Ready to power up your afternoons? Every weekday at 4:00 PM EST, students can now join the National K12 Zones for a daily dose of fun, friends, and friendly competition in our new daily game time.

🕹️ What’s New?
We’ve carved out a special Gaming Time in the National Zones—an open invite to join others in Minecraft or Roblox, connect in private chat rooms (up to 10 players!), and explore together.

💬 Why Join?
It’s a great way to meet other students across the country, team up for challenges, or just relax and game together after a long school day.

👾 Your Mission:
Bring your gaming crew! Invite your Minecraft friends, drop into the Zone at 4:00 PM EST, and help us grow this into the ultimate student meet-up spot.

🛠️ Don't Forget:
These private rooms are part of our new Gaming Area—live now in all four National Zones. Whether you’re building, battling, or just hanging out, there’s a space for you.

📣 Let’s make 4:00 PM the place to be—every day!

This month, we’re giving students not one but TWO exciting ways to show off their creativity—and walk away with something BIG.

Lights, camera… YOU!
Create a 1-minute video sharing how your K12-powered online school helps you discover your real self. Be real, be bold, be YOU. One lucky winner will walk away with $250—just for telling their story.

📅 Deadline: June 30 at 5 PM ET
📝 Registration is open now! Don’t wait.

Students are building the future of the K12 Zone—literally.

Design anything you think belongs in the National Zones and submit it in the Minecraft Build Challenge. The winning build will be permanently added to the live Zone for everyone to see.

📅 Deadline: April 25
🎯 No theme—just creativity!

🕹️ How to Enter:
Head into the National Zones, look for the signs about each competition, click them, and submit your entry! It’s that easy.

Let’s see your best, Zone builders and storytellers—this is your moment! 🌟

We’ve made some awesome updates to make the K12 Zone even more student-friendly, mobile-ready, and customizable—check out what’s new!

🔗 Multiple Links on Assets
You can now add more than one link to any asset in builder mode! Add websites, games, tools, or email links all in one place.
Just go to: Configuration > Links > ➕ Add More

Note: If you only add one link, it’ll still use the old pop-up format.

📱 Mobile Experience Just Got a Glow-Up
The mobile version of the K12 Zone has been completely refreshed to make it easier for students to connect and explore:

• Full-screen world entry and smoother navigation

• New bottom toolbar with Messages, Social Hub, Help, and My Account

• Add friends and view profiles just like on desktop

• More space for avatars with collapsible connection lists

• Tap-and-hold to move your avatar, and access expressions from the corner (not by tapping your avatar)

Heads up: Tapping your avatar to open expressions is now disabled on mobile.

📏 New Asset Size Limit
All uploaded assets now have a max size of 2048px by 2048px to support mobile updates.
If you see a size warning in the builder, no worries—the Topia team is replacing any oversized default assets for you.

🎭 New Mood Statuses Are Here!
We’ve added 16 new moods based on feedback from students and teachers!
From 😩 Overwhelmed and 🤞 Hopeful to 😎 Chill and 😊 Proud—there’s something for every vibe in the Zone.

💬 Message History Fix
Looking back at old convos? The system now automatically starts from the last message sent, even if it’s over 10 weeks old. No more adjusting the date manually!

As of 4.9.25, two brand-new emotes have been added to the platform—giving students (and staff!) more ways to express themselves in the Zone.

📸 Check them out below!

This week, we’re spicing things up with a giveaway that’s perfect for anyone who loves to cook! 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

We’re giving away a $70 Blue Apron Gift Card to help one lucky Learning Coach whip up something delicious at home. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just love trying new recipes, this one’s for you! 💙

🌿 How to Enter:
Comment on the giveaway post in the LCC with your favorite herb to use in the kitchen—basil, rosemary, cilantro… or surprise us with something unique! 🌱

✨ Bonus Entry:
Join the Recipe Club in the LCC to earn extra points and discover tasty inspiration from other families! 😋

📅 Winner announced Friday at 5 PM EST – don’t miss your chance!

Looking for fresh ideas or want to see what other schools are doing in the K12 Zone? Check out our brand-new K12 Zone Idea Padlet!

✅ Read creative ideas
✅ Add your own awesome activities
✅ Celebrate what’s working across schools

Let’s learn from each other and keep the momentum going! 🚀

The Minecraft & Roblox areas are officially live in the National Zones—and we’re leveling up! We're beginning to plan monthly Gaming Afternoons & Evenings where students can connect, play, and explore—plus, it's a perfect chance to introduce them to Esports.

We’re forming a K12 Gaming Night Cohort—and we’re looking for:

🕹️ Esports coaches
👾 Teachers who game
🎯 Anyone excited to help us plan and grow this event!

We have had a lot of schools requesting a K12 Zone Field Day and want your help bringing it to life!
Have creative ideas, fun challenges, or ways to celebrate the end of the year in the Zone? Drop them in our Field Day Padlet!

📌 Note: We can’t create brand-new games right now, so ideas should use existing tools or be Canva-based.

📚 K12 Zone 101 & Beyond for Teachers
New to the K12 Zone? This introductory training gives teachers a guided tour, explores interactive features, and provides tips on how to customize and edit zones to foster student engagement.

📅 Register Here

🎨 K12 Zone Design 101
Ready to take your K12 Zone to the next level? This hands-on session teaches you how to edit, customize, and enhance your zone for a more interactive experience. Topics include:
✅ Adjusting layouts & world settings
✅ Placing & modifying objects
✅ Best practices for student engagement

📅 Tuesdays at 2:00 PM CST (Week 1) | 3:00 PM CST (Week 2)
🔗 Register for 2:00 PM CST Here

Register for 3:00 PM CST Here

💬 K12 Zone Office Hours – Every Friday at 11:00 AM CST
Have questions? Need help troubleshooting or designing new features? Drop in for personalized support from K12 Zone experts!

Direct Link to Meeting

✨ Sign up today and level up your K12 Zone skills!

This year, we’re working together to make the K12 Zone an even more welcoming and engaging space for all students and teachers. Our shared goal is to ensure that:

✅ Every K12 student knows the Zone is a place to connect, make friends, and build community.
✅ Every teacher and student experiences the K12 Zone—exploring its features and possibilities.
✅ Teachers and students are engaging in the Zone for at least 30 minutes a week, making it a fun and valuable part of learning.

We’re excited to continue growing the K12 Zone together! THANK YOU for helping make it a place where students connect, learn, and thrive. 🚀

We’ve got something special to celebrate! One of our own, Karen Bacon at OHVA and her incredible student-led Cardinal Coffee Shop in the K12 Zone were recently featured in a news segment—and it’s making waves! 🌟

What started as a school-based virtual café has grown into a space where students build real-world skills, boost confidence, and connect with their school community.

🎬 Check out the article below to hear directly from Karen and her student—and see the impact the K12 Zone is having beyond the screen.

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.