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)
____________________________________________________________________
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
April 25, 2008
Tax Free Day!
Moving this back to the top because it's *THIS WEEKEND*
SPECIAL SALES TAX HOLIDAY
Friday, April 25 at 12:01 a.m. to Sunday, April 27 at 11:59 p.m.
It's time for a Special spring "sales tax holiday," April 25-27, 2008. Consumers in Tennessee may make tax-free purchases on school related items during this weekend.
This is a special spring version of the ongoing Tax Holiday that will be repeated on the first weekend in August each year.
Visit the TN.GOV site for more information about the Sales Tax Holiday and a list of the items that will be exempt from sales tax.
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April 18, 2008
Passover
As we approach the beginning of the Passover Celebration, I've found (with a little help from Jamin) some great resources for you to use to celebrate the Passover at your house. It's good to know our 'roots' and how Jesus fulfills the prophesy.
Jamin and her children made great Lapbooks about the Passover. Her blog is full of all the links she used to create their lapbooks.
If you would like to have a Seder yourself, then find a free download of the Messianic Passover Haddagah here.
If you don't want to download that, you can find a Messianic Seder here that you don't have to download to read. Or one at GodandScience.org
You will find the Messiah in the Passover at AMF International.
Find questions and answers at MessianicJews.net
You can find some Passover printables at Kaboose.com
Of course, About.com has lots of Passover printables.
Learn more about what Passover is about at the aish.com web site.
Have a blessed week!
~Betsy
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April 11, 2008
Freebie Fridays
March 28, 2008
Spring Time Planting
March 24, 2008
HB 2795 DIES!!
Thank you all for your calls, emails and letters to our Representatives!
"...the subcommittee voted against permitting the proposed amendment and then voted to kill the bill. Thanks to your vigilance and outspoken opposition to this bill, the freedom of parents to educate their own children is no longer
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March 23, 2008
Homeschooling 101
Blount Home Education Association (BHEA) will be holding its annual Homeschooling 101 seminar at the Blount County Public Library on Saturday, March 29, from 12 to 3 p.m.
This program will present the basics of home education, including getting started, registering, choosing curriculum, evaluating learning styles, addressing socialization concerns, and much more. Curriculum tables will also be set up so that participants can examine various types of curricula and talk to parents who use the material (no sales). This seminar is free and open to the public.
For more information email info@bhea.net
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March 21, 2008
Used Book Sale - East
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
What: This is the largest used book/curriculum fair in Upper East Tennessee with approximately 12,000 books that are sorted by category/subject. There are also educational games, toys, software, DVD's, etc. Prices start at 50 cents.
Vendors: If you would like to sell books, please go to the webpage and read the "vendors" information. The books must be properly labeled in advance and dropped off the day before. Rules are listed at www.nethea.org.
Who can buy/sell: Anyone is welcome to sell or purchase books. There is a 5% surcharge to buyers and a 5% surcharge to sellers.
Contact: Visit www.nethea.org first. This should answer most of your questions. Or, you can e-mail sonya@sonyahaskins.com.
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