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Calendar of Events
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Professional Development
February 20
Leadership Academy III
February 23
Leadership Academy I
March 1
Leadership Academy III
March 5
Leadership Academy II
March 8
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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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This week, we celebrated Valentine's Day, but my belief is our love and appreciation for each other should be demonstrated throughout the year, not just on one day. I hope you know how much I value and appreciate everyone on the VCS staff. I often say this is the best team I've ever worked with, and I mean it.
The administrative staff here in the office hosted a very nice luncheon for the directors on Valentine's Day. They set up a spread of Mexican food and wonderful desserts and entertained us with a slide show of fun facts about our staff members. Did you know that Nancy Lee's grandfather was a professional baseball player? Or that Jill Workman swam with 15-foot sharks? Or that Heidi Varner once attended a White House Christmas party with a friend who was in the Secret Service? Or that Denny Hammond weighed 10 pounds, 9 ounces at birth? We work with some very interesting people!
Go Wolves!
Respectfully,
Jim McCord
Superintendent
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Please explore our new website!
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 Our newly redesigned public website, vcslearn.org, is now live! By nature, the website is a work in progress, and will never be completely "done", but this new version is a big improvement and will continue to get better. Please explore it and let us know what you think.
Some improvements are:
- 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!
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Reminder: Professional Development on Monday
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 The next professional development will be held on Monday, February 20. The PD will be virtual and begin at 9 a.m. You will log in to the PLN (Professional Learning Network) in the LMS for instructions on where to begin. We will discuss the value-added module and constructed response test items. Be on the look out for more details later this week. Contact [email protected] with any questions.
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Laptop pilot program underway
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This semester, many students will be completing their coursework on VCS-issued laptops. For this pilot, about one hundred of our best and brightest students were chosen. Sixty-five laptops were handed out, with a number of laptops still waiting to be picked up by students. We have received an abundance of positive feedback and plan on holding a focus group discussion in Elluminate in the coming weeks.
In addition to the laptops, we are also piloting LibreOffice, an open source office suite (comparable to Microsoft Office) but has no licensing fee and is absolutely free. Each laptop comes preloaded with the LibreOffice software. See the photos below of some happy students receiving their laptops!
    
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Students will tour Columbus College of Art and Design
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On February 22, VCS will host a campus tour of the Columbus College of Art and Design. Students will meet for lunch at 12:15, and the tour will begin at 1 p.m. Interested students should RSVP by clicking here or contact Teresa Walton at [email protected] or 937-206-6241.
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Picnic planning is underway!
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 The VCS spring picnic will be here before we know it! The Parent Advisory Council is once again planning to raffle off prize baskets at the spring picnic on Saturday, April 28. Our visiting teachers, Linda Lineback and Sherry Kuehnle, are collecting items to go in the gift baskets. Your donation would be appreciated! There will be baskets for all ages and both genders, so all types of items can be used. Suggested items include: small toys, small stuffed animals, books, coloring books, stickers, crayons, school supplies, fun gadgets, gift cards....pretty much anything you'd like to win in a gift basket! Please bring your donation to the professional development meeting on March 9. Questions? Contact Linda and Sherry at [email protected]. Thanks in advance!
Planning to attend the picnic? Teachers and staff members should RSVP too!
Click here to RSVP for the picnic.
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Upcoming educational events
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The VCS Learning Center at COSI will host March Math Madness on Friday, March 9 from 6-8 p.m. Students will participate in carnival-style math games for a chance to win prizes. The event is free to attend and open to students in grades K-6. Dinner will be provided. Volunteers may be needed for this event, so please stay tuned for more information. For questions, contact [email protected].
This year, VCS will participate in the World Education Games. VCS students can participate in the Spelling Day and Math Day and will compete with other students from all over the world! It is free to compete and includes categories for all age levels. The games will begin on March 5, with practice activities open now. For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected].
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Doodle 4 Google and Aspire Awards
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 Doodle 4 Google is a nationwide contest where students in grades K-12 use their artistic talents to think big and redesign Google's homepage logo for millions to see. This year, students are asked to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..." One lucky student artist will see their artwork appear on the Google homepage and take home some cool prizes--and as a special bonus, the winning artwork will appear on a limited edition of Crayola's iconic 64 box! For more information, click here.
The Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards is an international media competition that recognizes projects that best illustrate the program's 'Create with Purpose' philosophy. Winning submissions are original, high-quality youth-produced multimedia created to address critical issues and effect positive change.The AYV Aspire Awards is open to students ages 13-18. Click here for more information.
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12 Dozen Places To Educate Yourself Online For Free
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All education is self-education. Period. It doesn't matter if you're sitting in a college classroom or a coffee shop. We don't learn anything we don't want to learn.
Those people who take the time and initiative to pursue knowledge on their own are the only ones who earn a real education in this world. Take a look at any widely acclaimed scholar, entrepreneur or historical figure you can think of. Formal education or not, you'll find that he or she is a product of continuous self-education.
If you're interested in learning something new, this article is for you. Broken down by subject and/or category, here are several top-notch self-education resources I have bookmarked online over the past few years.
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| Congratulations to these wolves! |
Kevyn Wilson and husband, Sean
Married October 1, 2011
Miriam Green Parsons and husband, Adam Married January 15, 2012 
Daughter of Heidi Anderson: Hope Elizabeth Anderson Born November 14, 2011 7 lbs, 1 oz She joins siblings: Hailey, Caleb, and Hannah. 
Son of Frank Conley: Wyatt Wendell Conley Born January 8, 2012 4 lbs, 13 oz (now more than 7 pounds and doing great!) 
Daughter of Emily Flynn: Kyla Renae Flynn Born January 28, 2012 6 lbs, 15 oz She joins big sister, Chloe. 
Daughter of Molly Coffey: Rebekah Ann Coffey Born February 3, 2012 8 lbs, 9 oz She joins siblings: Georgia, Jackson, and Emory June.
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| STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Jeffrey Jordan |
 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
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Click here to watch Jeffrey play!
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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: Miriam Conner |
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: Jon Butchko
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Jon is a 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.
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Watch for 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!
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