Jordan McKinney, 16, is a 10th grade student in Springs’ Venture Online program. He lives in Eastvale. Among his many activities, Jordan likes playing on the Springs varsity basketball team.
Jordan McKinney, 16, is a 10th grade student in Springs’ Venture Online program. He lives in Eastvale. Among his many activities, Jordan likes playing on the Springs varsity basketball team.
Springs’ Montessori Voyage and Virtual Academy students went on a Safari Park Field Trip. More than 300 attended, reported Principal Lanise Goosby, and the outing “provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to explore lush gardens and witness remarkable wildlife.” The group took a tram ride through the African Plains, and had the chance to explore the Gorilla Forest, Nairobi Village and Tiger Trail.
Abe Wilson, 13, is a Homeschool student with Springs’ Venture Online program. He is in the 8th grade, and has been attending Springs since 5th grade. His family chose the Venture Online program, he said, because his parents wanted “to keep me safe from COVID and bullies.” Since then, he continued, “I have grown to love the curriculum, which provides me with a plethora of free time to perform my extracurricular activities.”
Learning Center students at Springs’ Enterprise Resource Center participated in a Fall Art Expo. There were 20 entries; grades K-8 participated. Staff voted on their favorite artists at each grade level. The next art expo will be Winter Wonderland-themed.
Scarlett Payne is a 3rd grade student currently enrolled in Springs’ Venture Online program. She attended a traditional school for 2nd grade but opted for Homeschool, she said, because “I really love homeschooling and how my mom plans field trips for us to go on. So far I’ve been to a bee farm, I learned to process a chicken (farm to table) and have gone to the La Brea Tar Pits, my favorite field trip so far.”
Springs students and National Honor Society (NHS) members Jessica Van Orman and Claire Zieber assisted four Inland Empire seniors with yard work as part of their involvement with Habitat for Humanity. Jessica is a Journey 11th grade student, and Claire is in 10th grade as part of the Keys program.
Springs’ Temecula Student Center (TSC) organized a Thanksgiving food drive, reported Principal Valerie Walker. Staff and families donated food which was donated to a local food bank, “ensuring that families in need within the community could enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving feast.”
Springs Homeschool held its math extravaganza with 130 students participating and Homeschool staff facilitating a day of game-based educational math activities. Play-based math allows students to “tackle activities with their creativity and perseverance, not memorized formulas or procedures,” explained Nikkole McAdoo, events and community engagement coordinator. “It strengthens physical, cognitive, social and emotional health. Self-directed exploration increases a student’s creativity and problem-solving skills.” The students worked together on strategic math puzzles and even made their own playdough as part of their measurements and fraction rotation.
The Rancho Cucamonga Learning Center students in the Adventures in Chemistry class borrowed high school molecular modeling kits and built molecule and compound models, reported Lori Loucks, Homeschool director. They had an introduction as to how atoms make up elements, how elements make compounds and how elements bond with other elements.
Springs Homeschool has completed the first of three six-week TK Hub sessions at the Enterprise, Hemet and Pathfinder Learning Centers. The hands on-classes utilize the Starfall Pre-K curriculum which integrates essential early literacy and math skills, science, health, creative arts, social studies, physical movement and social-emotional development, all under a framework of guided instruction and imaginative play.