Parent Edition
Every Student Succeeds
By Guest Blogger on March 21st, 2016
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The ESSA will replace the familiar No Child Left Behind Act as the federal government’s comprehensive legislation which governs education and, famously, accountability for schools, teachers, districts, and states.
This new collection of laws will certainly usher in a period of change for American schools – but just how much does it change, and when (and how) will that change occur? Continue reading
A Narrow Piece of Geography
By Guest Blogger on March 16th, 2016
This is the 11th post in a series by the Cooney family about their world travels, made possible by the flexible learning offered at FLVS.
Our around the world trek was accomplished in two stages.
The first lasted four months and we backpacked through Central and South America. After returning home for a short visit, we resumed our trek, which lasted seven months. During our odyssey, we traveled to six continents, visited 22 countries and covered more than 61,000 miles. Although we did circumnavigate the globe, the fact is we only traveled a narrow piece of geography.
No matter how well-traveled someone is, they tend to stay within the lines – back roads, hiking trails, plane routes and highways. We were no different. Through Central and South America, we traveled almost entirely by bus – from “chicken buses” packed with 30 people when there should have only been 15, to a luxury motor coach that had its equivalent of a flight attendant onboard. Continue reading
Are We Teaching Girls to Fear Failure?
By Guest Blogger on March 14th, 2016
March is Women’s History month, so what better time than now to ask a very important question:
Are we teaching our girls to fear failure?
Several months ago, my colleague Amy who teaches French for Florida Virtual School sent me an article on this very topic.
Of course Amy knew how passionate I am about fostering a growth mindset in all of our students, but when she sent me this article, the idea that maybe we need to look deeper into what we are teaching our girls really lit a fire inside me.
We have been researching the idea that we are teaching our girls to fear failure ever since – and the research is hard-hitting, significant, and extremely eye-opening. Continue reading
All About Accreditation
By Guest Blogger on March 9th, 2016
Accreditation can be a scary word to some educational organizations.
It signifies an up close and personal examination of people, processes, and results. It is often seen as negative – what you did wrong or what you failed to do at all. It doesn’t have to be that way and can be a very rewarding and critical activity for schools and education in general.
By its very name, it means, “the act of granting credit or recognition,” a positive action. Another definition says, “a voluntary method of quality assurance developed more than 100 years ago by American universities and secondary schools, and designed primarily to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational standards.” Continue reading
Optimizing Your Memory
By Guest Blogger on March 4th, 2016
First published by Genius Awakening
Practice makes perfect when it comes to just about anything, including your memory.
Developing techniques to hone your recall of everything from names and phone numbers to more complex processes can make a world of difference.
Here are some tips to help optimize your memory.
Put these into practice just a little bit each day to up your brain power. Continue reading
How Online Learning Helped our Dream Come True
By Guest Blogger on February 29th, 2016
This is the tenth post in a series by the Cooney family about their world travels, made possible by the flexible learning offered at FLVS.
As any parent knows who has children enrolled in an online learning program, there are pros and cons.
In most cases the pros outweigh the cons, which is why the number of options for online learning have exploded in recent years.
Whether someone is simply brushing up on basic skills, completing a Kindergarten-12 class or working on his or her PhD, online learning has become deeply rooted in our educational infrastructure.
Continue reading
FLVS Driver Education Course Tour
By Guest Blogger on February 16th, 2016
Looking to get your license (or your student’s license) in the near future?
If you’re at least 14.5 years old, the free Driver Education and Traffic Safety course at FLVS will help you prepare to obtain your Florida Learner’s Permit.
This half-credit course covers the rules of the road and gives students access to a variety of road simulations, giving them a chance to see real-world driving situations right from the computer.
Students who successfully complete the course receive the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education Training (TLSAE) waiver required to get their permit. They also have the opportunity to take their permit exam online with Driversed.com completely free. Continue reading
“Education for Everyone!”
By Guest Blogger on February 3rd, 2016
Think online learning is too difficult for students with unique abilities and needs? Think again.
Florida Virtual School has been a proud provider in education for students with unique abilities and needs for many years. Our teachers are trained to work with students and help them succeed and the data is showing just that…success!
Let’s take a look at the State funded Personalized Learning Scholarship Accounts (PLSA) program, now known as the Gardiner Scholarship. It launched in fall 2014 and allows parents to personalize their child’s education based on the individual needs of each unique eligible child. The funds can be used for therapeutic resources, tuition, tutoring, and even virtual school. During the 2014-15 school year, FLVS had 215 successfully completed courses from students with a PLSA. Of these courses, 99 percent were completed with a grade of A B, or C. A special thanks to the legislature and Governor Scott for expanding this program effective July 2016 through SB 672.
School Counselors Are Celebrated Nationally! School Counseling Week: Feb. 1–5, 2016
By Guest Blogger on February 2nd, 2016
From Feb. 1–5, 2016, Florida Virtual School celebrates National School Counseling Week. Each year we celebrate the unique contribution our professional school counselors, within FLVS and nationwide, contribute to our schools.
We celebrate the counselor who day after day helps our students prepare for life after high school. We celebrate the counselor who day after day helps our students learn from their failures and celebrate their victories, no matter how large or small. We celebrate the counselor who day after day helps our students learn to overcome personal and academic challenges so as to reach and build the future they seek. Continue reading
FLVS Anatomy and Physiology Course Tour
By Guest Blogger on January 26th, 2016
Have you ever wondered what makes your muscles sore after a workout?
Or why your heart starts racing when you’re startled? Are you interested in becoming a scientist or working in the medical field one day?
You can learn about all of this and more in Anatomy and Physiology at FLVS! This challenging (but fun) science course is like an owner’s manual for your body. Students not only learn about the body’s muscles, organs, bones, and blood vessels, but also how these parts work together. Our A&P course includes several hands-on activities, including interactive elements, labs, and even a virtual surgery. Continue reading