Meet the Brathwaite family: parents Kyana and Jamie, and their two children Amelia and Nathaniel. The flexibility PALCS, as an online school provides has allowed this family to transition from a private to a cyber school.
Prior to PALCS, the Brathwaite family was with a brick and mortar school. The Brathwaite family joined PALCS during the summer of 2017 due to a career change for Mom, Kyana.
In 2017, Kyana started her own business that provides healthcare education and planning for individuals, and businesses who need support in navigating the health care system. The new business venture allowed Kyana to work from home. She knew it was time to research new school options for her family.
Transporting Nathaniel and Amelia to and from school really started to present problems for Brathwaite family. They began exploring options. Cyber school was at the for front of their minds when they started their research.
Making a Decision
When asked about how they chose a cyber school, Kyana responded, “I used test scores, interactions with the staff/administration, tours and accessibility to make my final decision. PALCS won out over the other two cyber schools, because it had the small school/community feel my children had become accustomed to. The environment was warm and welcoming. They were able to identify educational areas that needed to be improved upon”.
One of Kyana’s first thoughts was the importance of socialization. However, Kyana now says “We go to the grocery store, we go to events, they have extracurricular activities”.
Nathaniel participates with the Philadelphia Boys Choir. He found the group during a PALCS field trip to watch The Nutcracker Ballet. The Brathwaites scheduled an audition. Nathaniel was instantly invited to join the choir.
PALCS provided Nathaniel with the ability to make new friends. By doing a hobby he enjoys, it also gives him a way to use his talents. Amelia also has a few interests that she enjoys during her free time such as photography, gymnastics, watching vloggers, reading, exercising, and plucking her brother’s nerves.
Online School Provides Flexibility
Flexibility of PALCS has helped the Brathwaite family understand how their children learn. They love the flexibility that PALCS gives them to travel. Their children’s time management skills have improved. The communication with teachers and other resources have helped Nathaniel and Amelia get the most out of their education. “We feel that we are a part of a team. We can contact the teachers, principal, and counselors while receiving a warm welcome” said Kyana.
The Brathwaite family advises families to trying to decide if cyber school is the right fit for them.
“Know why you made the choice to do something different. Don’t beat yourself up, you’re doing something new. It’s going to take a while for you to find your footing, but when you do it will be gratifying.”
Thank you so much to the Brathwaite family for taking the time to answer our questions and share your story with us. We truly appreciate it and are excited that you are a part of the PALCS Community! We are so incredibly proud of you both for everything you have accomplished so far, and keep up the amazing work!
