria. Your child's teacher will let you know if your child is earning a special award. Please check out our new student shout out section and read about your amazing kids! We are proud of them!
Tina Calabrese
Principal
Vivian Banks Charter School
If you fly with the eagles, you will learn to soar!
A huge shout out to Mauvie, Ms. Hartland, Miss Jackie, Miss Ana, and Miss Nancy for phone calling all the families when our power went out!
A huge shout out to Ms. Amerson, Miss Flores, Mrs. Loredo, Mrs. Lyons, Ms. Jahde and Mrs. Dossey for supporting our students while they waited to be picked up!
Thank you Mr. Brian for your expert skills when the power went out!
We have an incredible team at Vivian Banks! Everyone supports the students and their colleagues!
Thank you families for sending your child to school every day on time! We had a 97.91% rate!
Vivian Banks Charter School Honoring Tradition. Empowering the Future.
Welcome to a brand new school year! As we begin the 2025–2026 school year, we want to take a moment to emphasize something that is absolutely essential to your child’s success—school attendance.
Showing up matters. When students are present at school—on time and ready to learn—they are better able to access high-quality instruction, build meaningful relationships, and stay on track academically. Research consistently shows that attendance is one of the strongest predictors of student achievement, especially in the early years when foundational skills are built.
Why Attendance Matters:
Every minute counts in the classroom. Learning is cumulative, and when students are absent or arrive late, they miss more than just a lesson—they miss opportunities to ask questions, practice skills, engage in discussions, and connect with their teacher and classmates.
Let’s break it down:
Scenario 1 day absent per month = 9 days per year ( 2 weeks of school missing 60 hours of instruction)
2 days absent per month = 18 days per year: classified as chronically absent: equivalent to nearly 4 weeks of school
10 minutes late per day = over 30 hours per year: that's nearly a full week of lost instructional time
Leaving early once a week= over 20 hours per year: misses critical end of the day routines, homework review, and closure of daily learning.
Even seemingly small amounts of missed time can add up. For example:
Missing just 2 days a month is 18 days a year, almost an entire month of school.
Arriving 15 minutes late every day is the same as missing two full weeks of school over the course of a year.
Attendance and Student Success:
Students with consistent attendance are more likely to:
Meet or exceed grade-level standards in reading and math
Build strong social-emotional skills and friendships
Develop healthy school habits that prepare them for middle school, high school, and beyond
Students who are frequently absent—especially in early grades—are at greater risk of falling behind, struggling academically, and eventually dropping out of school.
How Families Can Help:
We recognize that sometimes absences are unavoidable due to illness or emergencies. However, we ask for your support in making school attendance a top priority. Here are a few ways you can help:
Schedule routine appointments outside of school hours when possible
Ensure your child gets plenty of sleep and a consistent morning routine
Avoid extended vacations during the school year
Communicate with the school if you’re experiencing challenges getting your child to school—we’re here to help
Vivian Banks is Here to Support You
We are committed to partnering with families to ensure every child feels welcome, supported, and excited to come to school each day. If your child is facing any barriers—transportation, health concerns, anxiety, or other issues—please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Together, we can find a solution. Let’s work together to make this a year full of learning, growth, and success—for every student, every day.
Vivian Banks Charter School
Email: tina.calabrese@bonsallusd.com
Website: https://vb.bonsallusd.com/
Location: 11800 Pala Mission Road, Pala, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 742-3300
Follow us on instagram: vivianbankscharterschool