Meet Willa, Jaala, Tre, and Jordin

Donesha: We were having issues with our children being bullied. They didn’t feel safe in school and were upset and stressed. We wanted better. Our family also deals with severe allergies, so we sought an alternative that would better meet those needs. And as a military family, we wanted more consistency.

Willie: I’m in the U.S. Navy, so our family moves a lot. That comes with challenges for kids, like their schools, teachers, and friends always changing. Online school brings fewer interruptions to my kids’ education, and gives us more flexibility in where we live. With K12, we have quality education wherever we go.

Donesha: Online school gave us our power back—power over our time and schedules. If we have medical appointments or need to travel, we pack the computers and take school with us. Since classes are recorded, we can talk to the teachers and catch up later. And we love how great it has been for our teens. They can dive into their interests with the time they’ve gotten back, and better prepare for their futures.

Willie: We’re able to work in our culture and our faith—that’s very important to us. Overall, the kids seem more relaxed, too. They each have their own personalities, and with online school they get to explore and express themselves.

Jordin: I like the flexibility. Compared with traditional school, I now have more freedom to pursue my passions, like my dental internship. I can choose prime hours and experience more of what’s happening at the dental office. And with my job, I can pick up shifts that I wouldn’t be able to work otherwise.

Tre: I feel very comfortable in online school. I can work more at my own pace, and if I’m struggling with something, I can calm down and take my time—I don’t have to stop when a bell rings.

Donesha: I enjoy having my kids at home and being more involved with their education. It’s fun to provide supplemental information and real-world examples for their learning. I remember for one of Tre and Jordin’s economics lessons, we talked through how credit cards work. It’s a pretty smooth process for me—I work part time from home and can be flexible when the kids have questions or need help.

Willie: My wife does a great job as the Learning Coach. I’m glad I can be there to help by offering more examples and that sort of thing, but she definitely does the heavy lifting.

Jordin: When we moved to California from Japan, we had to get used to the online learning system, but it was pretty smooth. Then the transition was easy when we moved to Virginia. K12-powered schools have been very welcoming.

Donesha: Transitioning between K12-powered schools in different states has been seamless. It felt like we were in the same school. It also helps that the schools are familiar with military families. The principals and teachers have made us feel welcome, and we’ve been able to connect with other military families.

Tre: When we lived in Japan, I loved exploring the country and its food and traditions. The transition to California was a lot to adjust to—the cultural part more so than the school part. It was nice coming to a school that had other military families. They understood what we were going through.

Donesha: All the kids are artistic, so they’ll draw or do their own craft projects. Tre is an amazing musician, so you’ll find him playing. We all love listening to him. The younger girls like to take dance breaks, while the older kids enjoy reading or going on drives together. And of course, there’s giant chess.

Tre: With online school, I can play music in the middle of the day. My main instruments are piano, trumpet, ukulele, and bass guitar. I can play by myself on breaks between classes or play with Dad when he’s around. My grandfather was the real musician. We keep a picture of him on the piano.