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March 2015
Testing Update
College Credit Plus - REGISTER NOW!
Senior Pictures
St. Patty's Day Trivia
Good Things!
March Madness - Play along, win prizes!
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
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Calendar of Events

VCS Board Meeting 

March 23

 

Gaming Club Meeting

March 27

 

Spring Break 

March 30 - April 3 

 

Cooking Club Meeting   

April 7  

 

Photography Club Meeting 

April 8 
  
CHECK OUR EVENT CALENDAR FOR MEETING TIMES AT

Testing Update



 

Week one is now complete for PARCC (English and Math) and AIR (Science and Social Studies) state testing and OGT testing is underway for VCS 10th through 12th-graders, plus repeat 9th-graders, who have not already passed all sections of this required graduation assessment test.

 

We've had many calls and questions concerning the new state-mandated tests. Some parents are opposed to state testing. Please understand that as a public online charter school, we are required to schedule and deliver these tests.  They help you and us assess progress of each student and his/her mastery over concepts taught.

 

This year's 9th graders will be required to pass these test sets in order to graduate.

Parents, plan carefully so that your child is not at a disadvantage as they near graduation.   

 

We are here to help.  Contact Ms. Ulli Simcox, in our Guidance Department with any questions at (614) 501-2008.

 

College Credit Plus - Deadline Approaching!


ATTENTION
VCS 7th through 11th graders...  
 
If you are a high school student with a 3.0 GPA in your core subjects (Language Arts, Math, Science and History/Social Studies), AND you plan to attend college after you graduate, you may want to consider VCS's College Credit Plus program next year.
 
College Credit Plus (CCP) is the new umbrella program which will be replacing the PSEO (Post-Secondary Enrollment Option) or Dual-Credit programs of today.  CCP begins next year and assures that your credits are transferrable to any state (i.e. public) college or university. 
 
But don't wait too long!  The deadline to sign-up to participate for 2015-2016 is April 1st! 
For more information, including the CCP Parents Guide, FAQs, Participation Guidelines and other resources, Click Here.

Check with our Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Kelsey DePompei, if you have questions (kelsey.depompei@vcslearn.org or 614-501-2007). 

 

 

Senior Photos - Free of Charge!


ATTENTION  
VCS CLASS OF 2015...
 
There are so many expenses involved in getting to graduation.  Announcements, cap/gown, senior pictures and graduation party expenses are just a few.  This year, we'd like to help!


 

If you are a senior and can get to Dawes Arboretum at 7770 Jacksontown Rd. in Newark, we will be there to take photos.  (Dawes is the only arboretum in the state with no admission fee!)  Any VCS senior is eligible and there will be no cost to you.  We will try to provide several poses and will apply text to your photo selections with your name and graduation year (as shown left).

Mr. Prater, our Photography Club advisor and Mrs. Kehler, our Director of Communications are offering their services free-of-charge to any senior set to graduate this spring.

The tentative dates we have planned for this service is Saturday, April 18th and Saturday, May 2nd.  We will be available from 10:00am until 5:00pm both days.  


 

Make your plans now!

 

CLICK HERE to sign up for a senior pictures photo shoot.

 

Interesting Irish History    

 
Welcome Saint Patrick's Day!

Whether your heritage is Irish or you just enjoy celebrating with the rest of us, below you will find some interesting links to the traditions, legends and other symbols of this wonderful holiday.

CLICK HERE to learn how the shamrock became connected to St. Patrick's day.
 
CLICK HERE  to discover how the color green is associated with St. Patrick's Day.
 
 CLICK HERE to learn how the mythical Leprechaun made its way into Irish folklore.
 
 
Maybe we just love seeing all the GREEN... It's a welcome change to all the snow we've had in Ohio.

  

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

 

Good Things


Christina Landess
"I always look forward to getting her assignments," shares Mrs. Sanchez, Christina Landess's Science Teacher.  "She is a very good writer."  Mrs. Sanchez says Christina turned in a very "creative" explanation of the difference between ionic and covalent bonds, illustrating why Sodium and Chromium can not bond. 
 
    CLICK HERE to read Christina's paper!
 

Israeli Mathis
Our Health teacher, Mrs. K. (Klafczynski...Don't even attempt it!) shared that one of her students offered a video testimonial as a part of a class projects.  Each student was asked to take part in a 4-week long group activity and then write about the benefits of being apart of a team, mentally physically and emotionally.  In addition to a great paper, 9th-grader Israeli shared an awesome video demonstrating some killer dance moves! 
 
    CLICK HERE to see Israeli with her group.  (She is the one with the green headband.)
 

Savannah Ayers
 
"Unique" is what Mr. Shane Foglesong (Physics instructor) called 11th-grader Savannah Ayers's paper describing a modern example of uniform circular motion.
 
   CLICK HERE to check out Savannah's project.


Elisabeth Howells
Everyone deals with stress in life, but 9th-grader Elisabeth Howells was asked to try several strategies and report on her success.  Mrs. K told us she thought Elisabeth's paper was great.

   CLICK HERE to read about Elisabeth's strategies and experiences.


 

MARCH MADNESS HAS BEGUN!

 

VCS March Madness Contest!

  

For VCS full-time students, parents and Facebook followers...

 

* * *   Win Gift Cards and VCS t-shirts!   * * *

 
What is it?
Pick the teams who will participate in the Final Four and the Winner!

We have two separate contests underway:  one for students and one for adults. 

How can I play?
Visit our Facebook page and check our 3/15 post.  From there, you can link to the entry form for each contest.  All teams are identified as of yesterday.
What are the rules?
You must link to the entry form through our FB page in order to play.

All entries must be received by  11:59pm on  Tues., 3/17/15
(We have extended the deadline through today!!)
 

You may only pick four teams total (one from each region) and a winner.  (We are not doing a brackets/points system.)

You may only enter once either as a 'Student' or an 'Adult.  (VCS students MUST have a Maestro email account in order to verify that they are full-time VCS student.)

At the end of the tournament, those who had the most teams correctly selected for the Final Four semi-finals and the winner will take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.  If there are ties, we will draw winners in a live (recorded) drawing.

VCS teachers and staff may enter, but they cannot win prizes.

 
What are the prizes?
First Place:  $25 gift card
 and a VCS t-shirt (new design)  


Second Place:  $10 gift card
 and a VCS t-shirt


Third Place:  VCS t-shirt

 
CLICK HERE to link to our Facebook page to enter!
 
Winners will be announced on our Facebook page at the conclusion of tournament play.  
 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:  Miranda Leonard 

This month we wanted to feature an inspirational story for our Student Spotlight.  Meet Miranda Leonard.  


You may have seen a short video that Miranda made and shared on our Facebook page a few weeks ago.  Miranda is one of those young people who takes obstacles and turns them into opportunities.

 

Miranda resides in a very rural county in southern Ohio.  She was seventeen years old when she found out she was pregnant.  She listened to others tell her how her dreams of graduating and going on to college were all but extinguished now that she would soon become a young mother with limited resources.  But Miranda only listened for so long.

  

  

Miranda Leonard works diligently in her VCS classes at Sojourners-Vinton County, located in McArthur, Ohio.  She also assists on various Youth Build projects which benefit the community.  In these projects, Miranda earns NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) industry certifications she can take with her into the workforce after graduation.

She decided to take online classes through VLA, an online curriculum offered by her school district, which gave her more flexibility in her class schedule.  VLA is online, but the learning isn't supported through live instruction.  "It was hard to concentrate because the classes were boring and if you had a question, you were kind of on your own to figure it out," shares Miranda.  "It just didn't feel like I was learning anything to tell you the truth."

 

That's when Miranda discovered Sojourners in McArthur, Ohio.  Sojourners is a local agency designed to better the future of young people ages 16 to 23. They provide resources through the foster care system, government-assisted adult living and job training skills.  Miranda had been in the foster care system and was now about to age out of it.  Sojourners would provide her not only the chance to earn her high school diploma, through their partnership with VCS, but also some job skills that would give her the chance to bring some skills into a future job. 

 

Miranda easily adapted to VCS's online courses and quickly began earning her needed credits for graduation.  "I like VCS a lot because if I have a question, I can call my teachers and I know I'll get an answer.  I feel like I am really learning in these classes," confesses Miranda.

 

At Sojourners, Miranda takes her high school courses three days per week, and works at the agency's recycling Center or on YouthBuild projects.  The program's recycling center offers students the chance to learn logistics skills as they make appointments to receive scrap metal and aluminum, weigh the incoming metal and arrange for crushing, reweighing and shipping out the metal, once it has been processed.  "The students are in charge of the whole process and have even designed our warehouse here to maximize space and efficiency," shares Sojourners Site Director Jeff Fite.

 

Miranda also has the chance to learn and practice carpentry skills that will give her NCCER certifications should she choose to work in the construction trade.  Sojourners is one of 300 national YouthBuild agencies in the United States.  They practice the skills they learn in the community by building handicap ramps and other projects that benefit members in their local community.

 

Miranda was lucky to have the help of very caring foster parents, Maryanne and Craig Brumbaugh, who wanted her to succeed.  Even after Miranda became pregnant with her second child, she didn't want to give up on her dream.  The Brumbaugh's helped Miranda by allowing the rent she paid to be applied toward a land contract on a rental home they owned.  Now Miranda and her family:  Emma, now 20 months, and Roderick, 6 months, along with their father Derick, can focus on their future.  "I don't want my children to settle for less, that's why I can't either," says Miranda.

 

Miranda still has to complete her English IV class but she is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  She currently has a 3.14 G.P.A. and is motivated to make graduation a reality.  Miranda is even working on her classes in the evenings so that she can finish on time. 

 

"My dream is to go to RioGrande College and take their one-year Phlebotomy program so I can become a Phlebotomist," shares Miranda.  "I may even decide to continue on and get my 4-year degree in Nursing!" 

 

Every day Miranda looks into the faces of the little ones that depend on her and every day her resolve is a little stronger.  "I know that I've had some chances that maybe some others haven't had, she confesses.  "I guess that's why I want to use those opportunities and make them count for something!"

 

We admire your determination and desire to excel, Miranda.  We look forward to seeing you in that cap and gown on May 30th and celebrating with you!  Just 85 days to go!

 

Watch for The VCS Voice to arrive in your e-mail the end of each month. If you have any content ideas, send them to publicity@vcslerarn.org.

Go Wolves!