Parent Edition
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
A Seatbelt Can Save
By Suzan Kurdak on April 12th, 2019
One of the many things I love about Tallahassee is the trees. Beautiful, shade-providing, mature live oaks. It’s the tree-lined entrance of my subdivision that captivated me at first site and drew me to live here. It’s so un-Florida like—feels more like North Carolina and my northeastern upbringing.
Earlier, as I left my home and got in my car to go meet a friend for a meal, I decided to make a quick phone call. Bluetooth can be a beautiful thing. The person who I had just called answered when I heard what sounded like a smash ahead of me. 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
Every Week Should be Children’s Week
By Suzan Kurdak on April 3rd, 2019
Do you feel that? It’s spring. Flashback with me to times of simple childhood pleasures…picking little bouquets of yellow dandelions, blowing on those puffy spheres to scatter the seeds in the wind. Using color chalk to play hopscotch in the driveway. And pinwheels. The simple joy of making those colorful curls whirl and twirl. Ah, simpler times with not a care in the world.
That was my childhood. Continue reading
FLVS Corkboard: Spring Edition
By The Virtual Voice on March 13th, 2019
Hey FLVSers! As we spring forward and March onward, we want to highlight some student activities in full bloom. (Don’t you just love puns!?) Continue reading
Helping Our Captains Succeed with FLVS Elementary
By Guest Blogger on March 12th, 2019
Learn more about one home educator’s FLVS Flex Elementary experience with her young student filmmakers and ambassadors dubbed “The Captains.” Whether your child has been enrolled for a few years or you’re new to FLVS, these tips can help your elementary student succeed!
As a mother and grandmother, the responsibility of educating our 8-year-old son, Captain A, and 7-year-old grandson, Captain SySy, weighs heavy on my heart and mind as their home educator. The world is not always a perfect place and people can be unkind, so our family strives every day to help our Captains be the best human beings they can be!
I am beyond grateful for our partnership with FLVS on our Captains’ education. The FLVS Flex Elementary team not only cares about making a difference and helping them to succeed in their educational lives, but also about their personal successes as future leaders. They have been a huge network of support in our Captains’ volunteering world.
The truth is, it isn’t always easy being a homeschool educator! Continue reading
Top 5 Myths About Online Learning
By Anne Flenner on February 28th, 2019
As a child, did you ever play the game telephone? It starts when one person whispers something into another person’s ear and then the message is passed down from person to person. At the end, the message is completely different from what was first whispered. We see this a lot in real life. Unless a person experiences something for themselves, they really don’t know what their message will be!
Online learning has been around for more than 20 years now, but there are still some messages that have been passed down throughout the years that aren’t exactly the “real” message.
Tips for Online Elementary School Success
By Allison Voltaire on February 25th, 2019
Have you ever wondered if your child could be successful taking online courses? Maybe you have enrolled your son or daughter, but now what? Embarking on an online schooling journey can be, and probably is, life-changing.
If your child is currently enrolled with FLVS Flex Elementary or you’re considering online learning for his or her education, we have put together some must-know tips to get the most out of your FLVS experience. Continue reading