The Panther Post
"Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile." ~W.C. Bryant
Principal's Message
Dear Blackstock Families,
November is my favorite month. The weather gets crisper, colder, and it seems to kick off the holidays. It is the start of gatherings, whether it be with friends or family or both. It is also a time of reflection and gratefulness for what we have. I am certainly thankful for the many blessings in my life, including working with the amazing scholars, parents/caregivers, teachers, and support staff at Blackstock Jr. High School.
Even though the weather keeps changing on us the academic process here at the Blackstock is staying constant. Lots of learning and fun events have taken place at Blackstock during the first trimester. It’s hard to believe we are completing the first trimester this week.
Now that the trimester is over, we are eager to share ways to help your child continue to have success or achieve success at Blackstock. Parent conferences will be the week of November 28-December 9, 2022. You should have received your conference time if your child earned a below a 2.0 on their progress report.
Our Catch Up Club is now accepting students who need extra support. If your child is struggling with some classes, please contact the office for the Catch Up Club permission slip.
Parent Square is our new communication tool. Here is more information on how to download Parent Square.
During this first trimester ASB held elections. It was great to see our students participating in the democratic process. Thomas Jefferson said, “Education is the foundation of democracy.” At Blackstock we believe in instilling the importance of participating in the democratic process. The classroom is a training ground where children learn how to participate in the democratic process. One of the first items on ASBs agenda was to organize Red Ribbon Spirit Week. Our students truly enjoyed participating each day and dressing up while showing support for the drug free campaign.
Sports are back at Blackstock. Our football season has come to an end and now we are headed into the basketball season. Tryouts are taking place. Please have your child sign up if they are interested.
Lots of great things continue to happen at Blackstock and we look forward to continuing to offer the many support and enrichment programs. There is something for everyone at Blackstock. We feel truly grateful to be able to provide these opportunities for our students.
Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family. We will be off the week of November 21-25. We look forward to working with you throughout the remainder of the year.
Mark your calendar
November 11 - NO SCHOOL, Veteran's Day
November 21-25 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
November 28 - December 9 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
December 21 - Minimum Day
December 22 - January 4 - WINTER BREAK
Consechando Juntos
We are happy to share that University Culture has resumed it’s programming this academic year and we are hosting our first in-person conference since 2019! In partnership with Reiter Affiliated Companies, we recently launched Project COSECHA intended to serve our local farmworker families.
Cosechando Juntos will take place on Saturday, November 19th from 12:00-4:30p at CSU Channel Islands. Families will engage in bilingual workshops to learn about the college going process and network with other families and educators from the community.
This event offers free parking, transportation and lunch for our guests. Please share the information with your students and parents. Encourage families to RSVP via this link as soon as possible to reserve their seats! Registration is on a first come-first serve basis.
Thank you for your support. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Gracias,
Mónica Ocampo, Ed.D
Project Director, Channel Your Success
Student Academic Success & Equity Initiatives
Division of Academic Affairs
CSU Channel Islands | One University Dr. | Camarillo, CA 93012
PH: 805-437-3602 | Email: monica.ocampo@csuci.edu
Free Online Tutoring!!
About the program
The California State Library provides free online tutoring for California K-12 students, available through public libraries. Through HelpNow, live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards.
24/7 assistance is available in English and Spanish for Language Arts and Mathematics.
Every day between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm, assistance is available in core K-12 subjects in the following languages:
- English
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Vietnamese
- Tagalog
Tutors can provide a virtual whiteboard, conduct live audio interactions with students, and work with learners on a wide range of concepts. Students are expected to work through the content and learn from the feedback. Tutors do not provide answers — they provide guidance and help. Tutoring sessions may be monitored for completeness and pedagogical effectiveness. All tutors have passed background checks and possess, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree.
Anyone using a computer inside of California can benefit from the live “HelpNow” program. Simply click on this link to get started with a live tutoring session now. The average wait time is 23 seconds.
Additionally, users who have a valid library card can log into the service and receive additional benefits. Learners can request to continue working with their preferred tutors or access a “writing lab” to drop off written work and receive feedback. Students can pose a question and get a written answer returned to them, review past sessions, and send and receive messages to tutors and organize tasks.
The HelpNow app is available on iOs and Andriod platforms via their app stores. The app designed to function on smartphones as well as tablets.
The HelpNow platform is ADA compliant and offers a toll-free help number and an audio tutoring option. The service conforms to section 508 Standards developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative.
For more information, please email catutoring@library.ca.gov.
