1. Great deal at Great Wolf Lodge!
Looking for a fun local winter getaway? Consider trekking to Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg for a splashing time! Located in northern Worcester County, Great Wolf Lodge has “pawsitively” something for everyone to enjoy. Check out their website for more information, including COVID-related regulations. We are pleased to announce that MassHOPE has blocked rooms for the nights of Monday, 1/24/22 and Tuesday, 1/25/22. The room rate is $119/night and includes access to both the water park and the ropes course! Access begins at 1:00 p.m. on the day of check-in and ends when the water park closes the night of your check-out date! What a deal!
Come alone as a family, or make it a time to get together with other families. Make your reservations by calling (866)980-9653 by 12/17/21, and use our unique code – 2201MAHOPE2 – to take advantage of this special offer. Please note: Unless a cancellation is due to someone in your party being sick, a $40 fee is incurred for any cancellation until 72 hours prior to arrival date. Any cancellation made within the 72 hours of arrival date will be charged 100% for one night’s room rate plus tax.
2. Old Sturbridge Village event November 3
Home school families are invited to Old Sturbridge Village for their final Home School Day of the year on November 3. Many people know Old Sturbridge Village is a great place to learn about history, but there are also a lot of opportunities to learn more about science and math. From the Village’s geology, to the chemistry of making clay into pottery, many of our activities on this day will focus on connections between history and science. In addition, our other workshops will look at the bounty of the fall harvest and consider how to keep warm during the impending winter.Pre-registration is required for all workshops due to capacity limitations. Click HEREfor more information and to register.
3. TeenPact Massachusetts 2022
TeenPact is an “awesome Christian ministry” where your kids can learn about government from a Biblical perspective. They will learn how a bill becomes a law and how elections are run, and hear from elected leaders on site at the State House.
Email Ken at ken.tangel@teenpact.com to RSVP or for further information. Please share with your friends!
TeenPact Massachusetts will be April 25-29, 2022.
4. Thayer Conservatory in Lancaster loves homeschoolers!
The school is offering private lessons on most instruments, as well as many classes and ensembles. Fall semester classes for homeschoolers include homeschool chorus; youth orchestras; ukulele, fiddle, and folk class; Suzuki beginner group violin class; group introductory piano class; and preschool music classes. Visit their website – www.thayerconservatory.org – or email thayerconservatory@gmail.com for more information.
5. MassHOPE Facebook groups
Did you know that MassHOPE has two private Facebook groups in addition to its main Facebook page? If you would like to join the MassHOPE Massachusetts Homeschool Discussion and Support Group (described in Item #7, below) or the MassHOPE Massachusetts Homeschool Marketplace and UCS group, or if you invite anyone to join these groups, please note that there are questions you will need to answer in order to be approved. If you don’t get approved soon after your request to join, perhaps you didn’t answer the required questions.
6. MassHOPE advertising opportunities
MassHOPE has a variety of advertising options available at reasonable rates in several media paths – MassHOPE website, dedicated email, Facebook, MassHOPE Messenger. If interested, please send an email to advertising@masshope.org. All ads are subject to availability and space. MassHOPE reserves the right to accept or reject ads as we must apportion limited space and evaluate relevance to our audience.
7. MassHOPE Facebook discussion group
Connect with us on Facebook at MassHOPE’s Massachusetts Homeschool Discussion and Support Group. This group provides support and encouragement for homeschoolers pursuing privately-funded, parent-led home education. Its purpose is to encourage and equip homeschool parents to disciple and educate their children for the Lord, and to connect families within our state to give them opportunities to gather together for educational and recreational experiences.https://www.facebook.com/groups/MassHOPEDiscussion/
8. The MassHOPE Educator ID Card
Educator IDs are available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website HERE.
9. Are you on our mailing lists?
To those who have been recently added to our email list through our website: if youwould 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.
10. 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.org and we will review it for possible inclusion in the MassHOPE Messenger.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Support MassHOPE through AmazonSmile
Do 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!
14. How to homeschool legally in Massachusetts
This video features Michael Donnelly, HSLDA’s designated counsel for Massachusetts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmELLON4OFI&list=PLe7Gz-9V5xsWzxwNhyZUNrdz0K-tbkz9a&index=21. The link referenced for further Massachusetts-specific articles is https://hslda.org/legal/massachusetts.
15. Getting started? NEW videos and webinars
1.Three-part video series on getting started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVOzkYx2vcA&list=PLe7Gz-9V5xsWAtvLTz1gA1CYyPLBBe-Ke.
2. Helpful overview of how to start homeschooling: https://hslda.org/post/ready-set-go-choosing-homeschool-curriculum-and-more.
3. You Can Homeschool Through High School: https://hslda.org/post/you-can-homeschool-through-high-school.
4. How to Start Homeschooling with Special Needs: https://hslda.org/post/how-to-start-homeschooling-midyear-with-special-needs-q-and-a.
16. MassHOPE: homeschooling in Massachusetts
Check out this MassHOPE site for getting started.
17. A bevy of materials, offers, and helps
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-iewFree language arts lessons from IEW.https://coronavirushomeschooling.com/The importance of Christian homeschool organizations for homeschool freedom.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRgV-1tfKz8&feature=youtu.beYouTube with Dr. Kathy Koch: Having Conversations about Today’s Tough Stuffhttps://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.
18. 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.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.
19. 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 families by Tiffany Kafer5 Tips From Homeschool Veterans For Parents New To Learning At Home by Laura Isensee
