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you can click on the image, print the handout, and bring it with you to the convention. Handouts may also come in handy when listening to a recording.
7. We could use some more convention volunteers!
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 the 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. Or, if you’d rather, just email Anne Smith at
volunteer@masshope.org
and tell her you’d like to volunteer.
Thanks in advance!
8.
Good Company Tutorials (GCT) classes in Attleboro, Mass. and Cranston, R.I.
Wondering what subjects you will delegate? Come observe some classes this spring to help you decide. GCT provides students in grades 5-12 the option to have some of their classes outside the home in a Christian environment. Our priorities are a Biblical worldview, a healthy social environment, and a challenging academic atmosphere. It's often more feasible to continue to homeschool through the middle and high school years if your students have the option to take a single class, a few, or most of their classes in this setting. Attleboro, Mass. classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays; Cranston, R.I. classes are on Fridays. Classes are in place and registration begins in June but the time for a visit is now. Email Julie Shorey at
shoreyfamily7@gmail.com
. See website for more information:
https://www.goodcompanytutorials.com/
SPEECH NIGHT – Good Company Tutorials
Tuesday April 29 – The public speaking class will be presenting their speeches this evening beginning at 6:30. The students cover a variety of topics and styles in their speeches, including informative and interpretive. You will be encouraged by their content and inspired by their hard work. They will be delighted to have your support. For inquiries, call Bree Brasil 781-838-2127 or email
breebrasil@hotmail.com
Drama performance is Friday, May 9.
9. Homeschool event at the Jenney Interpretive Center
The Jenney
, located in Plymouth, is “dedicated to conveying the impact 51 Pilgrims have had on the founding and ongoing development of the United States as a Christian Nation and to the importance of passing the history of our country on from generation to generation.” They invite you to their second annual
HOMESCHOOL DAY
on Thursday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be a day of fun and education, with tours, programs, historical characters, music, and hands-on crafts.
CLICK HERE
for pricing. Space is limited.
Registration is now open but ends April 18.
10. Field trip fun in Stockbridge
Love Norman Rockwell? The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge has the world’s largest collection of his original art. See
HERE
for hours and directions.
11. It all started with TeenPact
“TeenPact pushed me out of my comfort zone.” Read about Gracie Cooper’s
AMAZING JOURNEY
from painfully shy teen to Deputy Chief of Staff for the Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives - at the age of 22!
There is still time for YOU to register for a New England class. The dates for the Concord, New Hampshire TeenPact class are April 21-25. Register at
https://teenpact.com/states/new-england/
. Student housing is available at Camp Berea!
12. Don’t follow your heart
“Want to be miserable? Follow your dull, dithering, divided, and depraved heart.” From the Colson Center’s
BREAKPOINT
.
13. Confessions of an educator
In
Psychology Today
, a college professor
EXPLAINS WHY SHE CHOSE HOMESCHOOLING
.
14. Speaker vault for April
Our newest section of 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 periodically showcase some of their presentations on this page. For April, we invite you to listen to an inspiring message by
Gregg Harris:
How to Stay Engaged with the One You Marry.
Gregg draws from his decades of experience as a husband and father to offer practical and biblically grounded advice for maintaining a vibrant, lasting marriage. With a focus on intentional companionship, he emphasizes the importance of aligning marital relationships with God’s design.
15. Homeschool days at Battleship Cove in Fall River
Great prices and great workshops. Details
HERE
.
16. Field trip fun in Ipswich
A property of the Trustees of Reservations, Castle Hill on the Crane Estate is a magnificent example of Stuart-style architecture of the Gilded Age. Try to go in excellent weather for the fullest enjoyment of the grounds, including the spectacular Grande Allée, a half-mile manicured grass mall leading from the mansion to the Atlantic Ocean. Get details
HERE
.
17. Homeschool track meet May 10
Homeschool families, mark your calendars! The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is hosting a special track meet on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Whitinsville Christian School. This exciting event is designed for Christian homeschool students
of all skill levels
, providing a fun, encouraging opportunity for students of all ages. You can register for the event
HERE
.
18
.
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!
19. For your encouragement:
Short and sweet
HERE
are eight suggestions to encourage you in your homeschool journey.
20. Homeschooling in the News:
From the Washington Examiner
Dr. Ben Carson
WEIGHS IN
on why homeschooling is on the rise.
21. 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.”
22. 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!
23. Partner with MassHOPE?
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.
24. 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!
25. 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!
26. 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
.
27. 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 #29) 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.
28. 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.
29. 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/
30.
The MassHOPE Educator ID Card
Educator IDs are available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website
HERE
.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. 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
.
34. 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
.
35. 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
.
36. Get started homeschooling in Massachusetts
Check out this MassHOPE site for
getting started
.
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