Fox Valley, WI
Informational Meeting
8/14/2008 at 6:30pm
Chiliwack, BC
Registration Day
Monday, August 25th, 2008 Starting at 10.00am
Sandpoint, ID
Registration Day
Friday, August 15, 9:00 a.m
Johnson City, TN
InformationMeeting
Aug 14 th 7:00 PM
Frederick, MD
Annual Co-op Kick Off Picnic!
Sunday, August 31, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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Every gift you make to FCHM helps us plant homeschool co-ops around the world.
Thank you for supporting the ministry of FCHM.
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
It's back! Our $25 for 25 Spring promo is in full bloom.
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Hello, Homeschoolers!
Have you been to your state homeschool conference yet this year? Jay and I have been busy speaking to homeschoolers all over the country this summer ... and every time we do, we come away with a renewed sense of purpose as we minister to these wonderful families. We think homeschool families are amazing. It's just one reason why we're so passionate about getting folks plugged into to local support through First Class.
Homeschooling families need support and encouragement. Period. I remember my first couple of years as a homeschool mom. I wanted to read every article, talk to every seasoned homeschool mom who would listen and buy every "how-to" book out there. If there was a "Homeschooling for Dummies" book out then, I would have been the first one to buy it. (Of course, my relatives would have really started talking after they saw that on my coffee table, so it's probably better that it wasn't a book back then.) But you know what I mean, right? The pressure I felt to be the perfect homeschool mom was enormous.
My first homeschool conference was overwhelming, too. Mostly because I chose to go to a CURRICULUM CONVENTION rather than a homeschool conference. So many math programs! So many different ways to teach your preschooler colors! So many ways to teach your child to read! So many books, and only three days in which to see every single one of them! I came home with a box of books that I wasn't sure exactly what to do with, and more questions than I started out with. Has that ever happened to you?
Jay and Heidi St. John will celebrate 19 years of marriage soon, and are the homeschooling parents of six children who range in age from sixteen to two. Heidi speaks to mothers with humor and grace on many subjects dealing with homeschooling. If you are interested in having the St. Johns speak at your event, please contact them through FCHM.
14th Annual WATCH Homeschool Conference
This year's Washington State, statewide conference is going to be something you will NOT want to miss! Hosted on the beautiful campus of Seattle Pacific University, the 14th Annual WATCH Homeschool Conference & Family Retreat is filled with dynamic speakers, like David Quine, Dr. Tom Hoyle and Terry Small; a teen program with Bill Jack of Worldview Academy; a children's program with Children's Conferences International; special guests, Paul & Gena Suarez of The Old Schoolhouse; a large and wonderful exhibit hall; informal dorm talks with our featured speakers at night; and a chance for you to spend quality time with other homeschooling families.
Jay & Heidi St. John will be speaking at WATCH! If you haven't met the St. John's, it is an opportunity to take a workshop from them. You will see first hand the heart of the couple behind First Class Homeschool Ministries!
We asked Jessie about 20 questions... and here are her responses.
Jessie is an open and honest friend sharing her heart from a Navy wife's perspective.
Thanks Jessie!
Why did you begin homeschooling? We asked God if we could; He said yes!
Why do you homeschool today? God has blessed us and entrusted us with His children. To know Him, to love Him and see Him in this world is a blessing. We have a rare opportunity to take our kids by the hand and seek Him with them. Homeschooling is a chance to truly try and do better each day. It is just what we do, and part of who we are. And for now, because we can!!!
How do you homeschool? With lots of prayer and on a tight schedule!
What is your biggest homeschool challenge? Time management.
Before First Class, where did you find homeschooling support?We were involved in a group called MHEN (Military Home Educator Network) on Oahu.
How long have you been involved in First Class? 18 months.
What has First Class done for your family? Encourage, love, strengthen, challenge and support. First Class has been like a big hug to our homeschooling endeavors and blessing in every way.
Jessie Haan and her husband Nick live in Mount Vernon, WA - and anywhere else the Navy sends them!They have been homeschooling their four children, Timothy 11, Kristen 9, Abbie 6 and Leah 4, for five years.They are members of First Class Skagit County, in Mt. Vernon, WA.
The Value of Homeschool Conventions
Part 1 of 2
By Amelia Harper and Deborah Wuehler
If you are like most of us, you are probably just a tad discouraged about now. You are in the thick of homeschooling. Lessons are a little behind schedule, especially after the holidays. The curriculum you chose just isn't working out the way you hoped. Somewhere down the line, the organizational charts have disappeared and you suspect that the dog ate them. Your kids have started to ask questions that you can't answer, and you may feel very, very alone. Boarding school is starting to look like an attractive option.
Cheer up! Homeschool convention season is just around the corner!
Homeschool conventions are a great place to learn what went wrong and to share the excitement of what went right during your homeschooling year. You can learn how to get better organized, find new answers to puzzling problems, grow encouraged, and do what homeschooling moms love to do most-shop for new school materials!
Deborah Wuehler is the chief contributing writer for Chapel, and Devotional Door e-Newsletter creator. She resides in Roseville, California, with her husband Richard and their six gifts from heaven. She loves digging for buried treasure in the Word, reading,
Good News: California Home-Schoolers Applaud Decision
by Devon Williams, associate editor
Monday, July 14, 2008 Focus on the Family Action/Citizenlink.com
Family-court action could convince appellate court not to interfere with home schooling freedoms in California.
A California family-court judge has dismissed the case that led a higher court to call for a statewide ban on most forms of home schooling.
Home-school advocates are hopeful the decision will influence the 2nd District Court of Appeals, which ruled Feb. 28 that California parents without teaching credentials cannot home-school their children.
Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the family-court ruling is a victory for home-schoolers.
News, events and Information as it pertains to Homeschool Families in Washington State. Please note, posted information has not specifically been reviewed or is endorsed by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine or the volunteer blog coordinator. Please review posted information carefully to determine its suitability for your family. God bless your homeschooling journey.
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Jessie is an open and honest friend sharing her heart from a Navy wife's perspective.
The Value of Homeschool Conventions
Good News: California Home-Schoolers Applaud Decision
