Virtual High School? One student talks about her experience…

In this NBC-TV news clip, watch a 10th grader talk about attending virtual high school at Connections Academy. The last portion of the clip is a bit misleading – in Ohio, where the clip was filmed, the school is tuition-free and provides a loaned computer, printer and subsidy for Internet service. More online at www.ConnectionsAcademy.com

Heartwarming Story About Succeeding in School!

Chicago Virtual Charter School – This is a public charter school with curriculum by K12 Inc, a leading nationwide curriculum and education provider. Not exactly homeschool, it’s virtual school, funded by the state. The program provides books, materials, computers, teachers, and access to top curriculum online.

What You Should Know About An Online Middle School

An Online Middle School, more often than not, offers same standard of education as do traditional private middle schools, but without the attendant high cost, which most parents who want best education for their child can ill afford.

Online middle schools fill the need of quality education and moderate tuition fees, but identifying them may be a little tricky. However, if you carefully narrow down your search you will surely find the right school .

I say this because anything goes online, the good and the not so good, but there are also a number of good online schools that provide quality education comparable to what you find with the established off line private middle schools.

Providing accredited middle school instruction to your child is the essence of some of these virtual schools that are equipped with safe online community interface for students’ interaction. You can be sure that home schooling of your child if done through a quality online school will be well enhanced to achieve your desired result.

It was in the past that parents worried about putting their children in boarding school for various reasons. Today, parents who know are no more giving any consideration to this, as good online Christian middle schools are out there to do the job of educating your children in the comfort of your home.

Even if you live abroad or in a remote place with your family an online middle school should solve your problem of quality education for your children without lack of the right amount of social interaction. Social communities provided for students by Christian online middle schools are properly regulated to meet the christian standards necessary for the good upbringing of a child in the christian way of life.

Online education has given families the option to travel to any location on earth and not worry about their children education during the middle school years and afterwords. The Internet has widened the scope of learning so that you can study just about at any level so long as you have a computer and Internet connection.

A quality online middle school will have all it takes to make their lessons, both the biblical and circular educational needs beneficial to your child. And what an added advantage that the whole family is able to get involved with the education of the child, since it takes place right at home? If you involve yourself in your children education, you will take charge of forming their character and future.

Aside from this you also benefit from assisting them, because new teaching methods and materials are part of online education. Christian online middle education strengthens family bonding since the biblical teachings that are part of the study materials will be discussed with the children by older members of the family.

Online schools employ three styles of teaching to create a learning environment suitable for your child’s education. A good accredited online school should be staffed with a team of qualified instructors who are Internet literate enough to guide the students properly while imparting quality education on all subjects through lessons and assignments delivered via the Internet.

Discussion groups are one of aspects of online schools that have helped in no small measure to develop the communication skills of children, and your child will have access to that. Your child like other kids will be evaluated and his overall performance in terms of communication and excellence in course work will be added to assignment scores, so what are you waiting for? Go online and find your child a good christian middle school to educate it for you in both circular education and the christian way of life.

Educating Schools, Parents and Kids About the Environment

Summertime is here and kids are out of school, so it is the perfect time for parents and kids to get serious about our environment and keeping it a safe and beautiful place to enjoy for many years to come.

According to a recent article in THE Journal by Chris Riedel entitled, “Green Schools: The Color of Money” school districts have finally discovered that going green can mean financial rewards.

It is not just about turning off lights, changing light bulbs or shutting off idle computers — it is about rethinking the way things are done at every level from companies, to schools, or even at home.

Schools need to analyze everything from natural gas and electricity use to heating and air conditioning systems, along with maintenance and construction procedures. It is important for any organization to develop long-term plans.

The Taunton Public Schools called in a group known as Energy Education, who helps develop energy conservation programs for U.S. school districts with the goal of converting dollars spent on energy to dollars spent on education. Tis group was retained to help find ways to decrease its energy consumption and their bottom line.

One interesting example mentioned in the article; typical school vending machines cost up to $450 a year to run, but by using a motion sensor that shuts down the machine’s compressor when there is no activity, schools can save up to two-thirds with each machine, and most schools districts have from 40 to 50 vending machines.

In just two years, the Energy Education program helped Taunton save more than $660,000 in energy costs, including costs on electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and water. Everything from disabling vending machine lights to managing irrigation played a role in savingsand our environment.

Students everywhere in schools across the country are also beginning to get the message about taking responsibility for helping to save the planet. To help parerets out, following is a list of environmentally inspired websites for kids to take a look at this summer:

Environmental Education for Kids is an online magazine for grades four to eight created by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which has short articles and activities about animals, and plants.

- EPA Student Center – This Environmental Protection Agency site includes information on a wide range of environmental issues. Kids can click on “Fun Activities” to play environmental games.

- Be, Live, Buy Different – A project of the World Wildlife Fund and the Center for a New American Dream, the site was created to inform young people about how everything we buy and use affects biodiversity. Take the Buy-O-Diversity Quiz!

- The Green Squad – An NRDC website that’s also available in Spanish shows you how to identify and solve environmental problems. You can can explore a colorful virtual school room by room, and use the mouse to locate potential hazards. Teachers and parents will find the site useful as it offers a wide range of resources.

- The Greens – Izz and Dex are green animated characters that not only have green skin, but they have lots of great ideas about protecting the planet. Visit this site to watch short cartoons about environmental issues Nature Challenge for Kids.

Nature Challenge for Kids – a David Suzuki Foundation website place for all kinds of fun activities starting with ten simple ways you can protect nature.

Remember to join community projects this summer in your town to help pick up garbage at the beach, or simply at a nearby park. Teaching our children about the importance of the environment is a job that both parents and teachers must share — at home and at school.