Private Online Social Network
Laurel Springs offers its students and families the opportunity to collaborate and make friends within our secure social network environment. Within this private social network, students may:
- participate in online clubs
- find new friends
- pair up with study buddies
- share their creative expressions
- engage in conversation through course-based discussion threads
- post blog updates regarding their portfolio coursework
Our private social network is a wonderful way for students to form lasting friendships based on mutual inspiration and respect that span state and national boundaries. Students share their thoughts, feelings, and creativity through blogs, forums, and discussion threads. Our social network is a valuable tool that creates empathy, compassion and understanding, as well as promoting academic collaboration.
Parents are also encouraged to join groups tailored specifically for them. These special sections of the social network help parents cultivate connections with other Laurel Springs parents, and promote discussions about distance learning.
Virtual Events
Our students may attend our series of online symposia, which are called “Meetings with Remarkable Men and Women.” These exclusive live events feature inspiring stories from celebrated leaders in their fields. Past symposia guests have included an astronaut, an award-winning documentary film director, a South Pole explorer, and an environmental activist. During the symposia, students can ask questions, offer comments, and engage in discussions with peers and experts. “Meetings with Remarkable Men and Women” events occur about once a month. All symposia are archived for future viewing opportunities.
Please register here for upcoming symposia.
Clubs
Our online clubs are a key part of our virtual school community, deepening relationships and providing students with the opportunity to work collaboratively. Clubs offer our students the opportunity to socialize with other students who share the same interests, talents and goals. Students gather in a stimulating, inviting and secure online environment, where they can talk to each other in real time and dive more deeply into subjects that interest them. Students work together on club projects and activities, with the guidance of experienced, dynamic teachers. Examples of clubs which may be active at any given time are described below:
App Club
Computers, smartphones, and tablets all have a huge range of apps. Students are familiar with useful apps for keeping calendars, staying in touch with others, getting homework help, and having fun. Club members share new apps they have discovered, and may learn how to create their own apps.
Art Club
This club is open to students who are passionate about art. Art Club offers a combination of application and appreciation for art. Whether you love to simply admire artwork or prefer to create your own masterpieces, this club is for you. We consider various art forms and how they have contributed to mankind through the ages, review works of the masters, learn to critique without criticism, and experiment with a variety of media. This club offers students the opportunity to explore our inner selves through personal artistic expression, enjoy lively discussions, share ideas and suggestions, display our finished works, and together, take great pleasure in this common bond: the love of art.
Book Club
Book Club is open to students who love reading and discussing books, authors, and the big ideas behind the writing. Students choose books for the club to read at the beginning of the school year each fall. Students are encouraged to explore new genres and a variety of authors. Club members lead book discussions, respond to posts in the book club forum, have read-a-thons, and debate topics and authors.
Chess Club
Chess Club is for students who are intrigued by, or even just curious about, the game of chess. We meet to play friendly games of chess. For those interested, we hold a chess tournament in June. Along the way, we learn some of the special moves and strategies for developing a winning game. We also have some fun looking at the fascinating history of the game of chess and great chess masters of the past.
Creative Writing, Poetry, and Photography Club
Club members write and publish the Laurel Springs Vision and Voices magazine each semester. This club is for students who enjoy writing and reading poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, as well as students who enjoy submitting photography to be published. Through peer editing and a monthly meeting, students improve their creativity and craft.
Debate Club
This exciting club meets in a virtual classroom environment once a month for a live debate. Students are given topics and participate in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate format, which allows each team about fifteen minutes to prepare its affirmative or negative case for the topic. Each team receives post-debate feedback about their case.
Environment Club
The Environment Club is for students who care about keeping our air and water clean, our wildlife protected, and our planet safe for ourselves and future generations. We examine the controversial issues that make the news as well as those that don’t. Students discover how these issues affect their own communities, as they share ideas and strategies for what they can do to make a difference.
Equestrian Club
Club members have a love for horses and/or riding, from beginners to experienced riders. There are no requirements except for the shared love of horses. Club members participate in discussions, exhibit their performances, and develop and participate in group projects.
Film & Theater Club
This club is open to students who have an interest in the art of filmmaking. Students discuss all aspects of do-it-yourself movie-making, from contemporary technologies to development of screenplays. Students learn where they can share their work and what to consider if they are thinking about a career in the film industry. Expertise or previous experiences are not pre-requisites for this club.
French Club
This club is open to students of the French language who would like to have a real experience of French and France, in a highly interactive environment. Our goal is to use the skills already acquired in the language and go on a discovery journey of France, its landscapes, and all aspects of its culture.
Model United Nations Club
The Model United Nations Club engages is an authentic UN simulation in which students learn the skills of debate, compromise, conflict resolution and negotiation. Model UN team members have fun learning about the workings of world diplomacy through the lens of current events.
Music Club
The music club is open to students who love, create or live for music. Our goal is to celebrate, educate, support, inspire, create, listen to and express our love of the spirit of music. Students create songs online and explore ideas of how sound, song, and community are affected by the expression of music.
800-377-5890
Browse our
