The beginning of spring is when many parents begin researching educational options for the next school year.  

Today's students look vastly different than they did years ago -- demographically and technology-wise. Their home-life differs, the way they learn differs and their access to technology is as varied as they are. All of those factors play a part in their ability to learn and thrive academically. It's no wonder that there has been increasing pressure to redefine current educational paradigms and an even greater demand for expanded educational options, like online schooling. 

Nationally, K¹² partners with schools in 28 states and the District of Columbia to offer flexible and individualized online school options that help children learn and progress.  Chief Academic Officer for K12 Inc., Dr. Margaret Jorgensen recently shared the Top 5 Ways to Know if Online School Is Right for You to help shed some light on ways online schooling can help children flourish academically. 

Many families find the flexibility online schooling offers and the individualized learning plans created for every student key contributors to a child's success. 

K12 employee Aaron Hall talks to his daughter’s 2^nd grade class about his time in the Army on Veterans Day 2012

I had a great opportunity to speak to my childrens’ classes at Newton-Lee Elementary School in Ashburn, VA, today about my time in the US Army and what is means to serve one’s country.  It has truly been an honor to serve our country as an Army soldier and officer for the past 20+ years.  Many ask why I chose to do this; for me, it simply comes down to giving back to the country and our society.  It has been tough at times, because as a leader in today’s military reserve, one is required to actively maintain two professional careers.  It has also been a huge challenge for my family – among other things, my wife was pregnant with our first child when I was called to active duty in 2003 as the US prepared to enter into the  conflict in Iraq.  I was lucky enough to get home for my son’s birth, unlike many others, but it was definitely stressful for my wife to deal with my absence throughout much of her pregnancy. 

The Month of the Military Child is a month “set aside to honor and celebrate the significance and resilience of military children and youth. Military families face many unique challenges and many times their children experience frequent moves, new schools, new friends, long deployments, and much more. Through all of these challenging experiences, military children learn to be flexible and adaptable. Whether they know it or not, they contribute to unit readiness and mission success for their military parents. They develop character and courage, and make sacrifices daily.”

Earlier this month, the military’s top brass honored some very special military children, one from each service plus the Coast Guard -- for their resilience, strength of character and leadership at the Operation Homefront’s 2012 Military Child of the Year awards gala.

I didn't want the day to pass without acknowledging the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. 

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a day to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, that brought the U.S. into World War II.  Many American service men and women lost their lives or were injured on December 7, 1941. 

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