The VCS Pack Press E-newsletter

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August 2011

Help Desk hours extended

New student orientations

Yearbooks are in!

Site staff attends training

Student Spotlight: Samantha Beal

Teacher Spotlight: Jacque Prichard

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vcslearn.org

vcsbranching.org

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Upcoming Events

Opening Day

August 22

Professional Day

August 23

First Day of School

August 24

Race to the Top News

VCS Ohio is excited to be awarded with the School Improvement Grant! VCS staff members have been working hard this summer to implement the improvement strategies laid out in both RTTT and the SIG grant. The newly formed "Transformation Team" had their first meeting on Tuesday, August 9 to start organizing for the 2011-2012 school year, reviewing both the RTTT and SIG grants, and putting the action plan for the grants in place.

Greetings!

Jim McCord

Here we go! It's time to kick off another great year at VCS Ohio. I hope you are as excited as I am to get started and make a difference in the lives of our students!

I know many of you are working hard already and making calls to our returning students. This contact is very important because we want students to get started in their classes on the first day of school. In order to be considered enrolled and fully-funded, students must log hours in an academic class at the beginning of the school year. Let's engage them right away!

I look forward to seeing you on Monday, Aug. 22 for Opening Day at Wedgewood Country Club in Powell. Breakfast will start at 9 am and the program will start promptly at 9:30. We'll wrap up at 3 pm. Click here to see the agenda for the day. We'll start the year off right with inspiration, information and celebration!

Go Wolves!

Jim McCord

Superintendent

Help Desk hours extended

Starting this week, the VCS Help Desk hours are extended. On Tuesday and Thursday, the Help Desk will be open from 9 am to 7 pm. Monday, Wednesday and Friday the Help Desk will remain open during their normal hours from 9 am to 5 pm. This is a trial run, so the hours are subject to change to meet the needs of our students. To contact the VCS Help Desk, call 866-501-9473 ext. 5124 or email vcshelpdesk@vcslearn.org.

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New student orientations

We will hold online orientation sessions to help our new students get acclimated to VCS. Please encourage any new students you have to attend. They will also be recorded if students are unable to attend live. Please see the schedule below.

Grades K-8

Tuesday, August 23 at 10 a.m.

Wednesday, August 24 at 10 a.m.

Monday, August 29 at 10 a.m.

Grades 9-12

Tuesday, August 23 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, August 24 at 2 p.m.

Monday, August 29 at 2 p.m.

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Yearbooks are in!

The VCS yearbooks have finally arrived, and they look great! Extra copies will be available for purchase at Opening Day and we will even include a few in our door prize raffle! If you are interested in buying a yearbook, they are $20 a piece and can be paid with cash or check. Please contact Jill Workman, or find her during Opening Day to purchase your yearbook! Also, please let your students know that they can still buy a yearbook, and remind them that an online version will be available soon.

high school staff spread office staff spread

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VCS site staff attends training

On Tuesday, August 2, our site staff attended a first aid training in the VCS office. Staff members became certified in First Aid, CPR and AED as well as, Child Abuse Prevention. Thanks to those that attended!

CPR CPR2

CPR3 CPR4

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Student Spotlight: Samantha Beal

Name: Samantha Beal

Grade: 2011 Graduate
From: Mansfield, Ohio

What has been your favorite thing about VCS?
My favorite thing is that VCS allows each student to work at their own pace. If you want to go further ahead, you can go further ahead. If you have to work on something a little more, you can work a little slower.

How is VCS different than a traditional school?
Some people work faster than other people and they tend to be disruptive in a regular classroom and some work slower and tend to need the teacher's attention. At VCS, you can work at the pace that is right for you, not necessarily the pace that is right for an entire classroom.

What are your plans for after graduation?
In the fall, I will be attending The Ohio State University for anthropology.

Would you recommend VCS to other students?
I would recommend VCS to other students because it's great for the student who doesn't learn well in traditional classrooms and has issues with them. It's great for people who want to work at their own pace, who are an independent student that wants to do what they can as fast as they can, or as slow as they need to. It's a great preparation for college because it's a lot different than a regular high school. And it's just kind of fun, to be able to say 'I'm at an online school.' It's a good way to start a conversation.

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Teacher Spotlight: Jacque Prichard

Jacque teaches Earn and Learn for high school students

What is your favorite thing about VCS? Getting to know students and teachers from around the state.

What do you want students to accomplish while they attend VCS? I want students to be prepared for life outside of high school.

What advice do you want to pass on to students? The decisions that students make today, define their future.

Favorites:

Food: Fresh vegetables and fruit AND chocolate!

Book: The Holy Bible

Movie: Ever After (so my boys say!)

Hobby/Interests: I am active with my 3 boys. We are always on the move with 4 -H, traditional sports, skateboarding and BMX biking. I am also active in church activities.

Season: Cool, crisp fall evenings AND Smores!

Vacation Destination: Whether it is a mountain, a lake, the beach, or my backyard, as long as my family is together, I am happy.

Childhood Memory: Growing up on a farm and feeling the dew on the grass in the early morning.

Quote: I do not have a favorite quote (there are so many.) But I do have a favorite passage of Scripture (Proverbs 31:10-31.)

Anything else interesting that you want people to know? I really want to take a Canopy tour (zip line tour) of Hocking Hills!

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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