The Virtual Voice

Community

FLVS Students Exceed Community Service Goal

By on July 22nd, 2020

It’s no secret that our Florida Virtual School (FLVS) students are amazing and take their education seriously, but did you know many of our students also have a penchant for generously volunteering in their communities? This 2019-20 school year, Mae Martin, Student Activities Coordinator, reported that FLVS Student Club members completed 3,439 volunteer hours, surpassing last year’s total and goal. Additionally, FLVS Full Time High School students recorded nearly 31,000 cumulative community service hours that qualify for Bright Future Scholarships when they graduate.

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Friendships Formed through FLVS Full Time

By on April 19th, 2019

This post was written by 2018-19 FLVS Full Time Senior Class President, Carson Brown.

In February of this year, I had the privilege of meeting a friend in person on our schoolwide field trip to SeaWorld. The first interaction I had with my peer was online while participating in 2018 Shark Week – a virtual event hosted by our student council that consisted of five days devoted to networking for FLVS students. I watched the live chat as students showcased their Halloween costumes on “Wacky Wear Wednesday.” One particular comment that caught my eye was an unassuming, clear statement. I’ll never forget the words he wrote.

“This is so cool!” the comment began. “I have found my people.” Continue reading

FLVS Flex Elementary Gives Students Unique Opportunities

By on May 8th, 2017

This article was originally written and published in the FLVS student newspaper, News in a Click.

FLVS Flex Elementary InfoThe Florida Virtual School Flex Elementary program provides students with a flexible learning schedule and opportunities to pursue passions such as gymnastics, coding, or art at a young age.

“The program was created and is centered around the students,” said Rick Rizzo, FLVS Flex Instructional Leader. The program typically consists of five comprehensive classes: Reading, Technology, Science, Social Studies and Mathematics.

The typical week for a student includes three independent working days, and two teacher-led days of class time, comparable to the live lessons from the middle and high school program of FLVS. “The Class Time sessions allow the teacher and students to develop positive relationships and create a school/classroom community,” said Rizzo. “The students enjoy interacting with the teacher and really get excited to see their online friends each week.” Continue reading

How Career & Technical Education Changed My Life

By on February 21st, 2017

CTE_Blog_CoverIn honor of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, I would like to reflect on the influence CTE has had on my life – even though I didn’t realize it until a decade later.

As a teenager, I wasn’t a big fan of school. Classes, homework, and way too much science! I couldn’t stand it.

However, every time I left my rural campus to assist nurses at the local hospital, I felt the thrill of escape and the fun of doing something new. So, for all the wrong reasons, I enrolled in my high school’s nursing program and was quickly on my way to plenty of time not in school. The perfect plan!

It didn’t take long for me to learn my first CTE lesson: there is much more to a nursing program than wearing scrubs and getting out of class. I’d signed up for a daily, three-hour block of anatomy and physiology, as well as an introduction to nursing skills. Yep, my brilliant plan to escape school somehow locked me into three hours of science a day. Continue reading

FLVS Students and Staff Give Back

By on February 17th, 2017

Random Acts of KindnessRandom acts of kindness are enough to make anyone’s day.

Whether it is holding a door open, paying it forward in line at Starbucks, or helping someone carry in groceries, we all have the capacity to be kind on a daily basis. This year, in order to celebrate National Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17), we spoke with some awesome FLVS students that really know what it means to be caring and kind.

The Creative Writing club is participating in an ongoing service project that started in February and runs through March. There are many ways that students of the club can help out. They can donate books, read to someone, help out at the library, or even volunteer as a reading, writing, or English tutor. So far, the Creating Writing Club members have donated 25 books.

The STEM/Science Club at FLVS recently participated in a clothing drive. Sometimes it can be easy to take something as simple as the clothes on our back for granted. Continue reading

Blueprints for Building Community

By on August 11th, 2016

Back to School Blueprints for Creating CommunityWhen I share with people (especially those who are teaching in traditional classrooms) that I’ve shifted into high gear preparing for a new year with my students, I must admit, I’ve gotten a lot of puzzled looks and questions, like “What exactly do you need to do? I mean, you teach virtually.”

Before I answer (or take offense), I take a relaxed breath and smile.

Because, like them, exactly one year ago, I didn’t have a clue.

So how do virtual elementary teachers prepare for a new crop of eager learners? Luckily, for all the new teachers just starting this adventure, the blueprint is surprisingly similar to a brick-and-mortar school. The 2016-17 year kicked off this past week by building community. Continue reading

The FLVS Minions

By on May 17th, 2016

Minions in the ClassroomYoung adolescents require drastically different and unique approaches to education.

Middle school educators have always understood that the biological events of puberty fundamentally disrupt the somewhat smooth development of elementary school years and has a profound impact upon the cognitive, social, and emotional lives of young teens.

In line with this important insight, educators see the need for the delivery of special instructional and administrative changes in the way that education takes place for kids in early adolescence.
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Student Gives at Animal Shelter and Gains Much More

By on November 24th, 2015

This month, we asked students to share ways they give back in their communities using #flvsgiving on social media. This post was written by one of our students who volunteers at her local animal shelter.

FLVS GivingHi, I’m Alexis Lamphere.

I’m a senior at FLVS and I currently volunteer with the Osceola County Animals Services in Saint Cloud.

In addition to volunteering my time, I foster kittens that are underweight or too young to be adopted and don’t have a mother cat to take care of them.

Working at the shelter is honestly a life-changing experience. I’m given the chance to help improve and change many lives every day. It teaches you to be selfless and you start to have an endless love for each animal. You start to care about the animal’s happiness more than your own and he/she becomes more than “just some dog” or “just some cat.” The animal becomes a loved one, a friend, and part of your heart. Continue reading

Service Learning

By on June 24th, 2015

Volunteer 2015“Volunteers are not paid—not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”

Do you volunteer or did you when you were young?

Do you remember who Candy Stripers were? They were hospital volunteers. Working as a Candy Striper was my first experience volunteering and it taught me real-world experiences that helped shape my future.

I volunteered each Sunday from 12 – 4 p.m. at Pembroke Pines Hospital in South Florida. There were many rules and the expectations for the teen volunteers were high, dauntingly so. We received intensive training that resembled that of a NASA Astronaut. Continue reading