Summer Communication Kit

The following communication kit is designed to make it easy for you to share information about our online summer programs with parents and students at your school. In the downloadable .zip file, you’ll find email templates, fliers, newsletter blurbs, and more!

Download the Communication Kit

Limited Time Offer — Referral Program for Partner Schools

Are you interested in partnering with us to spread the word about summer learning?

For schools who help promote our summer programs to their parents and staff, we’re offering a special referral program that can help you earn revenue for your school AND keep students learning over summer break. It’s a win-win!

If you’re a school administrator interested in exploring what this partnership may look like, fill out the form at the bottom of this page and someone will get in touch with you!

Partner With Us!
Ask your counselor about how you can earn credit this summer. Choose from over 150 online summer courses with Michigan Virtual — You’ll have 10 weeks to complete each course with the help of a certified instructor who is an expert in their subject area. Top 10 Reasons Students Take Summer Courses: To learn more about a career interest — For example, we offer online courses in veterinary science, computer programming, medical terminology, astronomy, oceanography, and many more! To recover credits in a course they failed during a previous semester — We offer a special program called Essentials for online credit recovery students that provides them with extra support in their online courses To fulfill prerequisites, so they can begin AP courses or dual enrollment in the Fall To create more space in next year’s schedule, so they can take band, orchestra, choir, AP courses, or dual enroll To practice their math and English skills over the summer — Studies show that students lose up to 2 months of math and reading skills over the summer. With EdReady Math and EdReady English, they can keep their minds active, prepare for college, and either catch up to or surpass grade-level expectations To keep their language learning skills fresh, so they don’t lose three months of practice over the summer To begin learning a new language — We offer 6 languages over the summer, including Spanish, French, German, American Sign Language, Japanese, and Latin To audit a challenging course they plan to take in the Fall — If students choose to audit a course, it will not count as a credit, but also will not affect their GPA To earn NCAA credits (for student-athletes) — Online courses that are NCAA-accredited can help student-athletes get ahead on college requirements over the summer, so they have more flexibility for balancing sports and school in the upcoming year To prevent summer brain drain — On average, it is predicted that students lose about one month’s worth of learning over the summer. Online summer courses help students keep their minds active during summer break!

Summer School Flyer

You can download the following flyer to share with students and hang around hallways in your school! For best results, print out in full color and distribute in both your office and on prominent locations in school hallways.

Downloading instructions: You can right-click the image above and select “Save image as. . . ” to download a .png image file. Alternatively, you can left-click on the image below open up a link to a full-size PDF file in a new tab. This flyer is also included in the .zip file of our school communication kit. 

Summer School Catalog

You can download the following summer school catalog with the list of all our online summer courses. For best results, share a digital copy of this catalog with parents and students who are interested in exploring their online summer learning options.

Downloading instructions: You can right-click the image above and select “Save image as. . . ” to download a .png image file. Alternatively, you can left-click on the image below open up a link to a full-size PDF file in a new tab. This flyer is also included in the .zip file of our school communication kit. 

Printable Infographics

You can download the following infographics to educate students and parents at your school about their summer learning options and best practices for succeeding in their online courses. For best results, print these out in color to give to students and parents or share the digital versions directly in your email communications.

Downloading instructions: You can right-click any of these images and select “Save image as… ” to download a .png image file. Alternatively, you can left-click any of these images to open up a link to a full-size, interactive PDF file in a new tab. If you’d like to download all of these images, we recommend downloading the .zip file containing all of our summer school communications, which includes the PDF and PNG versions of each flyer and infographic. 

4 Types of online courses your student can take this summer. 1. Prerequisites: Summer learning provides a great opportunity for students to get ahead on prerequisites needed for next year's AP courses or dual enrollment. 2. Core requirements: If your student needs to recover credits OR simply wants to free up space in next year's schedule, they might benefit from taking a required core course over the summer. 3. Career Interests: Does your student have an interest in veterinary science? Computer programming? Astronomy? What about psychology or criminology? By taking an online summer course, they can learn more about one of their career interests. Explore our summer course catalog to see all 150 course options. 4. World Languages: Taking three months off during the summer can have a negative impact on student proficiency in a world language. One way for students to keep their language skills sharp during the summer is by taking online world language courses with a highly qualified instructor.
Top 10 Reasons Students Take Summer Courses: To learn more about a career interest — For example, we offer online courses in veterinary science, computer programming, medical terminology, astronomy, oceanography, and many more! To recover credits in a course they failed during a previous semester — We offer a special program called Essentials for online credit recovery students that provides them with extra support in their online courses To fulfill prerequisites, so they can begin AP courses or dual enrollment in the Fall To create more space in next year’s schedule, so they can take band, orchestra, choir, AP courses, or dual enroll To practice their math and English skills over the summer — Studies show that students lose up to 2 months of math and reading skills over the summer. With EdReady Math and EdReady English, they can keep their minds active, prepare for college, and either catch up to or surpass grade-level expectations To keep their world language learning skills fresh, so they don’t lose three months of practice over the summer To begin learning a new language — We offer 6 languages over the summer, including Spanish, French, German, American Sign Language, Japanese, and Latin To audit a challenging course they plan to take in the Fall — If students choose to audit a course, it will not count as a credit, but also will not affect their GPA To earn NCAA credits (for student-athletes) — Online courses that are NCAA-accredited can help student-athletes get ahead on college requirements over the summer, so they have more flexibility for balancing sports and school in the upcoming year To prevent summer brain drain — On average, it is predicted that students lose about one month’s worth of learning over the summer. Online summer courses help students keep their minds active during summer break!
10 Reasons Students Choose Online Learning. 1. Personalized to my needs and learning goals.When students select their courses, they take greater ownership. 2. Flexible so that I can try different ways to learn.Online learning allows scheduling to accommodate health, athletic, job and family circumstances. 3. Interactive and engaging to draw me in. Students meet people outside their community in a safe environment, and multimedia used in online learning provides different ways of learning. 4. Relevant to the life I’d like to lead. Students gain more experience using the 21st century technology tools used in college and in the workplace. 5. Paced by my own progress measured against goals I understand. Students can move faster or slower through assignments and track their own progress toward their goals. 6. Constantly informed by different ways of demonstrating and measuring my progress. Educational technology can measure and share student progress quickly. 7. Collaborative with faculty, peers, and others, unlimited by proximity. Students can access learning materials and resources – including local, state, and national experts – using online communication tools. 8. Responsive and supportive when I need extra help. Communicating outside the typical school day is supported by the online learning culture. Many students – and teachers – report they spend more time interacting online than in the face-to-face classroom. 9. Challenging but achievable, with opportunities to become an expert in an area of interest.Online learning reinforces lifelong learning skills and promotes information literacy and communication skills as well as thinking and problem-solving skills. 10. Available to me as much as it is to every other student. Online learning can direct the talents of some of the most skilled educators to the most underserved populations. A zip code does not have to determine learning options any more.
Profile of a Successful Online Learner: Good Time Management: Can the student create and maintain a study schedule throughout the semester without face-to-face interaction with a teacher? D Effective Communication: Can the student ask for help, make contact with other students and the instructor online, and describe any problems she/he has with learning materials using email, text messaging and/or the telephone? D Independent Study Habits: Can the student study and complete assignments without direct supervision and maintain the self-discipline to stick to a schedule? D Self-Motivation: Does the student have a strong desire to learn skills, acquire knowledge, and fulfill assignments in online courses because of an educational goal? Can she/he maintain focus on that goal? D Academic Readiness: Does the student have the basic reading, writing, math and computer literacy skills to succeed in the class? D Technologically Prepared: Does the student know how to open, create and/or save a document; use various technology tools (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, grammar checker, calculator); and identify various file formats (e.g., doc, xls, pdf, jpg)? (from Michigan Educational Technology Standards for Students 2009).

Full-Length Email to Parents

Subject Line

7 online options to keep your child learning this summer

Email Body

On average, it is predicted that students lose about one month’s worth of learning over the summer. In math and English, in particular, these estimates are even more drastic, with some studies estimating up to two months of learning loss.

Increasingly, research shows: 

Summer break shouldn’t be a vacation from learning.

With online options, you can keep your child’s mind active over summer break and help them move toward their goals without missing out on the family trip, maintaining their job, or spending time with friends.

This summer, Michigan Virtual is offering 7 online summer options that may benefit your child:

  • Online Summer Camp: Minecraft Edition (Grades 3-8)
    Includes 4-weeks worth of educational challenges in Minecraft: Education Edition designed to engage students’ literacy, math, and coding skills.
  • Summer French & German Boost (Grades 8-12)
    Keep their French or German skills sharp with these online summer programs powered by Lingco Language Lab’s artificial intelligence-driven software.
  • Social & Emotional 360 (Grades 3-12)
    A digital library of expert resources for parents and students on hard-to-talk-about topics including bullying, mental health, substance abuse, vaping, and more.
  • EdReady Math (Grades 4-12)
    Targets knowledge gaps & helps them master math skills
  • EdReady English (Grades 9-12)
    Gets them on track for college-level English through mastery of key skills & concepts

You can feel free to enroll your child in any of the non-credit-bearing summer programs on your own, but if you choose to enroll in a 10-week summer course, be sure to speak with your child’s school counselor first to ensure they follow the appropriate process to earn credit for their summer work.

You can find all of Michigan Virtual’s online summer options on their Summer 2020 page.

Newsletter / Website Blurbs

The following newsletter blurbs can be copied and pasted into weekly communications with parents and students or posted to your website. Click the arrows below to expand and see the full text and headline for any given program. 

The first blurb overviews all of our summer offerings while the rest promote specific programs or options. Feel free to copy whichever one is relevant to your students OR download all of the blurbs in our .zip file at the top of this page!

7 online options to keep your child learning this summer

Summer break should be fun, but it shouldn’t be a vacation from learning. Many parents know this, but it can be challenging to find flexible and affordable summer programming. Michigan Virtual offers a variety of online summer options designed to fit seamlessly into busy family schedules, including:

Explore Summer Offerings →

Choose from 150 online summer classes taught by Michigan-certified teachers

Taking an online summer class is a great opportunity for students to earn credit, learn at a pace that fits their busy schedules, and keep their minds active over the summer.

This summer, your child has the opportunity to take a Michigan Virtual online course on over 150 different subjects. Your student will have 10 weeks to complete coursework at their own pace and will be supported along the way by a highly-qualified, Michigan-certified online instructor who is an expert in their subject area.

Explore Summer Catalog →

Has your child failed a course? Catch up on graduation requirements with online summer courses

If your student has previously failed a course, taking an online credit recovery course over the summer may be an effective way to get back on track for graduation. Michigan Virtual’s Essentials courses are designed to be highly supportive for credit recovery students and are taught by Michigan-certified teachers who are experts in their subject area. Michigan students can use this program to recover credits in over 23 different subjects including algebra, geometry, chemistry, biology, English language arts, history, economics, and more!

Learn More →

Online Summer Camp: Minecraft Edition | Grades 3-8 | $49.95

Many parents struggle to enforce screen time limits over summer break and keep their kids engaged in educational activities. This summer, your child can play video games AND learn at the same time with Michigan Virtual’s Online Summer Camp: Minecraft Edition.

During this online camp, students will be transported to the virtual island of Pangea where they will be asked to complete educational challenges that engage their literacy, math, and coding skills in the world of Minecraft: Education Edition.

Learn More →

Summer French & German Boost | Grades 8-12 | $49.95

When you don’t use your language skills, you begin to lose them. Students who study a world language at school work hard all year to develop their proficiency, but it’s easy to start losing fluency over the summer without dedicated practice time.

If you have a student who has taken at least one year of French or German consider enrolling them in Michigan Virtual’s Summer French or German Boost. With these online summer programs, students go beyond ineffective “skill and drill” practices by completing artificial intelligence-driven activities designed to keep their language skills sharp.

Learn More →  

Tough conversations with your child made easier

Some topics are difficult to talk about with your child. How would you like a digital library of expert-developed resources to help you have smart conversations with your kids on topics including bullying, mental health, substance abuse, vaping, and more?

With over 600 interactive lessons, this program helps students in grades 3-12 develop key social and emotional skills. Each student lesson is accompanied by a parent lesson to provide you with research and talking points. Above all else, exploring these lessons will help your child develop skills they need to be happy, healthy, and successful in their adult lives.

Learn More →

Did you know that most students lose 2 months worth of mathematical skills over the summer?

Studies show that most students lose 2 months worth of mathematical skills over the summer. One way to mitigate the dreaded “summer slide” is to provide them with outlets to flex their math muscles. One way you can do this is through Michigan Virtual’s EdReady Math program — which helps students in grades 4-12 master mathematical skills and concepts they find challenging. Only $39.95 for the entire summer, this web-based program provides students with online diagnostic testing and a personalized playlist of interactive lessons that will help them reach the next level in their math journey.

Learn More →

Get on track for college English this summer

Summer break is an excellent time for students to practice their English language skills. By enrolling your student in EdReady English program (for grades 8-12), you provide them with the opportunity to practice skills like developing a thesis statement, correcting grammatical errors, using sources in reading and writing, and many more. Only $39.95 for the entire summer, EdReady English offers students online diagnostic testing and a personalized playlist of interactive lessons that help them reach their college and/or career goals.

Learn More →

Resources for Students & Parents

If your student is taking an online course this summer through Michigan Virtual, here are a few free resources that will help you support them: Frequently Asked Questions This FAQ list answers basic questions you might have about navigating Michigan Virtual’s Student Learning Portal — the platform you and your student will be using to access online summer courses. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/H0fy2480 Student Guide to Online Learning Virtual learning is a great option for students and can be an effective way to learn. Because taking virtual courses is quite different from taking courses in face-to-face classrooms, however, it’s important for students to understand what habits they should have or ought to develop and what support systems they will need to succeed. Research shows that students who are well-prepared and well-supported for this new experience perform better in their courses. In this guide, you’ll explore answers to the following questions: What is it like to take an online course? What do students enjoy most about taking online courses? What challenges might you face in your online course? What are the characteristics of successful online learners? What should I do to prepare myself for online learning? Free download: https://hubs.ly/H0fy3Xk0 Parent Guide to Online Learning Parents often struggle to help their children transition into online courses. They want to know: Is this the best option for my child? What can I do to help him or her succeed? Designed for parents and guardians who are new to the world of virtual learning, this guide will help you map out the factors you ought to consider before enrolling your child in an online course. In this guide, we explore answers to the following questions: What is online learning? What do students like about taking online courses? What challenges do students face in their online courses? What are the characteristics of successful online learners? How can you help your child prepare for online learning? Free download: https://hubs.ly/H0fy3zJ0

You can share the following list of free resources with students and parents to help students thrive in the online learning environment. For best results, print this flyer out in full color and share with parents and students, or share the digital copy of the PDF via email.

Downloading instructions: You can right-click the image below and select “Save image as. . . ” to download a .png image file. Alternatively, you can left-click on the image below open up a link to a full-size PDF file in a new tab. This flyer is also included in the .zip file of our school communication kit. 

If your student is taking an online course this summer through Michigan Virtual, here are a few free resources that will help you support them:

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ list answers basic questions you might have about navigating Michigan Virtual’s Student Learning Portal — the platform you and your student will be using to access online summer courses.

Learn More →

Student Guide to Online Learning

Virtual learning is a great option for students and can be an effective way to learn. Because taking virtual courses is quite different from taking courses in face-to-face classrooms, however, it’s important for students to understand what habits they should have or ought to develop and what support systems they will need to succeed. Research shows that students who are well-prepared and well-supported for this new experience perform better in their courses.

In this guide, you’ll explore answers to the following questions:

  • What is it like to take an online course?
  • What do students enjoy most about taking online courses?
  • What challenges might you face in your online course?
  • What are the characteristics of successful online learners?
  • What should I do to prepare myself for online learning?

Free Download  →

Parent Guide to Online Learning

Parents often struggle to help their children transition into online courses. They want to know: Is this the best option for my child? What can I do to help him or her succeed? Designed for parents and guardians who are new to the world of virtual learning, this guide will help you map out the factors you ought to consider before enrolling your child in an online course.

In this guide, we explore answers to the following questions:

  • What is online learning?
  • What do students like about taking online courses?
  • What challenges do students face in their online courses?
  • What are the characteristics of successful online learners?
  • How can you help your child prepare for online learning?

Free Download  →

 

Referral Program for Partner Schools

Are you interested in partnering with us to spread the word about summer learning?

For schools who help promote our summer programs to their parents and staff, we’re offering a special referral program that can help you earn revenue for your school AND keep students learning over summer break. It’s a win-win!

If you’re a school administrator interested in exploring what this partnership may look like, fill out the form below and someone will get in touch with you!

  • Who are you? We want to send you content relevant to your needs. Select all that apply!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Explore Our Summer Offerings

During the summer, we offer online courses on over 150 different subjects, including core areas (i.e., science, math, English, and social studies), as well as a myriad of fascinating, career-oriented electives. Students have 10 weeks to complete summer coursework at their own pace and will be supported along the way by a highly qualified, Michigan-certified online instructor who is an expert in their subject area.
Explore Summer Offerings