Students,;like;all;people,;want;to feel;valued;and;cared;about.;They crave;connection;and;under- standing,;and;desire;relationships
that;make;them;feel;positive;about;them-selves.;Finding;acceptance;and;encour-agement;at;school;often;can;be;difficult,
but;at;FLVS;Global;School,;students;have
the;opportunity;not;only;to;navigate;their
education,;but;to;establish;great;connec-tions;as;well.
FLVS;Global;School;is;an;established
leader;in;developing;and;providing;on-line and blended education solutions
to students in grades 6-12 worldwide.
It;was;created;during;the;2000;Florida
State;Legislative;session;as;the;national
and;international;arm;of Florida;Virtual
School® (FLVS®).
The;fully;accredited;Global;School;of-
fers more than 120 courses, including
NCAA-approved;core;courses,;electives,
honors,;and;Advanced;Placement;(AP®).
It;is;built;around;the;FLVS;competency-
based;model;and;has;one;of;the;highest
completion;rates;in;the;industry.
To;what;does;FLVS;Global;School;attri-bute;its;high;student;success;rate?;It’s;the
connection;teachers;make;with;their;stu-dents;and;their;partnership;with;parents.
Teachers form a strong
connection with students
FLVS Global School Principal Matt
Vangalis;believes;it;is;absolutely;essential
for;teachers;to;form;a;strong;connection
with;students;and;their;families.
“In;a;virtual;setting,;it’s;too;easy;for;a
student;to;keep;the;computer;off;or;not
log;into;your;class;if;there’s;not;a;connec-
tion,”;said;Vangalis.;“If;you;establish;a
strong;connection,;not;only;will;students
complete;their;work,;they;start;to;believe
in;themselves;more;and;typically;start;to
achieve;more.”
Vangalis;has;been;with;Florida;Virtual
School;for;thirteen;years;and;was;a;mid-
dle;school;teacher;at;a;traditional;school
for;six;years.;The;father;of;three;school-
aged;children,;Vangalis;shared;that;as;a
young;teen;he;was;“headed;toward;being
a;drop-out;student.”;Vangalis;said;a;car-
ing;and;supportive;teacher;helped;turn
things;around;for;him.
Students;often;find;it;easier;to;connect
online;because;the;one-on-one;interac-tion;with;the;teacher;feels;safer.;A;stu-dent;is;free;to;speak;up;without;fear;of
judgment;that;comes;from;raising;a;hand
in;class;and;being;seen;by;others.;In;the
online;world,;students;also;know;their
teacher;is;actively;listening;and;is;provid-ing;direct;encouragement;and;feedback.
Vendor Hall
Finding;Connection
in;a;Virtual;World
The;FLVS;Global;School:;students,;parents,;and
teachers;partner;for;student;success.
by;Suzan;E.;Kurdak
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