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Top state education official to visit Flagler

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

He continues to threaten harm to the students and staff at FPCHS and is currently considered a danger,” according to the agenda.

In other business, School Board members will consider:

  • Changes to the district’s student progression plan. Those changes include allowing middle school students who take high school courses for high school credit and earn grades of “C” or worse to have their grades replaced with grades of “C” or better in comparable courses. The new grades will be used to calculate the students’ grade-point averages.
  • The Flagler County Education Association contract.
  • The 2012-2013 contract with Florida Virtual School for the iFlagler franchise. The iFlagler program uses the same curriculum as Florida Virtual School, but provides local teachers for students.

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State overrules Volusia County School Board, OKs virtual charter school

May 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

DAYTONA BEACH — A virtual charter school was given the green light by the state to start operating in Volusia and other area counties.

The state Board of Education overturned the Volusia County School Board’s decision to deny the application last fall of the Central Florida Virtual Board and the Florida Virtual Academy.

The School Board had several concerns with the application, including the school’s governance and lack of oversight, its curriculum and financial plan. The Charter School Appeal Commission in February supported denying the application. The Central Florida Virtual Board and Florida Virtual Academy appealed to the state, which decided this past week to overturn the decision as well as decisions by school boards in other area counties for various charter and virtual charter school companies.

Charter schools are public schools operated by private groups under contracts with local school boards.

Volusia County School Board attorney Ted Doran said the board at its May 22 meeting will discuss the state’s decision. He said the board can either comply with the ruling for the online school, which wants to open as soon as possible, or appeal the decision to the 5th District Court of Appeal.

Doran said Friday the “likely next step” will be to appeal the case as has been done recently with school boards in Duval and Seminole counties. No decision as been made in those cases.

Mary Bennett, a retired Volusia educator, recently resigned as a member and chairwoman of the Central Florida Virtual Charter School Board because of personal health issues not allowing her the time to serve. But she said she is “glad to see the state board overturn the denials and give them a chance to start up and give the children another option for education.”

For the rest of the article, go to State overrules Volusia County School Board, OKs virtual charter school

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County’s ‘virtual’ school seeks students

May 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

These are the days of “anywhere, anytime learning” and the Palm Beach County School District invites families to consider “virtual” education.

From kindergarten through 12th grade, students can get computer-based, full-time instruction without ever stepping into an actual classroom, says Principal Debra Johnson. Prior public school attendance is not required.

For the rest of the article, go to County’s ‘virtual’ school seeks students

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Virtual school to expand services

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Parents can begin customizing their child’s educational plans from the very start after Gov. Rick Scott signed into law an expansion of virtual-school offerings that will allow children as young as kindergartners to take online classes and still attend a traditional school.

Leon County officials are not sure how the plan will work for Tallahassee elementary schools because of the many factors involved in scheduling, computer access, and adult supervision, but they will soon begin discussions on how best to accommodate the online options.

The new law also will require the Florida Virtual School to provide services for exceptional student education and also requires the school to provide the English for speakers of Other Languages program.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual school to expand services

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Public schools must do better at selling themselves

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Lake Howell High School is considering allowing some students to take a later schedule, meaning they wouldn’t start classes until 9 or 10 in the morning and end later as well.

And all of the county’s high schools are going to offer computer labs that are open later so students can take virtual classes after normal school hours, which may free them up to start the day later as well.

Griffin also wants to expand the county’s pre-K offerings. That’s a critical piece. If more parents and students have a good experience in pre-K, they will be more likely to stay at the school.

All of it will take money, and the district has struggled financially in recent years, even closing one elementary school last year.

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Lighthouse Project: Our Future, Our Choices: Education a virtual certainty of change

April 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Brooke Gerber was a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Seacrest Country Day School when she predicted that schools would become a thing of the past.

“I am guessing there is not going to be a school, just these things at home — a virtual school room,” she said in 2012. “So all of the students in a grade will have different electronics. There will be one school and everyone will go to it from their houses.”

A virtual school district might have sounded far off in 2012, but as education officials tried to imagine what 2023 would be like, anything was possible.

Kamela Patton, interviewed by the Daily News in 2012 as Collier County School District superintendent, said Brooke’s vision for the future wouldn’t be that far off.

“We were building like crazy in 2002. Ten years later, to think we wouldn’t be building schools would be hard to imagine, but here we are,” she said in 2012. “I think virtual education will have a big hand in education in the future. Education will be beyond the four walls. Where traditionally, we would be within the four walls, if we are not outside the four walls, I think we will be behind.”

Patton foresaw a move to Common Core standards, where the nation assessed students in the same way, instead of 50 versions of assessments as there were in 2012.

“It is hard to compare Florida to everybody when Florida is the only state with a (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test),” she said in 2012. “We as a country have to move forward together and not as 50 separate states.”

For the rest of the article, go to Lighthouse Project: Our Future, Our Choices: Education a virtual certainty of change

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Florida Virtual Academies Opens Charter School in Osceola County

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“We are excited to offer area students this excellent education option,” said Dr. Mary G. Bennett, chair of the Central Florida Virtual Charter School Board of Trustees. “Florida Virtual Academy at Osceola County will provide a high quality education using innovative technology, highly trained teachers, and digital courses and content. It is clear that the School District of Osceola County is committed to serving the educational needs of all children by providing more choices for parents and options for students.”

The K12® program combines its award-winning curriculum—using engaging online lessons and hands-on education materials—with highly skilled teachers, advisors, state-of-the-art technology, and numerous social opportunities that connect students to a vibrant school community. From advanced learners to children with special needs, FLVA at Osceola County offers a flexible and personalized learning program that works for all types of students.

For the rest of the article, go to Florida Virtual Academies Opens Charter School in Osceola County

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School Board Approves Expanded Grade Level at Two Elementary Schools

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

While teachers will offer the same curriculum as a traditional middle school, the expanded grade-level environment will encourage more of a focus on core subjects and alleviate one elective. Electives will be provided through a wheel format as is currently used in traditional middle schools, but will be limited to physical education, band or orchestra, and art. The capability of using virtual school electives will also be included in the program where students can enroll in advanced classes.

 

“This is not meant to be the equivalent of a traditional middle school environment,” explained McGonegal. “The sixth grade schedule will be based on a six period day, allowing more time in core classes.”

 

Board member Robert Gause said he was confident the experiment was worth trying and optimistic that it will turn out well.

For the rest of the article, go to School Board Approves Expanded Grade Level at Two Elementary Schools

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Two Manatee elementary schools may add sixth grades

April 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Despite the many advantages of adding on a sixth-grade, Pistella said the idea also has drawbacks.

For one, fewer elective courses can be offered with a smaller middle school student body. An effort will be made to ensure that band, for one, is offered to the sixth-graders because band is such a popular elective among high schoolers.

Stokes said one way officials plan to ensure a broad array of offerings is through virtual school.

For the rest of the article, go to Two Manatee elementary schools may add sixth grades

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Grading Florida Schools: Opportunities Lag for Rural Students

April 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Holmes County High, a C grade school in a rural district, offers 4 college-level classes.

Eddie Dixson, Holmes County High principal, says the state’s school grading formula was designed with large urban schools in mind.

“The state shot their model towards a high school with 2,000 kids in it. And my high school has 480. So I don’t fit that model,” Dixson said.

“It’s going to be hard for me to get an A when I don’t fit the model to begin with.”

The state says schools can make up the points if their students take college-classes online through Florida’s Virtual School program.

For the rest of the article, go to Grading Florida Schools: Opportunities Lag for Rural Students

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