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The K12 Zone Report

August 6th

The K12 Zone Report August 6th
The K12 Zone ReportAugust 6th
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๐Ÿ—๏ธ Build & Design Your Own Classroom, Club, or Event Zone โ€” No Form Needed! ๐Ÿ—๏ธ Build & Design Your Own Classroom, Club, or Event Zone โ€” No Form Needed!

Did you know teachers and school staff can create their own custom classroom, club, event, or sandbox zone directly in the K12 Zone โ€” instantly? ๐ŸŽ‰

Just click the orange โž• button, choose a template, name your world, and assign your students. (How-To Video Below)

๐Ÿ“ข Important Update: Finding Your Zone

Newly created zones will not appear on the Available Worlds page. A recent glitch that made them show up there has been fixed โ€” this keeps the list from becoming too long to navigate.

If you create an event or club zone and want it listed on the Available Worlds page, please email me so it can be added.

To avoid losing track of your zone:

  • Favorite it in your browser or bookmark the URL.

  • If you forget the name or URL, you can still find it from inside any zone.

๐ŸŽฅ Watch this quick tip on where to look:

  1. Go into any zone (National or School).

  2. Click My Account in the top menu.

  3. Select Worlds โ†’ My Worlds โ†’ View All.

  4. Youโ€™ll see a list of every zone youโ€™ve created.

How to Create A Classroom Zone
How to Find Your Zone

๐ŸŒ How to Access the K12 Zone โ€” New Walkthrough Video! ๐ŸŒ How to Access the K12 Zone โ€” New Walkthrough Video!

Whether you're a teacher, staff member, or student, accessing the K12 Zone is easy โ€” and weโ€™ve made a quick video to show you how!

๐Ÿงญ You can reach the Available Worlds page (where youโ€™ll see all zones open to you) in two ways:

๐Ÿ”— Direct Link:
zone.k12.com/t/auth/sso-worlds?autosso=true

๐Ÿ“š Via Canvas:

  1. Log in to login.k12.com

  2. Open your Canvas dashboard

  3. Click on Resources

  4. Then select K12 Zone

Both methods will take you to the same Available Worlds page, where you can choose the national or school zones based on your grade level and access permissions.

๐Ÿ“น Watch the short video below to see exactly how it works:

How to Find the K12 Zone in Canvas

New! Easier Parental Consent Process for the National K12 Zone New! Easier Parental Consent Process for the National K12 Zone

zoom_out_map

Weโ€™ve streamlined how parents give consent for students under 13 to access the National K12 Zone.

Whatโ€™s new?

  • Consent is now collected directly during the K12 enrollment processโ€”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

๐Ÿ“š The K12 Zone Knowledge Base Is Now Live! ๐Ÿ“š The K12 Zone Knowledge Base Is Now Live!

Whether you're brand-new to the Zone or a seasoned builder, weโ€™ve got great news:
The K12 Zone Knowledge Base is now live โ€” and itโ€™s packed with step-by-step guides, visuals, and videos to help you make the most of your Zone.

๐Ÿ”Ž What youโ€™ll find inside:

  • What is the K12 Zone?

  • How to navigate and use student tools

  • Creating, editing, and customizing your own classroom world

  • Plus loads of tips, videos, and examples!

๐ŸŽฏ How to log in:

  1. Go to stridepdcenter.com/login

  2. Donโ€™t know your credentials? Click โ€œLost your password?โ€

  3. Check your inbox for a password reset email from Stride Professional Development

  4. Set a new password and log in!

โœ๏ธ Not in the system yet?
Fill out this quick form to get access.

โ“ Need help? Email:

  • Stacy Kirshner: skirschner@k12.com

  • Patricia (Trish) McShea: pmcshea@k12.com

How to get to the K12 Zone Knowledge Base

๐ŸŽฅ Do You Know About Our K12 Zone How-To Smore? ๐ŸŽฅ Do You Know About Our K12 Zone How-To Smore?

Weโ€™ve put together a one-stop shop for step-by-step videos and guides to help you do just about anything in the K12 Zone! From creating teleports to running a talent show, itโ€™s all there โ€” ready when you need it.

Inside the K12 Zone How-To Smore, youโ€™ll find videos on:

  • Extending your background across your zone

  • Approving Friendship Bench or Gratitude Garden submissions

  • Adding collision, teleports, forms, and clickable videos

  • Creating private zones and adding admin permissions

  • Running a talent show or setting up your library/fun zones

  • Changing your spawn point or scheduling your zone to open/close

  • Embedding YouTube videos, editing desks, and much more!

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Bookmark this Smore so itโ€™s always just one click away!

K12 Zone How-To Guide

Is there a video/guide you think would be helpful? Click here to request!

launch secure.smore.com

๐Ÿ“š 80 Back-to-School Zone Activities โ€” Ready to Use! ๐Ÿ“š 80 Back-to-School Zone Activities โ€” Ready to Use!

Itโ€™s never too early to start planning your first-week fun in the Zone! Weโ€™ve created a list of 80 ready-to-go activities, organized by grade band โ€” 20 for each (Kโ€“2, 3โ€“5, 6โ€“8, and 9โ€“12).

๐Ÿ’ก 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.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Use the tabs at the bottom of the doc to explore by grade level โ€” and start planning now!

80 Back-to-School Zone Activities & Events

๐ŸŽฅ Show Off Your Classroom Zone โ€” Earn $50! ๐ŸŽฅ Show Off Your Classroom Zone โ€” Earn $50!

Our K12 Classroom Showcase is back! This is your chance to inspire other educators by sharing how you use your classroom zone.

Weโ€™re looking for teachers who already have a classroom zone and are open to letting us visit and film a short walkthrough or lesson. Your example could help others see whatโ€™s possible โ€” and as a thank-you, youโ€™ll receive a $50 gift card if selected.

โœ… Requirements:

  • Must have an existing classroom zone

  • Be willing to allow a short virtual walkthrough/filming session

๐Ÿ‘‰ Interested? Fill out the form below to apply!

Click Here to Apply

๐Ÿšจ Know a Creative Student? Share This Internship Opportunity! ๐Ÿšจ Know a Creative Student? Share This Internship Opportunity!

Do you work with students who are creative, tech-savvy, or love making videos? Encourage them to apply for the Stride Student Advisory Council (SAC) โ€” a hands-on, internship-style program for K12-powered students nationwide.

As SAC members, students will:
๐ŸŽฅ Create real social media content for K12
๐Ÿค Collaborate with professional marketing mentors
๐Ÿ—ฃ Share student perspectives in exclusive focus groups
๐Ÿ“ Build a creative portfolio with blog posts & design projects

๐ŸŽฏ Perfect for students interested in: Marketing, content creation, communications, or digital media.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Apply here:

Stride Student Advisor โ€“ Social Media Content Intern
๐Ÿ“ฉ Questions? Contact Rachel Strange at rgreenebaum@k12.com

SAC Intern Video

๐ŸŽฎ National Zone Game Jam โ€” August 27! ๐ŸŽฎ National Zone Game Jam โ€” August 27!

Mark your calendars! The next National Zone Game Jam is set for Wednesday, August 27th, and it's going to be another epic after-school event packed with games, fun, and friendly competition.

๐Ÿ“ Where: 6โ€“8 National Zone
๐Ÿ“… When: Wednesday, August 27
๐Ÿ•“ Event Begins: 4:00 PM EST
โฐ Login by 3:30 PM to ensure students are ready

๐Ÿ•น๏ธ This interactive experience is all about building community and connection in a fun, game-filled space. Make sure students register ahead of time! Registration Link

โš ๏ธ Note: Students age 12 or under must have a signed parent consent form on file to participate.

๐Ÿ‘‡ Check out the flyer below for full details:

MORE RESOURCES MORE RESOURCES

K12 Zone How-To Guide
K12 Zone Editing Smore
K12 Zone POC Smore
K12 Zone Guide
K12 Zone Sharepoint
Daily Activities in the National Zones
K12 Zone Updates
K12 Zone 101 Training for Teachers
If youโ€™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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