Education
Thankful for the Mountains We Climb
By Guest Blogger on November 22nd, 2016
2016 is an incredible time to be a teacher.
I am grateful for each and every day I get to work alongside the best of the best in education.
While expectations are high, standards seem impossible to meet, and the everyday trials and struggles we face seem endless, this time in our country and our world is truly an incredible time to be a teacher. We have so much more access to research about how and why we learn. We have clearer pictures of our brains and all they can accomplish.
We might be up against some very difficult mountains to climb, but the teachers that have gone before us have never been as well equipped as we are today.
As a teacher I’ve always been fascinated with the brain – how it operates so much more than just our physical bodies. Each and every day, new research is published confirming something I think teachers have always known. Continue reading
Meet an FLVS Academic Integrity Manager
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on November 16th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
Do you know what the word “integrity” means? It means to be honest and to have honor.
At FLVS, integrity means everything. We instill the importance of academic integrity throughout a student’s time in our courses. Students and parents review our academic integrity policy upon registering for courses, teachers talk about integrity with families in the Welcome Call, and students are reminded of being honorable with most every point of contact during the course.
The position of FLVS Academic Integrity (AI) Manager is one immersed in the search for truth and the tenacity for teaching integrity to students in a meaningful manner.
Here’s the job description for an AI Manager at FLVS:
The Academic Integrity Manager manages the Academic Integrity program at FLVS. The Academic Integrity Manager communicates academic integrity policies and procedures to be implemented by FLVS instructional staff. Continue reading
Meet an FLVS Curriculum Specialist
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on November 7th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
Did you know that FLVS develops our own curriculum for courses?
The Curriculum Innovation Department works from concept to course delivery to provide an exemplary academic experience. The role of a curriculum specialist is to collaborate with his/her project team to create course content that aligns with the state standards and also engages the learner.
Christina Steele has been with FLVS for eight years and has had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles. Coming on board as an Earth Space Science instructor, she eventually took this expertise and became a literacy coach for several years. Therefore, moving to the Curriculum Department was a seamless move, as she uses her expansive literacy and science knowledge to support rigorous content for a variety of FLVS courses.
It is my honor to introduce you to Christina Steele. Continue reading
Meet the FLVS Full Time Director of Instruction
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on October 27th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
Did a parent or teacher ever share with you the old saying “hard work pays off?” Well, it does. Just ask FLVS Full Time Director of Instruction, Katie Santana.
Katie has more than 10 years of experience in the field of education. She joined FLVS as a high school instructor and she has always been committed to ensuring the success of all students. As an Assistant Principal with FLVS Full Time, she strengthened her leadership skills and supported instructors with excellence.
Noticed for her progressive leadership style and friendly nature (she has the best laugh!), Katie was promoted to Principal of FLVS Full Time where she led the school to success earning high scores in state evaluations. Her hard work and strong desire to see all students learn culminated in January 2016 when she was promoted to FLVS Full Time Director of Instruction. Continue reading
Meet the FLVS Flex Elementary Principal
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on October 21st, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
Did you know that FLVS has a new FLVS Flex elementary program for grades Kindergarten – Grade 5?
It’s true! The program is even up for an award for its innovative online “Class Time.” (Vote for us on Facebook here through Oct. 31!)
Leading this innovative program is Sarah Sprinkel who serves as its principal and biggest cheerleader. She was one of the program developers working with a team of FLVS administrators, curriculum specialists, school counselors, and teachers to create a virtual education experience that personalizes online elementary curriculum for each and every student enrolled.
Sarah brings her years of experience inspiring elementary school students as a classroom teacher as well as working with school districts on their policies and government relations to enhance early childhood education. As FLVS Elementary program principal, she uses her diverse leadership experiences to ensure the school is exceeding the expectations for the students. Sarah works closely with her dedicated staff of instructors, support staff, and advisors looking forward to expanding the virtual program.
I am honored to share with you my interview with Sarah Sprinkel. Continue reading
Meet an FLVS Instructional Leader
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on October 19th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
When you think of a school principal, you might imagine a friendly administrator grasping a walkie-talkie in one hand and fist bumping the students with the other – a warm and friendly figure guiding the school to success each and every day.
At FLVS, the role of the school principal or “Instructional Leader” is just a little different, but still with the goal of success in mind. In my 10 years of working with FLVS and the Instructional Leaders (ILs), the role of the schoolhouse administrators has changed and evolved into a powerhouse of leadership – ensuring success for both the instructors and students.
FLVS employs more than 1,000 instructors, both full-time and part-time. The sheer number of educators in our organization requires more than just one school principal. FLVS has more than 50 Instructional Leaders supporting instruction and student achievement. They are responsible for supervising, evaluating, and communicating with a large team of instructors, ensuring excellent student/parent customer service, promoting best practices in instruction, analyzing data, and so much more!
And, NO, these administrators do not wear superhero capes. Continue reading
Meet an FLVS School Counselor
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on September 30th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
“What courses do I need to meet the state graduation requirement for online learning?”
“I want to earn a technical certificate in computer programming, so what courses should I take?”
“How do I enroll in a course with prerequisites?”
Ever had a school-related question that you couldn’t quite find the answer to? Who should you reach out to ask all these questions?
The FLVS School Counseling team – that’s who!
Kristie Knight has more than 10 years of school counseling experience that serves her well in the fast-paced environment at FLVS. Her phone never stops ringing – which is a good thing! Continue reading
Using Hamilton the Musical in the Classroom
By Guest Blogger on September 28th, 2016
The winner of the 2016 Tony for Best Musical was “Hamilton,” an untraditional, hip-hop musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of Alexander Hamilton.
The popularity of this musical is impossible to deny – and the most amazing thing is that this hip-hop soundtrack to a founding father’s life has captivated teenagers in a way perhaps no other musical ever has before.
There is no denying this musical crosses age and cultural gaps and has brought a new love for musical theater that is refreshing and powerful. Many teachers are using this incredible soundtrack to start discussions about our history and to reinvent how students study such an important time period.
It is possible teachers of any content could use Hamilton’s addictive appeal to energize their classrooms, but I will share some ideas specifically for English and History teachers. Continue reading
Meet the FLVS Math Literacy Coach
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on September 21st, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
When you hear the term “literacy,” you might not think the subject of math applies.
Well, it does! Math has a language all its own.
Mathematics has a unique literacy that relates to vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, sequencing, and more. It takes a very special professional to support math instructors by way of literacy skills and professional development. Professional development offered by our coaches takes place year round and is based on in-depth educational research.
Coaching takes a lot of time and effort. At FLVS, we value all of our instructional coaches who work so hard behind the scenes supporting our instructors and providing them with best practices and tools so our students can be successful. Continue reading
Meet an FLVS Lead Teacher
By Dr. Jeanne Giardino on September 20th, 2016
We are celebrating the 2016-17 school year with a blog series featuring FLVS faculty and staff. Meet the creative and dedicated individuals who make every day a great day at FLVS!
The role of lead teacher at Florida Virtual School is one of expertise and support for the content area they serve.
Instructors work closely with their Lead Teacher to ensure best practices in the classroom are maintained and innovations applied when the need presents itself. Another important support provided by the lead is vacation coverage for instructors. As the lead is well-versed in their content area, the coverage is seamless and students know that they have someone to ask questions to during their teacher’s vacation.
Theresa Bauman is the Lead Teacher for FLVS Parenting Skills and has been in this position for three years.
She is a veteran of the United States Army and served in Washington, DC during her service tenure. Moving into education years later, she earned her master’s degree in education applying her real-world experience with the ever-changing landscape of our schools. Continue reading