Fireproof the Movie opens this Friday, September 26, in the following theaters in Hawaii:

• Dole Cannery, Honolulu
• Kahala Theaters, Honolulu
• Ward Theaters, Honolulu
• Ka'ahumanu 6, Kahului

This film was produced by Sherwood Baptist Church, the same church who brought us Facing The Giants. The church has also tied this movie to a ministry, entitled Fireproof My Marriage. This ministry shares resources on marriage, including counseling and programs for churches.

http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com/

From HomeschoolViewTube:

HomeSchoolViewTube.com, what is it? It’s homeschooling from your view. Pull up a chair and surf your way to your new favorite spot to upload your homeschooling themed videos. Share your experiences, ideas, and knowledge with your fellow homeschoolers. Think of it as your very own Virtual Co-op. Do you know how to teach a certain subject? If so, this is the place where parents can find resources to supplement or enrich their homeschooling experience. Are you a student? Share what you know and what you are doing. The opportunities are endless.

http://www.homeschoolviewtube.com/

Hat tip to Esther.

The Smithsonian magazine is once again sponsoing free museum admittance on Saturday, September 27th, 2008.

You must download the an admission card from the Museum Day website. Each card allows the bearer and one guest to gain free admission to participating museums. The museums available in Hawaii are:

  Bishop Museum Hawaii Maritime Center

Honolulu,

From HSLDA:

It’s time to plan for the SAT/ACT college admission tests. Register online for these tests at the College Board website or the ACT website. Test schedules and fees are listed there as well. A word to the wise—encourage your teen to prepare before taking these tests. On HSLDA’s website you can find test prep resources and tips or purchase an SAT/ACT prep CD. Remember, HSLDA members are always welcome to call or email the high school coordinators with questions.

The Preliminary SAT^®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a standardized test that measures the critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing skills your student has developed over the years.

Why?

Here are just some of the reasons for your student to take the PSAT/NMSQT:

• The test is the best preparation for the SAT.
• If your student is in the eleventh grade, he'll be eligible to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's scholarship programs.
• The test identifies your student's academic strengths and weaknesses.
• The test forecasts SAT scores.
• He'll gain access to My College QuickStart™, an online personalized college and career planning kit that he can utilize throughout high school.

When?

Students take the PSAT/NMSQT in the eleventh grade to qualify for scholarships and to prepare for the SAT. Your student can also benefit from taking the test in the tenth grade or earlier because he'll get personalized feedback on the academic skills he needs for college. By taking the test before eleventh grade, he'll have more time to develop these skills and to begin the college planning process.

Depending on the school, the PSAT/NMSQT is given on one of two days in October. Test dates for 2008 are Wednesday, October 15 and Saturday, October 18.

How Does My Student Register?

You or your student should contact a local public or independent high school. Call the school's main number and ask to be directed to whoever handles the PSAT/NMSQT arrangements. Be sure to do so well in advance of the mid-October test dates, preferably during the previous June when the majority of schools place test orders. Most high schools should be accommodating. If the school seems resistant, you should ask another school in the area. Search for high schools in your area. 

Here is a list of questions to ask the school when registering:

How Much Does the Test Cost?

The fee for the 2008 PSAT/NMSQT is $13. The school may charge an additional fee to cover administrative costs. The College Board makes fee waivers available to schools for students in eleventh grade from low-income families who can't afford the test fee. Talk to the high school's counselor for more information.

Is My Student Eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's Scholarship Competitions?

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation cosponsors the PSAT/NMSQT. Your student must be in the eleventh grade to qualify for the scholarship competitions. Several home-schooled students have been awarded scholarships. For more information, contact your local school's counselor or the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Hat tip to Julie K.

Constitution Day is September 17th. There are many resources online to learn about our Constitution. Here are a few:

http://constitutionday.cpms.osd.mil/course-choice.htm

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ConstitutionDay/

http://www.constitutionday.cc/

http://hancock.constitutioncenter.org/constitutionday/display/MainS/Home

Join other homeschoolers as we celebrate our freedoms on this day!

Hat tip to The Informed Parent.

There are currently two bills in the U.S. Congress which could potentially affect homeschoolers. The first, S. 3076, would provide an optional tax deduction for homeschool families. HSLDA and Home Education Magazine have both written about this bill.

The other bill, HR 6737, was introduced on July 31, 2008. It has yet to be commented upon by leaders in the homeschool community. To read the text of this bill, go to the Library of Congress search engine THOMAS and enter bill number HR 6737. This bill also involves amending the federal tax code in favor of homeschoolers.

On Friday, the California Court of Appeal unanimously overturned their earlier decision that effectively banned homeschooling in California. They acknowledged that homeschooling is a valid type of private school education and is legal under current law.

Thank God for this victory, and thanks to all for your prayers.

Do you have a great support group that you want to kill? Courtesy of Elena at My Domestic Church, here are the quickest ways to do just that.

1. Stop Having meetings. That way no one connects and new people never have a chance to come and make friends.

 

2. Don't have strong discernible leadership. Spread the leadership over a large committee that way no one person has a vision or a focus and no one is ever quite sure who to go to.

 

3. Make a big controversy over something that has almost nothing to do with homeschooling. Point out all the ways people in the group are different and make sure everyone sees where the battle lines are. Then folks can just break off and take like-minded folks with them, further diluting the effectiveness of the original group.

 

4. Miss certain touch points. If you have a yearly picnic - miss it this year and don't tell anyone why. This is more effective if you can combine it with another missed event like dues notification. Then people really will start to wonder if the group is still going on or not.

 

5. Go out of your way to make it difficult for new people to join. Don't advertise your meetings and make sure all the topics are only of interest to old timers.

Hat tip to Esther.

The last seriously comprehensive national study of homeschoolers took place in 1997. In the time since NHERI had focused on a study of adults who were homeschooled. It's now past time to see how homeschoolers in general are doing.

If you tested your child for the 2007-2008 school year with one of the following testing services, and you know your child's student number (on the results page), you are asked to participate in the study online.

• Bob Jones University Press
• Family Learning Organization
• Piedmont Education Services
• Seton Testing Services

To participate in the study, have your child(ren)'s student number(s) handy and go to the following website:  www.nheri.org/study. It takes only a few minutes to complete.