MASSACHUSETTS VIRTUAL ACADEMY
atGreenfield
The MAVA Experience Get ready for a school that’s made to fit students, not the other way around. Get ready for a different kind of education, one that puts you more in charge and lets you be the individual learner that you are. Get ready for an experience that’s based on sound academics and is taught by experienced educators. Get ready for Massachusetts Virtual Academy, or MAVA for short. When you’re a student here, you’re taught from an outstanding curriculum that’s designed to meet your every need as a distinctive learner. We make sure you get a sound academic experience with trained teachers from elementary school all the way through high school. Our school is designed to meet your
needs, with challenges and services that fit your learning style, and also meet Massachusetts state requirements. And don’t worry, you can’t get lost. Your teachers, family engagement team, and Learning Coach (usually a parent) will make sure you’re staying on track. As one grateful parent wrote, “We decided to enroll my son at Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield because the school enables him to keep up with his education and achieve his extracurricular goals at the same time.” Get ready for a school that works for you and with you while it prepares you for the world you live in. Get ready for MAVA.
A Message from the Director Dear Friends, Welcome to the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield. Though this is a virtual K – 12 school, we extend our many hands in greeting you as a person and as an individual learner.
In short, MAVA is a complete learning experience that lets you be you. We have everything you need to succeed as a learner, and we can’t wait to get to know you. For more information, or to apply, just visit http://mava.k12.org. To speak to someone, call 866.467.0843. With a warm welcome, Carl Tillona Executive Director
Whether you plan to enroll or will be working with us as a parent, you will discover that we are there for you, that we care, and that we want you to be a success in your studies and in your life. Our program encourages you to be an independent learner, capable of exploring our world and making an impact on it as a creative thinker. We support your curiosity and your interests so that your program is about you as much as it is about content. In other words, you can be the individual learner that you are, and you will find a supportive environment that helps you explore and deepen your ideas and your skills. You may have some misconceptions about what a virtual academy is like. I want to make sure you understand that this is a full K – 12 public school experience – complete with a sound academic experience and state certified educators – that also provides you with the time you need to pursue your interests.
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What do we say to students who want a distinctive scholastic curriculum, delivered the way that suits them best? Welcome to MAVA.
At MAVA, we understand that both students and parents desire a high-quality academic experience, similar to the programs at all the best schools in the State. We understand young people, and their longing to be just the same as their fellow students – attending classes, making friends, playing sports, going on class trips. MAVA has all of this, so your son or daughter has the same experiences he or she would in any other school. We also know that individual circumstances and learning styles demand a new way to deliver education – a different approach. That’s where MAVA comes in.
We meet all of the state and federal requirements, just the same as every accredited school in the Commonwealth. The elementary and middle school programs consist of the four core academic courses of English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and History. Students may also take art or music as a full-year elective course. In order to meet the State’s physical education requirement, students are also required to have a plan for some type of exercise or fitness activities. Lessons are supplemented with traditional materials, including award-winning textbooks, CDs, videos,
and hands-on collaterals that complement online learning and allow the widest variety of students to master lesson objectives. Our high school program (grades 9-12) provides a core curriculum of challenging college preparatory courses, Advanced Placement courses and a generous complement of electives in all departments. We are committed to offering each student an education that is both engaging and challenging, which we accomplish by following the Massachusetts High School Program of Studies, or MassCore. MassCore is intended to fully prepare high school graduates for college or a career. MassCore recommends a comprehensive set of subject area courses and units as well as other learning opportunities to complete before graduating from high school.
Take the Learning Coach, for example. A parent (or other responsible adult), working in conjunction Similar to our Elementary/Middle School program, with the teacher, serves as “Learning Coach,” students are required to have a plan for exercise, helping facilitate the student’s progress through fitness, or sport activities to meet the physical the daily lessons, and working to modify the pace education requirement. All students must have and schedule as necessary. As Learning Coach, you a course plan, outlined at the beginning of their can expect to be highly engaged with your son studies, which is discussed with a guidance counselor or daughter’s program – often establishing a new and can be modified throughout the student’s time relationship as co-learners, explorers, and intellectual with our program. A vision without a plan is just a partners. It is a rewarding role, and may bring a new closeness to your family, built on bonds of shared curiosity and a mutual passion for Vyctoria Sarah-Lynn Amiro, Class of 2016 learning.
“I’ve had incredible opportunities here that I would not have anywhere else.”
dream. Our graduation course plans ensure that you attain your dreams. So in many respects, you might say we are “just the same” as other excellent schools throughout the Commonwealth. And yet, we are very different in our approach to education and to the technology mediated learning platform with which we deliver it.
Or consider that at MAVA, we outline academic objectives, documenting strengths and challenges, to keep them on track for maximum academic success.
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It’s a kind of educational strategic plan, a total view of your student’s progress, all individualized based on your son or daughter’s learning profile. Every student at MAVA receives this. That’s different! As well, our robust Online School (OLS) comes loaded with all the tools and technology you and your student need to manage your account or to communicate with teachers, including a grade book, lesson plans, and attendance and schedule module. Then there is our commitment to personalized engagement. Advisors, counselors, coordinators, and other educational personnel - all offer personalized, extensive support to students and families. We care about your son or your daughter. We demonstrate it every day, in many different ways. At MAVA, we provide a best practice approach to education, aligned with all State and Federal requirements – just like any elite school. Our differences are as notable, from cutting-edge technologies to passionate teachers who truly care. Enroll at MAVA for a superb education that encourages you to be yourself. Build a plan to reach for your dreams. Say goodbye to school bells. Say hello to success – your way.
Where Do MAVA Grads Go? “In today’s knowledge-based economy, the only thing more expensive than getting a college education is not getting one.” – Paul Taylor, Executive Vice President, Pew Research Center.
• AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts
MAVA is a destination for Massachusetts students, but it is also a stepping stone to life success. For many MAVA graduates, that next step includes college.
• Texas Women’s University
Past graduates have gone on to college and to fulltime careers. Last year’s graduating class enrolled in University of North Texas, Northeastern University, Greenfield Community College, Quinsigamond Community College, and New Englad College, to name a few. They and other graduates have been accepted to:
• American International College • Boston University • University of New England • University of Vermont • University of Massachusetts - Amherst • University of North Texas • West Virginia University • Johnson & Wales University • Keene State College • Northeastern University • Framingham State University • University of Tampa • University of Maine
“MAVA has given me confidence and a positive attitude about school that I never had. I have learned quite a lot of things that I probably would not have learned otherwise. I would encourage students who have had difficulty succeeding in a regular school to join MAVA.”
David Cesar Marquez, Class of 2016
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Face-to-Face Experiences School is about academics, of course – but it’s also about community: making friends, participating in sports, clubs, or artistic endeavors, and just having fun! If it’s not fun, it’s not great education. So get ready for great. Get ready for fun. Get ready for education the MAVA way. Love science? In a single month this year, MAVA students visited the Boston Museum of Science and the Connecticut Science Center. Like to run, have fun, and support local charities? This year, MAVA’s Color Vibe 5K team did just that, getting color blasted and jogging five kilometers, and students and staff looked like a rainbow running down the street. Parents, you are always welcome to attend any class outings. Outings are both fun and educational, often counting towards academic credits. Recent outings have included: • Back to School Picnics • Zoo Trips • Science Museum Trips • Skating Trips • Trips to Local Historical and Cultural Sites • Talent Shows • End of Year Picnics
Real-World Opportunities Jennifer MacGray, a graduate of the Class of 2015, appreciates the flexibility that MAVA’s program offered her: “It allows you the opportunity to finish school but have the chance to utilize hours elsewhere, accomplishing goals that being in a normal high school wouldn’t allow.” Jennifer accomplished some pretty impressive goals. A concert grand pedal harpist, Jennifer attended the prestigious Tanglewood Young Artists Program after graduation, on a full scholarship. Maybe developing apps is your hobby. As a virtual academy, you can bet that our faculty is adept at supporting your technology interests.
Recent student activities have included: Acting; music with the local high school; practicing with a professional musician; sports; ice skating; cheerleading; skiing. The virtual academy network means that students make friends next door, or across the State. This diverse experience supports leadership development, networking skills, and exploring new interests with students who share your interests. Oh, yes. And don’t forget about fun. If it’s not fun, it’s just not great education. Welcome to MAVA.
You may want to take technology to its limits, though, like Rick Nagy has. A Class of 2015 graduate, Rick says, “if you take advantage of the flexibility that MAVA offers, the amount of opportunities it opens are really astounding ... The one-on-one focus is pretty amazing. MAVA meets students’ needs in a way that’s really outstanding. If you have the self-direction and discipline (or are willing to learn them), go for it.” Rick did ‘go for it,’ and as a result, became a fulltime software developer at QuickSchools.com during his gap year, before attending the Honors Program at Northeastern University where he is studying Computer Science and Business.
“MAVA is just like a regular school. We all interact with other students and teachers, regardless of the fact that our classes are online. We actually have the ability to build and keep relationships with others involved in MAVA, it’s a great experience.” Amber Malooly, Class of 2015
At MAVA, activities are not about limits; they are about opportunities.
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Contact: Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield 278 Main Street, Suite 205 Greenfield, MA 01301 Phone: (866) 467-0843 Email: info@gcvs.org mava.k12.org Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MAVAGreenfieldVirtualSchool
278 Main Street, Suite 205 Greenfield, MA 01301 Phone: (866) 467-0843
mava.k12.org