Yesterday marked the last day of school for our teachers. If you were in the building with us today, you would hear teachers whirling through the office, finishing their tasks for the end of the year. They have worked with their students to get them through the end of the year. They have entered final grades, mailed out report cards, and attended the end of the year party and graduation ceremony. So, what’s next?
805 Springdale Drive has been busy with the sounds of shuffling, taping, box moving, and cleaning! Our teachers have spent the last two days organizing their desks, clearing out closets and supplies, and checking off checklists to be sure that everything will be ready for next year!
But our school will not close entirely! Several staff members (including our Enrollment Team!) will be available to answer questions for next year, enroll new students, and to help those enrolled in summer school courses! We are just a phone call or email away! Our office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Thursday of each week! Your teachers will miss you, and a few of us will be here, thinking of you!
So, where will your teachers be this summer? Here are a few things that will keep them busy:
I’ll be Teaching at Bryn Mawr’s Summer Institute for the Gifted. I’ll also be working on our new house in Ardmore.
I will attend carnivals and fairs with my family. I love to fish at Blue Marsh Lake. I’ll take my kids there!
I will catch up on my sleep and work on community theatre shows in my area!
I’ll get to the beach in Ocean City, MD. I can’t wait!
We are planning to camp on Assateague Island and spend a week in Ocean City, Maryland! Personally, I’ll be spending lots of time as a chauffeur for my daughters–taking them to camps, swim meets, and to visit friends!
We are going to see the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, and a few cities in California. We will be gone for two weeks straight.
I am traveling to Spain to explore the country and practice Spanish!!!
We have a family vacation to the Delmarva Peninsula planned. I will also be teaching social studies for summer school.
My kids and I will be spending 2 weeks in Maine, going to the beach, eating lobster, and having a blast!
We are headed to New England. We stay in a lovely little house on the beach in Plum Island. We will be spending July 4th in Boston. After that, it’s just horse shows and flies!
I’m teaching an ESY program for high school students with disabilities. It’s like school and summer camp all wrapped in one!
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @21CyberSchool to keep up with your teachers and friends! We’ll see you next year!
It’s that time of year again! School’s out and many students will have plenty of time on their hands to READ! There is great material to consider out there. Whether your interests lie in fantasy, sci-fi, non-fiction, or romance, the selections are varied. Check out your local library or bookstore soon. Ask your teachers, librarians, or booksellers for reading suggestions, OR check out this list of suggestions below.
(Please note these suggestions are not reflective of the 21CCCS curriculum committee. These are merely for readers interested in finding new and interesting literature to help them think critically and explore through the reading process. Please be proactive, and consider learning more about these texts to note what content may be included before encouraging your child to read.)
Great Summer Reads for Middle School Students:
1.) Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. After the death of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle’s dangerous line of work. *series*
2.) Belle Prater’s Boyby Ruth White. When Woodrow’s mother suddenly disappears, he moves to his grandparents’ home in a small Virginia town where he befriends his cousin. Together, they find the strength to face the terrible losses and fears in their lives.
3.) Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan. When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battle school, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. *series*
4.) Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged. However, Melody refuses to be defined by Cerebral Palsy, and she’s determined to let everyone know it.
5.) The Girl Who Invented Romance by Caroline B. Cooney. While waiting for her first big romance and observing the sometimes rocky love affairs of her parents and brother, sixteen-year-old Kelly develops a board game called Romance.
6.) If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year-old Jeremiah, who is black and whose parents are separated, and Ellie, who is white and whose mother has twice abandoned her, fall in love and then try to cope with peoples’ reactions.
7.) The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. When she is cast out of Wonderland by her evil aunt Redd, young Alyss Heart finds herself living in Victorian Oxford as Alice Liddell and struggles to keep memories of her kingdom intact until she can return and claim her rightful throne. *series* The current sequel is Seeing Redd.
8.) Heat by Mike Lupica. Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof. Mrs. Ball says this is the best baseball book she’s read in a long time.
9.) Throwing Like a Girl by Weezie Kerr Mackie. After moving from Chicago to Dallas in the spring of her sophomore year, fifteen-year-old Ella finds that joining the softball team at her private school not only helps her make friends, it also provides unexpected opportunities to learn and grow.
10.) The Million Dollar Putt by Dan Gutman. Assisted by his neighbor, Birdie, blind thirteen-year-old Ed “Bogie” Bogard will win one million dollars if he can sink a ten-foot putt in Hawaii’s fifth annual Angus Killick Memorial Tournament.
Great Reads for High School Students:
1.) Twistedby Laurie Halse Anderson. Tyler Miller, a high school senior, tries to clean up his reputation, succeed in school, and deal with his demanding, explosive father and his alcoholic, distant mother. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler’s emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation.
2.) The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hoganby John Coyne. It’s 1946, and Jack Handley is a 14-year-old caddy at a posh country club near Chicago. Add in Jack’s entanglement in Matt’s secret romance with the daughter of the club’s rich and powerful president, and anecdotes of other legendary players (like Jimmy Demaret, Gene Sarazen and Lefty Stackhouse), and the results rank with James Dodson’s nonfiction, and John Corrigan’s PGA golf mysteries.
3.) Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. Cold Mountain begins with the protagonist, a Confederate soldier named Inman, injured in battle during the Civil War. During his recovery in the hospital, he realizes that once he is well enough, he will be sent back to the front lines, a realization that causes him to make the arduous journey home to Cold Mountain.
4.) Catch 22by Joseph Heller. Published in 1962, this grim satire attacks the foolishness and senselessness of war. Even though the subject matter is intensely serious, the story, mainly due to the Yossarian’s brutal realism and caustic sarcasm, is often humorous with the intent of illuminating the horror and absurdity of the situation in which he is mired.
5.) The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston.Kingston’s poignant memoir tells the story of a Chinese American growing up in Stockton, California. As she grows up, Kingston begins to create her own stories to fill in the gaps between her mother’s world and the reality in which she lives.
6.) Pigs in Heavenby Barbara Kingsolver. When a Cherokee tribal lawyer informs Taylor that she must relinquish her illegally adopted daughter, Taylor refuses to give up her daughter, and a life of flight and uncertainty ensues.
7.) Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie and Ina Rilke. The main characters, Luo and the narrator, are two male teenagers who are sent to a remote village in China to be re-educated under Mao’s regime.
8.) Invisible Manby Ralph Ellison. A classic since its publication in 1952, Invisible Man recounts the story of a young, nameless, black man as he experiences the insidiousness of American intolerance, prejudice, and cultural blindness.
9.) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.Jane is orphaned at a young age and subjected to the cruelty of her new guardian, Aunt Reed. When Jane attends Lowood charity school, her situation does not improve. Readers admire Jane because in spite of her seemingly miserable lot, she transcends misery and betrayal to find love, happiness, and acceptance.
10.) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. A poor farmer, Ethan finds himself stuck in a miserable marriage to Zeenie, a sickly, tyrannical woman, until he falls in love with her visiting cousin, the vivacious Mattie Silver. A powerful tale of passion and loss—and the wretched consequences thereof—Ethan Frome is one of American literature’s great tragic love stories.
This year Mrs. Elder asked her American History II students to complete an assignment on “Historical Landmarks.” Pennsylvania is home to a lot of American History. As a result, we have a ton of historic landmarks across the state. Click on the video below to see what one student learned about her landmark!
When students are ready to graduate from 21CCCS, they are required to return their laptops and other borrowed equipment to our school. This process can feel cumbersome and long-winded! So, we thought we’d let you know what to expect in advance. Don’t let the process bog you down! Just follow these steps:
When students arrive at Rustin High School, they should go to table #1 to pickup “Equipment Return Papers.”
Students will proceed to the table for equipment and completed “Equipment Return Papers.”
A staff/faculty member will run through checklist to confirm receipt of each item: textbooks, computers, printers, and/or calculators
Student will receive a copy of the completed checklist. If an item is missing, notes will be taken to address such.
Students will sign “Equipment Return Paper” at the bottom and date.
Students receive a ticket to proceed through other graduation procedure only if all equipment is returned.
Please feel free to let us know if you have questions or need assistance with anything! We are happy to help!
Read below to see another installment of “The Eclectic Corner,” a posting topic created by 21CCCS student, Rachel Durs
The blog post I sat down to write months ago is very different from the post you see before you now. After my first installment of The Eclectic Corner, I was buoyed and couldn’t wait to begin my next musing – an analysis of culture and how the mostly-wholesome winsomeness of Harry Potter seems in short supply nowadays. But then life happened and months dragged on before I could get back to blogging, and when I tried to explore a new final topic for my last blog entry, I found myself realizing that my Eclectic Corner – my grand experiment! – had been frighteningly short lived.
So, suddenly, I had to think about how I wanted to end this blog. What thoughts did I want to put in here? My mind returned to what I had wanted to talk about initially, but with a twist. For my last post, I’m not going to lament the current state of culture from an eclectic point of view. I’m not going to talk about how we change the culture either. No. In light of graduation (which will uproot me from the comfortable life of grade school-dom and whisk me off into the real world), I’m instead going to talk about how we, the Eclectics, can go out into the real world and place ourselves on the forefront of the culture. Hey, people like me, who walk in the shadow of human pop culture, deserve a place on the front lines like everyone else.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been told all of your life that being strange is not a selling point and if you want to succeed in the world, you need to put on the mantle everyone else wears. But in my life, I’ve learned that’s not at all true. Instead, the fact that we rule the not-quite-there and not-yet-so region of human consciousness is our greatest strength. This is probably the biggest difference between Eclectics and Hipsters. Hipsters are removed from the mainstream by choice; Eclectics are removed from the mainstream by design. For Eclectics, the mainstream and our viewpoints just don’t mesh.
But as I prepare to leave my comfortably small circles for bigger real-life ones, I’ve realized that we don’t have to push back against the mainstream until we change it. We only have to push against the mainstream until we’re standing right there in the middle of it. I’m a firm believer that when something presents a problem, you don’t try to cover it up or kill it; you give people other options.
So as many of us – including yours truly – leave this great school, I want you all to remember that you have a place in the forefront of the world too. This world and its culture don’t have to be entirely racy and violent and mindless, but it also doesn’t need to be re-forged until it’s obscure and lofty. Instead, there should be a mix of the two – an option to pick which one works best for each person.
Maybe in the future, I’ll see you guys again (I’m taking a gap year between high school and college and would absolutely LOVE to blog about the life of a gap year girl, so…). But if I don’t see you against the backdrop of this school, I hope I see you out there in the real world, standing on the front line and showing everyone that a little weirdness is a great thing.
Are you looking for great things to do this summer without breaking the bank? Here are some great ideas that can keep your wallet full and your smiles wide!
Go ahead! Let yourself get lost in the library!
1.) Spend an Afternoon at Your Local Library! They have air conditioning, Free WiFi, and cozy chairs to help you snuggle up with your favorite books! Ok, it’s not the community pool, but libraries can be fun! And you should probably build a super-awesome reading list so you’re ready to go when it’s time for back-to-school days!
2.) Throw a BYOF BBQ! Invite friends and family out to enjoy the heat! There’s nothing better than celebrating the summertime with the people you care about! Offer to buy the hotdogs and hamburgers, and assign other foods to your friends! Everyone can share in the fun, and you’ll be glad you all got together.
3.) Check out the Philly Fun Guide by clicking here. They provide a list of FREE events in the area from Arts and Heritage Festivals to Library Fairs and Flea Markets! There’s fun for all ages and the best part is, it’s all free!
4.) Investigate Your State Parks! Pennsylvania is know for its historic battlefields and incredible wildlife, preserved in our parks. You can use this site: PADCNR to locate the parks nearest to you! Pack a picnic, grab your hiking boots, and take a camera. We’d love to see the incredible things you find in your very own backyard! Post your pics to our social media throughout the summer!
There’s more where that came from!
5.) Consider Taking a Course or Workshop! Check out this great site to learn about course offerings held over the summer. There are lots of things you can learn with the time allotted over the summer. You might surprise yourself! Remember, you may qualify for aid to pursue any of these options! Call PAFA to learn more.
Have a happy and healthy summer! And remember to send us shout-outs! We want to know what you’re up to!
Read below to learn about another one of our spectacular alumni! Meet Jesse!
Hello teachers, students, alumni, and families of the 21CCCS community. My name is Jesse Kitzen-Abelson and I was enrolled with the cyber school from 2004-2006. As with any situation, we get out of life what we put into it. Cyber school is not for everyone. However, if you take the time and put in the effort to do well, I believe you can gain many advantageous skills in comparison to other public school students. This was the case for me.
When I graduated and attended school at Temple University from 2006-2011, I found myself with a special set of skills thanks to cyber school. When I returned to the classroom, I noticed that I had learned how to problem solve and figure things out on my own. This is a crucial skill to have that has served me well. Another great thing about 21CCCS is that it allowed me to have a flexible schedule. That schedule allowed me to balance gymnastics training with my academics, so I could compete for a collegiate squad.
At Temple, I majored in Kinesiology (exercise physiology) and competed on the varsity gymnastics team from 2007-2011. It was a remarkable experience and it led to many other great things. I was able to travel the country, train with a great group of guys, and compete against Olympians at the NCAA championships.
After I graduated, my coach told me that one of his life-long friends was looking for a new coach for his gym in South Africa. Clearly, I could not pass up such an incredible opportunity. I arrived here in South Africa in September 2011. It is been nearly two years since my arrival. The time has flown by, since I am doing what I love. Cyber school paved the way for me, and I know it can make a difference for others as well.
Click here to see a recent highlights video I made from our March-April training. I hope you enjoy it!
The following post was written by 21CCCS English teacher, Tony Herman. He has a lot to say about graduation! Read below to learn more.
Graduation.
Literally, it is a day when you put on a funny gown, get handed a piece of paper, and throw a cap into the air. Figuratively, it’s a day marking the end of one journey and the beginning of a new one. Emotionally, it’s a day on which you toss away the kid’s clothes and step into adulthood.
All the adverbs aside, the more I think about graduation and what it means for all of my seniors, the more important it becomes. Thinking back, I still remember shaking as I walked on the grass of my high school football field – all the parents waving, taking pictures – the more embarrassing ones with posters and blow-horns. I may have rolled my eyes at the time, but now I know how great that moment really was.
Graduation is all about you. Your accomplishments. Your journey. Your day. Own it.
Teaching at 21CCCS for the past three years and having a slew of graduates this year, I know what you’ve gone through. Some students have worked night shifts to get here. Some will reach for their diplomas with a baby in the other hand, having submitted assignments in lieu of sleeping. Still others will be the first in their family to go to college this fall. Everyone will have their story about how they got to this day. But graduation isn’t just another day. It’s a big deal.
On that day, we celebrate you: where you’ve come from, where you are, and, most importantly, where you’re going. We are so proud to share in the moment with you. We can’t wait to see you walk across the stage, and we’ll be cheering you on the whole way!
We’ll see you on Saturday, June 8th. For more details, be sure to check out our events page on the website at 21cccs.org.
For this year’s YouTube/Writing Contest, 7th grade 21CCCS student, Sarah Saboori wrote a wonderful essay to describe her experiences at cyber school. She won for our 7th grade category. We are so proud of her inspiring words and wanted to share them with you here. Read below to learn how and why cyber school has made a huge difference in Sarah’s life. Great job, Sarah!
In her words:
Why do students choose Cyber School? I prefer Cyber School for many reasons. My experience at 21st Century Cyber Charter School shows I can work at my own pace, collaborate with teachers and classmates, and socialize during clubs. I enjoy working at my own speed. If I don’t understand a lesson, I can take extra time to understand the concept. I ask my teachers questions when I need help. A flexible schedule allows me to work ahead. I can individualize my schedule. For example, I can use technology to write presentations and essays, which makes it easier to complete work faster.
Also, teachers are always available in the Middle School Virtual Office. Teachers help me understand subjects. For example, if I do not understand an assignment, I enter the Virtual Office, and ask my question. The teacher answers my questions, and helps me to understand. I go to local community outreaches to meet my classmates and teachers, and work on my assignments. There are field trips once a month. They are always fun and educational.
21st Century Cyber Charter School has lots of clubs in which to participate. I enjoy going to cooking club, photography club, and short story club. An 8th grader from 21st Century Cyber Charter School says, “I enjoy going to the Poetry Club. Not only was I introduced to amazing new poets, but also I learned to analyze and apply them to my life.” All of the clubs are fun, and a great way to meet classmates and teachers.
Why does Cyber School work for me? Working at my own pace, collaborating with teachers and classmates, and socializing at clubs make Cyber School a wonderful learning experience.
