news and alerts
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
~ Col. 3:14
alert for families in the rcsd
Hello Families who live in the RCSD,
I got an email yesterday from a leader of another secular, local
homeschooling support group about a letter that the RCSD sent out to
homeschoolers in the district.
This letter came from the Office of Accountability and requested
information on how and who is doing the annual assessment. As in
the past, the letter apparently does not mention the option of a peer
review panel for narratives and does not explain what criteria is used
to approve who may write the narrative assessment. The letter
also mentioned an enclosed form, but it was not enclosed.
There may be other problems with the letter, but not living in the city, I have not seen a copy of it.
Please know your rights as homeschoolers.
First of all, you must inform your school district of your assessment
plans. They have no say over which form of assessment you choose,
but they do have the final say over who administers or prepares that
assessment. This means you can choose either a narrative or a
standardized test (depending on your child's grade level). But,
you must obtain approval from the school district in so far as the
person you choose to write or give the assessment.
Usually, school districts are notified of assessment plans in the 2nd
or 3rd quarter report. We suggest the 2nd so there's plenty of
time for dealing with any issues that may arise.
HSLDA firmly stands on the fact that any parent that has submitted all
the paperwork (i.e. IHIP and quarterlies) correctly and on time is
suitable to write a narrative report or administer the PASS test to
their own child.
If you are a member of HSLDA, we strongly urge you to contact them
about this letter. And please, tell your friends who may not be
aware of the regulations what they are and are not required to
do. So many homeschoolers just do what the school district says
and consequently, they are tricked into doing much more than they have
to. That creates problems for other homeschoolers who do just
what the law requires because the district wonders why one family won't
give them the same info as all the other families.
Thanks!
Ellen
Renaissance Stable at Smoke Ridge Farm
Lindsay
Kuhn, a former home educated student from Lighthouse Leah, is now
teaching horse back riding lessons at her farm in Bloomfield, NY. A
home schooling mom of three beautiful children, and working with
rescued and rehabilitated horses; Lindsay provides quality instruction
in English, Western, Dressage, and Jumping. With a foundation in the
Secure Seat Method, as taught by the American Association for
Horsemanship Safety; Lindsay offers a thorough program based on horse
safety management. She also trains a unique Quadrille team called “Pas
de Cheval” that combines traditional ballet training, music, and
classical dressage.
The facility is family friendly, lessons are open to children from the
age of 2 years old on miniature horses or ponies and adults on full
size horses. Lessons are held during school hours and count towards
physical education. There are some after school opportunities
available, no weekends - family time. Pony Club mounts are available
through our horse rescue, and transportation to mounted meetings can be
arranged if your child is interested in participating.
Complimentary coffee/tea/hot chocolate bar, heated waiting area, toys
for siblings or the whole family can ride together. Special needs
children welcome! Cozy indoor arena, small training/practice arena and
a full sized arena with beautiful views of the Bristol Hills. Working
student opportunities available.
Renaissance Stable is committed to providing low cost lessons to anyone
and everyone who would like to learn. I have had large carpool groups
come out weekly and spend the day here working and learning while the
other kids ride. Smoke Ridge Farm where the stable is located also
houses a CSA agriculture group involving vegetables, fruits, livestock,
a butterfly farm, and many other nature inspired learning outlets for
you to explore. Crafts and arts such as candle-making, soap-making,
grapevine wreaths, wool spinning, felting,
cheese-making; as well as animal husbandry skills such as sheep
shearing, milking a family cow, and egg collecting and hatching are
possible for your group to learn here at the farm. Allen’s Hill Free
Library is next door to the farm, with a wide range of classical books
on tape and homeschool resources available.
Group rates for homeschool groups are as follows:
10 students from one group - lessons are $10 per student
20 students from one group - lessons are $8 per student
I will accept more students in blocks of tens or twenties, however, $8
per lesson is my break even point to maintain the horses and farm. I do
offer working opportunities for large families or for those who can not
work lessons into their budget, please let me know your needs.
Lindsay Kuhn
3804 County Road 40
Bloomfield, NY 14469
585-229-7424
www.smokeridgeorganics.com
2012 Iowa testing
Hi Everyone! Sorry in advance for the lengthy email – but
please read everything before you email me any questions! Testing
sign up ends THIS FRIDAY, January 27th.
Here are the final details for IOWA testing this year:
1. Cost:
a. K-3rd grade = $38
b. 4th-12th grade = $30
c. Please mail your checks, payable to Charity LEAH,
to the following address BEFORE Friday February 10th. Please
include children’s names and grade levels as well as your phone
number. I cannot accept late payments this year.
Thank you for understanding!
Javelle Symons
210 Jamestown Terrace
Rochester, NY 14615
2. Where, When & What to Bring:
a. Where: Calvary Chapel Greece, 85 Kuhn Road Rochester NY
b. When: Monday April 16th, Tuesday April 17th and Wednesday April 18th. 9:00 am – 11:30 am
c. What to bring: Your child/children will need
the following items each day: several no. 2 pencils with erasers
and scrap paper. A book or something quiet to do is permitted
should your child finish early. Calculators are permitted, but
not necessary (see FAQs)
d. Children in grades 1-3 MUST present their teacher
with an index card with the following information on it on the first
day of testing:
i. Parents’ Names
ii. Child’s name
iii. Child’s date of birth
iv. Phone number with area code first
v. Address
3. If you have any last minute questions during testing, please call me at 490-4452 (my cell phone).
please PRAY for the teachers, the children & parents to be healthy
& well rested. Pray for a peace. This is a test, this
is ONLY a test J
FAQ: Is there any area to wait while my child takes the exam?
· Yes, if you have
small children, you may wait in the nursery area or if the weather is
good, you may go outside on the playground
· There is also a
fellowship hall with tables and chairs for parents and older children
to wait. HOWEVER, this area must be silent as testing is going on
in the adjoining classrooms.
FAQ: Should I pack a snack for my child?
· You may provide your
child with a SMALL snack for their break time. Teachers have seen
lots of candy and then kids that cannot sit still, so they recommend no
sugary items for younger kids -- save the treats/ rewards for
after the exam! Please nothing with NUTS.
FAQ: How can I prepare my child?
· Encourage your
children to do their best and answer as many questions at they can
(wrong answers do NOT count against them). You can explain and
practice making educated guesses. If you are obsessive, you can
purchase practice tests on the internet for about $16-20 apiece.
Practice filling in the bubbles for kids who have never seen these
exams. Grades 3 and up are timed. Explain that it is okay
if the child does not finish a section as the test may ask questions
that the child does not know. ENCOURAGE THEM to do their
best. This is a test, it is only a test!!!
FAQ: What material does this test cover?
· This test only covers
language arts (reading, grammar, comprehension, spelling) and math
skills. It does NOT cover social studies, geography or science.
FAQ: Calculator Use
· Students may bring
calculators for a portion of the math section IF you as the teacher
permit them at home. They will not be allowed on the computation
section of the math portion. They are not necessary for any
portion of the exam.
FAQ: Can I leave the building and run errands etc. during the exam?
· NO, you cannot leave
the building without having a designated adult responsible for your
child. For liability reasons, among other things, you must
be present or have another adult, whom your child knows on site.
The tests will run different lengths, so you must be present at all
times. Thank you for understanding this!
· As a sidenote, please
do NOT leave any of your non-testing children unattended!!!
People waiting in the fellowship hall will need to be quiet, as testing
is occurring in the surrounding rooms. Thank you ahead of time!
FAQ: Who will be administering my child’s IOWA test? (all of the following teachers are all NYS certified)
· 1st graders: Mrs. Jennifer Diffenderfer (Mosca)
· 2nd graders: Mrs. Kimberly Sternberg
· 3rd-4th graders: Mrs. Kathleen Chappell & Mrs. Paula Nicholson
· 5th-8th graders: Mrs. Nicki LiVecchi
· 9th-12th graders: Mrs. Patricia Hersee
FAQ: What do I need to do to help? Ans: CC Greece is
graciously allowing us to use their building for free – let’s pitch in
to take good care of everything while we are there.
· Setup – arrive 10-15
minutes early to help set up chairs and tables in the fellowship hall
and classrooms
· Cleanup – stay 5-10 minutes late to clean up and trash, straighten chairs etc.
· Nursery – help watch
the little ones, tidy nursery during testing, make sure nothing is
being abused – you are nursery monitors !
· Teacher’s helpers –
help the teacher monitor the kids to make sure they are doing their
work. Help with timing, collecting & distributing
materials. Praying for the students as they take their exams!
· Everyone else –
patience, quietness, managing your other children, respect property
etc. Clean up after yourselves. Thank the teachers for offering
their services and time (all are homeschooling moms or grandmothers of
homeschoolers – several have small children of their own). Thank
you!!!!
FAQ: When will I receive the test results?
· Short answer:
6-8 weeks. The company is great about getting them back within a
month, but the official promise is 6-8 weeks.
Above all else, keep the pressure off and relax – this is the best
thing you can do, really! If you have any further questions
between now and then, please feel free to email me. Thank
you!
Sincerely,
Javelle Symonss
'11/'12 Pizza Hut BookIt program
Enrollment for the Pizza Hut BookIt program for the fall is now open. To sign up go to www.bookitprogram.com. Click on enrollment, homeschool, and then put in your address, etc...and they will send you what you will need.
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO VOLUNTEER AT THE CONVENTION THIS YEAR:
Hello fellow chapter leaders!
We are emailing to ask for your consideration and assistance to help
prepare for the upcoming LEAH Convention being held at the Rochester
Riverside Convention Center June 2-4th. To introduce ourselves we
are Jeremy and Seanna Shugars and are this year’s volunteer
coordinators. We’re excited about the many opportunities
available to have homeschoolers both local and from other regions be a
part of the convention through volunteering.
All that being said we need your help. There are over 200
opportunities to serve this year and we’ll need all the help we can
get. There are roles for every type of person from “behind the
scenes” to engaging guests arriving at the convention center. All
we require is a heart to serve and we’ll find the right place for each
volunteer.
Some of you and the members of your groups may already be planning to
volunteer. This is a great help and we encourage you to talk with
others about why you do so. For those of you that have not
volunteered in the past this is your year! We feel strongly that
hosting the convention in region 7 is a great honor and as such we
would like to see the strongest representation of volunteers be from
local groups. This is a unique opportunity to welcome
homeschoolers from across the state to our own backyard, something to
be excited about!
OK, so that’s our plug and here’s how we’re asking each of you to help:
Would you consider allowing us to come and visit your co-op during an
upcoming meeting to talk in person about volunteering? We would
love to put a face with a name and offer our time to help make clear
what volunteering at the convention is all about. We’ve listed
the current opportunities below for your reference.
§ Security: safety and securing entry to only convention guests
§ Recording Booth: create and sell session CD’s
§ Sound: setting up equipment, running the board and camera
§ Tear Down on Saturday: Helping vendors move items out of the building
§ Floor Hosts: check rooms for any needs, be available for questions
§ Coordinate the nursing mothers’ room: provide some chairs,
nursery equipment. Great ministry opportunity for a small group
or church group
§ Session Monitor: assist speaker with needs, keep them on schedule (super soakers optional)
§ Commencement: greet families and assist with photo set-up
§ Exhibit Hall Guide: Walk the exhibit hall, answer questions from guests
§ Registration: help visitors register and take payment
§ Personnel for Pre-Paid admissions: Smile, handout packets and wrist bands
§ Set up on Thursday: 9am-4pm, you don’t need to commit to the entire time (pizza will be served for lunch)
§ Runners/On-call Assistance: Be available to fill in where there
may be a need, may include running small errands and other odds and ends
Thank you for reading and we look forward to hearing from you
soon! Here’s our contact info, please feel free to use any of the
options to reach out.
o Email us at upstatevolunteers@leah.org
o Visit us on Facebook: NYS LEAH Homeschool Conference
o 585-424-0623
Blessings,
Jeremy and Seanna Shugars
Upstate Conference Volunteer Coordinators
2011 yearbook information
Hello Everybody,
I am going to start collecting stuff for the 2010-2011 Leah Yearbook!
Seniors
Please contact me if you have a senior this year so you can put a page in the yearbook.
Field Trips
Please send me any field trip photos you have from this past year.
Candid Photos and Other Events
Feel free to send any candid photos from group classes, picnics, etc or any other Charity Leah events!
Family pages
There is no charge to add a family page. Any family can do one and it is a fun way to highlight your year in the yearbook!
If you are interested or if you have any questions please email me.
Advertisements
If you would like to place an ad in this years yearbook, please email me. It is $20 for a full page ad to cover printing costs.
Yearbooks are $16 for a full color copy.
If you have any questions please email or call me.
Thank you so much!
Nathaniel
eagleswingsfilms@gmail.com | 585.227.5793
BOY SCOUTS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS
The leadership
of Pack and Troop 122 would like to introduce Boy Scout Pack &
Troop 122. Leaders are committed to the ministry of raising Godly boys
into the leaders of tomorrow. Utilizing the BSA program, based on
Christian principles and character, we create an environment for young
men to experience the opportunities of leadership, the struggles and
rewards of working towards and attaining goals, and building Godly
friendship. Baden Powell, founder of modern day Boy Scouts, believed
there are three critical relationships we are to maintain:
Man to God: When asked where religion came into
Scouting and Guiding, Baden-Powell replied, "It does not come in at
all. It is already there. It is a fundamental factor underlying
Scouting and Guiding." Powell stated: First: Love and serve God.
Man to Man: Powel stated: Second: Love and serve
your neighbor. We model this behavior supporting and encouraging the
Scouting Patrol method. This incorporates roles and opportunities of
leadership, service, and cooperation. Learning to get along with our
fellow man, while maintaining a fellowship among young Christian men.
Man to Environment: God has never rescinded the our
responsibility of taking care of the Earth. Using the BSA program we
take advantage of its resources to enjoy and be responsible with God's
precious gift.
Our Pack & Troop is two years old. The Troop starting with 5 Scouts
in Sept 2008 has a present membership of 18. Our Pack has grown from 9
to current membership of 28. We are active and meet weekly, with
planned monthly outings. We have 90% home school population, but
do have non home school Scouts as well.
We have members from Brighton, Chili, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Leroy, Pittsford, Rochster, Scottsville, and Webster
If you have an interest in Scouting, please contact Troop122
leadership. We would be interested in speaking with you 1-1, with
your LEAH group, or Church regarding our program. If you are interested
in visiting, an appointment can be setup to tour the facilities, and
meet with Pack and/or Troop leadership depending on your needs and
interest. Please contact Troop122 Committee Chair, William
Redman, at troop122@gmail.com, or call 585.359.4845
Here find recent videos of the latest Winter Scouting Competition.
Klondike Janurary 2010:
Slide Show: http://www.youtube.com/user/diecastd#p/a/u/2/WSpU9r6psL4
Fire building http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yUWaK34w9I
Sledge Race: http://www.youtube.com/user/diecastd#p/a/u/1/jXoVBuyNg6w
"Scouting is nothing less than applied Christianity," Baden Powell
--
William D. Redman
Troop122/Pack122
Rochester, New York
He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Cor 1:22
Lending Library/Book Swap for Homeschoolers
OneWay
has opened a Library & Book Swap for Rochester area homeschoolers.
The church has dedicated a room and shelf space to house books and other
materials that might be useful. Here's how it works:
If you
would like to use something from the library, you simply take it and
use it. When you're done, either return it to the library or give it to
someone else who could use it. This operates on the honor system, and
no one will be monitoring what comes in or goes out. We will trust the
users to not sell any materials taken form the library, or hold on to
them past their time of use.
If you would like to donate materials, they are always welcome. Please call Ellen at 621-6445, or send an email to gerwitz@charityleah.org.
One
final note - we also will not be keeping a running list of materials.
If you are interested in what's available you must stop in and take a
look. Call Matt at the church, 235-7970, to make sure someone is there.
Most days you should be able to get in during the afternoon hours. If
you can't reach anyone at the church, call Matt at 621-6445 (h) or
260-7811 (c).