Full Time Edition
Join the FLVS Summer Brain Challenge!
By Guest Blogger on June 12th, 2015
Did you know your brain is constantly forming new neural connections?
Scientists have made amazing discoveries about the way our brain cells grow and form new circuits – even into adulthood. The trick to that growth is keeping them engaged by exploring new challenges and concepts.
This summer, we are challenging all of our students and their family and friends to show us what new connections your brain can make!
We’re hosting a video contest on social media asking you to show us your skills. All you have to do is share a short video of you learning something crazy and cool like this. Continue reading
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
By Guest Blogger on May 20th, 2015
FLVS Physical Education students may be who you think will be playing hard this month, but this is a call to action for all students, friends, and families.
As you’ll quickly see, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month is not just for PE students, it’s for everyone!
Read on…
But don’t expect to be here too long because soon it will be time to get going and leave your screen behind. Continue reading
FLVS Attends SpaceX CRS-6 Cargo Launch Mission
By Guest Blogger on April 23rd, 2015
On April 12-13, 2015, FLVS had the privilege of going on a behind-the-scenes tour at Kennedy Space Center and sharing the experience with our students.
During the virtual field trip, followers of our FLVS Twitter account were able to tune in live for video streaming made possible with the new social app, Periscope.
While anyone can watch streams broadcasted via Twitter on their desktop or mobile device, users with the mobile Periscope app were also able to post questions in real time. We were honored to have viewers from around the world engage with us throughout the event! Continue reading
Cash in on this Advice!
By Guest Blogger on April 21st, 2015
When I was a teen, my parents didn’t talk about finances with me, my twin sister, or older brother.
While my parents instilled values that prepared us for life after high school, financially we weren’t prepared. I had no clue how much electricity, water, food, and basic living expenses were. I made a car payment every month and paid my insurance, so I had that down. The rest was lost on me.
I’m no financial planner. Parents, you don’t have to be either to share financial knowledge with your student.
Students, your parents have a lot of experiential advice to offer.
Getting Past the Fear of DBAs
By Guest Blogger on March 19th, 2015
This article is based on student work published in the FLVS student newspaper, News in a Click.
If discussion-based assessments make you nervous, these tips from FLVS students may help!
DBAs are verbal assessments and are often the most dreaded assignments for FLVS students. Instead of comfortably typing essays and worksheets on their laptops, students communicate with an instructor one-on-one over the phone.
But why is this so terrifying? Surely the verbal component of the DBA is not intimidating, especially when the assignments are approached by the instructor as a conversation instead of an oral exam.
TIP: Did you know that DBAs can be completed in a live lesson setting or over a video call? Ask your teacher about this option! Learn more in this post about mastering the DBA.
However, if you compare talking on the phone for twenty minutes to being the only student called on to answer random questions for 20 minutes in a classroom, you can see why students are reluctant to dial their instructors’ numbers. Continue reading
Meet FLVS Students Ellie & Evie
By Guest Blogger on March 4th, 2015
With FLVS Shakespeare Fest just around the corner on April 13-14, it seems all of FLVS is a stage.
Our Student Spotlight this month features Evie and Ellie McPherson, two aspiring actresses who know the importance of learning their lines while keeping up with their academics.
The girls were bitten by the acting bug at an early age—Evie is a second-grade student and her sister Ellie is in third!
Ellie was cast in Seussical the Musical as Cindy Lou Who and Evie was intrigued after seeing her in rehearsals. It didn’t take long for Evie to get cast as the Young Kangaroo. That was all it took!
Give Thanks for Teachers
By Guest Blogger on November 25th, 2014
School is out this week in celebration of Thanksgiving, which seems appropriate, because this year I am most thankful for teachers. If there is a teacher at your pilgrim celebration, please let them have the biggest drumstick, the last piece of pumpkin pie, or the preferred napping spot in front of the football game. This year, more than ever, they have earned it.
Education is in a cycle of dramatic change (thankfully) but in lieu of a better system, traditional schools are placing more burdens on classroom teachers. Administrators add accountability metrics, but take away autonomy. Districts add high stakes testing, but take away class time for teaching. States add new standards, demand new teaching methods, and require new paperwork, while reducing budgets, salaries, and benefits. Not exactly what most teachers signed up for. Continue reading
Cave Bro is on the Loose!
By Guest Blogger on October 10th, 2014
If you’ve ever wanted to see what happens when you feed a caveman nothing but cupcakes, now’s your chance.
Florida Virtual School recently released Cave Bro in both the Google Play and iTunes stores. This free game teaches students how to make good nutritional choices in a fun and fast-paced style. Students can also experience Cave Bro in upcoming releases of the FLVS Health and PE courses.
Cave Bro has been frozen for more than 30,000 years, so needless to say he’s hungry and will eat anything. It’s up to players to decide what he eats, how much, and how often. Good choices win. Bad choices create one really cranky caveman.
Meet FLVS Student Logan Gatza
By Guest Blogger on August 14th, 2014
En garde! Fencing, swimming, running, shooting, and horseback riding…he may only be in elementary school, but 9-year-old Logan Gatza has quite a bit of sport in him! He recently took the silver medal at the USA Modern Pentathlon National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
What is modern pentathlon?
Modern pentathlon consists of fencing, swimming, running, shooting, and horseback riding. Two years ago, Logan started fencing at Winter Garden Fencing Academy. He first developed an interest in fencing because he thought it would be “a cool sport in which to compete.” Logan said he also thoroughly enjoys swords and the fact that “you get to face off against another opponent.”
Back-to-School Basics for Parents and Students
By Guest Blogger on August 12th, 2014
Every student and parent (well most of them anyway) gets excited for the start of a new school year. Students are ready to meet their new teachers, new classmates, show off their new clothes, and start the year off on the right foot.
Parents are excited too, but for different reasons. Usually they are just thrilled to get the kids out of the house, as the summer months can seem way too long for some parents.
The following is a list of tips to help students have a successful year – and that might even remind parents of some important strategies they should be utilizing. Continue reading