As more families turn to online learning, students are seeking safe and meaningful connections with their fellow online classmates like never before. To help, Stride, Inc., a leading education technology innovator, is launching a groundbreaking solution, “The K12 Zone,” that provides students with an interactive virtual campus that is safe, engaging, and welcoming.

The K12 Zone is a safe, immersive, personalized, and interactive school campus that encourages engagement through fun activities and events, while enabling students to connect with each other through virtual chat, video conferencing, and other tools. Students can hang out with classmates, participate in activities and clubs, and access learning resources through the K12 Zone, all in a similar manner to how most kids interact with their friends on a daily basis.

According to a Pew Research study, “over 70 percent of parents are somewhat or extremely worried that their teen’s use of social media could lead to them being exposed to [inappropriate] content.”

K12 Zone safety is provided by moderators, comprised of teachers, administrators, and support personnel, who are specially trained for this digital campus. To provide an age-appropriate environment for any student, the K12 Zone is split into grade bands (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) and only open during school hours. Importantly, the K12 Zone is a private space exclusively available to K12-powered students and K12-powered moderators.

“Today, parents want to know that their children are safe at school, even in an online digital environment,” said Amy Marsh, Superintendent of Schools at Stride. “The K12 Zone provides that safety while giving students an easy way to just hang out with friends in an engaging learning environment.”

The platform also provides teacher-monitored activities that encourage creativity and problem-solving skills through activities and games played in the Zone. In addition to supporting relationship-building with peers and teachers, the Zone provides students with access to numerous K12 resources such as career and college prep content, e-sports, and an extensive e-book library.

Cyber security is paramount inside the K12 Zone, and with all K12-powered students nationwide. While bullying can be a big issue online, a “no bullying” policy is strictly enforced within any of the K12 Zones. Moderators have specific guidelines for reprimanding students who engage in bullying, inappropriate behavior, or use inappropriate language. Students are also encouraged to take a specially designed Digital Citizenship (3-5, 6-8, 9-12) course that provides a way of thinking, being and acting online.

For more information about the K12 Zone, including rules, screen shots, and a demo, please visit https://www.k12.com/k12-zone/. For information on K12-powered schools and programs, please visit www.k12.com.

About Stride Inc.

At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), we are reimagining learning—where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed millions of people’s teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and postsecondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.

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