“TAMMIE HETZER-WOMACK
The Independent
FLATWOODS — It looks just like any other school field day, more than a hundred kids teamed up for tug-of-war, sack races, egg toss and relays. Their proud parents snap photos, right before summer vacation begins.
The only difference in this class is they’re all home schooled — here to connect with other children like themselves….”
For the complete article visit: http://dailyindependent.com/local/x1174312733/Fun-and-games
“A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PERMIT HOME SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOL, AND PRIVATE SCHOOL
STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS AND TO
APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE…”
Can be found here: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/House/PDF/H2018v0.pdf
“Power to Adopt Eligibility Rules for Interscholastic Athletic Competition. – The State Board of Education may adopt rules governing interscholastic athletic activities conducted by local boards of education, including eligibility for student participation. Students attending home schools or other nonpublic schools shall be permitted to participate in interscholastic athletic activities in accordance with the requirements of G.S. 115C‑566.1; students attending charter schools shall be permitted to participate in interscholastic athletic activities in accordance with the requirements of G.S. 115C‑238.29L. The State Board of Education may authorize a designated organization to apply and enforce the Board’s rules governing participation in interscholastic athletic activities at the high school level.”…”
For the complete text of this bill please visit: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1410v0.html
“HATTIESBURG, Miss. — On a rainy Friday afternoon in October, junior quarterback Stevie Douglas emerged from a well-traveled minivan that had begun its journey in Clinton, La. Teammates Ronald Brown, Rennel Hammond, Mike-el Arvie and Jeremy Arvie emerged from a white van bearing the logo of the New Life Tabernacle Church in Opelousas, La. From other vehicles came more players — 21 in all — and they toted their duffel bags into one of the leftover FEMA trailers that served as locker rooms for a tiny football stadium in the shadow of a graveyard.
Once inside, several players dipped into their bags and pulled out their helmets. Then they dipped back into their bags and pulled out screwdrivers to repair their helmets. The team doesn’t have an equipment manager for the same reason they didn’t come to Hattiesburg in a school bus. To use a school bus, the Patriots would have to play for a brick-and-mortar school.
The vast majority of the players are on this team homeschooled. Their official name is the Christian Home Educators Fellowship Patriots, but for their game against Hattiesburg’s Alpha Christian Academy, the public address announcer simply called them the Baton Rouge Patriots. It seemed easier than explaining what the Patriots are: a ragtag team assembled from a 60-mile radius around Baton Rouge that pays for its own equipment, uniforms, transportation and officials and rarely practices on Wednesdays to avoid interfering with church services….”
For the complete text visit: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/the_bonus/01/13/homeschool-recruiting/
“By Moriah Bemke
For the Stevens Point Journal
What started as a group of home-schooled kids might very well become an ongoing drama club, after the presentation of the two-hour drama they have been working on since the beginning of the school semester.
Elementary, middle-school and high-school students all worked together for nearly four months making backdrops, costumes and memorizing lines to finally accomplish this performance April 23.
The drama, which took place at Community Church, was a spin-off from the book “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” This is the fifth book in the series “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Students from fourth to 10th grade received character roles…”
For the complete text please visit: http://www.wisinfo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009905070339
“You have to sometimes explain what home-schooling is,” said shot and discus specialist Alezah, who also plays basketball for the eastern Delaware County school, “but in general people are like, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ ”
“It’s never been a problem,” added Micah, who won the Ohio Capital Conference cross-country title last fall and has qualified twice for the state meet.
But that’s not always the case in the relationships between home-schooled children and the school districts where they live. Big Walnut is the exception in Delaware County, where the three other districts — Buckeye Valley, Delaware and Olentangy — interpret state law and Ohio High School Athletic Association rules in a way that home-schooling advocates say makes it difficult for such children to participate in extracurricular activities.
The law requires a student to take at least five courses to be eligible, but it’s up to each district to decide where those courses are taught, said Deborah Moore, OHSAA associate commissioner for eligibility. Many, she said, require all five to be taken with the district….”
For the complete article please visit: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/29/home_extras.ART_ART_04-29-09_B1_PIDMRUI.html?
“by Janet Schultz
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, February 21, 2009
The Lewiston-Porter Board of Education met Tuesday and heard about policies regarding home instruction and a plan to save $1.1 million in special education costs.
Because this was the first reading of the home schooling policies, no action was taken. The presentation, led by School Superintendent Christopher Roser and special education teacher Barbara Godshall, was the result of updating of state and local policies and procedures. While most policies are set by the state, the school does have some latitude in deciding on what services can be used by home-instructed students.
The board still has to act regarding home-instructed children’s use of school facilities, such as the pool, gym and library; borrowing of such items as computer hardware/software, library books and science equipment; and if home-instructed children will be allowed to take part in certain non-credited extracurricular activities….”
For the complete story please visit: http://www.wnypapers.com/news/2009/02/s21_homeschool.html
“We believe that the idea of allowing homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics and band has merit and deserves consideration.
A House bill filed by state Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville, would allow homeschooled students to participate in public school sports, music events and other extracurricular activities.
House Bill 179 is referred to as the Tim Tebow Bill for the University of Florida quarterback, who was homeschooled but was allowed to participate in public high school athletics.
The bill states homeschooled students wouldn’t be “discriminated against” from participating in interscholastic extracurricular activities after guidelines are determined for student enrollment and a waiting period is specified for when a student transfers from a public school to a home school.
Twenty-four other states have already passed laws to allow equal extracurricular access, yet many of their eligibility requirements differ….”
To read this article please visit: http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2009/02/17/opinion/our_opinion/opinion1.txt
“By Cristina Janney
This story first appeared in the Nov. 28 edition of the Kansan.
Home schooler Gail Kliewer says home schoolers get a bad wrap as isolationists.
But she said nothing is farther from the truth.
“They have a lot of interaction through 4-H, church, other community events, and we have a basketball team. Many of the students also are in the Newton Community Choir.
“Socialization or the lack of it is one of the biggest misconceptions of home schooling,” she said.
In fact, the Homes Educators Association based in Newton has a booming, popular cooperative course program that meets weekly at Meridian Baptist Church in Newton.
The association has 51 member families who come from the Harvey and Butler county areas.
Carrie Reida of North Newton said she thinks home schooling and coop classes allow her daughter to avoid some peer pressure should would experience in public school.
“She experiences interests across age groups instead of one age group. She builds her own character. She doesn’t know who Hannah Montana is. She has her own heroes.”
Kliewer said children benefit from co-op classes because instead of socializing with children who are all the same age, they learn to socialize with children of different ages….”
For the rest of the article visit: http://www.thekansan.com/news/x1720672026/Co-op-provides-opportunities-for-home-schoolers
“By Liz Tufts
August Siena Thomas isn’t your average college student. In fact, most of her friends aren’t even out out of high school. That’s because she’s only 17 years old.
“When I was 14 I started full time at UMass Amherst, ” says Thomas. Yes, you heard it right she started college at 14.
The Montague teen will graduate this May from the Honors College at Umass. She’s majoring in Linguistics and the Ancient World, and has minors in Italian, Ancient Greek, and Art History. But her resume doesn’t end there. She got her high school diploma at 13 and started college courses at Elms College at 11. But one of her great accomplishments is finishing her first historical novel, which she started writing at 13.
“I started writing a historical novel set in 15th Century England , it’s the story of the coming of age of a young king., ” says Thomas.
August, who’s was home schooled by her mother since she was 9, is the only student in Massachusetts to be named a 2008 Davidson Fellow. She is one of 20 other students who will receive scholarships from the Davidson Institute, a national organization that supports gifted youth. …”
For the full text visit: http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/27562204.html