Back in the homeschool classroom: When faced with a challenge

"When faced with a challenge, look for a way,
not a way out."

- David Weatherford

This quote was posted on my 24-year-old daughter's Facebook status this morning. I love that my kids have inherited my optimism gene, and they both possess a strong work ethic that does not include whining or blaming others but, rather, taking responsibility and working to make it a better world.

Back in the homeschool classroom: Why we teach our own

Back in the homeschool classroom: Why we teach our own

Anyone who knows me knows I homeschooled my children for 16 years and, during that time, served as newsletter editor with our homeschool group in North Carolina and later, after moving back home to Virginia, served in leadership for eleven years with PEACH -- Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes -- as newsletter editor, teen coordinator, field trip coordinator, secretary, president, and anything else that was needed.

Even though my days of teaching at home are over -- my oldest graduated from James Madison University in 2007 and my youngest will be graduating from Mary Baldwin College this May as part of the Class of 2012 -- I never lost contact with the homeschool community. I keep up with issues that concern them, government regulations that may affect them, and read articles from moms who are just beginning or in the middle of their homeschool journeys.

Today I read an article that oh-so-hit-the-nail-on-the-head. It was passed along by a homeschool mom friend who used to be in PEACH but moved a few years ago to Georgia and is still teaching at home, and was written by a Texas homeschool mom who has just begun the homeschool journey with her four children.

Out of all the questions of why and how that came from people throughout the years -- why do you homeschool? how can you stand to spend all that time with your children? how can you afford it? where do you find the patience? -- this mom answered in one of the best ways I've heard.

After writing of the days when it's difficult and she's ready to throw in the towel and call it quits, she explains why she doesn't quit:

Homeschooling “works” for our family because we make it work.  It is a priority.  A calling.  Even a conviction. Because of our commitment to homeschool, there are many other things we aren’t involved in, don’t spend our money on, don’t invest our time into.  Not because some of these “other things” are bad, but because they would rob us of these precious years to nurture and train our children.

But then this wonderfully honest, young, homeschool mom summed it up in one of the best ways I've ever seen homeschooling explained. In one short paragraph, she gave the reason we do it:

I can only homeschool my children once in my lifetime and theirs.  Now is that time.  It is up to me, and to my husband, to make these days count.  For eternity. This is why I choose to get up every morning, sit down at our dining room table, and teach my children in the best way I know how.

And that, in a nutshell, is it. We only have one chance -- take it or forever give it up. When people say, "Enjoy your kids while they're young because those years will quickly pass," they aren't kidding.

The Texas homeschool mom was far more eloquent that I could ever be -- my blunt assessment over those times of exasperation during my days of educating at home was, "Some days I wanted to pull my hair out!"

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Do I miss it? You bet I do. Do I now enjoy my time to myself and exploring what I want to do? Far more than anyone -- other than a fellow homeschool mom -- would probably understand because after spending 24/7 with my kids for all those years, it's wonderful to follow my interests. Am I grateful for the opportunity to homeschool my children? I thank God and my husband for making it possible because I had an opportunity that others may want and cannot enjoy.

I'm still learning from the homeschool moms coming behind me ... and I am happy to offer what knowledge and experience my homeschool journey can provide to them. Meanwhile, we must protect our homeschool freedoms so others can enjoy the exhilaration -- and frustrations -- of growing and teaching their own.

Picked up and linked at Everything Homeschool

2011 Home School Day at Frontier Culture Museum ... photos

Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) sponsored Home School Day at Staunton's Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia on September 30, 2011. Yvonne Bunn, director of homeschool support and director of government affairs, greeted home school families from throughout the Commonwealth along with her husband, George (not pictured). More than 1,500 participants took part in the special activities of the day.

Lydia (left) checks in Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH) mom Helen (right). I very much enjoyed helping with check-in and seeing many familiar faces from PEACH, the group I worked with while educating my children at home.

The West African farm .

Smoke from the English farm could be seen rising above the trees as students helped the interpreters in the kitchen.

Overflow parking was a testament to the popularity of the event.

A group of Grace Christian School students also enjoyed the day with hands-on activities.

Lunch under the picnic pavilion.

Volunteers are the heart of any organization, and the Frontier Culture Museum is no different. Many thanks to all those who give their time and money to help this crown jewel of the Shenandoah Valley.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
30 September 2011

Should home schoolers have access to high school sports?

An ongoing debate throughout the years has been Virginia's refusal to allow home schooled students to participate in public school sports even though 20 states allow it in one capacity or another: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming.

Home schooled students have proven over the years that they can keep up with their public school peers academically. Testimony to that is the number of home schoolers who have been spelling bee winners and finalists, who have regularly outscored public school students on SAT and ACT tests, who have received higher education scholarships, and who have scored in research, work, academia, and beyond.

Many of those home school families have asked throughout the years to be included in sports. They feel it should be allowed since home school parents pay the same school taxes as everyone else but have to pay extra for their children's education, receiving no benefit from school tax dollars. For years, Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20th House District) championed school choice and tax credits for home schoolers.

Delegate Rob Bell (R - 58th House District) in neighboring Albemarle County, whose parents were pioneers of the home schooling movement in Virginia, has sponsoring HB 2395 in the 2011 General Assembly session asking that home schoolers be allowed to participate in public school sports.

Here is a summary from Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) of the September 6, 2011, hearing on this issue:

1. LEGISLATIVE SERVICES PRESENTED REPORT

The committee first heard a summary of the report by Legislative Services (LIS) staff attorney Jessica Eades. She presented the following information from her study of other state laws and regulations regarding homeschool access to public school sports.

Access States

The LIS study found that 20 states allowed homeschool access to interscholastic sports: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming.

Requirements vary from state to state, but generally require one or more of the following provisions:

• Some states require part-time enrollment and others require only a written notice to participate.
• Homeschool students must meet the same requirements as public school students.
• Generally, homeschool students must provide proof of academic progress.
• One state charges homeschool students up to 150% of the cost of participation, plus any increase in insurance premiums.
• States vary on the length of time a student must be homeschooled before participating.

Four additional states--Louisiana, Ohio, South Dakota, and Tennessee--also allow access under certain conditions such as school board approval or principal approval, or partial enrollment in membership schools at the member school's discretion.

Non-access States

Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma have no statutes banning homeschool participation in public school sports, but these five states have case law upholding a ban on access.

Virginia, like the remaining 20 states, does not have a statute banning participation, but most of these states have independent or private organizations overseeing public school sports. These private organizations prohibit homeschool participation according to their rules and policies.

Constitutional Challenges

LIS reported there have been no successful court challenges by individual homeschoolers. The courts have routinely held that schools are not acting unreasonably by requiring full-time attendance and setting eligibility requirements for participation.

2. DELEGATE BELL PRESENTED HIS BILL

Delegate Rob Bell presented key points in support of his bill. He reminded the committee that in rural areas, high school sports provide the "only game in town"--there are no private club sports. Athletic events are community events that should be open to all students who want to participate. "I am only asking for homeschoolers to be able to 'try-out,'" said Bell. "We are not asking for guaranteed participation." Bell told the committee that he expects to see sports access pass in the future. "If we're going to do it one year, why wait? Every year we wait, there is an 18-year-old who didn't get to play."

Delegate Bell reminded the committee that homeschoolers had attempted for many years to work with the Virginia High School League (VHSL) to reach an agreeable solution, but had failed to come to any agreement or compromise.

3. HOMESCHOOL PARENTS AND STUDENTS TESTIFIED

Out of more than a hundred supporters, eight parents and students were allowed to testify before the committee in support of HB 2395. Supporters included the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers and homeschoolers who were businessmen and community leaders, as well as a coach and a homeschool mom. They all gave concise, well-thought-out testimony. The homeschool teen athletes were poised and articulate in their appeal for access.

Track-and-field coach Marcia Rose asked the delegates to find a way to make this work for ALL students who were interested in playing. Rose and her husband, a coach at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, recognized the importance of physical activity and team sports in the development of youth.

Todd Vaner Pol asked the committee to do what is best for all children. He wants his children to have a connection to the local community. As a businessman, he sponsors several local sports teams and sees how public school teams could benefit from homeschoolers joining their teams. Another parent from southwest Virginia confirmed that her rural school district has a small school-age population and has a difficult time filling their team rosters. They would welcome homeschoolers.

Homeschool student athlete Katie Rygol--who participates on a girls travel soccer league in Northern Virginia--said there was less competition and less practice time on a homeschool team because her coaches are parents with full-time jobs. She sees there are better opportunities for athletes from big-name schools. Access would offer equal opportunity for all students.

Kenny Hood's son competes in a Powhatan wrestling club with many club members who are also on the public high school wrestling team. The team would welcome his son if he were allowed to play. Hood also pointed out that of all the states that allow access, none of these states have repealed their access laws because they had problems with homeschoolers.

4. ACCESS OPPONENTS ADDRESSED THE COMMITTEE

Ken Tilley of the Virginia High School League (VHSL), the private organization that regulates interscholastic activities and makes the rules and policy for 27 high school sports programs and 8 academic programs, opposed access for homeschoolers. Tilley said VHSL represents 313 member high schools throughout Virginia.

Tilley said that he is not anti-homeschool, and he supports equal opportunity, but in this situation, "there is no common ground." He emphasized that the academic requirements are major. Public school students must take SOL tests and homeschoolers are required to take standardized achievement tests. Because these tests are not the same, in his opinion, they cannot be used to show the academic progress needed. In addition, students involved in sports must be enrolled full time and prove that they have taken and passed five courses in order to compete in interscholastic activities. Homeschoolers could not meet this standard.

Representatives of the Virginia School Boards Association and the Virginia Association of School Superintendents also opposed the bill. They argued that because homeschoolers did not have to fulfill the same academic requirements, it would be unfair for public school students to be held to a higher standard.

5. SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION

In an attempt to understand the differences between homeschool and public school academic requirements, legislators asked for clarification about Standards of Learning testing. They wanted to know if homeschoolers also took the SOLs, and if not, what academic accountability methods were used for homeschoolers. A question was then raised by a committee member concerning the graduation requirements for homeschoolers compared to the requirements for public school students. As a result, Chairman Tata asked the Department of Education to present a comparison chart for the committee's review. The education subcommittee did not take a vote on the bill or propose amendments.

Another meeting will be scheduled in October and possibly a final meeting in November. There may be another opportunity for homeschool parents and students to express their opinion about this legislation. If you are interested in future updates and meeting notifications, please e-mail legislative@heav.org.

HEAV's Position

Home Educators Association of Virginia is neutral on sports access legislation. HEAV's purpose is to protect and strengthen home education. Although we understand the interest some parents have in providing athletic opportunities for their children, it is not HEAV's purpose to actively support a return to public schools.

During the past 10 years, HEAV has worked privately with the Virginia High School League in an attempt to come to an equitable agreement rather than risk bringing a discussion of home education before the Virginia legislature. During this time, we have carefully tracked several sports access bills introduced by legislators who were responding to requests from homeschooling parents in their districts.

We will continue to closely monitor access legislation by attending committee meetings and sharing developments with homeschooling families. We have expressed our cautions and concerns with Delegate Bell, who is a longtime friend of homeschoolers. If we see any legislative discussion or movement toward increased regulations for homeschoolers in general, we will immediately ask that the bill be withdrawn.

HEAV will continue to work with our lawmakers and the Department of Education to maintain your freedom to homeschool in the least restrictive manner possible.

Home Educators Association of Virginia

Family Research Council links to SWAC Girl home school article

The freedom to educate our children at home is an important right for many people including my family. Not only did I teach my two children for sixteen years but I also was a part of leadership in the support organizations, working with other parents to bring families together for social networking (in the days before Facebook) as well as educational opportunities such as field trips, and educating parents on home school laws.

The Family Research Council supports parents who home school their children. Today I received an email from them notifying that they had picked up a post I wrote Tuesday ... "Back in the home school classroom: First day of school":

I am writing to let you know that in the latest edition of our Social Conservative Review, http://www.frc.org/socialconservativereview/the-social-conservative-review-the-insiders-guide-to-pro-family-news-september-8-2011 the Family Research Council has linked to an article you wrote for SWAC Girl. The Review goes to about 7,000 opinion-leaders nationwide.

We linked to your piece “Back in the home school classroom: First day of school," because we felt it made a compelling argument about an issue of importance to our country. Please feel free to forward the link to the Review to anyone you wish, and feel free to join the Review's distribution list by simply clicking "subscribe."

With our appreciation and best regards,

Mike Ciandella on behalf of the Family Research Council

In that post, I reminisced about the years with my children as I prepared the classroom for each very important first day each year. I extend my thanks to the FRC for selecting my post about a subject I dearly love ... home schooling.

Back in the home school classroom: The road less traveled

Home schooling ... it's the road less traveled but the right choice for many....

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Back in the home school classroom: Hiking the North River Gorge Trail

The area of Todd Lake in northwestern Augusta County was a favorite place for home school families while my kids were growing up. During summer months, moms and kids would meet on the sandy beach of Todd Lake for picnic lunches and swimming.

In the spring and fall, hiking was on everyone's minds. There was no shortage of trails around Todd Lake including one that crosses its dam, but a favorite was the North River Gorge Trail, a four-miler that followed the North River through the George Washington National Forest hardwoods. Beautiful yet fairly level, this path crosses the North River nine times causing hikers to make their way over rocks during low-water times. We never hiked it during high water ... it would have been practically impossible.

The North River, dammed at Elkhorn and Todd Lakes, originates from Shenandoah Mountain (elevation 4,000 ft.) and splashes its way down the mountain through a gorge formed by Trimble and Lookout Mountains.

Since it is a one-way trail, we would park a vehicle at each end for shuttling our hikers back to the starting point. Wildflowers, a wide variety of trees, rock outcroppings, and scenic views of the river along with its easy grade make it a popular route for many. It is located on Forest Road 95 and well worth the trip ... especially with a large group of teenagers.

Back in the home school classroom ... hot summer days

The hot days of summer offered some of the best times as a family during the 16 years that we educated our children at home. On the farm in North Carolina, we had a pool that was twelve feet across with two-foot sides -- deep enough for children and the occasional parent to splash and play.

Today was 96 degrees in Augusta County ... just the kind of summer day that we used to enjoy on the farm. Back in those days, while the kids splashed in the pool, I sat at the picnic table under a nearby tree working on lesson plans for the upcoming school year. Across the rolling countryside, the Brushy Mountains, foothills of the Blue Ridge, could be seen in the distance.

Those days are cherished memories in my mind. I can almost hear the drone of the cicadas in the summer heat and smell the chlorine from the pool as the kids laughed and played with floats and underwater toys. A large towel spread out on the grass was a place for them to get out of the water and warm up as I read from one of the many books we enjoyed throughout the years. Reading out loud was a joy to me ... listening while watching a grasshopper munching a blade of grass was a joy to them.

Summer ... childhood ... they seem to go hand-in-hand.  Sometimes the simple things make the sweetest memories....

Congratulations PEACH Class of 2011

It's a journey they have traveled together ... congratulations to the SWAC area home school PEACH Class of 2011 and their parents.

Megan Andes
Ellie Bohlman
Anna Colvin
Calvin Conley
Joel Deaton
Jonathan Freesen
Seth Heerschap
Victoria Kearney
Molly Kiers
Hanna Kingston
Anna Kocka
William Krassoi
Bethany Labrecque
Marius Mello
Rachel Robacker
Talitha Shank
Nate Smith
Joshua St. Clair
Joanna Valentine
Travis Wells

RTD: "The Constitution: Required reading"

While president of the local home school organization, I addressed a local civic group in 2005 about home schooling and the fact that home schoolers in general stressed American history, government, and civics.

On the wall of our home school classroom we had posters of the Ten Commandments and the Bill of Rights. We studied important documents from history including the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. We displayed an American flag and recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and we read Bible verses and prayed.


Virginia is rich in the history of America, and today's Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial brings some of that to light and opines on the importance of reading the U.S. Constitution....

Can you afford NOT to home school?

By Larry Arnold with the Texas Home School Coalition and reprinted from the Home Educators Association of Virginia newsletter. One person's suggestion of how much is saved while home schooling....

How much is a homeschool mom worth? Granted, we men could never pay somebody to do what our wives do. They are tutors, home-keepers, child-taxi drivers, tear-wipers, and friends. They also put up with us, and the fact that they do it all because they love their families makes them priceless. Suppose our business sides wanted to calculate their value in real dollars? How much is your homeschooling wife worth? Would you believe over $40,000 a year?

Such a hard-dollar calculation can be derived from three sources: how much is saved because she is a full-time homekeeper, how much would be spent if she worked outside the home, and how much her husband’s ability to earn is increased because of her. We will consider each of these three areas separately.

How much is saved?
Eighteen years ago, we were led to sell our small house in the city so we could move to the country. Instead of using a real estate agent, my wife Maureen took it upon herself to sell the house. She had already found a buyer, so the hardest part of the job was done. A friend in real estate helped her with the paperwork, and a title company kept things legal. We used the extra money we saved to purchase some land in the country on which we later built.

The wonderful thing about doing something like this is that it amounts to tax-free income. A person does not even have to pay Social Security tax on it. This is true every time money is saved. Eating at home instead of at a restaurant means saving more than just the cost of the meal. It is like getting extra, tax-free income. What is true for preparing a meal is also true for laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, etc.

The amount of money a stay-at-home mom saves is easily $1,000 a year for such day-to-day things. Add to that the extraordinary savings of large ticket items such as selling a house, decorating a house, or sewing clothing, and it is easy to accumulate $2,000 to $4,000 a year in savings. Because these are after-tax dollars, the family income would have to increase by $2,500 to $6,000 dollars a year to offset the loss of savings if the mother left home to work. But wait, there is more.

How much would be spent?
Before we discovered homeschooling, we were paying $600 a month for our two sons to attend a private Christian school. This was a long time ago; today tuition is even higher. Add the cost of books; uniforms; and the abundant, miscellaneous, extra fees, and it is not unreasonable to say that it costs $500 a month to provide a private school education for one child. Paying for such an education would demand a before-tax income hike of $7,500. Multiply that by 3.5 (the average number of children in homeschool families), and the bill jumps to a whopping $26,250. (Sorry, but I will not even discuss the possibility of sending children to a government-run school—a culture that is hostile to God’s ways and teaches things contrary to His truth.)

Combining the numbers, a homeschooling mom can save the family $29,750-$32,250 a year if she has 3.5 children. (Pity the .5 child!) Go ahead and use your calculator. How much is your wife saving your family?

Now we will consider how much it would cost the family to put Mom into the ranks of the employed. Begin with the cost of buying extra clothes and cleaning them. Add commuting and insurance costs. Total the extra meals that will be eaten out and convenience items that will be purchased. Set aside a big chunk of the budget for daycare that can easily come to $10,000 a year. Even in light of tax benefits, the cost of adding a wage earner is easily in the $2,000 to $15,000 a year range. This means that the before-tax family income would have to increase $2,500 to $20,000. Do not use my numbers; figure for your family what it would cost for your wife to enter the work force.

How much is husband’s ability to earn increased?
We have now arrived at our third area of consideration—the effect a stay-at-home wife has on her husband’s ability to earn money. I have always been certain that my wife positively impacted my ability to earn more money. I have had customers who looked forward to meeting with me because they knew I would bring my wife’s homemade goodies. The office also enjoyed the special treats she would prepare from time to time. Her contributions enabled me to win the hearts of customers and fellow workers. She also relieved me of many tasks and details so I could concentrate on my job and be more effective. I knew this, but I wondered if anyone had ever done a study to prove this was true for others and if anyone ever measured it in dollars.

Lo and behold, there was in Business Week (9-17-2001) an article entitled “Why Married Men Earn More.” Note that this article comes from a magazine that strongly favors women working outside the home and creating a gender-diverse workplace. Yet this publication summarized research that showed that married men earned, on the average, 12.4% more than unmarried men. A married man whose wife worked outside the home earned only 3.4% more, but a man who had a full-time, stay-at-home wife earned a whopping 31% more. They claimed, “Researchers find no evidence that the marriage premium reflects better economic prospects of men who tend to get hitched. Rather, it appears related to the state of being married—and specifically to the likelihood that wives shoulder household tasks.” They even proceeded to show that “the wage gap declines as wives put in more hours working outside the home.”

We will look at this in real numbers. Suppose you as a homeschool father earn $65,000 a year. Statistically, on average, your wife has enabled you to earn $20,000 more than a single man and $18,000 more than a man whose wife works full-time outside the home. If you are a homeschool father earning $32,500 a year, your stay-at-home wife can take credit for $9,000 to $10,000 of that. If you are a homeschool father earning $130,000 a year, your stay-at-home wife could claim $36,000 to $40,000. Do the math for your own family.

It is time to combine the numbers. Add together what your wife saves your family, how much extra it would cost for her to go to work, and the “marriage premium” gained by having a stay-at-home wife. I think you will discover that your homeschool wife is worth a lot more than $40,000 a year. The number could easily be twice that. Now think of the tremendous loss in the quality of life, the added frustration and agony, the cost of losing the hearts of your children to their peers, and the time pressure that would be put on both of you if she worked outside the home. The most carnal of measurements—cold, hard cash—debunks the myth that two wage earners provide a higher standard of living than one. Add in the spiritual reward of pursuing God’s purposes and plans for your family, and it becomes starkly evident that believing the myth is folly.

Each of you men, take your wife out to dinner. Tell her how much you appreciate her. Be grateful that she comes as a gift from God—you could not possibly afford her otherwise.

Va home schoolers: Notice of Intent forms due August 15

Notice of Intent ... is your Notice of Intent form consistent with the homeschool law?

A reminder from Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)....

It's notification time! If you are homeschooling under the home instruction statute, the August 15th deadline to notify your division superintendent that you will be homeschooling during the 2010-2011 school year is fast approaching! We want to make sure you have the information you need and have staff on call to personally answer your questions and help you file your Notice of Intent.

We recently sent out some important information about the NOI to HEAV members and wanted to share it with you as well.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW
Often, a school board will ask for more information than required by law. So, if you have a question about what your superintendent is requiring, we're available to help discern between what is being asked for and what the law requires. Submitting ONLY what is required helps guard our homeschooling freedoms from subtle encroachments.

Here's one question we received just this week from a parent whose county was asking for more information than required--we've also included our answer.

Q: Attached is a Notice of Intent to Homeschool form mailed to me from our local school board. I compared their form with the form from HEAV that I always use and found a big difference in option (iv). My county specifically requests Standards of Learning Objectives (SOLs). Could you please clarify this for me? Am I required to provide these? From my understanding, the state law is the same for every county in Virginia.

A: I agree with your concern about the Notice of Intent form you received from your county. The state law is the same in every Virginia county. The law does not require you to use this particular form. Instead, you can use the HEAV form found here, or you can write a letter that includes the same information. The HEAV form includes only the information required by law.

The form you received from your county is inconsistent with the law. Under option (iv), your program of study does NOT have to include the Standards of Learning. In fact, HEAV worked successfully to get this section of the homeschool law changed in 2008; evidently, your county did not update their information.

I also noticed the form asks for your child's birth date. The law does NOT require you to include this information. Since a birth date shows whether or not your child is within compulsory school age, you could include your child's age instead. For instance, you could say "eight by September 30" or "eight years old."

*After responding to the parent's question above, Yvonne Bunn, HEAV's director of homeschool support and legislative affairs, contacted the county's secretary of instruction by phone. The secretary was unaware of the 2008 law change and apologized for the error. She asked HEAV to fax a copy of the current law. We faxed a copy of the law, along with a copy of HEAV's Notice of Intent form.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT FILING YOUR NOTICE OF INTENT?

HEAV is here to help! Review the questions below, as well as HEAV's Notice of Intent FAQs, for answers to your questions. If you don't find the answer you need, be sure to give us a call or send an e-mail to support@heav.org! And please feel free to forward this to friends!

• How do I complete the Notice of Intent?
• What are the ages for school attendance?
• What if my child is not ready for school?
• Whom should I notify that I plan to homeschool in Virginia?
• When do I notify?
• How do I comply with the Virginia homeschool law?
• Do I wait for permission to homeschool?
• Where should I send my Notice of Intent?
• Are the Virginia homeschool laws different for certified teachers?
• Do I file a Notice of Intent if I want a religious exemption?
• What if my superintendent asks for more information than the law requires?
• What happens if something goes wrong?

Home schoolers convention in Richmond June 10-12, 2010

I received a phone call this week from a 20-something mom of two who was looking for information about home schooling. Her oldest, she said, was ready to begin kindergarten.

As a fourteen-year home school veteran who served on the local support group's Board of Directors for a decade, I have fielded dozens of calls over the years from those wanting information about educating their children at home. The difference in the latest inquiry? It was a home school friend's daughter calling ... a daughter whose mother had taught her and who was now preparing to home school her own children.

If you home school or even if you are just thinking of home schooling, the 27th Annual Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) convention is the place for you next weekend. Curricula, science projects, manipulatives, art supplies, reading books, demonstrations, workshops, lectures, used curriculum sale ... there is much available at the convention as you begin or continue your home school journey.

The highlight of the convention weekend is Saturday afternoon's graduation of home schooled high school students from throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Both my children participated in the HEAV graduation in Richmond, bringing closure to that portion of their educational experience before heading to college.

Check out this year's convention program to pre-plan your day(s), learn more about speakers, and map out where your favorite vendors are located. That book you saw in a catalog? There's nothing like talking with the vendor and actually handling the curricula to see if it fits your needs.

Held Thursday through Saturday, June 10-12, 2010, at the Richmond Convention Centre, the convention is a fulfilling experience with more materials available than can be imagined. For those beginning the journey, it's an affirmation that many walk the path with them and they are not alone. As they have for 27 years, HEAV's resources provide strength, encouragement, information, and the tools necessary for a successful educational experience.

Home Educators Association of Virginia Convention ... maybe I'll see you there!

A home schooling mom's field of dreams

From The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons

H/T to HEAV.org

Home schoolers ... raising a responsible generation

As a 16-year home school veteran who taught two children through high school graduation, I know a thing or two about home schooling.

My observation of most home schooling families has been a sense of raising a responsible generation that is held accountable for learning, working, and respecting their God and country. Home schoolers generally are more patriotic and more involved in the voting process, whether it's privately or publicly. Future conservative leadership will come from their ranks.

A friend who shared the home school journey, Bob at The Journey, warns of the dangers of universal/global control over Americans. Parents may no longer be allowed to raise their children as they see fit ... they would be held accountable to the world power that is advanced by Barack Obama and liberals who want America to become like Europe. You know, the Europe that is now failing in health care and finance, and whose standard of living is behind the U.S.

These are unsettled times ... being asleep at the wheel is dangerous and no longer acceptable.

Living in the shadow of Shenandoah National Park

The Blue Ridge Mountains loomed in front of us as we drove to a friend's surprise birthday party over the weekend. Their house is located on the side of the Blue Ridge and their property joins up with Shenandoah National Park.
It's a beautiful, peaceful, serene location and I tried to snap photos through the trees as we climbed up the road. This is overlooking the lake with the mountains (and Skyline Drive) in the background. It was a wonderful evening with home school friends as we all remembered the years educating our children at home and how they are growing (grown) up which means we are growing older. What is that saying? "Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other is gold." How very true.

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
8 May 2010

Back in the home school classroom ... PEACH Activity Day

On a beautiful Shenandoah Valley spring day, 10 eight-year-old home schooled girls gather with their American dolls as they learn American history, work together on a class craft, and giggle as they share a snack with their friends. Their teachers are home school moms who volunteer to teach the American Girl class.

Down the hall a group of younger children work with their teachers, also home school moms, as they learn about the customs, foods, and life styles of people in countries around the world ... in the gym the older boys are separated into teams as they prepare to compete with one another during a basketball game under the watchful eyes of home school dads ... the kitchen has a group of students learning about cooking from moms.

Throughout the church are many other classes learning sewing, civics, history, scrapbooking, beading, play acting, public speaking, and much more. When it's sunny and warm, some will move classes outdoors to enjoy the spring weather.

It's the third Thursday of the month which means it's PEACH Activity Day. PEACH (Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes) is an organization of volunteers made up of the parents who are members and whose children participate in Activity Day. As only one of many activities provided throughout the year, this social event offers an opportunity for the children to get together with friends and for parents to interact with students and other parents.

Lifelong friendships are made on all levels and, as this school year draws to a close, schedules are already being readied because next fall Activity Day will be back. Once again, more than 100 children will fill the halls with laugher and excited voices and enthusiasm as they gather to learn a new craft, hone a talent, or expend some energy under the leadership of their parents. Another home school year will begin.

Thinking of home schooling?

As a 16-year veteran home schooling mom whose first passion is still home schooling even though I now volunteer in the political world, I can tell you the place to check out if you are thinking of educating your children at home is the Home Educator's Association of Virginia convention.

This annual convention at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (across the street from the Coliseum) will be held this year from June 10-12, 2010 ... and it is well worth the cost to attend.

Vendors, workshops, curricula, manipulatives, science equipment, art supplies, more workshops including free ones on how to begin home schooling ... it is chocked full of everything you need and people to answer your questions.

I attended convention every year while home schooling. If you're thinking of teaching your children at home, need some advice or direction or encouragement, or if you just want to enjoy that hands-on experience of picking up books and paging through them (as opposed to looking at them in a catalog), I highly recommend the HEAV Convention.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions or check out the HEAV website.

Home school ... support group versus co-op

As a member of the SWAC area home school support group for 10 years, I watched as other home schoolers around the state started co-op groups and some eventually lost their support groups as a result. It was a concern at the time because each provided something different for the families involved.

A friend in the PEACH (Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes) group sent over the following from this month's newsletter because it mentioned that while president of PEACH, I advocated the importance of preserving the support group. It seems that is still relevant today:

A Bit from the Board

The other day, I received a phone call from a homeschool mom in Fluvanna County. She was inquiring about PEACH Skate and was anxious to be able to attend with her children. They had re-located from North Carolina several years prior and were still missing all the benefits of their support group back home. In the course of our conversation, not only did I learn that there is no skating rink in the Charlottesville area, but that it’s also lacking a homeschool support group.

I was flabbergasted. After the initial shock, a mix of sympathy and gratefulness sprung up within me. Sympathy for the home educators of Charlottesville and surrounding counties and a sense of gratitude for what we’ve been blessed with here.

I recalled what a former PEACH president, Lynn Mitchell, had passionately written about in her newsletter address to PEACH members more than once. She urged us all to support our support group and to not let our dedication be trumped by our participation in a co-op.

I felt that to be a timely reminder for this day as well. As you peruse through our needs for volunteers and coordinators on the front page, please remember the mom in Fluvanna county. Without the many hands of PEACH members making light the workload, we would be in her shoes. --Kim, PEACH Newsletter Editor

The reasons are all still there why it is good to have support groups in addition to co-ops. While co-ops offer a structured learning environment, support groups provide a less-structured social network for parents and students.

Many thanks to all the home school parents who volunteer their time for the good of the group. Without them nothing would run, nothing would be provided, nothing would be available. Without volunteers, PEACH would not exist.

The home school community is a special group of friends and I thank them for inviting me to be their keynote speaker at the recent PEACH Senior Banquet. More about that in a follow-up post.

SWAC area home schooler wins regional spelling bee

Sarah Anne Allen has been a smart child all her life and she proved it at Saturday's 63rd annual Scripps Regional Spelling Bee when the seventh grader outspelled her 30 opponents to win the competition. She will now head to the Scripp's National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, to be held June 2-4. She was featured on the front page of Sunday's Waynesboro News-Virginian.

The Allen family is part of PEACH (Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes), the local home school group that brings several hundred home school families together for support, sports, education, entertainment, field trips, teen activities, and plain old good times together.

Home schoolers continue to prove they can compete with their public/private school peers. Last year PEACH student Andrew Taylor won the regional spelling bee and went on to DC where he made it to the fifth round.

We wish Sarah Anne the best as she prepares for the big event in June.

Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)