The VCS Pack Press E-newsletter

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March 2011

Professional Development

VCS Spring Picnic

Summer School

Midwest Homeschool Convention

The newest wolf cub

Student Spotlight: Gabby Brown

Teacher Spotlight-Chip Ingersoll

Quick Links

vcslearn.org

vcsbranching.org

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Upcoming Events

March 14-18

OGT Testing

March 17

VCS Board Meeting

March 21-25

OGT Make-Up Week

March 28-April 3

Spring Break

March 31-April 2

Homeschool Convention

April 7

Leadership Academy I

April 14

VCS Board Meeting

April 21

Professional Development

Leadership Academy II

Greetings!

Jim McCord Happy St. Patrick's Day! Although my heritage is Scottish, I guess we're all a little Irish today, right?

This has been an eventful week with the release of Gov. Kasich's proposed budget. Philosophically, the governor is very supportive of community schools and online education. We are analyzing the numbers and determining how VCS will be affected by the proposed funding changes. Keep in mind that the budget will not be final until it is approved by the full legislature. We will keep you posted.

Also, I'd like to extend a big "thank you" to everyone who has worked so hard to make OGT testing a success. I know it involves a lot of planning and extra effort to make it work. Thanks again!

Go Wolves!

Jim McCord, Superintendent

Professional Development follow up

Thanks to all the presenters at our most recent professional development. We also wanted to give an extra congratulations to the innovations winners!

Laura Barlage
Cheryl Akers
Shane Foglesong
Anna Ernst

Save the date for the next Professional Development: April 21st!

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Join VCS students and teachers at the spring picnic

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VCS will host the annual spring picnic on Saturday, April 30 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Hoover Y Park near Columbus. As usual, there will be fun activities for the whole family! Food will be provided. The picnic will take place rain or shine. We hope to see you there! This year we are going to raffle off some gift baskets for students. If you would like to donate items for the gift baskets, please give them to Jill Workman or Lori Berkheimer at professional development on April 21. They can be small dollar store toys or books for girls or boys. Thanks for the idea, Heidi Varner!

To RSVP for the picnic, click here.

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Summer school schedule set

0.9477124183006536 VCS is ready for summer! Our summer school schedule is set and registration will open very soon! To see a list of all the courses, click here. Feel free to print off this flier and share with everyone in your community.

We are also trying some new advertising this summer. Watch for the VCS summer school commercial to air at a movie theater near you! From May 6 - June 7 our commercial will air at all showings of all movies at the following movie theaters and be streaming on the televisions in the lobbies.

AMC at Easton Town Center in Columbus

Hollywood Stadium at Fairfield Commons in Dayton

Cinemark 24 in Cleveland

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VCS to exhibit at the Midwest Homeschool Convention

For the second year in a row, VCS will have a booth at the Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati from March 31-April 2. We are taking a SMART board and showcasing many SMART videos and live Elluminate lessons. 5,000 families are expected to be in attendance! Featured speakers include Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, famous for their show, "19 Kids and Counting" on TLC. For more information on the Midwest Homeschool convention, click here.

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Introducing... the newest wolf cub!

Baby Hank

Hank Kendell Sherman

Born at 12:31 pm on March 3, 2011

9 lbs 2 oz

Congratulations to Jen and her family!

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Student Spotlight: Gabby Brown in her own words

Full name: Erin Gabrielle Brown
Goes by: Gabby
Where are you from? Portsmouth, OH
What grade are you in? 8th

What is your favorite thing about VCS? The teachers are really nice

What do you want to be when you grow up? A nurse

What do you like to do in your free time? Babysit, play the piano, watch TV, hang out with my friends and family

What is your favorite movie? Elf

Do you have any siblings? 1 brother, Justin

What is your favorite food? Pizza Rolls

What made you choose VCS versus a traditional school? I was previously homeschooled, but Mom wanted to make sure I was getting everything I needed. A man on my dad's UPS route recommended VCS, and we looked into it and liked it a lot because it was still schooling at home but with all the benefits.

Do you have any big plans this summer? My youth group and I, along with 6 adults, will be leaving June 18 to San Isidro, Costa Rica for a week. We are going to visit an orphanage to hand out supplies; we are going to visit other villages to play with the children, give Bible lessons, and share the gospel. We will also be helping a church with whatever needs they have.

Any advice you would like to share with your fellow students?
Life is a gift from God; don't waste it. If you have an opportunity to help someone, use it. Love people like Jesus loves you.

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Teacher Spotlight: Chip Ingersoll in his own words

Chip was recently featured in an article for the Lorain Morning Journal. You can read this article here, or watch a video by clicking on the play button below.

Mr. Ingersoll

What is your favorite thing about VCS? I enjoy working from home, the flexibility that our students have, and the fact that our students learn more about technology than they would in a traditional school, because we use it every day!!!

What do you want students to accomplish while they attend VCS? VCS gives students even more great opportunities than they would have in regular schools. I hope that each one of my students works hard to achieve his/her "personal best", and I try to do whatever I can to help them along the way!

What advice do you want to pass on to students? Don't procrastinate!!! (That means don't wait until the last minute to do stuff.) School work is so much easier when you don't get behind. Also, remember to ASK FOR HELP when you need it! That's what your teachers are here for, and we love to help our students. But, we aren't mind-readers! We don't know that you need our help if you don't tell us!!!

Favorites

Color: Blue

Food: Pizza (Deep-Dish Sausage and Mushroom, specifically... but any kind of pizza will do!!!)

Animal: Moose (Besides the VCS Wolf... Wolfie, you're still my favorite!!!)

Sport: Baseball & Kenpo Karate

Hobby/Interest: Aviation & Flying Airplanes

Season: Spring

Vacation Destination: Alaska & Northern Canada

School subject: Mathematics

Childhood memory: Being read my favorite bedstime story, "The Enormous Crocodile" (my mom did the voices perfectly!)

Anything else interesting that you want people to know? Besides working for VCS full-time, I am also a martial arts instructor part-time (I have a 3rd degree black-belt in Chinese Kenpo Karate). I also served in the U.S. Air Force, both active-duty and reserve, and am currently serving with the Civil Air Patrol, which operates an Air Force youth (cadet) program for kids ages 12-18.

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Watch for the The Pack Press to arrive in your e-mail the third Thursday of each month. If you have any content ideas, send them to Lori Berkheimer or Jill Workman.

Go Wolves!

Jim McCord, Superintendent
Virtual Community School of Ohio