Back-to-Virtual-School Tour Debuts August 10-28; Parents to Discover “The New Pencil and Paper” for Straight A’s: Free eKit Levels the Field

More than 1 million U.S. elementary and secondary school students are going back-to-virtual school. What should parents know about the explosive trend in online learning ? How can parents learn how to choose the right program, class or school for their child? By completing the iVirtualSchool Challenge! Issued by iVirtualschool.com and the authors of “Virtual Schooling: A Parent’s Guide to Optimizing Your Child’s Education” the challenge will broaden access and information to parents all across the nation. Launching live on August 10, 2009, at www.iVirtualSchool.com, the challenge will be combined with the first-ever Virtual-Back-To-School Tour (ending August 28, 2009) and includes a trend-setting combination of e-opportunities and in-person information nights in New York City, San Francisco and Santa Monica (Los Angeles) area. The iVirtualSchool Challenge and tour educates every parent in America on how to take advantage of online courses, programs, schools, curriculum and podcasts to inspire their child to learn beyond the boundaries of the “traditional” school. Imagine becoming fluent in Chinese quickly, without a tutor or a full year in a classroom; or getting a leg up in science from the scientist who found the Titanic; or “attending,” for free, a Yale University class on history, literature, or any other subject about which a teen is passionate.

Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) August 5, 2009 — More than 1 million U.S. elementary and secondary school students are going back-to-virtual school. Forty-four U.S. States now offer online education to primary or secondary students, and some experts predict that by 2015, half of all classes will be online. With budget cutbacks and America’s academic standing continuing to fall short of expectations, online learning, smart phones and iPods truly erase all barriers and become game-changing means for all kids to receive a world-class education. Never before have so many opportunities been available for parents to become sophisticated educational consumers.

Back to Virtual School Tour Debuts!

What should parents know about the explosive trend? How can parents learn how to choose the right program, class or school for their child? By participating in the iVirtualSchool Challenge, created by the authors of “Virtual Schooling: A Parent’s Guide to Optimizing Your Child’s Education,” parents can learn how to discover and utilize the very best virtual resources for their child. Launching on August 10, 2009, at www.iVirtualSchool.com, the challenge will be combined with the first Virtual-Back-To-School Tour (ending August 28, 2009) and includes a trend-setting combination of e-opportunities and in-person information nights in New York City, San Francisco and Santa Monica (Los Angeles) area. The iVirtualSchool Challenge and tour educates every parent in America on how to take advantage of online courses, programs, schools, curriculum and podcasts to inspire their child to learn beyond the boundaries of the “traditional” school. Imagine becoming fluent in Chinese quickly, without a tutor or a full year in a classroom; or getting a leg up in science from the scientist who found the Titanic; or “attending,” for free, a Yale University class on history, literature, or any other subject about which a teen is passionate.

In addition, parents are invited to download the free iVirtualSchool Challenge e-kit to help them learn the “virtual ropes” of how to find the best solution for their family. Even if a parent uses just one component in the kit, it can benefit their child for a lifetime. The site, www.ivirtualschool.com also features the answers to parents the top “20″ FAQ’s about virtual learning in brief, easy to understand video clips. “Virtual Schooling is the great equalizer in education,” said co-author Lisa Gillis. “No longer are there any barriers for any motivated child – whether they are enrolled in the public school, private school or homeschooled – to receive an individualized, engaging and high quality education.”

Co-author Elizabeth Kanna says, “A child’s smart phone or iPod is the new ‘pencil and paper’ in education. The Tour’s goal is to inspire parents to explore mobile learning and other virtual education options in addition to their child’s classroom learning.” A click of a mouse or the finger-tapping of an iPod really makes a smart phone a tool to get smart.

John Fund, education columnist with The Wall Street Journal, said the book ”Virtual Schooling: A Guide to Optimizing Your Child’s Education,” is “A blueprint and a tool kit for parents to join the latest education revolution.”

About the book:

VIRTUAL SCHOOLING: A Guide to Optimizing Your child’s Education (Palgrave Macmillan; publication date: June 9, 2009; trade paperback; ISBN: 0-230-61432-9). In this revolutionary roadmap for parents, three top authorities in the cutting-edge virtual schooling movement reveal everything that virtual schooling has to offer.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Elizabeth Kanna is a new-market strategist who co-founded the largest homeschooling site on the Internet, and co-authored the movement’s definitive guide, Homeschooling for Success. The school board president of a public virtual school, Kanna is a veteran virtual schooling parent.

Lisa Gillis is a director at Insight Schools and is recognized as a virtual education expert throughout the United States. A lifelong educator, she has held key posts developing, managing and advocating for virtual schools. She also is a virtual schooling parent.

Christina Culver is an education policy expert and consultant who formerly served in the U.S. Department of Education.

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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.

Virtual School: A Day in the Life of a Connections Academy Family

Oregon Connections Academy (OrCA) – About our innovative virtual public school

Can I get my social security check if I do Florida Virtual School?