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A day in the life of online private school for Stephen and Kimberly (mom and Learning Coach).

Favorite Subjects: Math (Pre-Calculus), Biology
Hobbies: Competitive Swimming, Gaming, Reading

Why K12?

Stephen wanted a school option that would be flexible enough to fit his competitive swimming schedule and rigorous enough to get him ready for college. His mom, Kimberly, also wanted a quality private school education for him and his brother (also a competitive swimmer) that could work around her varied property management schedule since no day is the same.

Live Classes and Assignments

Stephen’s schoolwork is a mix of scheduled, live classes called Class Connect sessions and self-guided offline assignments and activities that can be done more at his own pace to fit into his intense swimming practice and competition calendar.

A typical day may have him starting with a self-directed math lesson for precalculus on his own and then live thesis project and honors English classes later in the day, led by his state-certified teachers. The science class may have an associated lab activity and assignment he can complete later in the day or the week. If he gets stuck, he can ask the teachers questions in the live classes, via email, or during weekly office hours.

Stephen likely spends a few hours each morning at swim practice and also travels to competitive swim meets on Fridays. Most weeks, he completes his class assignments before the meets. If, for some reason, that’s not the case, he can watch class recordings or complete remaining activities over the weekend.

A benefit of schools powered by K12 is that the educational materials—a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more—are provided.

Student Schedule

Learning Coaches typically spend between 1 to 3 hours each day with 10th grade and other high school students providing guidance and encouragement.

High schoolers are generally more independent, and this is true for Stephen.

Having to schedule and prioritize assignments around his set live classes and swimming is teaching him time management, boundary-setting, and preparing him for the executive skills he’ll need at college. He uses different tools like his school-based schedules, an old school planner, and the calendar on his phone (which he puts in another room when he’s doing schoolwork) to keep everything organized.

Student Schedule

Daily Schedule

Class Schedule

Q & A with Kimberly

Why did you switch to online school?

At first, our decision to switch was based on needing a more flexible schedule that could work together with Stephen’s competitive swimming schedule, which got more intensive when he was moved up midyear.

His old school couldn’t make the accommodations we needed, so we had to look around quickly to find something that would fit the swimming commitment while keeping the quality academics to prepare him for college. Since the switch, our decision to stay with a K12-powered online private school has been largely about the academics.

Curriculum

The number of classes students take varies per grade level and individual. For example, students in 10th grade like Stephen typically take between 3–6 subjects each semester, with maybe 2–3 of those requiring scheduled, live classes.

The other subjects are completed via self-guided assignments and skills labs in the K12 interactive online learning system.

In addition to core academic subjects, tuition-based, K12-powered private schools have a great selection of electives, including career-based, advanced, and in some cases, dual enrollment options where students can earn college credits while in high school.

Classes schedules may vary considerably based on the individual student and their needs, their state, and any special programs.

SEE HOW OUR CURRICULUM IS DEVELOPED

Q & A with Kimberly

Why do you like online school?

Stephen likes online school because he can go at his own pace through the course material and assignments.

The teachers don’t have to wait for the whole class to be on the same page. He can move quickly through the lessons he grasps right away and spend more time on the ones where he wants more practice. I like online school because I see that he is more secure in who he is now. I think that’s because he can truly be himself. I can see his enthusiasm, motivation, and confidence growing. Plus, we can make online school work within our other family commitments—my work, his swimming, his brother’s swimming—and we all get to see my parents more often during the week.

Advanced Academics

Stephen’s K12-powered online private school offers an elite college preparatory experience alongside a rigorous curriculum to help him get ready for his future.

He can dive deep into the subjects he enjoys like math and science while learning in ways that work best for him. Plus, college counselors provide one-to-one mentoring to help him find his path forward after graduation while guiding him through the steps to get there.

Q & A with Kimberly

How was the transition to online school?

We applied to the K12-powered online private school, and within four days of attending the first info session, we knew it was the right decision for us.

I could tell right away that the school understood what I was saying from my concerns to my need for flexibility. The shift was seamless from there. Once we got settled in the school, I quickly realized there were other parents in the community who were just like me. We had similar value systems and were looking for the same sorts of things in a school.

Stephen is happier now. He’s feeling a new level of confidence and is making friends because he can really be himself in this private online school setting.

Stephen’s time away from the computer looks like…

Second breakfasts after early morning swim practices, gaming with friends, and family time.

Social Time

K12-powered private schools provide opportunities for the students to be social and interact with their peers.

The online learning system is designed to be engaging, encourage collaboration, and promote asking questions. Outside of the classroom, schools provide other activities for students and parents. For example, Stephen’s private school has performing arts events (the school has a lot of artistic students), movie nights with both U.S. and international films, and culturally diverse holiday events.

Q & A with Kimberly

How does Stephen keep up with friends doing online school?

Our K12-powered private school has a great student (and parent) community. Stephen has made some friends at school who I don’t think he would have met at his old school, and honestly, I think that has made him a better student and a better person.

Plus, with the global school community, he gets to meet people from across the U.S. and other countries too. One of his friends from history class lives in South Korea.

One benefit of the online platform is that the children can lead with their strengths so they can avoid a lot of the judgment that can come with traditional, in-person learning. The students seem more collaborative in class, and they can connect through shared interests in clubs so they meet on common ground before even realizing how they’re lives outside of school might be different.

Extracurriculars and Clubs

Stephen actually co-founded the gaming club at this school and now the group has over 80 students from around the world. The club is student-run and has a teacher mentor. It’s structured to be inclusive too. For example, they’re mindful that the members have different platforms, enjoy different games, and have varied access, so they discuss what to play each meeting and can have breakout rooms to play multiple games during the same session.

SEE EXTRACURRICULARS AND EVENTS

Q & A with Kimberly

How do the teachers support Stephen?

The teachers are so responsive and relatable to the students. As a former teacher at a traditional, in-person school, I was blown away by how good the K12-powered teachers were at reaching the students and keeping them engaged and listening on screen. The way they build in questioning strategies and collaborative discussion is fantastic. They’re also super accessible for the students when they reach out with questions.

For Stephen, the teachers make the content come alive, even in subjects where he’s not usually that interested. His English and history teachers make regular connections to what they’re learning in class to things outside of school, and that helps Stephen engage. He’s developed a great mentee/mentor relationship with his history teacher, and I think that has helped him be more willing to try new things.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The K12 curriculum and online learning system are designed to work well for all students. The live classes and lessons align with the textbooks and other educational materials while the certified teachers work to connect concepts to real life for the students.

For example, when Stephen’s family took a trip to Philadelphia, his history teacher helped him work through his honors project idea. On the trip, Stephen visited historical museums and locations and used what he learned there in person to connect to what he learned in class in an end-of-semester essay. Taking online private school with you on family trips like this can be an advantage to taking education beyond school.

SEE HOW OUR CURRICULUM IS DEVELOPED

Q & A with Kimberly

Do you have any advice for families considering online private school?

I’d want families to remember that there is support for parents, too, at private schools powered by K12.

Ours has a parent platform where we can help each other navigate and ask questions, a monthly parent video call, as well as a school-run Facebook group for discussions and photo sharing. It’s like having that social connection you get from a parent’s association in your pocket, and you can take it wherever you go.