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AUGUST 1999 NEWSLETTER


MONTHLY SUPPORT MEETINGS

Temple Baptist Church has made their building available for all of our support meetings this school year, which will be the second Tuesday of each month, 7-8pm. The address is 2813 E. Hwy. 390 (just east of Hwy. 389, on the left/north side of the road).

We will have a container set out for a love offering at each meeting. Please be supportive and help to cover the costs of the church running the air/heat all day, so it can be comfortable for our meeting, along with their other operating expenses. If everyone can put in a dollar or two, it will be covered.



CHILDREN AT SUPPORT MEETINGS

Children are welcome at our monthly parent support meetings, but please respect our guidelines:

Support meetings are primarily for parents, not the children. There are other activities throughout the month for the children to play and interact with each other. Parents need to instruct their children prior to the meeting that this is not a play time, but a time for the parents to learn.

During meetings, children need to sit with their parents with a quiet activity (book, coloring, tape w/headphones, etc.) and not cause distractions.

Before and after the meetings, children are not to run or shout inside the church. They need to stay in the main area where we are meeting, and not wander about the church.

Parents and children need to pick up after themselves before leaving the meeting. Our goal is to leave the building in a nicer condition than when we entered.

Parents are responsible to keep an eye on their children at all times.

We apologize if these guidelines seem too strict, but it’s the only solution we’ve been able to come up with that has worked out well. Our meetings usually don’t run over an hour (except for the curriculum sales), and kids can usually sit still during them, as they do for church or storytimes.

Some parents prefer to leave their children with a babysitter at home, so they’ll be able to enjoy the meeting without distractions. But this is a matter of personal preference.



CONGRATULATIONS TO PROJECT FAIR PARTICIPANTS!

A hearty congratulations to all of our industrious students who displayed projects at the Project Fair! You each did such a wonderful job, and it was a tremendous educational experience for everyone there! Maybe you can start planning now for next year’s project.

If anyone has information on how we can participate in a local Science Fair competition, please contact the newsletter.

Upcoming Events...

Sept. 17 - Dollywood Home School Day - Call (423) 429-7270.

Sept. 23 - Harvest Home Educators’ Home School Day at Atlanta Braves - $6/ticket, 2 & under free, tickets from HHE: (770) 455-0449.

HOME EDUCATION LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

The Home Education Foundation (HEF) will host its Home Education Legislative Conference on Saturday, September 25. Paid registrations ($15, plus $3 for spouse) must be postmarked by September 18. (Registration form at end of newsletter.)

If you have an interest in the legislative process, and would like to get more involved in issues affecting home educators, then this conference is for you!

You will: - Meet committed home educators from around the state
- Learn how to have greater impact with legislators concerning issues that affect homeschoolers
- Receive an information-filled resource packet to help you communicate what you’ve learned with other home educators
- Come away with a new perspective on home education and the law!

The Conference includes lunch. There will be no registration at the door.

Location: Northland Community Church, 530 Dog Track Road, Longwood.

Directions: Take I-4 to SR 434. Head east to CR 427; turn right. Take CR 427 to Dog Track Rd. and turn left. Church (407-830-7146) is on the left. Lodging: For those traveling, here are some area hotels with good rates. To get these prices, go to Florida Hotels and Discount Guide. Click on Destinations, Orlando Area, and accommodations, and register online. Or, call the hotel and tell them you'd like the specific price they have listed on the Internet. Days Inn Altamonte Springs (closest) - $51.00, 407-862-2800 Days Inn-Orlando/Appopka - $49.95 (2 beds) or $45.95 (1 bed), 407-880-3800 Days Inn Lakeside - $32.00, 407-351-1900

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                  HOME EDUCATION LEGISLATIVE
                          CONFERENCE
                       Registration Form

          Name ____________________________________
          Name of spouse attending ____________________
          Address ___________________________________
          City ______________________ Zip ____________
          Phone (______)__________________
          E-mail ____________________________________
          Support Group______________________________
          Your Position (Member, Leader, E-mail News Edi¬
          tor, Phone Alerts Coord., etc.):
          __________________________________________
          Total Enclosed $__________
          Make check payable to “Home Education Founda¬
          tion” and mail to: HEF Legislative Conference;
          2062 Snook Dr.; Deltona, FL 32738.  Registrations
          must be postmarked by September 18.

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SEA WORLD HOMESCHOOL & PRIVATE SCHOOL DAY

On October 15th, enjoy a fun and fact filled day at SeaWorld Adventure Park Orlando. Harvest Home Educators presents College Recruitment Day for Home Schoolers at SeaWorld.

Visit various colleges and universities in the special exhibit area. Enjoy a Private Commander Ecology Show at Nautilus Theater starting at 11 AM Enjoy SeaWorld Adventure Park's numerous educational exhibits including Terrors of the Deep, Manatees: The Last Generation, Wild Arctic, and More!

Tickets will be $29 + tax for all ages; under 3 free. Usual prices are $44 (adults) & $35 (ages 3-9), + tax. The park hours will be 9am-7pm.

Our next newsletter will have information on a coupon that visitors will need to present at the Group Sales window at the front gate, for the special price.

For more information, you can call Sea World directly at 1-800-327-2424, or go to their web site, Sea World Click on Sea World, Florida, and scroll down to calendar of Special Events.

THF KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FIELD TRIP

We have a field trip planned for the Kennedy Space Center on October 16, the day after Sea World’s Home School Day. The Space Center is about a 45-minute drive east of Sea World.

The field trip ticket prices for a bus tour of Kennedy Space Center and an IMAX film are $9 for students ages 5-18, $10 for children ages 3 & 4 (since they’re not considered students), and $19 for adults (under 3 are free). We need a minimum of 15 students for these prices. (The normal prices are $15 for ages 3-11; $19 for ages 12 and up.) Deadline to send in student admission fees (ages 5-18) is September 14th. Make check payable to THF and send it to our P.O. Box.

Field Trip Includes:
Air-conditioned Bus Tour of KSC
Visit The International Space Station Center
Visit the Apollo / Saturn V Center
View the LC 39 Observation Gantry
See an IMAX® Movie

Admission is free to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Other free exhibits are the Mission to Mars display, the Shuttle Plaza, and the Exploration Station for kids.

KSC Educators’ Resource Center:

This will be a treat for parents--free resources! Bring slide film with you and choose from hundreds of NASA slides you’d like copies of. They will develop them for you. Bring blank video tapes and use their copying machines to tape NASA films. Bring blank computer disks to copy free computer resources. The Educators’ Resource Center (ERC) also has archives of lesson plans that you can copy for free. The ERC is open 9am-5pm.

Because of all the equipment in this area, children are not allowed. You can arrange to have a spouse, or older child take your children to the Exploration Station down the hallway while you gather great stuff in the ERC. Allow plenty of time for this!

For more information, visit the KSCweb site. For more information on the field trip, go to Educator’s Zone and click on “plan your day.”

Target Launch Date:

If you can go to the Orlando area a day earlier, there is a Discovery launch scheduled for October 14, 5:42 a.m. EDT. The date will not be officially set, however, till 2 weeks before liftoff. Launch dates are on the KSC web site.

DAYS INN LAKESIDE GROUP RATE

We have a block of ten rooms at the Days Inn Lakeside in Orlando for the nights of October 14 & 15. Our group rate is $32 (plus tax) per room, per night! You may get the same rate for the day before and after also. A rollaway bed is $10 extra per night.

Amenities Include:
Kids 17 & under stay free
12 & under eat free
2-Room suites available
Lakefront beach w/volleyball and water sports
Full-service restaurant
Cafeteria w/breakfast buffet
3 Swimming pools, 1 heated
2 playgrounds
Free admission to selected area attractions
Free Old Town Complex Coupon Book

To reserve a room, call the Days Inn at (407)351-1900 and tell them you’re with The Homeschooler’s Friend. You must call by September 13th to get this rate.

The Days Inn Lakeside address is 7335 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819.
Directions from I-4: Go to Exit #29, then go west on Sand Lake Road (SR 482) 1 block to Days Inn. Sea World is one exit down, #28.

ADVERTISING IN THF NEWSLETTER

If you would like to place an ad in The Homeschooler’s Friend, or if you know a business owner who would, rates are as follows (yearly rates are for 9 or 10 mos., beginning in Aug. or Sept.):

Small (approx. business card size) - $5/issue; $23/5 mos.; $40/year Medium (approx. 1/4 page) - $10/issue; $45/5 mos.; $80/year

You can send a copy-ready ad, or we will do the layout for you, and will do our best to place your ad each month where it will get noticed! Non-member advertisers will receive newsletter issues. Information must be received by the 20th of the month for placement in the next issue. Issues run Aug.-May. Mail ad information and check payable to “The Homeschooler’s Friend” c/o this newsletter or e-mail text only file to daystar@panama.gulf.net

If the business is out of town, include brief directions. The Homeschooler’s Friend reaches approximately 100 families in Bay County and surrounding areas.

GIRLS’ & BOYS’ CLUBS

by Bonnie Hedden
G.E.M.S. (God Expects My Service):

G.E.M.S. is a homeschool girls club (ages 5-17) based on the Proverbs 31 virtuous woman. If you are interested in becoming a part of this group of "precious gems," email Lori at Lori, please include "G.E.M.S." in the subject line and you phone number and we will forward it to her.

Contenders for the Faith:

Plans are in the process to begin a group in September using the Contenders for the Faith program for homeschool boys, ages 5-16. This program is designed to promote biblical values while teaching practical, manly skills to prepare boys to be godly, well-rounded, capable men.

If you would like your son to be part of this boys club that is Bible based and Christ-centered and his peers are homeschoolers, then contact Bonnie by email Bonnie, please include "Contenders for the Faith" in the subject line and you phone number and we will forward it to her. If you are a homeschool Dad and are interested in participating, please contact Bonnie by our meeting August 10th.

SPANISH CLASSES

Mr. Blanco, local homeschool Dad who teaches Spanish at Covenant Christian, has offered to teach homeschool Spanish classes, as he did for us a few years ago. He uses a Christian approach in which students also learn how to present the Gospel in Spanish, memorize scriptures, etc. He teaches all ages, and can set up appropriate level classes.

Mr. Blanco can either teach classes from his home, or if we have a large interest, a bigger location can be found. If you are interested, please email him at bblanco@mail.lig.bellsouth.net

DAR ESSAY CONTESTS

The Daughters of the American Revolution are hosting their annual American History and Christopher Columbus essay contests.

American History Essay:
Grade 5: 300-600 words
Grades 6-8: 600-1,000 words
Topic: “An Obituary for George Washington, 1732-1799”

Christopher Columbus Essay:
Grade 9: No more than 750 words
Topic: “If Christopher Columbus returned to the New World in the Year 2000, what evidence of his discovery would he find?”

The deadline for all essays is December 17th. There are many resources available at the library and on the Internet on how to write an essay. Start gathering and reading materials now!

For more detailed information, email Mrs. DuMont at DuMont, please include "Essay" in the subject line and you phone number and we will forward it to her. Or call the St. Andrew Bay DAR Chapter.

JR. & SR. HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION

Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS):

JETS provides activities, events, competitions, programs, and materials that involve students with engineers and demonstrate what engineers do. JETS students get to "try-on" engineering while in high school. Students learn how the mathematics and science they are learning in high school is applied to real life. JETS also shows students, parents and teachers how mathematics and science are used to solve technological problems and how the application of these subjects influences our lives -- socially politically and economically.

The National Engineering Aptitude Search+ (NEAS+) is a self-administered academic survey (for $15.00) that enables individual students to determine their current level of preparation in "engineering basic skills subjects" (applied mathematics, science, and reasoning).
Contact: JETS-NEAS+, 1420 King Street, Suite 405, Alexandria, VA 22314-2794; (703) 548-5387; FAX (703) 548-0769. www.asee.org/jets/default.htm

Eagle Christian School:

Eagle Christian offers a complete high school and junior high school program on the internet from a Biblical perspective. Our primary goal is to disciple students to follow Jesus as they work through their schooling.

Most of our classes do have textbooks and the student would not usually spend the entire day in front of the computer. In some classes, students are only on the computer to check out the classroom site for instructions and assignments, while in some (such as keyboarding and web design) the majority of the work IS done on the computer for obvious reasons. We can send out a catalog with more info on our program if you would like. Simply email your postal address and we can get that to you.

--Lisa Bourland, Eagle Christian School, lbourland@eaglechristian.org Web Site: www.eaglechristian.org

EDUCATIONAL & RESOURCE WEB SITES

Parents, please check sites before introducing to children.

Web Sites by Local Homeschooler
Matthew:
My Space Page My Medieval Page

The Home School Internet Resource Center: Apply online to homeschool-friendly colleges; place a free ad for used curriculum; find an e-pal; enroll in The Home School Academy; educational links by subject; and more: The Home School Internet Resource Center

Learning Power: The place for anyone who wants to understand electricity and power utilities better. It's for kids, teachers, parents – and anyone who ever wondered how the juice gets to the plug. - submitted by Cindy Learning Power

STUDENT CORNER

MY STORY OF SCOOBY
A true story By Krista

I always wanted a dog, but I never thought it would be like Scooby! So here's my story. One day I read a book called Happy Birthday Molly. It was a book about a girl who got a puppy for her birthday. So then I wanted a puppy too. I asked my mom and dad if I could have one. "Oh please," I said. Please, please, please." Mom and dad said maybe. After about four weeks, mom and dad said, "It doesn't hurt to look at the pound." "Hooray," me and my brother Zack said. The next day (in which was Saturday) me, mom, and Zack went to the pound. We found two puppies we liked. One was small with big, floppy ears. Another one was a medium sized one. She had ears that stood straight up. She was all black, except for her chest and a star-shaped mark on her neck. "We'll take the black one," mom said. "Hooray!" said me and Zack. When we got home, we put Scooby (we all ready had a name picked out) in her fence. "We'll play with you after lunch," I said. I was the first to finish lunch, so I went outside to check on Scooby. But when I got there I couldn't find Scooby. Suddenly I felt something behind me. It was Scooby! She had gotten out of her fence! So we fixed her fence so she couldn't get out.

THE END