News

Michigan educational innovation contest launched

By Michigan Virtual

$20,000+ and business startup support offered to top three winners LANSING, Mich. — Michigan residents are encouraged to submit their ideas for improving teaching and learning in a new Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest & Bootcamp. Through a partnership… Read more

RFQ: Information Technology Assessment

By Michigan Virtual

I.  INTRODUCTION Michigan Virtual™ is requesting Quotes for a review and analysis of our technology operations. This audit would consider our organizational goals, job positions, skill sets, and processes and make recommendations for optimization. Not to be included in… Read more

Statement on Gov. Whitmer’s 2022 State of the State 

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — The following statement can be attributed to Jamey Fitzpatrick, President and CEO of Michigan Virtual: “If we’ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s this: the future success of Michigan’s education system is absolutely dependent on innovation… Read more

International Day of Education gives students, educators opportunity to expand skills

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan school administrators, educators are encouraged to address issues of equity and inclusion in schools through free programming made possible by a collaboration between Michigan Virtual, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.  This week… Read more

RFQ: K-12 Learning Assessment Platform

By Michigan Virtual

Revised December 10, 2021 I.  INTRODUCTION Michigan Virtual™ is requesting Quotes for an assessment authoring and distribution platform that delivers assessments seamlessly to users (students and teachers) and is Learning Management System (LMS) and device agnostic. For the purposes… Read more

Michigan organization receives international acclaim for innovation in education during pandemic

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Virtual, a leading online education provider, has been named a winner of the 2021 Impact Awards by Innovation Leader, an unbiased, independent media and events company focused on helping change-makers in large organizations deliver real… Read more

Education leaders collaborate to offer free inclusive learning support to Michigan teachers

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Through a partnership between Michigan Virtual, Michigan State University’s College of Education, and the University of Michigan School of Education, Michigan teachers now have free access to newly developed professional learning content that offers current research… Read more

National Online Learning Day: The ins and outs of virtual learning

By Michigan Virtual

The article “National Online Learning Day: The ins and outs of virtual learning” — originally published by WZZM Grand Rapids on September 15, 2021 — features an interview with Dr. Shannon Smith, our senior director of student learning, who… Read more

‘Adolescent Suicide Prevention for Schools and Communities’ online resources now available to educators and communities across Michigan

By Michigan Virtual

This article was published in DBusiness on September 7, 2021, in WJMN on September 8, 2021, and WLNS on September 9, 2021. Courses offered at no cost to school administration, staff, and community members LANSING, Mich. – Blue Cross… Read more

Opinion: Using technology and relationship building to make this school year a success

By Jamey Fitzpatrick

This opinion piece from our president and CEO, Jamey Fitzpatrick, was originally published in the Lansing State Journal on September 1, 2021. Last school year was not easy for our students, parents and teachers — all whom deserve our praise for making… Read more

Michigan schools encouraged to take advantage of free, State-funded social, emotional and mental health program

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Virtual and Navigate360 are encouraging Michigan schools and districts to implement the state-funded social and emotional learning and mental health resources provided by the Michigan Cares program during the 2021-2022 school year. There are many emotional implications from the stress… Read more

Sara Sibble, of Hamilton, named a 2021 Online Teacher of the Year

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Sara Sibble, of Hamilton, Mich. has been named a 2021 Michigan Virtual Online Teacher of the Year — an annual distinction given to online instructors who have demonstrated excellence and made a positive impact in the… Read more

Catherine Vila, of Grand Haven, named 2021 Online Mentor of the Year

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Catherine Vila, of Grand Haven, Mich. has been named the 2021 Michigan Virtual Online Mentor of the Year — an annual distinction given to mentors of online students who have demonstrated excellence and made a positive… Read more

Grosse Ile’s Christy Trombetta named a 2021 Online Teacher of the Year

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Christy Trombetta, of Grosse Ile, Mich. has been named a 2021 Michigan Virtual Online Teacher of the Year — an annual distinction given to online instructors who have demonstrated excellence and made a positive impact in… Read more

Researcher: Making virtual learning successful requires coordination across a school system

By Michigan Virtual

The article “Researcher: Making virtual learning successful requires coordination across a school system” — originally published by West Virginia Public Broadcasting on July 28, 2021 — features an interview on the West Virginia Morning show in which education reporter… Read more

Building a Foundation for K-12 Virtual Education with Data

By Joseph Freidhoff

This article was originally published in the Detroit News on June 30, 2021. There is no shortage of topics on which we tend to separate into camps. When it comes to education, for instance, maybe you tend to favor… Read more

Muskegon Public Schools is offering a unique hybrid learning plan for fall 2021

By Michigan Virtual

The article “Muskegon Public Schools is offering a unique hybrid learning plan for fall 2021” — originally published in MLive on June 30, 2021 — overviews the unique hybrid learning plan that Muskegon Public Schools is launching in fall… Read more

Effective virtual learning programs can overcome equity barriers, achieve student success

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, about 8%, or 121,900 students, took virtual courses in 2019-2020. While all students and educators were thrust into emergency remote learning for the past year, the recently released Michigan’s K-12 Virtual… Read more

Negaunee Middle School teacher recognized for his innovative teachings in the classroom

By Michigan Virtual

The article “Negaunee Middle School teacher recognized for his innovative teachings in the classroom” — originally published by UP Matters on June 10, 2021 — highlights the recognition of Negaunee middle school teacher, Kyle Saari, who was recently interviewed… Read more

Flexible, personalized models and family engagement key to successful remote learning

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — In a new qualitative study from Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute (MVLRI), educational researchers have found that schools and districts that had already implemented virtual teaching and learning practices fared better in the COVID-19 pandemic than… Read more