Sabrina

A day in the life of online school for Sabrina and Mabiel (mom and Learning Coach).

Sabrina

Grade 8th

Favorite Subject(s)
Science

Hobbies
Drawing, Playing Games

Why K12?

Mabiel wanted an option where Sabrina would be supported in a safe environment—a school where she could catch up academically and start healing from the stresses caused by fleeing her country and coming to the United States. They needed a school where Sabrina could learn and be comfortable while adapting to a new language and new culture.

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Schedule
Curriculum
A New Start
Teacher Support

Live Classes and Assignments

Sabrina'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 her own pace.

A typical day may have her starting with a math functions worksheet and reading for English on her own, and then a live science class (she's learning about atoms and loves it) later in the day, led by her state-certified teachers. If she gets stuck at all, her mom Mabiel (also her Learning Coach) is there to help, or she can ask the teachers questions in the live classes, via email, or during weekly office hours.

A benefit of schools powered by K12 is that the educational materials—a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more—are provided as part of your tuition-free enrollment.

Live Classes and Assignments

Sabrina'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 her own pace.

A benefit of schools powered by K12 is that the educational materials—a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more—are provided as part of your tuition-free enrollment.

Student Schedule

Learning Coaches typically spend between 1 to 3 hours each day with 8th grade and other middle school students providing guidance and oversight.

Part of the goal is to help students become more independent learners to prepare them for high school and beyond.

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Daily Schedule
Class Schedule

Daily Schedule

Class Schedule

Q & A with Mabiel

Why did you switch to online school?

We moved from Cuba so Sabrina could have a better future. She wasn't getting the academic support she needed at her first school in the U.S., and I felt like I couldn't protect her during her transition to our new country.

The teachers and administration didn't seem to want to listen or offer any solutions for us and our situation. She was also starting to have some health issues related to the emotional stress from bullying, lack of support, and other challenges. I wanted her to be able to learn in a way where she felt safe so she could rebuild her confidence to get to where she needed to be to have a successful future.

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Curriculum

The number of classes students take varies per grade level and individual. For example, students in 8th grade like Sabrina typically take between 5–6 subjects each semester, with maybe 2–4 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 like English, math, science, and social studies, K12-powered schools have a great selection of electives, including career exploration in some middle schools.

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

SEE HOW OUR CURRICULUM IS DEVELOPED

Q & A with Sabrina

Why do you like online school?

I think online school is easier for me. I have more time to get my work done, and I can concentrate better since there aren't as many distractions at home.

The time limits are more flexible at my K12-powered school, so if I'm having a hard time reading through an assignment or something, I can take extra time to make sure I fully understand. Some things still get caught up in translation so it's nice that I don't have to rush through, and I can work at my pace. The classes are recorded so I can even go back and rewatch lessons if I need to. I have my own space to do my classes and work now too. I also like it because I don't feel the peer pressure I felt in my old school.

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A New Start

Sabrina's family fled from Cuba, and she had to start a new school in a new country, using a new language while also adapting to a new culture.

Once Sabrina started at her K12-powered school, she got the support she needed to catch up academically. Her confidence grew quickly with the help of dedicated teachers who met her where she was and the extra resources provided that finally let her family feel heard.

Before starting at her K12-powered school, Sabrina faced several academic and emotional challenges. The political unrest and religious persecution in Cuba made it unsafe for her family to stay there. Her dad moved to the U.S. first, and it took four years to bring the family together again. During that time, Sabrina had to stop attending school due to the circumstances. When Sabrina did get settled at her first traditional school in the U.S., she was behind for her age and the school wasn't very supportive of her needs or her family's situation. That's what led Mabiel to explore other options, and luckily, they found K12.

A New Start

Sabrina's family fled from Cuba, and she had to start a new school in a new country, using a new language while also adapting to a new culture.

Q & A with Mabiel

How was the transition to online school?

We initially thought that we'd only use the school powered by K12 as a temporary solution but liked it so much that we stayed. It truly was the answer to our prayers for Sabrina.

Sabrina actually started taking online courses during the pandemic. She seemed more motivated and focused in her classes. She started to want to communicate more in English, too, which she had resisted when in-person. When we realized she was making more progress in that environment, I started asking about ways she could do that full time. It was through our church community that we found out we had options, and specifically about K12-powered online schools.

The whole process from orientation to the first day of classes was great. The enrollment team and school staff were super helpful over the phone getting us set up, they had Spanish-speaking support, and they really listened to our concerns.

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Teacher Support and Communication

Sabrina and her mom both say that teachers at her K12-powered school offer more help and support than they had at their old school.

Teachers who work at schools powered by K12 are certified in their state and receive special training for virtual instruction. They know how to engage students in an online environment and are accessible during live classes, office hours, and via email. Mabiel says they have free-flowing communication with the teachers via nearly daily emails. That kind of personalized attention really helped Sabrina get the extra support she needed to get back on track. Many schools have Spanish-speaking support staff as well.

Teacher Support and Communication

Sabrina and her mom both say that teachers at her K12-powered school offer more help and support than they had at their old school.

Q & A with the Family

How do the teachers support you?

Sabrina: The teachers are friendly, and they're patient. They make sure you're understanding the lesson, and they pay attention to you.

The teachers now really take the time to listen to me and the other students. At my old school, it felt like the teachers heard me but didn't really listen to me.

My teachers do their best to make learning fun too. My favorite teacher is my math teacher. She comes up with games and other ways to make math fun. For example, we're learning about functions right now, and she's made-up little jokes to help us remember the relationship between X and Y. That helps me remember things. My English teacher does similar things in her class, too, finds things to help us remember what we're learning.

Mabiel: I see a big difference between the teachers at the K12 powered school vs. our old school.

Before, we dealt with teachers who were inflexible, demanding, and sometimes even argumentative when we explained the situation we dealt with coming here from Cuba and how that impacted Sabrina's learning opportunities.

Support from the School Administration

Mabiel says that their K12-powered school pays attention to Sabrina's needs. The experience has helped her find her joy for learning again.

The school Sabrina started attending when she moved to the U.S. wasn't supportive of her needs or situation. She was behind due to circumstances outside of her control and they only wanted to place her by age. So she started in a grade that she didn't have the content foundation for, plus she didn't know the language or customs yet. She was bullied and started to withdraw, to lose interest in learning.

Support from the School Administration

Mabiel says that their K12-powered school pays attention to Sabrina's needs. The experience has helped her find her joy for learning again.

Q & A with Sabrina

What do your breaks look like during a school day?

I like to play with Tika, my cat. She's the only one that walks through my workspace when I'm in class.

Sometimes when grandmother is in the kitchen, I'll help her cook or bake the oatmeal cookies she likes. When it's nice outside, I love to go for walks. Even if it's not nice out, I'll still walk on the treadmill.

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Family and Faith

One of the major things that Mabiel enjoys about having Sabrina able to do school at home is the additional time that gives the family to focus on their cultural traditions and faith practices.

She has more control over what and how Sabrina learns because she can be a part of it and tie in their family teachings throughout the day. There's a level of transparency in the schoolwork that Mabiel hadn't experienced in traditional school. Sabrina enjoys spending extra time with her mom and grandmother during the school day.

Family and Faith

One of the major things that Mabiel enjoys about having Sabrina able to do school at home is the additional time that gives the family to focus on their cultural traditions and faith practices.

Q & A with Mabiel

Do you have any advice for families that might be considering online school?

I want other families here in the U.S., especially ones like ours who've come from other countries, to know that your children can have a great education and that there's an option out there that will work for them.

My pastor helped me realize that we had more than one option for our child's education here, and the biggest thing I'd want to share is that you have options too. Things are different here in the United States. Parents have the opportunity to advocate for their children's education. You can ask questions, request meetings, and even explore other options openly.

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More Q & A with the Family

How do you keep up with your friends doing online school?

Sabrina: My friends and I hang out outside of school. One of our favorite things to do is have pajama parties and watch movies together.

What was it specifically about K12-powered schools that made you choose that as the online learning option for your family?

Mabiel: K12-powered school offered the ability for Sabrina to catch up academically. They could give her customized support like math and English tutoring. Plus, all the resources, the class materials, books, laptop, were included at no cost to our family. I couldn't believe it was all tuition-free. I kept asking the enrollment consultant on the phone, are you sure this is all free?

Are there resources available to help Spanish speakers?

K12 has several tools that are available with Spanish translation. Interested and enrolled families can access the information on K12.com, the Parent Portal, the K12 App, and customer support in Spanish to help them navigate those sites and find answers to frequently asked questions.

Are the educational materials for classes provided?

One of the benefits of K12-powered school is that the engaging curriculum is hands-on and includes materials for offline activities—all as part of the tuition-free education experience.

Sabrina opened her front door one day before school started to boxes full of books, materials for science experiments like microscopes and test tubes, art supplies like watercolors and paintbrushes, exercise equipment, and more.

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K12 powers a wide variety of educational options. including tuition-free public schools and tuition-based private schools. See what's available in your area.

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These are the stories of real students attending K12-powered schools and their families. Content is a combination of direct quotes and summaries from in-person interviews. Their stories each reflect their experiences at their respective schools. Actual experience 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.

Why K12?

Live Classes and Assignments

Live Classes and Assignments

Student Schedule

Sort by category

Daily Schedule

Class Schedule

Why did you switch to online school?

Curriculum

Why do you like online school?

A New Start

A New Start

How was the transition to online school?

Teacher Support and Communication

Teacher Support and Communication

How do the teachers support you?

Support from the School Administration

Support from the School Administration

What do your breaks look like during a school day?

Family and Faith

Family and Faith

Do you have any advice for families that might be considering online school?

Learning with K12

Learning with K12

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