PAVCS Newsroom

We all have our favorite myths or urban legends. There are alligators in the sewers of New York City, the Great Wall of China can be viewed from space and Donald Trump paid off the mortgage of a stranger who changed his tire are a few of the better know myths or urban legends.

As enticing and interesting they may be, there are indeed false. Though it may seem harmless to perpetuate these urban legends, families of students at the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School have found that defending common myths about cyber education can be quite daunting.

This week I asked our families “One Simple Question” facetiously “what is your favorite (untrue) myth about cyber education.” The response was tremendous. Overwhelmingly parents say they have to defend the myth that students in home-based education lack social skills or have poor “socialization.”

PAVCS parent Kelly Hammerle probably put it best on the recent “Pittsburgh Today Live” segment about the school when she said socialization is the number one question she is asked about how her children are educated. “It’s interesting to me that it (the first question) is never about academics.”

Other “myths” our parents dispel are that students sit in front of a computer all day, that there is no accountability and that cyber education is just too hard for the average person to attempt.

According to PAVCS families, the top five “myths” about cyber education are:

1. Lack of Socialization, 63.39%
2. All Day In Front of Computer, 10.71%
3. Not Real Education, 6.25%
4. No Accountability, 4.46%
5. It's Too Hard, 3.57%

Name: Michael J. Rublesky III
Introduction: Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!!
Birthplace: Philadelphia
Hometown: Drumore
Position at PAVCS: Senior Director of Technology
Experience prior to coming to PAVCS: wrote code for the health industry (Code warior on the Palm III), partnered with Microsoft to move parochial schools to Windows 95
Education: Burlington County College, Pennco Technical School, Microsoft Academy
Family: 1 Wife, 6 kids ... lots of animals - I live on a farm.
Top Ten
10 out 10 almost describes my passion for: Technology, Drums, Music and gardening - not in that order!!!
9 times out of 10 I'd eat (calories aside): Steak or PIZZA!
8 hours a day at my dream job (besides PAVCS) would be: Club owner, like the Trocadero in Philly
7 days on a dream vacation would be spent: Williamsburg, VA
6 seconds after I launch my Internet browser I'm on: WND.com or pcmag.com
5 minutes is all the time I have for (pet peeve): asking me the same thing 10 seconds later
4 stars is my rating for (TV/Movie/Book): Movie = Harvey
3 things always on my desk: I wish it were only 3!!!!!
2 people (living or dead) I wish I could meet: George Washington and Buddy Rich
1 thing that might surprise most people about me: I use 3 wood-burning stoves in my home for heat - frontier style!

In what is become a familiar topic, the Pennsylvania legislature seems to be no closer to putting a budget before Governor Ed Rendell. Governor Rendell signed a stopgap budget a few weeks ago that allows state employees  to get paid, but there is still much debate on the finalizing a spending plan.

CNN reports that Pennsylvania is not the only state without a budget right now, but only Connecticut remains a challenger in race to be the last state to get a plan approved this year.

I recently celebrated a birthday and today that got me thinking. A summer birthday is fun because you usually have great weather, but when I was younger it also meant the end of the summer was near and another school year was about to start.

At the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School our students have a few more days to relax before they hit the books and crack open their laptops to begin the 2009-2010 school year on August 31. While they may be soaking up the last few days of summer, the teachers and staff are already hard at work getting ready for this year.

All teachers participated in a Professional Development workshop last week where they updated teaching strategies and prepared to serve PAVCS students to the best of their abilities. There are a lot of changes coming at PAVCS and the staff is ready to get to work and meet the challenges of the upcoming school year.

At the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School we sometimes find that our parents respond best to the simplest requests. This was the fact when we posed "One Simple Question" this week on the topic of the environment.

We asked our parents "How are you 'going green' in your home?" and response was amazing. Not only were we swamped with responses, I found a few ideas I'm excited to try on my own. Our parents talked about using natural cleaning products, and I can now look for "recipes" for using vinegar, baking soda,  peroxide and salt. Parents also found that "turn off those lights" is now an environmentally friendly request and not nagging.

PAVCS parents are very creative, and unlike a certain amphibian, found that it is actually quite easy being green.

The top ten responses to this week's survey are:

1. Recycle, 15.96%
2. Energy-efficient light bulbs, 7.98%
3. Natural cleaning products, 6.38%
4. Compost, 5.32%
5. Turn off unused lights, 5.32%
6. Unplug appliances, 4.26%
7. Filtered water - not bottled, 3.19%
8. Planted garden, 3.19%
9. Combine trips, 2.66%
10. Energy-efficient appliances, 2.66%

Name: Kathryn Hicks
Introduction: The thing I love most about PAVCS is that everyone -- students, parents and teachers -- is always learning and growing and trying something new. In the past 4 years, I have never ONCE been bored!
Birthplace: Bryn Mawr, PA
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Position at PAVCS: 7/8 Science Teacher
Experience prior to coming to PAVCS: Science Teacher in a variety of educational settings (private/public, urban/suburban, elementary/middle, and now...virtual)
Education: BA in biology from Earlham College (Richmond, IN); Masters of Arts in Teaching from Chatham University (Pittsburgh, PA); DASH Certification (University of Hawaii)
Family: Husband: Ron; Daughter: Susan (6); Stepson: Andrew (20); Dog: Truman (perpetual teenager)
Top Ten
10 out 10 almost describes my passion for: my family
9 times out of 10 I'd eat (calories aside): Indian food!
8 hours a day at my dream job (besides PAVCS) would be: SCUBA instructor in the Galapagos
7 days on a dream vacation would be spent: reading book after book after book on the beach
6 seconds after I launch my Internet browser I'm on: Blackboard....GRADING!
5 minutes is all the time I have for (pet peeve): people who use their horns as doorbells (happening as I write this!)
4 stars is my rating for (TV/Movie/Book): Elf
3 things always on my desk: Box of Kleenex (allergies), good strong coffee with extra cream (and a lid, of course), my "to do" list
2 people (living or dead) I wish I could meet: Bruce Springsteen and Martin Luther King, Jr. (but not necessarily in that order)
1 thing that might surprise most people about me: I am 6 feet tall in stocking feet

Recently, Joshua Farra competed in wrestling at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. This year the two-week event held in Des Moines, Iowa. Joshua is currently a 16-year-old student at PAVCS, from Coatesville, Pa., who is visually impaired. He was one of nearly 12,000 athletes competing in the AAU Junior Olympic Game and finished the wrestling tournament with a freestyle record of 7-1, enough to earn All-American status. His record for the tournament was, he won six matches at 140 pounds. Then, after weighing in at 140.6 pounds, he jumped to 152 pounds for two matches, losing narrowly and winning by pin.

Paul Campbell, the AAU national chairman of youth sports, cannot recall in his 16 years on the job a blind athlete participating in the Games. When it comes to his coach and his teammates, he goofs around and is treat like one of the gang. "He just wants to be accepted," Todd Miller, his coach of five years, said. "He doesn't want to be judged because he wears dark glasses and has a cane."

Joshua began wresting at the age of five. At first, he was not very fond of wrestling, but the McDonald’s bribery after practice and matches gave him the incentive to continue training. Today, he trains 6 day a week and is a member of the local high school team and a private wresting club. 

Currently Joshua plans to continue with his training, a while focusing his last two years at PAVCS on his academics and love for writing as the lead reporter for the school paper. After high school he plans to attend college and major in psychology. In the future, Joshua has set his sights on qualify for the U.S. Paralympics Team in 2012.

It  has been 49 days since the deadline passed for the State Legislature to pass the Pennsylvania Budget, prompting Governor Edward Rendell to bring a big-named advocate to the Capitol to stump for education funding. According the Associated Press, Bill Cosby spoke at the Capitol to express the importance of funding education. There is no word yet on how Dr. Huxtable influenced the debate over the budget, but the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School awaits patiently.

A few weeks ago we reported that a friend of the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School had performed on the NBC show "America's Got Talent." At the time Jay Mattioli, who performed his "Find the M.A.G.I.C In Your Life" show at PAVCS Discovery Days events, had progressed through the first round and then, unfortunately, was not chosen to continue. This week we have news from the NBC show's web site that Jay has been picked as a "wild card" to come back to the program.

PAVCS appreciated Jay's Discovery Days performances and wish him the best as he continues.

Name: Donna McManus
Introduction: I really enjoy people. I love working with children and am totally in the present moment when working with them. They brighten my spirit! I love learning all kinds of things myself, too.
Birthplace: Philadelphia, PA
Hometown: Willow Grove, PA
Position at PAVCS: K-2 Teacher
Experience prior to coming to PAVCS: Technology Coordinator; Grade 3 Teacher, Training and Development, Publications Department
Education: M.Ed. Elementary Education, Chestnut Hill College; B.A. Elementary Education, Arcadia University
Family: Husband, Chuck, Daughter, Laura, Dog, Buddy
Top Ten
10 out 10 almost describes my passion for: Learning
9 times out of 10 I'd eat (calories aside): Pizza, dark chocolate
8 hours a day at my dream job (besides PAVCS) would be: being a professional writer.
7 days on a dream vacation would be spent: on a warm, sunny beach.
6 seconds after I launch my Internet browser I'm on: Email.
5 minutes is all the time I have for (pet peeve): laziness.
4 stars is my rating for (TV/Movie/Book): the "Bible"
3 things always on my desk: Papers, Inspirational sayings, my computer.
2 people (living or dead) I wish I could meet: Abraham Lincoln, Oprah
1 thing that might surprise most people about me: I love to ride a raft in the ocean!

In what is becoming a too familiar topic, the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, like every public school in the state, is awaiting word when an official Pennsylvania Budget will be approved in Harrisburg. In his newsletter this week, Governor Edward Rendell today posted his comments on the current situation - where he signed SB850 - in his words "an incomplete budget of roughly $11 billion. It does not solve the crisis. We have a great deal of work left to do." This budget allows state workers to be paid and for state business to continue while the legislators continue the debate.

One of the main issues in the budget debate is proposed education funding plans. HB11 - a plan supported by the Governor - was approved by a House committee on Tuesday. The bill increases K-12 funding state-wide by $300 million, but legislative Republicans are on record favoring flat-funding the education subsidy, although this week they said they would consider a $150 million increase.

You can read Governor Rendell's Newsletter by clicking on the icon.

The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School recently participated in the showcase segment of the "Pittsburgh Today Live" program on KDKA in Pittsburgh.

PAVCS Executive Director of Student Development & Enrollment Services Colleen Nelson, PAVCS  parent Kelly Hammerle and I were interviewed by host John Cline about a day in the life of a cyber charter school. John quizzed us on enrollment requirements, socialization and the general differences between a PA  cyber charter school and a traditional brick and mortar school.

We hope the showcase was able to answer questions people might have about home-based public education.