News

$22,000+ and startup support available through second annual Michigan Educational Innovation Contest

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan residents with an interest in education or technology are encouraged to submit their ideas for improving teaching and learning in the second annual Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest & Bootcamp by May 14, 2023.  Through…

Michigan Virtual VP, Joseph R. Freidhoff, Receives Fulbright Specialist Award

By Michigan Virtual

Freidhoff to Serve as Expert for Distance Education Project LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Virtual’s Vice President Dr. Joseph R. Freidhoff has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.  … Read more

9 Michigan educators selected out of 1,100+ to have their Amazon wish lists covered by ‘Clear the List’ campaign

By Michigan Virtual

Michigan residents encouraged to also support their local teachers A version of this article was also published on Fox 17 on September 19, 2022. LANSING, Mich. — Out of the more than 1,100 Michigan educators who submitted their classroom… Read more

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools teacher awarded 2022 online mentor of the year

By Michigan Virtual

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Barbara A. Rutecki of Plymouth, Mich. was named Michigan Virtual’s 2022 Online Mentor of the Year – a distinction given to a mentor who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and enhanced student success in the online… Read more

Oxford teacher named 2022 online teacher of the year

By Michigan Virtual

Versions of this article were also published in the Oakland Press on September 5, 2022, and in the Midland Daily News on September 11, 2022. OXFORD, Mich. – Maria Wolbert of Oxford, Mich. was named Michigan Virtual’s 2022 Online Teacher… Read more

RFQ: Customer Identity Tool

By Michigan Virtual

I.  INTRODUCTION Michigan Virtual™ is requesting Quotes for an identity management solution and services to support identity management for a select number of customers in a limited pilot. The identity management solution (hereinafter referred to as “Solution”) is to… Read more

Michigan educators encouraged to submit their Amazon wish list for ‘Clear the List’ campaign

By Michigan Virtual

Versions of this article were also published on Fox 17, WILX 10, and WLSN 6 on August 16, 2022. LANSING, Mich. — As teachers prepare their classrooms for school later this month, educators are encouraged to submit their Amazon… Read more

Michigan hosts bootcamp for educators, spurring development of future classroom innovations

By Brandon Bautista

LANSING, Mich. — Teachers from across Michigan gathered virtually last week for the Michigan EdTech Innovation Bootcamp, learning skills to develop their own ideas or businesses for classroom innovation. The Bootcamp was organized by Michigan Virtual with support from… Read more

Michigan school innovation contest awards $20,000 to ideas in STEM, world exploration, and life skills

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Educators from Stockbridge, Ann Arbor, and Livonia have been chosen as the winners of the Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest, sharing $20,000 in business startup grants and legal and creative startup assistance. The concepts developed from… Read more

Michigan principal shares his top strategies for starting a therapy dog program in schools   

By Michigan Virtual

HOUGHTON, Mich. — Calumet’s Washington Middle School principal Joel Asiala was featured on a recent statewide series about innovation in Michigan classrooms, the BRIGHT series, for his work creating therapy dog programs in the schools where he has worked,… Read more

Ludington assistant principal shares why starting an esports program at his school helps students thrive   

By Michigan Virtual

LUDINGTON, Mich. — Ludington High School assistant principal Steve Forsberg was featured on a recent statewide series about innovation in Michigan classrooms, the BRIGHT series, for his work launching an esports program that provides opportunities for students who may… Read more

Lake Shore Public Schools media specialist shares her top strategies in the classroom to manage student mental health 

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Jodie Kleymeer, a media specialist from Lake Shore Public Schools, was featured on a recent statewide series about innovation in Michigan classrooms, the BRIGHT series, for the practices she implements in her classroom to address student… Read more

Five Michigan educators selected as finalists in classroom Innovation Contest

By Michigan Virtual

LANSING, Mich. — Five Michigan educators have been chosen to advance as finalists in the Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest. Each of the finalists will advance to a pitch presentation on June 22, where first, second, and third place… Read more

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