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The K12 Zone Report

October 15th

The K12 Zone Report October 15th
The K12 Zone ReportOctober 15th

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πŸŽ‰πŸˆ Homecoming Week Is Next Week! πŸˆπŸŽ‰ πŸŽ‰πŸˆ Homecoming Week Is Next Week! πŸˆπŸŽ‰

October 20–24 | National K12 Zones

It’s time to celebrate school pride, creativity, and connection across K12!
Each student or staff member who enters the National K12 Zone adds air to their school’s balloon β€” and the first school to pop it wins a mascot statue in every National Zone for November!

🎈 Daily Check-In Competition

Encourage your students to visit the National K12 Zone each day next week β€” even for 5 minutes during homeroom or the end of class β€” to complete the School Spirit Check-In.
Every login counts toward your school’s total!
Teachers and staff are invited to join in too β€” your visits help your school climb the leaderboard!

🐾 Cutest Pet Contest β€” Tuesday, Oct. 21

Let’s see those pets! 🐢🐱🐍🐒
Students and staff can show off their furry (or scaly) friends by clicking the large Cutest Pet frame in any National Zone on Tuesday and adding their photo to the Padlet.
It’s open all day β€” and always one of our favorite Homecoming traditions!

πŸ‘• Theme Days

Encourage students to join in each day’s theme!
Photos can be shared in the Zone at Chalk the Block or by clicking the Photo Booth to upload to the Padlet.

Monday, Oct. 20: Pajama Day πŸ’€
Tuesday, Oct. 21: Crazy Hat Day 🎩
Wednesday, Oct. 22: Sport or Hobby Day ⚽
Thursday, Oct. 23: School Spirit Day πŸ’™
Friday, Oct. 24: Costume/Cosplay πŸ‘»

πŸŽ‰ Daily Events

All events take place in all four National Zones at 5:00 PM EST (4 PM CST / 3 PM MST / 2 PM PST) unless noted below:

Monday, Oct. 20: Karaoke & Open Mic 🎀
Tuesday, Oct. 21: Scavenger Hunt πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™€οΈ (all day/self-paced)
Wednesday, Oct. 22: Trivia & Kahoot Night 🧠
Thursday, Oct. 23: Homecoming Parade 🎈
Friday, Oct. 24: Esports Game + Thriller Halftime Show πŸ•Ί

πŸ’› Let’s make this the biggest, loudest, most spirited Homecoming yet β€” one daily check-in at a time!

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πŸ›’ Be Part of Building the K12 Zone Marketplace! πŸ›’ Be Part of Building the K12 Zone Marketplace!

Something new is coming to the K12 Zone β€” the K12 Zone Marketplace!
This upcoming feature will let teachers and staff who design custom scenes, games, and assets share their creations with others across the network. Think of it as a one-stop shop for inspiration, collaboration, and creative exchange!

Before it launches, we’d love your ideas. πŸ’‘
We’re inviting a small group of teachers and staff to join a short feedback session to help shape how the Marketplace looks and works.

πŸ’¬ Here’s How to Join:

  1. Fill out this quick form with your name, school, and availability.

  2. We’ll reach out to schedule a brief session.

  3. Share your thoughts β€” your input will directly influence the design!

πŸ‘‰ Sign Up to Join the Marketplace Feedback Team

Let’s build the future of the K12 Zone β€” together.

✨ Share Your Passion β€” Lead a Club in the National Zone! ✨ ✨ Share Your Passion β€” Lead a Club in the National Zone! ✨

Do you have a talent, hobby, or interest that you love sharing with others? Bring it to life in the National K12 Zone!
We’re inviting K12 staff to host weekly clubs and meetups that connect students nationwide through fun, creativity, and shared interests.

🎢 Need some inspiration?

  • Cheerleading or Dance Club

  • Art Studio or Creative Corner

  • Book or Writing Club

  • Fitness, Yoga, or Wellness Group

  • Music Jam or Karaoke Crew

  • Chess, Strategy, or Game Club

πŸ’› These are volunteer opportunities β€” but they make a huge impact! Leading a club is a great way to boost school spirit, connect with students, and make the Zone come alive.

πŸ‘‰ Interested? Email nhoover@k12.com with your club idea and the grade band(s) you’d like to host β€” or open it up to everyone!

πŸ’‘ Zone Pro Tip of the Week: How to Create Invisible Assets with Collision πŸ’‘ Zone Pro Tip of the Week: How to Create Invisible Assets with Collision

Want to keep students from walking through walls or off paths? You can create transparent (invisible) assets in Canva to use as barriers in the K12 Zone!

🎨 How to Make a Transparent Asset in Canva

  1. Go to Canva.com and click Custom Size.

  2. Enter your desired dimensions (e.g., 300 Γ— 100 px) β€” this controls the shape of your barrier.

  3. Click Elements β†’ Square, stretch it to fill your canvas, and change its color to transparent (no color).

  4. Click Share β†’ Download, then select PNG and check Transparent Background.

  5. Download the file β€” this is your invisible asset!

πŸ—οΈ How to Add Collision in the K12 Zone

  1. In your Zone, click Assets β†’ Upload Asset.

  2. Name it (e.g., Transparent Rectangle) and upload it as a Bottom Layer asset.

  3. Place it anywhere you want to block movement.

  4. Go to Layers β†’ Apply Collision.
    βœ… You now have an invisible barrier students can’t walk through!

🌟 Pro Tip:
Duplicate or rotate your transparent asset to quickly create custom boundaries β€” perfect for keeping students inside a game area or activity space.

πŸŽ₯ Watch the short video below for a step-by-step demo!

How to Create an Invisible Asset to Add Collision

MORE RESOURCES MORE RESOURCES

K12 Zone How-To Guide
K12 Zone Editing Smore
K12 Zone POC Smore
K12 Zone Guide
K12 Zone Sharepoint
K12 Zone Updates
K12 Zone 101 Training for Teachers
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.
K12 Zone 101 Training for Teachers
K12 Zone Editor Practice

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out: nhoover@k12.com If you have any questions, feel free to reach out: nhoover@k12.com

Nick Hoover
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