October is upon us and we are well into the new school year! Wolfpacks are underway and student clubs are about to start, our parents have met in our first P.A.C. meeting of the year and academic projects are in full swing. Thank you to the 13 families who came out to support eSchool Choice in Ohio by attending Online Learning Day earlier this month. We appreciate your support. Here is October's news...

Contest Highlights

OCTOBER'S CONTEST ALERT:

Thanks to those of you who played our National Constitution Day contest last month. Your posters were featured on our Facebook page and on our website. Winners this year are:

First Prize: JEFFREY JORDAN

Second Prize: KELLY NAFF

Third Prize: SAMANTHA WYLER

Good Things!

Susan Boitnott

Susan is a VCS sophomore, a recovering bully victim and a community activist. She attends our Proteen Center in Newark and recently wrote a letter to the Newark Advocate, published on September 19th. Susan volunteers through a youth-led community leadership program called Y.E.S. Club of Newark. Executive leadership had changed and Susan felt the club's services were beginning to suffer. Susan took it upon herself to propose her views publicly. In our estimation, that shows true civic responsibility - speaking up in a responsible manner. Good for you! (You also are a very good writer!)

Click here

to read Susan's published letter!

Mrs. Francis and the Holy Trinity team

One of our Success Sites in Newark, is staffed by a group of learning coaches exceptionally dedicated to
their students. One student, Andrea Brust, is a young mother who occasionally has issues juggling care for
her 7 month old daughter, Kailey. Mrs. Dodie Francis, Site Director and the rest of the HT staff pitched in to purchase a playpen and other infant essentials. When Andrea is working in her courses and needs help, she
can how bring Kailey with her if she has daycare issues. Now that's dedication!

Click here to see a photo of VCS's youngest student!

Kailey McDermott

This VCS sophomore has quickly developed a reputation for creating imaginative videos for various school projects. In her Personal Fitness elective, Kailey was assigned a project to select and research one of five
current life-threatening health risks, sharing causes, symptoms and as remedies. She selected strokes and presented both a fact sheet and a creative video she developed to grab attention and convey information about these important health concern.

Click here to see Kailey's video presentation. Click here to see Kailey's fact sheet.

Grace DuVan

12-year old Grace's Math instructor, Mrs. Petry offered up this Good Thing... VCS 7th graders were solving addition and subtraction problems involving negative numbers. They were asked to create an integer line, solve and explain how the problems were solved. " A lot of students just wrote down a number line on a piece of paper, but Grace made it fun and interactive and played a game with her mom," shares Mrs. Petry. Very creative, Grace!

Click here to see the number line Grace created to show how her problems were solved.

Anthony Hamel

VCS freshman Anthony Hamel is our favorite kind of student to profile. This is his 7th year with us, but in his not-so-distant past, Anthony was not the most focused student. Discipline and self-direction were skills it's taken Anthony a while to master, but boy did he EVER! Anthony finished his English I freshman course in one semester and is working ahead of schedule in his English II course. Even better, he is several assignments ahead in both Algebra II and Physical Science. Mr. Justin Sparks, Anthony's English teacher recently commented on how pleased he is with Anthony's turn-around. "Anthony is still in the middle of writing his final draft but this introductory plan is a great start for him. This time last year Anthony never came to class and did not work. He was given one more chance to get himself turned around by Mr. Hammond (HS Principal). He proceeded to complete English I in a semester and finished the course with a solid B. So far this year, he is well ahead of the class pace and is continuing his upward trajectory. I'm really happy with his performance and his discipline because he has decided to put forth his very best effort!" Way to go, Anthony!!

Click here to see Anthony's English II research paper introduction.

Katarina Bowyer

VCS 8th grader Katarina Bower recently turned in a creative presentation in Mr. McCloskey's U.S. History class. Her assignment was to choose a patriot from the American Revolutionary War and write a paragraph about his/her life, impact on the war, and contributions to freedom. Students had to also tell what they personally learned about this subject (a 'take-away' learning). They had to include photos and 2 sources of information. Katarina chose a little-know, female revolutionary spy of the Culper Spy Ring, commonly referred to as Agent 355, whose work uncovered Benedict Arnold's treasonous activities! Mr. McCloskey called Katarina's project "just so cool!" (BTW, Katarina is a new student with VCS this year... Welcome, Katarina!)

Click here to see Katarina's presentation.

Scholarships for 9th-12th graders

Click here for FAQs and application process.

VCSers show their support for eLearning

Online Learning Day in Columbus was an event designed to celebrate eSchool Choice and the positive impact that choice has had on Ohio students and their families. Wednesday, October 7th was crammed full of activities: a media rally, state house tours, meeting with state legislators, visits to eschool-hosted learning activities, lunch and guest speakers. Thank you to the 14 families who registered their support and our two VCS alumni who did the same! A special thank you to Brandon Maynard, Class of 2013, who shared his story of success at VCS during the Celebration event which concluded the day.

Middle School English teacher Karen Miller (Center) enjoys touring the statehouse with the Bowyer sisters (Katarina and Kerianne), both her students!

HS Principal Mr. Hammond (Right) visits with VCS graduate Brandon Maynard, Class of 2013.

HS History teacher Mr. Christian McCloskey (Left) has his photo take with student visitors to VCS's Heroes in History photo booth. Do you recognize Betsy Ross, Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and George Washington?

VCS Intervention Specialist Lauren Lavy enjoyed welcoming Megan Doppes to the VCS Learning station in the Columbus Athenaeum.

Announcing Student Clubs for 2015-2016

Photography

Take and share digital photos of yourselves, your families at VCS events. Your work will be featured socially, on our website and perhaps in a yearbook, if we offer one.

Club Advisor: Dr. Ken Prater

ken.prater@vcslearn.org

Gamers Unite

Trade the latest play tips and the best games. Play online and share your time and enthusiasm with other gamers.

Club Advisor: Mr. Denny Hammond

denny.hammond@vcslearn.org

Health and Fitness

It's all about lifestyle. Students will share and practice habits from creative exercise, yoga/meditation, heart-healthy eating and nutrition.

Club Advisor: Mrs. Mary Callicoat

mary.callicoat@vcslearn.org

Creative Writing

Interested in trying your hand at writing? This club will have its members writing nonstop and publishing their work in no time.

Club Advisor: Mrs. Ginger Kehler

ginger.kehler@vcslearn.org

Patriot

Appreciate the history of our country, including its Founding Fathers, Constitution. and historic monuments and battlefields? Join our Patriot Club!

Club Advisor: Mr. Christian McCloskey

CONTACT CLUB ADVISORS BY EMAIL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AN ANY CLUB.

(Some clubs already have their schedules in place. Others will be chosen based on advisors' and students' mutual availability. Check our homepage, under 'Upcoming Events' for all meeting dates.)

Alumni Recognition

We are so excited to induct 3 new alums onto our VCS Alumni Wall-of-Fame this month!

We will soon be brandscaping our building entrance area in Reynoldsburg. These profiles will be included with the others currently on our website.

Student Spotlight: Cassandra Warwick

Fourteen year old Cassandra Warwick, of Dellroy, Ohio gets dusty and dirty a lot. She is a nationally-ranked American Motorcross Association (AMA)'s Girls Quad racer. Well, why not? She's been at it, with her dad by her side, since eleven years of age.

"I had a small dirt bike, but I really didn't ride it much," Cassy confessed. I went to watch my nephew race when I was younger and I told

my dad, "That's what I want to do!""

Now, over three years later and two seasons of racing, it's a story which probably should be called Dads, Daughters and Dirt.

Cassy rides in the Girl, 12 to 15, 250 class. She has probably raced in 20 or 30 races at this point - some indoors and some out of doors. It's the national events she loves. Four laps filled with hills, ramps, curves and straight-aways. Her combined score in all of them rank Cassandra Warwick sixth in the nation!

"I like it because once you are out there, no one can help you. You're kind of on your own if a situation comes up," Cassy says. Other than a pretty bad radiator leak and a popped chain in the middle of a competition, Cassy hasn't had too many engine-related incidents. If she does, dad Jeffrey Warwick is there to help.

Cassy's dad, Jeffrey Warwick, has taken every step of this journey with her. He is her biggest cheerleader, her chauffeur and her mechanic. "Racing so much for Cassandra,: he shares. "It's done more for her, confidence-wise, than anything else in her life!" Cassy started off with a 90CC quad, but in three years she has advanced to a 150cc and to the 250cc quad she now has that's mounted on a 450 frame. "We really couldn't do this if I didn't help work on her ATV. In these races almost nothing is stock, and you just have to add so much in order to compete nationally. $5,000 is a typical amount you'd have to invest just to get it ready to compete nationally, but most racers invest even more." He esplains that the 250 Cassy now races has been so modified, the only stock thing on it is a swing arm that runs between the frame and the axle. Virtually everything else is a custom modification!

Jeffrey also told us that racing is one of the reasons is daughter came to VCS. Cassy travels out of state for many of her competitions. In the last couple of years, she has had to travel as far away as Texas and Daytona Beach, Florida, to compete for her national rank. Online learning gives Cassy the chance to stay up with her schooling while traveling.

Cassy attended her first wolfpack meeting at an Akron library branch last month. For Cassy and her dad, it was a 30 minute drive. It was there that they met Cassy's wolfpack leaders Jami Petry, Middle School Math teacher and Ginger Kehler, Director of Communications; the two co-advise ten students who live in and around the Akron-Canton area.

About six weeks into school Ginger saw that Cassy was beginning to fall behind. "Becoming disciplined is probably the hardest things for brand new students to manage," she says. "There are no

teachers in a classroom threatening to keep you in an after-school detention to finish your work. You have to rely on yourself to do what needs to be done." She called Cassy, who said, "Don't worry. I've had a lot going on but I will get caught up." With her dad's insistence Cassy spent a full week of intensive schooling to get back on track, and she is just about there. We are really proud of her for that!

Cassy says she hopes to advance to the Womens motorcross quad class and continue racing until she graduates. When asked if she has given any thought to what she might like to do professionally, she was quiet for a few seconds... "Maybe an art teacher. I like art - or possibly a lawyer," says Cassy. "My family says I'd be good because am good at arguing," she says with amusement.

We're sure you'll do whatever it takes to be the best at whatever you choose, Cassy. Whether reading or racing, you have that kind of discipline. So glad to have you with us! Keep up the great effort!

Upcoming Events

Fri., Oct. 23rd
12:00 noon

Oct. 26-30

Wed., Oct. 28th
6:30 p.m.

Thurs., Oct 29th
2:00 p.m.

-

-

-

-

Gamers Unite Meeting

OGT Make-ups for students still needing to pass one or more parts

(contact Guidance if you are in doubt)

VCS School Board Meeting

Patriot Club Meeting

Check website for additional announcements.

VCS students, remember to log into your coursed every day and stay on track. The semester break will be here before you know it. And don't forget to send us your videos and posters for our Bully-Free... Free to Learn! contest this month.

Happy Halloween!

Virtual Community School of Ohio

publicity@vcslearn.org

Virtual Community School of Ohio