Spring Renewal: Leaders e-Newsletter, April 2006

Need help and encouragement for homeschooling your high schooler?

Our newest ebook, Homeschooling the High Schooler: From Transcripts to Graduation, is hot off the press! In this ebook, we've enlisted homeschool parents, homeschooled high school students themselves, and experts to share some tips with you.

Our authors share not only the "how-tos" of transcripts, math, science, and language arts but also why they chose to homeschool through high school, some of the opportunities they took advantage of along the way, and the blessings they've reaped from keeping their teens at home for high school.

To order your copy, visit our Schoolhouse Store!

Stones of Remembrance
By Kim Wolf

Joshua 4:4-7 - "So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, 'Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone on his shoulder to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

When beginning our school year, most of us probably go before the Lord and bathe the coming academic year in prayer. But about this time of year, winding up the school year seems to take place at the same time our energy is winding down. (Thank the LORD for Easter Break … in more ways than one!)

This time of year it is so easy to feel as though we are hamsters in a wheel, running, running, running but going nowhere. Besides the academic year soon coming to an end (for most of us) and the "cleaning up" of those loose ends that this may bring, there are other things coming to a crescendo - sports, dance recital, music recital, end of year ceremonies and parties, conventions - the list seems to go on and on. With all this activity and the exhaustion that accompanies it, it is easy to forget all that has been accomplished during this school year and the grace and answered prayer that God has showered down upon us like sweet April rain.

As the busyness of this time of year takes us by storm, all the little things can cause our thoughts of what we have accomplished to become distorted. When homeschool life gets a little overwhelming (of just life in general!), instead of remembering the rough days, we need to strengthen our own faith by getting out those "stones of remembrance" and look back at all the prayers God has answered. These "stones" are our faith manifested in physical reality - answered prayer, healings, a loved-one's salvation - what a list!

I believe that if you are honest with yourself, you will agree that God's grace has extended to your school year and that it really was a success! If you take a peek through your children's notebooks and review what has been absorbed this year, you'll realize that something really did get through! On those days when you feel like you're not teaching your children anything, look at all that your children do know. The LORD used you to teach them that! Are they well-rounded? Do they have a relationship with Jesus? Have they seen answered prayer? The LORD used you! God knew what He was doing when He put those children in your home.

These are our Stones of Remembrance!

Joshua 23:14 - "You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." Amen!

Blessings from Ohio,
Kim Wolf

Kim Wolf loves living in a small Ohio town with her husband of 21 years and their two teen daughters. They have homeschooled since 1993 and are very active in the music ministry of their church, particularly in the praise team and the audio/video team. She is a Miami County homeschool coordinator and loves getting new homeschool families started on their journey. Kim is also a speaker and freelance writer as well as a contributing writer, product reviewer, and Ohio coordinator for TOS. Visit her blog: www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/Buckeyeblog

A Time to Revisit the 3 Rs: Review, Revamp, and Recharge
By Ramona Voight

We all get burned out about this time of year. We desperately want spring to be here, and nobody feels like doing school. Here's what to do.

Plan an in-service, or staff development day, or whatever you want to call it. Schedule a morning alone at your favorite coffee shop, or if that's impossible, ask hubby to divert the kids and lock yourself in your bedroom with all you need.

Now it's time for some math.

Add - add up all that you think you need to finish for school. How many chapters and pages are left? How many projects? Include all the stuff you had planned at the beginning of the year.

Now subtract. Take out anything that's really unnecessary and creates more tears and agony than it's worth. Remember, there are no workbook police checking whether every page is done. If you hate it, ditch it. If the kids aren't making any progress, dump it.

Check your ratios and proportions. Is there a balance of seat work and hands-on? Quiet stuff and active stuff? Make sure your equations balance.

Divide what's left by the remaining time. Don't worry if the days are less full than you think they should be.

Now add, if you wish. Add interesting stuff, or the subjects and activities you had wanted to do but never got around to. It really is okay to study Spanish for two weeks or dig into archeology for only three sessions.

Finally, multiply the value by doing multi-purpose tasks. A nature notebook can count as art, science, and writing.

And most importantly, be kind to yourself. Nobody learns from a crabby mom. Let up, and let learning happen naturally.

Ramona Voight, in her own words: I'm the wife of 19 years to Bob, a great guy, and mom to Duncan, age 12, also a great guy, but then I'm a bit biased. This is the fifth year of our homeschooling journey. We were classical education style until about February, when I ran out of steam and structure, and then it got very eclectic! We live in a small town in central Minnesota called Big Lake, which sounds like something out of a Garrison Keillor sketch. Even worse, we live on Loon Loop. How's that for a street name? Our life involves church, school, co-op, 4-H, two dogs, one really old cat, and two salamanders. We love the Lord, each other, and the freedom to learn in our own way. Visit my blog: www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/Minnesota.

The Busy Woman Inc.:
Are you scrambling to find the time and energy to fit housework and family
fun into your hectic day? Learn to organize your schedule so there's fun
throughout your homeschool day while still having time for the essentials.
Tell us you saw us in "The Old Schoolhouse" ezine when you order and we'll
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Let us help you plan your schedule TODAY! http://www.thebusywoman.com/

7 Great Reasons to Incorporate
By Carol Topp, CPA

Does your homeschool organization need to incorporate?

Here's a short quiz to see if incorporating in your state as a nonprofit organization would be beneficial:

1. Do you consistently make a financial surplus (i.e., a profit)?

Incorporate as a not-for-profit so your state does not try to tax your "profit." Some states only require you to register as a charity with them and incorporation is not needed. You can exist as an unincorporated organization.

2. Do you wish to legally and financially protect your leadership?

Incorporate as a not-for-profit so you can purchase Director & Officer insurance and protect your leaders. A nonprofit can be sued, but your members and directors are usually protected from personal liability, meaning that their own money, houses, or property aren't at risk.

3. Do you wish the organization to last beyond the current leadership?

Incorporate so your organization has a legal identity of its own. It will exist even after current leadership leaves.

4. Do you wish to hire employees or purchase property or equipment?

Incorporate so the organization pays employees or owns the property, not individuals. Also, nonprofits are usually exempt from paying property taxes on real estate and other property. Contact your county assessor's office for more information on this property tax exemption.

5. Do you have donors who want a tax exemption for their donations?

Incorporate with your state as a not-for-profit and then pursue the 501(c)3 charitable status with the IRS (called "tax exempt status" by the IRS). It is easier to get tax-exempt status as a corporation.

6. Do you expect to receive private or public grant money?

Your group is unlikely to qualify for many public and private grants without 501(c)3 status.

7. Do you do a lot of bulk mailing?

Nonprofits can receive a mailing permit that gives them a special reduced nonprofit rate for mailings. This is helpful for organizations that do a lot of mailings. The post office will request to see Articles of Incorporation and By-laws.

Carol Topp is a homeschooling mother of two daughters. She serves as treasurer for her homeschool co-op. She and her family live in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her website is www.HomeschoolCPA.com.

Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge
Review by Sharra Badgley

As busy leaders, I know that you have many responsibilities on your plates both in the home and within your homeschooling community. Have you been facing discouragement lately due to an abundance of tasks that you need to complete? Are you falling behind in household management? Now that spring has arrived, are you longing to find some renewal within both your heart and home? If any of these ring true in your life, then you might be interested in a great resource that Amy Verlennich has made available for free download at her Dandelion Seeds blog: www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/DandelionSeeds.

The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is a 52-day boost toward cleanliness and order in the heart and home. Resources available on Amy's blog include the following:

Clean Heart, Clean Home Organizer - 77 page e-book for free download
Helpful charts, worksheets, and prayer/journal pages
Detailed cleaning lists
Devotionals and newsletters for support

Here is a brief description from Amy:
I think "Spring Cleaning" can happen anytime of the year. The way I see it is spring for rejuvenation and rebirth. For those of us in colder climates, we watch as the snow melts and the trees begin to bud while the birds return to sing. Maybe "Spring Fever" is the result of a desire for a change in us as well. The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is designed to not only bring about a change in your home, but in your heart as well.

I just downloaded a copy today. I enjoyed reading through Amy's devotionals, and I look forward to using this resource as we clean and organize this spring in our home and offices. The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is a nice resource for both physical and spiritual housecleaning.

Related Resources:

Dandelion Seeds
www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/DandelionSeeds/

Create in Me a Clean Heart
www.HomesteadBlogger.com/DandelionSeeds

A Clean Heart

www.acleanheart.com/

Have you stopped in lately to visit Homeschool Nations? If not, why don't you take a moment to visit your state page and blog:
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com/hsn/index.php

Kris Price, the Homeschool Nations Manager, has been working hard to update the state and country blogs with their new design. The dedicated team of volunteer Coordinators and Contributors is working to make Homeschool Nations an excellent resource for homeschool families by posting information about homeschooling in their state or country, upcoming events, classes, conventions, and helpful links and resources.

We still have some openings for Coordinators and Contributors for the following states and countries: Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the Canadian Provinces.

Please contact Kris Price at kprice@thehomeschoolmagazine.com if you have interest in serving as a volunteer Coordinator or Contributor for the states mentioned above. We would love to have you join the HSN team!

Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Recently I had the privilege of reviewing Rachel Thomson's inspirational book Lord, Teach Us To Pray: Reflections on the Lord's Prayer and am pleased to offer a copy for one of the readers of Leader's e-News. This book is a delightful and intimate journey through the Lord's Prayer.

Do you lead devotionals at your local homeschool support group, co-op, or other meetings? Do you write your own devotionals or do you prefer to use a devotional resource? Send an email to Leaders@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com with a sample devotional that you have written or your top choices for devotionals to inspire homeschool families. One winner will be randomly selected from the entries to receive a copy of Lord, Teach Us To Pray.

Meet the Author:

Inklings
rachelstarrthomson.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Sharra

All Things In Common (ATIC)! Would you like to help a fellow homeschooler in need? Do you have homeschool resources that you can share? The Old Schoolhouse Magazine sponsors a curriculum donation program called the All Things In Common program (ATIC) based upon Acts 2:44. Currently we are working to assist an Oklahoma homeschool family that has faced some hardships. Details are available at www.homeschoolblogger.com/AllThingsInCommon.

Do you ever wish you knew how other homeschooling families get it all done?

If so, you need a copy of Secrets of Successful Homeschooling! In this e-book, Paul and Gena Suarez, publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, show you that "Yes! You CAN homeschool!" From Classical Education and Lapbooking, to organizing your home or educating special needs children, this e-book covers it all! You'll receive practical tips, advice and helpful information in an easy-to-understand manner.

"Every story touched me in one way or another. I found myself wishing I could call people and yell 'Finally! A practical book that speaks from the heart when it comes to homeschooling.'" - LaTara Ham-Ying, author, ministry founder, radio show host, business owner, and homeschool mother of two sons

Affordable and instantly downloadable, this e-book would be perfect to help you start out the new year inspired, motivated, and encouraged in your homeschooling journey.

To purchase your copy of Secrets to Successful Homeschooling, visit

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com/subscribe/secrets.php

Looking for a way to earn extra money?

Sign up for our affiliate program and you can earn 66% of each sale by telling your friends about our e-book. Sign up here:

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The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's
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The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is approx 200 pages, full color, gloss, and packed with support and fun! Contests and a multitude of product reviews abound, as do excellent columns like Creation Answers with AiG's Ken Ham, Resource Room for special needs homeschooling with Christine Field, Diana Waring's HisStory column, our Finishing the Race (High School) department, and Show and Tell – where readers share their own detailed methods and curriculum choices. And don't forget our lengthy Teachers' Lounge where homeschool parents hang out and talk homeschooling! Jenefer Igarashi chats each issue as well, and Dr. Ruth Beechick drops in from time to time. Keep up with mainstream news with Zan Tyler and Amelia Harper. It truly is "a homeschool convention wrapped up in a journal!"

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**This promotion is for new TOS subscribers, only. For renewing subscribers, please check your renewal notice to take advantage of special offer and/or discount promotions for renewing subscribers during that cycle. Support group leaders ONLY are permitted to renew early and receive all 19 gifts since they often represent/introduce new resources to homeschool families. If you are a support group leader wanting to renew, please indicate this on your order.

-- The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Staff