Homeschool Edition
FLVS Student Drafted by the Boston Red Sox
By Suzan Kurdak on June 17th, 2019
Jake Herbert is more than your average Spring 2019 gradate—this FLVS homeschool alum was drafted by the Boston Red Sox this month! The 18-year-old Polk county resident said, “To be drafted by the Boston Red Sox is a dream come true. It is the greatest achievement of my life so far.” Continue reading
FLVS Corkboard: Summer Edition
By The Virtual Voice on June 10th, 2019
Ah, summer. It’s the ideal time for hanging out with friends, heading to the pool or the beach, soaking up the warm weather, enjoying cookouts, reading good books, and maybe taking a vacation with family. It’s been a great year, and you’ve earned a break!
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” – John Lubbock
In between all the fun, be sure take a few minutes to catch up on FLVS happenings! Continue reading
Saturday Science: Creating Lava Lamps
By Guest Blogger on June 7th, 2019
Find Saturday Science instructions for creating your own lava lamp below!
Saturday Science is a monthly enrichment opportunity for FLVS elementary students and their families.
During these online sessions, we do an experiment together that helps us “see” and better understand various scientific concepts. Experiments are chosen to include materials commonly found at home or the local dollar store. A big emphasis is also placed on selecting experiments that require materials that might otherwise be thrown out after use, such as plastic water bottles, plastic bags, paper towel cardboard rolls, boxes, etc. Elementary students can perform the experiment live during time together or simply watch if they do not have the materials. All sessions are recorded so that if a student misses the “live” event or later acquires the materials, it can be viewed at any time.
As a teacher, it is my hope that Super Saturday Science helps create and/or deepen a love for science and hopefully plants a seed of interest that encourages our elementary students to pursue a career in science! Continue reading
Learn American Sign Language Online with ASL 1
By Guest Blogger on May 23rd, 2019
FLVS is now enrolling students in American Sign Language 1 for the 2019-20 school year!
Used by parents, professionals, athletes, public speakers, and others in various industries, American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the most popular language classes in colleges and universities. Learning ASL offers several benefits and marketable skills – from making you a better communicator to improving abstract thinking and hand/eye coordination.
As a full-credit elective, the course also counts as a world language credit for high school students. Explore cool features found in our new American Sign Language course below! Continue reading
Connecting through Creative Writing Club
By Guest Blogger on May 13th, 2019
This post was written by Lia, a student in the FLVS Creative Writing Club.
The Creative Writing Club is a place where students of Florida Virtual School (FLVS) can come together and appreciate the joys of writing. Being in virtual school, it can be hard to connect with other students, let alone find anyone who is interested in the same things as yourself.
This is where clubs have a huge role. They allow for students to connect in ways that would have been impossible on their own. The Creative Writing Club is only one of the FLVS clubs that do this. With more than 300 students, the Creative Writing Club is a popular choice for many students looking for a club. Continue reading
5 Lessons Learned from Elementary Career Day
By Allison Voltaire on May 2nd, 2019
How many kids dream of becoming an astronaut as a child?
At this year’s FLVS Flex Elementary Career Day, NASA Astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher shared a story that was out-of-this-world and inspired kids to never give up on their dreams. Dr. Fisher served as a Mission Specialist on the STS-51A Discovery in 1984. She was just one of our special guests who recently came to visit the virtual classrooms of our elementary students.
Here are just a few of the lessons our students learned at Career Day! Continue reading
8 Simple Rules for Homeschooling
By Anne Flenner on April 30th, 2019
Being a parent can be tough! However, being a student’s principal, school counselor, teacher, custodian, cafeteria worker, and bus driver can be just as tough. When you choose to homeschool your child in the state of Florida, you are taking on many additional hats and full control of your child’s education.
Do you know the “8 simple rules” of homeschooling in Florida? Continue reading
Brain Breaks for Online Elementary Students
By Cara Piper on April 11th, 2019
Brain breaks are a BIG part of most elementary classrooms that you will see today. These mental breaks help students refocus, get some wiggles out, and most importantly – have fun!
Setting aside time for brain breaks is important in every classroom, especially in the virtual world where a lot of time is spent on the computer. We are always looking for ways to get our kids UP and MOVING! Continue reading
Keeping the Student at the Center
By The Virtual Voice on April 10th, 2019
The 2017-18 school year marked the 20th anniversary of Florida Virtual School (FLVS). The 20-year anniversary of FLVS was not only a historic occasion for the first statewide Internet-based school in the United States, but also a significant and positive milestone for virtual education.
When founded in 1997, FLVS consisted of six teachers, four support staff, 77 enrollments, and six courses. The use of online education tools was still new for the high schoolers of 1997. Continue reading
10 Ways FLVS Benefits Homeschool Families
By Anne Flenner on April 5th, 2019
When families choose home education, it is often for the flexibility and ability to be in control of their child’s education. Florida Virtual School courses can serve as a complete curriculum or the perfect mix-and-match solution for home education families.
Below you’ll find just a few reasons why Homeschool + FLVS = the Perfect Equation!