Episode 41: Virtual Internships for High School Homeschoolers | Jane Ferris
11/12/20 – Typically homeschool high school students look for volunteer opportunities or internships in their prospective career choice, however, with the limitations of social distancing and quarantine this year we’ve had to turn to other opportunities. Virtual internship options are becoming a viable substitute for job shadowing during and after high school. Read More
Laurel Springs Student Trey Willoughby on How the Minerva Baccalaureate Will Make Him a Better College Student
11/10/20 – Martin “Trey” Willoughby III is an inaugural class student of the Minerva Baccalaureate at Laurel Springs School. Read More
Loveland Ski Club partners with Laurel Springs School
11/10/20 – The pursuit of elite, full-time athletics has often meant sacrificing everything else, including in some cases, education. Colorado-based ski racers now have an additional option through a new partnership between Laurel Springs School and Loveland Ski Club’s Alpine Race Academy. Read More
Baylor University, Laurel Springs School Introduce Dual Enrollment for High School Students
11/9/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, and Baylor University, a nationally ranked private university located in Waco, Texas, today announced a partnership that will provide dual enrollment options for high school students interested in pursuing new academic challenges and accelerating college preparation. Read More
West Chester’s Laurel Springs School Partners with Right to Dream, Provides Online Education to West African Student-Athletes
10/25/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, announced an academic partnership with Right to Dream, an international charitable organization that provides elite soccer training, character development, and educational opportunities for youth athletes in West Africa. Read More
Laurel Springs School Partners with Right to Dream, Provides Online Education to West African Student-Athletes Following COVID-19 Travel Restrictions, School Closures
10/10/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, today announced an academic partnership with Right to Dream, an international charitable organization that provides elite soccer training, character development, and educational opportunities for youth athletes in West Africa. Read More
5 ways parents can help kids thrive amid remote learning
10/1/20 – Although schools across the country have been back in session for a few weeks, and some even longer, it can help for parents to take a step back periodically and evaluate how it’s going so far. Especially if your child has been participating in virtual learning or a blend of online classes and attending school in-person a few days a week. Read More
Internships for Recent High School Graduates Announced Through Laurel Springs School Postgraduate Program, Virtual Internships
9/14/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, today announced a partnership with Virtual Internships, a fully remote program designed to give students the opportunity for career exploration and professional development. Beginning this fall, the partnership will offer remote internships in a career field or location of choice for students enrolled in Laurel Springs’ Postgraduate Program. Read More
Unprecedented disruption to post-secondary plans creates opportunities
9/11/20 – Unconventional times call for innovative measures, and an unprecedented disruption to post-secondary plans for students worldwide has also created opportunities to become more competitive. Read More
While Schools Go Online, Here’s How Teachers Can Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity
9/9/20 – Schools across the country have kicked off what you could call an unconventional school year, and administrators and faculty are under immense pressure to make it work. However, despite the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential academic consequences, what we really need is a change of perspective: this could be an opportunity for educators to innovate and explore within the classroom. Read More
The Rapid Rise of Pandemic Pods
9/2/20 – With more school districts around the country announcing that fall classes will consist either of full-time remote learning or hybrid learning where children will spend up to a week at home at a time, increasing numbers of parents are taking matters into their own hands. Read More
Private Online HS Teams with Minerva on Baccalaureate Program
8/25/20 – A private online high school has announced a new baccalaureate program for beginning ninth graders, developed in partnership with a company that built the technology for an innovative classroom- and campus-free university. Laurel Springs School is working with Minerva Project, a for-profit operation that provides technology, infrastructure and support services for the Minerva Schools at KGI. Read More
How can high schools better prepare students for college and career success?
8/24/20 – Today, many parents in the United States are worried — worried about their children’s physical health if schools open, worried about their mental health in case they don’t, and worried about the quality of their education in either case. While the worry about health is driven by COVID-19, the concern about how well schools are preparing children to succeed predates the pandemic. Read More
Why it’s time to rethink the high school curriculum
8/20/20 – After more than 50 million students across the country were forced out of their classrooms this past March because of COVID-19, an uncertainty remains about what education will look like for students this fall. As we face going back to school, administrators, teachers, and families are scrambling to figure out how to keep students safe, overcome potential learning losses, and find the resources to make it all work. Read More
The Future of Education is Online: Here’s How One Accelerated High School Program is Paving the Way
8/19/20 – When the coronavirus crisis emptied classrooms worldwide and forced millions of students and teachers to stay home, schools grappled with an unprecedented disruption to their work. During a time fraught with uncertainty and unease, it was hard to see a silver lining: That, perhaps, this was an opportunity to reexamine education as we know it. Read More
New Alumni Network Offers Community for Graduates, Mentorship Opportunities for Current Students: Laurel Springs School
8/11/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, today announced a virtual network designed to cultivate a community of alumni and connect them to current and former students, creating new opportunities for mentorship, relationship-building, and professional advancement. LSS Alumni Connect is an interactive platform developed exclusively for the Laurel Springs community. Read More
Laurel Springs School Partners with LanguageBird to Debut Innovative World Language Program
8/6/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, today announced an official partnership with LanguageBird, a premier online world language program for middle and high school students. The innovative partnership will significantly expand access to industry-leading world language instruction for students enrolled in The Academy at Laurel Springs, as well as give LanguageBird a high-visibility platform in association with one of the nation’s top online schools. Read More
Loveland Ski Club Forms Innovative Partnership with Laurel Springs School to Help Elite Athletes Balance Rigorous Training, Academic Excellence
8/4/20 – The pursuit of elite, full-time athletics has always meant sacrificing everything else, including education. That changes today for Colorado-based ski racers with the innovative partnership between Laurel Springs School and Loveland Ski Club’s prestigious Alpine Race Academy. Read More
Laurel Springs School Introduces Postgraduate Program, Offers Gap Year with Purpose to Recent High School Graduates
8/4/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, is responding to the unprecedented interruption of post-secondary plans for recent high school graduates by developing a groundbreaking Postgraduate program. Utilizing a framework of academically rigorous courses, college-level seminars, and specialized counseling based on personal interests and career ambitions, students who enroll in the Postgraduate program at Laurel Springs will build a competitive academic record that best positions them for success in college and beyond. Read More
Taking a gap year due to COVID-19? Here’s how to avoid common pitfalls
7/30/20 – Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a graduation-facing senior, you may be concerned about attending college this fall. Nearly one in six high school seniors say the coronavirus has changed their education plans, and of those, 35% plan to take a gap year, according to a survey by the higher education consulting firm Art and Science Group. Read More
New Standards Of Quality: Minerva Baccalaureate And Debt-Free College
7/21/20 – For half a century, the initials AP and IB signified high school quality. The assessment systems are challenging and require a lot of reading and memorizing. Both have made some efforts to stress thinking skills but they remain discipline-based individual pursuits culminating in high stakes tests. Read More
Is It Time to Seriously Consider an Online School for Your Child?
7/21/20 – Online learning has been available for decades to K-12 schoolchildren and various levels of post-secondary students. Sometimes called online school, distance learning and more recently, virtual learning, the correct term is “online learning,” according to Peter Robertson, president of Laurel Springs School, a leading online K-12 private school, which has offered an online curricula since 1994. Read More
Laurel Springs School Offers New Minerva Baccalaureate Program, Starting Fall 2020
7/21/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, today announced its new Minerva Baccalaureate program, a transformative four-year curriculum available to students who wish to elevate and accelerate their high school education and benefit from an online, collaborative learning environment. Read More
Honolulu teen creates mobile app to help young people take COVID-19 seriously
7/18/20 – The elderly are the hardest hit from COVID-19, but young people play a vital role in stopping the spread. Instead, one Honolulu teenager is spreading an important message with a new mobile app he created called Youth COVID-19 Awareness or YCA. Read More
Laurel Springs School Launches Full Suite of Career-Focused Pathways for Upper School Students
7/15/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, today launched a full suite of career-focused pathways for students in grades nine through 12 with the completion of its Find Your Drive program. Read More
7 Ways to Better Prepare Kids for Virtual Learning
7/10/20 – Parents, teachers and students scrambled to figure out remote learning once the COVID-19 pandemic began. Here’s what experts say parents can do to be ahead of the game for the 2020-2021 school year. Read More
Local teen’s project thanks ‘Medical Angels’
6/23/20 – Courtney Guice felt she had to do something to support the frontline healthcare workers risking their health and families to care for COVID-19 patients. So the aspiring Division 1 tennis player put her mind and heart to the task and formed Meals for Medical Angels, her effort to provide ICU nurses and doctors with a water bottle filled with a restaurant giftcard for a lunch, chocolate and a note of encouragement and thanks. Read More
Laurel Springs School Highlights California Seniors, Celebrates Largest Graduating Class in School History
6/11/20 – Nearly 90 high school seniors in California have officially graduated this year from Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, ending a universally unconventional school year on a high note. Read More
Laurel Springs School Highlights New York Seniors, Celebrates Largest Graduating Class in School History
6/11/20 – Nearly 40 high school seniors in New York state have officially graduated this year from Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, ending a universally unconventional school year on a high note. Read More
Laurel Springs School Highlights Florida Seniors, Celebrates Largest Graduating Class in School History
6/11/20 – More than 35 high school seniors in Florida have officially graduated this year from Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, ending a universally unconventional school year on a high note. Read More
Laurel Springs School Hosts First-Ever Online Graduation Ceremony, Virtual Prom
6/9/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, held virtual National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) inductions, a graduation ceremony, and prom as part of its Year-End Celebrations from Wednesday, June 3, to Friday, June 5. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the events were moved online, although they are traditionally held in-person and were originally slated this year for Anaheim, California. Read More
Unsure About Sending Your Child Back-to-School this Fall? Try an Online Summer Course First: Laurel Springs School
6/3/20 – As widespread school closures leave families feeling uncertain about the path ahead for their child’s education, Laurel Springs School offers a solution for students in Kindergarten through grade 12: try an online course through the school’s Summer Program. Read More
Local teen’s project thanks ‘Medical Angels’
5/14/20 – A desire to help others during the COVID-19 crisis combined with firsthand experience about the role medical professionals can play to make lives better shaped a local teen’s vision for an ongoing tribute to nurses and doctors. Read More
Chester County Online School Hosts Innovative Virtual Model UN Conference
5/13/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, hosted a first-of-its-kind virtual Model United Nations (UN) conference on Friday, May 8, with participation from the Lebanese American University of New York (LAU). Read More
Laurel Springs School Hosts Innovative Virtual Model United Nations Conference
5/12/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, hosted a first-of-its-kind virtual Model United Nations (UN) conference on Friday, May 8, with participation from the Lebanese American University of New York (LAU). Read More
Teaching critical thinking skills in the online classroom
4/29/20 – The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed new challenges around teaching essential skills such as critical thinking—here are some strategies to help. Read More
Nutmeg Ballet students continue to dance, from a distance
4/29/20 – Twenty years ago, Lee Ann Womack sang, “If you have the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” The Nutmeg Ballet is still dancing – from a distance. Read More
Laurel Springs School Introduces Online Registration for Part-Time Students
4/29/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, announced that online registration is now available for students in Kindergarten through grade 12 who want to enroll in part-time study. Read More
‘Senioritis meets the apocalypse’? Virtual AP classes are hard during coronavirus closures, but students, teachers are figuring it out
4/26/20 – The month of May has always loomed large for high-school students taking Advanced Placement courses — it’s when students sit for high-stakes tests that will determine whether they’ve learned enough to earn college credit. Read More
His ballet dreams await in California. During coronavirus, he’s in his N.J. living room.
4/20/20 – A 15-year-old ballet dancer planning to attend the San Francisco Ballet School is training in a makeshift living room studio amid the coronavirus shutdown. Read More
Laurel Springs School Expands Career Exploration Program, Unveils Microcourses for Upper School Students
4/14/20 – Find Your Drive adds Engineering, Law and Justice, Marketing and Communications, and Visual Arts; Exploratory Microcourses debut as millions of students move to online learning. Read More
School leaders make quick adjustments to online learning
4/2/20 – School leaders navigating coronavirus closures have already made changes on-the-fly to online learning programs to help students and educators overcome the numerous challenges, including access and illness. Read More
Laurel Springs School Launches First-of-its-Kind Online Summer Course to Prepare High School Students for College Success
4/1/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, today announced that for the first time, it will be offering one of its Academy courses, Strategic Learning and Growth: Building a Foundation for College Success, this summer. Read More
Newport Beach’s Max McKennon sees coronavirus affect Grand Slam tennis dreams
3/31/20 – Newport Beach resident Max McKennon has never been to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, the home of the prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament. Read More
Virtual Education Dilemma: Scheduled Classroom Instruction vs. Anytime Learning
3/30/20 – With schools shut down across America, K-12 teachers faced with a question many likely thought they’d never have to ask: When and how often during the school day do my students need to see me? Read More
Bexley violinist wins 2020 Young Musicians Competition
3/24/20 – As the winner of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s 2020 Young Musicians Competition, 16-year-old violinist Cecilia Martin said she is looking forward to one day becoming a professional musician. Read More
Good Works!: Amazing Gracie, a teen making the world better one month at a time
3/23/20 – While most local families are just beginning to navigate “remote learning” and seeking extra opportunities to help others in this coronavirus pandemic, one La Cañada teen has been thriving for years through online education while making her world a better place, one month at a time. Read More
Laurel Springs School Publishes Best Practices Guide for Teaching Online for K-12 Teachers
3/23/20 – Laurel Springs School, a leading pioneer in online K-12 education, today announced it has published a new resource for K-12 teachers: Best Practices for Teaching Online. Read More
Looking for the perfect academy? Here’s the best of the West
3/20/20 – As the 2019-20 ski season comes to a close, it’s already time to start looking ahead at next season. Thinking about joining a club program for the first time, or considering a traditional academy option? For those parents and athletes looking to step up their ski racing career next season, Ski Racing Media has compiled a guide of eastern, western, and internationally based academies that could be your next home for the winter. Below is a list of western options. Read More
Thompson High junior claims Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen
3/18/20 – Marcelle LeBlanc, a 16-year-old junior at Laurel Springs School, was crowned Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen 2020 at Thompson High School Performing Arts Center on Sunday, March 8. Read More
Are Online Schools the Answer to Bullying?
3/15/20 – Virtual schools — also referred to as online schools, virtual/online academies, virtual charters — are public and private institutions that offer comprehensive, remote educational experiences, and they’ve been in existence since long before COVID-19 school closures had parents across the world looking into homeschooling and remote-schooling options. Read More
Laurel Springs School and Minerva Project Launch Strategic Partnership
2/26/20 – Today Laurel Springs School and Minerva Project announced their strategic partnership that will bring Minerva’s innovative pedagogy, curriculum, and virtual learning environment to Laurel Springs Upper School students beginning this spring. Read More
Village Academics Redefines Education, Breaks the Mold for Students
2/24/20 – We’ve all heard the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Shaping a child’s education not only in the realm of academics, but within the world around them, requires a community of parents and educators who are dedicated to the cause. At Village Academics, a “hybrid homeschooling” facility in Mount Pleasant, S.C. families can expect exactly that experience. Read More
Students travels the world while attending online school
1/1/20 – The flexibility of a private online school has helped one senior high student dive into her studies while traveling the world with her family. Read More
Press Release: Find Your Drive, Career Exploration Program, Launches at Laurel Springs School
8/21/19 – Laurel Springs School, a fully accredited online private school, today announced the official launch of Find Your Drive, a career exploration program for the school’s students in grades 9 through 12. Read More
Press Release: Laurel Springs School Announces Partnership with Future Champions Golf; Sponsors International Championship for World’s Best Junior Golfers
8/19/19 – More than 650 junior golfers from 37 countries traveled to Palm Desert, Calif., to compete in the 2019 Future Champions Golf Club (FCG) Callaway World Championship on July 14. The annual event is one of the world’s largest junior golf tournaments. Read More
Press Release: Laurel Springs School Opens 2019-2020 Enrollment; Unveils New Career Exploration Program
7/23/19 – Students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 are now enrolling in Laurel Springs School for the 2019-2020 school year. Laurel Springs is a fully accredited, online private school serving students globally who desire a flexible, challenging, high-quality educational experience. Read More
Laurel Springs Featured in Your Teen Mag
7/9/19 – The article, “Preparing for College Starts Freshman Year of High School,” covers the different ways that younger high school students can start preparing for college applications ahead of the curve. Read More
Press Release: Laurel Springs School Hosts In-Person Graduation Ceremony; Prom for Online Students
6/20/19 – Laurel Springs School (LSS), a fully accredited online private school with offices in West Chester, Pa., and Ojai, Calif., hosted its annual Year-End Celebrations in Orlando, Fla., from June 12 to June 14. Read More
Laurel Springs Gifted & Talented Academy Student Raises $7k for Pediatric Scoliosis Research
6/12/19 – Thea Flanzer — the self-proclaimed “Bionic Girl” — is just 16-years-old, yet quite the impressive high school junior. On Saturday, May 18, she hosted Shine for the Spines, a cabaret event that raised nearly $7K for pediatric scoliosis research. Read More
