The K12 Zone Report

This is your chance to shine and inspire other teachers across Stride! We’re searching for amazing Classroom Zones to feature in our national K12 Classroom Showcase.

If selected, we’ll film a short virtual walkthrough of your zone to highlight how you’re bringing learning to life — and as a thank-you, you’ll receive a $50 gift card.

✨ Why Apply?

• Spotlight your creativity and inspire peers

• Show how Zones can enhance teaching & learning

• Get recognized nationally for your work

✅ Requirements

• Must already have a Classroom Zone

• Be willing to allow a short virtual walkthrough/filming

👉 Apply here: Classroom Showcase Sign-Up Form
👉 See current showcases: K12 Classroom Showcase Smore

Don’t wait — spots are limited, and we want to feature as many creative zones as possible!

We know you’re doing incredible things in your Zones — now it’s time to share them!

The K12 Zone Idea Padlet is our national hub for creativity, collaboration, and inspiration. Whether it’s a unique classroom setup, a clever student activity, or a simple tweak that boosted engagement — your idea could help another school bring their Zone to life.

✨ Why Add Your Idea?

• Inspire peers across the country

• Build a library of ready-to-use activities and setups

• Showcase the amazing work happening in your school

📸 Big or small — upload pictures, links, or quick descriptions. Every idea counts!

👉 Add your idea here: K12 Zone Idea Padlet

🙌 Let’s build this resource together so no teacher ever has to start from scratch. Please take 2 minutes this week to post at least one idea from your Zone!

Need help with anything Zone-related? The K12 Zone How-To Smore is your one-stop shop for step-by-step guides, videos, and quick answers.

From basics like changing your video settings or scheduling your Zone…
to advanced tools like running a talent show or creating a teleport — it’s all there.

✨ Why Bookmark It?

• 24/7 access to clear instructions

• Dozens of short “how-to” videos and guides

• Saves time troubleshooting during class or events

👉 Explore here: K12 Zone How-To Smore

Please share this with your staff and bookmark it yourself — it’s the fastest way to get unstuck and keep your Zone running smoothly!

One of the best ways to kick off the year in the Zone is by encouraging students to edit their profiles. This small step unlocks big opportunities for connection.

✨ Why Profiles Matter

• Students can add interests, moods, and personalize their profile.

• The system then helps them find and connect with peers who share similar hobbies and passions.

• It’s a simple, safe way to spark friendships right from the start.

📌 Activity Idea: Have your students edit their profile together as a class during the first week. Then, show them how to use those profiles to connect with new friends.

🎥 Videos to Share with Students:

• How to Edit Your Profile

• How to Find New Friends in the Zone

📘 Student How-To Smore
We’ve also created a student-facing Smore packed with quick videos and guides. Please share this with your students and Learning Coaches so they always know how to get help in the Zone.

K12 Zone Student How-To Smore

📚 80 Back-to-School Zone Activities — Ready to Use!
It’s never too early to start planning your first-week fun in the Zone! We’ve created a list of 80 ready-to-go activities, organized by grade band — 20 for each (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12).

💡 From emote games and classroom scavenger hunts to virtual murals and Connect 4 tournaments, this collection makes it easy to build excitement and connection right from day one.

👉 Use the tabs at the bottom of the doc to explore by grade level — and start planning now!

Teachers and staff can now build and run their own zones instantly — no form required! 🎉

✅ Create Your Zone:
Click the orange ➕ button → choose a template → name your world → assign your students.

✅ Find Your Zone Anytime:

• Favorite or bookmark your Zone link.

• Or log into any Zone → My Account > Worlds > My Worlds > View All to see all you’ve created.

✅ Update Student Access:
Need to adjust which students can enter? Use Managed User Groups to add or change access with just a few clicks.

🌐 Access the K12 Zone:
Students and staff can reach the Available Worlds page two ways:

• 🔗 Direct Link: zone.k12.com/t/auth/sso-worlds?autosso=true

• 📚 Via Canvas: Login → Canvas Dashboard → Resources > K12 Zone

📅 New! Schedule a Class in Canvas:
Teachers can now create calendar events in Canvas and link them directly to their Zone. (Full PowerSchool + Canvas integration coming this fall!)

Check out the videos below:

The Social Hub has moved — and teachers now have access to a powerful new User Drawer, your one-stop shop for managing your classroom in the Zone.

Here’s what you can do directly from the new drawer:

• 👥 See who’s in your world — get a quick headcount at a glance.

• 🎯 Spotlight a student or yourself — keep the focus exactly where it needs to be.

• 🎙 Control mics & cameras — grant or revoke access for everyone or just one student.

• 👯 Manage breakouts — launch and control small group sessions in seconds.

• 🚨 Take safety actions — remove or ban users quickly if needed.

In short: the User Drawer puts all your classroom tools in one place, making it faster and easier to manage your Zone.

🎥 Watch the walkthrough video below to see the new User Drawer in action!

Want to see how other teachers are setting up their Classroom Zones? Jessica Bishop, an amazing POC at OVCA, shared a presentation full of real classroom examples to spark ideas and show the many different ways a Zone can look.

Inside you’ll find:

• Snapshots of drafted classroom worlds from OVCA teachers

• Notes on each slide explaining why that design stood out and how you might adapt the idea for your own classroom

• Things to consider as you design (instruction vs. free time, group work, adding games, linking Canvas resources, fostering community, etc.)

• Tips for visiting other classrooms and collaborating with peers

We’ve streamlined how parents give consent for students under 13 to access the National K12 Zone.

What’s new?

• Consent is now collected directly during the K12 enrollment process—no more third-party sites or extra steps for new families.

• Parents create an account in the Enrollment Portal and complete consent as part of enrollment.

• Existing families can update or provide consent anytime by logging into www.consent.k12.com using their enrollment credentials.

• The process is simple: Parents go to My Account > Student Consent, select their student, and save changes.

This easier process helps ensure students get timely access to safe, social learning environments in the Zone

If you’re unable to attend the K12 Zone 101 Training for Teachers, no worries! You can catch up anytime by watching the recording linked below.