PAVCS Newsroom

Yesterday the news for the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School was that a bill (HB1802) was proposed that could limit funding the school. Today's news (or lack thereof) is that as of Tuesday afternoon, Governor Ed Rendell is reported to announce that the state budget most likely will not be approved by its July 1, 2009 deadline.

When news of an approved budget and its effect on PAVCS is announced, we will update this area with that information.

There was some surprise when House Bill 1802 was introduced recently in Harrisburg. The surprise was not in the language -- which calls for flat-rate funding and as proposed would limit regular and special education funding -- but in the sponsor.

Rep. Barbara McIlvaine-Smith, heretofore thought of as a supporter of cyber charters, sponsored the bill calling for a flat rate funding formula for regular and special education programs at cyber charter schools.

In the past, Rep. McIlvaine-Smith has been a proponent of cyber education, having been lauded for her support at the "Day on the Hill" rally sponsored by Pennsylvania Families for Public Cyber Schools and visiting PAVCS and filming a video related to that visit.

Summer is a time when families get a break from school and you might think things slow down for the Communications Department at the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. While the school year has more daily activity, there is a still a lot of excitement and buzz around PAVCS during the summer.

During the summer months the Communications Department fine-tunes its plans for updating the newsroom blog, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages, sends out press releases on test scores and school contracts, completes professional development activities and solidifies next year's communications plans.

In the next few weeks, if not days, we will be attending the National School Public Relations Association National Seminar while also making sure the 2009-2010 fiscal year begins on July 1 without missing a beat, and prepare all announcements concerning PAVCS' Adequate Yearly Progress status related to No Child Left Behind and the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment or PSSA.

It makes for an exciting time of year with many reasons for those interested in PAVCS to check back in to the newsroom to see what is happening.

In the quest to continually improve the operations and programs of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, we have sent a contingency of staff, teachers and principals to the National Charter Schools Conference, in Washington, DC. The conference features US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation President of US Programs Allan Golston, District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, New York City Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein and a host of sessions pertaining to Charter School Design and Instruction; Charter School Facilities and Functions; Performance and Accountability; Policy Environment, Advocacy and Messaging; and Governance, Operations and Leadership.

By participating in this and other national-level conferences, the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School staff experiences best practices and learns ways to adapt its programs to improve upon its high quality educational offerings.

Name: Taryn S. Kilbert
Introduction: I feel blessed every day and I feel that it is very important to remember the Golden Rule. It seems to apply to anything and everything. "Treat others as you would have them treat you"
Birthplace: Keflavik, Iceland
Hometown: New Castle, PA
Position at PAVCS: High School History Teacher
Experience prior to coming to PAVCS: Special Education teacher different grade levels, Adjunct College Prof. (French) at WLSC, World History, US History, ESL for corporations, schools, etc.
Education: B.A. History/French, B.S. Secondary Education. Special Education K-12 (WVU, Fairmont State, WLSC, Universite' de Caen, BCC)
Family: Husband David, Katie, Kasey, Ethan and 2 dogs (Zoey and Bailey) and a cat named Twizzler.
Top Ten
10 out 10 almost describes my passion for: music
9 times out of 10 I'd eat (calories aside): crusty French bread
8 hours a day at my dream job (besides PAVCS) would be: Professional Musician
7 days on a dream vacation would be spent: On a Caribbean Island with my family, no computers or cell phones.
6 seconds after I launch my Internet browser I'm on: PAVCS Blackboard Home Page
5 minutes is all the time I have for (pet peeve): whining, anger
4 stars is my rating for (TV/Movie/Book): Kite Runner
3 things always on my desk: Coffee, mechanical pencil, post it notes
2 people (living or dead) I wish I could meet: Maya Angelou, Eleanor Roosevelt
1 thing that might surprise most people about me: I ride quads and love to be outside.

This is the last video released by the PAVCS Bell News Magazine for the 2008 - 2009 school year. This video contains the combined footage taken from the Western and Central Discovery Days. This footage is courtesy of Jonathon Glaus, Oliver Spryn, and Emily Kirk.

From Bell News Magazine on Vimeo.

Discovery Days is the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School’s opportunity to thank our families for their dedication to education and to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of our students.

The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School family burst with enthusiasm about Discovery Days “Early America – Then and Now.” The celebration of education and family partnership - April 25th at Montgomery County Community College, May 16th at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center   and May 30th at the PA Farm Show Complex  – also was shared by our educational partners.

You could experience history firsthand by visiting the educational booths created by our teachers and staff. New this year was the High School Pavilion where we demonstrated high school programs with the help of our curriculum provider K¹² Inc. We will also had an enhanced Technology Booth where Verizon Wireless showcased innovation with the PAVCS technology department.

Provost Systems returned to show its dedication to the PAVCS family by allowing us the opportunity to offer a prize for one student to win a trip to Space Camp for participating in the Science Fair. Congratulations as well to all winners of our great prizes, especially Lydia Sowers and Jalen Mitchell, the bike-winners from Super Squirrel's Geocache drawing.  The secret Geocache Location was Washington's Headquarters, Valley Forge, PA.

This year's events were the most successful to date. We had more than 1,300 people attend the three events. We are excited for this year and already planning on how to make next year's Discovery Days bigger and better.

Sadie Hudson, a Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School student since 2007, recently was featured in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal for participating in the Alex's Lemonade Stand project through PAVCS and its curriculum provider K¹² Inc.  The newspaper relates how the PAVCS student worked with her school to set up the stand and raise money in support of her two brothers, Lee and Hudson Kettering, who since birth have dealt with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder in which nerve tissues grow tumors.




















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I spent most of the past week sitting around the house. I had some minor surgery that made getting around and working at the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School difficult, so I spent a lot of time talking to friends and family. As often happens, I spoke a lot about the 10 years I spent in the newspaper business and how most often what differentiates a good story from a great one is the ability to "tell the Why" as I like to put it. The Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why and hoW) make up every story, but Why gives it life.

I found this to be the case this week when I posted "One Simple Question" to PAVCS families as they ended their school year: "Would you recommend PAVCS to a friend?" The answer came back a resounding yes, with 132 of the 135 who answered saying they would. The real story, however was in the "Why." 

Most often our parents said they would recommend PAVCS because of the support we offer through our unique Diamond Model Partnership, which allows us to adhere to and fulfill our mission  "to provide Pennsylvania students with an excellent education, grounded in high academic standards, which will help them achieve their full academic and social potential." We achieve our mission by partnering our parents with certified teachers, dedicated non-academic support with Family Support Coordinators and the K¹² Inc. curriculum.

When asked why they would recommend PAVCS, the top five responses our families gave were:

1. Support, 23.13%
2. K¹² Inc. Curriculum, 22.39%
3. Participating In Their Child's Education, 11.19%
4. Flexibility, 8.21%
5. Academic Rigor, 7.46%

Two Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School students were so proud of the art work they produced for school that they organized their own art show to showcase it. Charity and Ocean Swomley took the initiative themselves and contacted Valley Forge Christian College to reserve space and sent invitations via the web site "evite."

Host: Charity and Ocean Swomley
Location: Valley Forge Christian College
1401 Charlestown Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460
When:  Friday, June 12, 2:00 PM

We have been working hard on our Art and we would love you to come and see it. So we are have an Art Show, so everyone can enjoy our beautiful art work. If you really like our art you can even take some home with you. We will be having some refreshments and the Artists will be on hand to discuss their creations with you! Please join us for an hour of art and celebrate the end of a wonderful year of school.

Graduation 2009 is a historic and momentous occasion in the life of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. Our entire school community celebrates the graduation of our first graduating class. There will be many graduations in the future, but only you, the graduates of the Class of 2009, hold the distinction of being members of the first graduating class of PAVCS.

In the World According to Mister Rogers, Fred Rodgers wrote, "Imagining something may be the first step in making it happen, but it takes the real time and real efforts of real people to learn things, make things, turn thoughts into deeds or visions into inventions."

This graduation ceremony celebrates and acknowledges the hard work, dedication and perseverance which brought you to this milestone. Your senior projects testify to what you have learned, made, did and invented.

As wonderful as your accomplishments are - you did not get here by yourself. This commencement exercise also recognizes the real time and the real efforts of the educational partners in our unique Diamond Model of Partnership. These partners supported you throughout your educational journey.

This graduation is owned by you and your parents who have served as your first teachers and made many sacrifices so that you could participate in the PAVCS model of choice in public education. This celebration belongs to you and your teachers and academic coaches who worked tirelessly with you to help you reach your intellectual potential. You share this moment with your Homeroom Teachers, Family Support Coordinators, Guidance Counselors and other adults who have played a part in your metamorphosis from child to young adult. K¹² Inc., our instructional materials provider, whose mastery based model has helped to "unleash your potential," celebrates this commencement with you.

Yes, today is a great and momentous moment in your life. While the K-12 chapter comes to a close, a new chapter begins. As you leave PAVCS to embark on the next phase of your journey, I leave you with the words of Fred Rodgers, "One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." You are here at this commencement because of the investment of others in you. Now take all that you have acquired and allow it to propel you to make a difference and invest in the next generation.

You leave PAVCS among the finest scholastic gems the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has to offer. You are stellar examples of the excellence in education the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School provides for its students.

Congratulations for a job well done.

The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School bestowed diplomas on 96 members of its first graduating class last week.

“There is an historic note to the achievement of the first graduates of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School,” said Sheldon Thorpe, President of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School Board of Trustees and a pioneer PAVCS parent enrolled since the school’s creation in 2001. “This graduation marks the accomplishment of a goal the Board defined when establishing the school in 2001 of becoming a comprehensive K-12 school.”

This year marks the first graduation for the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, which began with about 700 students in grades K-2. PAVCS is now a comprehensive K-12 school offering differentiated instruction in regular education and special education programs to more than 3,500 students and this year hails graduates from 42 counties. As the premiere public cyber charter school in Pennsylvania, PAVCS has consistently posted the best combined scores of all cyber charter schools on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.

Graduation ceremonies were held June 1 at Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort, Hidden Valley, PA and June 3 at the Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center, Lancaster, PA. During the ceremonies, the representatives of the senior class acknowledged the class gift of a $350 donation to the “Make A Wish Foundation” in the name of PAVCS third-grader Khrystian Fuhrman who passed away this school year from heart failure.

“This commencement exercise recognizes the real time and the real efforts of the educational partners in our unique Diamond Model of Partnership,” said Joanne Jones Barnett, CEO of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. “It is owned by the students and their parents and academic coaches who made many sacrifices to participate in the PAVCS model of choice in public education. Our graduates share this moment with their Homeroom Teachers, Family Support Coordinators, Guidance Counselors and other adults who have played a part in the metamorphosis from child to young adult.”

The PAVCS Diamond Model Partnership is a collaborative partnership integrating parents, teachers, family support coordinators and K¹² Inc. © curriculum, ensuring all PAVCS students reach their full academic and social potential. This partnership has resulted in PAVCS posting the highest overall scores of all of the state’s cyber charter schools on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, the state’s standardized test related to No Child Left Behind.

The members of Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School's first graduating class: Brandon Anderson, Christopher Anderson, James Barila, James Tyler Beaujean, La Crusa Angel Beckman, Jordan Alexander Bell, Bradley Christopher Bert, Michael Dennis Best, Emily Elizabeth Bolton, Megan Bream, Nicole Marie Brown, Jacqueline Darlene Burke, Nikki Chestnut, Kayla Sue Clinger, Olivia Antoinette Cordutsky, Kara Marie Cronauer, Josiah DelToro, Jonathan Michael DelToro, Chrystal Faith Dierking, Amanda Lee Doherty, Alex Dombi, Mark Robert Emch, Jessica Marie Emerich, Adrienne Epler, Deidre Epler, Robert Joseph Etzler Jr., Bret Michael Faher, Royard Christian Fajardo, Kailee Alexandra Firestone, Catrina Sudermann Fisher, Matthew Ryan Fredericks, Megan Susan Friend, Dillan Gordon, Monique Alexis Gray, Damian Michael Harrington, Sloan Hartless, Jerracah Jeanne Heibel, Emily Paula Helms, Marissa Anne Henry, Benjamin Scott Hurst, Alexis Breasia Jackson, Daniel Jarvis, Stephen Russell Jayne, Chantel Jones, Alicia Renee Kanode, Amy Kemnitzer, Emily Catherine King, Menno Jordan King, Danielle Kirk, Brittany Ann Koza, Kathleen Lamberti, Jessica Leary, Justine Lechner, Konstantinos Angelo Loukas, Jonathan S. Mall, Devin Donna Nicole Mangham, Anthony Marsico, Kristen Lynnette Martin, Raeanne Elizabeth Merryman, Joshua Allan Mink, Deanna Newswanger, Kelli O'Brien, Casey Michelle Ott, Shawn Michael Pike, Susannah Raff, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds, Renee Lynn Riggs, Aaron Rodriguez, Matthew Rolish, Tyler Anthony Rotkiske, Tahniea Ruffin, Shona Dyan Saulsberry, Caleb Lee Seibert, Jordan M Serra, Bethanie Sessoms, Angelea Shelp, Jennifer Simcox, Tajya Smith-Cullen, Katlyn Marie Sodon, Andrea Renae Stoltzfus, David Michael Tasker, Stephanie Tayburn, Raymond J. Ulery, Michael Thomas Upholster, Benjamin David VanOuse, John Lucien Trees Vilardi, Kathryn Constance Waddel, Rasheada Wallace, Katrina Lynn Whetsel, Cesiah Marie Wicker, Jonathan Daniel Wilson, MacKenzie Wright, Kristi Wright, Joshua Karl Zeiler, Katrina Marie Zelgowski, Roman Andrew Zimmerman.

One of the first concerns parents have about enrolling their children in the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School and taking on the role of the academic coach is how well the parent will need to undertsand technology. We explain that the programs PAVCS uses like K¹² Inc.'s online school, Elluminate and Blackboard can be mastered pretty quickly and that most parents become comfortable right away.

We understand that new parents might think administrators, family support coordinators and teachers at a PA cyber charter school could skew the learning curve a little so we went to our best source and asked our families One Simple Question, "Do you consider yourself an expert in  technology, tech literate or not at all?" Our families consider themselves "tech literate" mostly, with  64 percent of the respondents making that claim. 

Almost all of the responding parents said they felt more comfortable using a computer now than when they first arrived at PAVCS. The responses to this week's PAVCS "One Simple Question" of  "Do you consider yourself an expert in  technology, tech literate or not at all?" are:

1. Tech Literate, 64.63%
2. Not At All, 20.73%
3. Expert, 14.63%

Name: Nina M. Cimino
Introduction: I will be at PAVCS for two years on Nov. 5, 2009. I am very happy at this new job. However I do notice that it can get a little lonely, but my awesome side-kick, Tater Tot, is always here. :0)
Birthplace: Pittsburgh
Hometown: Butler
Position at PAVCS: High School Special Education Teacher
Experience prior to coming to PAVCS: Reading Specialist/Title One Coordinator, 9th grade Learning Support Teacher, 9-12 Emotional/Behavioral Support Teacher
Education: Certifications in Special Ed (N-12), Elementary (K-6), Reading Specialist, English (7-12)
Family:  Married to Treestone, we have one dog, Tater Tot, and one cat, Tobie. One brother, Eddie. Parents are Janet and Edward.
Top Ten
10 out 10 almost describes my passion for: Being outside in beautiful weather with people that I love.
9 times out of 10 I'd eat (calories aside): Grilled cheese with tomatoes along with a dark chocolate milk shake.
8 hours a day at my dream job (besides PAVCS) would be: Being a mid-wife.
7 days on a dream vacation would be spent: Swimming and seeing new places.
6 seconds after I launch my Internet browser I'm on: checking various emails.
5 minutes is all the time I have for (pet peeve): being on hold while on the phone.
4 stars is my rating for (TV/Movie/Book): Battlestar Galactica/Legend/Mists of Avalon
3 things always on my desk: Iced water, plants, dust
2 people (living or dead) I wish I could meet: both would be past family members.
1 thing that might surprise most people about me: I fire-breath, stilt walk, juggle, make stained glass

When a senior gives a gift to his classmates it has to be perfect. There is a lot of tension around finding something that is perfect for everyone. There is even more tension when that class gift is for the first graduating class in the history of your school.

Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School senior David Tasker decided to take on the challenge of finding that perfect gift for his classmates. After long hours of research and numerous interviews he found it.

David used his talents as a video editor to develop a video montage that captures all of his classmates, features many of the school's teachers and truly defines the feelings expressed at the graduation ceremonies. David's video was presented at each of the PAVCS graduation ceremonies and was a big hit with his fellow graduates.

Dear 2009 Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School Graduates;

On behalf of the PAVCS Board of Trustees, congratulations and thank you.

Congratulations on this special milestone in your life and thank you for working so hard in helping PAVCS fulfill its mission of sending great graduates like you out into the world. We are now truly providing the Kindergarten through 12th grade education we set out to do many years ago. The Board is passionate about making sure PAVCS provides the best educational options to its students.

Today I write to you not only as the proud President of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School Board of Trustees, but also as one pioneer to another. My family is a PAVCS pioneer family, having enrolled in Pennsylvania’s finest provider of public cyber education from the day it opened in 2001. I am proud to greet you as the pioneer graduating class at the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School.

There is an historic note to your achievement as the first graduates of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, but please remember that great responsibility also accompanies that role. You will forever be bound to PAVCS because your success is our success. We are proud of you now and will remain proud as we share in your future accomplishments.

I welcome you as graduates and am proud to serve you as your Board of Trustee President.

PENNSYLVANIA VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL MARKS FIRST GRADUATION
The Inaugural Graduating Class At The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School Is Making
A Memorial Donation To The “Make A Wish Foundation” In Fallen Classmate’s Name

The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School will hold the first graduation ceremony in the history of the public cyber school at 5 p.m., Monday, June 1 at Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort, 1 Craighead Drive, Hidden Valley, PA 15502 and 5 p.m. June 3 at the Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center, 2416 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602.

During the ceremonies, the representatives of the senior class will present a class gift of a $350 donation to the “Make A Wish Foundation” in the name of PAVCS third-grader Khrystian Fuhrman who passed away this school year from heart failure.

WHO: Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School

WHAT: High School Graduation Ceremony

WHERE: Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort, 1 Craighead Drive, Hidden Valley, PA 15502 & Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center, 2416 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602

WHEN: 5 p.m., Monday, June 1, 2009 (Hidden Valley) and 5 p.m., June 3, 2009 (Willow Valley)

One of the great things about the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School is that we rely on advanced  technology for the operation and delivery of information to our students and academic coaches. While using the newest technology for attending public school at home is exciting, it can also be frustrating at times. We are constantly looking to improve content delivery and help our community adjust to the latest in technology.

With that in mind we asked our parents "One Simple Question" this week "What is your biggest  technology issue?" The answers were interesting and most often had to do with common computer issues like freeze ups or program crashes. Most of our parents expressed frustration when this happens, but they all know that the dedicated non-academic support of the Family Support Coordinators is designed to help get them through these issues.

A parent's first point of contact for technology and non-classroom issues related to the school is the Family Support Coordinator. The FSC is prepared to answer general technology issues and help resolve most common frustrations. The FSCs are also armed with a variety of contacts to escalate technology issues so that if a major issue arises, the student is able to continue with his or her education immediately.

FSCs commonly deal with issues related to computers, help students log in and get familiar with online classrooms, and guide them through software updates. Unfortunately for almost 10 percent of our respondents, they can't really help with cell phones, gaming consoles and cable television connections (I lumped that under "Home Equipment").

 The top five technolgy issues of the PAVCS parents responding to this week's "One Simple Question" are:

1. Computer Issues, 27.27%
2. Logging In to Online Classroom, 12.99%
3. Internet Connections, 9.09%
4. Home Equipment, 6.49%
5. Software Updates, 6.49%