Testimonials
One of the most surprising things about online learning is the fact that so many different kinds of students thrive as online learners. We have heard many inspirational stories about how a well-planned and thoughtful online learning program made all the difference indeed. You'll find a variety of stories here to give you just a flavor of the exciting solutions that online learning provides every day.
Online Option is Just the Right Note
by Katrina Allendinger
My passion for the flute brought me to my school where I participate in a specialized arts program. That's a lot of practice, theory, and band, and it doesn't leave much time for the courses I need to take to graduate. Last year, I asked for help from my guidance counselor.
Enter Florida Virtual School (FLVS). Last year, for tenth grade, I took SAT prep, biology, and personal fitness. I took the SAT prep course because my high school doesn't offer it. This year, for eleventh grade, I'm taking AP U.S. History and a life-management skills class.
While it's a challenge to get all of my work done, FLVS gives me a lot of flexibility. That usually means working on my FLVS classes when I get home from school, later in the night, or on the weekends. Unlike my regular high school, my FLVS teachers don't tell me "You have to turn in your assignment on Friday or else…" That doesn't mean they don't care and aren't on top of whether I'm doing my work. If I ever fall behind in my work-and I have when work at my high school got a little crazy-I get an e-mail and usually a phone call from my FLVS teacher to see how I'm doing.
Turning in assignments is also flexible, which is very helpful. Each course has a minimum of three assignments each week. While it's ideal to turn in the assignments in order, the sequence is really up to you. I can turn them in quickly or take some more time, depending on my workload.
You're never really working on your assignments on your own. Your teachers are always there. They e-mail fairly regularly and I talk on the phone with each of my FLVS teachers once a month. It's a good way to check in and to stay accountable for the work. In fact, the teachers are one of the best things about FLVS. They really work with you to keep you on pace and help you do well. Last year, we had conference calls for my biology class and the teacher talked about things that were related to biology but not really necessary for that particular assignment. She just wanted to give us additional information, which was really helpful.
I plan to go to college and major in music performance. My dream is to play in a symphony orchestra. But first it's about finishing high school. FLVS has allowed me to follow my passion of music while staying on track to graduate with my classmates. It's the best of both worlds.
Testimonials
