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Congratulations Miranda Florez! An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Miranda because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Miranda! - and so proud of you! | Congratulations Jordan Zajonc! An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Jordan because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Jordan! - and so proud of you! | Congratulations Charlene Campton! An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Charlene. We are so happy for you, Charlene! (Over 20 friends and family members attended - the most we've ever had - in 30 years!) |
Congratulations Miranda Florez!
An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Miranda because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Miranda! - and so proud of you!
Congratulations Jordan Zajonc!
An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Jordan because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Jordan! - and so proud of you!
Congratulations Charlene Campton!
An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Charlene. We are so happy for you, Charlene! (Over 20 friends and family members attended - the most we've ever had - in 30 years!)
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Congratulations Abbi Grogan! An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Abbi because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Abbi! And so proud of you! | Congratulations Cece Illingworth! An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Cece because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Cece! And so proud of you! |
Congratulations Abbi Grogan!
An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Abbi because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Abbi! And so proud of you!
Congratulations Cece Illingworth!
An individual Bell Ringing Ceremony just for Cece because she graduated early (at least 1 week early). We are so happy for you, Cece! And so proud of you!
~Trisha Shew & Change & Growth ~
Sadly, our long-time senior-school-secretary, Trisha Shew, has been transferred to Cherry Valley School, which is a beautiful K-8 school also in the Petaluma City School district. We will miss Trisha so much (an understatement!!) - her friendship, her laugh, her bright ideas for school improvement, her problem-solving, her compassion, her skills with students and families, and her high level of energy and efficiency and experience with Independent Study. She has been the engine of Valley Oaks for the last eight happy years! Going forward, Valley Oaks will be getting a part-time school secretary who will work closely with the San Antonio High School senior-secretary. There will also be a part-time assistant principal for Valley Oaks. We are really going to sorely miss Trisha, but we also plan on making this a very strong and smooth transition, keeping Valley Oaks as successful as it has always been!
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Congratulations!... Bright News! Student for April, Channing Matthews Sophomore Channing Matthews was unanimously chosen by all staff members to be our April Bright News! student. Channing was given a candy lei and her photo is now hanging on our Bright News! wall. All staff created a Bright News! letter that was mailed to her family. We are so proud of you, Channing! All students who have demonstrated academic excellence in the past month are discussed at staff meetings and one is chosen to be honored. Our Bright News! form letter is posted on our website. | Congratulations!... Bright News! Student for May, Brenda Amador Freshman Brenda Amador was unanimously chosen by all staff members to be our May Bright News! student. Brenda was given a candy lei and her photo is now hanging on our Bright News! wall. All staff created a Bright News! letter that was mailed to her family. We are so proud of you, Brenda! All students who have demonstrated academic excellence in the past month are discussed at staff meetings and one is chosen to be honored. Our Bright News! form letter is posted on our website. |
Congratulations!... Bright News! Student for April, Channing Matthews
Sophomore Channing Matthews was unanimously chosen by all staff members to be our April Bright News! student. Channing was given a candy lei and her photo is now hanging on our Bright News! wall. All staff created a Bright News! letter that was mailed to her family. We are so proud of you, Channing! All students who have demonstrated academic excellence in the past month are discussed at staff meetings and one is chosen to be honored. Our Bright News! form letter is posted on our website.
Congratulations!... Bright News! Student for May, Brenda Amador
Freshman Brenda Amador was unanimously chosen by all staff members to be our May Bright News! student. Brenda was given a candy lei and her photo is now hanging on our Bright News! wall. All staff created a Bright News! letter that was mailed to her family. We are so proud of you, Brenda! All students who have demonstrated academic excellence in the past month are discussed at staff meetings and one is chosen to be honored. Our Bright News! form letter is posted on our website.
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PCS School Board Members Come to a Staff Meeting VOS staff was lucky and very appreciative to have the Petaluma City Schools School Board members come to one of our staff meetings last month and have small group discussions with us about our concerns and interests. We felt that they were all very interested in our school, positive, and encouraging. One of the school board members shared that while at PHS, her best friend transferred to Valley Oaks and had a very good experience. Ms. Lofton also did a slide presentation for them about VOS. School Board members: Ellen Webster, Mady Cloud, Sheldon Gen, Joanna Paun, and Caitlin Quinn | 7th & 11th Graders Prepare to Start the State Testing in Building #2 Students took a minute to pose for a photo before starting the day's test on the laptops. From left to right: Minna Stess (7th), Felipe Jimenez, Flynn Loveless, Holland Nieuwboer-Bas, April Adelman, Harland McCready (7th - way back), Jade Polaski, Brenna Boyle, Althea Patchett, Madison Cathcart, Emily Nelson-Walker, Shelby Curr, and Aubriana Bossaller | Digital Portfolio Open House Night Our first ever Portfolio Night Open House was very exciting for staff members. We have never had such a large turn-out for Open House! We were very proud of the students that attended and had prepared their portfolio of work samples from all their courses. We will be brainstorming ways to make it even more successful next year! Pictured here in the foreground are sophomore Devin Jones and his mother and freshman Henry Wilson and his mother. |
PCS School Board Members Come to a Staff Meeting
VOS staff was lucky and very appreciative to have the Petaluma City Schools School Board members come to one of our staff meetings last month and have small group discussions with us about our concerns and interests. We felt that they were all very interested in our school, positive, and encouraging. One of the school board members shared that while at PHS, her best friend transferred to Valley Oaks and had a very good experience. Ms. Lofton also did a slide presentation for them about VOS.
School Board members: Ellen Webster, Mady Cloud, Sheldon Gen, Joanna Paun, and Caitlin Quinn
7th & 11th Graders Prepare to Start the State Testing in Building #2
Students took a minute to pose for a photo before starting the day's test on the laptops.
From left to right: Minna Stess (7th), Felipe Jimenez, Flynn Loveless, Holland Nieuwboer-Bas, April Adelman, Harland McCready (7th - way back), Jade Polaski, Brenna Boyle, Althea Patchett, Madison Cathcart, Emily Nelson-Walker, Shelby Curr, and Aubriana Bossaller
Digital Portfolio Open House Night
Our first ever Portfolio Night Open House was very exciting for staff members. We have never had such a large turn-out for Open House! We were very proud of the students that attended and had prepared their portfolio of work samples from all their courses. We will be brainstorming ways to make it even more successful next year!
Pictured here in the foreground are sophomore Devin Jones and his mother and freshman Henry Wilson and his mother.
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Newcomer ~ Shelby Curr Junior Shelby Curr who has lived in Petaluma her whole life, has played competitive basketball continuously since 1st grade. She came to us from St. Vincent's where she was both a strong student and on the basketball team but she came down with Celiac disease and started missing a lot of school. This is an immune disease in which people cannot eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. Shelby plans to stay with us and become a VOS grad. She intends to go to Empire College, a private business school in Santa Rosa, and study accounting. Valley Oaks is working out well for Shelby who says she still has all her friends that she hangs out with - in addition to hanging out with her mini Aussie Shepherd. She plans to get a job soon and really appreciates both being able to do her schoolwork at her own pace and being able to sleep in! The most crazy-fun she has ever had? - lining up for and doing a huge Tarzan Swing Free Fall in Oregon! | Newcomer ~ Emily Nelson-Walker Junior Emily Nelson-Walker came to us from PHS primarily to be freed from the negative aspects of the typical high school "social scene". She loves music. She used to play clarinet and flute but now sticks with guitar, and she loves photography, a hobby she started in 8th grade. She enjoys nature photography using her professional Cannon camera. Emily will go to SRJC after graduating and then transfer to a university for training in a medical field. She very confidently confirms that she does not get grossed-out by cadavers or blood! Although dealing with isolation issues is common for independent study students, Emily says her close friends still stick by her even though she is not at PHS. Like Shelby, Emily's favorite thing about VOS is that she can do her school work at her own pace "and still learn the same amount" in the end. The most crazy-fun she has ever had? - maybe an incredible zip line in Calistoga that sped through the redwoods! |
Newcomer ~ Shelby Curr
Junior Shelby Curr who has lived in Petaluma her whole life, has played competitive basketball continuously since 1st grade. She came to us from St. Vincent's where she was both a strong student and on the basketball team but she came down with Celiac disease and started missing a lot of school. This is an immune disease in which people cannot eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. Shelby plans to stay with us and become a VOS grad. She intends to go to Empire College, a private business school in Santa Rosa, and study accounting. Valley Oaks is working out well for Shelby who says she still has all her friends that she hangs out with - in addition to hanging out with her mini Aussie Shepherd. She plans to get a job soon and really appreciates both being able to do her schoolwork at her own pace and being able to sleep in! The most crazy-fun she has ever had? - lining up for and doing a huge Tarzan Swing Free Fall in Oregon!
Newcomer ~ Emily Nelson-Walker
Junior Emily Nelson-Walker came to us from PHS primarily to be freed from the negative aspects of the typical high school "social scene". She loves music. She used to play clarinet and flute but now sticks with guitar, and she loves photography, a hobby she started in 8th grade. She enjoys nature photography using her professional Cannon camera. Emily will go to SRJC after graduating and then transfer to a university for training in a medical field. She very confidently confirms that she does not get grossed-out by cadavers or blood! Although dealing with isolation issues is common for independent study students, Emily says her close friends still stick by her even though she is not at PHS. Like Shelby, Emily's favorite thing about VOS is that she can do her school work at her own pace "and still learn the same amount" in the end. The most crazy-fun she has ever had? - maybe an incredible zip line in Calistoga that sped through the redwoods!
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Interview of a Staff Member ~ teacher, Terese Abelli-Amen Ms. Abelli-Amen was born and raised in Massachusetts on a beach known as the "south shore" just north of Cape Cod and very close to the famous Pilgrim Rock! She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Geochemistry from the Massachusetts State University there on the south shore. Her next move had to have taken a lot of courage - she admitted to feeling some trepidation about it! Her mom even made sure she had a round-trip ticket to allow her to immediately change her mind once there and come home. She decided to move across the entire country away from her large loving family and pretty beach to attend foggy Humbolt State University in the very northwest corner of California. She earned her Masters Degree there in Geology and Environmental Systems. She also met her husband there who, after their wedding in New Hampshire, eventually took a job in Petaluma. Please click here to continue reading and to see some fun photos! | Interview of a Staff Member ~ senior school secretary, Trisha Shew Trisha Shew grew up in Eureka, California, and attended schools there all the way through her first semester at College of the Redwoods when she got married at just 18 years old. Her husband was in the Coast Guard and his assignments took them from Cape Disappointment, Washington, to Cape Cod, Massachusetts and then to Two Rock right here in Petaluma. Trisha says she "loved traveling and discovering the treasures of new places and making new friends." Trisha says that she and the other Coast Guard wives became like family and they were a great support for each other when their husbands were "at sea" for weeks or months at a time - especially during the holidays. Fond memories of Cape Cod include very cheap lobster and huge "Crab Fests" in the base housing neighborhood. Please click here to continue reading this story. |
Interview of a Staff Member ~ teacher, Terese Abelli-Amen
Ms. Abelli-Amen was born and raised in Massachusetts on a beach known as the "south shore" just north of Cape Cod and very close to the famous Pilgrim Rock! She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Geochemistry from the Massachusetts State University there on the south shore. Her next move had to have taken a lot of courage - she admitted to feeling some trepidation about it! Her mom even made sure she had a round-trip ticket to allow her to immediately change her mind once there and come home. She decided to move across the entire country away from her large loving family and pretty beach to attend foggy Humbolt State University in the very northwest corner of California. She earned her Masters Degree there in Geology and Environmental Systems. She also met her husband there who, after their wedding in New Hampshire, eventually took a job in Petaluma. Please click here to continue reading and to see some fun photos!
Interview of a Staff Member ~ senior school secretary, Trisha Shew
Trisha Shew grew up in Eureka, California, and attended schools there all the way through her first semester at College of the Redwoods when she got married at just 18 years old. Her husband was in the Coast Guard and his assignments took them from Cape Disappointment, Washington, to Cape Cod, Massachusetts and then to Two Rock right here in Petaluma. Trisha says she "loved traveling and discovering the treasures of new places and making new friends." Trisha says that she and the other Coast Guard wives became like family and they were a great support for each other when their husbands were "at sea" for weeks or months at a time - especially during the holidays. Fond memories of Cape Cod include very cheap lobster and huge "Crab Fests" in the base housing neighborhood. Please click here to continue reading this story.
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Community Service ~ Jordan Zajonc Senior Jordan Zajonc decided to spend her required 5 hours of community service gardening! Jordan has a passion for flowers and plants and helped us by beautifying the front garden beds by weeding and planting poppies and a lavender plant. Thank you, Jordan - how cheerful the blooming poppies are now! | ~ Ms. Kesseru ~ thank you!!! Ms. Kesseru spent numerous hours pulling the crab grass weeds from our middle garden area in order to prepare for a delivery of bark. One recent Saturday morning, she and one of her sons with a truck then spread donated bark chips and edged the bed with pretty stones. It looks absolutely lovely! What a difference! Thank you, Ms. Kesseru. | Community Service ~ Henry Wilson, Ian Peracca, & Jayley Jackson Thanks to freshman Henry Wilson (left) and sophomore Ian Peracca (right) for presenting at the most recent school board meeting! Please click here for the story and three more pictures. |
Community Service ~ Jordan Zajonc
Senior Jordan Zajonc decided to spend her required 5 hours of community service gardening! Jordan has a passion for flowers and plants and helped us by beautifying the front garden beds by weeding and planting poppies and a lavender plant. Thank you, Jordan - how cheerful the blooming poppies are now!
~ Ms. Kesseru ~ thank you!!!
Ms. Kesseru spent numerous hours pulling the crab grass weeds from our middle garden area in order to prepare for a delivery of bark. One recent Saturday morning, she and one of her sons with a truck then spread donated bark chips and edged the bed with pretty stones. It looks absolutely lovely! What a difference! Thank you, Ms. Kesseru.
Community Service ~ Henry Wilson, Ian Peracca, & Jayley Jackson
Thanks to freshman Henry Wilson (left) and sophomore Ian Peracca (right) for presenting at the most recent school board meeting! Please click here for the story and three more pictures.
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1st Group Meeting for My 10 Year Plan course Freshmen Brenda Amador and Nicholas Barajas study their new course books at their first group meeting at the kitchen round table in building #2. All freshman are required to take this 5 credit course. All high school students are welcome to take it. At the groups, students share-out their work from the week and then watch and discuss inspirational videos. Aside from the group time, the course is an online course. Students choose to do between 2.5 hours per week and 10 hours per week. Although there are no tests or big projects, this is a difficult course that requires higher level thinking skills, critical thinking, and lots of online research. | Madison Cathcart at Her Job Junior Madison Cathcart works at Caprara's Pizzeria in beautiful Penngrove. Madison earned 10 elective credits this past semester in the OWE course. She loves her job, her co-workers, and the tips! Caprara's is lucky to have such a conscientious, friendly and hard worker! This reviewer found the service to be awesome, the food of excellent quality, and the restaurant itself very attractive! | P.E. Group Work Out The San Antonio gym is where we go to do our Group Work Outs after the San Antonio students have gone for the day. The gym has bikes, jump ropes, weights, mats, a bathroom, and best of all... air conditioning! This is our group from Friday, May 10th. From left to right: Ian Peracca, Aubriana Bossaller, Sophia Bauer, and Brenda Amador. |
1st Group Meeting for My 10 Year Plan course
Freshmen Brenda Amador and Nicholas Barajas study their new course books at their first group meeting at the kitchen round table in building #2. All freshman are required to take this 5 credit course. All high school students are welcome to take it. At the groups, students share-out their work from the week and then watch and discuss inspirational videos. Aside from the group time, the course is an online course. Students choose to do between 2.5 hours per week and 10 hours per week. Although there are no tests or big projects, this is a difficult course that requires higher level thinking skills, critical thinking, and lots of online research.
Madison Cathcart at Her Job
Junior Madison Cathcart works at Caprara's Pizzeria in beautiful Penngrove. Madison earned 10 elective credits this past semester in the OWE course. She loves her job, her co-workers, and the tips! Caprara's is lucky to have such a conscientious, friendly and hard worker! This reviewer found the service to be awesome, the food of excellent quality, and the restaurant itself very attractive!
P.E. Group Work Out
The San Antonio gym is where we go to do our Group Work Outs after the San Antonio students have gone for the day. The gym has bikes, jump ropes, weights, mats, a bathroom, and best of all... air conditioning! This is our group from Friday, May 10th. From left to right: Ian Peracca, Aubriana Bossaller, Sophia Bauer, and Brenda Amador.
Schedule an Appointment with Mr. Jamerson, VOS Academic Counselor
Simply click on this link to his calendar and choose your time and day. Meet with him to talk and get advice and help - transcripts, grades, personal issues, academic issues, co-enrolling (SRJC, PHS, Casa, online schools like BYU), job applications, PSAT, SAT, awards, scholarships, financial aid, careers, college applications, summer school, etc.
Past Newsletters
Find and read past newsletters posted on our school website under Our School.
Newsletter Dates: September 1st, October 1st, November 1st, December 21st, February 1st, March 1st, April 1st, May 21st
