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1. Convention registration opening TODAY
Registration for MassHOPE’s annual Christian homeschool and parenting
convention is scheduled to open today,
RIGHT HERE
. We have a great lineup of speakers and breakout sessions, including
Heidi St. John
,
Shellie Doub
,
Linda Lacour Hobar
,
Cindy Rollin
s
, and more. We hope you'll join us! Watch for further convention updates
HERE
and
HERE
.
2. What DO convention volunteers do?
You’ve heard it so many times: We need volunteers for the convention! And you’d like to help, really you would, but you’re reluctant. You don’t want to commit to something you’re not sure about. Maybe this will help?
What do our red-apron volunteers do? Here’s what:
Exhibit hall volunteers
make continuous rounds of the hall, bringing help and cheer to the vendors. Offering to fetch coffee, tea, or water, or watching a table for a couple of minutes while the vendor runs to the restroom.
Badge checkers
make sure those who are entering the exhibit hall are registered for the convention, and direct them to Registration if they are not.
Registration workers
hand out name badges to those who are pre-registered for the event, and help others register and pay onsite.
Workshop monitors
DO NOT have to introduce the speaker! They simply help people find seats if the room is crowded. Suggest that folks with noisy little ones step out of the room for a bit. Hold up time cards to let speaker know how much time is left.
What do you think? We do need you, so consider checking “YES” on your registration when asked if you would be willing to volunteer. Even for one hour! Oh, and you’ll receive four (4) MassHOPE bucks for every hour you help out, spendable in the exhibit hall.
Thanks in advance!
3. Homeschoolers at MFA Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts has programs for homeschoolers. Check them out
HERE
.
4. A guide to upcoming...meteor showers!
Tony Ceraso at
Home School Astronomy
has sent us a
LINK
to his 2025 Meteor Shower Guide. A peek at the peaks in the guide:
Lyrids Peak: Overnight April 21-22, 2025 – The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, with records dating back more than 2,700 years. This is a solid meteor shower and has been known to produce some nice fireballs. You can see this all night but will peak closer to dawn. Some good action the night before and the night after as well.
After Lyrids Peak, the next shower will be the Eta Aquarids Peak: Overnight May 5-6, 2025.
5. Keep checking out MassHOPE’s speaker vault
This newest section of our site features a curated library of recorded workshops from past conventions. Over the years, MassHOPE has had the privilege of hosting hundreds of inspiring speakers, and we will periodically showcase some of their presentations on this page. Our February message is an inspiring workshop by Elizabeth Smith:
Five Essential Ingredients to Successful Homeschooling
. A seasoned homeschooler, Elizabeth brings practical wisdom to the challenges and joys of homeschooling. In this workshop, she shares five essential ingredients that are foundational to a thriving homeschool experience.
6. Attention prayer warriors!
We know that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," and so we invite you to join us for a time of prayer over Zoom Thursday, February 20th at 1:00 PM. Together, we will lift up our country, our state, and our upcoming convention. As believers, we understand the importance of relying on God’s wisdom and grace, and this is a special opportunity to come together to ask for the Lord’s blessing. If you would like to join us and are not on the prayer list, email president@masshope.org with your contact information so we can send you the Zoom link prior to the meeting. We anticipate the meeting to be under half an hour.
7. Homeschooling when you don’t think you’re good at it
From the
ARTICLE
:
“By the time your kids enter Kindergarten, you have already taught them so many life skills: potty training, how to sleep through the night, how to eat with a fork. The basics of reading, writing, math, and understanding the world around them is just the next logical step in their process of growth.”
8.
Saving a family “against all odds”
The
STORY
of an HSLDA family in Puerto Rico.
9. Attend TeenPact this spring
Deepen Your Relationship with Christ***Earn High School Credit***Make New Friends***Meet your State Representatives***Pray for Them***Learn by Doing***Run for Governor!
TeenPact trains young people to embrace their call in the next generation of leaders by giving them the tools, teaching, and opportunities to do so. Each TeenPact program is marked by spiritual discipleship, student leadership, and a commitment to excellence.
Students from across New England have a choice of two different weeks and locations for their TeenPact classes: Hartford, Connecticut, and Concord, New Hampshire. See details
HERE
.
Student housing is available for each location!
Registration is open at
www.teenpact.com
. Ministry-minded chaperones are also needed, so please consider ministering to today’s youth by accompanying your student or group!
10. Homeschool opportunities galore at Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village is inviting the homeschooling community to join them for their next specially planned
HOMESCHOOL EVENTS
. February Home School Days on the 7
th
and 28
th
will feature workshops including Printing & Paper Marbling, Hearth Cooking: Macaroni and Cheese, Farm Sampler, Woodworking, and more. There’s still plenty of room in all the workshops, but
SIGN UP SOON
to ensure your spots! Future homeschool days are scheduled in March, April, and June as well.
Have teens who love crafts? There are
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
for them this spring! And there are a couple of
CIVICS PROGRAMS
for those 10 and up.
11. Attention athletes!
We ran this item near the end of December and had a great response. Some may have missed it, however, so hoping to get even more this time around.
Homeschool families! Mark your calendars for an exciting opportunity coming in Spring 2025. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be hosting a special event designed specifically for you.
This event is more than just sports—it’s about bringing together Christian students in a positive and encouraging environment where they can grow in faith, teamwork, and athletic skills. Whether your students are seasoned athletes or simply love being active, this event will be a blessing to all who attend.
Want to stay in the loop? Don’t miss important updates and registration details!
SIGN UP
to receive information directly.
12. Free first Wednesdays at Springfield Museums
Thanks to a grant from the Art Bridges Foundation,
EVERYONE GETS FREE ADMISSION
on the first Wednesday of every month through 2026! Visitors can explore our
special exhibits
and permanent collections; enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations with museum educators and docent guides; and delve deeper into STEM, literacy, and art in Spark!Lab, the Cat’s Corner, and the Art Discovery Center.
Reserve Tickets
Get Directions
13. Kiddie Lit and 43 other freebie Hillsdale courses
From Hillsdale College:
Classic children’s literature is being ignored and eliminated from our nation’s classrooms at an alarming rate.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
and
The Wind in the Willows
are just a couple of the foundational books that are rarely being taught to our nation’s children today. This robs young people not only of classic tales of adventure and friendship, but also of fundamental lessons about the world and how best to live.
“Classic Children’s Literature”
explores some of the greatest works of children’s literature, from Aesop and the classic fairy tales to
Treasure Island
and
Winnie-the-Pooh
, and so much more.
For a complete catalog of
free
courses covering everything from history to fine arts, see
https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses
.
14. Calling all parents of graduating seniors
Surely you know right now if you have a graduating senior this year. If so, do you also know that MassHOPE holds a formal cap and gown graduation ceremony each year?
This year marks our 20th formal graduation ceremony, and it will be held at Holden Chapel on June 7 at 2:00 PM. If you are interested in learning more, please send an email (including your graduate's name) to Susan Jacobsen -
graduation@masshope.org
.
She will be happy to send you the graduation packet providing more info including how to sign up.
Please NOTE: There are deadlines in order to participate, so don't delay: email Susan today!
15. Social media triple play with our return to Instagram
(Twitter), 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.”
16. Check out our new Resources page
We are excited to have recently launched a brand-new
Resources
section on the MassHOPE website! This dedicated space features carefully curated recommendations for homeschooling and parenting books to support you on your homeschooling journey. Whether you are seeking guidance on curriculum choices, encouragement, or inspiration for fostering a Christ-centered home, you’ll find helpful materials. Visit the
RESOURCE PAGE
today to explore these new resources, and check back for new additions!
17. Partner with MassHOPE?
As we enter this new year, we invite you to partner with MassHOPE in supporting Christian homeschooling families across Massachusetts. As a non-profit organization, your generous donations enable us to continue providing encouragement, resources, events, and advocacy to strengthen and equip local homeschoolers. Every gift, big or small, makes a lasting impact. Please prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible
DONATION
today and join us in building up families in the year ahead.
18. Friends don’t let friends miss out on...
...important information about MassHOPE. So spread the word! Help us share the news about our upcoming convention and so much more! Tell all your homeschooling friends about
The MassHOPE Messenger
, MassHOPE's bi-weekly e-newsletter, filled with opportunities and items of interest for homeschooling families. 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 convention? We need you!
19. For your encouragement: The twin pillars of homeschooling
The title of
THIS ARTICLE
is “How to be more flexible with your homeschooling.” But take care that flexibility doesn’t become a liability: “The thing is, flexibility is great, but it’s consistency that gives flexibility its true value.”
20. Homeschooling in the News:
Homeschooling a teenager
The Joyful Life magazine published this
HELPFUL ARTICLE
.
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. Convention recordings available
Recordings are available from our 2024 convention. If there was a particular session you'd like to hear again or share with others, or if there is a subject you wish you had been there to hear, go to
ALLIANCE RECORDINGS
.
23. 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 #25) 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.
24. 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.
25. 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/
26.
The MassHOPE Educator ID Card
Educator IDs are available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website
HERE
.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. 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
.
30. 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
.
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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