The Virtual Voice

Tips for Parents

Keeping Your Student Safe Online

By on June 25th, 2020

For parents, online safety reminders are equally important as they are for students! Every year, the daily activities we complete online seem to increase – from checking social media to scheduling appointments to even grocery shopping. The internet is one of our most useful tools, but it can also be one of the most dangerous.

Here are our top five tips to protect you and your family. Continue reading

How to Oversee Your Child’s Online Learning

By on April 27th, 2020

Many parents have been sailing uncharted waters as they shift to online learning. As an online educator with elementary children who have taken a few online courses, I have been at the helm of online education in more ways than one. As parents finish out the school year, we are here to support their experience.

Here are a few tips to support your child’s online learning. You’re on your way to smooth sailing!

Continue reading

Helping Our Captains Succeed with FLVS Elementary

By on March 12th, 2019

Learn more about one home educator’s FLVS Flex Elementary experience with her young student filmmakers and ambassadors dubbed “The Captains.” Whether your child has been enrolled for a few years or you’re new to FLVS, these tips can help your elementary student succeed!

As a mother and grandmother, the responsibility of educating our 8-year-old son, Captain A, and 7-year-old grandson, Captain SySy, weighs heavy on my heart and mind as their home educator. The world is not always a perfect place and people can be unkind, so our family strives every day to help our Captains be the best human beings they can be!

I am beyond grateful for our partnership with FLVS on our Captains’ education. The FLVS Flex Elementary team not only cares about making a difference and helping them to succeed in their educational lives, but also about their personal successes as future leaders. They have been a huge network of support in our Captains’ volunteering world.

The truth is, it isn’t always easy being a homeschool educator! Continue reading

Start Your Middle School Experience Off Right

By on August 28th, 2018

For students in middle school who have never taken an online course before, understanding expectations and how to navigate new material and assignments can take some time. Whether your child is taking their first course or their fifth, here are a few tips to help him or her succeed at FLVS.   Continue reading

6 Ways to Support Online Elementary Students

By on August 27th, 2018

As the author Thomas Fuller once said, “All things are difficult before they are easy.”

Whether your child is new to online learning or you are a returning FLVS elementary family, our team is here to help you navigate our new curriculum and find ways to best meet your son or daughter’s educational needs. Your teachers are here for you! Don’t hesitate to ask them for help. The Flex Elementary team is also hosting weekly welcome sessions to help families find their way. Have questions or feedback? Our administrative team would love to hear from you!

With this in mind, we wanted to share a few helpful tips for our online elementary parents.   Continue reading

Going Beyond “What Do You Want to Be?”

By on August 8th, 2018

How many times have you been at a back-to-school event or a family reunion and someone asks your child, “So what do you want to be when you grow up?”

In many cases, the child responds back, “Firefighter, Teacher, Doctor, Athlete,” and then the conversation ends. While asking a child what they want to do when they grow up is a great question, how can we go deeper with our kids to help be an advocate for their future? Continue reading

10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

By on April 22nd, 2017

Blog_Earth_Day_2017Earth Day is full of reminders to take time to protect our planet.

Across the state of Florida, local events are planned to pick up trash on the beach, recognize local farmers, and celebrate science and its contributions to ensuring everyone has access to clean water, soil, and air.

Search local events on Facebook to find fairs, speakers, art vendors, and other resources that promote an awareness of sustainable life choices.

Are you volunteering anywhere for Earth Day? Tell us where in the comments below!

Whether you’re heading out for the day or plan to stay at home, these tips can help you make a difference on Earth Day – and every other day too! Continue reading

Make, Bake, Partake – Volunteering at School

By on April 17th, 2017

Blog_School_Volunteer_20170420My mom was blessed with the baking and hospitality gene. As far back as I can recall, she loved to play hostess—still does, and when people come over, she has a quiet way of honoring them and making them feel special. It shows in the details, from a sparkling clean house to using the good dishes and serving delectable treats.

I remember my mom volunteered to be the class mom for Mrs. Kast’s second grade class in New York. I glowed whenever she’d come into my classroom to drop off some cut outs for a project we were working on, or when she’d bring in homemade cupcakes for a class party. And while I just thought I had the coolest mom in the world, she had sneakily found a way to stay connected to me during the school day.

April is Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month and today marks the first day of Public School Volunteer Week.  Continue reading

Why Libraries Still Matter

By on April 11th, 2017

Blog_LibrariesAs a young girl, I always enjoyed visiting my local library.

My librarian, Mrs. Ferris, knew me by name and greeted me with a loving smile. She always had recommendations for great books, from beautiful Caldecott Medal picture books to the latest Newberry Award winners. She knew just the right stories that would captivate me for hours, keeping me up well past my bedtime as I read by the light of a flashlight under my covers.

In the days before the internet became a household staple, the library was my go-to source for answers about life’s most pressing questions. Even with nothing but that clunky card catalog of old, Mrs. Ferris could find resources to answer my many questions within minutes of me asking them. I wanted to know everything there was to know about kangaroos? Got it. Pompeii? Easy. The Holocaust? Let’s try reading Number the Stars and go from there. Continue reading