Not All Classrooms Have Four Walls
For our traveling families, Pacific Prep has perfected the balance between flexibility and routine to help students thrive within an agile lifestyle. Whether it’s a clear and reliable schedule that shifts with the time zones, packets of physical materials waiting on the doorstep upon a family’s arrival, or integrated experiential learning to complement a destination, we’ve got them covered.
One thing is true about the pandemic: it has totally changed the way we think about our children’s education. Schools and teachers were asked to completely change the way they engaged, educated, and supported students on a moment’s notice, and although their dedication and competence is still pretty mind-boggling, the system left much to be desired for many students as they fell through the cracks both academically and socially, and we’re still faced with emerging consequences from this difficult period.
For better or worse, though, the pandemic has opened many parents’ eyes to new possibilities and allowed them to explore different ways of learning. Since there was nothing “traditional” about their kids’ school experience all of a sudden, some families realized that there could be a better, different way to think about school. Many families started to ask: what if they could break free from the daily grind and go explore the world with their kids? What if school could come with them? What if they could feel confident they weren’t sacrificing the high quality and rigor of their current school and have the freedom and flexibility to travel?
Pacific Prep has truly mastered a model that allows for the balance of academic excellence and an agile lifestyle. Some might be wondering what this actually looks like in practice, though. To help paint a picture of what this has looked like for families working with us, we’ve included a few profiles below (anonymized for our student’s privacy, of course). While reviewing, ask yourself: what could my family’s life look like if we looked beyond traditional schooling options?
The Aspiring Athlete
We have one student chasing her dreams as a sponsored athlete at a very young age. This young lady travels between three time zones and has a rigorous practice schedule. The team at Pacific Preparatory worked with her family to create a schedule that accommodated practice times and travel between time zones, but also provided this student with a consistent schedule that she could depend on. Here’s what a semester looks like when she has morning practices in one time zone:
When she returns to her home in the Western time zone, her class times shift earlier in her day but stays the same for her teachers. This way, the school schedule fits into HER life; not the other way around!
Don’t Leave Me Behind, Dad!
Many of our students have parents who own their own business or have work that requires significant travel. Last semester, one student in particular had the opportunity to join his dad on a work trip to the Philippines. Because he was enrolled full time with PacPrep as his school of record, we were able to work with his teachers to develop a few independent study projects to make the most of his travel. He had modified class times during the 3 weeks that he was overseas. Once he returned from his travels, he was able to return to his usual schedule with some once-in-a-lifetime memories with his dad. His dad was incredibly appreciative that he did not have to choose between an amazing work opportunity and quality time with his family.
A Family in Purposeful Flux
A family came to PacPrep with a passion for world schooling. However, they also wanted to ensure that their child could easily transition back to a brick and mortar school in the future if that's what they wanted. As an accredited K-12 school, we are able to work with families who want something different when it comes to curriculum and lesson structure. This family shared their travel plans and goals with our team; this allowed our team to develop a curriculum that met state standards while incorporating world schooling concepts. Our teachers thoughtfully sent physical materials when the family was at home, then used digital materials so the family could travel light when they were in flux. This was truly a win-win for all involved!
At PacPrep, we know it’s important for students to have consistency in scheduling and learning environment and we’ve found wonderful ways to balance that need with each family’s unique travel plans and desires. At a time when many things feel uncertain, we are certain that we have a solution that works for your family, and we would love to dive into how we can make your vision come to life.