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Calendar of Events
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VCS Board Meeting
February 16
CCAD Field Trip
February 22
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Race to the Top News
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The Building Leadership Team is continuing to meet weekly to work on the instructional model. They have created teacher live lesson rubrics as well as, teacher created tutorial rubrics. Dr. Teeters has also recently attended the mandatory SIG professional development meetings.
On January 25, the BLT met with educational consultant, Bruce Friend and a number of educational software providers about possible curriculum enhancements for the future.
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Greetings!
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It looks like we have a battle of the groundhogs on our hands. The famous Punxsutawney Phil from Pennsylvania saw his shadow, which indicates six more weeks of winter ahead. However, the Ohio favorite, Buckeye Chuck, did not see his shadow, which means spring is right around the corner. I'm a Buckeye through and through, so I have to go with Chuck. However, if we have six more weeks of "winter" like we've had this week, I'm all for it!
This nice weather reminds me of spring and everything that goes with it, like the spring picnic, OGTs, OAAs, and graduation. Keep in mind that our school schedule changed this year, and the last day for students in May 8. So, keep working hard in your classes to make sure you don't get behind. If you need help, ask your teacher. You can succeed!
Go Wolves!
Jim McCord
Superintendent
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VCS Celebrates Black History Month
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Every year in February, America celebrates Black History Month and the invaluable contributions that the African-American community has made to the culture and history of our nation. In 1976, Negro History Week was expanded to Black History Month and ever since, it has marked an essential time to study and reflect on our collective history.
VCS saw the need to educate our students on the central role African-Americans played in the birth of America and developed an African-American History course that is now in its second year. Taught by Mrs. Karra Todd-Partridge, this course begins in Africa and ends in the present day America. The class studies every major aspect of African-American History and culture through readings, videos, personal interviews and more. The students have the opportunity to bring their own opinions into the class through a variety of forums and essays. Studying the history of any people gives one a true insight into one of the many cultures that make America great.
In honor of Black History Month, Mrs. Partridge would like to showcase some of her outstanding student work. Click here to read essays from Assietou Ly, Nene Ly and Tavion Anderson.
For more information on Black History Month such as timelines, biographies and ways you can celebrate, click here.
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| High school awards assembly draws a large crowd |
 On January 17, the high school held their annual awards assembly. Roughly 75 students were in attendance, as well as the high school teachers, principal and guidance counselor. Students received an award for each A or B they earned in a class, and teachers had the opportunity to create their own awards such as "Best Effort", "Most Improved" or "Best Attitude." More than 800 awards were given out. Congratulations to all the student winners. Keep up the great work!
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| Summer school info announced! |
 It is never too early to start planning for summer school! We have finalized our dates and pricing and we believe everyone will be very happy with our lineup for 2012.
This summer, we will have one 10-week session, with a flexible starting date. Students in grades 6-12 can begin their coursework on May 21st and continue to register through June 15th. Summer session will end on July 27th. We have also significantly lowered our prices.
Summer 2012 pricing is as follows:
Full-time VCS Student Non-VCS Students
Full credit course: $50 Full credit course: $149
Half credit course: $25 Half credit course: $99
Stay tuned for the final course listing and registration information. We hope to begin registration in mid-February.
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| Redesigned website near launch stage |
 The redesign of our public website, vcslearn.org, has been in process in recent months. By nature, the website is a work in progress, and will never be completely "done", but it is scheduled to go live in the coming weeks. Some highlights include:
- Rotating features on the front page
- Social media icons throughout for easy sharing
- More videos and photos throughout the site
- Staff listings, including photos and contact information
- A section for current students to log into the LMS and view important information
- And much more!
Open this PDF to see screen shots of various pages. Watch for more information as we prepare to launch!
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| Thank you for completing our survey! |
 VCS Ohio families are asked to complete a survey regarding their teachers each semester. Thank you for taking the time to offer your feedback! These surveys provide important insight regarding how we are performing as an organization. We received more than 1,700 responses from students and parents in grades K-12. Here are some recent results.
--This teacher responds to my questions within 24 hours--97% said yes!
--This teacher provides clear and helpful comments when returning my assignments--97% said yes!
--When I do not understand my schoolwork, the teacher tries different ways to help me--96% said yes!
--This teacher treats me with care and respect--99% said yes!
We intend to keep working hard and strive for even higher numbers next semester!
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| Don't miss out on the yearbook! Order and submit photos today |
We are very excited to announce the 2011-2012 yearbook theme: Best of Both Worlds! This year, we will have two yearbooks, one for high school and one for elementary and middle school. Each book will be 40 pages of full color and costs $15 apiece. The yearbooks will be shipped directly to your home in the summer of 2012. Order by June 1!
Pictured left: draft high school cover
Pictured below: draft elementary/middle school cover
To order a yearbook, click here.
To submit photos for the yearbook, click here.
You will need the correct project number and password:
High school project number: 223587
Elementary/middle school project number: 223588
Password: vcs
Questions? Contact Jill Workman at 866-501-9473 ext. 2045 or jill.workman@vcslearn.org
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COSI Learning Center hosts many educational opportunities
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 The VCS Learning Center at COSI hosts a variety of fun, educational opportunities throughout the year. On January 20, the learning center, hosted a College and Volunteer Info Fair. Participants met with college admissions counselors from Bradford, DeVry and Ohio Dominican University. Organizations such as the Red Cross and COSI also spoke on volunteer opportunities.
Upcoming events include a field trip to the Columbus College of Art & Design on February 22, a Math Family Fun Night on March 9 and a Health Fair and Literacy Night in April. Stay tuned for more details on these upcoming events! Questions? Contact teresa.walton@vcslearn.org.
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| VCS Ohio can help students with dyslexia |
Did you know that 1 in 3 children are not reading at grade level when they enter the third grade? Reading is crucial to the success of all students--it is the academic skill that lays the foundation for all learning. Statistics show that 74 percent of the children who are poor readers in third grade remain poor readers in the ninth grade. Often they can't read well as adults either. In some cases, reading difficulty can be caused by dyslexia. There is help available, no matter the cause of your child's reading struggles. Please see how VCS Ohio can help your child become a better reader! Free face-to-face help is available. Click here to download an informational flier. In the Dayton area, call Stacey Whittaker at (937) 408-6042. In central Ohio, call Becky Petry at (740) 345-1995.
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Want to compete for a FULL college scholarship?
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 High school students: Are you really good at creating YouTube videos? Are you an amazing dancer? Are you a whiz at math? Do you love to act, sing, or play an instrument? Would you like the chance to win a scholarship for being fantastic? There is a competition for students just like you!
Marshall University hosts an academic competition every year. Not all events are academic, as there are also dramatic and athletic sections.
There are more than 100 events, and you can compete in at least 2...and have the chance to earn a FULL scholarship to Marshall University!!!
Click here to see the competition categories and details. If you are interested, please contact Mary Callicoat (National Honor Society adviser) at 1-866-647-6432 or mary.callicoat@vcslearn.org. You must register with Mrs. Callicoat no later than Feb. 6!
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| Ohio University student gains virtual experience through VCS |
 VCS has a new partnership with Ohio University, Athens Campus. This partnership creates an opportunity for a virtual field experience for pre-service education teachers. Our goal is to provide a valuable field experience, while supporting our students' learning needs and growing the field of virtual education. This partnership is still a work in progress, but we hope to ultimately standardize the experience.
Our first field experience student is Shandra Smith (pictured right). She will be working with Mrs. Conner in high school language arts.
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9 ways to help raise a lifelong reader
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Kids become lifelong readers for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes there's one key book that captures a kid's imagination and opens him or her up to the exciting world of fiction. Other times, a teacher who assigns great books in class sparks a hunger for more. In some cases, parents influence kids' appreciation of books by sharing their own love of literature and modeling reader behavior. Common Sense Media has developed a list of tips for developing and nurturing your child's love of reading. Find some of these helpful tips below, or read the entire article by clicking here.
Tips for developing a lifelong reader
Read aloud
Savor the series
Grab onto a genre
Feed the favorite-author addiction
Count on the classics
Find books about things your kids love
Funny is fine
Comics are OK
Make reading a family value
Love reading? Here are some ways students can get involved at VCS! High school students can join the book club by contacting jennifer.sherman@vcslearn.org and elementary students can participate in D.E.A.R. time by contacting miriam.green@vcslearn.org . All students are invited to participate in the upcoming literacy night at COSI in Columbus. Be sure to watch for announcements in the LMS for information or upcoming events!
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Jeffrey Jordan
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Name: Jeffrey Jordan
Grade: 6
From: Jackson
What is your favorite thing about VCS? That you can work at your own pace.
What is your favorite subject? Science
What do you want to be when you grow up? A game designer.
What do you like to do in your free time? I like to play video games and practice my piano and drums.
What professional musician/group do you most respect? TobyMac and Relient K
 | | Click here to watch Jeffrey play! |
What is your favorite movie? Captain America
What is your favorite book? Diary of a Whimpy Kid
What is your favorite food? Pizza
Do you have any siblings? I have an older brother named Josh and a middle brother named Scott.
What made you choose VCS versus a traditional school? I like the idea of working at home and working at my own pace.
Any advice you would like to share with your fellow students? Work hard!
Any advice you would like to give to students to excel in music like you? Work hard and always practice!
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TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Miriam Conner
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Mrs. Conner teaches high school language arts
What is your favorite thing about VCS? My favorite things about VCS are the teachers and people at the office. I can't say enough about how great they are. Also, I have really been able to get to know some of my students really well and that has been super fun.I love the flexibility this job offers me and my students. Yes, I realize that is more than one thing. I guess I am not good at following directions! :-)
What do you want your students to accomplish while they attend VCS? I want my students to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing each assignment, each course, each year, and graduation. Each step is an accomplishment and requires hard work but it feels so great to look back and know that you did it and you should be proud.
What advice do you want to pass on to your students? The advice I would pass on to students is - DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! That is the worst thing because it is so hard to dig yourself out when you are behind (I am speaking from experience) and to communicate with your teachers. We are here to help you but if you wait until it is too late, there is nothing we can do. Contact us right away if you are having trouble.
Favorites
Food: Ice cream (that is food, right?)
Book: To Kill a Mockingbird, Bread and Jam for Francis
Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (I am a sucker for chick flicks...and Matthew McConaughey)
TV Show: I hate to admit it, but I get sucked in to reality shows!!! Ridiculous I know!
Hobby/Interest: Playing with my kids and spending as much time with them as I can & going to the gym.
Season: Summer
Vacation Destination: Disney World
Childhood Memory: My mom would let me skip school a couple of times a year and we would go shopping and out to lunch. My mom made everything special and fun - she threw huge birthday parties and made elaborate cakes for us, when she read Green Eggs and Ham at night she would make that for breakfast, she dressed up for Halloween and passed out homemade rice krispie treats (we knew everyone in our neighborhood). She instilled the love of reading in me because she was very animated and used silly voices and expressions when she read which made me love reading.
Quote: There is nothing more rewarding than to make someone feel worthwhile in this world.
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STUDENT ADVISER SPOTLIGHT: Mr. Jon Butchko
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Jon is a VCS student adviser in Knox County
What is your favorite thing about VCS? I like that every student has an opportunity to succeed.
What has been your most rewarding experience at VCS? Meeting with many of the students, and watching student's strive to improve.
Fun Facts
When I am not working... I enjoy spending time with my wife and children, and I am trying to become a better cook.
If I won the lottery I would... Set up a college fund for my children, give money to my wife, and donate to places that help young people.
The best vacation I ever had was... I enjoyed anytime I went to Myrtle Beach with my best friend and his family. It was always fun to be at the beach and there were nice places to eat.
If I could travel anywhere, I would go... Somewhere in Europe either Italy or Germany always seem really interesting.
I am most proud of... My children, they are still pretty young but I am as proud as I can be of them.
The person I admire the most is... I have always admired my Grandfather, while he has battled a disease for most of my life, he has always fought to exceed the limitations that others had put on him.
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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!
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