In January, a new 6th-12th grade alternative private school called Fusion Academy plans to open in Walnut Creek.

It will be the third Bay Area campus introduced in the past six months and the eighth campus to open in the state since February, 2010, according to a news release I received today.

More information about the school — which features flex schedules, one-to-one teaching and no homework — is available at an informational meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the Blackhawk Country Club.

Here are details from the news release:

“Fusion Academy & Learning Center Walnut Creek is modeled after Fusion Academy & Learning Center Solana Beach, which has provided one-to-one teaching and life skills programs to students for more than 20 years. Students may attend Fusion Academy full time or enroll in after-school programs as an educational supplement.

The Walnut Creek campus will be open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., providing students and families with optimal flexibility with scheduling.

‘We’re excited to continue our growth across the Bay Area and throughout California with the opening of our campus in Walnut Creek,’ said Michelle Rose Gilman, founder and president of Fusion Academy. ‘While many traditional schools do an excellent job in educating children, there are some children whose needs require an individualized approach, an education that is tailored specifically to their interests to maximize engagement and retention. Our objective is to reach those students.’

Parents interested in learning more about Fusion Academy Walnut Creek are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at Blackhawk Country Club (599 Blackhawk Club in Danville) on Wednesday, October 19 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For more information about Fusion Academy & Learning Center Walnut Creek, please call 866-620-7922 or visit http://www.fusionwalnutcreek.com.

About Fusion Academy and Learning Center:

Fusion Academy and Learning Center offers students in grades 6 through 12 an alternative to the traditional classroom setting through one-to-one teaching and customized academic programs. Through individual mentoring, teaching and custom-tailored programs, each student’s unique talents are both recognized and encouraged in a positive environment. Fusion Learning Center offers one-to-one tutoring, mentoring, independent studies and test preparation, as well as a rich music and art program.”

Do you believe families in the Walnut Creek area would benefit from this new education option?

Congratulations to Kate Anoufrieva, a Walnut Creek Intermediate eighth-grader, who represented Contra Costa County in the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Tuesday and Wednesday, after winning the county bee in March!

Although Kate didn’t advance to the semi-finals today (Thursday), her school is thrilled that she made it all the way to the national competition, where she competed against 274 of the top middle and high school spellers from around the country.

“We are just proud of Kate and her accomplishments and so proud of her representing WCI and the whole Walnut Creek school district,” said Kevin Collins, principal of Walnut Creek Intermediate. “I can’t rmember ever having a student from here going to the national bee. It’s just a tremendous honor for Kate and we are truly just so proud of her.”

Kate and her mother traveled to Maryland, where she took a written test consisting of 25 words on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, Kate participated in two preliminary spelling rounds, where she correctly spelled “aerobicize” and “Eocene” (a geologic time period.)

Judges selected 41 semi-finalists based on students’ performance on the written test, as well as the preliminary rounds. The bee didn’t release the results of the written test to the media, but representatives told me in a phone interview that Kate must have been eliminated based on her written test.

Here are the words on the written test:

1. fourteen
2. drowsy
3. wasteland
4. secrecy
5.generate
6. normalize
7. youthquake
8. unswerving
9. remembrance
10. electromagnetic
11. appointee
12. oracular
13. theatricality
14. benediction
15. quietive
16. jiggety
17. infobahn
18. calenture
19. bonobo
20. pinealectomy
21. Kafkaesque
22. monodomous
23. vitelliine
24. acetarious
25. hukilau

You can watch the championship round online today at http://www.spellingbee.com/about-bee-week.

Do you think spelling is an important skill?

By Theresa Harrington

The Walnut Creek police issued the following community alert at 8:11 a.m. today (Tuesday):

“Police are investigating a suspicious package near Buena Vista Elementary School**. Avoid area.

The Walnut Creek Bomb Squad is responding to the north parking lot of Buena Vista Elementaty School to investigate a suspicious package that was left in the lot. Residents on Alvarado Avenue have evacuated or are sheltering in place. San Juan Avenue is closed to traffic. Alvarado Avenue is closed to traffic from Buena Vista Avenue to San Juan Avenue. Buena Vista School staff have been notified and students will remain in the school buildings. It is suggested that people stay out of the area until further notice.”

Further details are at https://local.nixle.com/alert/4641066/?sub_id=215768

By Theresa Harrington
The Walnut Creek School District has sent out the following warning regarding a man who reportedly approached a Buena Vista Elementary student last week:

“August 30, 2010
Dear Walnut Creek School District Community,
We had a serious incident at Buena Vista School on Friday evening. A fourth grade student was leaving the Buena Vista campus after 5:00 p.m. by herself after attending our after-school program.
A man described as white, approximately 55 years old, with blond hair, approached the fourth grader in an older large white model convertible. He spoke to her first in his car and then on foot. The adult did not touch or threaten the student.
The student ran home, informed her parents. The Walnut Creek Police Department were contacted immediately and responded immediately.
WCPD recommend that all of us remind students:
Avoid walking alone when walking to and from school.
Do not talk to strangers.
Report any suspicious or awkward situations immediately to an adult and/or the police.
Your student’s safety is our highest concern.
Sincerely,
Patricia Wool, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Walnut Creek School District
pwool@wcsd.k12.ca.us”