Saving Our Unique Style of Learning

Dear Parents and Students,

As you know, last month, the courts announced a decision against Wisconsin Virtual School that may impact their ability to operate.  In order to ensure the continued operation of all Wisconsin virtual schools, our state legislature is going to be writing and enacting legislation that clearly defines virtual schooling in Wisconsin.

As I indicated earlier, iQ Academy Wisconsin and the District of Waukesha are continuing to work with our legislators and the DPI around these issues. 

What can you do to help? 

This Wednesday afternoon, January 16, there will be a large Capitol rally of virtual learning parents and students on Wednesday afternoon.  The rally is in conjunction with a hearing on a bill written by Representative Brett Davis (Wednesday, January 16, 1:00 pm). 

The rally and transportation is being organized by the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families. For information about the  rally, busses to get there, and more, see http://www.wivirtualschoolfamilies.org/news/newsletter.cfm?ID=722

There will also be a hearing for another bill written by Senator John Lehman on Thursday, January 17, at 10 am.

If you value the education your student is receiving, if you believe families deserve the choice of public virtual schooling, then find a way to attend the rally in Madison and contact your legislators to support legislation that defines and supports virtual public education.

Hope to see you in Madison! 
Kristine Diener
Principal
iQ Academies at Wisconsin
1-866-468-6472

Okay, I think this is totally important and my family and I are actually going down to Madison, even though it's 3+ hours away to give our support to iQ, WIVA, Monroe and other virtual schools around the state. Is anyone else going? If so, we should make plans to meet up and get some school spirit going. (My mom wants my little brother to wear a sign saying "I want to get my diploma at 15" and she's usually not like that.)

I actually contacted Ms. Diener and was able to get an extension (*shock*) for saying I would be going down there, and I'll get it while I'm there. If you're not going because of school, contact Ms. Diener, because you might get a couple more days... (I just have until Monday 8 a.m.)

If anything, just pray that this will work out, because I hate to see a ton of kids left without this alternative form of education.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Virtually News has put out their 2nd Quarter issue! Check it out!

http://my.highschooljournalism.org/wi/waukesha/iqhigh/index.cfm?eid=10207

What Next?

First read this:

--Flatulent kangaroos could save the planet.--

Australian scientists plan to isolate, and possibly transfer to other species, the 'roos digestive bacteria, which unusually produce almost none of the potent greenhouse gas methane.

One of the primary sources of atmospheric methane is the digestive tracts of millions of cows, sheep, pigs and, um, humans. It's the byproduct of trillions of bacteria, properly called digestive flora, without which no mammal could get nutrition from starches and plant fibers.

With each belch and colonic gaseous emission, large plant-eating livestock contribute a bit more to global warming.

"Fourteen percent of [greenhouse-gas] emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep," Queensland state government research scientist Athol Klieve told Agence France-Presse. "And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 percent."

But kangaroos, which eat plenty of plants, appear to have different digestive flora, emitting almost no methane. If those bacteria could be substituted for those of cows and sheep, it could drastically cut down on the amounts of methane pumped into the atmosphere.

source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315586,00.html
----

Wow. That's my first reaction. Second reaction: That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. For those of you who read the last issue of Virtually News, you might have read my article on Global Warming. If you didn't read it, go read it, and read the counterpoint by Alex Dunn.

Questions that come to mind regarding this research: How much methane is put into the atmosphere? How much does it contribute to the greenhouse effect compared to carbon dioxide emissions? What about all the methane the ocean gives off? Is this a natural thing that we should just leave alone???

Thinking out loud,

Em

Poll Archive: Events & Sci-Club

We asked, and you answered. Question and results below:

-----

In other news: Not exactly a historical tour or an exhibit, but it's worth mentioning that the first (finally) Madison sci-club trip is coming up next week: BioTek lab at UW.

It should be a blast. I'm sure it'll be reviewed in at least several places, but I'll try to remember to write about my experiences here afterwards.

-H²

Six Hours Later...

While some of your jaws may have droped to the floor, thinking I had worked 6 hours straight on the blog revampment, such was not the case. (This is not to say I didn't want to...)

Check it out! The tabs do what the tags do, but they look so pretty, and the extra space allows for other functionality. (Hence, RSS button as well. Maybe I'll put another button or two in there as times goes by...)

You like?

-H²

New iQb Template to undergo development

Having stumbled upon several resources for modifying Blogger templates, I find the prospect of such modifications very enticing, and will be working on enhancing our very own Student Blog in the coming weeks (potentially months.) Stay tuned for more news as I relate my experiences!

-H²

A Replacement iQ Commons Discussion Board

We all know the discussion board is broken. And it hurts your eyes to look at.

So to continue talking amongst each other in a more civil place, Hilary Siebring, a Senior at iQ, has created a replacement forum. You can get there by clicking the title of this post.

The iQ Blog is a wonderful idea and its done very well. But its not meant to be a replacement for discussion boards. When it comes to really getting in there and holding a conversation, it doesn't hold up well. Its use lies somewhere else.

To join the forum, you're going to need to sign up as you normally would, then post your username here as a comment, so it can be verified you are an iQ student. Anyone other than iQ students will not be able to see what is posted on the forums.

Patriot Day

Today is 9/11. Take time to remember everyone who died. Remember the figherfighters and police who gave their lives to save other peoples. Remember all of your family and friends who died.

Win An Apple iPhone!

Yes, it sounds like junk mail, but it is entirely true.

I was interested in seeing if iQ had a Wikipedia page, and so while I was searching Google, I came across a website of iQ's I had not seen before. Of course, I clicked it:

iQ Academy

(Page will NOT open in a new window. I seem to have forgotten that bit of code. Just + click it open.)

And there, right before my eyes; a chance at last.

In case you are unaware of the greatest phone ever, check out the site.

(Same applies for this link, it will not open in a new window, sorry.)

It looks easy enough. They want us to do a video demonstrating the freedom and flexibility provided by online education. (There's a video of iQ Academy director Lisa McClure doing just that. She and a few others are using their laptop... while skydiving!) Everything we need to know is on the site, along with what will help us in winning.

Unfortunately, I just found out about this, and the deadline is noon on September 14th. Hopefully many of you were aware of this long before I was. If you weren't, there's still time!

If you want to add any special effects, titles, sounds, transitions, etc., I suggest you use iMovie HD, which should have came loaded on all of our laptops. It would normally be pretty slow, but since we're only using YouTube quality video here, it should be no problem at all.

I wish the best of luck to everyone!

EDIT:

I should mention, and I'm a little disappointed with myself that I didn't, that buying the iPhone means switching to AT&T's service. It's a 2 year agreement, plans starting at $59.99, and the phone can not be used (except to dial 911) until you have this service.

Into the Fray

With one full day of school behind me, I'm happy to be in one piece after the (usual) amount of day 1 chaos yesterday. Despite everything from not having my ibook till the 3rd, to being without an elluminate login to attend the Physics elluminate that didn't happen anyway, it was certainly a positive precursor to what is shaping up to be one of the best years at iQ yet. The crazier it starts, the better off everyone is. It's only by having the troubles that staff and students can properly get into the online learning groove- and I don't mean that lightly.

It's the problems at iQ, and even life in general, that shape the success of its participants. Through the struggles to get everything in line, we learn where our priorities really are, and we gain crucial skills that will solidify our composition in future struggles. Chaos breeds greatness. Keep that in mind, as you wait to get that critical problem fixed (or tear your hair out at the mass-emails flooding your inbox.)


-H<sup>2


Edit 1: Added mass email note. Thanks Charles.</sup>