1. Curriculum trunk sale in West Boylston: two hours only!
From Sharron Smith:
Used Curriculum Trunk Sale
When: Thursday, June 11, 10 a.m. – noon
Where: Bethlehem Bible Church, 307 Lancaster Street, West Boylston
Since the MassHOPE UCS sale has been cancelled this year, I thought we could all get together and have a sale outside. Basically, everyone can park their car and open it up for selling curriculum. You can organize your items in boxes (I like to do mine by price) and have change on hand. Or have people use Venmo. You may want to bring an extra person to manage your sales and collect money while you shop.
If it is raining, the date will be Tuesday, June 16. Same time and place. If you would like to RSVP for such a notification, please email Sharron Smith at sharronz@gmail.com.
Please wear a mask when close to people, practice social distancing, and follow whatever state rules are in place. Bathrooms will be available inside, but please do not enter the building for reasons other than using the bathroom. And also please keep an eye on your children.
2. The Old Schoolhouse
Hungry for homeschool articles? The Old Schoolhouse magazine can supply a fix. This
quarterly free online publication is crammed with engaging and relevant articles. Read the summer 2020 issue at The Old Schoolhouse and then browse through the issue library that stretches back to 2007. Lots of good stuff!
3. Vendor specials!
Check out Vendor Offers on our website for some nice deals from our [cancelled] convention vendors who had been slated to be with us.
4. Online webinar campaign training
From Bill Gillmeister, Executive Director, Renew Massachusetts Coalition:
Running for office takes know-how. Let us show you how.
The best way to change the culture of corruption and death on Beacon Hill is to throw its members out of office! But that means we have to find candidates to run against them and win. Maybe that’s you.
We have two campaign training schools coming up with information that you, your campaign staff, and volunteers need in order to be successful. If you’re interested in running, know someone who is, or just want to learn more about how campaigns are run, then you need to register for one of the following trainings:
1) Campaign Training – Online Webinar
Saturday, June 13, 2020 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2) Campaign Training – Online Webinar
Saturday, June 20, 2020 – 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pre-registration and a $20 registration fee are required. Scholarships are available. To register, please email Steve Fruzetti at Steve@renewmacoalition.org.
Renew Massachusetts Coalition staff, grassroots leaders, and local legislators will guide participants through what it takes to run for office, with a particular focus on winning State Representative campaigns. For those not interested in elective office, there will be sessions on how to organize for a candidate or issues-based effort.
Topics to be covered include contacting voters, organizing volunteers, utilizing digital operations, messaging, fundraising, creating a finance plan and budget, databases, and much, much, more.
5. Co-op in West Boylston has openings for next year
From the Bethlehem Bible Church Homeschool Cooperative:Greetings! We are located in West Boylston and meet on Mondays from 9:15 to 12:30 from the end of September through April, in three sessions. Our co-op focuses on science and IEW writing curricula taught by parents, with a third period class which engages the children in enjoyable interest-based pursuits. We often enjoy going to a local playground or hosting clubs afterwards on some meeting days and taking field trips together at other times, all the while building supportive relationships and developing friendships. Our classes are presented from a Christian worldview. Our statement of faith and our contact information are just a click away! Please contact Christine Cappabianca if you would like to visit, join, or you have any questions, through the contact page of the co-op website.
o) Homeschool During COVID-19
6. * For awareness and prayer * – response from Michael Smith
The recent frontal assault on homeschooling is laid out by Albert Mohler in The Briefing, posted on his blog. In it he makes many references to an extremely hostile piece run recently in Harvard Magazine.
The article has whipped up a huge backlash. Forbes ran a piece highly critical of the article: Harvard’s Lazy Attack on Homeschooling. And the comments Harvard Magazine received on this piece were so scathingly negative that they closed the online article to comments. Here are two more excellent articles coming to the defense of homeschooling: https://blog.hslda.org/2020/04/21/homeschooled-harvard-alumni-excuse-me-professor/https://fee.org/articles/harvard-magazine-calls-for-a-presumptive-ban-on-homeschooling-here-are-5-things-it-got-wrong/
Michael Smith, President of HSLDA, has posted a response as well, addressing the issues of whether parents have an “absolute right” to control children.
7. Legal issues
Keeping an eye on the Massachusetts legislature.
Regarding annual testing and the federal coronavirus waiver:HSLDA wants to clear up any confusion that homeschoolers may have.
8. From HSLDA and its blogs
A global perspective from Mike Donnelly.
An enjoyable changeup: read-online-aloud books about gardening and nature.
For this stressful situation, encouragement and help.
Good resource for your suddenly-homeschoolingfriends.
A school system inadvertently makes a strong case for homeschooling.
9. A bevy of materials, offers, and helps for you and new
https://www.mfwbooks.com/
My Father’s World materials. Includes offer of two free activity packs.
https://homeschoolhistory.com/
Notgrass History web-based curriculum. Free trial.
https://www.iew.com/three-weeks-of-language-arts-instruction-from-iew
Free language arts lessons from IEW.
https://coronavirushomeschooling.com/
Getting started, with free access throughout May.
https://homeschoolfreedom.com/
The importance of Christian homeschool organizations for homeschool freedom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRgV-1tfKz8&feature=youtu.be
YouTube with Dr. Kathy Koch: Having Conversations about Today’s Tough Stuff
https://www.oaclub.org/
Remember Adventures in Odyssey? Free 28-day trial.
https://billygrahamlibrary.org/continue-the-journey-from-home/
Family activities from the Billy Graham Library.
10. Variety of interesting sites suggested by the Heritage Foundation
Science, engineering, and building projects and lessons from The League of Young Inventors.
Exciting free courses from Hillsdale College in literature, politics, history, and economics.
From Joy Hakim: DIY lessons on topics such as the human body, Magellan’s travels, the story of Elizabeth Jennings Graham, and plagues from previous eras.
Students can explore the remains of Athens’ ancient Acropolis, Parthenon, Temple of Zeus, and more in these virtual tours.
Free online language learning materials in English, Spanish, French and German, from Lingoda.
More free language learning from Duolingo, with 23 languages.
Explore Shakespeare with Folger Shakespeare Library, which is offering free access to seven full-cast audio recordings of plays such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello. The library is also providing free access to their video recording of Macbeth. These resources are available free of charge through July 1.
Minecraft has released its Education Edition (free through June 2020) to help children at home. The program provides 50 lessons, STEM, and project based learning activities. Using the platform, students can visit the international space station, explore the human eye, tour D.C.’s most memorable sites, and more.
Core Knowledge offers a vast array of resources. Their Language Arts, History and Geography, and Science curricula are available for free.
TouchMath offers free downloads of TouchMath Workbooks.
11. Virtual field trips with AAA
These are all in the Northeast. Learn all about them now; see them in person some day in the future?
12. Browsing corner for vets and newbies
How To (and How Not To) Homeschool During COVID-19 by John Stonestreet by John Stonestreet‘Most Rewarding Thing You Can Do’: Homeschool Experts Offer Hope to Parents in COVID-19 School Shutdowns by Kayla RootHome-school family feels the impact of social distancing, offers advice to other familiesby Tiffany Kafer5 Tips From Homeschool Veterans For Parents New To Learning At Home by Laura Isensee
13. Know someone who’s considering homeschooling?
From our MassHOPE website: Help and Guidance
| HSLDA’s Getting Started: 7 Simple Steps to Start Homeschooling “Stuff comes up we don’t expect. Sometimes we have to pivot on a dime. Homeschooling can work for your child. Here’s how to jump in and get going fast.” |
14. The MassHOPE Educator ID Card
Educator IDs are now available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website HERE.
15. Are you on our mailing lists?
To those who have been recently added to our email list through our website: if you would also like to be added to our “snail mail” list to receive information (such as our print newsletter) via the U.S. Postal Service, please send your full name and complete mailing address to newsletter@masshope.org.
16. Your news items wanted
Do you know of an event or activity in or near Massachusetts that would edify or interest the homeschool community? Email Anne Smith at volunteer@masshope.organd we will review it for possible inclusion in the MassHOPE Messenger.
17. For-fee advertising
The MassHOPE Messenger is a biweekly e-newsletter that is sent free to approximately 2500 mailboxes. Unfortunately, it is not free to distribute. This cost increases each year, and MassHOPE has limited funds. Therefore we charge a nominal fee of $20 for unsolicited submissions from individuals, and from most organizations or groups unaffiliated with MassHOPE, who wish to advertise their for-fee services. Items will ordinarily run in two consecutive issues. For more information, contact Anne Smith at volunteer@masshope.org.
18. Remember to “Like” MassHOPE on Facebook“Like” MassHOPE’s Facebook page: facebook.com/MassHOPE?fref=ts. You’ll be encouraged in your homeschooling journey and will receive all updates for upcoming events.
19. Do you receive The Voice of HOPE?MassHOPE publishes a quarterly print newsletter,The Voice of HOPE. In addition to announcements you might also find in the Messenger, we provide three or four full-length articles on a variety of homeschooling topics. If you would like to add your name, please send your name and “snail mail” address to newsletter@masshope.org.
20. Support MassHOPE through AmazonSmileDo you shop at Amazon? If you shop through AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to MassHOPE! If you’re not already signed up, you can do so more easily than ever. To start supporting our organization, simply click this link, which is unique to MassHOPE: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-HYPERLINK “http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-3220412″3220412. That’s all! From then on, when – and only when – you enter the Amazon website through amazonsmile.com,Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to MassHOPE. Thank you for supporting the work of your Christian state homeschool organization!
21. How to submit Box Tops for convention savingsYou can earn free or reduced admission to the MassHOPE conventions AND support MassHOPE at the same time! Submissions for the 2020 convention are now closed, but you can start getting credit toward the 2021 convention. Want to submit Box Tops for convention credit but aren’t sure how to proceed? Just click on this link: https://masshope.org/boxtops/