Parent Edition
FLVS Corkboard: Back to School Edition
By Florida Virtual School on August 24th, 2017
Some of you may be new to FLVS and others have been with us through the summer, but we want to officially welcome everyone to the start of the 2017-18 school year!
This year marks our 20th anniversary, and we could not be more excited. FLVS has come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1997 when we opened our virtual doors. Now we are celebrating 20 years of innovative student learning! Check out our video, milestones, pinboard, and more at flvs.net/20-years.
You can also subscribe to the blog to view our 20-year series! Continue reading
Inspirational Quotes to Share with Students
By Guest Blogger on August 17th, 2017
School counselors are in the unique position to support students with issues related to both school and home life. They are trained to provide counseling and guidance to students of all ages.
This guidance may take the form of one-on-one sessions or phone calls with online students, presentations to high school classes about college applications, family support and information nights, or small group peer-relation work. Continue reading
Hello New School Year – Elementary Edition
By Guest Blogger on August 11th, 2017
FLVS Flex Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. Our teachers can’t wait for another amazing year, but we couldn’t do it without the support of our amazing elementary parents!
The beginning of a new school year brings much excitement and questions tend to follow. There are questions from parents, questions from students, and questions from our FLVS Flex Elementary teachers who want to know how to best serve their students. Continue reading
FLVS Flex Elementary Adds Special Area Classes
By Guest Blogger on August 7th, 2017
Butterflies in my belly! I can’t wait for August 14 – the first day of school.
I never sleep the night before the first day of school each year. I’m so excited to meet our new children and families, and even though we’ve done welcome calls and seen students and parents at our Open House, nothing replaces ClassTime with our Kindergarten-5 kids.
As the principal of our unique online elementary program, I get more excited with every passing day. Continue reading
If You Build It, They Will Come
By Guest Blogger on July 31st, 2017
It was late 1997. A group of six teachers and four support personnel had spent five months learning about teaching online from any source we could find.
We were building courses in Lotus Learning Space, and preparing to register kids for this new thing called Florida High School. There had been tears, there had been elation, and there had been a lot of supposition about what teaching online meant.
We nervously sat around a small round conference table waiting for the phone to ring after we opened registration for the first time ever. We kept saying to each other, “If we build it, they will come,” but would students really want to try this? The “Web School” pilot in Orange County in the 1996-97 school year drew some students, so we had hope.
Finally, after an excruciating wait, the phone rang. We had our first student! Continue reading
FLVS Flex Elementary Enrollment Now Open
By Florida Virtual School on July 25th, 2017
August is just around the corner and that means it’s time to begin planning to go back to school!
Last month, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill which included language to remove eligibility requirements for certain elementary students wishing to enroll in FLVS. This means that ALL Kindergarten-12th grade students in Florida are now able to enroll in FLVS – including our Flex Elementary classes!
FLVS Flex Elementary is an innovative program free to all Florida students in Kindergarten-5th grade, and enrollment is underway.
The program follows a semester-based schedule with flexible enrollment options available during the school year, allowing students to complete assignments following a suggested weekly pace with parent guidance.
Scheduling can be adjusted to accommodate each student’s needs and enrollment date. Students meet with classmates and their teacher twice a week for online live video lessons or “Class Time,” giving them an opportunity to interact in real time. Continue reading
Rock On: Expert Advice from Two Master Teachers
By Florida Virtual School on July 20th, 2017
Every time I look back at my career as a teacher, I realize how far I have come.
What I find truly astounding is that what made the most impact in my practice was not learned in the resounding hallways of my Alma Mater or the momentous conference rooms of the many in-service training sessions I’ve completed, but interacting and networking with my peers. Sometimes I will get the best idea from asking a question or brainstorming in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) session.
And just like a movie flashback, I am back at the topic for this blog!
I wanted to ask some questions to our teachers that everyone else also asks. It was difficult to single out one or two teachers, because here at FLVS I feel that I am teaching in the middle of a rock festival and every teacher I know is a rock star!
To narrow it down, I reached out to two of our Teacher of the Year nominees, Amsler Burns and Kellie Shellenberger. Continue reading
FLVS Corkboard: June Highlights
By Florida Virtual School on June 20th, 2017
Hey students and parents—Summer’s in full swing and we have some sun-sational tidbits to share!
But first, a few reminders…
Mark your calendar for the upcoming holiday! In observance of Independence Day, the week of July 3rd (July 3-7) has been designated a holiday break for all FLVS instructors and support staff. The Customer Service Center will be closed on Monday, July 4 only. Students are encouraged to continue their studies as courses remain open, but please be mindful that there will be a brief delay in teacher response. Have a wonderful and safe holiday!
Planning to take FLVS courses this summer? There’s still time to sign up, but don’t delay. Start by browsing our featured summer courses.
Ready to get started? Sign up today! Continue reading
FLVS Full Time Honors Graduating Seniors at Commencement
By Guest Blogger on May 30th, 2017
FLVS Full Time, our statewide online public school option for students in grades Kindergarten-12, will host their high school commencement ceremony today at 3 p.m. at the CFE Arena, located on the campus of the University of Central Florida.
FLVS Full Time will graduate more than 750 students, the school’s largest class to date. Approximately 385 students from across the state are expected to attend the commencement ceremony for the traditional march. Family, friends, teachers, and representatives from FLVS Full Time will celebrate the students’ successes, with remarks from FLVS Full Time Senior Class President Mari Rosales and National Honor Society President Olivia Horne.
The FLVS Full Time Class of 2017 has been awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships, and more than 60 percent of the graduates plan to attend two- or four-year colleges or universities. Notable college acceptances include Brigham Young, University of Central Florida, Columbia, Cornell, University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, Penn State, Stanford, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. Continue reading
Military Crossroads with Career and Technical Education (CTE)
By Florida Virtual School on May 26th, 2017
Michael Francis, U.S. Army Sergeant
From 2000 to 2004, I was an active duty Soldier in the United States Army and have been in the Florida Army National Guard since 2005.
There are many parts of my military career that stand out in my memory. Basic training, my drill sergeant during the hot summer at Fort Jackson, being in my promotion board during the September 11 attacks, being deployed during multiple state emergencies, and so much more. Most recently, and regardless of political platform, I was honored to play a role in our democracy by providing security support for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration in D.C.
However, these memories and events are not what changed me the most.
Instead, it is the military’s connection with CTE that has been the most valuable. That connection positively affected my personal life, my educational pursuits, and my civilian career.
Although military life is not for everyone, the skills and knowledge that are integrated within CTE are for everyone, whether an Army future is in the cards or not.