|
|
|
|
Calendar of Events
| |
Fall Picnic
October 8
Columbus Day
October 10
VCS Board Meeting
October 20
Halloween
October 31
|
|
Race to the Top News
| |
As reported in several previous issues of The VCS Voice, our school was awarded Race to the Top and School Improvement Grants to improve student performance. Here is an update on our recent activity.
We are working hand-in-hand with grant specialists to keep our progress on track. As a part of this collaboration, the grant specialists will be observing live Elluminate sessions and visiting classrooms periodically.
These observations are not for evaluative purposes, but merely a "walk-through" to gain a sense of changes we are implementing according to our RttT and SIG grant plans. In our online world, they have to jump into Elluminate to get a sense of how our teachers teach. We need to help them understand what virtual education is all about! We welcome these visitors as we strive to improve student performance.
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
|
I'm very excited for the fall picnic on Saturday! It's always nice to visit with students and parents at this popular event. The weather forecast is looking good, so that makes it even better! Read the article below for more details about the picnic. I hope to see you there!
We are still accepting new students for full-time enrollment as well as individual classes. If you know anyone who might be interested in VCS, please let us know! Send an e-mail to the enrollment team so they can follow up with more information.
Go Wolves!
Jim McCord
Superintendent
|
|
See you at the picnic!
|
The fall picnic is this Saturday! If you haven't already, please RSVP below. Your response is important so we can plan for the correct amount of people.
The picnic will take place on Saturday, October 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hoover Y Park, near Columbus. Come socialize with your classmates and teachers and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!
We have received comments from families about how it's difficult to identify teachers and classmates at the picnic. So, we are implementing some new ideas in order to make the event even more fun and beneficial for everyone.
We will have poster boards near the registration table that will feature pictures of the teachers and staff members in attendance. Also, there will be tables designated for certain grade levels. It is not "assigned seating", but if you want to find your classmates and teachers, you will have a gathering place. We will do the staff introductions at 11:45 a.m. So, please make sure you are there in time to meet your teachers!
If you have any questions, please contact Lori Berkheimer or Jill Workman.
Click here to RSVP!
|
|
Have you visited the new Help Desk web site?
|  New this year, there is a web site to help answer your technical questions! Check it out at help.vcslearn.org. On this site, you'll find information designed to make your online school experience as trouble-free as possible. Want to find out how to set up internet service at your home? Where that blue plug goes? How to submit your assignments? It's all there! Check back regularly, too, as we'll be adding new information and instructions throughout the school year. You will also be able to watch recordings of the Elluminate sessions held by the Help Desk every two weeks. This site is a great resource for students and parents! Of course, if you need to talk with Help Desk team member, they are always willing to help. Just call (866) 501-9473, extension 5124.
|
|
|
|
|
COSI Open House a huge success!
|
Students, families and staff members gathered at COSI on Friday, September 30 during Family Fun Night for an Open House. Thank you to everyone, we had almost 250 people in attendance! Attendees enjoyed mingling with teachers and classmates, listened to guest speakers, created crafts, learned about the COSI learning center and toured the COSI exhibits. See some photos from the Open House below.
The COSI learning center will also be hosting one evening event a month for the remainder of the year. A "Writers' Workshop" is planned for October. Stayed tuned for more information on all the fun events at COSI!
  
|
|
K-8 students, it's not too late to participate in D.E.A.R. time!
| |
If you were with us last year, you may have participated in Drop Everything And Read time, and the DEAR online discussions. We've added something new this year! We are reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Sound interesting? See all the new ways to participate below!
Read the book: It's only 17 chapters. Try to read at a steady pace so you can be done before October 25.
Come to the book party: On October 3, we hosted the first book party with students and teachers. It was a fun event, and we're planning to do it again! Watch for an announcement soon about the next party.
Listen to the story: You can find audio recordings of Mrs. Coffey reading the book in the Principal's Course and on the DEAR web site.
Watch the movie: Come to the Elluminate DEAR classroom at 9 a.m. each Tuesday through October 25 to see the movie. On October 25 we will start the movie from the beginning at 7:25 a.m. Students who tune in at 9 a.m. will see the last section of the movie that they haven't yet seen.
Talk about it: On October 25, after the movie is finished, you can talk in Elluminate with your VCS friends about the book and the movie.
Remember, DEAR time is just for fun, not an assignment! Participate as often as you would like. For more information on how you can join the fun, please contact Miriam Green at 866-501-9473 ext. 2011 or miriam.green@vcslearn.org.
Back to the top
|
|
Want to be in the yearbook?
| |
VCS created the first-ever yearbook last year, and we are excited to get started with this project again! Watch for upcoming details on how to submit photos and order your 2012 yearbook! In the meantime, be sure to take a look at the 2011 yearbook. You can view the online versions below.
To view the K-8 yearbook, click here.
To view the high school yearbook, click here.
If you would like to order a hard copy of the 2011 yearbook, we have extras! Contact Jill Workman at 866-501-9473 ext. 2045 or jill.workman@vcslearn.org.
 
Back to the top
|
|
Support for families
| |
 The State Support Team for Central Ohio offers information and services to families of children ages 3 to 22. They provide information regarding: strategies to support children struggling with academics or behavior; special education services and procedures; transition planning; and more. Services include: personal consultations, monthly parent meetings, quarterly newsletters and a variety of other resources. To learn more, contact Joe Farry, family consultant, by e-mail or phone at (614) 753-4680.
Back to the top
|
| TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Barlage |
 Mrs. Walton is a teacher at the COSI Learning Center
What is your favorite thing about VCS?
My favorite thoughts about VCS begin with the fact that VCS believes in and takes action to achieve their mission. I have found the VCS staff to be valiant advocates for an excellent education for all of our students. The VCS students continue to impress me and serve as a motivating factor for me to work toward the VCS mission too.
What do you want students to accomplish while they attend VCS?
I want students to know that they can make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others by working to the best of their ability and by developing a hunger for knowledge. I want students to take great pride in their efforts to learn; working toward educational goals can bring a great sense of accomplishment.
What advice do you want to pass on to students? I advise students to believe in themselves and work tirelessly to overcome challenges. An immediate reward may not be in sight; however, small successes add up to greater rewards in the future. I encourage students to take charge of their education and give it all the gumption one can muster. Forward thinking is required to picture one's future and to enable one to grasp the concept of legacy. One should ask: How do I want to be remembered?
Favorites
Food: Fruits of all kinds--plums, peaches, pears, raspberries, mulberries, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, apples, oranges
Book: The Value of Believing in Yourself: The Story of Louis Pasteur by Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi
Movie: The Bells of St. Mary's
TV Show: I'm a Fox News junkie and love movies from the 1940s.
Hobby/Interest: Gardening, reading, learning, walking, sports, and enjoying my family. Over the years, my husband and I have enjoyed and cheered on my daughters' volleyball and basketball teams. Also, I'm a fan of the late, great, Patsy Cline, a country music artist.
Season: I'm a fan of all the seasons and this is what I love about Ohio--we are blessed with the treasures of each--spring, summer, fall and winter.
Vacation Destination: Alaskan Cruise-The Inside Passage. The ocean is a beautiful phenomenon, the glaciers are awesome, the mountains are pristine, and the air is crisp and clean.
Childhood Memory: My childhood memories are full of outdoor play: hopscotch, jump roping, hide and seek in the dark, tennis in the neighbor's paved driveway, our regular Sunday pick-up game of baseball, and summer sleep outside nights.
|
|
Watch for The VCS Voice to arrive in your e-mail the first Thursday of each month. If you have any content ideas, send them to Lori Berkheimer or Jill Workman.
Go Wolves!
|
|
|
|
|
