This has been quite a fall semester at VOL. A new principal, a new instructional platform, and two legitimate hurricanes have made the first half of this school year particularly trying. The effect of these challenges has also been evident in our students. When I did an audit of potential failing grades at the beginning of January, nearly half of our full-time students were on the list for at least one class. Most of these students were struggling with pace and completing the course within the confines of the traditional school semester. Fortunately, VCS decided to extend the first semester a couple of days, which in effect has given VOL students an additional two weeks to complete their courses. Teacher availability over the break will vary from teacher to teacher. That said, it is important to understand that our teachers will be on vacation and are not required or expected to work. Please remember this as you work with them to finish out the semester for your student.

  

As I alluded to earlier, this year has been challenging for all of us, and right in line with the last couple of years. However, we are nearing a time of year that, for me, invokes feelings of fellowship, peace, hope, and new beginnings. Those who know me well understand that I am often torn between my personal inclination to be positive and optimistic, and my professional need to be pragmatic and realistic. With that said, the realist in me offers you all a hand in fellowship and peace as we work through this difficult time together and support your child to find success in their classes. The optimist in me anticipates the onset of new beginnings as we turn the page on this year and look forward to a future full of promise and hope. I wish you all a restful break and a wonderful end of the year. 

 

Thank you for reading,

Dr. Serianni

♦ December 19th – Winter Holiday begins

♦ January 3rd – Classes resume

♦ January 4th – Semester ends

♦ January 9th-27th – Florida Assessment of Student thinking (FAST Testing)

♦ Mid-January – Spelling Bee

♦ January 16 – MLK Day

♦ January 18 – SAC Meeting, 4pm at Herbert Street or online

It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of the second semester. Please continue to work with your child’s teacher to complete all DBAs, Literacy Skills Assessments, tests, quizzes, and assignments prior to the end of the semester. We know that when our students regularly engage with their coursework in the platform and their peers during live lessons, they receive higher grades than their peers who do not. Let’s finish the semester strong!

This month, our 5th grade students attended the Museum of Arts and Sciences field trip, and we were fortunate enough to see many of our elementary students and their families during our face-to-face Winter Wonderland Craft Activity sponsored by Jennifer Edwards. Santa even made a special visit with one of his elves to share with students whether they made the naughty or nice list. A fun time was had by all.

When students return to school in January, they will start the second semester. Students will have a fresh start entering Segment 2. Please look at your child’s course planners to start the year off on the right foot and set them up for success in the new year. Additionally, all elementary students will participate in the second round of state progress monitoring assessments. All elementary students will take the ELA PM2 FAST Assessment on Wednesday, January 11th, and the Math PM2 FAST Assessment on Wednesday, January 18th. Classroom teachers will share testing schedules with families in January.

Wishing each of you a restful and enjoyable Winter Break! See you in 2023!

• Our 8th graders visited the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach on December 5th. It was so nice for them to see each other in person.

• VOL Washington DC trip was cancelled due to lack of interest. Stay tuned for more field study opportunities closer to home.

• Semester 1 was extended 2 days by the district. The semester now ends on January 4th.

• Watch for communication regarding opportunities to join clubs in January.

• Thank you to all the families who visited the VOL table at the Volusia County Schools High School Showcase on December 8th. It was great to meet you all and put faces with names. As a reminder, the Cambridge/AICE, IB, and Career Academy applications will be available online through the FOCUS Parent Portal beginning December 9, 2022.

• Recently, our Spanish Teacher, Sra. Torres, and a few VOL Part-Time students and their families volunteered for the non-profit organization, U.S. Hunger. Together they helped pack 800 servings of food that will be sent to hungry children in Ukraine and Florida, in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes.

Attention Seniors! Make sure to continually monitor school emails regarding senior information pertaining to cap and gown, senior events, and deadlines.

High school students should be monitoring their graduation status and credits. Contact your assigned VOL school counselor for any questions.

Use this link to connect to the Florida Department of Education and graduation requirements:

A Countdown to Graduation and Beyond:

Here is an updated list of private scholarships you can apply for! Remember, private scholarships are from companies and organizations that can be used at any school unless otherwise stated. The list below is from Seminole State, but the scholarships are not for Seminole State only.

VOL family footnote: A four-year college degree holder has more lifetime earnings than one without. The lifetime earnings of a worker with a high-school diploma is $1.6 million while that of a bachelor’s degree holder is $2.8 million, according to a 2021 report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (Nov. 26, 2022) - Read full article

• Bachelor’s degree in Exceptional Student Education focused on Specific Learning Disabilities - University of Central Florida

• Master’s degree in Exceptional Student Education focus on Varying Exceptionalities - University of Central Florida

• Certified in ESE with a HOUSSE plan in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Science and Math K-12

• Florida Notary Public

Callista has been teaching for 26 years; she started with Volusia County Schools in 1996. She has taught with VCS and in other states throughout that time. Callista started with Volusia Online Learning in fall of 2020. Her awards include ESE teacher of the year and Child Advocate of the year both in Volusia County and Flagler County.

Callista has been published multiple times. Her publications include:

• Algebra Success Keys (ASK) program was a k-12 initiative in algebraic thinking with a concrete to representational to abstract approach to Algebra, through the FLDOE in collaboration with UCS/Project CENTRAL in the area of math

• a Train the Trainer series

• presenting a research project to the National Teachers of Mathematics at an annual convention

Prior to becoming a teacher Callista worked in the Fashion Industry; her first degree was Fashion Merchandising and Design. Her initial career in Fashion lead her to become a teacher. Callista was teaching a "Dressing for Success" class in which the students made the biggest impact on her pursuing education as a career path. She feels her career has always been student driven.

Some of the things that Callista enjoys about teaching are the collaboration and camaraderie with colleagues. However, what she loves most about being a teacher is the interaction with students when they have that "ah-ha" moment. “My most memorable moment at VOL, every day. Every day offers a new challenge, a new collaboration, a new learning opportunity and a chance to grow though our combined successes.”

Something cool that Callista does for her students and families is a newsletter containing study tips and upcoming events.

Callista likes to sew, bake, conduct genealogy research and volunteer at the St. Vincent De Paul Society in her free time. She also tutors students in her neighborhood. She is writing a children’s book and takes care of her elderly aunt.

She is a proud mom of two boys: an Airman and a Marine. She is married to the love of her life of 19 years. She is the youngest of 6 children. She is a first-generation high school graduate and a first-generation college graduate. And lastly, she has a puppers Baron Von Floki, he goes by Baron, or just Bear... he's a German Shepard/lab mix who is very active.

Education:

Bachelor of Science Degree from Bethune Cookman University

Learning is all about relationships. If you can reach them, you can teach them.

Jessica has been teaching for 31 years; she started with Volusia County Schools in 1993. She started with Volusia Online Learning in fall of 2020. Jessica has been Teacher of the Year at Palm Terrace Elementary and Teacher of the Year at Champion Elementary. She enjoys working with students, especially one-on-one, and being able to see the "ah-ha" moments when the light clicks on when they understand how to do things in Zoom. She really loves teaching with Volusia Online Learning because the contact requirements provide great opportunities to really get to know students and their families personally.

In her free time Jessica spends time with her son and family, goes to choir rehearsals, church events, rides her Spyder and hangs out with her bike club. She likes to read, watch old sitcoms, sew, play games on her phone, line dance, and exercise. Jessica’s 101-year-old grandmother, a retired kindergarten teacher, has had the greatest influence on her career path.

Jessica is teaching her 3rd grader whose native language is Mandarin to write opinion and expository essays. She is a very bright student who reads English quite fluently. Her comprehension is strong, and she enjoys learning, making this a fun and enjoyable teaching experience for Jessica. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor who battled this disease as a Volusia County teacher. The support that she received from her administrators and colleagues helped to make those times bearable. She would love to learn to play piano.

The holiday season is often a time we associate with gift-giving. Gifts can come in all shapes and all sizes and, they can be the best of all surprises! There are many things of value that we can give and receive this holiday season that extend beyond measurable cost.

When you consider the things that you will give and the things that you will receive, be reminded that, “money can’t buy you love!” What gifts will you give this holiday season? Perhaps you will give the gift of time, the gift of attention, the gift of laughter or the gift of joy to each of those you greet this season. 

Here's to the joy of giving, and to a season of making memories that are worth reliving!

VOL is preparing to administer FAST, progress monitoring 2. The testing window for this test is January 9th–27th. The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is a progress monitoring tool that will be administered three times per year to track students’ progress in learning the Benchmarks of Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) standards throughout this school year. Students grades K-8 will take the Reading and Math assessments (math is dependent on the level of math the student is currently taking), while students grade 9-10 will be taking Reading only. PM2-FAST testing will be administered remotely, and parental consent is required.

Questions about testing may be directed to Ida Sierra at ILSierra@volusia.k12.fl.us

Happy Holidays to all from the testing office!

Volusia Online Learning Spelling Bee will take place in mid-January 2023! All full-time 4th through 8th grade VOL students are invited to participate in our school’s Spelling Bee! Students must study their word lists over the Winter Break to prepare for the Spelling Bee in January. An informational email with details and word lists will be sent directly to all 4th through 8th grade full-time students. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kavanagh at akavana1@volusia.k12.fl.us or Ms. Wilson at phwilson@volusia.k12.fl.us We are BUZZING with excitement for you!

We are excited to announce that VOL’s school advisory council just approved iXL for secondary students. iXL is an online resource that personalizes math learning. Students will take a diagnostic assessment to determine their strengths and areas for growth. iXL will then design a program that meets the unique needs of each student. Practice questions provide immediate feedback with explanations. The program will help students master math standards and better prepare for EOCs (end of course exams). Math teachers will be trained to use the program for immediate implementation at the classroom level.

Please join us for our next meeting which will be held in a hybrid format at 1290 Herbert St., Port Orange, FL and through Teams. Everyone is welcome!

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 241 067 114 239

Passcode: V5QfPW

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 386-868-2669,,175544711#   United States, Daytona Beach

Phone Conference ID: 175 544 711#

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options

If you are interested in becoming a member of SAC please reach out to Ida Sierra at ILSierra@volusia.k12.fl.us. Happy Holidays and best wishes in the New Year! 

This special family includes Dad (Brian), Mom (Ashley), sisters (Alli (6) and Phoenix (2), Grammy (Linda), Papa (Billy), and Landen. Landen is a fun, energetic, 11-year-old, 6th Grade VOL student who loves school, baseball, and sharing his time with parents throughout the week.

Landen came to VOL in 2020, when COVID forced the no face to face school room attendance, to finish out his year in 4th grade. With a little taste of VOL the last few months of the school year, when students were given the option to go back to the classroom, Landen and his family chose to stay with VOL. He loved having the flexibility of working at his own pace and being able to set his own goals. Since then, Landen has been enrolled at VOL.

Landen’s weekdays are filled with VOL at Grammy and Papa's house. Each day starts out with a good breakfast and making a learning plan for the day. This includes reviewing what assignments need to be completed and scheduling any upcoming DBAs. Then Landen attends the live lessons for each of his courses. He always works hard and does his best because he has big dreams and goals for his future. Landen’s long-term goal is to be a Major League Baseball player, but for the moment, he plans to continue VOL through Middle School for sure. Once he gets to high school, the family plans to look at what the best options are for Landen to get baseball scholarships for college. He wants Stetson and then draft to majors.

Grammy (Linda), Landen’s Learning Coach, supports Landen in his daily learning. She made sure that Landen had a good, quiet space to work in, which helps him to stay focused. They work together as a team when planning out the day and week, assisting Landen with setting his goals to complete. When he may not have completed them all, Grammy holds Landen accountable, having him explain what caused him to not reach his goals, looking at the situation not as a failure, but a learning experience.

According to the Morgan family, “VOL has really put a focus on the subject areas that Landen (and all of us) struggle in. His grades have improved way above our expectations from where he was at in brick and mortar. The experience has also allowed us to have more experiences as a family because he can do his tasks from anywhere or set his pace to know he has the time.”

When asked what makes their family so successful in adapting to and excelling in virtual schooling with VOL, Grammy stated, “The whole structure: gaining organizational skills early, giving the faith and understanding I am in control of my success, ability for more one-on-one teaching, and a true safe environment.”

According to the learning coach, Grammy (Linda), here are some “tips for success”:

JPJ Creations is a local, privately-owned company, that “specializes in all things personalized, from craft items to promotional products.”

Owner Jennifer Parnell, a previous Volusia County School teacher, used her creativity, talents, and ingenuity to launch her business. She recently spent the day at VOL as part of the VCS district “Principal for a Day” event. Jennifer gladly accepted the invitation to be VOL’s acting Principal for the day and had a blast interacting with teachers and staff at the VOL Herbert St. Center. 

As a VCS Business Partner, JPJ Creations supports schools throughout Volusia County with her products and donations. JPJ is the “go to” business for promotional products, offering everything schools need to boost school spirit.

At JPJ, schools can find incentive and reward items for students, specially designed t-shirts for school fundraisers, special gifts for a Senior class, or personalized tumblers for school teams. The possibilities are endless at JPJ!

VOL would like to thank JPJ Creations for being such an amazing Business Partner, donating gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week and our End of the Year event, and always being willing to help us out! We look forward to working with you for many more years.

Napoleon wrote that the reason why he beat the Austrians was that they did not know the value of five minutes. It took Lincoln less than five minutes to deliver his immortal Gettysburg Address. It took William Jennings Bryan less than five minutes to electrify a great political convention with but a single expression that gave him the the nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Copyright Notice

Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Volusia Online Learning is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Volusia County Public Schools and especially Volusia Online Learning. Please contact Dr. Serianni at aaserian@volusia.k12.fl.us with any questions related to the program.

Volusia Online Learning | Dr. Serianni, Principal | 386.506.0014 | VOL Website