Volume 2, Issue 7                                                                   July/August 2002

MONTHLY MEETINGS are at the RC Public Library, usually on the last Saturday of each month from 1:00 to 3:00.  Check the dates.

Bring something to "Show-n-Tell".  It doesn't have to be on-topic.  This has been so interesting and we get to see new things we may never have heard of before.

SDCHE Back to School Picnic and Voting.  August 10th at the Cement Plant Park from 3-8:00pm.  Picnic potluck.  Vote for the new board members.

Mom's Coffee/Tea will continue this Fall at the westside Millstone on the first Thursday of the month at 7pm.

YMCA offers homeschool classes.  Watch the next newsletter for the schedule or get a flyer from the YMCA.

LAST MONTHS MEETING
 

June's meeting was canceled due to vacations!   But in May we had 6 members present.  We discussed Reading and Writing. 

Stacie talked about sentence strips.  She suggested cutting writing paper into strips and then writing 5 sentences. 

Suzanne had this awesome tackle box full of cut out laminated alphabet letters.  She showed us Handwriting without Tears and how to use the little chalkboards you can buy in most places in the craft sections.

Also check out the Institute for Excellence in Writing.

IMAGINATION STATION

Fall Semester Homeschool Classes begin September 10th.  Register early, class size is limited!!  Call Margie for more information at 388-3446.

Algebra - Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 to 11:00 am for middle and high school students. 

Chemistry - Tuesdays 1:30-2:45 pm for middle and high school students.

Human Body - Thursdays 1:30-2:45 pm for all ages.

American Girls Club - Watch for the new schedule

American Boys Club - Watch for a schedule.

The cost is $25.00 per month. The lessons are group lessons once a week for 30 minutes for the first semester.  Second semester the once a week group lessons continue plus a 30 minute all-band lesson each week.  (No change in price for this additional lesson.)  Gratha  really enjoys teaching the children.  If you have questions or want more info, call Gratha Gregory at 342-0341. 

EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FORMS

I had a long discussion with the Rapid City homeschool office after hearing a few people were having problems filling out their certificates of exemption forms.  The office really wants to work with us and clear any misunderstandings.  If anyone has further questions, please let me know.  This is what I know so far:

On the form, #15 is about birth certificates.  If you do not provide a copy of the birth certificate, then you must complete the Affidavit on the backside of the form, with either two witnesses OR a notary.  The notary on the front is NOT for #15. The secretary has been asking for both.  If you want to avoid the hassle, just do both.
 

On the form, #16 is where the parents sign.  If you have both parents listed in #3 above, you MUST have both sign on #16.  Then you can have those parents' signatures witnessed by two witnesses OR notarized.  The secretary has been asking for both.  If you want to avoid the hassle, just do both.

The Douglas school district doesn't seem to care where you sign and notarize.  I don't know about the other districts.

The RC District Board now meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month.  The deadline for this batch of exemptions is August 15th.  Margie Rosario of Imagination Station, whom most of us know, is the First Vice President on the Board and is willing to discuss any hs'ing issues with us.

In Meade 46-1, the school board's Aug. meeting is now Aug. 19 (later than usual due to the Rally). So we need to have our forms in by then.
 

Office Depot is having a Teachers Appreciation Day on August 10th from 8-10am -- complete with breakfast!!!  They are raffling off a laminator and give all participants a tote bag of goodies. You also get a coupon for 10% discount on all purchases that day.  They have a mailing list that we can get on for the future.

Office Max In other states they offer a discount, I don't know for sure about the local store. 

Hobby Lobby offers a 10% discount.  Not all the cashiers seem to be aware of it though. However, it is approved at the Rapid City store by the manager.

Barnes & Noble offers a 20% discount.  Take letter of intent to homeschool and some other proof (like a Support Group Membership Card) and you will receive an educator's discount card for use on all schooling related purchases.

Borders offers a 20% teacher discount to the Homeschooling Community.  Proof of declaration of intent to homeschool or Support Group ID is required.  You will receive a Teacher discount card which entitles you to receive a 20% discount off the list price on books, music or videos for classroom/homeschooling purposes only.

Prince & Pauper will also give us a discount.  They've not asked for proof yet, and you need to ask the cashier first.  I've gotten 10-15%, but they may match Borders' 20% if asked. 

Walden Books and B. Dalton Books offers a classroom discount card which entitles you to a 20% discount on books purchased for homeschool use only.  Present a membership card as a form of homeschool identification to receive your classroom discount card.

The Nature Company  With a membership card, you are eligible for a 15% discount (no sale items), no telescopes or telescope parts. They will have you fill out a form, and give you an ID card for purchases made there.

Natural Wonders - 15% discount.

Staples now extends its Teacher's Reward Program to homeschoolers!

Zany Brainy - 10% discount.

Hollywood Video offers a VIP card to teachers for FREE videos.  This lets us take out free any documentary or feature film that is educational.

McDonald's:  Students with a straight "A" report card receive:  Kindergarten- 5th grades- free Happy Meal and 6th- 12th grades- free Value Meal.

Krispy Kreme Donuts:  Students receive one free donut for each "A" on your report card, up to six donuts each report card.

Another Fourth of July has come and gone. This is, for some of us, a time for vacation and refreshing. For others of us, this is the time to "buckle down" and start our planning for next year.  Some of us are even still working on finishing out the 2001-2002 school year. I want to encourage you that wherever you are in the homeschooling process today, it is OKAY for you to be there.

I've talked to a number of moms in the past several weeks at book fairs and here at home, and many are comparing themselves to others and "grading" how they are doing. Many feel that their curriculum choices are wrong (before they have even implemented them) or that they don't have the "schedule" that someone else has. I want to encourage you in that your home is a very individual thing. What you do in your homeschool is delightfully tailored to YOUR home and YOUR family. To compare your home or your school to another individual's could lead to frustration and disappointment. You are the one that can best determine what is appropriate for YOUR school.

I've also chatted with several moms that were joking with me about the "instant wisdom" that their husbands thought they had obtained the day they decided to homeschool. Perhaps you were one of those moms whose husbands weren't quite sure of this "homeschooling thing" but they were gracious enough to let you try. Then, they assumed that YOU would be the sole decision-maker about curriculum because somehow you miraculously would "know" what your students would need in every area and what curriculum would meet those needs. When I first started homeschooling, I must admit, the weight of that misguided belief almost overcame my determination to homeschool.

Those of us that have been homeschooling for a while, recognize these times as ones of adjustment. In some ways, after you have been homeschooling for a while, you do get into some routines, but in other ways, every year is new. Sometimes we have to admit that we have chosen a curriculum that did not work and therefore we need to spend a little more money to find an alternative. We realize that this is the cost of wanting to do a good job in this homeschooling occupation. As long as I keep the long term objectives in mind, I can deal with having to pick out another book or starting to get creative on my own.

Eli G., Isaac G., Ivan G., & Heather W.  participated in Bible Quiz this year. Heather placed in 1st place and Ivan in 5th for the state of South Dakota.  In addition, Rapid City placed 2nd at the State Finals and 7th in Regional Tournament (7 States).

Joanna O. was named "Camper of the Week" last week and gets to go to camp for free next year.

Sarah J. received 1 blue and 5 purple ribbons at the 4-H Achievement Days.  Two of the purple ribbons were for "Grand Champion" in Showmanship and Obedience at the dog show.

Shawn V tested and passed his 1st mid-term in karate and is on his way to a 2nd degree black belt.

Nathan John Wick was born on Saturday afternoon at 5:19, right before the Big Storm. He weighed in at a whopping 8lb 9oz .

Kris Godwin has moved out of state.  We will miss her family.