52 • THE GRIFFON • Fall 2009
www.thegriffon108.com
HOMESCHOOLING OPTIONS
The Advantages of a ‘Portable Education’ For a military family on the go like the Brantlys, a portable education is the perfect match The military life requires sacrifices. With K12, your children’s education doesn’t have to be one of them. Indiana. Ohio. Florida. Michigan. These are the states Shelley Brantly and her family have moved into and out of in over a four year period. Shelley’s husband is a dentist in the Air Force. There probably aren’t many civilians with a lifestyle as nomadic as this, but to people in the military it’s all too familiar — and it can wreak havoc on a child’s education. “You can move at any time in the military,” says Shelley.“And at any time of year. Continuity in a child’s education is extremely important. We’re lucky to have K12.” With more than 55,000 students
worldwide, K12 is the country’s leading provider of online curriculum for kindergarten through high school.The K12 curriculum and online learning system can be accessed anywhere in the world there’s an Internet connection (perfect for overseas postings). Parents have a variety of schooling options to choose from, including tuition-free virtual academies in over 25 states, and a private school — the K12 International Academy — available worldwide. Both options offer full teacher support and confer accredited high school diplomas upon graduation. Shelley’s two oldest kids — Coral, age 10, and Landon, age eight — have been learning with K12 from the start:“Essentially, K12 is the only education either of them have ever known.” During the Brantlys’ time in Dayton, Coral was a student at the Ohio Virtual Academy, a tuition-free,
virtual public charter school. Otherwise, they’ve used K12’s independent study option. “One of the great things about the K12 curriculum,” says Shelley, “is that no matter which schooling option you use, it’s always the same K12 curriculum. So in all our moves, our kids have never missed a beat in their education, even when we’ve had to move in the middle of the semester.” A K12 education’s seamlessness is enhanced by its portaThe Brantlys have lived in four states in four bility. Being able to access the years. curriculum anywhere in the world has its advantages for a mili- with us. These may be short deploytary family on the move — even if ments, but it still keeps us closer tothat move is just a temporary one. gether than if the kids were attend“When my husband goes on TDY,” ing a traditional brick-and-mortar says Shelley, “we take the laptop — school.” The Brantlys’ schooling days go and therefore school — on the road something like this. Coral is up before her mother. She logs in to the Online School and dives right into 12 language arts (which of course includes real books). “She loves to It’s what happens when your kids can get read,” says Shelley, “so she always a high quality, American education anywhere starts with literature.” Then it’s time to get started with Landon. “He’s in the world your family goes. younger, and needs more help,” she says. “They break for lunch around 12 K ’s award winning curriculum is individualized to bring learning noon and then sometimes take a alive, one child at a time. Every subject is delivered online, with play break.” Coral is in gymnastics, hands-on activities, plus books and support from expert teachers. so the family has to be completely finished with school by three p.m. But what’s continuity and porta“ bility without quality? Not a con12 “ cern with K12. “I’m a teacher by trade,” says Shelley.“When we decidTammy A.; husband stationed at Fort Gillim, GA ed to homeschool the kids, I knew Mom to Brittany and Tyler exactly what I was looking for in a curriculum.When I saw K12, I knew Options include: it would be good.” • Full-time, tuition-free public schooling in many states The K12 curriculum is good in • An accredited online private school available worldwide more ways than one. Not only does it deliver a high-quality education, • Over 150 individual courses including world languages, but courses cross reference each AP, and electives available for direct purchase other, with the curriculum building on itself—something the ex-teacher The military life requires sacrifices. With K12—America’s largest picked up on and appreciated right online curriculum provider for grades K-12—your children’s away. “A K12 history class will talk education doesn’t have to be one of them. Give your child the about Galileo, or Einstein, or Copernicus,” says Shelley, “which will chance to think big, wherever the military life takes you. dovetail perfectly with what they’re learning about at the same time in science class.” With multiple states and a variety of educational requirements to deal with, K12 does one other thing that, Learn more at according to Shelley, comes in very handy: “I’ve come to realize what a treasure the Online School is. Requirements for education can vary greatly from state to state, from curriculum to attendance and beyond. With K12, it doesn’t matter. Their Active duty families, on single courses or our full-time Online School keeps track of everyprivate school option. Visit K12.com/griffon or call 866.667.1262 to learn thing. This is a godsend for families on the move.” about military discounts and tuition-free options. K12 gets kids into learning, so learning gets into them. And it keeps your educational experience organized and excellent, no matter where in the world you are.
K GETS KIDS THINKING BIG.
I’VE USED OTHER CURRICULUMS. NOTHING COMPARES TO K .
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Learn more at K12.com/mil. Or call 866-667-1262 for more information.