Submitted by Ashley McConnaughey Whidbey Island’s Atlantis Inc. ROV Team beat out fourteen other underwater robotics teams to win first place at the annual MATE ROV Pacific Northwest Regional Challenge on Saturday, ensuring that they would compete in the MATE International ROV Competition in June. Their Regional competition was one of 22 globally, and they’ll be facing teams from Egypt, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Scotland, and more next month. This is Atlantis Inc.’s fourth year competing in the ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) competition. ...read more
Many people interested in the ocean and animals choose to study Marine Biology. Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather than on taxonomy. Marine biology differs from marine ecology as marine ecology is focused on how organisms interact with each other and the environment, and biology is the study of the organisms themselves. ...read more
I am pleased for the opportunity to share an incredible family experience with the greater “CVA Family.” This year, my family partnered with EF Foundation for Foreign Study to welcome an exchange student named Johannes from Germany into our home. It was one of the best things we have ever done as a family. Our kids are now excited about learning a foreign language and they even dream of traveling and studying abroad in the future. Learning another language has a relevance we could not have achieved any other way. ...read more
Over the next couple months we’re going to dive into the fascinating depths of the deep blue sea. Join us as we learn all about oceanography, marine biology, early ocean exploration and amazing literature inspired by the sea. We’ll meet famous explorers like Magellan and Jacques Cousteau and surreal creatures that actually exist! ...read more
From CVA teacher Jeannette James: “Chloe Davis is a young lady who absolutely loves science. She is the second grade and is doing amazing science work beyond her grade level. Mom says, ‘Chloe loves science so much she would do it in her spare time.’” ...read more
Perhaps I may be biased. Okay, I will openly admit I am beyond biased, guilty as charged and completely blinded by my own child on this one. Thea, my three-year old daughter, has the most gorgeous mane of blonde hair known to toddler-kind. So soft, so amazingly long and so, so very difficult to get a brush through without a major tantrum on both our parts. Have you ever been there? ...read more
We've been talking about gardening all this month. Before you get your hands in the dirt, there are some things to think about before starting a garden. ...read more
O.A.R. Northwest is hosting an incredible learning opportunity online. Read more about it here and follow along their exciting journey at home! ...read more
Let the unlearning begin! Of what? Well, all that is of classical type of course…classically conditioned that is! ...read more
Ivan Pavlov, with his signature long, white beard and slightly rotund figure, could have played a perfect Santa in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He even had a penchant for ringing a bell! But instead, our dear Pavlov cut a path deep and wide in the field of psychology that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize for Physiology and Medicine in 1904. ...read more
This week I did a Science Lab on Astronomy with my Dad. Our task was to find the center of the Milky Way, via Google Earth. The hardest part was working with Google Earth. It was a little difficult with the format, but Dad downloaded it and then we worked with the settings to find the right format. The center of the Milky Way is the center of our galaxy. We used a chart out of my middle school Astronomy book, and it's a chart that helps you see the constellations. What you need to do is to find the three constellations with the most globular clusters. The highest number of globular clusters in them, which is what I did. The three constellations with the highest globular clusters are Scorpius with 20 globular clusters, Ophiuchus with 25, and Saggitarius with 34. Once you have this knowledge, you try to find the middle of these three constellations. ...read more
by Gretchen Cruden Remember the great Barbie debacle of 1992 where newly released Talking Teen Barbie’s sweet voice sing-songed, “Math class is tough!” as she stood in bent-elbowed awe of all that was algebraic. Oh Barbie – how could you? So horridly predictable you! ...read more
The days are getting longer. The weather is getting warmer. Spring is just around the corner! It’s a great opportunity to start thinking about plants and gardening. ...read more
"Time is the cruelest teacher; first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson." -Unknown I truly believe one of the most joyful aspects of teaching is recapturing the thrill of learning in myself. Perhaps this is why I am fascinated by neuroscience as it relates to education, for this field is constantly changing and providing new ways to approach learning. So many ideas, studies and concepts are out there, just waiting for you to read about them, try them out and see what works for you and your child. It is just so exciting! ...read more
For high school students looking for scholarships, CVA has launched a new scholarship page on MyCVA.org. The featured link on the site is to thewashboard.org, which is a giant database of scholarship opportunities that can be searched or matched to user preferences. Scholarship opportunities not listed in the database are listed on our scholarship page. Check it out here! ...read more
Every work of art has three components: an artist, a medium, and a finished work of art. Superintendent, Mark Selle, shares his thoughts on how education can be a cooperative art that creates a well-formed human being—a person of learning and character. ...read more
Before we even begin, please get a pencil and paper. Do not do what I do, which is just keep on reading until I see why I need a pencil and paper. Just go do it. Are you still here? Oh goodness! Fine. You need them to help prove a point to yourself. Okay. Go get them now… ...read more
Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to become a NASA Astronaut? Find out here! ...read more
Yong Zhao and Alan Meekings say no. Why? Because, as Dr. Zhao asserted in 2009, they are contrary to the purpose of education. ...read more
Did you know that the winter solstice is December 21st? The winter solstice is the day that the sun is the lowest in the sky, this is the shortest day of the year. ...read more
I stood still and straight, watching the horse show’s judge walk over toward the announcer. I held my breath, my stomach twisting in knots of nervous excitement. Then suddenly the air rushed out of me. My face fell; I was last. As I led Dot, my pony, out of the ring I tried to blink away the tears stinging my eyes. The big pink ribbon they handed to me did little to console me. Once I got back to the horse trailer, I did cry. Discouragement and the hot August sun were melting me like a bowl of ice cream. Salty tears streamed down my face and dripped off my nose. Dot, trusty little Dot, had failed me. My mother’s comforting words were not heard. My whole universe was in despair. “Would I ever get better,” I wondered? ...read more
The flu of 2009 had visited our home, unwelcomed and demanding. With a merciless fierceness, it had left my body wrapped in a sweated sheet for three days running. Finally, in the delirium of the wee hours of night, my fever had slacked and I could finally open my eyes without the cacophony of noise from my night-light sending me reeling. I was starving. I propped myself up in bed and slowly parted my parched lips. My hands shook slightly as I took the warmed bowl of soup from my husband’s hands. Thin broth; my salvation. The taste of it dizzied me, in a child-at-the circus way, as I felt my life being returned to me. I will never forget that simple meal. ...read more
Encoding information is the process of getting the outside world into our minds. The outside world can enter though our sense of taste, touch, sight, smell and sound. The sensory organs we use to perceive the world translate the sensory inputs into electrical language our brains can understand, and we are off and running on the process of forming memories. ...read more
"Thank you," I told the chauffeur said as he opened the door to the limo. I stepped out of the limo, and I could not help but feel like I was in a movie. People dressed in festive holiday minks, dresses and tuxedos were chatting and laughing as they moved toward the entrance of the theater. Snow was gently falling all around me, and it sparkled as it passed through the lights beaming from the enormous building in front of me. ...read more
One of my all-time favorite principles of physics governing our universe is that energy is never created or destroyed, it just changes form. This is easy to understand when you burn a log of wood. The energy from the wood becomes heat energy. It is gets a little more abstract when you think about the energy of the world interacting with your mind. ...read more
Would a mountain climber ever think to ascend Mount Everest without first undergoing intense physical training and gaining the necessary knowledge to ensure not just survival, but success? Definitely not; to do so would result in almost certain failure. Yet, many people approach the process of learning in much the same manner as the unprepared climber. They do not equip themselves with the information they need to be the most effective learner or teacher they can be and find themselves, perhaps not shivering on the side of a mountain, but certainly sidelined and uncertain of how to proceed. So, where to begin? In the words of Julia Andrews, let’s begin at the very beginning. It is a very good place to start... ...read more
Washington State has outlined five major areas (Essential Academic Learning Requirements or EALR) students should explore in their undertaking of social studies. These requirements are categorized as civics, economics, geography, history, and social studies skills. The EALR are broken down further into components that guide the teaching of these areas. In connection with our recent student election surveys, we shall focus on the EALR of civics. ...read more
Free day-event in Tacoma on November 4 for advanced learners (grades 3-12) and their families. ...read more
A presidential election year provides remarkable opportunities for real-life civics lessons on a near daily basis. It can also provide a lot of somewhat ugly chatter. A well informed citizen can elevate the level of discourse and effect change by appreciating and working within the system. We’ll be highlighting civics here on CVA.org, MyCVA.org and in the weekly E-Zine up until the week of the election. You can also find daily civics postings on our Twitter and Facebook feeds. ...read more
The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT, a standardized test required by most four-year universities for admission and scholarships. By taking the PSAT, students will learn valuable information about their academic strengths and weaknesses and how to take the SAT. ...read more
The Lopez Island School District is the newest district partner to offer the Columbia Virtual Academy (CVA) program. “CVA is glad to welcome Lopez Island to its consortium of partners who are committed to keeping virtual learning fully public,” said CVA Superintendent Dr. Mark Selle. “Superintendent Bill Evans and his staff have a deep commitment to offering quality educational alternatives to their community and will be an excellent partner.” ...read more
Washington State is in the midst of a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic. Nearly 3,300 cases have been reported so far this year—more than the State has recorded in seventy years. Read more... ...read more
Families turned out in force at Columbia Virtual Academy (CVA) Roadshow events across the state over the last month where they met face-to-face with teachers, looked over instructional resources, tried out online classes, perused the new course catalog, and got answers to their questions. ...read more
Beginning this fall, the Cascade School District will offer an alternative to brick-and-mortar classes to area students through a statewide, public program called Columbia Virtual Academy (CVA). “We were looking for an experienced partner that could help us get started,” said Cascade Superintendent, Steve McKenna. “We want an opportunity to better serve all students in our community.” ...read more
What do educators and parents really think about K-12 assessments? Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) and Grunwald Associates LLC recently released a study answering this question. ...read more
The State of Washington has declared a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic, a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe. It is potentially fatal for young children, and infants with severe cases should be hospitalized. ...read more
Singapore Math is a teaching method based on the primary textbooks and syllabus from the national curriculum of the country of Singapore. It uses a visual approach in teaching math. Students learn how to model mathematical problems using bar graphs. ...read more
If you haven’t already heard, CVA is coming to a town near you to show off tables and tables of curricula, a host of online classes, the new CVA Course Catalog and a dedicated, knowledgeable staff to answer all your questions. “This is an excellent opportunity for families to see for themselves how great the next year will be at CVA,” said CVA Principal, Dave Vail, “The Roadshow will be particularly valuable for families who are new to CVA or interested in the program.” ...read more
Saxon Math is a curriculum that teaches math concepts in small increments. Each lesson begins with a new concept and then will review previous concepts. With this type of an approach, every lesson assignment and assessment is a cumulative review of all materials that have been covered. ...read more
The Department of Health recently announced that whooping cough has reached epidemic levels in Washington. We’ve already had almost 900 cases this year, and it shows no signs of slowing. We’re on a pace to have the highest number of cases in decades. Babies that catch whooping cough are most at risk for serious disease, and they’re too young to get enough doses of the vaccine to be protected. So, it’s up to all of us—families, caregivers, and communities—to protect them by getting vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis). ...read more
Education is the development of good habits. Those begin at home. And character is more important than anything. Having good habits of behavior, the moral virtues, gets you farther in life than anything. ...read more
The Valley School District collected 1,258 pounds of food for the Valley Food Pantry thanks to the efforts of students, the staff, generous members of the community, and the Valley School Pep Club, who organized the food drive. ...read more
Valley Superintendent, Mark Selle, relates his perspective on standardized testing through his chess experience. An insite into why testing isn't the end all answer to eduction. ...read more
Congratulations to tenth grader, Brandon Spicer, for winning the national Being an American Essay Contest sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute for his essay, “Limited Government.” “I was so surprised to win,” Brandon said. There were about 6,300 entries in the western region (nine states in all) and a $1,000 prize. ...read more
Calling all 4th - 5th grade artists! The Office of the Secretary of State is accepting art from Washington State students, grades 4 - 5, for the 2012 Kids' Art Contest. The winning picture will be featured in the 2012 General Election Washington State Voters' Pamphlet and seen by 3.5 million voters. ...read more
Valley Superintendent Mark Selle shares his thoughts regarding the charter school movement and the concept of subsidiarity. ...read more
I guess the aphorism is simple. Most are. We shouldn’t make assumptions that might not be true. Education does require patience, taking time to talk, explaining details. ...read more
In 2006, Jason McDonald and his family chose CVA for its accelerated courses and flexible curriculum. Not only did he excel in his classes, he was doing work well beyond his grade-level. Two years later, Jason (then 16) fell down a flight of stairs in his house, hitting his head on the bannister, causing a traumatic brain injury (TBI). ...read more
Figure skater Alison Jeffers, a 17-year-old CVA senior, is the Junior Ladies Champion of the Pacific Northwest region. ...read more
In 2010, I shifted from an administrative role within CVA to a district-level position that focuses on Government Relations. Periodically, I will offer brief articles in your weekly CVA e-zine, just to keep you informed about what's happening in state and national politics regarding education, and of course, what might be of interest to our CVA families. ...read more
The staff at Columbia Virtual Academy (CVA) would like to send a special thanks to the parents, students and prospective families for attending the Parent Orientations across the state of Washington. ...read more
CVA made a preliminary announcement on July 1st regarding how changes to the Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) rules would affect your CVA program. This update, originally promised by August 1st, is ahead of schedule because we have great news! ...read more
Today, we have news for you about the legislative session, the state budget and legislated changes to alternative learning experience programs and CVA in particular. ...read more
We’ll be highlighting submissions from teachers, students and families on our new website coming out later this year. ...read more
Team Atlantis, Inc., who has been plying the waves of the Island Athletic Club pool, prepares to pilot their underwater robotic vehicle in the Pacific Northwest Regional Competition on Saturday, May 7th at the King County Aquatic Center. ...read more
We are in the “final stretch” of the Legislative Session, and one of the most important phases of the legislative process. ...read more
CVA Student, Erin Kitchens, had the opportunity to serve as a page in the Washington State Legislature from January 10th-14th. ...read more
CVA families from all over Washington convened in Olympia for a wonderful, dual-purpose event on Tuesday, March 22nd. More than just a field trip, Online Learning Day in Olympia allowed CVA students and their families an opportunity for a Capitol Campus tour, the chance to explore and the opportunity meet other distance and online learning students in the state. ...read more
This weekend, many state legislators will be back in their district, meeting with constituents in a town hall format. ...read more
Hannah Cunliffe spends her time as most ninth graders do—shopping, talking with friends on the phone and hanging out with her sisters—but don’t let that fool you. ...read more
CVA students Hannah and Haley McConnaughey made an exciting trip to the Washington State Legislature to attend a student panel on Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs, where they participated in an open exchange of ideas with Legislators. ...read more
In November, we asked CVA students to submit posters in honor of Veterans Day 2010. ...read more
Many of you know how important education and civic involvement are to me, our district and our partnerships. ...read more
Two CVA students stepped up on the world of dance with their big wins at the National Ballroom Competition. ...read more
CVA saw threats to the existence of K-6 Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs last spring, and we responded. ...read more
Besides being the new speech-language pathologist (SLP) for Columbia Virtual Academy (CVA), Laurie Kertesz isn’t your usual district therapist. Not only is she certified through the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, she’s worked for districts in Stevens County for more than 30 years. ...read more
Beth Fowler shares her story to encourage CVA parents ...read more
The Valley School District Office & Columbia Virtual Academy held a building dedication and open house in honor of the new home for VSD and CVA offices. ...read more
Columbia Virtual Academy is pleased to announce that it has recently been provisionally accredited by The Northwest Association of Accredited Schools. ...read more
O.A.R. Northwest is hosting an incredible learning opportunity online. Read more about it here and follow along their exciting journey at home! ...read more
