Meet Mari

The search for a safe, flexible learning environment led Mari and her military family to K12. Now she can focus on her coursework and hands-on learning activities without the distractions she faced in in-person classrooms.

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Why This Family Chose K12

Mari is part of a military family. Due to her family’s frequent moves and medical appointments for her various health needs, she and her parents value having a flexible education option that meets her unique situation and helps her reach her full potential

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Gain stability during relocation

Mari needs stability and learning continuity during her family’s frequent moves.

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Balance school with doctor’s visits

Mari wants to stay on track in class even though she has medical appointments throughout the week.

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Thrive without distractions

Mari needs a safe, quiet environment where she can work at her own pace.

Meet Hope

Hope enjoys the freedom and flexibility her family gets thanks to online school. She’s more involved in Mari’s education, but with K12, she isn’t alone—she gets ongoing support from Mari’s accessible, state-certified teachers. Meanwhile, Mari has become more independent, checking her schedule, managing her workload, and completing her assignments on time. When she does need help outside of live online classes, her teachers are available to answer questions by email and during weekly office hours.

Flexible Schedule With Live Class Anchors

Schoolwork for Mari is a mix of scheduled, live online classes and self-guided assignments and skills labs. Her schedule gives her plenty of flexibility. She completes assignments at her own pace and can watch class recordings if she has a doctor’s appointment.

One of the benefits of learning with K12 is that educational materials are provided, such as a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more!

Mari's weekly schedule shows a mix of live classes, co-op activities, and family time, spanning Monday to Friday from 7 AM to 8 PM.

Curriculum

The number of classes students take varies per grade level and individual. For example, middle school students like Mari typically take 5–6 subjects each semester, with maybe 2–4 of those requiring scheduled, live classes.

In addition to core academic subjects, there’s a great selection of electives, including career exploration courses with guest speakers (her favorite was a meteorologist!).

See How Our Curriculum Is Developed

The Parent Experience as a Learning Coach

At K12-powered schools, parents (or other responsible adults) act as Learning Coaches for their students. Learning Coaches typically spend 1 to 3 hours a day with middle school students like Mari. With K12, Hope knows exactly what Mari is learning, which makes it easier to help her.

Learn More About the Parent Role

Explore Science Through Hands-On Learning

Mari enjoys learning about all things science — including health, outer space, and most of all, weather. She gets to dive in with interactive lessons and activities, and she receives fun supplies for at-home experiments. She’s even been able to hear from a real-life meteorologist!

Time away from the computer looks like …

Father and daughter smiling on a porch bench. The father, in a dark uniform, lovingly wraps his arm around his daughter in a red polka dot shirt. Relaxed, joyful moment.
A child in a red polka dot shirt feeds puppies inside a wire pen on a sunny day. The background features green trees, grass, and another dog.
A girl relaxes on a bed with floral bedding in a pink room, reading a history book. A fluffy toy sits beside her, creating a cozy atmosphere.
A smiling child in a red sweater sits on grass, gently holding a small dog. They are in a sunny park with trees in the background, conveying joy and warmth.

Make Art and Friends

Mari loves seeing friends at the military learning co-op. They make art together, exercise at the gym, and catch up on weekly schoolwork. Through online clubs and in-person activities on the military base, Mari has lots of ways to connect with peers.

K12 offers a range of clubs, competitions, and other social activities for students to participate in—virtually and in-person alike.

Learn More About Extracurriculars

Family Q&A

Mari: I often have doctor’s appointments during the day. That made it hard to keep up with assignments in my old school. I’d get behind pretty easily, and the other students would pick on me. In online school, though, it’s more flexible. I can watch any classes I missed later in the day, and still do my assignments on time throughout the week. And since I’m not behind, I’m not bullied anymore.

Mari: I like that it’s so hands-on. There are a lot of visuals, which help me picture how things work. Plus, there aren’t as many distractions, so I can really focus. If I have questions, I can ask my teacher or my mom. My mom also likes online school—especially how easy they made the switch for us.

Mari: Some of my closest friends are other military kids from the learning co-op. We paint together and play video games. I get to see them once or twice a week, and my mom likes co-op too because she gets a break. I’ve made a few friends in my live online class sessions too.

Mari: My mom is my Learning Coach, which means she’s there to help me throughout the day. Mom says she likes understanding what and how I’m learning, so she can help me grow even more. My dad wants to hear all about what I’m learning at school, and I save all my artwork to show him when he gets home from being away.

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Learning With K12

From kindergarten to high school, K12 provides tuition-free online education that empowers students to learn in ways that work for them. Browse options in your state to find the perfect fit for your family.

Find Your School

These are the stories of real students attending K12-powered schools and their families. Content is a combination of direct quotes and summaries from interviews. Their stories each reflect their experiences at their respective schools. Actual experiences can vary by student and school. These pages are designed to reflect a typical day in the life of a student attending an online K12-powered school. Individual class schedules and requirements will vary by state, school, and the individual needs of each student. Course materials vary, and certain schools may not provide computers or may have specific requirements for providing equipment.