On March 5, 2020, the Northshore School District in Bothell, WA announced that it would close all schools for up to 14 days due to coronavirus concerns. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has become a growing concern for many individuals worldwide, including parents in the United States. In an effort to gauge current sentiment among this group, we surveyed 532 parents of K-12 students across the U.S. Their responses help to paint a clear picture of how coronavirus may impact American education in the near future. How familiar are parents with the coronavirus, and what are their beliefs about it? Given the widespread media coverage of COVID-19, ...Read More About Schools and the Coronavirus: What We Found in a Survey of 500 Parents

With the spread of coronavirus (or COVID-19) leading to school closures near our Seattle office—as well as nationwide—we’re turning to our Live Learning Platform to help parents keep their students on track this spring. As part of our Virtual School Day toolkit (launching mid-March), we’ll offer free adaptive self-study tools; live, online classes; and a variety of other educational resources to ensure that students have every opportunity to learn from home. But we want to hear from you about the kinds of educational resources that will help you and your student thrive during school closures in your area. We inv ...Read More About Varsity Tutors to Launch Virtual School Day Toolkit to Help with COVID-19 School Closures

Each year on March 14, many students celebrate Pi Day—Pi being the mathematical constant. Pi Day is a fun way to get students excited about math and engaged in projects that will encourage a deeper appreciation of the subject. Pi Day activities for kids can include arts and crafts, word games, and scavenger hunts. Activities like these can engage all members of your family and make for an educational and fun day. Pi Day activity #1: Arts and crafts One great way to engage your student this Pi Day is through arts and crafts. Art projects allow students to visualize what they’re learning about while having fun d ...Read More About 3 Pi Day Activities for Kids

Holidays are typically accompanied by class parties, school assemblies, and other celebratory events. Valentine’s Day this year is a great opportunity to incorporate educational activities into your elementary or middle school student’s holiday plans. Engaging Valentine’s Day literacy activities for younger students can include writing a personalized letter, composing a poem, or creating a word search. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, students can practice literacy skills while joining in on the holiday spirit. Here are four Valentine’s Day literacy activities for younger students: 1. Wri ...Read More About 4 Valentine's Day Literacy Activities for Younger Students

During middle school, your child will likely start having more options in their academic schedule. They may get to choose a foreign language, in addition to electives like art, home economics, music, and technology. Their core classes are likely to stay the same, and are usually less flexible than, for example, in high school and college. While there may be some variance depending on the school, there are four classes that your middle schooler can generally expect to take—algebra, language arts, biology, and social studies. It can be beneficial for your student to know what they can expect to learn during their middle school years. Keep ...Read More About 4 Classes Most Middle Schoolers Will Take