Lighting Fires for Homeschoolers

Homeschool thoughts

This is just in from Brad Haines from FHE!

In an unexpected and unusual move, the RULES committee has returned HB 1543 to the originating committee (Education). Therefore, NO PHYSICAL PRESENCE IS REQUIRED IN JEFFERSON CITY for HB 1543 at this time. It will be a minimum of two days, and likely a week or more before the bill can clear both committees again in order to go to the floor.

Regarding SB 805, while this issue may affect home educators in a higher percentage than others, it is a parental rights issue. When making calls regarding SB 805, it is not necessary to identify yourself as a home schooler, nor to imply this uniquely affects home educators. This is an issue of an agency with a poor record of respecting parental authority being given unilateral decision making authority.

Phone calls and emails on both the lowering of compulsory age and giving additional authority to social workers (opposing both) are still useful and encouraged. Watch your email for more information to arrive later.

The Following “E-Lert” is being sent by FHE to all Missouri Homeschoolers requesting immediate action. Phone calls need to be made NOW to your Representatives regarding amendments to HB 1543 lowering compulsory age, and as many as are able need to attend the hearing on SB 805 which gives Social Workers (many without sufficient training) sole “legal” authority to remove children from their parents, without due process, based on the social worker’s assessment of the need for “protective custody.” HB 1543 will likely be debated on the House Floor sometime tomorrow (probably towards evening), so lobbying against lowering the compulsory age can continue in person throughout the day. Please pass this on to all Missouri home school and pro-family friends. (For more information if you are able to go to Jefferson City on Tuesday, Feb 9th, contact Kerry Messer when you get to the capitol at 314-971-2477)

Education Policy

Compulsory Kindergarten

Monday

February 8, 2010

5-6 pm

House Hearing Room 5

Basement, State Capitol

HB 1543

See previous E@lerts.

This bill is expected to clear the House Rules Committee with no problems and be placed on the House Perfection Calendar as soon as Tuesday morning.  This will clear the way for floor amendments as soon as the bill is taken up for debate.

Rep. Sara Lampe plans to offer at least two amendments aimed at lowering the  state compulsory attendance age and to hold parents criminally liable for not placing their 5 or 6 year old children in formal education.

One of her ideas is to lower St. Louis and Kansas City to age 5.  The second idea is to require a minimum age of 6 for the rest of the state.  Uncooperative parents would face prosecution and prison time!

ACTION NEEDED:

Call your State Representative immediately ask them to vote against any amendments proposing to lower compulsory attendance ages from the current state law of age 7.

Parents who are afraid of the sex, drugs and violence in their schools should never be forced to send their children to such schools.  Those schools should be made to clean up their system rather than asking the state to criminalize good parents.

Also, those parents who do not believe a child is developmentally ready to go to kindergarten should not face prosecution for doing what is best for their own child!

Social Workers

Your Children or Theirs?

Tuesday

February 9, 2010

8:15 am

Senate Committee Room #1

1st Floor Missouri State Capitol

SB 805

The Senate Health, Mental Health, Seniors and Families Committee (Senator Norma Champion, Chairman) is scheduled to take public testimony on Senate Bill 805.  Any Missouri resident may participate and all concerned citizens need to be present.  The State already claims too much authority in removing children from their homes.

This bill expands the list of people empowered by the State with the authority to remove your child(ren) from your home even though many others already have this subjective power.

SB 805 Allows social workers with the Children’s Division to request a juvenile officer to take a child into protective custody even though they have never received any training regarding law enforcement or legal jurisprudence.  They do all their work under civil law where criminal law and constitutional rights mean little to nothing.

Current practice is for social workers to have law enforcement or certain authorized persons to assist when taking a child from a home.  This bill would allow the social worker the unilateral right to sweep up children with no properly trained law enforcement officer involved.

ACTION NEEDED:

Please attend the public hearing at the time and location listed above.  You have the right to have your appearance noted for the record, or to speak to the committee about your concerns if you so desire.  It is important that as many folks as possible come to Jefferson City for this hearing to remind Senators how serious it is to take children away from parents, even if the social worker grew up in a better socio-economic situation and cannot understand how poorer people still love their children!

Going . . . going . . . almost gone!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is a wonderful magazine that should be in every homeschool home! You will find encouragement in every issue and personally I go back to some of the older ones to help me recall what I have read on specific subjects.  Don’t let this special get away from you!

(link: http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=175)

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is saying good-bye to their $7.95 subscription price (one year, U.S.) and international sale prices of 40% off at midnight on December 31, 2009. There is still time to treat yourself or share the gift of homeschool encouragement with your family and friends.

Receive 4 issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine RIGHT NOW for only $7.95 (U.S.)! That is less than $2 per issue. Canadian and international subscribers save 40%! Your subscription will start with the Spring 2010 issue. This includes one-year gift subscriptions!

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link: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschooling/Almost-Gone.htm

Hurry! December 31 is the deadline for the sale prices!

(link: http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=175)

This comes highly recommended by MATCH!

Candy has compiled verses dealing on different topics so that you have them at your finger tips.  Three of them that I have reviewed are “Healing Book”, “The Word of God on Prosperity”, and “Woman Book”.  I reviewed the ones that have been written from the KJV but she has other versions for some of the books as well.

The thing I liked the most about these books is that if you are looking for encouragement in any of these areas she has done the “leg” work for you and they are so you can read the verses pertaining to the topic.  I find myself spending a lot of time just trying to find the scripture on a certain topic but she has them already looked up and where to find them in the Bible.

These are wonderful books to use for a Bible study on your own, family Bible study, Sunday School Bible study or just so you have them at finger tip when you need them.

Thanks Candy for all of your work!

Wow, if you are looking for a PE setup for your preschool through highschool kids I have just the program for you!!  The Kids Shape It Up program is WONDERFUL and keep the kids attention.  Mrs. Lynn is a pro at grabbing the kids attention and keep it.  Her program moves constantly for 20 minutes and has all sorts of moves in it.  You will see them play baseball, basketball, bowling, etc during the time they are working out.  She has cute little animals run throughout the workout and you will hear special effects.  Mrs. Lynn encourages you throughout the whole time.

This is excellent for the whole family no matter what the age and it isn’t something that takes forever to do.  As a mother of a handicapped child, I have been really excited to watch him enjoy working out with Mrs. Lynn, too.  So, those of you who need something to do with those handicapped children, this has been wonderful and encouraging for me.  Mrs. Lynn also does a health lesson at the end of the workout.  You don’t have to do the same workout every day either, so it makes it where it isn’t boring to the kids.

I have personally gotten to know Mrs. Lynn and she is up beat and is wonderful to work with.  Check her out at http://www.kidsshapeitup.com or visit our convention website for her specials.

Just wanted to let you all know that the special classes for Homeschool Day are almost all full.  I am putting a link to the pdf (schedule update) of the update on the classes.  The times in red are totally sold out and the others only have a few openings left.  There will be other things to do in the city but once these classes are filled that is it, first come, first serve.  Make sure to get your homeschool friends to sign up!

We are really looking forward to this years events.  We hope to see you there!

Orilla Crider, Director

Just a quick update on Homeschool Day at Silver Dollar City.  The classes have been filling up and some new ones have been added.  Please take a look at http://www.match-inc.org/2009Schedule.pdf to see the updated information.  All classes are now being scheduled through Silver Dollar City.  So make sure to call and get pre-registered.  All of the paid classes MUST be signed up before October 3rd.  To get the discounted prices on the two day tickets you MUST also call before hand!

For more information about the big event and discounted hotels for this weekend go to http://www.match-inc.org/sdc.html.  The hotels listed have made a special attempt to give some good discounts to us for this weekend.

This is going to be our biggest Homeschool Day yet and we are very excited about it.  You don’t want to miss out!! Come renew friendships with other homeschoolers from past years and make some lifetime friends.

We look forward to seeing you there!

As the Homeschool Day at Silver Dollar City approaches we want to make sure those of you that are planning or want to attend are able to enjoy everything.  But please let me stress that the workshops that you have to pre-register for and pay for are filling up fast.  Unknown to any of us, people started calling in on Monday and registering and one of the classes is all ready almost full!  So, don’t want until the 24th to call in and pre-register DO IT NOW.

For those that wanted more information about the cooking class that cost $10 is as follows:

The Culinary & Craft School salutes the Great American Cowgirl with three great western recipes, perfect for Homeschool students ages 8 and up. We will jump in the saddle with a presentation on Southwestern Potato Salad made with red potatoes and a zesty seasoning. You’ll also learn to make a hearty meal with our Campfire Baked Beans, loaded with savory sausage. And for a sensational side, we’ll show you how to make crisp Corn Fritters, drizzled with Silver Dollar City’s own sauce. During the 4pm class, learn kid-friendly cooking tips as Debbie walks through each dish and then take the recipes home to recreate them yourself!

Classes are approximately 60 minutes in length and are limited to 34 people. These classes are not recommended for children ages 8 and under; parents/guardians please use your discretion when making reservations. Seating in the Demonstration Kitchen is open 10 minutes prior to your scheduled class, available on a first-come basis as you check in at the Culinary & Craft SchoolVisit www.sdcculinarycraftschool.com to make your reservation or to see a list of classes to come.

Make sure that when you sign up for the cooking class to sign up for Cowgirl Cuisine class on October 3 at 4:00.  They will be working into the class a beginning to cook session for those new beginners.  This class is open especially for the homeschoolers but the tickets that are bought before hand will be open to those that want to attend otherwise.

We are seeing a lot of people signing up for the free workshops also, and don’t want you to miss out on these either.  Once the workshop (either paid ones or free ones) are filled that is all that will be able to attend these special events this year.  So don’t wait until last minute.  For more information about the events and time schedules going on that day go to http://www.match-inc.org/sdc.html.  To sign up for the free events go to http://www.match-inc.org/rollercoaster.html and http://www.match-inc.org/marvelcave.html.  To sign up for the paid workshops call 800-417-7770 you can also get a meal ticket when you call.

You can have your tickets and workshop handbands mailed to your for an extra $3 or pick them up when you arrive at the City.  Without the handbands for the different workshops you won’t be able to attend so if you have them mailed to you MAKE SURE TO NOT FORGET THEM!

Watch for signs as you arrive that will guide you to the sign-in booth at the horse shoe behind the water wheel.  We will have goodies for everyone and the schedules for the day and maps.  Make sure to bring your homeschool friends with you.  This is the biggest that Homeschool Day has ever been at Silver Dollar City and we are planning for a wonderful day.

Don’t miss out on any of these wonderful new adventures that are being made possible.  It will be a fun, busy and educational time for everyone.  Make sure to bring a lot of energy with you and your camera’s to help remember this day.

We look forward to seeing you there.
Orilla Crider

Fiesta of Freebies, 2nd Edition needs to be in every homeschool! One thing I have found over the years, freebies are a great way of adding to my teaching!  This ebook is full of wonderful helpful things for all ages.  You will find a section of activities and lesson plans; a section for helping those students learn more about the American Revolution; free art classes; Bible study helps; children books and stories from old records; college information; ebooks; software and maps and the list goes on.  Don’t have the money to buy a bunch of curriculum buy this book and you will have plenty of things to help you and your children keep busy!

Get this great copy from The Old Schoolhouse!

“Help, Lord, I’m Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!” is a wonderful encouraging ebook! This isn’t a book to tell you how to homeschool your child but an encouragement of how others made it through the high school years.

Each chapter is written by a different person and how there family made it through those tough years.  I found myself relating to some of them as they struggled with having older children and younger ones, “normal” children along with trying to teach handicapped ones.  You will find that even though all of them were happy that they had homeschooled their children, there were down times and times of questioning.  It is nice to know that others have those moments too.

This ebook is chalked full of stories that real mom’s went through.  As we are seeing down times when money is sparce, you will find help and encouragement; wondering if you can really teach what they need through high school to be ready for college, experience it with some that had the same questions; rethinking what your true goals for homeschooling your child are and see that God is faithful to helping us all through to the end no matter what stumbling blocks may be placed in our way.

Overall, this has been a blessing to me.  To see that others have seen there children go through these tough years of their lives and find fulfillment has been an encouragement to me.  It reminds me just why I started homeschooling over 12 years ago and that our family too can make it all the way through.  Great job ladies!

Get your copy from The Old Schoolhouse!