- November 8, 2024
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Attending the iFlagler virtual school allows students, like rodeo rider Heather McLaughlin, the opportunity to travel the country and go to school at the same time. Courtesy photo
Skye Smith has been an iFlagler student for the past six years. Photo by Jacque Estes
Six years ago, in the 2010-2011 year, a new opportunity opened up for Flagler County students – iFlagler virtual learning. The program was recently named “Small District Franchise of the Year” by Florida Virtual Schools.
“By State law, we have to offer a virtual program,” iFlagler Assistant Principal Erin Quinn said. “There are other (online) vendors, but we have a great partnership with Florida Virtual Schools.”
The biggest advantage of iFlagler over other virtual schools offered is the opportunity for students to be able to meet their teachers face to face when necessary.
“Our teachers are local teachers, employed through Flagler Schools,” Quinn said.
Quinn knows first-hand the benefits of being able to go to school online, she just received her Master’s degree – online.
Last year there were more than 4,000, half-credit enrollments, and an estimated 3,000 students in the program.
Who are the students who choose a virtual over a traditional learning environment?
“Some are part-time virtual students, attending some classes at one of the traditional schools, or college dual enrollment,” Quinn said. “The program can also be used for credit recovery, where a student earned a D or F in their regular class and are retaking the course to raise their grades, and students with medical issues.”
All students are required to take one or two courses online as part of their graduation requirements.
“It makes them better prepared for what will be expected of them in college,” Quinn said. “They still have to be motivated. It’s still a six to seven hour school day. This is not an easy way out of school work.”
Safeguards have been put in place, including the monitoring of Facebook and Twitter, to ensure the student isn’t paying someone else to do their work. When it comes time for standardized or end-of-course exams, the student comes into the school.
These students aren’t isolated from their classmates if they don’t want to be. They can take electives in school, participate in sports and other extracurricular activities, and when graduation day comes – they will walk the stage with their class.
Heather McLaughlin, a 14-year-old iFlagler student, was in Gillette, Wyoming competing in the National High School Rodeo competition for this interview. Heather is in the top four from Florida, and ranks second in goat tying.
“We are on the road three weekends a month during the school year, sometimes four, “ her mom Holly Mello said. “We would have to leave on Friday morning to get to rodeo, and she would miss school, and we would get back, sometimes as late as 2 a.m. Monday morning, and with only a couple of hours of sleep, Heather would head off to school.”
While Heather was in Wyoming with her dad, Pete, Mello was at a barrel competition in Perry, Georgia, with their 10-year-old daughter Erin. The week before the entire family had been in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Mello wants Erin to stay in a traditional school environment at least until the seventh grade, but expects Erin to eventually become an iFlagler student as well.
“Had I realized they had this program earlier, Heather would have been in it for middle school,” Mello said. “This program has been a blessing for us.
Heather is finishing her first year of online schooling, and has learned the importance of keeping up her studies and effectively balancing her rodeo and studying schedule.
“I’ll be honest, I got behind toward the end of the year. It sneaks up on you,” Heather said. “My advice to students coming into the program is when you think you are ahead , do even more to stay ahead.”
As she heads into her second year, Heather said she will be getting as much done ahead of schedule as possible, so when her rodeo schedule gets busier at the end of the season, she will have her school work under control.
“This year was a learning experience on scheduling,” Mello said. “They are not limited to stay on the traditional school schedule -- they can get weeks ahead.”
Heather’s typical day involves getting up at 6:30 a.m., exercising her horse, breakfast, school until 5 p.m., and then more practice with her animals.
“It can get frustrating sometimes, but it’s all good,” Heather said. “The amount of practice I can get in when all my work is done, it’s amazing. The teachers are amazing. I can call them anytime, not too late at night of course, and they’re not too busy to talk.”
Skye Smith has been an iFlagler student for the past six years. The rising junior, admits that she was more interested in being the class clown, and had trouble focusing in a traditional class setting.
“Now I am not focused on making friends or fitting in,” Skye said. “My grades are better and I am enjoying learning more in this environment.”
Skye has found that she is more productive and can learn better on her own schedule. She may not get up until 10 or 11 in the morning but she works later into the evening.
“After six years, we have found she works better at night,” her mom Martha Smith said.
While her mom sets the schedule, Skye is responsible for getting her work done, and meeting deadlines.
Skye wanted to return to FPC this year, but mom vetoed it. Her grades are mostly As, and Smith wanted to keep her in the program because of her progress.
Skye has met a couple of her fellow iFlagler “classmates,” and is a certified teacher for the Good News Club, an interdenominational afterschool Christian program for 5- to 12-year-old children.
“We have a discussion board (for iFlagler). They like us to talk to each other so we don’t become hermits,” Skye laughed. “We have a mandatory collaboration project for each class, each semester. We email back and forth, and then submit as one project together.”
She is enrolling at Daytona State College and will pursue her associate’s degree while in high school. Like most dual enrollment students, she will graduate with her AA degree before she walks the stage with the FPC Class of 2018 for her high school diploma.
She has her sights set on attending the University of Florida to complete her bachelor’s degree, but hasn’t decided where she will go for her masters.
“I want to major in marine biology or zoology,” Skye said. “I haven’t decided whether I want to be on land or the water.”
