Village Virtual Newsletter: Meet Our Community!
Current Issue
What’s inside
In today's rapidly evolving world, the importance of business acumen and technological proficiency cannot be overstated. Village Virtual students can learn these important skill sets under the guidance of CTE teachers like Kelly Hanna and Marlena Dixon, two dedicated online instructors who are shaping the minds of the next generation by imparting essential skills in business communication and technology.
Past Issues
What’s inside
Planning a trip to Spain might not immediately suggest the need for shovels, brooms, and cleaning supplies, but Village Virtual’s Bible Literature teacher, Meredith Davis, recently joined with members of two churches (including her own St. Andrews Presbyterian in Columbia, SC) to embark on an incredible journey to Spain. Check out what they built!
What’s inside
Susan Parks is not sure which came first, her love for art or her desire to teach. Her grandmother and mother (also a teacher and librarian) taught her to sew when she was just five years old, and she and her sisters drew from the age of two. In the first grade, she wrote a letter stating that she wanted to be a first-grade teacher "so I could show people how to do something for the first time." Art came naturally to her, says Ms. Parks. "It was like breathing."
What’s inside
Empowering. Flexible. Innovative. These are the three words Assistant Principal Jason Cooper believes embody the mission and vision of University View Academy, a K-12 virtual school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that serves students statewide. “I've always felt like we try to meet students where they are and give them opportunities to learn that meet their needs in ways traditional learning environments can't,” says Mr. Cooper. “A lot of students and parents appreciate not being tied to a brick-and-mortar location with instruction only being available during a set time. Online learning is a better fit for some families.”
What’s inside
Inspiration for any given career path may stem from one’s natural abilities and interests, a family legacy, or even a career day at school. But many who eventually become educators often say that their inspiration was a great teacher. The story in this newsletter, written by Student Support Manager Rachel Hull, chronicles her one-of-a-kind journey from the soccer pitch to the classroom to counseling and student support for online learners. We hope you are inspired by her journey.
What’s inside
“High quality educational opportunities for families that want a flexible learning environment–– this is the vision of Collierville Virtual Academy,” says Tim Strickland, principal of the West Tennessee virtual school established in 2021 that has joined the family of Village Virtual partnerships for the 2022-23 school year. “Our blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction offers students options that are not easily afforded in the brick-and-mortar setting.”
What’s inside
Like so many students who were forced home during the school closures of the spring of 2020, Chase ended up not passing a course and needing a credit recovery option. Chase’s father, Danny Phelps, sought the services of Village Virtual and quickly realized that Chase could achieve at much higher levels if his work were more closely monitored on an on-going basis.
What’s inside
There is a famous story related by Plutarch in De garrulitate about Philip II of Macedon, father to Alexander the Great, who, having subdued the Greek city-states (4th century BCE), turned his attention to Sparta and said, “If I invade Laconia [a region of which Sparta was part], I shall turn you out.” The Spartans returned a reply of just one word: “If.”
Joe Evans, a teacher of social studies for Village Virtual and 15-year veteran educator, terms this his favorite quote and says that Sparta’s it-ain’t-over-‘til-it’s-over defiance of the super-power of its day gives hope and courage to the underdog in every age, whether that is a student struggling in his academic studies or a favorite sports team.
What’s inside
Heather Boyd came to Village Virtual just shy of seven years ago via an unusual route. Having completed an undergraduate program at Lee University in Biology, Ms. Boyd envisioned a career in traditional teaching, but when no positions were immediately available, she followed the recommendation of a friend to interview with Village Virtual. Online learning became her passion. “It was an instant fit,” says Ms. Boyd, “I loved that I was able to marry my knowledge of educational practices with my skills in technology.”
What’s inside
This month we turn the Village Virtual spotlight on three learners from Marion Virtual Academy in Tennessee–Avery May (1st grade), Emma Henry (6th grade), and Aubrey Abbott (9th grade)–who have earned the district’s distinction of “Star Student” for their performance as full-time online learners.
What’s inside
“A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read” (emphasis added). This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, is a favorite of veteran Village Virtual teacher Paul Dean, who believes that “we, as a culture–a society–are so addicted to our devices and our social media that we seem to have forgotten the simple pleasures of the printed word.”
An odd opinion for a teacher whose work teaching online began in 2003, you might say, but Mr. Dean is one of those teachers who understands how to harness the power of twenty-first century technology for teaching and learning without losing sight of fundamental disciplines of the past.
What’s inside
Thank-you, Village Virtual parters, for a wonderful 2021. We are privileged to work with some of the finest educators in the country. As we embrace the possibilities of 2022, we wanted to share a bit of good news, introduce you to our new Student Support Manager, and share some of our goals for the new year.
What’s inside
Online learning eliminates the constraints of time and space, and this is one reason students love it. But the benefits of this flexibility do not extend to online learners only. Village Virtual’s asynchronous model also makes it possible to access a rich pool of instructional talent that connects students to veteran educators in a way that would not otherwise be possible. No one exemplifies this better than Richard Daugherty.
What’s inside
Few people play so inspiring a role in our lives as teachers do. They see potential in us that others don’t see. They give us courage to try for things beyond the goals we set for ourselves. They nurture our dreams. But the influence of great teachers doesn’t extend only to the students they serve. Their commitment to excellence also inspires and supports the colleagues with whom they work.
What’s inside
Meet Carolyn McGowen. Longtime teacher of Spanish. Veteran motivator of online learners. Carolyn routinely gives her students opportunities to earn extra credit in their online courses by sending in sentences in Spanish about everyday occurrences, you know, the what-I-did-on-my-summer-vacation sort of thing.
Key to the success of this strategy is that Carolyn also shares her personal stories with students, allowing them to know her as more than just the person who grades their voice assignments. In this first Teacher Feature of the 2021-2022 school year, I couldn't resist sharing one of Carolyn's stories.
What’s inside
“Providing a high-quality virtual option for our parents that becomes a normal part of the Marion County School System instead of a response to an emergency,” says Dr. Larry Ziegler, Assistant Director for Marion County Schools, is the main reason this Tennessee district decided to expand online learning for their families this school year with the establishment of Marion Virtual Academy.
What’s inside
Secondary schools in the United States are increasingly offering a new foreign language option to their students – American Sign Language (ASL). Already a high-interest option to high school students less motivated to study French or Spanish, Village Virtual’s ASL teacher Dr. Jonah Eleweke sees broader opportunities for careers for students with ASL skills.
What’s inside
Andrew H. Wilson Charter, an InspireNOLA school serving grades PreK-8 in the Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans, join Village Virtual staff in congratulating a group of young scholars this spring for their successful completion of Algebra I for high school credit.
What’s inside
In recognition of their hard work over the past year, Sequatchie County Schools and the Village Virtual staff would like to honor elementary, middle and high school students for their outstanding achievement as online learners.
What’s inside
Offering students the opportunity to earn high school credits through online learning has given Ms. April Vincent a way to help students prepare for graduation and career opportunities beyond their time at Belle Chasse Academy. “You have to think with the end in mind,” says Ms. Vincent.
What’s inside
[Chattanooga Christian School] parents particularly love Village Virtual. “Even though our students don’t actually show up at your office, they love knowing that you are local. . . We have a close connection with parents, and they trust us and typically we have parents who are partnering. You also have parent trust and engagement in what their kids are doing. They are going to check up. They are going to ask, and they are grateful for the kind of service they receive from Village Virtual.”
What’s inside
Virgil Browne Glencoe Charter in Franklin, Louisiana, faced the fall of 2020 with a huge amount of uncertainty. Like schools across the country, options were needed to ensure that all students had an opportunity to excel while addressing many levels of parental concern about the pandemic. Director Loren Decuir was particularly concerned that K-5 learners who would not be returning to classrooms would gravely suffer without a rigorous, standards-aligned experience tied to a high degree of support and accountability. However, five months into the initiative, VB Glencoe full-time elementary learners are soaring.
What’s inside
Like its high school counterparts throughout the country, The Howard School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been sorely challenged by the realities of the pandemic. Simultaneously serving students who attend face-to-face classes and those who are fully online, the most difficult task facing teachers is often how to provide rigorous instruction to all regardless of how many days a week students are in the building or whether they are in the building at all.
What’s inside
The year 2020 won’t soon be forgotten by folks in the business of educating students –or indeed– by the students themselves. Balancing the need to keep learners moving forward academically and to keep them safe, districts like Sequatchie County have launched full-time virtual school options for their K-12 students in partnership with Village Virtual.
What’s inside
“Without online learning, we wouldn’t be able to offer higher levels of math to any of our kids.” This is the raison d’être, says Vasy McCoy, Director at ReNEW Schaumburg Elementary, for the partnership between Village Virtual and ReNEW Charter Schools in New Orleans. The SCA-funded program opens up high school credit opportunities to 8th grade learners at Schaumburg Elementary and Dolores T. Aaron (DTA) Academy that would not otherwise be possible.
What’s inside
The Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy has a clear focus: being available to any child, anywhere, who can benefit from an individualized approach to their K-12 schooling.
This flexible approach includes opportunities to recover credits and get back on track for graduation. “With the implementation of our new credit recovery program via Village Virtual,” says Renee’ Martin, Junior/Senior Counselor for the school, “we are able to help our students earn credits for the LAVCA courses they have failed.”
What’s inside
Village Virtual values great partnerships with leaders like those at West St. Mary High School who are working effectively with the Village Virtual team to create conditions for success in online Spanish II, regardless of the starting point of students.
What’s inside
Village Virtual online Spanish teacher Teresa Sessions did something unusual this year for her fall break. Saying goodbye for the week to her face-to-face students at Rhea County High School in Dayton, Tennessee, Mrs. Sessions and her husband headed south to visit her online students at Franklinton High School in Franklinton, Louisiana.
What’s inside
J. S. Clark Leadership Academy, founded in Opelousas, Louisiana, in 2012 by Tiffanie Lewis, has brought Dr. Joseph Samuel Clark’s legacy forward with the establishment of a charter school that saw its first graduating class in 2018. With an intense focus on the needs of the individual, Tiffanie’s vision is for students to leave J.S. Clark knowing what they need to do to be successful.
What’s inside
Impact Charter Elementary is a unique place in Baker, Louisiana. Recognized twice in its three years of operation as a Top Gains Honoree by the Louisiana Department of Education, Impact Charter is an outgrowth of successful statewide after-school programs implemented by Education Explosion, Inc.
What’s inside
When Polk County Schools began the Polk Innovative Learning Academy (PILA) in 2017, their mission was clear — bring personalized learning to students who were looking to an alternative to the county’s brick-and-mortar schools.
What’s inside
Tennessee’s Putnam County utilizes Village Virtual’s Career Exploration for middle school and CTE courses to support personalized learning initiatives.
What’s inside
Louisiana’s Washington Parish offers a robust foreign language program through Village Virtual. Spotlight on Franklinton High Lab Facilitator, Peggy McCastle.
What’s inside
A Veteran’s Day Salute to Belle Chasse Academy.
What’s inside
East Ridge Middle School and Tyner Middle Academy launch online Career Exploration to help students connect the dots between their interests, their studies, and the world of work.
What’s inside
This month, we salute Village Virtual’s Career Campus Partner, Virgil Browne Glencoe Charter School in Franklin, Louisiana.