What Online Private School Looks Like: A Student Day in the Life Q&A With Madison

By: Madison B., 12th grade student and SAC intern

SAC Blog Series: Each year, the K12 Marketing Department hires a cohort of high school interns known as the Student Advisory Council or SAC. This year, the talented group of students is creating social media content across platforms to help build brand awareness and engage our audiences around the online learning experience.

Let’s get to know these amazing SAC students. We asked them what makes online school so great, and here’s what Madison had to say.

My K12 Why

What do you like about online private school?

What I really love about online private school is the flexibility it offers. It works for me since I’m more focused and happier at night. I wasn’t able to lean into that at my previous in-person school. 

Did you previously go to a brick-and-mortar school?

I did previously attend a brick-and-mortar school! I attended until 7th grade, so most of my school experience is actually with an in-person school. 

Why did you switch to online private school?

I switched for many reasons. However, the big deciding factor was that the brick-and-mortar school I attended refused to allow students to stay online after the COVID pandemic. I had done a lot better academically and personally while online, so I ended up switching for my 8th grade year. 

K12 made the transition smooth once I was enrolled. My favorite part was having my school materials sent to my house, because it reminded me of how my mom and I used to go school supply shopping every year. 

My experience has been much better. The number of opportunities I’ve had through my K12-powered private school is something I never would’ve had at my previous school. 

What’s something you can do in online school that you couldn’t do in your old school?

One thing that really helps me study that I couldn’t do at my old school is consistently listening to music. I get distracted easily if I can constantly hear outside noise, so I usually have Lo-Fi playing while I work. 

Lunch time is very different too. I was bullied frequently at my previous brick-and-mortar school. Other students would constantly take my lunch away from me. Even teachers would try to take parts of my lunch away if they deemed it not healthy enough. Over time, this created some health issues for me. Once I started online learning, my mom was able to help with meal times. I now look forward to lunch every day and am much healthier than I was before.

Did anything surprise you about online school?

Something that surprised me about online school is the amount of independence and confidence it gave me. I never would’ve expected to feel so ready and confident going into college, since I’m naturally anxious. 

My Online School Day

Can you describe a typical day and week for your virtual private school experience?

My typical day is filled with personal activities. For example, I create content for my YouTube channel and art during the daytime.

Then, during the night, I focus on my academic life. My favorite part of the day is actually the night. I get to sit down when there’s no noise, which makes doing my school work a very cathartic and relaxing experience. I usually like to do some activity during my school breaks. For example, I’ll draw a doodle in my notebook or walk around and play a mini game on my phone to feel like I’ve done something fun and rewarding for working. 

Plus, my week is filled with a lot of esports activities. I’m an esports captain at my online private school, so every week I have at least two days that I spend getting my team together for competitions.

What classes are you taking right now?

One fun fact about me is that I take college classes. They’re probably my most interesting classes, and I’ve learned a lot of cool things like computer maintenance. However, my coolest high school classes are probably my forensic science course, my 3D animation course, and my practical math course, which teaches me how to complete important life math like filing taxes and understanding credit. 

Can you talk about your dual enrollment experience with your college classes?

I’ve been taking dual enrollment since I was 14! While it can be difficult to manage, it gets easier after taking your first-ever college class. I even take college classes during the summer so I can graduate a year early.

What activities or hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?

I do a lot of things. I recently learned how to crochet, and the flexibility of online learning was really helpful in letting me fit the new activity into my week. 

I love to read! I’ve been creative since a young age, and reading has always helped fuel my creativity. I like to read lots of different books, and my library is huge because of it. My favorite genre is fantasy. However, I love trying new genres and series. I also enjoy writing very much. While I don’t write my own stories frequently, I love drafting new ideas for written pieces. 

Can you tell us about your workspace?

I’ll work from basically anywhere, so my workspace varies a lot. Being an online student means you can work anywhere. The most interesting place I’ve worked is on an airplane. For me, what makes my workspace special is the way it makes me feel. I really love studying in the forest because it can be very calming, and the ambience is nice.  

My Teachers & Classmates

Do you have a favorite subject?

I really enjoy science. However, I rarely have one favorite since my subjects can be on really different topics every year. History has been my favorite this year because I’ve learned about the economy and how it’s regulated. On the other hand, last year, my favorite was my elective art courses because I was studying 2D animation.

Who is your favorite teacher?

My favorite teacher is my homeroom teacher. She was also my animation teacher, and she was always very excited to see my submitted work come through, which motivated me a lot since animation is my career focus. I also really loved my Chinese teacher because she made me love learning the language, which is why I continue learning it even after taking her course.

How do your teachers support you at online school?

My teachers host at least one class a week. Sometimes more if there’s a test coming up. They have lots of different ways of contacting us, which is a main component of being taught in an online private school. For example, they have an announcement board, and I usually find motivating quotes or weekly facts that they post there. They also provide a detailed rubric for how work will be graded on each assignment, which is super helpful in maintaining the quality of work I need for the grade I want. 

Every teacher supports students differently since all students have their own way of learning. My teachers help me by being patient and creating checklists of the work I need to complete. Sometimes, I need to focus longer on my college classes, so I have to wait to work on a high school assignment until the next week. My teachers understand I have a lot to keep track of and make sure to help me out.

How do you stay connected with friends? Have you met friends through online school?

I stay connected with friends by calling and playing games with them weekly. I’ve also met all of my current friends through online private school, and I’m much more social than I ever was at my previous school.

Are you in any school clubs?

I spend most of my time in my school’s esports club since I’m a captain. However, I also used to attend monthly club meetings for the anime club and the national honors society club. 

My Future

What do you want to do after high school?

After high school, I’m going to college to study animation. I’m already enrolled in college for the fall of 2025. 

Do you feel like online private school is helping you prepare for the future?

I believe so. A lot of people think that online learning hurts social development for the future. However, online school helped me build my confidence in being my own unique self. I now have a lot of the necessary life skills needed to function in the real world because I’m not as worried about everyone else’s approval as I used to be. 

What advice do you have for other students and families considering the switch to a K12-powered online private school?

My advice is to make sure to discuss and review the way K12-powered schools are structured. A lot of them differ from each other to fit different students’ needs. For example, my private school option adds an extra layer of flexibility for me. Some students come in expecting classes and lessons to be structured like most brick-and-mortar schools. However, I’ve found my courses to be much more unique and not as textbook-based. 

Thank you, Madison! To learn more about the K12 Student Advisory Council, visit their webpage, or see how your high school student can thrive in online private school with K12-powered tuition-based programs.

Madison is a 2025 student based in TX attending a K12-powered private school, and their statement reflects their experience at their school.