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1. MassHOPE Convention registration is opening soon!
Save the dates April 23-25, 2026. Don't miss this great event. Our convention will feature Wil & Meeke Addison, Danny Craig, Jeannie Fulbright, Andrew Pudewa, and many more. Make it a weekend all under one roof. Great speakers and exhibit hall vendors ready to inspire and help - don't miss it! Spread the word!
Watch for registration to open soon.
And...the ever-popular Children’s Program is returning this year. First-come, first-served, so don’t delay!
2. MassHOPE graduation ceremony June 6 at Holden Chapel
Do you have a child who will graduate from high school this year? Have you given any thought to how you will commemorate this milestone? This year will mark our 21st formal graduation ceremony. It will be held at Holden Chapel on June 7 at 2:00 PM and is an opportunity to invite your family and friends to join in a celebration of both the accomplishments and the plans of your student. If you are interested in learning more, please send an email (including your graduate's name) to Susan Jacobsen at
graduation@masshope.org
. She will be happy to send you the graduation packet providing more info including how to sign up.
But don't wait until the last minute! There is a deadline: you need to have your registration form and payment postmarked by April 1.
3. “Berean Challenge” at Sattler College
From Jonathan Rocha, Director of Admissions;
Join us on March 21 from 2:00–4:00 PM for our inaugural Berean Challenge, a lively Bible knowledge competition hosted on our Sattler campus. Open exclusively to high school students, this event invites participants to test their knowledge of Scripture in a friendly but rigorous setting—whether they come well-prepared or rely on what they already know. The winner will receive a $1,000 (no strings attached) cash prize!
The Berean Challenge is ultimately designed to encourage careful study of God’s Word while fostering fellowship and healthy competition. All are welcome to attend, cheer on participants, and enjoy the afternoon—no prior preparation required.
Jonathan Rocha, Director of Admissions
(617)934-6179,
jirocha@sattler.edu
100 Cambridge St., Suite 1701, Boston, MA 02114
sattler.edu
4. ONE-DAY TeenPact for 8-12-year olds
For many students, TeenPact begins with a simple but meaningful experience — a day spent learning, exploring, and connecting with new friends who share their
curiosity and excitement.
These one-day state classes (sometimes affectionately referred to as “TeenyPact”) are created especially for students
ages 8–12
, giving younger students a chance to experience TeenPact in a fun, welcoming environment where relationships form naturally and confidence begins to grow.
Throughout the day, students will:
• Join together in worship and prayer
• Participate in prayer walks
• Discover how laws are made
• Take part in an engaging mock legislature
Students don’t just learn about leadership at TeenPact — they experience it firsthand alongside new friends, building skills and memories that last long after the day ends. This year, New England classes are available in Connecticut and New Hampshire (see item 12, below). To reserve your student’s spot,
CLICK HERE
.
5. February speaker vault – Rand Hummel
The MassHOPE website features a
CURATED LIBRARY OF
RECORDED WORKSHOPS
(to be updated this coming weekend) from past conventions. Over the years, we have had the privilege of hosting hundreds of inspiring speakers, and we regularly showcase some of their most encouraging presentations in this section. For February, we invite you to listen to a thought-provoking message by Rand Hummel, a longtime youth pastor and camp ministry director with decades of experience working with teens and families.
In this workshop, Rand addresses one of the most pressing issues facing Christian families today: how to train children and teens to honor God in a digital, media-saturated culture. He challenges parents and grandparents to move beyond simple rules and instead ground their children in biblical principles that will guide them when they are no longer under direct supervision.
This session is both convicting and hopeful, offering practical strategies, biblical insight, and encouragement for families seeking to raise spiritually mature young people who love God more than the world.
6. Field trip fun in Boston
Do your kids know how water magically appears in your sink with just a quick turn of a faucet? Find that out, and much, much more at the
METROPOLITAN WATERWORKS MUSEUM
in Brighton. This retired historic pumping station, featuring three original mammoth steam engines, is located in a magnificent building at the edge of the city, on the beautiful Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Admission and tours are free. You can check out the glowing reviews on
TRIPADVISOR
. Also, this museum is a National Mechanical Engineering Landmark.
7. For you encouragement: an inspired use of read-aloud
THIS ARTICLE
is not by a homeschooler, but it’s plenty pertinent to us.
8. In the news: Brazil
Remember to pray for homeschoolers around the world. This mother – a lawyer - in Brazil has been denied the right to homeschool. She will be appealing to Brazil’s highest court. Read about it
HERE
.
9. Chuckles
Our newest feature! For those days when you can only cry or laugh.
HERE
you go!
10. YOU can help improve access to our country’s past
The Library of Congress offers you – and you, and you, and everybody else in America – the very exciting opportunity of being a “transcription volunteer” with its
BY THE PEOPLE
project. As a volunteer, you will be helping to digitize material that is now available only in hard copies, and so making it accessible to the public. Everything is done online, and you can choose to work on whatever interests you the most: diaries, maps, ledgers, books, even cookbooks. Interested? Find out
HERE
how to participate.
11. New Classical Conversations community forming in Brookfield
There is a Classical Conversations (CC) community coming to Brookfield (near Sturbridge) for the 2026-2027 academic year. CC is a classical, Christian homeschooling community that equips parents to educate their children at home classically and meets once a week (we will meet on Fridays at Quaboag Church) for programs for ages 4 years old through seniors in high school. If you’ve considered homeschooling but don’t know how to start, or if you’re already homeschooling and could benefit from the structure and accountability of the CC curriculum and a supportive community, contact Local Community Director Stephanie Wilbur at
steph.wilbur@gmail.com
or (774-232-7967). More information is available at
classicalconversations.com
, and be sure to visit the Events page for posts on local information meetings and open house opportunities.
12. TeenPact coming to New England in April
TeenPact Connecticut invites you to join them at this year's dynamic leadership camp from April 6-10, 2026 at the Capitol in Hartford. TeenPact inspires youth in their relationship with Christ and trains them to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend the Christian faith, and engage the culture around them. There is a four- or five-day camp for ages 13-18 and one day for ages 8-12. Learn more about all the details and the exciting overnight camp option by emailing jenjen632@yahoo.com, calling (860)779-3999 (home #) or going to
TEENPACT
.
Can’t make it to Connecticut? The same classes (also offering student housing) will be held in New Hampshire on April 20-24.
However,
these dates overlap with part of MassHOPE’s annual convention.
If you sign students up for the New Hampshire class, see if you can arrange for them to get home with a relative or friend, leaving you free to attend the entire convention in Sturbridge.
😊
Register
HERE
for Connecticut and
HERE
for New Hampshire.
Don’t know
what
TeenPact is, and
why
you should attend?
The
WHAT
: here’s a
QUICK LOOK
at what it’s all about. [Bonus for attending a state class: you’re eligible for Alumni Events. My kids loved them!]
The
WHY
: read this
INSPIRING STORY
about the huge impact TeenPact had on one student.
Here is the testimony of an alumnus:
The godliest peers I had growing up were those I knew through TeenPact. Going to TeenPact classes and alumni events strengthened me spiritually, shaped my growth and maturity as a person, and sparked a passion for influencing government and culture and gave me a venue to put that into practice. The educational experiences TeenPact offered were not only challenging and impactful but also loads of fun.
13. Know someone who doesn’t receive the Messenger?
We share important information about MassHOPE, and other items of interest to homeschooling families. So spread the word! Encourage your friends to sign up now to ensure they receive all this, especially upcoming convention info.
All they need to do to receive it is to send full name and email address to
info@masshope.org
.
Help them stay informed!
Also,
while you’re at it, why don’t you start thinking about volunteering at our next convention? We need you!
14. Speaker vault for January – Dianne Craft
The MassHOPE website features a
CURATED LIBRARY OF
RECORDED WORKSHOPS
from past conventions. Over the years, we have had the privilege of hosting hundreds of inspiring speakers, and we regularly showcase some of their most encouraging presentations in this section. For January, we invite you to listen to a very special presentation by longtime homeschool advocate and nationally known speaker Dianne Craft, who went home to be with the Lord on December 9, 2025. Dianne spoke at the 2011 MassHOPE Convention, where she encouraged parents with her wisdom and insights into how children learn.
Do you have a student who sits and stares as soon as you leave his side; always says “I forgot”; takes FOREVER to complete his work; is highly anxious; easily upset; socially inappropriate; always moving; has sensory issues? Explore the physical causes of behavior and attention problems in children and teens. Learn targeted remedies for each of these problems. Be amazed at the difference in your student’s mood, memory and learning ability. Many call this a “life changing” teaching.
15. Field trip fun in Sandwich
Learn about the history of glass making, visit the galleries and special exhibitions, and see a glassblowing demonstration at the
SANDWICH GLASS MUSEUM
.
16. For your encouragement: a renewed focus on apprenticeship
This article does not deal at all with homeschooling, but it brings news that many of you may be glad to hear: that Washington is starting to invest heavily in apprenticeship programs. Read
HERE
about plans to greatly expand the Pay for Apprenticeship program.
17. In the news: advice from a veteran teacher
This extremely dedicated teacher has finally just given up on schools. His
ADVICE
? Homeschool your kids. (By the way, the author even addresses the perennial “What about socialization?” question. 😊 )
18. Choose “MassHOPE” when purchasing from Christian Book
MassHOPE has been approved for the GiveBack affiliate program at Christian Book and will receive a 4% cashback donation on any orders that are placed with MassHOPE as the beneficiary! Look for a box at checkout that says to find your church (which actually includes Christian schools and 501(c)(3) organizations as well as churches).
19. Convention recordings
Did you miss a session because there were too many great workshops to choose from? Or, sadly, did you miss the entire convention? No problem. Order session recordings individually, or get the whole set. Just click
HERE
.
20. Social media triple play
We’re on each of the Big Three: X
, Facebook, and Instagram. Our Facebook and Instagram accounts are linked, so you can follow us on Instagram and get some of the same info we post there. Go to our link -
https://www.instagram.com/massachusetts_homeschool/
-
and click “Follow.”
21.
Discounts from SchoolhouseTeachers.com
Homeschooling can be challenging.
It can be expensive, time-consuming, and confusing to choose classes and curricula for multiple students. We are writing to tell you that
SchoolhouseTeachers.com
will provide all the courses you need for homeschooling each of your preschool through graduating 12th-grade students at the discounted annual price of $179 (you save $90)
.
With hundreds of online courses, lesson plans, quizzes, tests, answer keys, certificates of completion, and streaming videos, your annual
SchoolhouseTeachers.com
membership will ensure you have a full-spectrum, non-Common Core curriculum platform to confidently educate your children at home.
Membership is good for your whole family—including grandparents—no matter how many children you have. Because everything is included online, there is no need to buy textbooks. PLUS, there are no per class, no per child, nor any other hidden fees. You can also generate quarterly report cards for each student and access help with transcript creation for your high schoolers.
SchoolhouseTeachers.com contains nearly every subject imaginable—art history, drawing, computer technology, foreign languages, history, language arts, math, music, science, and loads of electives. Let your kids help pick out their own courses!
22. 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 #24) 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.
23. 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.
24. MassHOPE Facebook discussion group
Connect with us on Facebook at
MassHOPE 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/
25.
The MassHOPE Educator ID Card
Educator IDs are available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website
HERE
.
26. 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.
27. Remember to "Like" MassHOPE on Facebook
"Like" MassHOPE's
FACEBOOK PAGE
.
You'll be encouraged in your homeschooling journey and will receive all updates for upcoming events.
28. Are you on our mailing lists?
If you are receiving this e-newsletter, you are on our email list! May we also add you to our “snail mail” list to receive occasional information via the U.S. Postal Service? If Yes, please send your full name and complete mailing address to
newsletter@masshope.org
.
29. How to homeschool legally in Massachusetts
This video features Michael Donnelly, formerly 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
.
30. Special education resources
Here are two valuable resources for homeschooling parents of special needs children.
FREE DOWNLOADS
provides IEP templates, therapy resources, a Getting Started guide, and more.
EMPOWERING HOMESCHOOL CONVERSATIONS
, which covers a wide range of issues.
31. Videos and webinars from HSLDA
T
hree-part video series on getting started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVOzkYx2vcA&list=PLe7Gz-9V5xsWAtvLTz1gA1CYyPLBBe-Ke
.
How to Start Homeschooling with Special Needs
:
https://hslda.org/teaching-my-kids/special-needs
.
And many, many more
:
https://hslda.org/community/webinars
.
32 Get started homeschooling in Massachusetts
Check out this MassHOPE site for
getting started
.
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