A word on the virtual academy.

Safety fair at our church included railroad safety (the hat on Seamus) and a real life fire truck tour.

Seamus got to sit in the driver's seat of a fire truck at the safety fair.

Matt got to sit on a wave runner - at least that's what we told him.

 Scroll down after my vent for lots of videos.

I will start by saying why should I worry about this.  If the education system fails my children they can always run for the Legislature…..

This week a member of the Colorado Legislature called for an audit of online K-12 schools.  He declared that this was because students in these schools were posting failing grades on state testing. 

This week controversy surrounding the graduation rates of Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA) circulated in the media. 

This week the comment threads for these stories included naysayers declaring that attending a virtual academy shows how lazy these kids are and encourages their already anti-social behaviors. 

Needless to say having Izabel called a lazy, anti-social, failure who is unlikely to graduate got my dander up.  I am writing a letter to that particular legislator but I thought I would also write something on this for the blog.  Where to start?…..

It is striking how at meetings of virtual academy families (that’s right in-person meetings not anti-social texting/online/skype meetings) when it comes time for introductions how virtually (no pun intended) every family says the reason they chose to use a virtual academy is some horror story on how the brick and mortar system failed their student.  How they were told to hold back a gifted learner, or how their child was “unteachable”, or how a student with special needs was left ignored under the guise that the only intervention needed was “observation” by a district psychologist.  To put it in perspective it was suggested to us by both Izabel and Seamus’ teachers that we should give them a Mt. Dew in the morning to calm them down.  We tried it with Izabel – it did not work. 

Izabel was being held back because of an arbitrary birthday cutoff for the area that literally is the difference between Matt and myself.  (We were both born in the same year; I was born the week of the cutoff and Matt the same week Izabel was).  So off she went to another year of preschool with the promise that this year they would teach her more advanced stuff because their program was individually based.  At the same time we started her on a kindergarten program with K12 virtual school. 

I remember having a conversation with her when I saw the same exact worksheets from the year before coming home with her.  I told her something about how she already knows all this and asked if she was doing other things in her class.  Her response, “Mom I don’t know this stuff or they would not be teaching it to me again.”  We were spending all this extra time doing the work the school should have been doing AND sending her to the school which was discouraging her.  I could not allow her to hate school especially at such a young age; at least wait until high school or jr. high to hate school, right?

To the commentary on the laziness of these kids:  This cat thinks that it just says to the world that your kid is too lazy to get up and be dressed and at the bus stop by a specific time.  He is neglecting the fact it actually means that the kids have to be self-motivated and self-disciplined.  Not to mention they can take their time to learn things that are difficult, speed through things that are easy, and take some time to delve deeper into things that are interesting TO THEM, not to some school board or teacher or textbook writer. 

To the commentary on the anti-social behavior:  It is so opposite of that.  These kids are learning to care about each other.  At the multitude of events we attend Izabel and Seamus are included in the activities and make friends with the other kids easily.  The other kids understand Izabel with her exceptional vocabulary matching theirs, they look out for the younger kids like Seamus and they do not bully or tease each other.  They are not learning things like how to deal with the mean girl clique or dodging punches and ridicule on the playground and sometimes from the teachers.  Plus they do not have some arbitrary age that their friends must be.  They play with toddlers and older kids.

To the commentary on the failure rate:  Ridiculous.  These standardized tests show nothing and are poorly written.  It should be noted that COVA had an arbitrary mis-administration of the Colorado state testing 2 years ago where the state told them after the test that they could not test kids from different grades in the same room.  Like that M*A*S*H episode where they are dismantling a bomb, “but first cut the red wire.”  Also, it is a myth that standardized testing boosts education in anyway.  The tests do not measure what they purport to measure and teaching to the tests ignores practical and needed knowledge.  I have a multitude of references but I just found one that I am currently reading, Top 10 Myths in Education: Fantasies Americans Love to Believe by Larry E.  Frase and William Streshly from the library.    I could go on for ages about DIEBLES (it is a national standardized test for fluency in reading but actually does not test fluency in reading) or about Colorado’s (or Ohio’s) system of standardized testing so I will stop with that.

To the commentary about the graduation rate:  Of the children who enter the COVA high school as freshmen 100% graduate on time.  They should shout that from the top of Pikes Peak.  They also pick up many students who along the way in high school have lost credits and are not in line to graduate on time when they enter the academy.  Of those kids they have been able to have a 50% graduation rate.  They should shout that from the top of Mt. Evans.  They are taking on the kids that the other schools are failing.  Denver Public schools have a 50.4% graduation rate and spend $15,769 per student.  COVA has a 75.9% graduation rate and spends $8,129 per student.  In comparison the state average is a graduation rate of 75.4% and spending of $9,326 and Brush High School (the school system Izabel started in) has a 69.6% graduation rate with $8,398 spend per student. 

Seamus was asking to get his shoes off.

I know it is not for everyone but it needs to remain a choice for those for whom it works.  I would challenge the legislator and the naysayer to follow my family for a week and see if they can keep up.  Speaking of that soon I plan to post some nuts and bolts on how it is done since we get so many questions on that. 

The kids try on some hats....

After bowling league play Izabel and Seamus along with Izabel's friends and teammates Morgan and Dana enjoyed a virtual roller coaster ride.

No hats, this time helmets for a ride to the park.

Scots, Llamas, and Legos, oh my!

This was a busy end of the week and weekend.  Izabel joined a  bowling league with a couple of her friends.  I was invited to attend a fundraiser for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition (website click here).  It was an interesting evening with a terrific key note speaker; plus I got to get some miniature golf in.  They produce a book for prisoners with resources to help when they are released.  This is a good thing.

Izabel attended a few online clubs to sample what ones she likes.  They are part of the K12 national/international program that powers her school.  This week she had the Virtual Field Trip Club, they visited the ocean, and the Lego Club.

On Saturday we visited a Celtic harvest festival in Edgewater.  They had a group called The Renaissance Scots, Irish music, wolf hounds (weighing in at 150#), and puppet shows.  Seamus tried on a few wool Irish caps and looked very handsome in them, and we found a little calligraphy thing with his name on it, spelled correctly.  Talking with the artist she has a grandson names Seamus.  The kids really enjoyed the festival.
On Sunday Izabel's choir had their first performance of the year.  Next month they have a regular performance and a performance at a benefit for Children's Hospital.  Then we joined her potential new 4-H club the Llofty Llamas for a hike.  Izabel does not need a llama to join the group but many of the members do have a llama or two.  We were down in Monument which is a little north of Colorado Springs.  It was a short hike for us but we had fun hiking on llama time.  It is not everyday you get to hike with a pack of llamas. 
Oh, and what was the first thing our new llama friends asked us?  Do we really own a ferret and can we bring him to a meeting and do a presentation about caring for our ferret friends.  This, of course, sparked Izabel to talk about ferrets for about 30 minutes non-stop.

That little white dot is Izabel reenacting Picket's charge at Gettysburg.  (Mom used to have my brothers do that to run off energy when they toured Gettysburg - I did not fall for the trick).

Izabel attending the Virtual Field Trip Club Meeting

Izabel attending the Lego Club.

Seamus has fun at the park by his school.

Seamus enjoying a puppet show.

Izabel enjoys the puppet show, Matt not so much.

Irish dancers

It is a harvest festival after all.

Scots discussing strategies for loading their trailers; no joke that is what they were talking about.

Seamus practices his fencing.

I couldn't help myself. 

The sheep and I came to an understanding.

Izabel's choir performs for the first time this season.

The hike begins.  This is Monument Rock in Monument, CO.

Trying to get the llama to sample the water.

Izabel has the orange pack on.

Okay this llama didn't mind the water.

Apparently, this used to be a nursery for the National Park Service.  Here we are walking through the windbreaks for the old nursery.

Beautiful day for a hike.

Llamas taking a food break before being loaded back up.

Art projects, fencing and running

 Izabel did some art projects at church; inspired by beauty she painted her ferret Totem.  Seamus did some art projects at school; inspired by Mimi and Dollie he painted 2 elephants.

Seamus' project was really cute they did gray hand prints with googly eyes and a popsicle-stick tree.

As we continue to study the muscular-skeletal systems Izabel learned that running in a circle for 5 minutes to the ever popular "Move it, Move it" song from Madagascar 2 would raise her heart rate.

We took our fall photos at part of the Museum of Outdoor Art this weekend.  I still need to edit the photos but we have some good ones in there.  We ran into a jar of pygmy nuthatches.  Look it up they don't have flocks they have jars and they are a bird that is about the size of a chicken egg and can go down a tree face first (a highly unusual and very distinctive characteristic among birds).  

Izabel continued with her fencing lessons.  It is a huge hit and she did pretty good for her first time facing an opponent armed with a foil.  Next week she will learn what to do if she is attacked by someone armed with the passion fruit (pointed sticks are in the intermediate level).  It is really interesting, she learns a lot of sportsmanship and honesty (they self report when there is a touch and have a salute regime they do when they spar), and they learn how to proctor a bout between other classmates.  I need to read some more to get the terminology correct.  There are videos so scroll all the way down - Izabel is on the right. 

While we waited Seamus enjoyed singing the Barbie song "Get your Sparkle on" and waiving his magic wand (Mom's old paintbrush) at the girls passing on their way to gymnastics.  Anytime one of them would go into the woman's locker he would say, "OOOOOOOO!" and run toward the open door.  He also watched some racket ball and tap dancing classes.

This week has been especially busy since I have had a few meetings and am invited to attend a fundraiser that works for prison reform.  I am to bring my experience as a prosecutor and see what perspective I can lend to the occasion.  Lets all cross our fingers I can keep my filter working the entire evening but we all know that is as likely as the Bengals winning the Superbowl this year.

Izabel painting Totem.

Seamus showing off his painting.

2 elephants sweeping majestically over the Savannah.

Izabel running to get her heart rate up.

Izabel hanging on to the end of the 5 minutes. 

 While Seamus waited for Izabel's lesson he enjoyed a granola bar.

Izabel going in with the lunge.

Izabel is on the right of the picture about to fence.

Highland Ranch Days with a ferret.

 We volunteered with 4-H for the Highlands Ranch Days and since they asked if anyone could bring their animals with them we brought Izabel's project - pocket pet.  So Totem made his debut appearance at Highlands Ranch Days.  He did absolutely wonderfully!  The weather was perfect for a ferret -not too hot and no scary snow. 
I am afraid we may have caused some trouble, though.  So many kids were there on school trips who were declaring this to be the 'cutest animal in the whole fair' and how much they wanted one - or even Totem himself.  I am sure parents all over Highlands Ranch are having to explain how they cannot get a ferret.  Except for one kid who thought that ferrets were evil (let's just say he is not on our Christmas card list) Totem was very patient with all the activities.  The horses hitched for the hay ride flared their nostrils when we got out of the car with the cage. 
The 4-H agent was telling the parents how Izabel was only 8 and to see how impressive her presentation skills are, and how she would like to think 4-H has something to do with that.  She was very impressed with Izabel and by the time we left she was shown the 1st position of fencing, forward and backward movement, and lunge. 
While the presentations were going on Seamus: 1. examined the corral fencing, 2. re-engineered the corral fencing, 3. tried to disassemble the corral fencing, 4. pet two chickens named George and Loretta and 5. climbed the corral fencing.  He also visited the bee keeping booth and tried on that hat.  You may or may not know but the beekeeping lady at the National Western Stock Show was very impressed with Seamus declaring him a beekeeping prodigy.  Other kids are prodigies in music and art, or science and math, my kids - beekeeping. 
Totem got along with everyone there except George and Lorita.  They clucked at him, he backed up and puffed his tail at them - don't think we will be on their Christmas card list either).

Izabel helping Seamus make a 4-H pinwheel.

Mile-Hi Pow-wow association getting ready to preform.

Seamus checking out the general projects coming back from the state fair.

Seamus checking out George.

Izabel doing her thing.

One tired ferret.

The view from the 4-H corral.

The ride home.

Izabel swatting a fly trying to hitch a ride back to our apartment. 

 Izabel and Seamus went to Lowe's for their free kids workshop.  This week they made police cars.  They get the kit, goggles and a badge.  They also get to have fun with dad.  The little blue light on top actually lights up too.

Izabel traded in her hat for a bandanna today.