Educating Locally. Learning Communally. Living Freely.

Lighting Up Christmas

/

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

pinterest
The holidays seem to come sooner and sooner every year.  They're here now in full tilt, and the Upstate is ablaze with holiday fun for the family.  With the days growing shorter and the nights coming earlier, why not check out a few of these beautiful, long-standing holiday light traditions?

St. Francis Festival of Lights

Beginning November 28th and running to December 25th, the trees of North Main Street in downtown Greenville will be lit up in a free, festive decor of fairy lights.  Take a stroll along the shopfronts of North Main and enjoy the crisp night air, holiday camaraderie, and the St. Francis Hospital's token of appreciate for twenty-two years running.

Roper Mountain Science Center Holiday Lights

Christmas 2012 will mark the twenty-first year the great star has shone over Roper Mountain.  Walk among a tradition of lights this December with your family, stretch your legs, breathe the fresh air, get ready for the holiday shopping!  You won't want to miss participating in this hub of holiday Upstate tradition.  For prices and more information on this fun fieldtrip, check out their webpage.

Biltmore Christmas

The Biltmore's expansive plantation has many options for the homeschooling family this year.  See their enormous Christmas tree, have a candlelit evening, or wander the decked halls on tour to experience the richness of an Old World-style Christmas.  For a complete list of events and prices, check out their webpage.

November Educational Workshop

/

Monday, October 29, 2012

Here is a reminder to join PHEA and the Home School Resource Center for their bi-monthly, free educational talks.  All talks will be held at 7:00 pm at Fellowship Bible Church (coffee and dessert will be provided!) and delivered by HSRC instructor Dr. Mike Butler.  
(For a schedule overview on upcoming topics, click here!)

Upcoming Workshop:
Issues and Ideas for Educating the Special Needs Student
November 13th, 2012

Fellowship Bible Church
115 Buist Ave.
Greenville, SC 29609
7:00 pm

Color Clay Cafe Fall Schedule

/

Sunday, September 30, 2012

FALL 2012 WORKSHOPS & SPECIALS
Expand your horizons creating with clay, canvas, wood, metal and glass! Whatever your
previous experience in art, you’ll learn to work comfortably with the materials and tools
available in our studio. Classes are taught as a step-by-step process, allowing each person
to work at their own pace. Clay handbuilding, canvas painting and glass workshops require registration seven days in advance. Mosaics, pre-cut glass and acrylics choice projects can be done as walk-ins on designated days. Check the calendar for studio specials too.

Workshops

Basic Mosaics Learn to assemble colorful patterns using a design of your choice. Decorate a wooden tray, box, whimsical shape or suncatcher. Suitable for adults and children age 8 and above. Prices range from $9 to $76. Every Monday, 1-3pm, thru Nov 12
Clay Handbuilding Transform a ball of clay into a favorite fall leaf dish, a handprint turkey or a set of holiday ornaments. Suitable for adults and children age 8 and above. Children age 5 and up may attend with an adult. $25 includes two firings and painting.
Painting with Acrylics Master basic brush strokes with these versatile paints. Decorate a
choice of magnetic bulletin board, clay planter, wooden birdhouse, mirror frame or chalkboard tile.  Take home the same day. Suitable for age 6 and up. Prices $9 to $18. Explore color blending with acrylics on canvas and develop skills in shading, layering, composition, and perspective.
Glass Fusing Our newest art form is lots of fun! Just select a base piece and cut or nip smaller pieces to layer on top. Once all pieces are glued in place, we melt the glass in our kiln to produce a textured surface that can be shaped into a dish. Suitable for adults and children age 12 and above. Prices range from $10 to $35 including instruction on safe cutting.
Or join us to make small glass projects using pre-cut pieces. Projects such as night lights, coasters and suncatchers can be made in 30 minutes. Suitable for age 6 and up.

Specials

Family Day/Couples’ Day Families of up to four members paint one piece each for a combined studio fee of $12. Couples (any two people) paint one piece each for a combined studio fee of $6.  Pieces must be completed the same day. No reservation required.
Kids’ Day Kids age 12 and under receive FREE studio fee on one piece each. Pieces must be completed the same day. No reservation required.
Ya Ya Night Ladies save 25% on pottery painted from 5-8pm. Regular studio fees apply. Pieces must be completed the same day. Ya Yas may bring in refreshments. Reservation required.
Home School Days Join us for reduced rates on select projects on the first and third Fridays, from 11am to 4pm. In September, reduced rates apply on the second, third and fourth Fridays.

2518A East North Street 
Greenville SC, 29615
864-244-3445

Dr. Joseph Pipa, Creation Seminar

/

Saturday, September 29, 2012



"What the rest of the Bible says about Genesis"
By Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
President of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
October 25, 2012
Book table opens at 6:30 pm.
Program begins at 7:00 pm.
Sponsored by the Creation Study Group
Hosted by Second Presbyterian Church at 105 River Street, Greenville, SC.

Join Dr. Pipa as he helps others to understand and appreciate Genesis, to learn if it is a myth or a foundational document for the rest of scripture. Does Genesis contain any doctrines for the church of yesterday and today? Does it matter if the six days of creation are 24-hour days or just eons of time? In short, he will be dealing with how the rest of scripture confirms a literal translation of Genesis 1:1-2:3.

The Rev. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., Ph.D. was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Belhaven College and Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, and received a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has served as Pastor of Presbyterian Churches in Mississippi and Texas, wrote Sunday School materials for Great Commission Publications, and served as Director of Advanced Studies and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in California.

On January 1, 1998, Dr. Pipa became the first and continues as President of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina. Joseph and his wife, Carolyn, live in Greenville, South Carolina.

Dr. Pipa is the author of: Root & Branch; William Perkins and the Development of Puritan Preaching (Ph.D. dissertation); The Lord’s Day; The Westminster Confession of Faith Study Book: A Study Guide for Churches; Galatians: God’s Proclamation of Liberty.

Free Educational Workshops

/

Monday, September 10, 2012

PHEA & The Home School Resource Center invite you to 

Free Educational Workshops 

Join us for bi-monthly educational talks on the following subjects. 

Writing Lesson Plans and Units of Study
 September 11th, 2012 

 Issues and Ideas for Home Educating the Special Needs Student 
November 13th, 2012 

Assessing Your Student’s Progress 
January 8th, 2013 

How to Prepare Your Home Educated Student for College 
March 12th, 2013 

Creating and Maintaining a Home School Portfolio 
May 14th, 2013 

All talks will be held at 7:00 pm at Fellowship Bible Church (coffee and dessert will be provided!) and delivered by HSRC instructor Dr. Mike Butler
Save the date! We’ll see you there. 

Upcoming Workshop: 
Writing Lesson Plans and Units of Study 
September 11th, 2012

The Teaching of Kindness

/

Friday, August 24, 2012


The Teaching of Kindness

My kids and I have been back to school for three weeks.  I’m already starting to feel some of the “how are we going to get this all done?” stress that we all feel from time to time.  Perhaps it is because I’ve been busy making lesson plans, looking forward not just to the week ahead, but to Christmas and beyond, trying to make sure I’ve got us on the right pacing to get through the books in good time.  Maybe it is because August has been such a busy month filled with things that take us out during the school day, and I feel like I’m trying to cram in a little schoolwork wherever possible.

In all likelihood it is probably a great deal of both, and next week when we will have a full, uninterrupted week of school and I can really gauge how things are going, I’ll feel a lot better about the whole thing.

"THE TEARS IN HER EYES TOLD ME I HAD LET MY IMPATIENCE GET OUT OF BOUNDS."

Such rational thoughts, however, were not in my mind when we sat down in front of our math book yesterday.  “We must get through this math lesson,” I thought, “It’s only two pages, and it’s not that hard, we can get it done in this little timeslot…”

Clearly I had reckoned without my student, who had struggled with this lesson on her own the day before and was going to need my gentle guidance to get through it.  I whisked us through the first page and on to the second.  It was while she was pondering the mystery of six plus two that I lost it, “Six plus two, sweetheart,” using the endearment in anything but an endearing way, “What is so hard about six plus two?”

The tears in her eyes told me that I had let my impatience get out of bounds.  Chastened, I apologized.  We both calmed down.  I presented the problem again, more gently this time, and just like that, the mystery was solved – eight!

Over the years, my moms, my sisters and I have discussed the application of various aspects of the verses in Proverbs 31 that deal with the godly woman.  Can “She brings her food from afar” be applied today by shopping the sales at various grocery stores to help a tight budget?  Does “rising while it is yet night” apply even after the kids have been up three or four times during the night?  And what exactly is a distaff?

The verse that I think applies most specifically to my homeschool is verse 26, “She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”  How often I need that verse applied in my dealings with my children!  It is one I return to often, reminding myself on those frustrating days to keep the “teaching of kindness” on my tongue and not to respond with impatience or frustration.  It is the verse with which I must confront myself when I have failed, and seek forgiveness and renewed strength from my heavenly Father.

Three years into our homeschooling journey, I’m learning how to make sure we get everything done without stressing myself out.  I’m learning too that there are some days, even whole weeks when I should leave the books on the shelf and focus on the other necessities of life.  As long as I am conscientious to give school top priority most days, there is no harm in taking a day off now and then when necessity dictates.

I hear from other homeschool moms, those whose children are in high school and beyond, that those early years are tough, but keeping in mind the bigger picture can help when it seems like getting through this particular workbook page is going to make all the difference between going to Harvard and being completely uneducated.  What matters now is teaching my children gently and with respect for their developing understanding.

As we begin another school year, may we guide our children with “words of wisdom and the teaching of kindness.”

"IT WILL NEVER HURT YOU TO BE KIND."

Fine Arts Alliance Registration

/

Friday, August 17, 2012


It is true! It is time to register for classes at the Fine Arts Alliance.  They will once again be offering piano and visual art, as well as various workshops and adult classes throughout the year.  This year each art specialist will be working in their own perspective studios instead of having one central location.  Please contact the teacher that you will be working with to arrange studio time and directions.
Please contact Elisabeth Boyle 864-360-0027 to schedule your piano lesson.  Contact Carol Anne Good 864-380-4805 for special workshops throughout the year, as well as Birthday parties and Winter Break camps. Contact Susannah Mele 864-458-7586 for children’s Yoga and art. Contact Eric Benjamin 864-640-7000 for beginner—advanced visual art.  This year Eric Benjamin will be teaching three classes after school at his home studio on East North Street.
Art Attack!   A great beginning art class where students learn about influential artists, historical and contemporary, and then create art work inspired by the artist. The first semester will focus on painting.  The second semester students will delve into sculpture, pastel, and collage.  Each year the artist will change.  Tues.  3:30-4:30   $75    Grades 1-5
Learning to Draw   An intermediate class based much on the drawing classes of my freshman year of college.  This is a focused class for students who want to learn to draw what they see, and enjoy their time doing it.  The second semester students will take a more creative spin on their art work working with painting, printmaking and collage. This class will never exceed five students to one teacher.  Thurs. 4:15-5:30   $100  Grades 4-8
Portfolio  This class is for the student who wants to begin preparing work for their portfolio.  Whether it is for advanced placement in an art class, high school arts program, or college, this class will help you create work that your instructors will be looking at.  This class is based on portfolio requirements of the SC Governors School for the Art and Humanities.  Tues. 4:45-5:45   $100 
Classes begin Sept 6 so register now.  You can register by email at fineartsalliance@gmail.com or call 864-640-7000 and leave a message.  You will be notified upon registration acceptance.

Classical Stringers: Making an Orchestra

/

Friday, August 10, 2012



Do you have students who play the violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp or guitar and would like for them to participate in a string orchestra with lots of ministry opportunities?  Then maybe the Classic Stringers is for you!

The Classic Stringers is over a dozen years old, and was the first of its kind in the Upstate.  Donna Ringenberg has had the privilege of directing this group for a number of years now.  Their philosophy is one of ministry, although they also strive for a high level of musicianship.   The goal for this group is that the students will see what a blessing and inspiration their music can be to others.  Hopefully, as they see the opportunities, they will desire to keep playing their instruments throughout their lifetime.  They have played all over the Greenville community and beyond:   nursing homes, hospitals, Hagood Mill, Festival of Trees, Rescue Mission, GSP for Honor Flights, church services, Simpsonville Activity Center, Patrick Center, childrens homes and shelters, and even a grocery store as well as an end-of-the-year final concert.  The Classical Stringers not only play music, but have helped put on Valentine parties for Mauldin Church of God Children's Home.  This is a venue where your student not only plays together with other "stringers" but has leadership opportunities as well. 

The Classical Stringers play a variety of music: they have performed fiddle, classical, Christmas, patriotic, hymns, and movie themes.  They accept all levels of musicians from beginner to advanced, however you should have at least a semester's worth of lessons.  There will be music for everyone, and some special numbers for the more advanced.  You will also have the opportunity to mentor younger students.  This school year the Classical Stringers will be working on Christmas music first semester, and second semester will be hymns, classical and Irish fiddle.  

Where do the Classical Stringers meet?  
Pecknel Music Company

When?    
Thursdays from 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. during the school year, beginning on the 3rd Thursday of September

Who directs?
Donna Ringenberg, BJU music ed. grad, Suzuki trained,
Assistant Director, Rebekah Ringenberg, BJU grad, Suzuki trained

What instruments?  
Violin, viola, cello, string bass, guitar (1st semester), harps are also welcome!

How much does this cost?
 $55 for the first semester, and $65 for the second semester

I have more than one child in the family who would like to participate.  
Do I get a price break? 
Yes, the 2nd /3rd/ etc., are only $10 for each semester. 

Sign me up.  What do I do next?  
E-mail Donna with questions or sign-ups at we8praisehim@aol.com.

Actually Finishing Something July

/

Friday, July 27, 2012


Actually Finishing Something July

With a couple of writers in our family, I am always interested to learn the little tricks and methods they use to overcome inertia, shake off writer’s block and make themselves sit down and write.  So I was very intrigued when my sister mentioned that she was participating in something  people in her sphere call “Actually FinishingSomething July”.  The idea is to set a goal, writing a certain number of words, or in her case finishing a couple of scenes that have been troubling her, by the end of July.

‘What a brilliant idea!’ I thought to myself, and knowing that my house could use a little “Actually Finishing Something” impetus, I looked around for a suitable project.  The piles of school books covering various surfaces in our house were a great place to start.  I really needed to sort out the books we used last year from the books I’ve been picking up for the new year and get my lesson plans started.

Well, there’s one week left and I’m pleased to report that my bookshelves look better than ever.  This year’s books lie together in a box waiting for me to get around to lesson plans (Actually Writing Lesson Plans August, anyone?).  Last year’s books are on the shelf waiting for the next child to be ready for them.  All those books I borrowed from my parents when we needed more information on a subject have been returned.  And I have the feeling of having actually accomplished something!

By why mention it here?  Not to pat myself on the back, but to encourage you.  We have just a week left in July, and incidentally until the renewal applications are due.  Let’s use this last week to accomplish something.  Count up those days and make sure you’ve done 180 (I was astonished to find that I had miscounted the first time and came up four days short!).  Have one last look at last year’s lesson plans and make sure everything is written down.  Take a moment to gather some examples of your students’ work in each subject as proof of the work you’ve done.  Don’t forget to write down a few grades.  Then initial those lines on the renewal application, you’re almost finished!

With all this work done it won’t take long to finish filling out the application.  Now you can sit back, relax and bask in the glow have finally finished something!  Well done!

The office staff is here gearing up for 
“Wading Through Piles of Applications August”.

- Deborah Hartman

Service Academies, National Guard & ROTC

/

Monday, July 23, 2012

From South Carolina Senator Lindsey O. Graham

"It is my pleasure to invite you and area home educators to learn more about our nation's prestigious Service Academies as well as post-high school opportunities with the South Carolina National Guard and ROTC.  The meeting will be Monday, August 13th, from 9:00 a.m. until noon at the South Carolina National Guard Armory in Anderson.

"Every year I have the honor of nominating ten of South Carolina's best and brightest students to our Service Adacemies.  These include the United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy, and United States Naval Academy.  A student must secure a nomination in order to be eligible for an appointment to attend one of the Academies. (Note: the Coat Guard Academy is also a Service Academy, however, a nomination is not required for admission.)

"Due to the complexity of the nominations process, I want to ensure that you are familiar with the information students will need in order to apply.  Representatives from each Academy will give a brief presentation on their admissions and nominations process, and representatives from the National Guard and ROTC will provide an overview of their programs.  Afterward, you will have the opportunity to speak personally with the various representatives."

Home Educators Meeting for Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties Program Overview

Learn more about Service Academies, SC National Guard, and ROTC
Hosted by US Senator Lindsey Graham
Monday, August 13th, 2012
9 am until noon
SC National Guard Armory
3111 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Anderson, SC

Welcome

Overview of Academies and presentations
  • US Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • US Coast Guard Academy - New London, Connecticut
  • US Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point, New York
  • US Military Academy at West Point - West Point, New York
  • US Naval Academy - Annapolis, Maryland

Overview of Senator Graham's Service Academy nominations process

Overview of other programs
  • SC National Guard
  • Reserved Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)

Questions/Answers

Close

Please RSVP no later than Friday, August 3rd, to academy_nominations@lgraham.senate.org.

Equal Access to Interscholastic Activities

/

Saturday, July 14, 2012


Equal Access to Interscholastic Activities
In 2012 South Carolina granted equal access to home school students to public school interscholastic activities.   This law allows home school students as well as students from the Governor’s schools and charter schools to participate in interscholastic activities of the school district in which they reside.
This is a law that has been long fought for by the home school community.  Now that it is in place we have a responsibility to make sure that we
1)      Understand what the law grants us AND what is doesn’t.   (It grants us access but not a guaranteed place in any sport or other activity that requires try outs.)
2)      Do the research necessary to find out the rules and regulations that apply to any student (public or home schooled) before we contact anyone about participating
3)      Represent the home schooling community by being polite and understanding as we all work together to get the necessary forms and procedures in place.
Please read the following information carefully – then reread it to make sure you did not miss anything!    

    IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HANDLE THE TRANSITION PERIOD WITH GRACE AND PATIENCE.

For those of you who are interested in S149--the Equal Access or Tim Tebow bill--this is the current status.  Please be aware that, while the primary concern is for athletics, this new law covers ALL extracurricular activities from second grade up. 
1.  Please download a copy of the law ( http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/149.htm ) so that you can read it for yourself and know what it says.  Unlike many laws, this one is quite simple and straightforward.
2.  Please understand that this is new ground for everyone.  It is a work in progress and we all need to be very patient with each other, especially during this first year as both sides work through compliance.
3.  Please remember that many of the schools still don't understand all that is involved with this law.  The best place to ask questions concerning athletics is at the High School Athletic League office.  You can find information about them at www.schsl.org. Just send an email with your specific question.
4.  Please remember there are requirements for every sport that include pre-season training sessions.  Please know the schedule for the sport you are interested in participating in.  Those dates are listed on the SCHSL website also. You cannot expect to walk in the first of October to play basketball if everyone else has been working out since early summer.  The process of notification of pre-season workouts and the actual try out dates for each sport are the sole responsibility of the parent and athlete. Often times they are posted on the school’s website. Better yet, email or call the Athletic Directors (AD) or coach.
5.   Please understand that there are forms that need to be filled out.  These are normal forms that everyone no matter where they attend school is required to fill out.  You MUST fill out an Intent to Participate form. This form is located on the SC High School League website (listed above), each county’s website and on the PHEA website. This form must be in the hands of the respective county superintendent BEFORE the beginning date of each sport. Parents should expect that home schooled students should be treated just as any other student. We are not seeking special treatment. Therefore, please do not take these forms as a personal affront.  Having a cooperative attitude will go a long way in making this work while both parties work through compliance and transition issues.  While the High School Athletic League will have a basic form, each county could develop its' own forms.  It would be best to check your particular county. The form for Greenville County can also be accessed from the county’s website.
6.  In order to assure legal verification and academic eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities, parents must request a letter from their accountability group stating the student is legally home schooled in the state of SC.  The accountability group will respond to the public schools request by providing this information on accountability group letter head and signed by the head of the accountability group.  This letter will verify that the student was legally homeschooled in SC for at least a year prior to the request. Parents must also ensure academic eligibility by presenting a grade report form to the school.  A sample grade reporting form is included on www.Palmettofamily.org site. You do not have to use this but it may help in your communication with district AD’s.
There is still some discussion on how the verification of eligibility will occur.  Right now it appears that when the family submits the Intent to Participate form, the county will contact the home school association for verification of registration and that it will be the responsibility of the parents to provide the records for grades and attendance.

We are working with several groups to provide standard forms for these records to make it easier for both the parents and the school districts.  As soon as they are available, we will post them on our website.

The Twenty-First Century

/

Monday, July 9, 2012

Shiny screens, glossy icons, everything at your fingertips at the click of a button.  Connect with PHEA and its Home School Resource Center affiliate by Facebook, Twitter, and email!  Yes, we are coming into the twenty-first century.  It's a crazy, space-age world and we're glad to be here with you.







More changes to come. Stay tuned! The dragon of technology has been woken.

"I Waited For You Guys!"

/

Thursday, June 7, 2012


"Hello???"

If you’ve called the PHEA office in the last few weeks or sent in your renewal application, you may be wondering why it has taken us so long to get back to you.  The answer is that being industrious homeschoolers, we’ve been colonizing the moon.

No, really, May has just been a crazy month for our office workers.  On top of the usual phone calls and applications, we have had a busy few weeks.

Lisa, who answers the phone and the emails, had a daughter get married.  As the mother of the bride, she has been busy making sure everything was just right.  From decorating the church to the last minute details on the bridesmaids dresses, Lisa was by her daughter’s side.  The wedding was beautiful, and Lisa is back in the office as of this week.

Jenny, our illustrious application processor, took two weeks to accompany her husband on a trip to New York and Boston for his Landscape Architecture program.  Having walked an average of ten miles a day in each city, she is back, and ready to rest her feet in front of the computer.

Gabrielle, our secretary-in-training, graduated from high school last week, and will be taking a well-deserved vacation with her family.

And then there’s all the behind the scenes work going on in the office.  The deadline for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is June 15th, and Martha and Kim have been working full-time to get the Senior Class Ranking done.  While it doesn’t sound like a big deal, they’ve been entering four years’ worth of grades for 140 seniors, and checking and re-checking their grade point averages.  It is a lot of work!

We're pleased to report that the calculations are nearly done.  Kim and Martha will emerge from the mountain of paperwork, and the office will be humming along as usual.  Until then, we appreciate your patience – it may take a little longer to hear from us, but we are still here, answering your questions, processing your applications, and designing our first moon rocket.

Splashin' With Homeschoolers

/

Friday, May 18, 2012

                             8th Annual SPLASHIN’ with HOMESCHOOLERS
                             Exclusive Rental of Discovery Island Water Park including Flowrider,
                             limited to 300 people

Event Date: Saturday, JUNE 23, 2012

 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, May 25, 2012

Time: **Arrival time: 5:30 pm**
Water Park play time: 5:45 – 7:45 pm

PLEASE arrive by 5:30 for check-in, so that height checks & wristbands, life jackets for little ones, and paid attendance for all attendees can all be checked and completed BEFORE the gates are opened – so that ALL of us can PLAY for the whole 2 hours! This is very important!!! PLEASE arrive by 5:30 pm.

Sign Up at www.familytouch.org (“Public Calendar” located on left-hand of website.)

 Location: Discovery Island Water Park (at Southside Park, between Mauldin and Simpsonville) 417 Baldwin Rd., Greenville, SC 29607 -- 864.963.4345 See Greenville Recreation District website for directions or info about park greenvillerec.com

AGES/GRADES: ALL – This event is open to all homeschoolers and their families, NOT just Family TOUCH members Family TOUCH members will be given first chance to sign up, for one week, before this event is opened up to the wider Homeschool community.

COST: - Ages 2 and under are free. Children age 3 or older AND all non-participating adults must pay. Cost is $ 6 per person age 3 or older.
This is MUCH cheaper than the park’s regular full-price admission!!)

 ** DRESS CODE: DRESS CODE for this event is MODEST SWIMWEAR ONLY – girls and ladies, MODEST, ONE-PIECE suits only - guys, NO speedos please. Every year, despite this request, a few girls show up in bikinis. ANYONE, of any family or any age, who violates the dress code policy WILL be asked to COVER UP with a hip-length tee shirt immediately or LEAVE the event. This is a Family TOUCH sponsored event, and we WILL follow the Family TOUCH dress code policy. This dress code is in place to promote Christian values in our young women and to support our young men in their efforts to remain pure. Please take this seriously and cooperate. PLEASE do NOT put me in the position of having to enforce this policy AGAIN this year!!!!!

OTHER INFO: WEATHER - In case of park closure due to severe thunderstorms, event will be rescheduled. NO REFUNDS will be given if event must be rescheduled.

LUNCH or MEAL PLANS - ON YOUR OWN before or after event – NO outside food allowed.

New for this Year: life jackets required for guests under 42” Must be US Coast Guard approved. Guests are welcome to bring their own or use one of the park’s.

ACTIVITY PLANNER Name: Jeanie Burrell Email: marlanaburrell@att.net Cell Phone: 864-350-2258

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, MAY 25, 2012 Family TOUCH members will be given priority until Monday, April 30, and then this event will be opened to the wider, regional homeschool community. Sign up early to ensure your spot. This event has sold out EVRY year and most years there has been a long waiting list. Event is limited to 300 people TOTAL, including non-participating adults or siblings.
 ** Cost is $ 6 per person age 3 or older. Infants and children age 2 and younger are free, all children age 3 and older AND all non-participating adults must pay.
 PAYMENT INFORMATION: PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE of Friday, May 25, 2012 IF payment is NOT received by the deadline, then your reservation will be cancelled, and the spot opened up to the next person on the waiting list. I will send out reminder emails, to any who are still unpaid, about a week before the deadline; and then, if still unpaid, cancellations will be done on Friday, May 25, 2012. We have only a few weeks in which to collect all money and pay GCRD, or we will lose our reservation. Payments must be in on time. PLEASE include a valid email address with your sign-up information! Adult or Child age 3 or older - $ 6 per person PAYPAL: Log into your own PayPal account and send payment to paypal@familytouch.org. CHECKS: Checks payable to Family TOUCH. Payment must be RECEIVED BEFORE May 25. - Mail to FT Treasurer at 805 Dills Farm Way, Greer, SC 29651 NOTE THE EVENT NAME ON THE MESSAGE LINE OF YOUR PAYMENT.

Why Do We Need To Test?

/

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Image from Pinterest
As we had anticipated, there have been many concerns regarding the new rules on testing.  We have had questions sent in (see some here!) and have been guiding people through the answers to the best of our ability.  This post deals with one of the big issues: the whole reason behind the rules themselves.  So stay tuned and hopefully concerns may be mitigated.


Question

My husband and I started standardized testing with our oldest daughter last year. This was the first year she was old enough for a test to be valid. We firmly believe that we should do this, so that we have a baseline of knowledge and so that we know that we are on the right track. However, we are concerned about others asking for her scores. We believe that as her parents, we are the ones who are ultimately responsible for her education. This is why we chose homeschooling and why we chose this group as our third-option support group. We were very grateful that you did not ask for these details about our children and respected our privacy. I am confused about your new policies. Are you going to ask us to send in our children's grades and test scores, or are you just asking us to continue to personally keep up with our children's grades and are adding a testing requirement—where we keep the results. 

Answer

We completely agree with you on who is responsible for the education of children.  We have a good group of parents who understand this, do the research to know what they need to do to effectively home school and just do what they should.  Unfortunately, we also have quite a few families who don't see home schooling that way.  More and more, we are getting families for whom home schooling is just another educational option to use when they think it will benefit them.  They jump around from public to private to home school and back again. They do not know and do not read about what they need to do to make this work.  We send them information but they appear to never read it!

The motivation behind asking for test scores comes from the difficulty we have experienced over the past 5 or more years as we process the senior scholarship applications.  We find that most parents do NOT do standardized testing with their students.  By junior year of high school most kids should have taken the SAT of ACT at least once, but on average about 20 out of 130 actually do this.  When we do the scholarship application we have to base the nominations on the grade point averages (GPAs).  We get students with either no test scores or very low test scores (300-400 range out of 800 possible) with GPAs that put the student at the top of the class.  This is the disconnect that was talked about in the PHEA letter.  If we wait until the senior year to collect this information, it is too late to sort out any discrepancies or to help families that for some reason just didn't know that they needed to do this.  We are asking for this information beginning in 8th grade as most home schooled students are advanced and do high school level classes in 8th grade.   In order to be able to calculate the GPAs we need all the high school classes and grades.  To do the scholarship submissions, we are required by state regulations to rank ALL eligible seniors so we have to collect the information from all our families.  (The only exceptions are special education students who do not do this kind of testing in public or private schools either.)  Until this year, we have asked for this information at the beginning of senior year, but as was said above, we are finding this is not early enough so we are now asking for the information year by year for those high school years.
 

[When we do the scholarship submissions, the only things we send are the student name, school district (not address) the GPA and any test scores.  All of the information we receive to allow us to generate this stays in our files and no one besides the one or two people that do the GPAs and transcripts even sees it.]

This is what the home school playing field is looking like these days and we have to make our plan of action accordingly.  We want the best for our families and we work hard at smoothing this process for them - but we depend on you too!  Here's a shout-out of thanks to all the people who sent in questions: your questions and hopefully our answers will help other home schooling families.  As always, send us more questions if you can think of them!  

Testing Questions - Answered

/

Monday, May 7, 2012

Image from Google

Questions – we get questions!

Since we mailed out the renewal forms and included the requirement for students in 8th-12th grade to do standardized testing, we have received many questions about the policy.  Here are the most common ones.  If you have others please let us know and we will post answers to those as well.

1)        Why did PHEA institute the testing requirement?

Our goal in the testing requirement is not to penalize the home school family with extra requirements.  It is to ensure that we all know the approximate range the student is testing in.  We are looking for test scores that match what the parents expected and what is within a normal range for their grades.

2)       Will I have to have my high school senior take achievement tests or will taking the ACT be sufficient?

The SAT or ACT is actually the preferred test in the sophomore, junior and senior years.  In addition, if the student scores in an acceptable range in his junior year, we will waive the senior testing requirement.  Our goal in the testing requirement is not to penalize the home school family with extra requirements.  It is to ensure that we all know the approximate range the student is testing in.  We are looking for test scores that match what the parents expected and what is within a normal range for their grades.

3)       I have a disabled son that is under PHEA that would not do well in that type of environment or that kind of testing.  Will he have to do standardized testing?

Any PHEA student who is registered as special ed will not be required to do the testing.  In addition, for students who are not specifically listed as special ed but do have a documented learning disability we would like a brief explanation of the disability to keep with the records.  We will waive testing on a case-by-case basis for these students.  Many of these students still go on to college and will need the test scores – perhaps with accommodations or perhaps without.  That depends on the long-range goal of the student.  On occasion, by the time the student is a junior or senior, having the LD label attached is not helpful for them to pursue the goals they want to reach.

4)       Where can we do the testing?

Bob Jones testing services have a number of choices available.  These include:
a)      A list of approved testers who will come to your home and do testing with your students.
b)      Options to become a tester and do the testing at home yourself.
c)      On-site testing – this is in classroom size groups of like grade range.  Individual testing is available for students who need accommodations.  This test comes with a half-hour session with a counselor who will explain the test scores.  Please visit  their testing center online for more information on this option.

Again, if you have any other questions, drop a comment or an email our way and we would be happy to help clarify these requirements.

Mothers' Day: Color Clay Cafe!

/

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Image from Pinterest
Recipients of our former Digest will recall that almost every issue had something to say about Greenville's Color Clay Cafe.  Color Clay Cafe is a fun, homeschool-friendly way to turn pottery into an art anyone can enjoy.  

The upcoming Homeschool Days for Color Clay Cafe are May 4th and 18th.  Don't miss them!  Participants will be making terracotta pots for new spring plants.  For more information, visit their Homeschool Days page on their website.

If you are new to the Color Clay Cafe, visit their Workshops page to get an overview on the sort of crafts they are offering.  From mosaics to glass fusion, parties and lessons, the Color Clay Cafe is bound to have something interesting scheduled for you to enjoy. 


Hint-hint: Mothers' Day is coming!

2012-2013 Application

/

Tuesday, April 24, 2012


Hoorah! After spending the past several days seated on the couch watching "Jeeves and Wooster" and BBC's "Merlin," stamping and labeling envelopes, folding applications, etcetera, I can proudly say that this year's batch of renewal applications are making their way into the mail.  Please disregard any funny brown streaks you may find on your applications: three-quarters of the way through folding the hefty piles of paper the skin of my thumb became so worn that it gave way altogether.  PHEA is such a dangerous job!

I want to highlight a few things on the application for this upcoming school year (2012-2013).

Grades and Test Scores

If you have a copy of the application, complete with blood, sweat, toil, and tears, please note the very last page.  Due to an increase in court cases against homeschoolers we must insist that you fill out this sheet of paper for any students between grades eight (8) and twelve (12).  Obviously the application comes with only one transcript sheet: within the next few days PHEA's new website will go live and there will be a link on this blog to an online transcript page.  Stay tuned for that.  But please: we must have proof of records for the safety of our members.

When writing in your homeschool children's names on the back of the application, please remember to give us their grade.  We don't mind calling you up to ask if you forget, but we can get your registration processed faster if you make sure to write down the grades before you send the application to us.

 Registration Fee

Because we have overhauled the way PHEA works, the fee structure has changed also.  Please be sure to take a good look at the registration fee and make sure your math is correct.  We are charging ten dollars ($10.00) per highschool  student, but if you are able to submit the required records via email (pheatranscripts@gmail.com) we will drop the fee to only five ($5.00).  There is a section on the application to mark this off: please don't miss it!  As always, before you send us your application make sure you have remembered the check: those little slips of paper are so easy to overlook, but we can't process your application without it.  Note: the late fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) is only for renewing families.

Please note: If, due to economic difficulties, you are unable to raise the registration fee, we will waive it.  We would far rather your family be regis.tered and legal.  Send a note in with your application regarding your fee and we will be happy to register you.

School Districts

No one knows intuitively (even I don't know!) what the school districts are for the South Carolina Upstate.  Confused, when we ask for the homeschooler's school district, some people put the name of the nearest school in their area.  This is not what we are looking for.  South Carolina counties are divided up into large districts, each with its own name and often a number attached.  To help, we've set up a separate page here on the blog with a step-by-step guide through SCIWAY to help you find your school district

Due Date

Blood, sweat, tears, and all, we are trying to get these precious bundles of paper out to you as quickly as possible because the dead-line for returning them to us is July 31st.  After July 31st renewing families will have to pay the late fee ($15.00).  The economy is poor and we don't want you to be penalized, so sharp's the word!

Welcome to the New PHEA Digest!

/

Thursday, April 19, 2012

After years of working at the printing press, the PHEA Digest has lurched forward into the twenty-first century with its own shiny blog!  On this blog you will be able to keep abreast of new activities going on in the area for your homeschool students, keep tabs on book fairs and individual sellers, peruse lists of any co-ops, and get in touch with other homeschoolers. Additionally, here you will find updates on the Piedmont Home Educators' Association itself, so if you have any questions come on over and check out this blog as well as the official site.  You may find the answers you are looking for without having to pick up a phone or type an email.  

We're here for you. 
 

Followers