June 26, 2008
Schoolhouse Planner
We are so excited to announce that our much-anticipated Schoolhouse Planner is READY!
The Schoolhouse Planner has so many wonderful features. You told us what you wanted in a planner, and we have delivered!
Some of the main features include:
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Calendars in various forms - yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily
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Planners for your homeschool - in various styles to meet your individual needs
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12 "homeschool must-know" items, one for each month of the year
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12 essays from some of our favorite authors in the homeschool community - you absolutely won't want to miss these!
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24 easy main-dish recipes from some top homeschoolers around the nation
PLUS, the Schoolhouse Planner is interactive! You can type right into the pdf! If you have Adobe Acrobat, you'll be able to save the changes you make. (Note: If you only have Adobe Reader, you can type in your planner information, print it, but will not be able to save these changes.) See a preview of the Planner here.
Don't forget, monthly planner add-ons are available for purchase every month. We already have some great holiday related information ready for July's planner supplement!
We're there with you each month to make your home and school planning as easy and fun as possible throughout the year!
Have a friend who likes an organized home and school? Let them know about the Schoolhouse Planner.
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June 13, 2008
Homeschoolopoly Sale!
June 3, 2008
Summer Time!
Yay for summer time! With the very busy summer most of us have, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be updating this blog on a weekly basis during the summer. Probably bi-weekly or monthly you will find something new from me.
But don't write me off! I'm still here if you want to email me with any questions or concerns about homeschooling in Tennessee. Or just look around. Hopefully I've covered most places you will need linked right here in this blog in the right side bar.
Have a wonderful summer and check back periodically to see what I've come up with to write about!
~Betsy
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May 23, 2008
Memorial Day activities
May 20, 2008
Summer Reading Splash
| TOS SUMMER READING SPLASH! |
May 2008 |
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We're kicking off the TOS Summer Reading Splash and would like to invite your family to participate! (This reading program is open to ANY homeschooled student - you do not have to be a TOS subscriber or a reader of our E-Newsletters in order for your children to participate.) As a matter of fact, we are so passionate about getting children to read, we'd love for you to share this information with EVERYONE you know! Please forward this e-mail to all your homeschooling friends and share the news about the Summer Reading Splash!
Over the next 3 months, we'll provide lots of great information and creative ideas for encouraging your children to read. Below, you will see (in more detail) what all we have available to you NOW. As the summer progresses, we will add more resources to our Splash! website. You'll want to be checking back often! In the coming weeks and months, we will be offering several freebies and downloads to enrich your family's reading fun!
Summer is a fantastic time to promote reading to your child(ren). Take a break from your regular studies and just spend some time reading to and with your children. We are looking forward to this fun new program and hope that you will encourage your children to participate. Please continue reading below to learn more about some of the awesome things we have planned for the summer. Then, go pick up a book and READ!
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| Reading Goals
We will be providing you with downloadable record-keeping sheets; these are available in two formats- for younger students and older students.
We encourage you to help your children set attainable reading goals this summer. If you're not sure how to do this, here are some great ideas for you. Let your children take an active role in helping to set their own goals; they will be more eager to read if they are doing it for themselves!
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| Reading Facts
I would rather be a poor man in a garret with plenty of books than a king who did not love reading.
~ Macaulay~
You may have tangible wealth untold, caskets of jewels, and coffers of gold - Richer than I you can never be - I had a mother who read to me.
~Strickland Gillian~
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Reading Encouragement
Here's a sneak peek at our exciting Summer issue:
- Ten reasons to homeschool your special needs child
- Homeschool Pioneers: Charlotte Mason and Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
- Staying close to our Shepherd and following His voice as we homeschool
What's the fuss over intelligent design?
- Nature walks and outdoor play - their impact on indoor learning
- Homeschooling the gifted child
- Changing theories of history
- Homeschooling families and adoption
- Instill a love for reading in your child
- An interview with Norm Wakefield
- The science of flight
And much more!
Click here to subscribe.
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Reading Tools
To kick things off, download and print (cardstock works best) our fun bookmarks. Our cute Summer Reading Splash! mascot makes these so cheerful!
Speaking of our mascot, this little guy needs a name; and we're open to hearing your suggestions!
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Reading Favorites
We will be offering even more reading incentives on our Summer Reading Splash Blog.
Each Monday, we will post a new topic for your children to think about and answer (for Internet safety purposes, we will have an email address where they can send their replies - please see the blog for more details).
We have a fabulous assortment of books that we will be giving away. Each week, we will share a bit of information about the book(s) that will be offered as prizes for that week. We'll also be providing links where you can learn more about these books.
Then, each Friday, we will have a drawing of all entrants (those who emailed their answers to us), and give away new books (or series of books) from some of our favorite authors! Be sure to check in each week for a new topic and lots of chances for your children to win a new book!
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| Bonus E-Books w/$30 Purchase
Each month of the Summer Reading Splash! (May, June, and July) we will be offering a special E-Book from the Schoolhouse Store- FREE with a $30 purchase. To get things started for the month of May, we have a special treat for you~10 FREE E-Books from Sylvan Dell Publishing. When you make your purchase of $30 or more in the Schoolhouse Store, you will receive a link and a code which will give you access to all 10 E-Books for FREE!
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We are really looking forward to our first ever Summer Reading Splash! We hope that you will encourage your children to participate, not only by reading books this summer, but by playing along in our weekly contests. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
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| FREE E-Book
for kids!
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The Summer Reading Splash! will end on July 31st. During the week of July 24th through the 31st, you will be asked to turn in your child's reading log. At that time, we will be offering each child who participates a FREE E-BOOK. Your child can choose from 10 pre-selected children's e-books (we have selected a variety for age and interests).
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| Offer Expires: August 31, 2008 |
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May 19, 2008
Conferences - East
Here are the listings for the 2008 homeschool conferences/resources fairs in the East that we know of so far. Let me know if you know of any more and we'll get those up too. Thanks!
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BHEA Used Curriculum Fair - Maryville (Alcoa)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
10 a.m. - Noon
Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa TN
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North Knox Homeschool Network "Bless, Buy, or Barter Fair" (Halls)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Christ United Methodist Church
7535 Maynardville Hwy, Halls
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Sevier County Home School Picnic & Used Curriculum Sale
Monday, May 26, 2008
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Pigeon Forge Park - Pavilion #2
Our end of year picnic will be combined with a Used Curriculum Sale this year. Please mark your calendars and come out and join us!
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SMHEA USED CURRICULUM SALE (Knoxville/Farragut)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Knoxville Christian School - Farragut, TN
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NETHEA (Northeast Tennessee Home Education Association)
Used Book/Curriculum Sale
Date: Saturday, May 31, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: Heritage Baptist Church,
1512 John Exum Pkwy., Johnson City, TN 37604
Rules are listed at www.nethea.org.
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Cedar Springs Christian Book Store - (Knoxville)
Used Curriculum Sale
Saturday, June 21, 2008
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Cedar Springs Book Store
504 N. Peters Road, Knoxville
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SMHEA Resource Fair (Knoxville)
June 27 & 28, 2008
Farragut Middle School
200 West End Avenue
Sponsor: Smoky Mountain Home Education Association
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May 18, 2008
HB1652 - killed
FW: From THEA at President@tnhea.org
Hello Tennessee Homeschoolers,
Today, Wednesday, May 14th, Representative Mike Bell decided to take HB 1652 "off notice" which means that he decided to kill the bill for this year, for this session. (The TN General Assembly meets in two year sessions. If the legislators can complete their business as they intend to this week, then the 105th General Assembly will have ended.)
Next January the 106th General Assembly will begin. It will last through the Spring of 2009 & begin again in January 2010 and will conclude in the Spring of 2010.
Yesterday, the companion Senate bill, SB 1827, was put in the General Sub Committee of the Senate Education Committee. This is a way to table and kill the bill. This meant that the bill was dead in the Senate for this session.
As a result there were meetings with the Department of Education, Senator Dewayne Bunch, sponsor of SB 1827, Senator Jamie Woodson, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, and Bruce Opie of the DOE. These are the meeting participants Rep. Bell informed us of, perhaps, there were others of whom we are unaware. He was not in attendance.
In this meeting it was discussed that since legislation had not passed to remedy the problem of the Category IV diplomas not being recognized by the POST, the TN Police Training organization, and by the Department of Human Services, which sets policy for hiring of day care workers, there would be a temporary remedy agreed upon. That remedy would be that on a case-by-case basis, individuals could request a review by these agencies when their diplomas were denied recognition, with the hope that the Category IV diplomas would be recognized by these agencies. This, again, would be the temporary solution until there could be a legislative remedy agreed upon, hopefully next year.
Upon learning of this, Rep. Mike Bell determined that the best step for him was to take HB 1652 "off notice" which means to take it off the Calendar & Rules Committee agenda so that it would not be heard, killing the bill in the House.
He intends to bring a new bill to the House Education Committee next year. He is already working on the strategy for this legislation. The bill would state that Category IV diplomas would be recognized by the state and their agencies, whether obtained by a full time, on campus, church-related school student, or a home schooler affiliated with a church-related school, when the student makes a score of 16 on the ACT.
Taking the ACT and making a 16 is about the equivalent of a "C" grade and is the accepted ACT score for admission in many colleges, including student athletes in the UT system. Rep. Bell thinks that this score could be used as a way to validate the student's high school education and thereby validate their Category IV diploma. In discussion with the DOE, with fellow House members and others, he has had very positive response to this strategy.
So at this point, we will take up this effort again next year. Thank you to all of you who made calls, wrote e-mails, came to the House Education Committee hearing, prayed and worked that this legislation would pass. We will work again to bring a lasting remedy to this serious problem.
Meanwhile, if you have difficulty with your Category IV diploma, difficulty with getting a job because of a Category IV diploma, we ask that you contact THEA at President@tnhea.org or call at (888) 854-3407 and Rep. Mike Bell at rep.mike.bell@legislature.state.tn.us or call him at 615-741-1946.
Blessings to you all,
The Thorntons
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May 15, 2008
Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat
This Friday and Saturday, May 16-17, 2008 is the Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat at Johnson Bible College outside of Knoxville. It's a great weekend to spend some relaxing time with other sisters in Christ and to refresh and rejuvenate. We are expecting a record crowd of over 400 ladies this year!
There will be several workshops on this year's theme, "There's No Place Like Home" including one on homeschooling (okay, so I'm leading that one...with some help from Letitia and others.) Kay Watts Moll is the main speaker and worship music is provided by 2 or More.
See JBC's news and events page for more details.
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May 9, 2008
Spring 2008 TOS
The Spring 2008 issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine is hot off the presses! And with a new way to subscribe that will save you money, shelf space and waiting time! You can subscribe for the new DIGITAL EDITION. You can view a sample of Summer 2007 as a digital issue to see how it works and how convenient and easy it would be to have that type of subscription.
Now, back to the Spring 2008 issue. I read this issue cover-to-cover (as usual) and came up with this article to share with you, just to whet your appetite a bit.
"The Inside Scoop on Washington, D.C." by Maggie S. Hogan (pg. 152 ff) was such an informative article about what to see, what to do, and hints on how to get it all done when you visit our nation's capital. Maggie has noted specific points of interest and added hints on taking children and even on parking in D.C. (I don't recall any hints on driving in D.C. which is a challenge unto itself.)
Also this Spring 2008 issue has lots of article concerning the Preschool years, so if you have toddlers and preschoolers, you'll certainly not want to miss this issue. Enjoy!
~Betsy
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May 6, 2008
Committee Passes HB1652
May 3, 2008
HB 1652 alert
Tennessee homeschoolers are facing another horrible piece of legislation on Monday. If passed, it will require that parents who homeschool their children under Category IV schools have a college degree. Category IV is the "freest" way that we can homeschool in TN and it is very scary that this threat exists. It is a threat brought about by the Department of Education.
Here is a brief history of what is going on:
This is a brief history of the Category IV legislation about which we are asking you to call the House Ed. Committee members
John Evans, Sr. was told in mid April, that his policeman son, John Jr., a 2001 graduate of Gateway Christian School, would lose his job as a policeman if he did not take and pass the GED within 90 days. Rep. Mike Bell found a bill to which he could attach an amendment requiring state agencies to recognize the diplomas of Category IV schools, schools such as Gateway, Aaron Academy, Family Christian Academy and others.
Reps. Mike Bell (R) and Dennis Ferguson (D), sponsor & co-sponsor of the Category IV bill, testified before the Higher Education sub-committee of the House Education Committee Tuesday, April 29th. Mike told the sub-committee members that he has a very personal stake in this matter; his son who is now working towards certification as a fire-fighter is a graduate of a Category IV school and his daughter who is a high school senior will graduate in a few weeks with a Category IV diploma intending to attend a near-by Technical School after graduation.
Rep. Ferguson (the representative of Evans family) and Rep. Bell are both deeply distressed over the treatment of John Evans, 2001 graduate of a Category IV school who lives in Roane County (Ferguson's district), graduate of Walter State Community College with a 4.0 GPA from the Police Academy, serving as a Police Officer since Jan. '08, now required to give up his cruiser work and take a desk job with all of his pending criminal arrests possibly invalidated, until he takes and passes the GED because the TN DOE says that his '01 Category IV high school diploma is invalid or "worthless".
With discussion and supportive comments from many of the sub-committee members, including Les Winningham, (D), Chair of the House Ed. Comm., and Rep.Tommie Brown (D), the bill passed the sub-committee yesterday.
The Department of Education has just entered an amendment to this bill which will require all parents teaching grades 9-12 (and all teachers in category IV schools teaching grades 9-12) to have a baccalaureate degree from state accredited associations.
We Ask you to please call or email NOW to the House Education Committee members and ask them to support HB 1652 WITHOUT the DOE amendment.
They meet Monday, May 5, 2008 at 3PM!
Please pray that the amendment passes, but NOT the attached amendment.
(information derived from the TOS Staff prayer email, May 2, 2008)
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House Education Committee members
WEST TENNESSEE members:
Memphis members:
Bartlett:
Somerville:
Dresden:
MIDDLE TENNESSEE members:
Huntsville: NE of Nashville:
Portland: N of Nashville:
Nashville/Brentwood:
Pegram: SW of Nashville:
Murfreesboro:
EAST TENNESSEE members:
Livingston:
Knoxville:
Sevierville:
Chattanooga:
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April 30, 2008
National Day of Prayer
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