PCHEA Newsletter
August 2006

Pottawatomie County Home Educators' Association

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The end of summer break is becoming reality and the start of a fresh new school year is laid before us. I am excited about the new school year, and I hope you are too.  PCHEA also has something new--our very own website and online newsletter.  It is my hope that this site will provide a plethora of information to you about homeschooling in Pott. County and that it will encourage you on your home school journey.  Feel free to look around this site and don't hesitate to let me know if you have any ideas to improve it. 
blessings,
Ruth

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL FAIR

    Kick off the new school year by attending the PCHEA annual Back-to-School Fair happening on August 22nd at 7:00 p.m. at the Shawnee Public Library.
    PCHEA will be bringing in guests who offer classes or lessons for homeschoolers, and you will be able to sign up for the programs of your choice.  This will also be the time for new members to join PCHEA and for previous members to renew their membership if they haven't already done so.
    If you know of new homeschoolers or of potential homeschoolers in the area, be sure to invite them to the Back-To-School Fair where questions can be asked and home school opportunities will be presented. 

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WELCOME BACK!!

    I hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer.  I know our summer has been very busy, but a lot of fun and a nice break from school work. 
    I don’t know how many of you renewed your PCHEA membership early so your name could be placed in the drawing for the $20 gift card to Wal-Mart, but I hope many of you did.  I realize a few changes have been made to the renewal of your membership and I hope to clear up some of the confusion.
     Due to the rise in the cost of postage and printing, the PCHEA Officers decided that a fee should be charged for mailing out newsletters.  In order to save on this expense we suggest you provide an e-mail address so the newsletters can be sent there rather than through the mail. 
    The other new item on the renewal form is the FIELD TRIP DEPOSIT.  As many of you know, it takes a lot of hard work to plan and carry out a field trip for our group.  There are phone calls to make, dates and times to set, and lists to keep.  If for some reason a trip is canceled, more phone calls need to be made.  You get the idea; it’s a lot of work.  Then there’s the frustration involved in being a field trip coordinator.  What if people sign up to come and then don’t show up?  How does that make you look? How does that make our group look?  As you know there are many people who don’t approve of home-schooling. If we have to deal with them and our home-schooling group doesn’t show up for an event, then they only think the worst of us and really disapprove of home-schooling.  All we as officers and coordinators are asking for, besides the deposit, is a little common courtesy.  You know, what we as parents try to teach our children to have for adults and each other.  If you sign up for a field trip and for some reason you are unable to attend, please take a few minutes to call the coordinator of this event and let them know you cannot be there.  But please do this BEFORE the time of the trip.  If it’s at the last minute and the coordinator cannot be reached at home please feel free to call me and I will relay the message.  If we do not receive a call for a missed field trip then we will use the $5 deposit for our Awards Night Ceremony and ask you to pay another deposit before the next field trip.  Our group is a not for profit organization and we are not trying to make money off your deposit.  The deposit can also be carried over to the next school year.
    Our group is a ministry to help each other as home-schooling families.  I believe this is a perfect way to teach our children, by example, how to show respect and courtesy to others.  I hope everyone understands the PCHEA Officers and coordinators point of view.  As you know we are not paid for what we do, we do our jobs to better serve our home-schooling community and friends.  Any kind of support and help you can give would be greatly appreciated. 
    Let’s pray for each other as we start another year of teaching our children.  Hope to see you at the Back to School Fair in August,
 
Yvonna Bourlon
PCHEA Leader

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It will soon be time for the Fall Social, so mark your calendars now!  This fun event will take place at Wiegant (Slide) Park from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, 2006.

The Social will be a potluck, so please bring a covered dish to share, along with a dessert and side dish (salad, chips and dip, or a veggie tray).  Each family will need to provide its own drinks.  PCHEA will provide the plates, napkins, and utensils.  The park does have some benches, but you may want to bring some lawn chairs as well.

Slide Park is located west of Kickapoo and MacArthur.  Go west on MacArthur past the airport overpass, then turn left or south on Leo Street.  The street curves to the right, and the park is on the left. 

Please RSVP to Yvonna Bourlan. 

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Items for Sale:

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PCHEA Officers:
Yvonna Bourlan ~ Leader
Julie Cockroft ~ Secretary
Pam White ~ Treasurer

You may contact the leaders through their email addresses or phone numbers as found in the PCHEA directory, or you may email them at pcheainfo@gmail.com and your message will be directed to the proper recipient.

 

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