Tuesday, September 2^nd from 11:00am to 4pm at Ringwood Manor
(Rain date: Thursday, September 4^th)

            This year, Parents As Teachers at Home [PATH-23] is sponsoring the Opening Picnic in the northern region of NJHSA.  This event is open to members and non-members of NJHSA.  Bring along your lunch, plenty of drinks, and any outdoor activities or sports equipment that your family enjoys. 

For those of you who have attended previous picnics, there is a great playground area as well as new picnic tables.  There is a wonderful creek nearby so bring those water socks, nets, buckets and a change of clothes!  There are also places to throw Frisbees, ride bicycles, scooters or rollerblade. All children must wear NJ law mandated helmets and protective padding. For those of us who just want to relax, bring your own folding chairs.  Be sure to add sunscreen – the only place you will find shade is in the woods - not at the playground, the open field or our normal eating areas.
            Please be aware that this is a large, open and wooded park.  It is a wonderful place for children to explore.  However, many of the places to explore are not easily "watchable" from the general area.  As always, your children are your responsibility - you, not NJHSA, must provide the supervision.  As in all NJHSA events, the focus is always that the families are responsible for their own children. That means you should know where your children are at all times – and that includes your teens!
            If you have any homeschooling books or curriculum materials you'd like to sell, label them with your name & your asking price and bring them along.  Tables are not being provided to display the books, so you may wish to bring your own or arrange to share with a friend.  Please be sure to gather up your unsold items at the end of the day.  For those of you, who might like to do some shopping while there, remember to bring cash!
            The park's policy is “carry in/carry out” for garbage.  Be prepared to take your trash with you - remember to bring garbage bags with you.
            Attention LSG New Member Contacts from the LSGs in the northern part of NJHSA - you are strongly encouraged to come prepared to greet new homeschoolers and possible new members.   You might want to make & bring a large sign identifying your LSG and have your LSG's information/registration packets available.  Come early to reserve a space at the front tables.  Past years we have had a poor turnout for New Member Contacts.  Let’s make this year different – come early & prepared!

            If you have any questions about the weather on that day, call Carla Abrams at 973.853.4391 or email her at  JCAbrams@warwick.net.  If the event is postponed to the rain date, a message will be sent through the NJHSA Email List. 

 Directions:  From 208: Take 208 N which merges into Rt. 287S.  Take the 2nd exit after that (it comes up quickly) to Skyline Drive.  Follow Skyline Drive up and over the mountain, past strip malls on either side.  At the stop sign, go straight (there is a Catholic church on the right).  You will quickly come to a "T"; go right.  This is Greenwood Lake Turnpike, Ringwood Avenue or Rt. 511.  At second right fork, which is Sloatsburg Road, bear right.  When the road curves to the right (after passing Skylands Botanical Gardens), the entrance to Ringwood Manor will be on the left.
From Rt. 17 N: [Revised] Pass Crossroads Plaza on right, stay in left lanes and follow signs for 17N. This will merge into NY Thruway / Rt. 87N.  Stay in right two lanes, where you will see a sign for “Last Exit Before Toll”.  Get off at Exit 15A to Rt. 17N. At bottom of ramp, make left at light, onto Rt. 17N. Continue to exit for Ringwood / West Milford onto Sloatsburg Road. Ringwood Manor is approximately 5 miles down on the right.