The start of the new school year brought a flood of change for Mountain View families: With Anchorage public schools postponing in-person classes and shifting to virtual instruction to help slow the spread of covid-19, students and parents face new schedules, new processes, and new challenges.

So Mountain View resident Jasmin Smith unveiled an idea — a “pilot supplemental program to support school and add something different and unique for interested families.”

Smith, an entrepreneur and mother, operates the Umoja CoWorking, a business and education space on Mountain View Drive. Beginning in September, the facility will host Umoja Academy — a twice-weekly afternoon immersion program dedicated to “empowering youth through sense of self.”

It’s been a long time coming, Smith said. Now the timing seemed right.

“I’ve been wanting my kids to have this option for a while and I figure since they’re going to be learning at home with me I might as well do the thing now and bring language and cultural immersion to Mountain View,” Smith said.

Featuring history lessons, introductory French language instruction, and other supplemental activities, the program is available via correspondence/Zoom, with limited in-person availability.

Contact umojacoworking@gmail.com for the full program information and details.