Florida Virtual School (FLVS^®) launched a new Online Learning Community for online educators who teach students in grades Kindergarten-12 and for parents whose children take online courses. Designed to enhance the online learning experience, the FLVS Online Learning Community offers best practices and training for Kindergarten-12 parents, teachers and administrators.

The free digital resources include videos, articles and informative content for:

• Parents who teach their children as the primary home educator.
• Teachers who are new to teaching online or want to advance or share tips with others.
• School administrators who wish to start an online program in their school district or enhance their existing programs.

With content created for individual or school district needs, the FLVS Online Learning Community provides multiple educational tracks and subject areas, including:

• Online Learning 101: videos and other resources designed to help students, parents and teachers explore the world of online learning
• Courses for educators with pre-recorded webinars and training courses, including technology and educational systems
• Live workshops and webinars from FLVS trainers, learning specialists and school counselors to support online teachers and parents
• Emergency training for educators moving to online learning due to unexpected circumstances such as COVID-19 or natural disasters

“Many students and teachers use online education tools every day. However, we understand that for many educators, the required shift to virtual learning amid uncertain times might feel overwhelming,” said Dr. Louis Algaze, President and CEO of FLVS. “The FLVS Online Learning Community will give all educators, whether teachers, parents or administrators, with resources they need, and offers an online community where they can ask questions, connect with others, and feel confident as they continue to educate students.”

Educators are also invited to participate in a LinkedIn group where they can share best practices and exchange useful information. To learn more about the FLVS Online Learning Community, parents and educators can visit www.flvs.net/community.

As mentioned in Governor Ron DeSantis’ press briefing on Monday, March 9, 2020, and at the direction of Governor DeSantis, Florida Virtual School (FLVS) has partnered with the Florida Department of Education to offer all school districts student support and teacher professional development tailored to the online learning environment.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ruled Florida is at a low-risk, Florida is in a constant state of preparation to respond to COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, FLVS is offering virtual teacher training to accommodate Florida school districts that wish to train their teachers in the FLVS online platform in the event teachers need to temporarily move to an online environment. The training course, Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19, will be offered online, with FLVS live support. 

The Florida Department of Education has an immediate goal of training an additional 10,000 teachers statewide on the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19. Superintendents who are interested in offering their teachers the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19 should work with their county virtual principals to provide a list of teachers to FLVS through: www.flvs.net/FLVSTeacherTraining.

The Florida Department of Education is also offering $200 stipends to teachers, strategically identified in partnership with Florida’s school district superintendents, when those teachers complete the training.  Superintendents will determine which teachers will be eligible for the training, and this training may also qualify for teacher professional development.

The six-hour course is designed to be self-guided, with the opportunity to attend live online lessons to learn the training material, ask questions and collaborate with others. The robust course features four modules that cover key components of teaching in an online environment using FLVS curriculum and platforms. Topic areas include FLVS best practices of teaching online, FLVS technology systems, and FLVS procedures. FLVS trainers, who will be available throughout the course to answer questions, will conduct a skill assessment at the end of the course.

Teachers who complete the training successfully can apply the new skills to teach at their district’s County Virtual Schools that are an existing FLVS Franchise. FLVS Franchise schools use FLVS digital curriculum, Learning Management System, and Student Information System.

“As a precautionary measure, we will be fully prepared to help students stay on track with their education. FLVS is prepared to partner with Florida school districts to train thousands of Florida teachers with our online training course in order to quickly support all the school districts with additional resources,” said Dr. Louis Algaze, President and CEO for FLVS. “FLVS District Relations Managers will be in contact with school districts to offer the training services.”

“While we recognize that Florida’s students are resilient and at a low-risk for COVID-19, it is critical we plan, prepare, and work together to ensure students have the least disruption to their education, if necessary. A critical component of preparation is to ensure Florida teachers and school leaders are supported and given opportunities to continue providing a high-quality education, should the need arise. I want to thank Dr. Algaze and his team for stepping up to the plate and proactively offering statewide support to our teachers and school district leadership,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran.

In addition to teacher training, FLVS is increasing its server capacity, within its existing resources, to accommodate up to 400,000 new full-time students by the end of April, including quickly adding capacity for FLVS to serve 120,000 new full-time students by the end of March. This added capacity will serve students through either existing County Virtual School partnerships established through FLVS franchises or directly through FLVS. While the CDC has ruled Florida is at a low-risk, the actions of FLVS will ensure there is increased capacity to serve Florida’s entire education community, if necessary.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), a statewide online public school district, is proud to announce the FLVS representative for the Florida Department of Education’s 2021 Teacher of the Year program is Melissa Martin. She was selected as the 2021 FLVS Teacher of the Year from more than 1,700 instructors. Martin, an FLVS Full Time Middle School math teacher, has a passion for helping each of her students not only to succeed in math, but to enjoy it as well. 

Florida Virtual School (FLVS®), a statewide online public school district, is proud to announce the FLVS representative for the Florida Department of Education’s 2020 School-Related Employee of the Year program is Alicia Slater.

Alicia Slater, a Curriculum Specialist for FLVS, works diligently to enhance the learning opportunities for students in grades Kindergarten-5, through the development of content for the Elementary Specials courses of Computer Science, Art and PE. She thinks outside the box to use appealing topics and methodologies that maintain student interests while they learn the required material.

“Being recognized as Florida Virtual School’s 2020 School-Related Employee of the Year is an amazing honor, and I’m so grateful to be representing Florida Virtual School,” said Slater. “Over the past 11 years, no matter which team I am working with, one thing has always remained constant: students are truly at the center of every decision we make. My team members continuously inspire me to do better, learn more, and think outside of the box. The students I’ve had the privilege of serving have reminded me to meet each one of them where they are and that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to learning.”

“Alicia Slater continuously rises above expectations, always doing as much as she can to contribute to student success,” said Dr. Louis Algaze, President and CEO for FLVS. “She is dedicated to finding ways to improve student learning by researching and implementing student engagement strategies that provide meaningful and authentic learning experiences for our students.”

The Florida Department of Education School-Related Employee of the Year program recognizes outstanding education support personnel for the significant contributions they make to their schools and districts. To learn more about the program, visit www.fldoe.org.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), a statewide online public school district, recently announced the FLVS representative for the Florida Department of Education’s 2020 Principal of the Year program is Jessica Smith. A 15-year veteran of the education industry, Smith is the FLVS Full Time Middle School principal. Through her enthusiasm for education, her outstanding leadership qualities and her commitment to meeting every child’s individual needs, Smith cultivates a culture of success and positivity for her team as well as for FLVS students and parents.