Leadership
Momentum: FLVS World Symposium Recap
By Guest Blogger on October 28th, 2014
If you have ever wondered how much fun 2,000+ educators could have at once, just attend the annual Momentum: FLVS World Symposium held in Orlando each fall. Yes, there is a ton of learning going on, and educators find that pretty thrilling. It is in their DNA! One educator summarized day one of this year’s conference as follows: “Awesome conference so far. Only one day and I already feel equipped!”
Educators across the country came to learn, participate, present, and network at the conference in early October alongside Florida Virtual School staff. This collaborative learning experience benefited all who attended. As one FLVS staff member highlighted, “Love the idea of presenters outside of FLVS. Lets us know what is going on outside our world.” Continue reading
Congratulations to our Contest Winners
By Florida Virtual School on September 30th, 2014
From the simple to the spectacular, we heard from all kinds of students during our “Go Ahead: Succeed” contest. Using Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, students submitted photos of themselves and told us how they have succeeded with FLVS.
Thank you to all of our amazing students who entered, from athletes to artists to world travelers to bookworms. We loved hearing your stories. Keep the success going and let us know how FLVS has helped you or your family in the comments below. You can also join the conversation on Instagram by following us at @floridavirtualschool. We might even share your story in a future post!
Go Ahead: Succeed with FLVS Contest
By Florida Virtual School on September 16th, 2014
This year, FLVS is excited to host our fall photo contest allowing students to share their success stories. We know our students are fascinating people who use the flexibility provided by FLVS to do great things – and we want to hear all about it! Using Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, we are asking students to show how FLVS has helped them succeed. You can even win a tablet!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve received all kinds of great submissions that showcase how unique Florida Virtual School students really are. We’ve heard from kids who act, students who travel all over the world, and those who just want to get their education in peace. We have met girls who play football, wrestle, or compete as archers. We have students who volunteer for Special Olympics, pursue creative hobbies and career opportunities, and finish high school early. Check them out here! Continue reading
Internet Safety Month: Protect Your Digital Footprint
By Guest Blogger on June 17th, 2014
Today’s teens consume Social Media every day – perhaps every five minutes in many cases! How often, though, do they consider the implications of their online activities?
The Social Media course at Florida Virtual School has been compared to “Driver’s Ed for the Internet” – teaching students about the safe and responsible operation of Social Media. Here are the top five tips from the course:
1) Protect your Digital Footprint – it’s the sum of every interaction involving you, and it lives FOREVER. While it’s obviously important to control what YOU post (photos, status updates, etc.), it’s also important to discover who ELSE is influencing your digital footprint – tagging you in photos, mentioning you in posts, etc. Keep your eyes open. Continue reading
You Never Know Who You’re Teaching
By Guest Blogger on May 28th, 2014
For the first time, my wife and I built a house from the ground up. For those who have never done it, it can be a very daunting experience. What you are doing is looking at the potential of what the house should look like instead of knowing what it actually looks like. You start off with a plan and as things arise, the plan can change. In addition to the building itself, you are also choosing the area that is best for your family. There is no guarantee that area will continue to be safe, have good schools, etc. five or 10 years down the road. Essentially, you are making a gamble to reside in a specific house in a specific area.
All of this got me thinking about how similar it is to teaching. Every student who walks into our classrooms (or who logs in for some of us) has the potential to be anyone he/she wants to be. As educators, we have the ability to make a positive impact on our students’ lives that will benefit them for years to come. Continue reading
Meet FLVS Student Sarah Garvis
By Guest Blogger on May 8th, 2014
She’s the History Club President, a Young Marine Corporal, and about to hold a Bachelors of Theology degree before her own high school diploma. Who is this superstar? It’s Florida Virtual School student Sarah Garvis!
Sarah has been taking classes with FLVS since she was in middle school and has recently concluded her coursework with the Law Studies course.
“I have always been fascinated by government and I have such a high respect for it. I admire how the government systems run and this class taught me so much!” said Sarah.
Continue reading
Interview Tips: Knowing When to Stop Talking
By Guest Blogger on April 11th, 2014
Your palms are sweating. Your knees are shaking. You feel like you’re rambling. You probably are. STOP.
Job interviews can be incredibly intimidating. You sit across the table from high-level executives and try to prove your worth. In behavioral-based interviews, you are asked several specific, action-driven questions. Your interviewers want to know the details of specific instances when you applied your natural talents and learned skills to unite stakeholders, lead teammates, and solve challenges.
The first problem you face is you’re drawing a blank. Funny, I can’t think of a single time I ever spoke to a single customer or solved a single problem… Continue reading
Admirable Women: A Reflection
By Darcey Addo on April 2nd, 2014
Sandra Day O’Connor once said, “We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone. Whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life…” During March, the world celebrated Women’s History Month – honoring and recognizing the greatness of the women that contribute to our accomplishments and celebrating the legacy of that greatness upon which we stand.
My story contains many threads, but today I celebrate just a few of the remarkable women who stand out and help me aspire to greatness.
I recall learning about Susan B. Anthony as a fourth grader. I remember learning that she was told she did not need to learn math because she was a girl. I was a feisty 10-year-old and that riled me up, probably as much as it riled up Susan B. Anthony. Continue reading
Giving Yourself a Helping Hand
By Guest Blogger on March 17th, 2014
I’m not really good at math. Once I understand the general concept, I’m completely fine, but whew…sometimes it takes me a little while to get there. This is definitely an area in my life where I continually have to battle problems and find solutions (literally). At times I find that I really don’t “get” something, so I keep re-reading the same information. Then I go over it again and again. Sometimes I just find that the explanation still doesn’t click with me or with my learning style. At times like these, I find that I essentially have two options: I can keep going over the information in the hopes that it finally clicks, or I can ask for a little help.
As a teenager, my first reaction to asking someone for help is often “Nah, I’ll take care of it.” Sometimes, that’s fine; we shouldn’t depend on others to solve our problems for us all the time (plus, it’s human to fail; we can’t overreact every time an obstacle pops up and blocks our path). Continue reading
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen
By Guest Blogger on February 26th, 2014
Doing Virtual Doesn’t Mean Doing it Alone!
When people think virtual, what do you think comes to mind? Prior to my experience at FLVS, I thought of sitting alone in front of the computer, reading lessons, responding to discussion boards, and checking email. The common denominator behind all of my thoughts was that you do it alone. While virtual education primarily places responsibility on the learner, there is a debatably larger need to collaborate to be successful.
At FLVS, students are required to collaborate with one another at least one time within each segment/semester. Many families, at first glance, think this is a demanding request or an off-the-wall requirement, because of their initial thoughts about virtual education. What they find is that they wonder why they didn’t start collaborating sooner. Continue reading